Every once in a while I come across someone who has yet to experience Allyn's and I go thinking, "unique menu, great atmosphere, and where else in the city can I get alligator that's not a chain restaurant off of I-275 (you know who I'm talking about)"? The trouble is, every time I go here I get either gator, or pasta, or something Cajun and I go away thinking, "I don't need to eat that again". For having such a unique menu, the food is only mediocre. There's nothing that makes me want to revisit. Crawfish etoufee and gator pasta are kind of "meh". However, I do have some items I like - namely, the gumbeaux (yes, it is spelled that way). I'm sure I'll be back here sometime in the next quinquennium. read more

Our server was great and polite. The atmosphere was great. My boyfriend and I split the wings and have come back multiple times for the Wings. They're Allyn's rub is really good, it's the same as the cajun fries but on wings it's sooo good. Overall great experience just more on the $$ side. read more

Oh. My. Yes! My picky daughter LOVES the potato skins (minus chili & onion duh). Ive had burgers, vegan, & appetizers. Nothing has disappointed yet. The outside is great, or enjoy a regular pub atmosphere inside. Occasionally the kitchen is slow, but food does not disappoint. Thanks! We'll be back read more

i don't normally write yelp reviews, but i had the sweetest young woman as my server. her name was sophia if i remember correctly, but she was so bright and cheery and complimented my outfit after i had a bit of a rough day. Sophie really took care of us! read more

Allyn's is one of those places where I know what I want before I go. Except for my beer selection. I always get their homemade veggie burger. Actually, I once had a server put that burger down---but it's my favorite. Allyn's has my favorite veggie burger, period. It's got black beans and other veggies, with some sort of a cornmeal binder. Pour on some of their house hot sauce and you're set. Plus, they have an awesome beer selection and it's super cheap. read more

Allyn's Cafe - Garden Burger and cajun fries - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

My sisters boyfriend used to live in Cincinnati and was visiting for the holidays and wanted to come to Allyns since he hasn't been in awhile. Super cool/cute little place! First thing I noticed was the booths were super comfortable. I got the chicken salad wrap which was simple but super amazing. The fries are crispy and delicious! My sister and her bf got wings which were also very very good. My two year old got chicken fingers and preferred the Cajun fries over the regular. Great menu selections (lots of vegan choices!) and great beer selections as well! Can't wait to take my husband back and try more things. read more

First time at allyns and service was great. Nice selection of beers and cocktails. I got a milkshake ipa on draft. My boyfriend and I split the appetizer of fried alligator. Then I had a taco salad and he had the Mardi Gras pasta. The pasta was phenomenal. We loved it and will definitely be back!! read more

Amazing food! Very neat vibe. Great outdoor patio. Can't say enough great things about this place. Can't wait to go back!

This is a favorite spot for me to get good, hearty food that happens to be vegetarian. I have been here twice now and have had the same pleasure! They have a vegan jambalaya that is so good, it'll make you want to slap somebody for keeping this place a secret! They also have black bean quesadilla rolls that are served up pupping hot and melt in your mouth as well as a vegan chilli that puts Sky and Gold to shame! The one time I came with a friend, she ordered fried gator and shrimp (yuck) and she couldn't stop talking about how I should taste it. This place has really taken the Cajun theme and slapped an ownership label right on it! The only two things that prevents this place from being a five in my eyes is the parking or limited availability of parking and the staff are not the friendliest of wait staffs, but they get the job done. If you're willing to park on the street and be a bit assertive in getting someone's attention, then run on down to Allyn's Cafe! Your tastebuds won't regret it! read more

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We did carry out for my husband's birthday. We ordered the Beyond Burgers and the vegan cheesecake. Food was good, however, the Cheesecake wasn't worth the price unfortunately. It was missing something, maybe sugar? The guy that brought our food out was really nice and prompt. read more

Ok so want to start by saying I love that this place has vegan options. I would like to follow that up with if you are going to overcharge for this food and it be bad, example the garden burger tasted like kitty litter with 10 fries on the plate that tasted a day old ( are you short on fries?) Also the vegan chili and queso had no queso in it and the portion of the chili was so small at a price of 10.95 we had so many chips left over. We ordered it vegan and they put real sour cream on it. I have eaten here before and loved this place and food, granted it was the brunch. Today was so disappointing! Please let your chefs know this was really really bad. I also work in the service industry, I would have not let things even come out of the kitchen looking the way they did. read more

