i was craving some Mediterranean food for lunch last week and, after a quick yelp search, I found Kinneret Cafe. Im surprised that I had never noticed it before, as it is in the same plaza area as my grocery store. The store front is very nondescript, so Its no wonder that I missed it. Inside is a very basic dining room with a good amount of tables and seating. I entered to find a loud political debate going on among the other customers. Anyways, back to lunch. Kinnerets Menu is an explosion of vegetarian, kosher and Mediterranean food all brought to one menu. The menu is rather expansive with foods ranging from Sharwrma to a tuna Panini . When I had lunch there, I had the Mediterranean plate which had falafel, babaganush, humus, stuffed grape leaves, and Israeli salad. All this served with grilled pita. The hummus and falafel where probably some of the best Ive ever had. The baba was kinda watery and not as thick as I would prefer. I always imagine it as having a hummus-like texture. The stuffed grape leaves where great as well. Everything tasted and looked fresh, especially the Israeli salad. The afternoon that I had lunch there, it seemed like there was one person acting as the Server/Cook/Cashier/Host. The food didn't take long to get, but don't expect to check out quickly if there are other customers there. I took some pastries back to work for my co-workers. The Server told me they have them shipped from NewYork and they tasted great. I will defiantly be back, probably not on a lunch break, as it did take awhile to get out of there. Also, If you need to follow a kosher diet, they are certified kosher. read more

I tried the calzone. The crust and that was the best crust I've ever had. It was flaky light and delicious. I also had an apricot cookie that was wonderful. If you're looking for me, you're not going to find it here. Most to be foods are vegan or fish. read more

Worst restaurant I've ever had the displeasure of stepping foot in. Terrible food.. dry dry bread and even more dry meat lol I almost broke a tooth. Never going back read more

Arrived at 5:30 on a Sunday night and ordered salads, soup, and chicken meals. At 6:15 gave up on waiting for my son's meal-he had to be at class at 6:30. Took him to Subway, took him to class, returned, and food still wasn't ready. Server didn't seem to know what she was doing. Asked server why soup and salad took so long and were told she couldn't get the side salads, she only had access to the soup. Very slow and disorganized. Sad, because menu looks good and it's a Kosher place, which appeals, but likely won't be back any time soon. Had to take my son's meal to go. Guess he can eat it tomorrow. read more

Went there for lunch today on a recommendation from a friend. When you rate a restaurant, you have to compare apples to apples. Is this little "hole-in-a-wall" a 5-star restaurant compared to the kind of place where you pay $200 for dinner for two? No. But for what it is--a tiny, friendly, strictly kosher, vegetarian, Middle-Eastern/Mediterranean restaurant, it's as good as it gets. The food was authentic (I've spent over a year in Israel), and authentically delicious! For about $25 total, my husband and I walked out happy, very full, with enough left over for a nice snack later. When you first walk in, you are welcomed with a friendly smile, and invited to take a menu off the shelf, sit wherever you like, and help yourself to a carafe of water or a can of soda pop, and a glass from the coolers near the entrance. There are nine tables total in the restaurant. When you've made your menu selections, you go to the counter at the back and ring a bell, and a friendly person comes out to take your order. The service was quick, and just so homey. The woman owner was eager to give us helpful tips on getting around the area, as well, since we are from out of town. Stuffed grape leaves, and Moroccan "cigars" were the best I've had, and the felafel was definitely up there. The Israeli salad was also among the best I've had, including in Israeli--very finely chopped, which is how I like it, and the pita was warm and toasty. The veggie schwarma was wonderful, and delightfully seasoned, though if you're expecting it to taste exactly like real schwarma, you'll be disappointed--it's vegetarian after all! The art work on the wall is lovely too, but you don't really go to a place like this for the ambience. It's all about the fabulous food. We can't wait to go back! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants. Pros: Excellent Food Friendly, family run business Reasonably priced (for the kosher market) Clean and attractive dining room Wide variety of menu options Owners go out of their way to please Frequent customer card Call ahead for take away Cons: Service slow during busy times Small dining room (can get crowded) Can get pretty noisy Overall an enjoyable casual dining experience. I highly recommend the place. The hardest part is deciding what to eat from the full menu. read more

