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    Blue Jay Restaurant

    4.3 (127 reviews)
    InexpensiveDiners
    Open 8:00 am - 3:30 pm

    Blue Jay Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    BLUE JAY RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Blue Jay Restaurant

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    A Northside staple!
    Sandra A.

    Blue Jays is a must have when you visit Northside. I grew up in Northside and this has just always been a cute, quaint, mom and pop shop. They are welcoming whether they recognize you or not. They stay consistent with their service and their food. I've never had anything critical to say about this restaurant. They have so much Cincinnati history inside. Fun Fact: Several movies have scenes filmed inside BlueJays Restaurant! They don't offer dinner, so make sure you stop by for breakfast and/or lunch! Which both are served all day!!! They are closed on Sundays to be with their families. Stop by between 8am-3pm Monday-Saturday and you won't be disappointed!

    Colleen A.

    My husband and I met a couple of friends at Blue Jay Restaurant for a late breakfast on a Saturday morning. By the time we were seated, there was a line out the door. Blue Jay Restaurant has been around a long time and is clearly a neighborhood favorite. It's your traditional "greasy spoon" diner. The decor is unassuming and the leather benches are creaky, but it all adds to the classic diner charm. They do have an original menu on the wall, which is super cool. Our server was exceptionally friendly. We ordered some breakfast classics like potatoes, bacon, eggs, etc. and my husband got a burger. Overall, everything was as you'd expect. Nothing to write home about, but worth another stop in for some filling, American classic breakfast.

    Blue Jay Breakfast
    Nikki K.

    Excellent food and service! Atmosphere was great and waitress was great! Very good price for food. Pancakes were very delicious! This was my first time at this establishment and I was very impressed!

    Jeff M.

    Stumbled upon Blue Jay as we were looking for a different breakfast place aside from my coworkers weekly Friday stop. Walking into the Blue Jay you are immediately taken back in time. It has that old time diner feel. Loved it.. Family owned and operated for generations, I'm glad places like this still exhibits. I went with a breakfast omelette, which could have been ordered anyway you desire. Big portions and delicious too. This place is a recommended stop by me. I'll certainly return and review their other cooked up items.

    Great omlet

    First time visiting this place. The atmosphere was amazing. The waitresses were really friendly. There was not a wait and food came quickly. The veggie omlet was really good. I didn't like the hash browns and they were taken off my bill without a hassle. But no complaints. I will definitely revisit.

    Counter and booth dividing shields
    Scott N.

    Classic diner breakfast! Everything was delicious. A monster serving of goetta made the meal. Keep in mind we moved to California seven years ago, so goetta was treat! The serving did not disappoint; it was huge, delicious and perfectly fried. The eggs were cooked as requested. I only ate a few of the potatoes, but they were flavorful and well done, which is my preference. The biscuit and gravy was wonderful. Slightly salty with plenty of sausage. The gravy was stick-to-your-ribs thick. SO good! Wheat toast was included. So much food and without coffee it was @ $11. What a steal! I highly recommend Blue Jay Restaurant!

    Libby V.

    Like going back in time to the 1950's. Except pie is no longer 30 cents a slice. Walked in fir breakfast on a cold Saturday morn. Booths have sneeze guards between them. I was hoping to see Robert Redford and Sissy Spacack, but I guess he'sstill in prison after robbing 5 banks in one day. Food is reasonable and filling...huge portions. My son did all but lick plate...hes a big boy. So big he almost didnt fit in the booth. Try as I like, I could only eat half of mine. Then I was set until dinner time. I will be back.

    Me and my daddies morning was great here we love the place great food and people most definitely going again
    Lexi A.

    Great place our mornings are great here with my love. The service was great the people are great we loved it most definitely going again.

    Northsider 5-way omelette
    Troy S.

    Excellent friendly quaint family run diner. Good food and friendly service. Love slipping occasionally away for a late b'fast ...when it's quiet, a zen that reminds me of diners w my Dad as a boy.

