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
The restaurants worth the trip in Cincinnati. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Our picks in Cincinnati
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 kitchen.
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
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
Jeff Ruby's Precinct ★ 4.6
Jeff Ruby's Precinct on Delta Avenue in Columbia Tusculum is the steakhouse flagship inside a 1901 Cincinnati police station, Ruby's first restaurant.
Signature: Prime ribeye, Tableside Caesar
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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