The service was okay. You can tell they were short staffed. The food lacked flavor and tasted bland. They should put times on the menu for the specials or have a separate dinner menu. Not completely related, but the street parking is difficult to find. read more

Luca Bistro - Pan seared salmon, and ham and Gruyère cheese Sandwich - French Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great vibe for a nice brunch out on the patio! Service was great. Our server gave us recommendations about the ratatouille sandwich and he was on the spot! read more

Luca Bistro - Ratatouille sandwich - French Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Simple food done well. Large portions. Owner is from Provence and the decor, with ceramic cicadas, a poster with every verse of the Marseillaise, and framed soccer jerseys, reflects that. This is one of our "go-to" places for lunch and dinner, especially in summer when the patio seating is open in the backyard. read more

one of the all time best restaurants i ever been to the owner are the sweetest people ever

I was excited to try Luca after all the opening hype and five-star reviews on Yelp and on other local social platforms, but it did disappoint. The French martini I took from the bar to our crowded little table was probably the best part of the meal. The service was appropriately attentive and kind, but I was hoping for amazing food, which was not part of either of my two experiences. We started with the Boursin toasts, which were recommended by our server--literally just Boursin on toasted, pasty-white baguette slices that tasted like Kroger take-and-bake baguette. We have so many delicious bread bakeries in town--why use pasty white? The lobster bisque tasted like a beef consommé with maybe two or three of the tiniest flakes of lobster floating around. My steak frites was good and very affordable. It was slightly more done than the rare I ordered, but the fries were hot and crispy, and with a little salt, the whole thing was a good, classic entrée. Nothing on the menu was exciting or gave me anything to write home about, but a solid 3. I had no plans to return, but an old friend asked me to give Luca another try for lunch/brunch menu. I love jambon beurre sandwiches, and so I ordered theirs. There are some pretty fierce competitors in the city, and this one did not come close. The bread was uninteresting, and the huge pile of greens on the toasted baguette (next to the even larger pile on the plate) really distracted from the ham and butter, which were not particularly interesting themselves. My friend who really wanted me to try Luca again had asked for her tuna to be served "rare, only seared for a moment," which the chef interpreted to mean "get a great sear no matter how warm the tuna gets inside," which resulted in a grey, overcooked piece of fish, clearly "seared" on a too-cold grill. I warned my mom and her friends not to try Luca, and when they did anyway, they left sorely disappointed, having had to send back lamb that tasted gamey like mutton and not having been able to hear each other speak across the tiny table for four. I had another great French martini on my second visit, so if you're looking for good cocktails and an affordable, solid steak, visit Luca at lunchtime--so you can hear yourself think. read more

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This place is amazing. Food and service were excellent. I had the pan seared salmon and my husband had the steak au poivre. I highly recommend both dishes. I will definitely be going back! This family owned business and lively atmosphere creates a wonderful ambiance. read more

Luca Bistro - STEAK AU POIVRE - French Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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After calling twice regarding reservations and availability, we arrived 30min after calling & they turned us away stating they were closed even though they were not closing for another 45min and there were plenty of people dining (about 40% capacity) I would understand if the kitchen was closing at a specific time but they stated "staffing" issues & did not mention a single thing over the phone regarding their kitchen closing soon or having staffing issues. Maybe the hostess works off of a case by case basis. read more

For those of you who fondly remember Cafe Vienna on St Gregrory St. In Mount Adams you may have a flashback at this delightful new bistro that just a few steps away on Hatch Street- Luca Bistro. I had a lovely business lunch with a client at this new French cafe, and we were both amazed at how charming the interior is with so many interesting European paintings and posters on the walls. It has a beautiful bar and the tables are nicely spaced to allow for semi-private conversations. We are both "anytime" breakfast fans. I had a huge omelette au fromage with crispy sausage and frittes. My friend had the elegant eggs benedict and admired the hollandaise sauce. She ate only half as it was a very large serving and will have the other half at home. We had a late lunch around 2 pm with some delicious café au lait that had a robust coffee flavor and served with a lovely chocolate on the side. We were also surprised there were several others tables enjoying a leisurely late afternoon lunch so it seems quite busy. The serving staff was very friendly and shared the French wine and beer list which looked large and quite affordable but will need to come back after work sometime to enjoy their fine wines. My friend told me she wished there was a place like Luca Bistro near her home at the Sanctuary in Villa Hills as she felt very safe and comfortable in this cafe where she might be able to also check her emails and enjoy a fine coffee and croissant. Our server also mentioned that they will soon have a full bar license so we are definitely coming back for cocktails and perhaps dinner in the near future as the steak fritte sounds interesting. read more

The French atmosphere was very quaint. The food was flavorful and well prepared. The waitstaff were friendly and accommodating.

