Curnayn's Tavern. Cincinnati, OH.

4515 W 8th Street #35

Guinness Tag: $4.50 | Overall Rating: 2.00

If you're an Irish Pub enthusiast and a Craic addict, then finding a new Irish Pub to visit can be difficult. Sometimes you'll come across a Pub with an Irish name, shamrocks on the awning, and greenery/flowers on the outside door/windows. Take Curnayn's for example; it's exactly that on the outside but when you walk through the door you instantly realize it's the neighborhood watering hole for Old Crow, light beer, and cheap mixed drinks with Mr. Boston.

Don't get me wrong, every neighborhood needs a place or two like that and there's nothing wrong with it. However, when your curb appeal screams Irish Pub but your interior screams everything but an Irish Pub, then it can make the visit a little deflating for someone like me who's actively searching for the next best Irish Pub here in the states.

Curnayn's used to open at 5:30 AM which is awesome. A few years back, the neighbors started to complain about the early noise and traffic in the morning, and had to ruin it for everyone (probably a Karen). Now, they don't open until 10 AM. It's a cash only bar and the only Guinness they have is the Extra Stout in the bottle. Instead of Golden Tee, they have the weird bowling game that nobody plays. They offer plastic darts alongside a Keno machine for the high rollers.

Curnayn's caters well to the middle to lower class folks who are looking for a cheap place to complain about work and life for a while. There's essentially nothing Irish about it with almost no Irish history in its past. If you're looking for an Irish Pub, then you surely won't want to carve any time out of your day to come here. That's not to say you can't have a jolly time here, though.

Slainte