If you're looking for one of the most unique places to stay — or simply enjoy a cocktail — in southern West Virginia, The Historic Morris Harvey House combines history, hospitality, and a hidden speakeasy under one roof. Built in 1902 for prominent Fayetteville residents Morris and Rosa Harvey, the three-story Queen Anne Victorian was one of the town's first homes with indoor running water, featuring an innovative rainwater collection system that fed an 800-gallon copper cistern. The 14-room home still showcases many original architectural details, including seven restored oak fireplaces with Italian tile, antique furnishings, and wraparound porches. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the property's coolest attractions is Rosa's Speakeasy, an intimate, reservation-only cocktail bar named in honor of Rosa Harvey. Hidden inside the historic home, the 21-and-over speakeasy is designed to evoke the elegance of the Prohibition era, with vintage décor, candlelit spaces, and a menu of carefully crafted cocktails paired with charcuterie boards and desserts. Seating is intentionally limited to preserve the cozy atmosphere, and reservations are strongly recommended. I enjoyed a charming cocktail with a mini clothespin and Baby's Breath, as well as a slice of pie. Have you ever been? Grade: A

Holly Jolly Hideaway is a seasonal pop-up cocktail bar, timed to coincide with the first weekend of Holly Jolly Brawley. It is set up in the space formerly occupied by Dem 2 Brothers Restaurant at 189 Summers Street. The idea was to create a cozy, festive “holiday-bar vibe” with Christmas-themed decorations, thousands of lights, holiday films on screen, and a fun, immersive seasonal atmosphere. The Hideaway has a selection of seasonal holiday-themed cocktails and themed small plates / apps. Some featured drinks include:

The Naughty Bean — a peppermint-kissed espresso martini.

Mistletoe Margarita — with cranberry juice and rosemary.

Tinsel & Tonic — gin with elderflower liqueur and edible glitter.

Yule Be Sorry — Fireball + cider + ginger beer.

Reindeer Games — bourbon with pomegranate and orange.

The Grinch — a green-hued cocktail with Midori, vodka, lemon, and Sprite, garnished with a small red fruit “heart.” Food options include:

Ho-Ho-Hot Chicken Sliders — three buttermilk-fried chicken sliders with spicy honey glaze and dill pickles on brioche buns.

Slay-Ride Sliders — mini brisket burgers with smoked gouda, crispy onions, and pepper jelly.

Naughty Nachos — chips topped with your choice of brisket or chicken, white queso, pickled jalapeños, and cranberry BBQ drizzle.

The Grinch Dip — a spinach-artichoke dip with a jalapeño kick served with colorful nacho chips. Here's what I sampled: Reindeer Games cocktail which was a very generous pour with a healthy amount of bourbon. I also tried the Yule Be Sorry, which did the exact opposite - made us all thankful for such a tasty drink. The brisket burger sliders had a perfect blend of salty, sweet, smoky & crunchy all in one bite. Wonderful. The spinach-artichoke dip took things up a notch with Doritos Cool Ranch chips. Would I ever have paired those? No. Will I always pair those moving forward? Yes. Grade: A

Route 22 Sports Bar is located in Weirton and is designed as a classic sports bar and grill, featuring multiple big-screen TVs throughout the space with live sports from any seat. The layout includes both ground-level seating and an upper balcony, giving it a roomy feel, while the large bar with a bottoms-up beer tap system is a centerpiece. The menu leans on American bar favorites with some creative twists - liks burgers, wraps, and wings. The fish and chips stick close to the classic with a battered fish that’s fried until golden and served atop a pile of fries. The portion is hearty, and the fish had a flaky interior that was a bit fishier than usual. The sliders come as a shareable option, offering smaller versions of their burgers with soft buns and juicy patties. They’re simple but satisfyinh. The ribeye was a bit chewy and gray, so I'd opt out of that next time. The buffalo chicken dip, though, was a hit. It was served hot and creamy with plenty of shredded chicken and a balanced kick of spice. Grade: C

Pickles Eatery is a cozy pub in Wheeling that serves up standard bar fare -- most notably, the wings, which have won numerous local awards. Wings were not on the menu for this trip, though. Instead, the star was "The Famous Fulton Philly" thinly sliced beef, grilled onions, peppers, and mushrooms with provolone cheese on a fresh hoagie bun. Next was buffalo chicken dip with tortilla chips. My mom LOVED this! Finally, we had a side of slaw and also hot pepper cheese balls with ranch. It's like a greatest hits of bar food. All in all, I thought it met expectations. Each dish was satisfactory and just as it should be. If you're looking for straightforward pub food, this is your spot. Grade: B

Lee Street Lounge is primarily a bar and entertainment venue. It does, however, have a limited menu of fried apps and pizza. Occasionally, they will have other specials or additional items.



I went around the holidays when they had drag bingo. It was so entertaining and fun to be part of the lively atmosphere. I even won a round of bingo!



For food, they actually had just hot dogs and nuts available outside that I think was a separate sort of fundraiser.



Though I wasn't mad at a simple hot dog with ketchup! Even if that is sacrilegious in most parts of southern West Virginia.



I thought it was only appropriate to stop back to experience the food coming out of their own kitchen.



On a return visit, I had a trio of cheeseburger sliders and a side of fries. Pretty basic. A bit cold. But serviceable.



Environment and experience are great. Food could use a little work.



Grade: B

Let's keep this short and sweet. I have tried to visit Novichenks on and off for several years and have not been able to order food for one reason or another.



I have seen evidence of a menu once existing. It consisted of fried appetizers, wings, sandwiches, and that's about it. Very short. One page. But elusive to me on every trip. Whether there wasn't a cook in that day, or they weren't operating the kitchen, or they couldn't deep fry. Whatever the various reasons, I've only ever been left with a drink. Maybe it's a me problem.



So, my vodka cranberries have been satisfactory. The space is definitely geared toward locals, and I don't feel a huge pool to visit again in the future. In this case, not because of bad food, but just sheer lack of it.



Grade: D

There's something about a rooftop bar that drives people crazy.



And Huntington is home to one of the coolest ones in the area. LaFontaine's has Huntington’s first open-air rooftop lounge!



It's located above LaFontaine's Tobacco and Wine Shop in a really cool like retro space that gives off all the Gatsby vibes. I met my friend Alex for a drink and some snacks to check it out!     



We went with some pretzels and beer cheese, as well as Gigi's Pepperoni Rolls, which are from a local producer. There's both an indoor and outdoor space - both are great depending on the weather. But I love how much light comes in through the windows.



Both snacks were good and really the perfect accompaniment for a good beer. I love a little snacky snack with a drink. Most likely not going to have a whole meal here, but you can fill up on snacks, drinks and a good time with a unique view.




Grade: A

The Cocktail Bar in Parkersburg is a bit of an odd bird. At one point, this spot was a coffee bar, then they migrated to TCB, and now they're also The Cocktail Bar. 



There are neon signs, it's dark inside and a little loud too. It is kind of this weird combination of high-end and low-end. 



We started with buffalo chicken dip as an appetizer, which was decent but I wouldn't have minded more flavor and more punch.



For my main meal, I went with a steak, asparagus, and sweet potatoes on the side. That's actually not bad. It had much more flavor than the appetizer, and it was a nice portion. My only qualm was that it was a little over for my personal preference. But it was still pretty good.



I had to also try one of their cocktails, which was fun and certainly on the sweet side but I like them like that.



Grade: B