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Love Handles: The Barrel House

Despite one of the most impressive beer lists in the city, this place tosses pretension to the curb in favor of living room–style comfort and camaraderie.

David Nilsen Jan 1, 2019 - 2 min read

Love Handles: The Barrel House Primary Image

Photo: David Nilsen

Dayton, Ohio

What it is: The Barrel House focuses on quality and comfort over capacity, filling the bar with overstuffed couches and chairs and only a few conventional tables. The relaxed atmosphere and disheveled-chic hangout space belie the careful strategy behind the bar’s tap list and bottled offerings. The twenty rotating taps feature seventeen thoughtfully curated beers, two wines, and a cider. Featured brews range from easily accessible standards to sought-after rarities to one-off kegs brewed specially for the bar by local breweries. Food trucks in the parking lot and a great Colombian carryout across the street provide food options, and the walls are lined with excellent bottles and cans to go, including the occasional unannounced whale.

Why it’s great: The focus on a chilled-out lounge vibe makes The Barrel House one of the most relaxed beer bars in Dayton, a characteristic amplified by the affable owners and their love for music (bring your own vinyl on Sundays to spin for the whole bar). Regular events range from open mikes to a weekly multigenerational knitting group to “Wu-Tang Wednesdays,” on which the iconic hip-hop group’s music thumps through the bar.

Details
Hours: 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Monday–Wednesday; 11 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Thursday; 11 a.m.–1 a.m., Friday–Saturday; 11 a.m. –9 p.m., Sunday
Address: 417 E. Third St., Dayton, Ohio
Web: barrelhousetap.com

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