This place is great, stopped in for lunch. I am French so can sniff out true authentic French cooking/locale. This place is it, most authentic French bistro in Cincinnati. Great spot for lunch during the week as well! They even have breakfast at 10AM. read more

Had a wonderful stop at Luca Bistro this morning. Well done interior and great staff. Coffee was fantastic and the food was great. It was a great visit. Can't wait to go back!! read more

Salmon was amazing!! Highly recommend this place. Great food, reasonably priced. Kids loved the grilled ham and cheese also. read more

Luca Bistro - Salmon - French Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The food here was DELICIOUS and the prices are equally as amazing. I will be coming back here to try the entire menu. Loved the interior of the restaurant as well. The staff is friendly and the service was great! read more

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Service was fast and friendly and the food came out quickly even with a packed restaurant! The space is beautiful and the food was delicious. I had the Lobster Bisque, Cod Provençal, and Crème Brûlée and would order all 3 again. Prices are also more than reasonable. Literally no complaints. Excited for more people to learn of this gem. read more

Luca Bistro - Cod Provençal - French Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We finally tried Luca and it was so good. Excellently French prepared dishes, a great reasonably priced wine list in a beautiful warm setting. This is an excellent addition to Mt Adams. They don't take dinner reservations so go early or put your name on the wait list and grab a drink. read more

THIS IS A 5-STAR RESTAURANT...that could be *6*-STAR, if only... We live in the SF Bay Area, and have been to tons of fancy (even Michelin Star) restaurants, and this new place in Mt. Adams is right up there with them: a TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD GEM! We are lucky enough to own a home on Ida Street, about three blocks from Luca, but you should not hesitate to travel all the way across town to enjoy this marvelous new place! On the other hand, I hope it doesn't become *so* popular that we can't get in ourselves! We came on a Tuesday, and by 7:30pm the place was almost full, so even now I would suggest you come on the early side to be sure of getting a table. It's totally unpretentious, cocktails were seriously grown-up and polished, and our waitress could not have been more friendly and helpful, ... and the *FOOD* is AB FAB! My wife's salmon was perfectly cooked, and the super-silky mashed potatoes that accompanied it could not have been better. I had the Steak au Poivre, with *perfectly* cooked fries and a classical French salad that was extremely lightly dressed, yet intensely flavorful---just like being back in France! I asked to have my steak medium-rare, and despite being a thin bistro-style piece of meat, it was *indeed* medium-rare---wonderfully seared on the outside and almost raw on the inside! For dessert we shared one of the best orange creme brûlées of my life! Thank you, Chef! **************************************************************** IS IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE A WONDERFUL PLACE EVEN *MORE* WONDERFUL? I believe so... 1) SUGGESTIONS FOR THE RESTAURANT: I understand you are just getting going and need to conserve money, but (eventually) heavier, classier *cutlery* would help to raise the atmosphere to match the quality that the restaurant itself has ALREADY achieved. Likewise, finer quality *glassware* would raise the tone, especially to serve your delicious cocktails in. I asked to have a cognac with the delicious dessert, and sadly it came on the ROCKS, and in a heavy tumbler, instead of a cognac glass. I didn't want to make a fuss on my first visit by asking for a new one, so I simply quickly fished out all the ice before it could destroy the cognac. 2) A HUMBLE SUGGESTION FOR THE (EXCELLENT) CHEF : I loved my "Steak au Poivre"---it was an intrinsically delicious dish, but I would *not* have recognized it as Steak au Poivre if I had not been told, because it lacked the intense black pepper punch I'm used to in that dish, which traditionally has coarsely pounded whole black peppercorns encrusting the steak *and* a large slug of good-quality cognac in the cream sauce. read more

All around good experience. Friendly, prompt service with helpful tips on the menu selection. Spacious seating within a relatively small space and you don't feel like your sharing conversations with the neighbors. Nice background music that doesn't compete with conversation. Bathrooms are clean and gender neutral. Overall decor has a European cafe feel and is very comfy. Food was delicious enjoyed the Chicken a la Provençal and Cod a la Provencal, and a very big shout out to the Ratatouille- yum! Prices were reasonable and portions filling- would come back again! read more

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One of my friends raved about Luca this week and I decided to go there for lunch today with my daughter. It is located in the exact same location as Daveed's was in years ago and was easy to find. We chose to eat outside in the back and it was lovely. The chairs are not padded but we were comfortable with our own "padding". The food is prepared with care and it takes time to get it so don't be in a rush to eat at Luca's. The waiter was proficient and had tons of tables to wait on but he was very pleasant and professional through it all. The portions were large, visually appealing and most of all delicious. We will be very happy to return for more lunches and try it for dinner, too. read more

Luca Bistro - L-ratatouille sandwich. R-shrimp, avocado salad - French Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

A perfect place for a date night. Delicious food and great staff. Ask for the special sauce for fries