I stopped in here for a quick lunch based on reviews by others. First, be prepared to pass this if you are searching. No worries for me as I turned around in the cleaners lot. Parking is very limited in the front, but there is parking in the rear. When I walked in I was greeted by two employees and instructed to take a seat wherever I like. One must have been in training and the other was on the phone. There was one other party in the restaurant when I entered. The actual restaurant is nothing special and lacks any real appeal but that's not why I was visiting. I was ready to order and approached the counter before selecting a seat. I ordered the lunch special of the chummus sandwich and both ladies helped with my order and were polite. The sandwich consists of hummus, muenster cheese, avocado, and tomatoes on toasted ciabatta bread. I selected a beverage from the cooler, selected a seat, placed my order number stand in table, and waited. Another couple came in and ordered and a man came in for a take out order. I waited for ten minutes with no food. I wasn't concerned at this point because I relish fresh made food and this is a small restaurant. The couple that came in after me asked where there food was after five minutes. An employee delivered part of their order and then a few moments later their entrees. I received nothing. A woman came in for a take out order and sat down to wait for it. Part of her order was delivered. I was given the Israeli salad that came with my meal while I continued to wait. It lacked flavor and needed salt and pepper, I ate about half while waiting since I was hungry. After becoming disenchanted with it, I approached the counter asked where my food was to be told "it would be ready soon." The other couple after me were nearly done eating at this point and they glanced my way. The man asked for a to go box. My sandwich arrived warm and was okay. It needed more hummus as it was very dry. I ate half. I cleared my table and exited with the ladies telling me to have a good day and I said thank you, you too. I was really disappointed to be shoved behind another when I ordered first. Although not in a huge hurry, I did have an appointment I needed to get to. I suppose no one wants to feel unimportant and in a customer service industry it seems odd that others are bumped up blantantly. It especially bothers me that I tipped for the service when it was less than stellar as I was required to pay when I placed my order. I don't know that I will be back. I will agree with other reviewer that the smell of the place lingered on me after leaving. read more

See all

My first experience at Kinneret two years ago wasn't great -- the food took forever to come out, and the falafel was dry. But I went back recently and had an excellent experience. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is homey and the food is excellent. I had a baguette with hummus, avocado and mozzarella -- it was divine. The salad with house dressing was so-so. read more

Please note that the former Kinneret Cafe is now Kinneret Grill and is no longer a mostly vegetarian restaurant. They do have some vegetarian options but it is now mostly a meat restaurant. read more

I visit Cincinnati infrequently, and dined at Kinneret Grill twice over the last 13 months. On both visits I was pleasantly surprised. This is not a fast food joint, nor is it a "fine dining" establishment, but it IS a great place to get a good family meal, or eat out with a bunch of friends. All the food was very tasty and plentiful. I know from experience that I will always order the chicken soup when I go, and the Chummos, - probably the best Chummos I ever had this side of the Atlantic. All the food is prepared fresh from scratch, including the Chummos (wish I had her recipe). The service is not speedy but not terribly long either, and appropriate for the type of restaurant it is, with time to relax, schmooze, and enjoy the company of friends and family. I do recommend making reservations. This is a small family owned restaurant run by hardworking people who take very seriously how they satisfy their customers. The first time I went, I saw them turn people away who did not have reservations. There were plenty of seats, but as they were short staffed that day, they did not want to take on more than they were able to handle. The waitstaff and the proprietors who came out to circulate among the tables were pleasant, knowledgeable, and engaging. I look forward to returning to this establishment on my next trip to Cincinnati for a good meal at a good value. read more

Awesome homemade style Israeli food. read more

Kinneret Grill - Hope it will be good! - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We're so glad we found this place! Freshly made and delicious everything, with flexibility to adjust the menu to your taste. Excellent falafel and shawarma! Friendly service and family atmosphere. Can't wait to come back again! read more

The prices are Outrageous for the amount of food you get. not only that but the prices keep rising, not like once every few years to deal with rising costs, but once every few weeks! the price of a regular burger has risen 35% is the past 6 months. speaking of the Burger, which is fine but not great, cost $13.50 and it does not come with fries! you need to pay another $5.50 for fries! $19 for an OK burger and fries now add tip and tax and your well over $20 for JUST AN OK BURGER WITH FRIES!!! CRAZY!!! and a shame oh, yea, also crazy slow service read more

Falafel was not great. Service was ok.i prefer Mediterranean food from milya cafe or truva.

We loved Kinneret Cafe. My husband, myself and our 6 month old went for dinner. My husband loves falafels. He had some when he went to Israel with his buddies. We stumbled upon this place on google and we had to try it. It was busy at the time we went but it didn't take long to get our food after we ordered. The falafel sandwich was delicious and we loved the fries too. It was a tight place but we kind of like that atmosphere. The man working the register was so kind. He gave us a five dollar off for our next visit. We will for sure be going back. read more

came here with a friend who shares my love for mediterranean food, the place is kind of small but very cute and the food is absolutely amazing!!! i got the mediterranean plate and which came with falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, grape leaves, israeli salad, and pita bread. all for just $11. the value of the food was amazing. i'm not usually a fan of baba ganoush but it was great. highly recommend this place!! read more

