As a city girl, I was nervous about not being able to find a go-to place for my business trip in Dayton. But this WAS IT! As a bourbon girl, I fell in love with this place as soon as I walked in. An acquaintance found this place online and suggested that we go here. This bar is located on a run down street. I was a bit skeptical as soon as we arrived to the bar, but as I set foot inside, my whole mentality changed. I was a bit overwhelmed with their whiskey menu because I didn't know where to start or what to order, so I ordered my usual 1792 bourbon to sip on while I go through the menu to see what my next drink would be.The bartenders were awesome. As out-of-towners, they recommended a few local places for us. Because they know I was a bourbon girl, they also recommended a few and let me try them. If you're into whiskey, I highly recommend this place. You will be impressed with their wide selection of whiskey, just as I was. They had the most common types of Whiskey like Jameson to some of the most expensive ones like Pappy Van Winkle 20yr. Will definitely return if I had the chance to be in Dayton again. read more

Century Bar - One of the bourbons the bartender recommended and let me try based on the local's preference. - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Always crowded the 5 times I've gone in two years at the old and updated location. Gorgeous historic bar with good bourbons. Ambience is judgy by servers - you will have best experience if you just order liquor here. Can be long waits for cocktails and long lines but have had some delicious aromatic Christmas cocktails to remember. Good folks and good drinks! Make it a couple hour outing with good company you enjoy :) read more

I know what you are thinking...how can a city that has lost 54% of its population since 1960 have an incredible little place like this?? Well I am here to say...cut Dayton some freaking slack! It's been a rough go the last several decades with the loss of manufacturing. I am not saying the city hasn't made some tactical errors, but act like a guest, not a hater. If you truly take the time to look around, Dayton has a ton of potential. There are several old buidlings that are just gorgeous (a few that are not...Kettering Tower as an example...is, how should I put this...not so pretty) and they have a pretty hard-core art scene that rivals Cincinnati and Columbus. ::Cut scene, enter review:: This little spot on Jefferson Street downtown that has one of the best looking bars around. Bourbon and Banter named the Century Bar one of the Top 55 Bourbon Bars in the country (http://www.centurybourbon.com/about-us/). And though I haven't been to 55 for comparison, I can say, it is a truly great Bourbon Bar. We went around 5:00 midweek and it was buzzing, but not too crowded. The ambiance is dark, casual and welcoming with tons of bourbon gear everywhere. The guy behind the counter, albeit new to the bar, was very friendly and welcoming. The bar was built in 1862 and brought up to Dayton from an old hotel in Cincinnati...needless to say, it reaks of awesome. The woodwork is very ornate and if you listen close, the ghosts trapped behind the mirrors and wood reach out to you with a whispery plea: "Carpeee...carrrpeee...Carpe diee-emmmm..." If you check out the site, you will see that the place is about hospitality. And honestly, if you are going to serve the signature spirit of Mother Kentucky, then have some GD manners! I hate pretentious bourbon bars that violate the principles of southern hospitality. With any good review, there should be some recommendations:1) Lose the freaking TVs. It really takes away from the beauty of the bar. If folks want to watch sports center, then go to Buffalo Wild Wings. 2) Keep the music classy and rustic 3) Add more to your top shelf offerings (being that Ohio is a STUPID FREAKING CONTROL state...I understand that may be tough). You owe it to yourself to check this place out. Just check any pretentiousness at the door. Cheers! read more

Century Bar - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Joined the bourbon club, drank three different travelers (1 oz. pours) , over a 100 Bourbons alone. Great whiskey bar. Classy, friendly, quiet. Most respectful establishment. I am a big fan! read more

By far the worst bar experience I've ever had. Seriously the MEANEST staff. Left with tears is my eyes because I have never had a "bartender" make me feel so bad and insecure about myself. Not to mention that it was my birthday and I just wanted to go to a nice bar and have some drinks with my family. Will never be going back there again and would never recommend such a rude stuff to anyone. If you see a guy wearing a "teeth" face mask named MATT JOHNSON run far away because he loves making people cry. Thank you Matt for making my birthday the worst this year :) read more

I would give this 5 stars, because the drinks are that good. But. Between the bathroom situation and a very rude bartender (White male. Dresses like he's going to a 1950's poker game...aka douche-man-3000) I'm downgrading this to 3 stars. The two ladies serving us were fantastic and as I said...the drinks were amazing. Good barstools for farting. read more