I've always enjoyed the Allyn's experience. The food and drinks are delicious and the atmosphere is inviting and cozy. Being a vegetarian, I was really excited to see that their brunch menu included options such as vegan sausage. So when I ordered eggs and vegan sausage, I was shocked that they said I could have eggs with regular sausage or tofu scramble with vegan sausage, but I couldn't have eggs with vegan sausage. Mind you, I'm a vegetarian, not a vegan. I don't eat meat, but I do eat eggs. But they refused to put the two on the same plate. They aren't mixed together. I told them I'd pay more for vegan sausage. Nope. When asked why, the response was "it's too confusing for the cooks." Apparently they only want to please carnivores or vegans. If you're vegetarian, good luck. Ridiculous. read more

I ate here for the first time, at lunch on a Tuesday, with a group of 8 friends. I will be back! I especially like that they have Jackfruit BBQ on the menu for us Vegans! This is the first time I've seen this on a Cincinnati restaurant menu - but I've enjoyed it in other big cities. They have many other vegan choices too - they are smart because this is a growing market. My order of BBQ Jackfruit sandwich (with a choice of 3 BBQ sauces) was good, and the cole slaw that came with it was really good. Others in my group all liked their food too. The many, many beautiful containers of flowers welcomed us into the restaurant, and the atmosphere inside was well thought out - with a Cajun theme, clean, and the private room we were in even had containers of (silk) flowers on the tables that made the room bright and cheerful. The restaurant was much bigger inside than it looked from the outside. There was a nice patio area near the entry door. Our waiter did a great job, checking with us several times to see if we needed anything, and he answered all of our questions. We had no problem getting individual checks. read more

I want to love it, but I always feel like I'm missing something when I leave. I've given this place a few tries and still feel like I could have gotten something better elsewhere. My cod sandwich was less than desirable. Instead of one big piece of cod to fit inside the bun, there were two somewhat small pieces. I had so much bun leftover. I did enjoy the onion rings and Cajun fries. Service was decent, but just wasn't impressed with my lunch. read more

Driven by this place many times and finally went with friends. Everyone enjoyed their meals-quesadillas, tacos, etc.... Great drink options

We stopped here last Sunday for some brunch, which they only serve on Sunday's FYI. I have never been here before for lunch or dinner so this review is solely on the brunch. I ordered the breakfast burrito..which I think is called the huevos rancheros but I can't remember. I ordered it with diced peppers instead of full. This burrito was one of the best breakfast burritos I have ever had. It was huge, definitely something you could split and it came with a hashbrowns and topped with salsa. Inside was eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage, peppers and onions. Definitely coming back to try dinner sometime. The patio outside looks fun for happy hour ! read more

I'm updating my review once again to reflect our visit last night. We decided to give Allyn's another shot after our poor experience back in December and I'm really glad we did! I had the catfish platter with asparagus and macaroni and cheese and it was really excellent. Everything came out piping hot and was cooked to perfection. We were very glad to have Lauren back, she did an awesome job as always. I'm glad to see some big changes were made and I'm happy to have Allyn's back in our weekly family outing rotation! read more

I went to Allyn's for lunch for first time earlier this week. The thing I liked most was the gluten free options. The waiter was very knowledgeable about what was gluten free and what was not. The menu noted clearly what was gluten free and what was not. For those items not marked gluten free they could make a version that was gluten free. I ordered a salad and with the chipotle sauce and I loved the hotness. It was almost too much heat for me but I liked it. I also ordered the blackened chicken breast with a side of Cajun fries. Delicious! Great service! Great food! Great selection of Gluten Free food! read more

First time back to Allyn's in years. Ordered the chicken Philly and onion rings. We were very disappointed with the quality of food. The chicken tasted old. Cheese had no flavor, and the bun was like Wonder Bread. Onion rings were dripping in oil. We split this, and I did not finish my half. Just couldn't do it. Total waste of $$. read more

