Southern, Grace is by far the best soul food restaurant in Cincinnati, Ohio. I love the food, and…read morethe team that help make this restaurant what it is. The quality and portion size of the food is outstanding!! My favorite is the fried catfish, you have your choice of 2 sides I always get an extra side because everything is so well seasoned and absolutely delicious. I love that the quality of the food has been constant for the length of time Southern, Grace has been in operation. Keep up the good cooking Southern, Grace!! I shall continue to be a customer as long as you keep that consistency, my taste buds and my tummy have come to love and look forward to every time I visit.

Great food and amazing staff. Very attentive with suggestions from menu, refills, etc.read more

Came to Cincinnati for a concert, initially planned to go elsewhere to eat but couldn't find…read moreparking anywhere. We stumbled upon Libby's and we're so glad we did! They had parking, and although they were full on reservations, 2 spots at the bar opened up and we grabbed them happily! First, the food was FANTASTIC! I had the Willy Burger and my husband had the fried bologna sandwich and we both loved what we ordered and vice versa. The sauce on the burger was phenomenal! The drink menu was extensive and looked so good but we were in a bit of a hurry and I'm 6 months pregnant so we settled for waters. Second, the service was excellent. Everyone was so kind and helpful. The ambience was great, I loved the big open garage door and patio seating they offered. The decor was so cute! We are bummed that brunch reservations for tomorrow are full, but we will absolutely be back!

We visited Libby's Southern Comfort on Tuesday. We had reservations for 12:00, but they weren't…read moreneeded. The restaurant is nicely decorated and is thin. They have a nice outdoor area, which we avoided due to the current heatwave. We ordered two apps - FRIED GREEN TOMATOES - Topped with Libby's pimento cheese, pork belly lardons, bourbon onion jam, and herb oil and FRIED CHICKEN SKINS - Hand breaded and served with hot honey dipping sauce. The fried green tomatoes were nicely plated, though the pork belly lardons and bourbon onion jam did not have the most pleasant color. They were good, but not as great as the description. Fried chicken skin is the thing! I first had it when we lived in California. An Asian market served them up thinly breaded and fried perfectly crispy. I just about jumped out of my skin when I saw it on the menu at Libby's. The breading at Libby's is thick. It's tasty for sure, but it's quite thick. A quick glance at the chicken skins and it looks like full-on chicken. Anyway, they were very good and I would definitely order them again. I had a taste of the hot honey dipping sauce because it spilled. It was good, but for me it detracted from the flavor I'm looking for. I had to have the FRIED BOLOGNA BLT - House smoked bologna, pimento cheese, fried egg, house made BBQ sauce, spring mix lettuce, & sliced green tomato on grilled 16 Bricks sourdough. First, it was huge! I could only eat half. It was very good. All the different flavors mixed together well. It was messy!! It was so obviously messy the server brought over extra napkins without us having to ask! Top Notch! Oh, the mac and cheese side was just okay. I barely touched it. The second half of the sandwich was delicious cold. It was also not messy at all. The leftover mac and cheese had turned inedible in the fridge. I did not mind throwing it out. My friend had the CLASSIC TURKEY CLUB. It was also huge and she only ate half. The fries were crispy and delicious. Mark had THE DOC HOLLADAY. He said it was okay. He also only ate half. I think he enjoyed the cold leftover more. I like the menu; lots of options. The place is cute. The staff is great. We'd definitely come back.

Great atmosphere! Nice staff! I'll be back if I'm ever in Cincy again! The coquettes are a first…read moretime experience; they are delicious!

Love. If I can use…read moreone word to describe my experience at Soul Secret, that's it. Love Amore Besotted Take great people (Melinda was our server and the chef came out to check on us...more about Melinda later)... Combine it with great food and great ambiance, and you get this restaurant! The first thing that you notice when you walk in is that it feels like home. Some restaurants focus heavily on decor and leave a lot to be desired in terms of ambiance, the people, and the food. And in other restaurants, you walk in and feel as if you can stay there forever. This is one of those places. We stayed there for a while. Imagine being in Grandmom's living room with pictures on the wall and positive music playing in the background. That's Soul Secrets. The menu is big enough to make sure that everyone can find something to eat, but not so big that you will struggle to make a decision. From fried catfish and grits to French toast to salmon croquettes and the largest pancake on Earth, there is something for everyone. My niece ordered the French toast, and my sister ordered a special breakfast that came with a pancake, grits, eggs, potatoes, and sausage. I was still hungry from last night's meal, (and you can read about it in another review) so I just nibbled off of my sister's meal. The French toast came out first, and I could tell immediately that the chef knew what she was doing. The rest of the food came out, and again, they brought the largest pancake I've ever seen. My sister was treating us today, and I was glad that the menu prices were very reasonable. My niece said that the French toast was delicious, and she ate as much as she could. She has a dance performance tonight and made sure that she didn't put her show at risk. It was difficult for her because the food was so good, but she managed and took a box home to eat it later. Yes. My sister nibbled on everything else and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had the grits and some of the pancake, and I have to say that it was very difficult for me to stop eating because it tasted so good. The pancake was perfectly cooked and fluffy with crispy bits on the edge. The grits were creamy and flavorful, even without cheese. The coffee was great. I had several cups. All in all, it was arguably better than any breakfast I've had at any restaurant that serves it. Now let's get back to Melinda. So often, the dining experience can be directly related to the person that greets you when you take a seat. Thank goodness we were greeted by Melinda. She has one of those energies and personalities that makes you feel as if she has been in your family for years. Funny and friendly, but at the same time, dedicated to making sure that you have a good experience. Again, I felt like I was at someone's home rather than in a restaurant. She called me a "troublemaker," which means that somehow she was seeing the 20-year-old version of me instead of the person that I am today. lol So here's the summary. If you are in Cincinnati and you want a great meal, there are many restaurants to choose from. It appears to be a pretty decent restaurant town. But if you want to FEEL Cincinnati, while feeling right at home and having one of the best meals ever- Soul Secrets is one for the ages.

