JohnE O's Profile
Double decker sandwiches in Cinncinati?
I have to agree about the Dead Squirrel. It's edible but not great. I'm just not a huge fan of the double decker Cincy sandwiches. And you were only 5 minutes away from the best BBQ (Jim Dandy's off of Sharon Rd.) or Mexican (Taqueria Mercado on Rte. 4) in the region.
Catering suggestions for Kiawah/Charleston SC
My wife is trying to plan for her parents 50th anniversary while we're staying on Kiawah, S.C. We're in a rental that can easily accomodate 25 people on the deck, so I thought it might be easy to have a clam bake style catered event. Any suggestions? (Doesn't have to be a clam bake, but given the Ohio participants it would probably be appreciated if fresh seafood were on the menu).
Cincinnati Dining Dilemna
My favorite nice place to eat is the Brown Dog in Blue Ash (it's closer than Mason). Favorite casual place to eat is Ali Baba's on Red Bank Road. Moerlien Lager House has been getting some great reviews. If the Reds aren't playing it may be a good time to check it out.
Good restaurant for prime rib and Asian market in Cincy?
F&N was a hidden jewel. And I agree about Outback. I can't say I've ever had a bad meal there (especially since I've been eating free on gift cards I get every year).
It's been years since I've been, but what about Maury's Tiny Cove in Western Hills? It used to be a great steak and bourbon type restaurant.
Good restaurant for prime rib and Asian market in Cincy?
For Asian grocery stores there is CAM on Glendale-Milford Rd. in Sharonville (they might have other locations) and Jungle Jim's in Fairfield.
For prime rib I'd recommend Jeff Ruby's or The Precinct. They house age all their meat.
Cincinnati - Need rec's for casual dinner downtown
I love Nicholson's on Walnut. It's a Scottish pub and the food is great (don't worry, they don't serve haggis). The Hoffbrau Haus in Newport is another one of my faves.
Best Steakhouse in Cincinnati (or ANYWHERE, in my opinion) . . .
I think I've eaten at every Jeff Ruby restaurant and they are all superb. The only restaurant that would compare would be F & N in Kentucky, but they went out of business about 10 years ago. I tend to prefer The Precinct
Best Mexican restaurants in Cincinnati . . .
Both Mercado and Maya are excellent (and according to the people at Maya, they are related). I would HIGHLY encourage you to check out Dinastia Latina on Reading Rd. in Sharonville. One of my fave Mexican restaurants. Great food. The owner goes out of her way to make you feel like family.
Urgent Recs Needed Near Fountain Square!!!! [Cincinnati]
I completely forgot about the food trucks.
Urgent Recs Needed Near Fountain Square!!!! [Cincinnati]
Here are my recs: On Walnut just above 6th is Nicholson's which is a Scottish pub. The fish & chips are fantastic. It's a good place to go for either dinner or lunch. Tacqueria Mercado is a block further north. I think it's the best Mexican food in the tri-state. Again, good for either lunch or dinner. Hathaway's is on the 1st floor of the Carew Tower. A nice art deco diner/coffee shop that serves goetta. I've heard Jean-Robert's Table (on Vine) is good but you'd have a tough time keeping it under $25.
Skyline?
The best Cincy chili comes from either Blue Ash Chili (2 locations) or Camp Washington. They're both independents and not chains.
I grew up near Valley Forge. The best cheesesteak evah was served at Amadeo's in King of Prussia. Sadly it was no longer in operation the last time I was in town.
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Blue Ash Chili Restaurant
4200 Aero Dr Ste E, Mason, OH 45040
Mutton! (aka Old Sheep Meat)
You should plan a road trip to Owensboro KY. They have a mutton festival every year in May.
Skyline?
Cincinnati chili is based on Greek food. If you look at a recipe for pasticcio it calls for seasoning the meat with cinnamon which is the common element of Cincy chili. I'm not sure any Cincy chili fan considers it "high quality". It falls more into the category of drunk food or unique fast food. But just like you can get a crappy Cheesesteak in Philly (especially ANY steak sandwich with Whiz) the quality of Cincy chili varies.
Dayton, Ohio, Ice Pops
You can get Ibarra Mexican chocolate at JJ's. I'm pretty sure you can use it to make hot chocolate. You might also try the Mexican grocery next to Tacqueria Mercado down Rte. 4.
Skyline Chili vs. Gold Star Chili? My observation... [Cincinnati]
I'm not sure why they don't participate in The Taste. Maybe it's not cost efficient for them to run a tent given the fact they're across the street to begin with. As an update I went there last night and can say their burgers haven't gotten any better. Stick with chili.
Skyline Chili vs. Gold Star Chili? My observation... [Cincinnati]
I tend to prefer Skyline because their menu is a little bigger. I don't mind eating Gold Star either. On the other hand I live within walking distance of Blue Ash Chili. They have the best tasting chili and they serve alcohol, so it's a twofer. It's been about 15 years since I've eaten at Empress. The best reason to go there is they serve goetta. (And yes Spellchecker, goetta is a real word).
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Gold Star
219 S Winemiller, Batavia, OH 45103
Blue Ash Chili Restaurant
4200 Aero Dr Ste E, Mason, OH 45040
Cincinnati - Any great food/restaurants that we should try?