Century Bar - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Sure, this place is great. But the seating is SO uncomfortable. Backless bar stools that are almost the same height as the barrel tables = people slouching uncomfortably everywhere. As a lady, I felt awkward and unpretty in my seat. The dim lighting was nice, I loved the music, the decor is classy, service never missed a beat, and drinks tasted great. I simply never felt comfortable once. Sorry :/ read more

The best neighbor bar ever, if you want authentic classic drink this is your place!the bar tenders are so friendly and they help explain how they make your drink and the classic recipes. read more

We'll be back! Century Bar is very cool and obscure, like a Prohibition-era speakeasy. The outside is nothing to look at, and could be a turn-off as you'll mutter to yourself "oh gawd this is some trashy hole-in-the wall!" Don't judge a book by it's cover. The Century Bar is classy as hell. I was immediately taken back to my visit to The Laundry Room in Las Vegas. Century Bar has the identical vibe, ambiance, music selection, and drink selection, but on a more grand scale. We couldn't stay long, but I had 2 San Martins, and my guest had a champagne with bitters. She loved it, and I was buzzed after the second San Martin. Time was of the essence during our visit, but we'll be back! read more

This place is amazing! It is one of those cool bourbon and cocktail bars that all these new bars are trying to replicate. The beautiful bar is lined with over 100 bottles of bourbon and other great liquor choices. We tried the Goodnight Ruth, Singapore Sling, Margarita, Alabazam and French 75. The only drink I wasn't crazy about was the margarita, I don't think I liked the tequila choice. I highly recommend starting out here with a good drink or ending your evening here for a final final. read more

Century Bar - Goodnight Ruth on the left and Singapore sling on the right. - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Hick town Dayton, feigning to be hip. Great selection of whiskies indeed. Shite for service. You can't get a glass of tap water....they insist on shoving PLASTIC bottled water [gratis]. What century are you guys living in - get educated. Be especially weary of the staff who will pour you a double to pad the bill, unless you explicitly say single. No matter. There is not shortage of Dayton sheeple patronizing - they so dearly want to be hip. There is a reason this city will never be Montreal, let alone Columbus. read more

Oh how I've missed this place so much! I indulged and had 3 cocktails (I believe). Rosemarys bubbly and the Carrie white. I'm pretty sure I had RB twice lol. It's so good! Both are gin cocktails with champagne. This is such a cozy place to come to in the fall/winter months because they always have something to warm you right up! This place is and always will be my "night cap" spot. read more

Century Bar - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Best bourbon bar period. This place is a throwback to another time with bartenders that really (and I mean really) know their stuff. The manhattan was unbelievable and probably the best I have. About every bourbon imaginable is available. The bar itself is beautiful definitely worth a look. read more

One of my favorite places to grab a drink after work or take a friend who's visiting town. Even though it's a whiskey bar, there's a huge selection of drinks so no matter what you like you will find something great on the menu, and for the whiskey lovers, you might get overwhelmed with the amount of choices but I don't think that's a bad thing. The bartenders here really know what they're doing. read more

Century Bar - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Horrible experience with an awful bartender with a sharp teeth mask. Left pissed and we will not be coming back. It's bad when even the waiter called him horrible and told us not to tip him because it goes to a pool which he would have to share with him. First time going and we will not be back. read more

This bar has a decent selection, but why would anyone go to a place to be treated like crap by the people who work there? The bartender was super rude and quite honestly gave off a "we don't like your kind here" kind of vibe. Recommendation to Century Bar management - hire some knowledgeable folks who enjoy sharing that knowledge with patrons and aren't total dbags. read more

Oh yeah this is my favorite bar in Dayton! The drinks are SO GOOD! I adore turn of the century drinks and the ambiance is the bees knees. Dim lighting, fixtures out of the 1920's, Jazz playing. Totally my kind of place. Also as a side note, I could see some people thinking the drinks are expensive. I just moved from the west coast so they're normal price to me, but the quality of experience and quality of cocktail you get here is well worth it. Bring a date and you'll be sure to get a second. If this place doesn't help you, then it really is you... read more

Really cool place with great selection and great drinks. The bar tenders have great knowledge of every drink I could think of

Nice place with many bourbons. The drinks are well made. There is no food at all when I asked the bartender even though online it was suggested that there was. Also we sat at a table and was completely ignored. Apparently you have to sit at the bar in order to get service. If they advertised that you had to exclusively order at the bar, I would have given another star. read more

It's a little pricy here but definitely worth it, beautiful bar, excellent bartenders and fantastic atmosphere

The care, detail and love of the craft crates an atmosphere which is in itself intoxicating. The flavors are so well balanced and refreshing. This is a true gem of a place to spend time with friends or meeting new people. I simply love this place. read more

