Top notch experience. Food was delicious and hot. Server was delightful and pleasant. The restaurant was filled with excitement. Great experience. People were having a great day. read more

This place was fantastic. I can see why they've been around so long and I hope they continue well into the future! The hostess was wonderful and our waiter - whose name was either Jack or John; I just couldn't keep that straight - was perfect, answering questions, checking on us several times, engaging in just the right level of friendly conversation. We chose to sit on the bar side and I liked the atmosphere very much. The other side was pretty crowded when we arrived on a weekday around 1 PM. Food came quickly and was fresh and delicious. Soup of the day was a sausage chicken gumbo so I had to try a cup of that. Chunky, hearty and full of homemade flavor. My husband had the single grilled pork chop with vegetable of the day plus mashed potatoes. The chop was big and plenty satisfying. Potatoes were house-mashed, just lumpy enough with bits of red skin and an amazing gravy. He was very impressed that the veggies, including the carrots, were cooked so nice and tender. I had the Avocado Chicken Club which was perfection. I took the cilantro mayo on the side so I could apply it at leisure, and I also enjoyed dipping my parmesan fries in it. This was also an ultra-satisfying portion, in fact I decided to polish off the fries and took about half the sandwich home which was super delicious that evening. The roll was so soft and fresh - everything was super fresh. Although we were beyond full, the homemade dessert menu was impossible to resist so we took home a piece of bread pudding, which was, unsurprisingly, excellent. Convenient parking lot in the rear, just note there's no rear entrance so it is a bit of a stroll to get to the front door. BaCall's is quite a ways from my home, boo hoo, but we try to get out and about a lot so if I'm anywhere in the vicinity be sure I'll stop again. Winner! read more

BaCalls Cafe - Decision time - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Bacalls is located on Hamilton Ave in the College Hill area. It is part of a DORA also. It is adult and family friendly. They have weekly food specials in addition to their regular menu. The food is decent, sometimes hot or miss. Music bingo every other Saturday, trivia Tuesday, wine Wednesday. Lisa is the best bartender you'll ever meet. Street parking and the lot in the back, they share that lot with different businesses that can be explored while in the area. read more

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Super conflicted with this review. The food was decent, but the service was so terribly slow. Came for lunch on a Monday and it took over an hour to get our food. They seemed under staffed. Super friendly people and great atmosphere, so I will come back and give them another try! Hoping we just caught them on a bad day? read more

BaCalls Cafe - Avocado chicken club with Parmesan fries - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Our group from the Y had lunch at Bacalls Cafe today. The service was very efficient, though lacking any warmth. The food was very good. Their specialty is their burgers, but surprisingly, no one ordered one. We decided to try them on a Friday, when burgers and a side are only $10. read more

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Thank you Burger Week for allowing me to find another hidden gem in Cincinnati. This place is a classic diner/cafe with so many items to chose from with a great selection of drinks also. The staff was so nice and helpful, they greeted us and when we left they said hurry back so you can enjoy many of our other dishes. Can not wait to go back. Thank you BaCalls for a great experience. read more

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I was so hungry I forgot to take a pic of my food. lol. I had the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich with onion straws on the side. Sandwich was delicious. Add the house made ranch and it was the best. I wasn't impressed with the straws Definitely a diner feel, but service was friendly. I'd go back. read more

BaCalls Cafe - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Been eating here for over 35 years. Food always great. Excellent cashew chicken salad. Great ambiance. Maybe the last phone booth in Cincinnati. read more

Classic diner experience! Just get The Burger with the onion straws and you will thank yourself. read more

BaCalls Cafe - Cheese Nuggets - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Bacall's is a College Hill staple, and I like to refer to it as the College Hill "Cheers", where everybody knows your name. It is a very family friendly restaurant, and many of the patrons have lived in the area for many years. The older patrons have been going there since they were young. They have weekly specials, and a great lunch menu. Some of my favorite menu items are the pasta salad with chicken (the dressing is amazing), the ranch fries, and the buffalo chicken salad. Everyone loves the onion straws! They have daily soups, and I must say, they are delicious. The atmosphere is very warm and friendly, and Lisa is our favorite bartender. We go a lot on Wednesdays for Wine Wednesday (half priced bottles and glasses of wine). They also have a frozen drink on rotation every week and different appetizers and dinner specials of the week. The bar is full of all your favorite spirits. There's plenty of parking in the back, and on street parking in front. They always participate in things like Burger week, College Hill Bar Crawl, and have dinner specials for Valentine's Day, which makes them even more neighborhood friendly. It will be around for many more years, and I will be going for many more years! read more