We celebrated my son's 26th birthday at Nolia and came ready for great food and exceptional…read moreservice. We got both! Henry was incredible. Fun, attentive, engaging, and gave us great recommendations throughout the evening. We started with the oysters, Skillet Cornbread, Pork Belly Skewer, and H20 Melon. The cornbread was, without a doubt, the best we've ever had. Subtly sweet, pillowy without being cakey, with this amazing sweet-savory depth. The whipped Steen's butter was the perfect complement. WOW! The pork belly was another standout. The coconut Alabama BBQ was rich and flavorful without being heavy. The melon was beautifully plated, and the country ham added the perfect salty contrast. The oysters were the only miss for me. They had a little more of that "fishy" quality than I prefer, but I'm admittedly particular about oysters. For dinner, the Jollof was flavorful and beautifully prepared. The Lamb Neck was a little gamier than I personally prefer, but my son clearly disagreed because he devoured it down to the bone. Then came the IBÉRICO. When I tell you how good this was...we finished it and ordered a SECOND one! The pork with corn maque choux, chimichurri, and lime was incredible. Rich, bright, savory, and beautifully balanced. Easily the star of the evening. We finished with the Key Lime semifreddo, which was light and airy. I also had a Paper Plane, a simple cocktail that many places surprisingly don't get right. Nolia nailed it. Fresh citrus, quality ingredients, and perfectly balanced. I also loved the hospitality. The chef greeting guests as they arrive is such a small thing, but it immediately makes the experience feel warm and personal. Between the food, Henry's service, the cocktails, and the hospitality, this was such a lovely place to celebrate my son. If you haven't been to Nolia, GO. And order the Ibérico. Honestly, you may as well order two. We did!

This visit was such a treat! I made a reservation and got a front row seat of the kitchen by…read moresitting at the bar. Both my server and manager were so engaging and friendly, it didn't feel like I was dining alone. The space itself definitely doesn't make it feel like you're in Cincy- very warm and inviting. I settled on the cornbread, which is a menu staple. The butter on top felt so decadent and the cornbread itself was very savory. For my entree, I chose the jollof and the veggie selection for the evening which was grilled okra with a banana gastrique. That alone felt so cool, I had to order it. The jollof was so good, so filling, perfectly spiced and Chef actually broke it down for me all the spices he used to capture that flavor. I wish I had room for dessert, but I didn't want to go too crazy! Between the service (which they make it a point to open the door for everyone), the open kitchen, the food and then since I was a tourist they gave me recs for so many places to go in the city, I'm happy to rate this place 5 stars.

We've been here quite a few times. First few times was in the original location…read more Very nice place, great food and good service.

We read about how good the fried chicken is, so we called to make reservations for a Saturday night…read more(you must call). The place is small and had a very weird vibe between fine dining and kitschy. White tablecloths, but then lots of purple and pictures of roosters everywhere (I realize the name, but hmmm). Our server was lovely but would disappear for too long between times when she should have been present. We ordered our drinks at 745pm, and I watched them sit at the end of the bar. Finally, at 805pm, I went to the bartender and said, "those are our drinks that have been sitting there for a while". Our server brought them over like we ordered them 5 minutes prior. But the lovely owner/manager came over and said the "drinks are on me" because we waited so long. We appreciated that! The fried chicken was good, but the breading was very salty. The green beans were almost inedible because they were so salty. The mashed potatoes were average. The biscuits were fantastic. The fried deviled eggs were okay. A regular deviled egg is better. The shrimp and grits had a lot going on. The shrimp was lightly battered and fried (?) and the flavor of the dish was bold. I think sauteed shrimp and a little less gravy would make it perfect.

