Dale Marie P.
Yelp
I am a long-time Somerset fan. I remember reading about it online and being super excited for it to open and it didn't disappoint.
First of all, it's open every day. As someone who loves a Monday happy hour, I appreciate this. I am in my late 40s and I'm going to go to happy hour on a Monday night and back home to bed by 9 like I'm supposed to be. Anyway, I just appreciate a daily-open bar.
Somerset is an experience. You enter through these giant doors that are from Indonesia or something. It's basically a portal to what awaits you inside. From that moment, you know you're not in your typical Cincinnati bar. One caveat is the food truck right inside the entrance. I appreciate that they offer food (I'm not sure the schedule for it) but I won't lie that it detracts from the aesthetic a bit.
There are three main sections - they probably have names but I'm going to call them the lounge, the greenhouse, and the garden. I am always in the garden if weather permits.
The lounge is a moody library vibe. Big leather couches, a fireplace, poufs for extra seating. It's a nice balance to the other spaces, which are open and airy and green. There is a bar in there, but it's not always staffed. But, I'm usually there for the happy hour timeframe, so it might be staffed more at night.
The greenhouse is the main part of the bar. With its giant windows and plethora of plants and white walls, it's the opposite of the lounge in the best way. This is where the main bar is. Service is usually pretty good although you do run into the kind of bartender that finds ennui to be an appropriate customer service philosophy.
The garden is my favorite. You need to explore, because there's more than meets the eye. I like the pagodas, but I try to post up in the peekaboo spot in my picture - pagoda-adjacent but surrounded with bamboo and it feels private.
Other notes: There is a water station. It's dog-friendly (even inside). There is almost always a bouncer checking every ID. The bathroom doors are kind of hidden in the wallpaper. And I'm usually there early but my understanding is that the young people show up after dark and really make it a party if that's your jam.
TL;DR - Check out Somerset - all of it.