Kinneret Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I live right around the corner from this little restaurant and was always a little curious about what all it entailed. I took the plunge a few weeks ago and much to my surprise I had one of the BEST Tuna Salads I've ever had! My only complaint is that the service was excruciatingly slow: but that might be because there was only one server who was manning all of the tables AND the cash register. I would definitely recommend this place if you're on the hunt for some excellent Mediterranean food for cheap. read more

Dinner was excellent. Great service and a wonderful quiet atmosphere. We will definitely be back. read more

Cincinnati finally has a kosher restaurant that is suitable for entertaining professional clients and colleagues. The food is consistently tasty and fresh. read more

Loved this place! Possibly the best vegetarian/vegan restaurant in the city! My boyfriend & I just recently decided to go vegetarian & the thing that's been the hardest for me (being a foodie) is finding restaurants with a good variety of fresh, delicious, & creative food. Sometimes being a vegetarian can be a little boring & repetitive. But this place really made my foodie heart happy. Everything we tried was so good! They start you off with a carafe of cold water which was nice. We got the kinneret garden salad it was almost $11 but it was so fresh & tasty! It was huge so we split it. It was an iceberg lettuce mix, diced tomato, black olives, onion, feta cheese, boiled egg, avocado, soft chickpeas, with a light lemon & oil vinegarette. We also took the owners advice & tried the Moroccan cigar appetizer. They're little deep fried egg rolls filled with a vegan seitan spiced "meat" with marinara for dipping. They were delicious!!!! Then for our meals we tried the shawarma sandwich which is like a Moroccan spiced gyro. It had slight heavy notes of cinnamon or something like that. Which initially I didn't care for as much but it grew on me. My boyfriend got the schnitzel sandwich which was like a vegan fried chicken cutlet in a flat bread wrap. That was my favorite! It was so good! There were so many more things on the menu we wanted to try! We will definitely be back soon! read more

This was my husband and I's first time in and we will most certainly be back. I had the Falafel Sandwich and it was absolutely excellent and made just the way falafel is supposed to be. Cant wait to go back! read more

True authentic Mediterranean food. Homestyle Cooking. Great service. Definitely coming back

We stalled for years, because the hours are inconvenient for us personally, and the location is a teeny bit gloomy. BUT: the food here is excellent. I had Moroccan platter (vegan shawarma on couscous), hubster had a platter w all sorts of Mediterranean stuff, we shared a starter of latkes (potato pancakes): All were waaaaay better than elsewhere in Cincy. If forced to choose, I'd have to confess that the vegan shawarma is most superb and most unique thing on the menu, but felafel was also great. If, like us, you appreciate warm service in a non-fancy, non-chain atmosphere: eat in. If (like anybody does some of the time), you need a drink and a swanky atmosphere: carry out. In any case, call ahead or check Facebook (they close for Jewish high holy days and sabbath) and BE PREPARED TO BE DELIGHTED. P.S. The fettucine alfredo, pizzas, and kinneret salad (with avocado, chickpeas, and hard boiled egg) looked delicious at the neighbors' tables. Also the salmon. From a culinary standpoint, this place is rather ambitious and a great asset to Cincinnati. read more

Decent food. Lots of vegetarian/vegan options! The design and setup is simple and the prices are reasonable. I would have never found the place if not for the Yelp app. My wife and I shared the Shawarma Plate ($10). It was well seasoned but came with just a few pieces of pita bread. The workers were young and friendly. Parking is available in the back and they are closed on Saturday. read more

You would probably miss this restaurant if you pass by on the street and don't pay enough attention. It's kind of hole in the wall type of restaurant. There is nothing to much talk about when it comes to decor of the restaurant. But that's not the reason why you would go to a restaurant. For me the two most important things are, food and service. Food is great, you get that home cooked food feeling and I think it's the best Middle-Eastern restaurant in the area. And the service is exceptional, the husband and wife who own and run this restaurant are very friendly and very warm. I would like to urge people living in the Deer Park area that please visit this restaurant at least once a month and support this small local business of ours. read more

Great spot! Went with a large party and enjoyed the hummus, matzo ball soup, burger with bacon. They did a great job on the fries. Son had the schnitzel. Raves about it. Wife had chicken kabobs. Raves about them as well. read more

Went for lunch this past week; delicious food. Tip: they have coupons on their web page. We were the only ones eating in. I got the big platter with the falafel, grape leaves, babaganoush, hummus and salad. Great deal. I asked for more bread and they gave it. read more

I think this would be a hit or miss type of place. In our case although we appreciate the effort of providing vegan options the hummus and baba ganoush werent too good in my opinion. The falafel was good. The vegan shawarma was good. The lady was very friendly. read more

