We celebrated an anniversary with dinner here and had an outstanding experience. The staff accommodated some special requests when reservations were made perfectly. Everything was superb. The staff was very friendly but the food was one of my Top 10 meals I've ever had. We started with the bread and oysters. The oysters were fresh and served with a horseradish jam that was a very good mix of savory and sweet. I had the steak for the main course and my wife had the scallops. Unbelievable in taste and presentation on both. One of us usually has entree envy of the other but we were both in heaven. We shared the olive oil cake for dessert and that was the final touch on a perfect dining experience. The restaurant is perfectly located across from the Aronoff so you can't go wrong enjoying a meal here before or after a show. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would!! read more

Vibes: minimalistic, artsy, casually sophisticated; bring a date or a couple friends Tasting notes: -Acorn squash: savory char is the predominant flavor; squash itself is on the firmer side requiring a knife to slice; pomegranate offers a contrasting sweetness and slight tartness that is refreshing but subtle -Fazzoletti: noodles were fall-apart soft; bolognese was very flavorful with noticeable fennel; surprisingly generous amount of burrata that provided just enough milkiness to contrast the umami-rich bolognese -Sweet tea-brined chicken: loved the crackly crispiness of the chicken skin; meat itself was incredibly tender and juicy; farro was toothsome and salty; onions were caramel-y sweet with a bit of tang from balsamic -Gelato (2 flavors): buttermilk strawberry was more icy, strawberry flavor was very fresh; white chocolate lavender was super airy and soft, texture much like whipped yogurt, with lavender petals interspersed Other thoughts: - Bread service was toasted slices of country bread with seedy crust and unsalted whipped butter - Service was very attentive and friendly - The above dishes satisfied two moderately hungry adults; would recommend an extra appetizer to fill out the meal - Paper menus offered - We were sent home with lemon cotton candy! read more

Metropole - Sweet tea brined chicken - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Get the Burnt Carrot Salad, you won't regret it. Metropole is good for cocktails, dinner, or dessert! Beware they are not currently seating at the bar, so you'll have to get a table even if you're just grabbing a drink. Prices are on the high end for the portion size, but everything I've had is great quality. Would return read more

Metropole - Burnt Carrot Salad - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

My daughter my friend and I came here for brunch before seeing a play and it was perfect start to an amazing day. I ordered the breakfast 21 which 2 eggs over easy goetta (my favorite) potatoes and charred tomatoes. I forgot to say we started off with one the best Bloody Marys I have ever had the pleasure to drink. Not only is the food delicious but the atmosphere is so much fun. The yellow penguins everywhere and the camels all over. It's a treat to come here. Don't miss it read more

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A very pleasant meal. Located off the 21C Hotel lobby, the restaurant is very comfortable. The cocktails are creative and tasty. The large plates are well prepared. The Brined Chicken was exceptional. The service is attentive. read more

Metropole - Cookie Monster cocktail - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Brunch is best served with a drag show! This place is beautiful, fun, and serves up some killer food. A friend of mine had reservations for drag brunch that I was able to sneak into. $35 for a prixe fixe menu, including a mimosa and an awesome show, is a win any morning. These shows are booked out months in advance so call today to get on a waitlist for an upcoming one or get your name down for one in the future. read more

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Stopped in for breakfast after a stay in the hotel- left pleased! The waitress was super kind and willing to talk artsy stuff with us as we had questions with the gallery. If you didn't know, you can take your drink from Metropole into the galleries... it was nice to have a coffee in hand! Hubs and I both ordered the 21c Breakfast with eggs, goetta, potatoes, tomatoes and toast. Everything was good, especially the goetta. The portion for me was huge so I felt bad wasting so much but I do appreciate the size! Hubs almost polished his off. I personally think their coffee could use a little boost, it wasn't necessarily amazing (we didn't even get refills). That was the only lackluster of our breakfast! Everything else, including service was very well done! Now I just need to get back in for that carrot salad.... yum! read more