We've been coming to Allyn's for years and are never disappointed. Love their vegan options and craft beer, and happy to keep supporting during the covid crisis. We always sit at the bar for some reason, and we were happy to see our favorite bartender running takeout orders yesterday! read more

My husband and I have been coming to Allyn's for years now and love their vegan and vegetarian options. We typically come in every Thursday for dinner and dessert. With the current Covid situation, we have been trying to support local business as we feel they are getting hit really hard. Please everyone - try Allyn's for take-out Tuesday - or anytime. Their food is delicious as usual. We ordered two Tuna Steak sandwiches and sides with an appetizer. Some places just don't do take out well, not Allyn's - it was perfect for take out. They never disappoint. Hot food, curb side service with a smile. Thanks Allyn's! Can't wait to dine in with you all again soon. Until then, we'll be seeing you curb side. Christina and Troy read more

Allyn's Cafe is home of the Bluebirds on Sunday nights. The Bluebirds are, pure and simple, a world class band-,it just doesn't get any better. All the musicians are pro, be it from years on the local music scene to teaching at local Universities. The instrumentation is trumpet, trombone, sax, guitar, drums, percussion, bass, keyboard, to give you an idea of what you'll hear, and they have that male voice organ sound that hits you so deliciously in the gut each time they harmonize. From Steely Dan to Stevie Wonder to the Zombies, they kick everything up 50 notches. Eat, don't eat, drink, don't drink (yeah right). If you live in Cincinnati for any amount of time, you must go see the Bluebirds, it's as simple as that. BTW, that guy playing trumpet is Allyn (a not so starving musician), he's a cool guy, say hello when you go. read more

Went here yesterday (1/7/12) after the bearcats game and my friends and I wanted to watch the Bengals game. We sat in the bar area and asked for a drink menu, I will give them that they have a very extensive beer selection and the prices are somewhat reasonable. Onto the food, as several fellow yelpers have stated what kind of restaurant is place trying to be? They have Cajun, Mexican and American food. My advice stick to a theme like Cajun and roll with it. I ordered the shrimp po'boy and I was disappointed in it. The shrimp were little shrimp like a long john silvers has plus the tartar sauce tasted like it came from a jar. Plus a po'boy always gets served with remoulade sauce, and on french bread not a bakery bun. The Cajun fries were cold and tasted like just out of freezer and fried and sprinkled with Cajun seasoning. My buddy got a plate of nachos and said they were just OK and he also ordered the chicken wings with a garlic bourbon sauce and said the sauce was really good. Service was OK. read more

This place deserves a solid four stars given the broad menu catering to different tastes, the laid-back ambiance, and lastly the affordable pricepoint. My boyfriend always came here with his friends to drink at the bar to watch college football and basketball games, and I finally decided to join him. I opted for their house salad and a side of chili, and holy cow was it more than I was expecting. The portions are extremely generous, and their salad ingredients were fresh and delicious. Not many house salads these days have cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and banana peppers for only $4. Also, their vegan chipotle ranch is beyond insane. I'm no where near vegan, but this dressing is hands down one of my favorites. The next time I came here I ordered their vegan gumbo (since the waiter informed me the vegan version was the freshest batch), accompanied with their cornbread. Okay, all of this was delicious, however it would be nice if the vegan version was made with brown rice instead of white (going all in for the nutritional factor here). The tofu was great in the gumbo, and I didn't even mind that it wasn't chicken. I got their fish special of mahi mahi with a side of greenbeans ($15!), which were pretty great too. I was really impressed with the food, while not being fussy nor expensive. Allyn's is a great place to come with your family since their menu has some great healthier items, along with more crowd-pleasing ones. I'll definitely be back to watch a Xavier game or two, enjoy a beer, and a cup of gumbo. read more

I went to Allyn's as part of a bar crawl recently and it was my favorite stop! The bartenders were really friendly and helpful, and so was Allyn. Definitely a spacious place and they have a good selection on the menu. I ordered a quesadilla and was told I had to get it blackened, which I'm glad I did because it was delicious and huge! I'll definitely be returning! read more