Not sure what areas your going to be in, but I'll suggest some northern places. The best BBQ is Jim Dandy's in Sharonville right off I-75. My fave burger joint is Sammy's in Blue Ash. Both of those are kid friendly.Grammer's in Montgomery has good Italian food in a slightly upscale setting. Surprisingly for a city that has heavy German influence there aren't many good German restaurants left around here. The best that I've been to is the Hoffbrau Haus in Covington KY but Laszlo's Iron Skillet in Mariemont gets good reviews.
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Laszlo's Iron Skillet
6900 Valley Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45244
Disturbed by "Best in Smoke"
I was more disturbed by including Famous Dave in a show called "BEST of Smoke". His BBQ is mediocre at best.
Rec Needed for Nice Cincinnati dinner with Elderly Grandparents
While I've never been, I hear great things about Trio's in Kenwood. Also good, Barissi's in Deer Park. Both are frequented by Carl Lindner (current age about the same as your grandparents). No accessibility issues at either place. My new fave spot is the Brown Dog in Blue Ash. Easy access and the dishes we had you could cut with a damp spoon.
Android App for finding Non-Chain Eats [moved from Austin board]
My go to Droid app is Urbanspoon. I used Poynt on the Blackberry and it's available on the Droid now, as well. While neither 'recommends' restaurants they do provide ratings and reviews from users and critics that will help you decide.
Preshow dinner/drinks near Taft Theatre in Cincinnati?
I'll add Nicholson's Pub (Walnut north of 7th), one of my fave spots downtown. They serve Scottish fare, but don't be scared. It's really good. Taqueria Mercado (on 7th) is a great, casual Mexican restaurant. Both serve beer.
Mother's Day Brunch in Cincinnati
I was going to post a reply, but after looking at this menu I think I'll make reservations instead.
Cincinnati Dining Info
It's not really what is IN the sauce, it's just that their sauce has no depth of flavor and is too runny. But it's been probably 5 years or more since I've even tasted their sauce since I always eat their Q naked or sauce I have at home (a friend sends me Gates from St. Louis and it's awesome).
Cincinnati Area - new in the last year
Unfortunately there have been a ton more closings than openings in the area (so long Senor Roy's Taco Patrol. We hardly knew ye). Speaking as a northern Hamilton County resident I can recommend Sammy's in Blue Ash. I think they have better burgers and fries than either Zip's or Terry's Turf Club and the 32oz draught beers are a big plus. The Firehouse Grill opened at the old Watson Brothers/Apsara location but I haven't been there yet. As soon as we get some warm weekend days I'll check out the patio.
Cincinnati Dining Info
Yeah, if you're from Memphis the only thing that comes close is Jim Dandy's in Sharonville. But if you're able to get Willingham's where you live than don't bother with anything else. The man is a BBQ god.
Cincinnati Dining Info
For Saturday lunch downtown I would highly recommend Taqueria Mercado on 7th St. Best authentic Mexican food around (try the goat if they have it). It's a nice walk to the stadium from there and you can get beers for a lot cheaper than Great American Park. For dinner if you want to stay downtown I would go with Ruby's. Their steaks make Morton's taste like shoe leather.
Monday lunch within easy reach of downtown you can try BBQ Revue on Madison in Oakley (far better ribs than Montgomery Inn though not as good as Jim Dandy's off I-75 in Sharonville) or Jean Paul's on Clough Pike (really good).
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Taqueria Mercado
6507 Dixie Hwy, Fairfield, OH 45014
Montgomery Inn
11314 Tamarco Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45242
Senor Roy's Taco Patrol for sale-Cincy
Per their Tweet they're looking for a buyer for the taco truck. Sounds like if no one steps up they'll just close down. This was one of my fave eats (not just for food trucks, either).
Scotti's in Cincinnati - any good or other Italian near UC campus?
I've never been, but Bella Luna gets some good reviews. I haven't been to Scotti's in over 15 years.
http://www.bellalunacincy.com/node/1
recs for franklin & mason ohio
Pizza is kind of hit or miss in Cincy. If you got one with "too sweet" sauce I'm betting it was LaRosa's. Theirs falls in the "miss" category. The best multi-location pizza is Dewey's around here.
As I tell everyone that tries it, Cincy chili is a condiment. Even I won't eat it by itself. Has to be on hot dogs or spaghetti.
As to slow driving in the left lane, yeah, Ohio drivers absolutely SUCK at knowing the left lane is for passing. But I blame Ohio State Students as the phenomenon appears to be the worst between Columbus & Cleveland. (U.C. Bearcats are way smarter).
Cincinnati Patio bar?
I'm in Blue Ash and a new restaurant opened at the Watson Brothers/Apsara location. Big patio across from the muni airport. Haven't tried the restaurant (Firehouse, I think) yet. The Cactus Pear in Blue Ash has a back patio that faces the stage. If you can get a table you can catch the Friday night summer concerts. There are some restaurants at Newport on the Levy that have river front views. The food was average but the beer was cold.
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Cactus Pear
9500 Kenwood Rd Ste 9, Cincinnati, OH 45242