First time there. Food was soo good had the three piece box to go. The fried chicken sandwich with…read morecoleslaw was delicious, the chicken was delicious, however the side of greens was bland but good and the Mac and cheese was very milky and gross. It came in a to go sauce container. Very small portion.

From out of town and looking for somewhere to eat and we were SO happy to come across The Eagle…read more The server was real nice and said "I don't say this just because I work here, but this chicken is REAL good". And he was SO RIGHT! They make their chicken different and it shows! There was amazing flavor in all of our food. Chicken, fries, Mac & cheese, and the spicy honey on the side?? The spicy chicken dip was insane also! Amazing portions on everything we ordered as well. We were stuffed and still had leftovers. I see it's a chain & I wish there was one by me!

We definitely continue to love this place. They really do have some great food. Super fresh and…read morecreative and always well made! Great service, always with a smile. Definitely helpful to have a reservation as they are busy every single time we have been there. Ambience is very at home and comfortable. Definitely one of our places to go to for brunch especially when friends and family are in town!

Otto's is a charming spot with a welcoming atmosphere and a lovely patio that's perfect for…read moreenjoying breakfast. The staff was friendly and attentive, and while you'll need to find street parking, it wasn't a hassle. The menu has a wide variety of options, and honestly, everything sounded delicious--it was hard to choose. My breakfast was well-balanced and thoughtfully prepared. While the flavors weren't especially bold, the dish was fresh, satisfying, and came together nicely. Overall, Otto's is a great place for a relaxed breakfast with excellent service and plenty of tempting menu choices.

This spot is legit. My family and I were visiting the Cincinnati area for the first time and came…read moreacross Pendleton Lucius Q as a good BBQ spot recommended by DDD. It was so good the first time, we hit it again this afternoon. Cool, relaxed feel inside, great service and great food. Jameela served us on both visits and she was awesome. Everything we tried was good, but my favorite was the Pendleton Porker and the banana pudding for dessert. If we're ever back in town, Lucius Q is on the top of our list!

I usually love a casual counter-service meal, but the hostile and condescending staff at Lucius Q…read morein Pendleton completely ruined my visit. The disrespect started the second we walked up to the counter to place our order. When we asked a simple question about the daily specials, the employee at the register scoffed, rolled their eyes, and patronizingly told us, "The sign is right in front of your face." We were stunned by the immediate attitude. Every basic interaction after that asking for extra napkins, checking on a missing side of five-cheese mac was met with palpable annoyance, as if our presence was a massive inconvenience to their shift. To top it off, when we politely pointed out that we were given the wrong sides with our sandwich combo, the worker argued with us rather than fixing it. Food is only half the experience, and no amount of smoked brisket or pulled pork can make up for being treated like garbage. Save your money and go somewhere else in Cincinnati that values basic customer service.

Inside is nice, tan and green and modern aesthetic…read more Waiter/tress was very nice. Attentive and ensured all was good for us. Garlic knots were incredible. Tasted fresh, and came with a slightly sweet tomato sauce. Would highly recommend! Gnocchi with pesto sauce was freakin incredible! Was hard to not finish (even though we were so full!) could eat the sauce by itself Pasta vodka was delicious too! Was slightly undercooked (pasta was a little hard) but the sauce was really good and would get it again! The tiramisu would delectable. Creamy and good size to share for two. Definitely a must get! If we lived in Cincinnati, this would be a spot we frequent once every few months. Its high quality ingredients and recipes, as well as reasonable prices, would drive us here for every date night. Highly highly recommend!!

The homemade pasta was amazing. I appreciate the fact the put our Caesar salad on two plates plates…read morewhen we noted we wanted to "split" a salad. I ordered salmon and it was nicely prepared and crisp on the outside with summer vegetables. The butter sauce was too voluminous for the dish and overwhelmed what was supposed to be a "light" dish - it was super heavy with melted butter. The environment for a Wednesday evening was busy! We had a bit of an issue in that we made the reservation over two weeks ago with the specific request to be seated away from the kitchen door, and we ended up being seated right near the very small hostess area and of course, next to the kitchen door. Our server mostly made up for it with good service and a very nice demeanor.

Suggested Louvino to a friend. We went for happy hour. Our cocktails were good as always. The…read morebartender was cool and attentive. The food was off this visit. My brussel salad was bland, lacked all the flavors that made it great. Not sure if new chefs or just a one time deal.

My parents have raved about LouVino and we finally got to try out the brunch with them for the…read morefirst time! WOW! It did not disappoint! The interior is really cool, and the menu is very wide! Breakfast cocktails were delicious, and the loaded tots are a 100% MUST GET! It seemed as if there was only 1 or 2 servers / bartenders but that did not stop the service from being great, I applaud them! The chicken in my chicken and waffle was so good. Everybody loved their dish! I'd love to come back for lunch or dinner!