The vibe is 100% NY Soho diner. Totally comfortable for the whole family but services a mature crowd. Morghan, my server analyzed and matched my energy spot on, recognizing that I did indeed deserve a bourbon slush. They have a valentines special right now with steak or salmon dinner for 2 plus a bottle of wine for $65. I need one of my besties to slide in with me the 14th or 15th. Just saying. 5 stars because though this is very much classic diner, they have an appetizer that's dish and chips. Long cod fish sticks (not pollock or some other cheap cardboard box whitefish) and a healthy serving of fries with tarter and ketchup. I was shooketh. Almost demoted to 4 stars because the soup of the day (roasted red pepper with Gouda) was a little in the cool side, but it was warm enough. And I received the bourbon slush I deserved. 10/10 or 5 stars out of 5 I'm definitely coming back if I need some solo time out of the house or with a friend. read more

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I've been going here for decades and it has always been great. Kind of a classic American menu but done insanely well. It is definitely upscale compared to standard diner affair. The hosts in wait, staff are always great. My only complaint is that it gets pretty noisy in there when it is crowded, but most places do. read more

BaCalls Cafe - Bacall's Burger - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Stopped in Bacall's Cafe for Cincinnati Burger Week. Thought I would pop in here for lunch and when I went in I said I can sit at the bar and I was told that there was only two servers so they were trying to seat everybody on the same side of the restaurant. They did a great job for only having two servers. The Bacall's Southwest Burger was the one they had at the burger price of $7 so I ordered it and supplemented it with onion straws on the side and a Bahama Mama cocktail. They brought me a water quickly followed by my cocktail. Great Bahama Mama. The burger was wagyu beef with pepperjack cheese, onion straws, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and southwest ranch sauce. I loved the big basket of onion straws with catsup. Nice little place. read more

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We haven't been here in years and decided to try them again. Walked in and it was crowded but we were seated right away. It was loud from people talking and the air was blowing cold air so if you get cold you may want to bring a sweater. I had a cup of chili which was tangy and it wasn't bad. I ordered the buffalo wrap with bleu cheese and hot sauce. The wrap itself was good but lacked the taste of bleu cheese. The fries was good but didn't wow me so I may get something else next time. The service was excellent and we will be going back as they have a lot on their menu to choose from. read more

BaCalls Cafe - Buffalo chicken wrap with Parmesan fries - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Bacall's is a retro diner that is well supported by the local community - the service was amazing - even though they were super busy our server made sure our drinks were topped off and gave us some great suggestions for an appetizer to start our dining experience - the Zucchini fries paired with an amazing aioli for dipping was just what the doctor ordered - the atmosphere was definitely the sign of satisfied patrons - it's always nice to frequent an establishment that is full of happy, and well fed patrons - I had the Wagyu burger and it delivered all of the beefy, umaminess you would expect - delicious!! The dessert offerings were great - I had the bread pudding - more please! All in all a place to enjoy a refreshment from their wide selection of draft beers, wines and mixed driI will definitely be back! read more

BaCalls Cafe - Me getting ready to chow down! - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Just wanted to write a quick update! We still love this place, but I've seen a few reviews mention the parking situation -- There is a whole parking lot behind these buildings! So don't stress about street parking. :) Hope this helps! read more

I recently tried BaCalls Cafe for the first time. My husband and I met some friends for dinner. What drew us to BaCalls Cafe was that they had vegetarian options (beyond salad) on their menu. Our friend tried the vegetarian chicken sandwich and absolutely LOVED it. My husband and I split the battered fried fish with coleslaw and parmesan fries. The fry portion was oddly small, the coleslaw was average, and the fried fish and tartar sauce were a bit on the bland side. I probably wouldn't order that meal again. The service was pretty good. The business itself was pretty packed-- which is usually a good sign. They have rotating dessert options that they write on a big chalkboard on the wall. It was cute. We didn't try any though. Decor is simple. Street parking only, but we had zero issues finding a spot! read more

