Diners at deSha's American Tavern on Montgomery Road will find a piece of The Pub inside their neighborhood restaurant.

Tavern Restaurant Group announced Wednesday, July 29, that it will convert a large bar area at deSha's in Symmes Township to reflect The Pub's ambiance and hospitality, including the brand's fish and chips. The move comes as the company permanently closed The Pub Rookwood, its 25-year-old British-cuisine restaurant in the Rookwood Commons development on Edmondson Road.

CEO Nick Sanders called the closure a strategic repositioning driven by rising costs.

"While retiring this location is difficult, we feel it best aligns with our strategy for the success and future of the brand," Sanders said in the company's announcement, reported by Fox 19.

The restaurant group cited challenging economic conditions and rising operating costs as the reason for shuttering the Rookwood location, calling the restructuring essential to continue its mission. The company said it is working to support affected employees through the transition.

What changes at deSha's

The Harper's Point restaurant at 11320 Montgomery Road has operated as an American tavern for more than 35 years under Sanders, who founded the group in 1981. Executive Chef Thom Milliken, a 17-year veteran of the company, runs the kitchen.

Now, part of that space will take on a Pub identity. According to Local 12's reporting, the plan specifically involves converting a large bar at deSha's. The group said its award-winning fish and chips, voted best in the U.S. by UK brewer Greene King, will be available at the revamped space for dine-in or delivery.

The conversion keeps The Pub brand alive at three locations: the new bar concept inside deSha's, The Pub London Street Food at Element Eatery in Madisonville (which opened in June 2025), and The Pub at Crestview Hills Town Center in Northern Kentucky.

A 45-year restaurant career

Sanders, a Lexington, Kentucky, native and longtime Cincinnati resident, has been building restaurants for over 45 years. He opened the original deSha's in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1981, naming it for his father, deSha Sanders. The Cincinnati location followed in 1990. After trips to the UK inspired a pub concept, he launched The Pub Rookwood in 2001.

On the deSha's website, Sanders describes the restaurant's philosophy: "Our mission has been to be a real comfortable, down-home place to get authentic food and drink."

What's next

Tavern Restaurant Group has not announced a timeline for the deSha's bar conversion or a specific opening date for the Pub-branded space. The restaurant at 11320 Montgomery Road remains open with its current menu, live music on Fridays and Saturdays, and seven private dining rooms. Residents can reach deSha's at 513-247-9933.