🥃 The Century Bar

Downtown Dayton's oldest bar, dating to 1942, has evolved into a nationally recognized bourbon house with over 800 whiskeys. The original 1862 back bar—salvaged from Cincinnati's Gibson Hotel—anchors a space that feels both historic and refined. Bartenders complete a six-month to one-year apprenticeship focusing on flavor profiles and bourbon history. Esquire named it among America's best bars. The upstairs event space accommodates private tastings and cocktail classes led by owner Joe Head, a Kentucky Colonel and Bourbon Steward.