Amazing falafel! Ordered seitan schwarma , hummus and pita and it was delicious and filling. Modest decor but great, friendly service, you feel like you're eating at your aunt's house read more

Picked up a carry out place kinda dirty I don't think I will go back

Their shawarma is perfection on a pita. I've only been for take-out twice, but I had a great experience both times. They are quick to answer the phone, and I feel like they are smiling as they take my order. It's also a quick process to hop in a pick up my food. It was a month between the visits, but the woman behind the corner recognized me. It's a small cafe, seats about 25, and I think you order at the counter when you eat in. I ordered the shawarma pita and latkes the first time, and the shawarma plate and latkes the second time (what can I say, I'm a creature of habit). The pita was a little messy, with the hummus and shawarma juices running out, but I didn't mind. The latkes were exactly the way I like them: a little denser with a bit of crunch around the edges. They come with a basic applesauce. As far as the shawarma plate went, it was great, but I do like a little more of a bite to my Israeli salad: a little lemon juice would do the trick. I will definitely be going back, and taking others with me. Next on my list is the shakshuka and falafel! read more

A great place for vegans, vegetarians, or pescatarians! I had the schwarma plate (made from seitan) with the hummus and babaganouj. All of the menu items tasted really fresh and authentic. I loved the vegetarian take on what used to be a favorite Mediterranean dish of mine. The atmosphere is really unassuming & pretty basic. You order at the counter & most of the food is served on plastic/paper, but it makes for a quick lunch spot (the lunch deal is great) and wonderful take-out. The man at the check-out - who informed us was from Morocco - was very sweet, courteous, and helpful with choosing out menu items. I got the impression he may have owned the place, which I like because of the small-business aspect. Overall a great menu filled with healthy & tasty items that I certainly would have a tough time replicating at home! read more

This is a rare gem. I cannot say how I enjoy the food every time I go there. I get the Nicoise salad with salmon or tilapia, and my kids enjoy the mediterranean platter. We always get a vegan smoothie...very delicious, every single time. The salad is ALWAYS, always so fresh...the fish cooked to perfection. The service is wonderful and I have grown to love the family that owns and operates the cafe. I have seen 50 pizzas go out the door for a 2 hour drive for a special event. I am hoping to try that sometime, but I always crave their salads with their house dressing! read more

Had the falafel sandwich. It was delicious. The service was speedy and friendly. The falafel were made fresh when I ordered them. Not sure if I like this falafel better than that at Ali Babas on Red Bank. Both are great. Where Kinneret shone was the Israeli salad. It was super fresh and delicious. I will definitely come back when I'm in this area. read more

The only animal I eat are fish, so this place is perfect for me. I ordered the Kinneret Salad - HUGE portion and filled with wonderful toppings - garbanzo, avocado, feta cheese, olives. Will definitely be back to try more on the menu. read more

fantastic hole in the wall little place. great service. small number of tables so I do take out. presentation is great. good is great and colorful and I highly recommend it!! love love love it not much air conditioning is probably the only thing I'd say that is bad, but it's not that bad, just don't wear a sweater and you'll be fine. But I can see how some people may get turned off by the lack of good AC so just do take-out. :) read more

Since moving from New Haven CT I have been missing good Mediterranean food. I'm talking about the traditional stuff. You know, that store you enter and have to point at the menu because the guy behind the counter has no idea what you are sayin but is a maestro when it comes to chicken shawarma, falafel and hummus. Kinneret comes close to that but with a twist- they are mostly vegetarian. My wife brought me here without knowing that little detail. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed at first but that quickly vanished as the plates started rolling in. The place is truly a family operation and the food is made with love. The hummus is simply excellent: creamy, strong, perfect amount of oil, with pita bread that is delicious. The fish was also quite good with great spices and traditional flavors. Definitely go for the food. Do not expect a fancy place or a server by your side every 5 seconds. The place can get busy but it is worth the wait. read more

Being Jewish in Cincinnati is a chore especially when you want to get good Jewish kosher style food and or Israeli Mediterranean style is almost impossible they do not have any good places to go. I usually have to go to Atlanta, New York or Chicago to get any decent version of this type of food. This place is as good as it gets in Cincinnati for this type of food. Good job Kinneret excellent. read more

This is a great little spot! We have tried a variety of things on the menu and have never been disappointed. My husband loves the vegetarian soups and the chili is maybe the best veggie chili I've ever had! They make amazing falafel, too. Really you can not go wrong here. The best part is how friendly and helpful the owners are, so you feel very at home and comfortable. read more

Modern decor and very clean in general. Food served fast and is delicious. Came there on an off chance for lunch and was very impressed.