Century Bar - This cracks me up! - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

It's dark. Like dark. No seriously, it's very dark. In about 15 minutes you'll be able to see the bar in front of you. :) (It also smells like an old gentleman's club FWIW) Once you sit down and your vision comes back, you'll see they have an utterly AMAZING selection of whiskey. They have all styles and price ranges. Drink 100 and get your name on a plaque on the wall, or you can drink 200 and get in on an even more exclusive club. Not only can you try ultra top shelf selections here, they have exclusive selections as well, where they individually taste and select specifics cask aged whiskey, picking only the best. You can spend $6 per glass, or $150 if you're feeling like living. They have a good selection of quality Japanese whiskey too which is cool. The bar staff is extremely knowledgable and passionate about whiskey. They can tell you anything you care to know about whiskey, the regions, the styles, the tasting notes, and even what is the best value for your money in any category. If you do choose to go past neet, they offer water, drops of water, ice, or even mixed drinks. Now, before you get into a panic about adding mixers to top shelf liquor, let me allay your fears by explaining that everything from their cherries to their vermouth is at the quality level necessary to enhance, not diminish the experience of your cocktail. If you missed out on speakeasies, or old money mob bars, or black tie gentleman's clubs, or just want to get a taste for what whiskey aficionado heaven is like, run, don't walk to get here as quickly as possible. You won't regret it. And even if you bring along a friend who isn't whiskey-obsessed (might be time to reevaluate your friendship criteria), don't worry because they can order tasty, quality drinks as well. read more

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One of my favorite bars in Dayton. The inside is beautiful and cozy. Bartenders have always been kind and helpful. The cocktails are always fantastic. My group and I came here for New Year's Eve and Century did an excellent job. It was private so there was no overcrowding. They handed out plenty of fun party favors and poppers and had an option of champagne or bourbon for the toast (I got champagne :) ). We had a great time! read more

Oregon District what? Where? Who? ... been to three different places in the Oregon District and after finding this little hidden gem I will never return. The Century Bar is absolutely phenomenal! This is the number one whiskey / bourban bar I have ever had the privilege of patronizing.... and yes there is a difference between bourban and whiskey! I am 100% proud to have been served in this magnificent establishment. Our bartender Nick was second to none. I have never met a more knowledgeable individual when it comes to all things bourban, whiskey, and scotch! Tonight there was over 517 different bottles on the shelf to choose from. Good luck finding something you have never had. This place has been around for nearly 80 years and has a super cool speakeasy vibe that is like no other. I will definitely make this a must stop next time I visit Dayton. Good luck and Dare to Dine! read more

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Very good drinks. But for people with limited eye site, you will need someone to lead you around. Or bring a flashlight. LOL

Absolutely love this place. Old school, cool vibe, and super chill. Great place to relax... Bartender was cool and knowledgeable. He guided us through runs, scotch, and whiskey with a smile! read more

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I love this place! The old hand carved bar with stained glass lights sets the atmosphere. It's a small place with great drinks. I love their whiskey sour. They make it with all fresh ingredients. The thing I like best about the whiskey sour is that they make it with egg whites. It gives it this nice frothy texture I love. They have gained in popularity which brings a crowd. Great for their business, difficult for table space but it's my favorite place when I come home for a visit! read more

Century Bar - Old hand carved bar. Beautiful! - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

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WOW WOW WOW! This place has drinks like no other. They are putting real ingredients in the drinks to make real delicious drinks. The people working there (bartenders, etc) are dressed beautifully. The environment at the bar is awesome. The bar front is gorgeous. This is a bar you cannot miss. We went for the first time and will definitely be coming back MANY times. Very well done. Very awesome. Go there. Do it. You won't regret it. read more

We found this place on Google and went last night. The staff was friendly and the bourbons were fantastic. As an after-dinner stop during our one evening in town we couldn't have asked for more. I believe the bartender we spoke with most was Tyler.... thanks! read more

Definitely going back - had wonderful, meticulously crafted, delicious cocktails that were spot on! Great service and incredible selection.

