Senate ★ 4.4
Senate on Race Street in OTR is Daniel Wright's Cincinnati gastropub, with craft hot dogs, lobster bisque and duck-fat fries, in OTR since 2010.
Signature: Lobster bisque, Duck-fat fries
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Cincinnati actually eats.
Where to eat well, no fuss
Abigail Street ★ 4.5
Abigail Street on Vine in OTR is Daniel Wright's Cincinnati Mediterranean small-plates room, with lamb meatballs, spanakopita and Greek wines.
Signature: Lamb meatballs, Spanakopita
Pepp and Dolores ★ 4.5
Pepp and Dolores on Vine Street in OTR is the Italian-American room from the Thunderdome group (the Lanni brothers' Italian-grandparent homage), with hand-cut pastas and a long bar.
Signature: Cavatelli, Sunday gravy
The Eagle OTR ★ 4.4
The Eagle on Vine Street in OTR runs the Thunderdome group's fried chicken and southern sides menu in a converted 1894 US Post Office building.
Signature: Fried chicken, Spoonbread
Quan Hapa ★ 4.3
Quan Hapa on Vine Street in OTR is the Cincinnati Pan-Asian room from Daniel Wright's group, running bao buns, pho, ramen and Korean fried chicken.
Signature: Pho, Bao buns
Bakersfield OTR ★ 4.2
Bakersfield on Vine Street in OTR is Cincinnati's Thunderdome tequila and tacos counter, with house tortillas, margarita flights and a late-night crowd.
Signature: Tacos al pastor, Margarita flight
Krueger's Tavern ★ 4.3
Krueger's Tavern on Vine Street in OTR is the long-running gastropub with a tap-driven beer list, German-leaning bar food and one of the best burgers in OTR.
Signature: Burger, Crispy chicken sandwich
Eli's BBQ ★ 4.6
Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the smoker-led pulled-pork and brisket counter that grew from a single backyard pit.
Signature: Pulled pork sandwich, Jalapeno cheddar grits
City Bird OTR ★ 4.2
City Bird on Vine Street in OTR is Cincinnati's Thunderdome fast-casual chicken flagship, with brined tenders, sandwiches and house hot sauce options.
Signature: Chicken tenders, Crispy chicken sandwich
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
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
Lalo ★ 4.4
Lalo on Main Street in OTR is Cincinnati's Asian-Mexican mash-up, with mapo carnitas, char siu tacos and quesadillas folded around general Tso chicken.
Signature: Mapo carnitas, Char siu tacos
Dewey's Pizza Oakley ★ 4.4
Dewey's Pizza Oakley on Madison Road in Cincinnati is the open-kitchen wood-fired pie shop founded in 1998, with the Bronx Bomber and dough-tossing show.
Signature: Edgar Allan Poe pie, Salad with house ranch
Taste of Belgium OTR ★ 4.3
Taste of Belgium on Vine Street in OTR is Cincinnati's all-day Belgian bistro, with Liege waffles, mussels, frites and a Reds-game brunch crowd.
Signature: Liege waffle, Chicken and waffles
Izzy's ★ 4.3
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
LaRosa's Pizzeria Boudinot ★ 4.2
LaRosa's Boudinot Avenue is the original 1954 Cincinnati location of Buddy LaRosa's sweet-sauce pizza chain, with the square pie and Italian hoagy.
Signature: Square sweet-sauce pizza, Hoagy
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
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 ★ 4.3
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