    1967
    Mark S.

    Excellent food, quite the crowd on a Saturday AM and after we waited for a table and ordered we overhead another table be told "it's about an hour to get food". Luckily we were in no hurry and able to visit a bit. And they were right, home cookin took a while! All the food was prepared perfectly, and we had plenty of refills and a nice waitress. Will stop back again, and look forward to trying the chili too.

    Breakfast Special that is my comfort food staple.  Delicious omelettes and goetta.

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    2 months ago

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    7 days ago

    Best diner in Northside! Great biscuits and gravy, omelettes were the best. The burgers are some of the best around. A+ service!

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    8 months ago

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    5 months ago

    The veggie burger was delicious! Homefries were ok. Would like to try the blueberry pie.

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    Great service and great food will definitely be back. Was like stepping back in time .we loved this place

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Very friendly service, great price for good portions and yummy food! Nostalgic neighborhood diner!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    One of the best diners in town. Food and service are always top notch. Very friendly and welcoming to regulars and first times.

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    3 years ago

    Great short order restaurant! Always busy so you may have to wait but it's worth it! Food is what you expect in a quaint restaurant.

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    10 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Been to Blue Jay a few times and the food has always been good. The service is good and Ambiance is nice.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Blue Jay goes to the top of my Mom and Pop breakfast restaurant list. Nice and cozy atmosphere. Friendly staff. Delicious food made fast.

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    5 years ago

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    Blue Jay Restaurant is my favorite breakfast spot in Cincinnati. The owner is a delight and has done her father proud, IMO.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Best local breakfast stop but don't tell anyone or they'll ruin it! Love the biscuits and gravy

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best brunch and affordable! & the chocolate silk pie and coconut cream pie were delicious!!

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    Milkman - Nuggets, fries, Milkman (double) on bed of shrettuce (gluten free), Milkman (double) regular

    Milkman

    4.4(245 reviews)
    4.0 miOver-the-Rhine
    $$

    Possibly the best burger I've ever had at a fast casual place and the milkshake was an A+ as well…read more 10 out of 10. Should eat again. It's just a shame that it's a 4.5 hour drive for me.

    Milkman, you were so, so, so good to me! I've never been into the restaurant, though I have gotten…read moreDoorDash once before. It was as delicious as I wanted it to be! When my friend and I walked in, we were greeted by such a sweet staff who immediately welcomed us in, shared their thoughts on the menu (since we were first-timers), and suggested we leave a review (they were so lovely, so how could we not!) The entire restaurant feels like the diner Sam worked at in Cinderella Story from the early 2000s - very vintage, very retro, very 50s! It's what I imagine restaurants looking like when my grandparents went on dates when they were my age. I had gotten the tofu nugs via DoorDash, which were better IRL and the milkshake was scrumptious too! My friend got the Milkman Burger, fries, and a fruity pebbles shake. It was all great but let me tell ya...we had this meal almost two weeks ago and I'm STILL dreaming of those French fries. I have had so many iterations of fried potato before...shoestring, steak, wedges, sweet potato, those made from yuca, curly, dipped in ice cream, etc. and these are the best fries I've had in my life. If I could live off the fries, I would. They were that good. I already have plans to share this place with other friends of mine as it has officially worked its way into the rotation for me!

    Photos
    Milkman
    Milkman - Butterfinger Shake - Virgin

    Butterfinger Shake - Virgin

    Milkman

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    The Governor Modern Diner

    The Governor Modern Diner

    4.4(371 reviews)
    13.1 mi
    $$

    second time in and the food has been solid both times. Had the rueben sandwich and fries this time…read more Was able to get a table inside right at lunch time on a week day, and the food came out pretty quickly. Sandwich was solid, and the fries were even better. Seemed like a twice fried situation as they were extra crispy. We enjoyed the retro cartoons playing on the TV at the bar too. Street parking right out front and along the road. Outdoor and indoor seating available.

