Entry No. 18 — the Cincinnati file — filed under: speakeasy
Comfort Station
Built inside a restored 1920 public transit restroom and bathhouse, this cocktail lounge turns historic entrance doors into gateways for craft drinks and sunlit courtyard lounging.
The story
In 1920, the corner of McMillan Street and Gilbert Avenue served as a major transit hub for Cincinnati's streetcar network. To accommodate thousands of daily commuters transferring lines, the city erected a public streetcar rest stop and bathhouse—politely termed a public comfort station. After streetcars ceased operation, the brick-and-masonry building sat abandoned for more than 30 years, quietly rotting in Walnut Hills while traffic sped past.
Rather than tearing the blighted structure down, the project team spent years rehabilitating the 100-year-old shell while keeping its core architectural layout intact. They preserved the original exterior entryways, turning the carved historic 'Women' and 'Men' doorways into distinct portals. Walking through the primary blue 'Women' entrance brings you into a bright, white-and-slate main room centered around two original glass skylights and a living plant wall.
The space plays on contrasting atmospheres. Behind the main bar lies a secluded, multi-tiered garden patio constructed using reclaimed wood sourced from the owner's family farm in Springfield, Ohio. Down below, reached via the original 'Men' door threshold, lies a darker, subterranean cocktail lounge. Even the main floor restroom maintains the building's cheeky transparency: it features a two-way mirror that allows you to wash your hands while secretly watching the bartenders make drinks out front.
What it's like
Approach the stone building on McMillan and head through the historic blue door marked 'Women.' Inside, light filters through the overhead skylights onto velvet booth seating and hanging greenery. Order a seasonal cocktail at the central bar and take it out back to claim a quiet wooden alcove on the multi-tiered patio. Visit on a weeknight if you want a calm spot to talk; weekend nights draw a packed neighborhood crowd. When you use the restroom, don't panic when you look through the glass—the two-way mirror lets you see out into the lounge, but patrons on the outside only see a mirror.
The move: Walk through the original 'Women' door to order seasonal craft cocktails under the central skylights before stepping out back into the secluded multi-tiered garden patio.
- 📍 Walnut Hills, Cincinnati
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 793 E McMillan St, Cincinnati, OH 45206
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Tiki Tiki Bang Bang — Just a block away on McMillan Street, swap a restored 1920s streetcar bathhouse for tropical rum drinks inside a former video archive space.
- Lucky Cat Museum — Located less than half a mile away in Walnut Hills, pair an afternoon appointment surrounded by 2,000 maneki-neko figures with an early evening drink on Comfort Station's back patio.
- Ghost Baby — For a subterranean double-header, follow a drink in a repurposed street-level rest stop with live music four stories underground in 1850s brewery lagering tunnels.
Good to know
Was Comfort Station actually a public restroom?
Yes, built in 1920, it served as a municipal public restroom and bathhouse for transit commuters transferring between streetcar lines.
Which door do you enter through?
The blue door marked 'Women' leads directly into the main, skylit ground-floor cocktail lounge and back garden patio. The door marked 'Men' serves as the entry point to the lower subterranean bar space.
Does Comfort Station serve food or coffee?
No, while early renovation concepts considered daytime coffee and co-working hours, it operates purely as an evening cocktail lounge and bar (though seating still includes built-in electric and USB outlets).
Where is Comfort Station located?
It is located at 793 E McMillan Street in the Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: citybeat.com · cincinnatimagazine.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21