BaCalls Cafe - the hours of operation - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We went to BaCall's Cafe for our first burger week stop. It's a quaint diner in College Hill. The space is very limited but it's got a very classic feel. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of other positive things to say outside of that. Our server was nice but, the hostess was very rude when we were waiting. She made several comments to me about being impatient though I had not said anything to her or anyone else. I continued to wait silently until my patience ran out and I spoke with my companion about leaving. However, another hostess came up while we were figuring out where to go and switched out with the rude hostess. The burger and fries were bland. The burger week burger was nothing like the picture. The best thing we consumed was the bourbon slush. read more

Great local diner with such a varied menu, it took several minutes to decide what to get! There's classics like meatloaf and Ruben, as well as alternatives like a vegan chicken sandwich and veggie burger. Definitely something for everyone. There's also a bar with drink specials and lots of draft beers to choose from. The interior is pretty small and it was cramped on what turned out to be Trivia Night, but we had a great time anyway. Parking lot is in the rear. Service was quick even on a busy night. Would return. read more

Love this place. What's not to like. Good food. Good service. My first time here was back in the 80's. Hasn't changed much. read more

AMAZING vegetarian chicken sandwich, and was not super greasy. So nice to order off the menu at a diner style place as a vegetarian.

This place really is hit and miss. Sometimes good, sometimes not. Recently had a good burger with onion straws here. The staff seems more concerned with doing things quickly rather than well. read more

I love this place. I've been coming here, off and on for years and years. I like they continually improve their menu and quality of food. Please try this place again if you haven't for a little while. Great neighborhood and local restaurant. read more

How can I never have reviewed this wonderful cafe in College Hill? I've eaten there many times, and enjoyed each meal. I usually sit at the bar, and have been served by some amazing people. Let's start the food review with their warm bacon salad dressing. Does anything more need to be said about that? They developed it for their spinach salad, of course, but don't overlook it for a regular green salad, which is how I had it this evening. When I saw that the special tonight was country fried steak, and I happened to be headed in a westerly direction, I had to go there for dinner. Wonderfully tenderized beef, expertly breaded and fried, with a complementary pepper-cream gravy. The picture (which I stole from their FB page) shows that gravy on the accompanying mashed potatoes, too, but they seem to have read my mind and given me brown gravy on my potatoes, which is my preference. If there hadn't been a salad with the meal, she probably could have talked me into some of their bread pudding, with an amazing vanilla sauce. When you go, be sure to save room for it. It' big enough to share, but delicious enough that you're happy to have all of it to yourself. read more

BaCalls Cafe - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Nice neighborhood eatery with good service and traditional menu. Nice pricing. Alcoholic beverages are not overpriced either.

Bacalls is a consistent staple for my house. We have family that drive 3+ hours every few months for Bacalls. Not just because the food is great or the prices reasonable - but because the staff are so friendly and the ambiance is relaxing. It's very much a neighborhood spot and there's a reason they've been in business for so many years! Recommendation: The Reuben sandwich, any menu special, and/or the bread pudding or carrot cake read more

Awesome dinner and drinks at the hidden gem in College Hill. Started with dip and chips which were big enough for 4 people. Dinner was club sandwich and fries (huge!) Think York Steak House for fries. Cod special with asparagus and Mac and cheese. Also fantastic. Great service and atmosphere and a happy hour draft price to boot. We'll be back!! read more

Firstly, I'd like to mention that we try very hard to support local businesses. We now live in College Hill and want to support all of the local shops. Having said that, BaCalls Cafe has to try harder. We have tried 8-10 items off of the menu and the food is really mediocre, the service, though friendly, is super slow and the prices are way too high for the quality that is being served. I wish this were a great neighborhood place to go but it is not. After several attempts, we have decided not to return. Sad conclusion but I don't think they're even trying. read more

Good atmosphere.. good service...good food n drinks. The restaurant and bathroom are always clean.