We went here to celebrate my brother's birthday and had a great time. We arrived a little early so we could order drinks form the bar and walk around the hotel to admire the art on display. I started off with Persephone's descent: gin, pomegranate, spiced wine, Genepy, absinthe. Yum! Once we got to our table we started off the bread service. The bread itself was good, but the marrow butter had virtually no flavor. Regular salted butter would have been a big improvement. We then split the crispy deviled eggs and the burrata. The deviled eggs were good. The burrata came with grilled bread, concord grape, bitter greens, peanuts, and poppy. It almost tasted like a very fancy yummy pb&j..... haha. My partner and I split the little gem caesar salad. I liked the salad even though it's definitely not a traditional caesar dressing. There are no anchovies and it's lemon heavy (as the description states). I ordered the tagliatelle for my entree. The pasta came in a butternut squash sauce with lobster, sage, caramelized fennel, and crispy speck. Very very good with lots of lobster. My partner ordered the ricotta gnocchi, which is only available Friday-Sunday. The ricotta comes with smoked pork sugo, carrot, and oregano. The pork stood out as the best part of the dish. Others at the table ordered the roasted duck breast, cavatelli cacio y pepe, and bourbon barrel soy brined chicken. All 3 were enjoyed! read more

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Metropole sent me home with this breakfast order today. I can't believe they charged me $16 for this Extremely burnt toast. There is nothing salvageable here. How could they not have noticed this. It even smells burnt. I won't ever be going there again. read more

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I highly recommend the Razz Queen! Cocktail. I don't like things too sweet so I also asked that it be toned down - Perfect!! We had to try to broccoli fritters. A bit doughy, but yum yum!! We took the leftovers home. We went for the egg white omelette and Metropole burger - great seasonings and good amount of food. FYI toast comes with the omelette and fries come with the burger. It's not listed on the menu. We even spent time to check out the artwork - take the time!! Great service! Great food! Reasonably priced. We'll be back! read more

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I wanted to update my review for the pandemic era. Metropole remains my absolute top choice for a great dinner in the central business district and near the top in Cincinnati overall. The value for the area is outstanding. The entrees are seasonal yet reliable. The right balance of inventive and comforting. The prices are so fair for what you get, rarely above $35. The ambiance is spot on - not casual but not over the top high brow. We have been about four times since the pandemic. It is my nine year old's favorite place in the city. She loves the burgers and desserts. There are not many kids here but they are beyond welcoming to well behaved children. I hope they can bring back weekday lunch soon. read more

Amazing service. Delicious unique cocktails. Dinner I still dream about and cotton candy as a parting gift! I had the tagitelle with lobster and it was so so good. I didn't want it to end. I also had the cookie monster cocktail and it was sweet but not too sweet and strong. Such a great night at Metropole and they were considerate of our time and need to get to a performance, too. I'll be back! read more

Metropole - Taglitelle - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The thing that stands out about Metropole is the service. I trusted my experience to the capable hands of my server and was able to fully relax into the meal. That's what I look for in fine dining and Metropole didn't disappoint on this count. While service was outstanding, the food was mostly good but not great. For me, the standout dish was the burrata starter. The grilled bread, creamy cheese, and crisp greens hit all the right notes when combined. It felt like a taste of what this experience could be. The crispy deviled eggs were a great idea and the filling delicious, but the egg whites were tough and chewy. The bread service was unremarkable. The lobster campanelle tasted fishy instead of flavorful and my lemon tart had a lackluster crust. That being said, I may have made some poor choices. My friend loved her scallops, so I'd probably go for those next time around. Come early and look at the art; it makes for lovely dinner conversation. read more