We visited on a Saturday afternoon about 2 pm and there was plenty of seating available inside and out. I had the Hugh Philly cheese steak sandwich. It was awesome. My wife had the Mardi dog being she is from New Orleans it was an obvious choice. She was thrilled that they used the correct sausage along with the spices. Staff was very nice and attentive. This was our third visit and we will be back. read more

My wife and I went to Allyn's Café because I had heard they had a good beer selection, and she had driven by and liked the fact they had a giant gator on their building. First off I really enjoyed the ambiance. I automatically felt comfortable and welcome, pretentious free. We sat around the corner and down a small flight of stairs by the bar. The beer list was indeed pretty good. They had quite a few beers I had never tried. I drank both an organic IPA which was ok (probably why I don't remember the name) and a Steelhead Pale Ale, which I was pretty impressed with. For dinner I had a chicken chimichanga and my wife had "Al's Cajun Seafood Platter." My chicken chimi was perfectly mediocre. I liked that it was not actually deep fried but rather just browned on the grill, but the chicken wasn't real choice, a little dry. What I would expect from any two-bit tex-mex joint. But the side dishes actually made up for it. I had two different types of beans, black and refried, and they were absolutely amazing. Great flavor. They claim to have an herb garden on the roof and these two recipes certainly tasted like they had some fresh herbs in them. My wife's seafood platter was actually pretty good. It came with blackened catfish, popcorn shrimp, blackened scallops, and hush puppies. Once again, the seasoning on the catfish was fantastic, and it was blackened to perfection, adding a delicious saltiness/crispness. However the scallops weren't very good. They were large sea scallops and didn't taste very blackened or, for that matter, very done. And I love some scallops. Again, I'm not sure why Yelp shuns the .5 rating, because I would love to give this place a 3.5, but have to lean more towards 4 in the end. Great ambiance and service, better than average beer list, hit or miss on the food. I will definitely take at least one more trip there. read more

The chips were stale and out of a bag, the salsa was out of a jar (and not a good one)...the salad was lacking on veggies (bean, rice and veggies but it was 3 pieces of onion) and the soda was flat. Not a fan... Looks like they have a good beer list though... read more

Allyn's Cafe is Old Reliable on my list of possible dining options. I am never wowed by what I order (I've tried the portabello sandwich, the taco salad and the enchiladas, to name a few), but I always walk away from the table pretty satisfied and very full. If you are more of a drinker and less of a diner, then you should absolutely swing by this Columbia Tusculum mainstay. They have an extensive beer list, sell wines by the bottle and reportedly pour the best margarita in town. I've had the frozen version and it was brain freeze city, but the on-the-rocks version is dynamite, especially with a salted rim. read more

Well I can't say the food was bad it is nothing special. What was bad it was our waitress Nikki! We told her when we sat down we had tickets to a concert and we were ready to order she made a comment oh good because there's another big table ready to order too, we ordered first, they got their food first . when we questioned or asked her to check on the food she brought us our checks, We said we were not going to pay for food we had not ordered she said that you asked for our checks we all looked at each other dumbfounded. Her attitude was so bad that we will probably not go back to that restaurant it's a shame because it's not a bad place but no one with that attitude should be waiting on people read more

I was truly disappointed to not like Ally's but there wasn't a single thing to be excited about except perhaps their wine list which was surprising. I had a chili "taco salad". If you get a taco salad expecting an oversized fried flour tortilla bowl, you'll be disappointed. Instead you'll get a mound of green lettuce (+) with toppings surrounded by about 15 cheap bagged taco chips. Blech. I'll eat nearly anything Mexican. Not this. My companion got a chicken burrito. Bland. Bland. Bland. Nothing special. My cup of jambalaya was just ok but was the best part of the meal. Joe's OkBayou in Louisville is the best around. No contest. Make a day of it. THIS is NOT Cajun food, folks. And they don't do Mexican well either. read more

