CINCINNATI — OK, let’s get this out of the way first: Most of us love spending Thanksgiving with our families. But if we’re being completely honest, such gatherings also can serve up a lot of drama.
There’s the staunch conservative uncle who will engage that uber-liberal cousin in a debate about the merits of a Donald Trump presidency. And some of us will pray Grandma doesn’t ask why we aren’t dating anyone. These are the moments that can make Thanksgiving feel like work.
Perhaps they are also the reasons that the night before Thanksgiving is the biggest unofficial bar night of the year. And in some darkly humorous way, this might be why "The Shining”-inspired Overlook Lodge in Pleasant Ridge leads MTV's list of “The 7 Coolest Movie-Themed Bars You Need to Visit on Thanksgiving Eve."
After all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
MTV News senior writer and Cincinnati resident Gil Kaufman wrote the list, ranking the Overlook Lodge, at 6083 Montgomery Road, No. 1 on his list of locales across the country. The bar is open from 4 p.m. to midnight Wednesday.
“Opened by veteran bartender Jacob Trevino and partner Ott Baum, the 76-seat Overlook isn’t scary, but takes its look from the infamous mountain lodge in the Stanley Kubrick classic,” Kaufman notes in his write-up. He also describes mixed drinks such as “The Hatchet” and “The Red-Rum” and cites details such as “Jack Nicholson’s eyes rendered in tile under the bar.”
In October, WCPO contributor Anne David previewed the bar before its opening.
“It’s rustic, retro and boasts a dynamic bar menu, and there’s nothing to be scared of there,” she said.
David also noted the bar is definitely one for drinking: There is no kitchen in the place, just an offering of signature trail mixes and beef jerky to nosh on while enjoying cocktails and craft beer. Read her full story and see more photos here.
Kaufman's list also includes bars such as the “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”-based Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar in Orlando and Minnesota’s Donny Dirk’s Zombie Den, an ode to “Night of the Living Dead.”
However, if a movie-themed bar isn’t your thing this Thanksgiving Eve, check out our list of places in the Tri-State offering up drink specials and events to help you prep for Thursday.
