Van Buren Room

The Van Buren Room (located in the Belle of Dayton distillery building!) offers really complex cocktails great for a variety of flavor profiles. The space is small, so plan ahead, but we really had a great time here.PROS:-Really lovely, complex drinks in a variety of tastes. Prefer them sweeter and less in-your-face? They have it. Want smokey and very booze-forward? They have that too. We tried to go to a few places after this, and all of the flavor profiles of subsequent places felt a little too one note. It's a testament to the flavor complexities here. -Great pours too. Not too much booze, not too little. You're getting solid cocktail options here. -Van Buren Room has two unisex/one room bathrooms. These bathrooms are outfitted to the 9's including tissues, antacids, tampons, pads, mouth mints, and more. You'll be prepped for any dating/flirting you want to do in a clean, well-lit bathroom. -If you're a little peckish, they have snack options that are very affordable. They aren't huge portions, but for $2, I'm not going to complain about a bowl of pretzels. A+ pricing and a bit of a foodie pick-me-up. -Great staffing. The four bartenders seemed like overkill when we first arrived, but when people started filtering in, they were handling all of the demands like champs. CONS:-The space is small. They've expanded some of it with an outdoor area, but the indoor space is definitely long, rectangular, and narrow. They have a few (2?) high top tables, high top bar seating, and 6-ish two-person booths. The booths were comfortable; I don't think we would have enjoyed ourselves as much as we did if we had to sit at one of the high-top options. -Would love to see a few more non-alcoholic cocktails. The three they have are lovely, and we didn't ask if they could custom make any, but with how good they are at complex flavors, I would have loved to have had more options. -Parking is a bit annoying. There's a small parking lot, but it's only for employees. It appears to be street parking for customers in a busy residential neighborhood.

Little distillery and cocktail lounge on the edge of the Oregon district. Good service parking on site. Their bourbon is 118 proof with a pleasant mild vanilla finish. Their Rye is spicy on the front with a rich rye finish. Give it a few seconds after it goes down to get that rye flavor. Very good cocktail line up offered. Pleasant and cozy atmosphere.

Finding fine cocktail bars like Van Buren Room is very satisfying. I love me a good ol' nightcap and sometimes (most times) I prefer a cocktail bar just like this one. Van Buren Room exudes that classic style ambiance where you just know you'll be served some delicious cocktails by a passionate and knowledgeable bartender...and this place surely didn't disappoint. After a long workday, I found myself thirsty for a drink and thankfully, Van Buren Room popped up and so I arrived, plopped myself on the bar-seating and enjoyed the relaxing feel of the bar along with the great playlist in the background (The Smiths/Morrissey at the time). I ordered the Penicillin, Boulevardier and a local bourbon. The Penicillin was superb. I mentioned to the bartendar that I dont prefer sweet cocktails and he assured me that their version isn't like the typical Penicillin. They make their own ginger honey which to my pleasant surprise, really dumbed down the sweetness in favor of a more ginger (but not overpowering) flavor. As for the Boulevardier, another classic cocktail, spirit forward as promised....very delicious. I came during a weeknight and only the bartender was present. The bar-seating was full at one point in the evening but he managed to engage with everyone and maintain the prompt service. Just the relaxing experience I was looking for that evening and it won't be the last.

The drinks were very creative and delicious. From one bartender to another, I was definitely impressed. If you are looking for a small, intimate spot with a killer back bar, you've found it.

Small, quaint bar with interesting drinks. Watching the bartender make our drinks was like watching an artist preform. I have no idea how he kept all seven of our drinks memorized and separated with the drip of this, the spray of that, a shack here and a twist there. They were all a piece of art

The first time I came here it was with my husband during the winter season and it was great. Everything from the bartenders to the drinks and atmosphere. Last night, I visited with a girlfriend and I ordered the Jurassic cocktail, which I enjoyed, but my friend wanted an off-menu cocktail (Clover Club). Which is a classic drink any bar should know how to make; they knew what she wanted, but didn't have raspberry syrup. So, they suggested the Scarlett Letter which is tequila based and has raspberry shrub. She didn't end up liking the earthy flavor to it and in truth I didn't like it enough to drink it for her. One of the bartenders, Martin was not very accommodating, so much so that we were desperate to get another bartender to help us. The other two (guy) bartenders weren't in their best mood either, so it was either Martin was bringing them all down or they were all in sour moods. It's unfortunate, because I really liked this bar when I came with my husband, but this experience does not make me want to come back anytime soon.

Great cocktails, wonderful staff, and awesome atmosphere! Can't recommend it enough. The bar is my go to for seating, but with the nice weather lately the patio is hard to beat.

Nope.Have tried to go several times and every time we're told "standing room only." This last time, the weather was nice and we could clearly see that half or more of the patio was available. I said, "really? Even on the patio?" Without even checking we were told yes, all full.I am too old to stand around holding a $20 cocktail like a frat party.I am also too old for junior high nonsense.Maybe they just don't like my face.100% done supporting Belle in any fashion.

Fanatic cozy little place with signature drinks all around. They have a drink for every profile taste. Paid around $10 per drink, but they had great service.Seating is a little crammed, but that shows how popular they are!

Cool place loved the drink selection. Big fan of your gin very smooth and flavorful. We will be back soon