Walnut Hills

Walnut Hills puts four music-friendly spots along or near East McMillan Street. The anchor of the scene is Caffè Vivace (975 E. McMillan St.), a coffee house by day and a jazz lounge by night. It was included in DownBeat Magazine's 2026 guide of the Best Jazz Venues, an annual list that highlights premier jazz venues around the world. Best known for its curated programming, the venue hosts high-quality international and local live jazz musicians in an intimate, artist-centered setting. A short walk away, Esoteric Brewing Co. is Cincinnati's only minority-owned brewery, located in the former Paramount Theater at Peebles Corner, with a beautifully renovated space featuring high ceilings. The Brew House, on the corner of East McMillan St. and Park Ave., is a family-owned restaurant and bar that has been in Walnut Hills for over 40 years. It is a popular spot for socializing, especially on Tuesdays when live music is featured. Tiki Tiki Bang Bang rounds out the quartet as a tiki bar in the neighborhood. Caffè Vivace's nationally recognized jazz programming gives Walnut Hills an outsized profile for a residential neighborhood.