Went to BaCslls today for burger week and was not disappointed, the Wagya burger was delicious., along with the fixings and barbecue sauce. They have the best burger in town, out of all the burgers in town this I would rate number one.out of all the others, Great service. read more

Today my wife and I went to Bacalls to try this years burger week presentation. We ordered 2 burgers, along with a side of zucchini sticks. Each year I end up saying these burgers are the best we have tried( 3 years in a row now) I thought this years burger was the best yet. When you walk in the door, and all the tables are full, you know something special is happening. Great food, great service, great drinks. When you go, ask to sit in Morghans area. Trust me, I'm already wanting to go back!!! read more

This place is easy to overlook, but I assure you it will be a place you will not forget. Friendly employees, tasty food, and not a chain...all pluses! Family friendly atmosphere with seated dining area and a bar area to the right, if you are so inclined. Their omelettes are plentiful in size and quite tasty. They have yummy fruit salad and yummy mixed drinks to go along with your breakfast. My daughter wasn't fond of the waffle or biscuit and gravy, but all other breakfast foods were appealing. I have only eaten at this establishment during breakfast hours, but I can only presume that other times of dining are also good! read more

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Food was pretty good but overall unpleasant due to the very loud 'Name that Tune' bingo caller and music volume.

Great good, good variety, wonderful cocktails and beer specials. What a great find, close to College Hill

My 16 year old daughter and her friends ate at Bacalls prior to attending their Fall Dance. Their server wrote sweet, little notes on their receipts that said things like "You look beautiful," and "Have fun tonight!" One of the girls was without a date, and her receipt said, "Paid." I'm so grateful Bacalls made their night special and memorable. The world needs more kind people like this server (Morghan)! Thank you and God bless you! read more

Not gluten free, Not Celiac friendly. This restaurant cannot accommodate people with Celiac Disease. Honestly, this review is for Celiac's only, the cafe is beloved by my parents and their friends, so take that into consideration when you read this review. We ate lunch at Bacall's on 12-26-24, and called ahead to make sure they can accommodate my wife who has Celiac Disease and cannot eat gluten. The person on the phones said it was no issue and that the kitchen can accommodate allergies. For lunch she had the Santa Fe Salad, and had them hold the tortilla strips. The ingredients suggest it's gluten free, and the server assured us it would be gluten free. Not True. We at least made it home before my wife suffered from the gluten. In spite of the best intentions of the restaurant, it is NOT Celiac friendly. As the husband, I feel that any restaurant needs to know their own limitations. If you cannot accommodate someone with this disease, do not claim that you can. Since the server was very nice, I'll give her 2 stars instead of 1 for poisoning my wife. The atmosphere is perfectly fine, nothing fancy, 3 stars. But watching my wife suffer pain from the results of their food is why they get one star. read more

The owner is great and greets us with a smile. The atmosphere always puts out a fun vibe! The menu has something for everyone! Morgan, our weekly server, is the best - she is so personable/attentive and helps me select the perfect wine! read more

Fun fun game nights here and amazing food! Try their wagyu burger and chili - so yummy! They always have great special desserts as well. Very cozy environment and great friendly staff. Would come here every night if I could! Extensive classic American menu. read more

Nice neighborhood restaurant near our B&B and one that our innkeeper recommended. We weren't disappointed. Service was excellent (Amber), food was tasty and the price was reasonable. My mom and I had the pot roast dinner and my sister-in-laws had the cod fish dinner. We all enjoyed it. read more

My husband of 28 years introduced me to Bacalls when we started dating. The menu has changed a little over the years, but it remains a favorite dining destination. I have tried a variety of menu options, from the soups to the sandwiches to the entrees. You honestly cannot go wrong with anything on the menu, especially the burgers. During our latest visit, I ordered the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger with onion straws. Truly one of the best burgers I've ever tried, and the onion straws were piled high. My husband ordered the housemade chili, which he let me sample. Yum! I will definitely order that the next time we visit. I highly recommend you stop in for a bite. The building is old but cozy and it has a lot of charm. The staff is always courteous and friendly, and the service is quick. Bon appetit! read more