Love this classic bar! I started going there when it was more of a fun "dive bar" with a kitchen back in the 80's. It's different now, more of a bourbon specialty bar (but they are also a fully stocked bar), but still one of my favorites. It's a bit more trendy, but still casual, with amazing specialty drinks. We tend to stick with the classics, like Manhattans, Old Fashions, etc. It's a little pricier, but you get what you pay for. There's not many bars in Dayton that can make a classic Manhattan as well. The bar tenders use to tease my husband and me about our whiskey choices for Manhattans. We finally listened and took their recommendations and of course, they were right! They know their "stuff." It can get a bit crowded and loud on Saturday nights (with a younger 20-30's crowd), but we can hang anyway. I enjoy the less crowded nights though. Atmosphere is very old, dark, swanky, small, & classic. The bar itself is beautiful, original, and old. Be careful with parking, because the parking lot next door tends to change the rules unannounced and you will get a ticket...ask the doorman or bartenders. The Century Bar is definitely a place you should frequent and bring out of town guests...they will be impressed. read more

What a great spot! Impressive selection of Bourbon & whiskey. The bar is dimly lit and is reminiscent of an old speakeasy. The cocktail menu is creative and impressive. Our bartender made one hell of a Manhattan and Old Fashioned. They use Luxardo cherries instead of Cheap maraschino cherry's which made our drinks perfect. When I'm back in Dayton I will definitely be back! read more

Century Bar - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

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Lovely speakeasy cocktail bar with inspired drink selections and the obligatory old fashioneds. Personable bartenders and truly impressive collection of liquors and mixers. read more

The vibes are chill with swing music and plenty of parking. The menu has a variety of different whiskeys with ones from japan and a seasonal cocktail menu on the back next to the classics. I would have liked mine to have more of strawberry mint accentuated read more

Do you like bourbon, whiskey, and/or scotch? Then you'll love this place! Its dark interior will allow you to really enjoy the beverages and take it all in. They have hundreds of options and a staff that can guide you along the way. read more

This place is just unique. Definitely a great place to grab a drink. I really love the atmosphere of the old school back in the day bar. Everything has the old time feel. We like to come early as this place can get packed. The drink specials are always changing and there are always so many options. Also a great place to get a true old fashioned. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. I would say this is more of a guy bar than for girls based on the drinks. But still a good place for sure. We usually swing by for at least a few drinks. Stop on by. You won't be disappointed. read more

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You could feel it in the atmosphere, people loved to be here and the employees loved their jobs. So much so, that the gal sitting next to us at the bar works there. That's a testament to the drinks and the environment! It was nice to have inside help when deciding what to get because there was SO MUCH WHISKEY. And I will admit it, I know nothing about it! So, I received a bit of a lesson that night, had a lovely old fashioned, a peachy whiskey cocktail, and had some quick sips of some other whiskeys as well. It is very dark in there, it was crowded, and it was hot (it was one of those over 100 degree humid days - so keep that in mind) but gosh darnnit, I just had a blast here :) read more

This place is awesome! They have a great selection of bourbon and their staff is very knowledgeable about bourbons. They made great recommendations and just overall had a lot of fun at Century Bar. 10/10. Sergio gives it the danky stamp of approval. read more

This is a gem in the Gem City. I use to come here 25yrs ago and it was a hole in the wall. They have done an outstanding job at changing their image into a Bourbon Bar of days gone by. They have excellent cocktails for those who are not Bourbon lovers and hey have an extensive selection of Bourbons/Whiskeys and Scotches. It does tend to get a little packed on the weekends but it is worth the wait. read more

Century Bar - An old...old... fashion!! Puny mortals make great drinks!! Thanos approved - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the most beautiful bar in the world. Now, this isn't some BS modern American standard of beauty; nasogastric tubes dripping miniscule amounts of calories into soulless blushing (hemorrhaging?) brides to be......No, this is straight old school. I'm talking Marylin Monroe, Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield; ladies, this is your James Dean or pre-obesity Marlon Brando. This place has the looks and the brass. This is a bourbon bar with a 100+ year old back bar that has hand carved wooden maidens holding up fish scaled stained glass windows that hover over you while you stare headlong into every bourbon available in Ohio. You know what I love? I love that all the BS rail mixers are tucked out of sight under the bar. There's no room for Stoli or Baccardi on the back bar, nope, it goes with the cleaning supplies. They pay as much attention to their bourbon glasses as a fancy wine bar does to their stemwear. If you have a question, like what the hell is bourbon? They'll tell you and they'll do it without any lip. They also have bourbon tastings that are a lot of fun, I'd highly recommend them. Positives: -Great jukebox, good bartenders, great atmosphere. -Awesome bourbon tastings. -They really like what they do and it shows. -Chances are slim you'll sit in a bar this pretty anywhere else in Ohio. A note: Sorry for drawing a penis on my receipt and telling the bar tender to grow hair. I was pretty hammered. read more