Dined here on an unseasonably warm Thursday evening. Arrived at 630 and was able to snag one of the remaining tables in the outdoor space. The outdoor space is definitely a pleasant atmosphere but could also be set up for more tables, live music, or some decor to create more of a garden feel. Regardless, highly recommend sitting outside. Ordered a lemon white wine cocktail which I really enjoyed. Our group shared a small charcuterie board which was the perfect size for each of us to have a few crackers with meat and cheese. My main course was the steak au poivre. I was so looking forward to it but ultimately thought it fell flat. The steak was not a great cut and was very fatty. I appreciate that it's a bistro style meal and is priced accordingly but would rather a slightly better piece of meat for a few extra dollars. Also thought the fries were good but not epic (and I really wanted them to be epic!). Others in my group ordered the salmon and spoke highly of it. Service was fair - our waiter was very pleasant, but all of the servers seemed like they were operating in a state of chaos. Overall I would recommend, especially given the proximity to Blind Lemon which is perfect for a drink before or after. I'll return but not going to rush back. read more

My husband and I had a wonderful time at Luca's before seeing a performance at playhouse in the park. The ambiance was so cozy. The baked cod with mashed potatoes was delicious and my husband said it was the best burger he's ever had. Our server was attentive if not a little rushed but he made sure we made it to our play on time. read more

Excellent service and delectable cuisine. Very pleasant experience. Even with a large crowd everything f was perfect

We stopped here on Sunday for lunch/brunch and it was 10/10! The atmosphere is adorable, we sat outside but the inside was very cute too. The staff was so friendly, gave great recommendations and was very attentive.... But the food was the real star! My husband had the steak frites and I tried the croque monsiuer both of which were excellent. We cannot wait to go back! Such a wonderful addition to Cincinnati read more

our favorite restaurant in Cincinnati. Exceptional food with a menu from the south of France. Great value and wonderful Provencal ambience, friendly staff. Good wine list. And a nice weather their Garden is a great place to dine. read more

Best French food I've had in Cinci and the spot is awesome. Obviously it's in Mt. Adams and that's gonna cause a bit of a problem with parking or getting in, but the hassle was definitely worth it with exceptional food, great coffee and a really caring staff. The croque madame I had was very well put together. Cannot wait to go back. read more

Very excited to have this open up close to us--the food and service are both great, and it's very early in its existence--and I'd be happy to frequent this French cafe wherever it happened to be. Stopped in for lunch and I had the Jambon Beure which was perfect--ham, Dijon, butter, cheese sandwiched between a tasty baguette. It's a dish I search for after enjoying a few in Europe in the past. Shared a basket of Frites, prepared to a warm, appropriately salty, fried state of deliciousness. The ratatouille was also wonderful--served as an open face sandwich with a delicate layer of broiled cheese on top. The focaccia was a great balance for the stewed and seasoned vegetables and a fun way to enjoy this classic dish. Can't wait to work on my regular status and try out breakfast and dinner! read more

Cute little restaurant, great food at unbelievable prices, good bar. Awesome Svc. Will be back. Loved it!

Lovely garden dining experience, charming place and great very tasty food! Nice service!

Great vibes & food driven by a wonderful family. Will visit again for a glass of wine and fantastic French food

DinEd at Luca twice times this week. On Thursday had the grilled chicken sandwich with a nice salad. It was a very tasty lunch with an old friend. On Saturday wife and I had the fried eggs with the potatoes. Alex, the waiter is great, pleasant, efficient and a fun guy. He gave me a small portion of the ratatouille; well it is spectacular, it is so good. Next time there will definitely order the ratatouille sandwich. The restaurant now has a liquor license and was very busy. Looking forward to my next meal in this small, intimate restaurant. read more

Back to Luca Bistro with a group of ten friends needless to say we had a great time. The food, service, drinks and wine beat all expectations. My hat off to the chef for a job well done. read more

Absolutely some of the best meals I've had in Cincinnati all year have been here at Luca! My roommate and I are staying in Mount Adams for about a week and have already been to Luca three times. Very friendly staff, quick service, and extraordinary flavor coming from Luca. Excited to taste my way through the menu read more

Great little spot in Mt Adams. Love what Chef Frederic Maniet is creating here. Staff is personable and food is wonderful. They also just got their license to serve wine. My wife and I had the Cab Sauv and its paired well with the Steak and Frites! Highly recommended. read more

Went here prior to a Playhouse show. Soooo good! There was a line waiting for them to open at 5:00. Our group had the bread, the salmon, the cod and a pasta dish. We also had the creme brûlée. The server was nice, but a little confused. All of the food was just excellent! And a bargain. Will definitely return! read more

Yummy food. friendly service (but like many restaurants struggling to get enough help). Truly best coffee I've had. Courtyard is charming - very Euro read more

Terrible!!!! We waited for over 1 hour for a salad and a steak. This place is noise and food not that great, we almost walk out but they bring the food as we were leaving, not coming back!!!! read more

Great good, service and atmosphere. We went there for lunch and had an outstanding experience. Wish they took reservations however.

I thought I was in France! The most delicious fish, sauce, and mashed potatoes I've ever enjoyed. My husband and I can't wait to return.

Everything was delicious and great service! A quaint, friendly restaurant with excellent food and not too expensive. Definitely recommend and will go back! read more

Their breakfast/ lunch menu is delicious and vegetarian friendly! The prices are fantastic. Very cute interior and courtyard.