Either my memory is awful, or this place has improved a *lot* in the past 20 years. Yes, I was at this bar 20 years ago. I am that old. And apparently I'm old enough to forget things. Like that Allyn's is actually a really nice place. Here are things I look for in a bar/restaurant: * Belgian beer. And I don't mean lambics or whites; I mean Trappists; something with a monk on the bottle (if not under the barrel). Preferably something whose recipe dates from the 1600s. ** Check. And it was local. * Enough noise and people to remind me that I'm not at home; but not so much that I can't hear the people I came to chat with. ** Check. And the usual happy madness seeped out of our alcohol and hovered all around our little table. * An atmosphere with enough light to see the other patrons (and that they don't look creepy) but not so much that I feel like I'm at the doctor's; and spaces that feel private. ** Check, and check. I love the multi-split-level layout here. * Wait staff that leave you alone enough that you can talk, but make sure that you have what you need. ** Check. And she was nice, and she recommended yummy things. * Something to eat besides burgers. I prefer anything grown or raised by real farmer-like people (or in the wild) to anything grown or raised in what might be called a factory. Plus it's nice if it tastes good. ** Half check. They sell both Cajun offerings and quesadillas, of completely ambiguous origin. Who knows where that plate of fried seafood goodness came from? It looked like Long John Silver's with a side of really yummy asparagus; but I always liked Long John Silver's. So, whatever happened all those years ago, I'm not going to wait another 20 years to go back. read more

The worst place for Cajun food ever. Not authentic at all. Everything tastes processed. Or it was made by amateur cook and not a chef. Wouldn't recommend wasting a dime here read more

I hadn't been here in years, but checked it out last night because I was in the neighborhood. It definitely has a dive-y feel both inside and out, but more of a unique/cool vibe vs. scary/dirty. The menus (food, beer, wine) are extensive, but the food menu is exceptionally difficult to read and poorly laid out, so I didn't really appreciate the diversity of their offerings (cajun, BBQ, mexican, etc.) until after I had already ordered and was continuing to look. Service was friendly enough and relatively efficient, but there was a forgotten condiment request that didn't get filled until I was halfway through my meal and made a second request. I'd like to try one of the cajun/blackened dishes next time, but this time I was really craving a hamburger, so I ordered one with cheddar and sauteed onions and a side of cajun fries (french fries w/ some blackening seasoning). The burger was enormous and pretty tasty; a little greasier than I prefer, but an acceptable trade-off for taste. The fries didn't quite have the kick I was hoping for--not sure they're any better than the regular fries. Overall, if you're in the neighborhood, it's worth a visit, but I wouldn't go out of my way for dinner there. read more

Best service and great food! Creole, vegan, wings, chili, cheesesteaks, pasta, seafood, really have everything a person could want. And everything I have tried has been absolutely delicious! Great staff and fun place to go too! read more

Allyn's is everything a neighborhood gathering spot should be, no matter what neighborhood you live in. The traditional food is great and priced reasonably. The atmosphere is cozy and the patrons and staff quick with their smiles. It's also a subtle, unpretentious wine shop with some carefully selected bottles that won't break your bank or overwhelm you with their "sophistication." Be hungry because the portions are sized to please. read more

I lived around the corner from Allyn's for nearly a decade, and it became a bit of a clubhouse for me and some pals. The beer selection is fantastic. As a beer snob, this goes a long way with me. If you come into a place like this and order a Bud Light, you should be held up for ridicule in the town square. The menu is somewhat NoLa influenced, though in a bar food kind of way. The jambalaya is serviceable but not revelatory. Quesadillas are fine, but who screws up a quesadilla? The boneless chicken wings are fan-friggin-tastic. Service is generally friendly and efficient. On more than one occasion, I've engaged in a silly conversation with the server after a few rounds, which is a valid reason to go to a bar. Parking can be a challenge. A great choice for a casual dinner, assuming you're not looking to have your mind blown by the food. read more

Don't like the food all that much, however, I really like the beer and wine selection.

We live in the neighborhood, been coming here for a while, JUST HAD THE BEST, Y E S, THE BEST WINGS EVER! smoked, bourbon honey, sweet n spicy, beats Knockback Nats, Smoke Justis, just simply, THE BEST! get them, don't walk, RUN! read more

Changed their gumbo recipe. Roux is very pale and the gumbo not flavorful. A friend from New Orleans says it was not very good. Why did they ruin a great dish? Black beans as a side were inedible. Something happened and the end result is not good. read more