downtownTue-Wed 11:30-24:00; Thu-Sat 11:30-01:30; closed Sun-Mon
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.
walnut-hillsDaily 11:00-21:00
Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the picnic-table smokehouse from a single backyard pit, hidden along the Ohio River road.
Why locals love it: Counter-only smokehouse along an industrial Riverside Drive stretch. Grew from one pit, picnic-table seating only.
Tip: Picnic tables under the trees. The jalapeno cheddar grits earn the trip.
over-the-rhineMon 16:00-24:00; Tue-Thu 16:00-01:00; Fri 16:00-02:00; Sat 14:00-02:00; Sun 14:00-24:00
Sundry and Vice on West 13th Street in OTR is Cincinnati's apothecary-themed cocktail bar with bitters and a hidden program from the OTR locals.
Why locals love it: Apothecary-themed cocktail bar on a side street that looks like a closed storefront.
Tip: Order off the cocktail menu, not the back-cover spirits list.
over-the-rhine
Chino's Street Food at Cincinnati's Findlay Market on West Elder Street is Nick Ho's weekend Chino-Latino outdoor stall, with fried rice, Vietnamese tacos and crab rangoon.
Why locals love it: Weekends-only Chino-Latino outdoor stall across from Saigon Market at Findlay. Easy to miss unless you know the schedule.
Tip: Order the fried rice and a Vietnamese street taco. Eat at the Market's outdoor benches.
over-the-rhineTue-Wed 17:00-23:00; Thu 17:00-24:00; Fri 16:00-01:45; Sat 15:00-01:45; closed Sun-Mon
Ghost Baby on Republic Street in OTR is Cincinnati's subterranean cocktail-jazz lounge in an 1850s lagering cellar, hidden five stories below Vine Street.
Why locals love it: Buried five stories under Vine Street in a 170-year-old lagering tunnel. Easy to walk past unless you know the location.
Tip: Live jazz sets at 6:30, 8:30 and 10:30. Reservations make a difference.
over-the-rhineMon 11:00-16:00; Tue-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-21:00
Pho Lang Thang at Cincinnati's Findlay Market on Race Street is the Vietnamese pho counter from the Nguyen and Le partners, hidden inside the 1855 market structure in OTR.
Why locals love it: Hidden inside the Findlay Market structure, walk past unless you know it's there.
Tip: Lunch is fastest. The pho ga is the under-the-radar order for first-time visitors to the market.