    Really exceptional place. The vibe was chill. The space was nicely presented. The menu had a wide…read morerange of options, including a series of vegetable-forward options. The staff were extremely friendly and seemed willing to actively engage with customers. It was a nice neighborhood spot. I ordered Mo's Rice Bowl, and it was generally well executed. Maybe a little bit more rice than it needed, but it presented a nice combination of flavors and textures. The pickled onions were well done. There was a relish type offering that rounded it out. The fried egg was a nice protein addition. Overall, the dish came together. I'm not from Cincinnati, but they apparently have a regional goetta dish. I ordered the vegan version, and it was really well done. Good on the restaurant for thinking to offer a vegan version. All told, this was an exception place. It's a little small, but there was essentially no wait to get a seat at the bar. Highly recommended.

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    The Governor Modern Diner
    The Governor Modern Diner - Lamb french dip

    Lamb french dip

    The Governor Modern Diner - Fried chicken sammich. Messy, but tasty

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    Fried chicken sammich. Messy, but tasty

    Pennyflower Bistro and Bar - House Salad

    Pennyflower Bistro and Bar

    4.1(49 reviews)
    4.3 miDowntown

    Dined in Saturday at 4:30 pm (had to make a show). Service was friendly. Place was empty aside from…read morea few people at the bar. We had a reservation for two and for some reason they sat us directly next to the loud kitchen. Entire building open and we got bad seats just baffles me. The prime rib carpaccio was basically lunch meat with arugula. We liked the crispies but overall it's not something we really enjoyed and would not order again. It would have been better served on toast maybe. This was something we'd never had before and did not know what to expect so that's on us. 22 oz ribeye and potatoes are ok, a lesser version of sotto. steak was crisped well, not as much fat as usual which i liked. the crispy lasagne was ok. sauce is a tad spicy which was fine. kitchen manager or head chef came out to speak with us and he was very friendly. our server was Jenna. espresso martini - great, done well with strong espresso flavor and foam on top the red borough - very good, comparable to a manhattan blueberry spritz - very fruity, easy drinker s'mores was ok but honestly could do without the ice cream The ambiance is nice, very cute and clean. chairs were different and comfortable! Overall, it was ok. Not one of our top ranked places in cincy.

    Came in for restaurant week and everything was delicious, our service was so nice, and the place…read morewas so cute! The drink that was on special for restaurant week was fun, but pretty sweet. The carbonara croquettes were SO TASTY. The bianca bolognese was an interesting twist on a classic. The s'more's dessert was very good, but very rich, so sharing would be perfect. We'd love to go back'

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    Pennyflower Bistro and Bar
    Pennyflower Bistro and Bar
    Pennyflower Bistro and Bar

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    Ft Wright Family Restaurant

    Ft Wright Family Restaurant

    3.8(145 reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $

    Stopped in for breakfast this morning. First table we went to sit at we were told was ready to go…read morebut the table had not been wiped down so we moved to another one. The place is bright and friendly with what appeared to be many regular patrons. Our server was nice and helpful. I ordered an omelette with a hotcake and he got two eggs over easy with goetta. Our meal came with toast too. We ordered rye and whole wheat. Candidly, the food didn't have any flavor. The potatoes were the most bland. My veggie omelette had large sliced vegetables inside vs smaller pieces. The huge hotcake was thick and I'm guessing that's the difference between a hotcake and a pancake. It was good but not great. Glad we stopped by. Atmosphere very nice, service was great. We won't return due to the food. Just not good, no flavor.

    Decent breakfast spot if you're in a pinch--whether for time or distance. We were really impressed…read morewith their goetta, and I loved that you can substitute it for other breakfast meats in most entrées. A couple notes I'd share with the restaurant: the entrée prices feel a bit high, and the gravy was unfortunately too thick and under-seasoned for our taste. I'd definitely give this place another try, but I wouldn't order the gravy again. They also missed one of our entrées, so my daughter didn't get her food until about 18 minutes after everyone else. The ambiance is cozy and no-frills, giving that classic local diner feel. The service was extremely friendly, and you can tell they have a solid base of regulars who enjoy eating here.

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    Ft Wright Family Restaurant - Bar area

    Bar area

    Ft Wright Family Restaurant - Eggs, goetta, home fries and toast

    Eggs, goetta, home fries and toast

    Ft Wright Family Restaurant - Specials menu

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    Specials menu

    Blue Jay Restaurant - diners - Updated September 2026

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