Eat in Downtown, Cincinnati

Sotto ★ 4.7

Sotto on East 6th Street downtown is David Falk's subterranean Italian room in Cincinnati, with hand-rolled pastas and wood-fired antipasti.

Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Wood-fired meats

Boca ★ 4.8

Boca on East 6th Street downtown is David Falk's flagship Cincinnati dining room, a modern American destination with luxury proteins and a deep wine cellar.

Signature: Pacific bluefin, Wagyu tasting

Salazar ★ 4.7

Salazar on West 5th Street downtown is Jose Salazar's Cincinnati flagship after its 2025 move from OTR, daily-changing New American menus and a consistent.

Signature: Foie gras toast, Wagyu beef tartare

Mita's ★ 4.6

Mita's on Race Street downtown is Jose Salazar's Spanish-Latin American room, with paella, jamon, ceviches and an extensive sherry program. Open since 2015.

Signature: Paella, Jamon iberico

Orchids at Palm Court ★ 4.7

Orchids at Palm Court inside the Hilton Netherland Plaza on West 5th Street downtown is Cincinnati's AAA Five Diamond modern American tasting room.

Signature: Seasonal tasting, Wagyu and seafood

Montgomery Inn Boathouse ★ 4.3

The Montgomery Inn Boathouse on Riverside Drive is Cincinnati's Ohio River barbecue outpost, with sauce-glazed pork ribs and a long porch over the water.

Signature: Pork ribs, Saratoga chips

Nada ★ 4.3

Nada on Walnut Street downtown is David Falk's modern Mexican room, with tableside guacamole, carnitas and a tequila and mezcal list 100-plus bottles deep.

Signature: Carnitas, Tableside guacamole

Maplewood Kitchen and Bar ★ 4.3

Maplewood Kitchen on Race Street downtown is Cincinnati's California-leaning Thunderdome all-day room, with rotisserie chicken and grain bowls.

Signature: Avocado toast, Roasted half-chicken

The Davidson ★ 4.4

The Davidson on Vine Street downtown is the modern French and American room on Fountain Square, with wood-fired meats, a raw bar and a long cocktail list.

Signature: Wood-fired prime rib, Half-shell oysters

The Davidson ★ 4.6

The Davidson on Vine Street downtown is the modern French and American room on Fountain Square, with wood-fired meats, a raw bar and a long cocktail list.

Signature: Wood-fired prime rib, Half-shell oysters

Maplewood Kitchen and Bar ★ 4.3

Maplewood Kitchen on Race Street downtown is Cincinnati's California-leaning Thunderdome all-day room, with rotisserie chicken and grain bowls.

Signature: Avocado toast, Roasted half-chicken

Izzy's ★ 4.2

Izzy's on Elm Street downtown is Cincinnati's kosher-style Jewish deli founded in 1901, with the signature reuben sandwich and giant potato pancake.

Signature: Reuben sandwich, Potato pancakes

Nada ★ 4.2

Nada on Walnut Street downtown is David Falk's modern Mexican room, with tableside guacamole, carnitas and a tequila and mezcal list 100-plus bottles deep.

Signature: Carnitas, Tableside guacamole

Arnold's Bar and Grill ★ 4.4

Arnold's on East 8th Street downtown is Cincinnati's oldest tavern, opened in 1861, with old-school American food and live music in the courtyard.

Signature: Spaghetti Joe, Greek pasta

Montgomery Inn Boathouse ★ 4.1

The Montgomery Inn Boathouse on Riverside Drive is Cincinnati's Ohio River barbecue outpost, with sauce-glazed pork ribs and a long porch over the water.

Signature: Pork ribs, Saratoga chips

Cheapside Cafe ★ 4.0

Cheapside Cafe on East 8th Street in Cincinnati's downtown is the all-day cafe and lunch counter with espresso bar, sandwiches and seasonal soup bowls.

Signature drink: Espresso, soup and salad bowls

Igby's ★ 4.0

Igby's on East 6th Street downtown is Cincinnati's multi-level bar inside the former Maisonette building, with cocktails, beer and local food.

Signature drink: Local craft beer and bourbon flights

Food: Burgers, wings, brunch

Cincinnati Lager House ★ 4.3

Moerlein Lager House on Joe Nuxhall Way at Cincinnati's Smale Riverfront Park is the riverfront brewpub of the revived 1853 Christian Moerlein heritage brand.

Taste of Cincinnati ★ 4.7

Taste of Cincinnati on Fifth Street downtown is the city's biggest food festival since 1979, running every Memorial Day weekend, claimed.

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati ★ 4.8

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati at Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove on the Cincinnati riverfront is the German-American festival every September, with bratwurst.

Asian Food Fest ★ 4.4

Asian Food Fest at Court Street Plaza in downtown Cincinnati runs two days in late April with 60-plus Pan-Asian restaurants and food trucks, produced by Asianati and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber.

Cincy Winter Beerfest ★ 3.9

Cincy Winter Beerfest fills the Duke Energy Convention Center downtown for one Saturday, 7 February 2026, with afternoon and evening sessions pouring hundreds of local and regional craft beers, the list posted fest week.

Tip: Regular admission is $60 plus fees for a three-hour session and early admission $70 for four hours; designated-driver tickets are $30.

Cincinnati International Wine Festival ★ 4.0

Cincinnati's charity wine festival, founded in 1991, returns to the Cincinnati Convention Center on 6 and 7 March 2026 with three Grand Tasting sessions of unlimited pours from more than 700 wines, plus winery dinners.

Tip: Grand Tasting tickets are $95 a session, $140 with an hour in the VIP room; Friday runs 19:00 to 21:30 and Saturday has 14:30 and 18:30 sessions.

Izzy's Deli ★ 4.3

Izzy's on Elm Street downtown is Cincinnati's century-old kosher-style Jewish deli since 1901, with the signature reuben and the giant potato pancake.

Try: Reuben sandwich and potato pancake

Arnold's Bar and Grill ★ 4.1

Arnold's on East 8th Street downtown is Cincinnati's oldest continuously operating tavern since 1861, hidden behind a quiet courtyard with live music.

Why locals love it: Cincinnati's oldest continuously operating tavern, opened in 1861, with a courtyard tucked behind the building.

Tip: Live music in the courtyard most warm-weather nights. The Spaghetti Joe is the off-menu classic.

Sleepy Bee Cafe Downtown ★ 4.5

Sleepy Bee on East 4th Street downtown is Cincinnati's all-day brunch outpost of the Oakley flagship, with pancakes, omelettes and an open-kitchen counter.

Order: Bee Cakes and sausage gravy biscuits

Metropole Weekend Brunch ★ 4.4

Metropole inside the 21c Museum Hotel on Walnut Street downtown runs Cincinnati's hearth-driven weekend brunch, with wood-fired Benedicts and grits.

Order: Wood-fired eggs Benedict, hash and grits

Maplewood Kitchen Brunch ★ 4.3

Maplewood Kitchen on Race Street downtown is Cincinnati's California-leaning Thunderdome brunch room, with all-day breakfast plates and avocado toast.

Order: Avocado toast, rotisserie chicken bowls