Pensive Distilling Company — Restaurant in Newport

My wife and I popped in here on a whim on a weekend afternoon, having moved back to the Cincy area after a decade away. As distillery bar spaces go, this one is certainly on the smaller end, but what it lacks in space it makes up in genuine character. The still is in the front window, and they're ~3 years in production at the time of this review; even with their short time, their portfolio is legit. My wife had the Twenty Grand, a cocktail with their featured 60-proof apple pie moonshine that was spicy, warming and delightful (we tasted the moonshine seperately and it was deliciously smooth). I enjoyed their bourbon flight, which showcased their 80-proof house bourbon, their 100 proof corn-forward bourbon, and a dangerously easily 9-year 111-proof 1944 bourbon, all of which were unique, easy-drinking, and worth the attention of anyone who enjoys a good bourbon. The building itself was a speakeasy during prohibition, and you'll get a sense of that vibe restored carefully with a modern aesthetic. Of course, only being 3 years old they do still source their bourbons from other Kentucky producers (as is the norm - they have some in process as well), but their vodka and moonshine are made in-house, and they're releasing their in-house gin in the next couple of weeks.

On top of everything, Jeff was our bartender and he was a fantastic representative of the brand and the spirits. He was welcoming, informative and engaging, and in a world where you can get a bourbon almost anywhere he made the experience special. If you want to get to know Pensive and Newport's role in the bourbon trail, see if he's around.

I haven't had the opportunity yet to try their food, but their menu looked exciting and I know we'll be bringing guests by to try it. On top of that, they offer tours and access to their properly-hidden 'speakeasy'. This is a smaller distillery so don't expect giant copper-laden stills or a multi-million dollar facilty - instead, expect an intimate, local experience with good spirits made and sourced by individuals who have both the talent and the attention necessary to make a...

Overall, the service was great. Friendly and attentive - wanted us to enjoy our meal.

Drinks were good, and fun that you can keep a branded highball glass… as for the food, the shrimp & grits do have room for improvement. The BBQ-type sauce was not what I was expecting and was sadly disappointing. What about creamy or garlic-butter? Expectations are perhaps naturally high for the reliable southern dish, and this version didn’t hit the mark when I visited - hope to come back and see it ironed out as a must-get.

I’d say that my partner’s sliders were generally good. The overall dish could be more exciting still! The beer-battered fries left me wanting something a bit more creative (and some really don’t like that style). And what about a quick aioli for dipping, rather than standard ketchup (a bit pedestrian 😉 that some may not like). Food for thought.

It was very nice that while we were finishing up, we were asked how we liked it, and shortly after, a sample of artichokes with a bacon sauce were given to us to try. Bourbon and bacon may convince anyone to try artichokes! Still, what about something little and crunchy on top for a mix of textures? Curious to see if and how they will be incorporated into a dish.

Sure hope to see this restaurant thrive in this location, with some great outdoor seating in the springtime! Could be a must on Monmouth!! Definitely want to see it become a...

Went on a Saturday morning. Didn't seem overly crowded but maybe there was a table in the back I didn't see. One bartender and one server. Luckily, friends had already grabbed a table but it took 15 minutes before the server came by to ask us for drinks. We went ahead and ordered. Took another 15 minutes to get drinks. The food was okay. $6.50 for 1 piece of french toast is a little high. I really enjoyed the flavor though. My friends said the potatoes were really good and flavorful. My daughter liked the grilled cheese. Apparently the vegetarian gravy wasn't very good. My son never got his hot chocolate so they offered him something else when he was done eating. Still charged $3 for the milk. The checks were wrong. However, I liked the atmosphere and hope that this was just a fluke as there were other things I wanted to try on the menu. The interior was nice and the bathrooms were clean. I still tipped the server because it's not her fault she was the only one and she tried really hard. I've been a server so I always tip. The other person hadn't shown up for their noon shift and we left at almost 1. I believe in 2nd chances for restaurants so I will give it another try. I would suggest having 2 servers for Saturday brunch. Oh and having public parking right next door is...