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I just realized I never shared why I was disappointed in my initial review: My main! My duck breast was supposed to be seared and medium/mr and instead it arrived almost half cooked. Too done in the middle, and with a poor sear on the outside. The fat didn't entirely render, so rather than having a delicious crispy crunchy exterior, it was chewy and fatty. Inside there was little flavor or rich mouthfeel I enjoy with duck, and instead just seemed, again, to be underwhelming and undercooked. The plating was fantastic, but nothing else on the plate really complimented the duck, certainly not enough to overcome the let down of the cooking. Again, all in all I would love to try Metropole again, because they rocked 3/4 things we ordered, but they were a gigantic let down on what I believe should be a stand-out on the menu. read more

One of the best meals we've had in a long time! The service was impeccable, the mocktails were unique, the food was perfect, and dessert was divine. I can't believe it took us this long to find this restaurant and we will certainly be back soon. read more

I rarely review restaurants. Unless I have an incredibly good or an incredibly bad experience. Fortunately this was a negative experience. I'm in town on business and wanted to grab a " quick" breakfast before heading out. I checked in and the host was eating breakfast with his family which is fine (but a little strange). When he noticed me he got right up and was very cordial and seated me right away. After that the waiter came who was very attentive and friendly and took my order. I tried to order an omelette but they were out of mushrooms. So I switched to the generic meat and eggs breakfast with bacon. The waiter never asked how I wanted my eggs done so then I chased him down and said I wanted my eggs over easy. The breakfast arrived... Aside from the toast being hard around the edges and the bacon being overcooked... My eggs were anything but over easy. They were over hard. I then asked to have them remade. They promptly obliged and apologized. When the second eggs came out they were almost as bad. I guess they could pass for over medium. After all of that... They asked if I was staying at the hotel and I said I was but I wanted to handle this bill separately at which point they told me their system was down. None of these things would be that problematic by themselves, but all of them together in one morning is unacceptable. It was literally one of the worst breakfast experiences I've ever had. The only positive I can say is that the staff was very friendly. But they need a new breakfast cook. read more

Metropole - "Over easy" eggs. The second attempt wasn't much better. - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great service and tasty food. 7hr egg, lamb, shishito peppers and the grapefruit old fashion (forgot the name). The only item that was less than steller were the shishito peppers. Its as if they used full size bell peppers...not at all like any i've had. Made this finger food hard to eat. Everything else was super delicious. The bartender was quick and responsive. Great atmosphere as its attached to the museum hotel which was a surprising treat. The exhibit was very good. Not a fan of their steep pricing for valet when you consider how hard it is to find parking downtown, the hotel and restaurant should be nicer to their patrons and discount the cost. read more

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I usually head over here for a couple drinks before going to the Arnoff and it's always enjoyable! They are usually busy, but the Team is very attentive and you don't have to wait long for service. Drinks are switched up frequently and make for fun afternoon/evening. The interior is nice & dim - a little moody, which is always nice. read more

Came in for my 25th birthday & everything was great! Jeremy, our server, was awesome!! Smoked chicken and grilled ribeye were yummy. Definitely get the potatoes and cabbage as sides, full of flavor. read more

Amazing food! First time there and took my boyfriend for his birthday. Can't believe it took me so long to go. We had charcuterie which had smoked grapes. That was the best part. We both had salads and the burnt carrot salad is life changing. His burger was amazing and I had the special, halibut. Don't miss this place! read more

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I booked a reservation here for me & a few girlfriends and it was perfect for sharing apps and getting drinks. At first they seated us in the front section which was sectioned off from the rest of the dining room and it was very cold with the door constantly opening and closing so the hostess was kind enough to clear off a newly vacated table and let us move. Our waiter was excellent and very attentive. Now the food. Wow! We ordered everything to share so we ordered the crispy deviled eggs, cornmeal crusted calamari, burrata, tuna tartare (it was so good we ordered a second), and the cavatelli cacio e pepe. The presentation is above and beyond most other restaurants. I highly recommend! read more

Metropole - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We went as a family to Metropole during the Cincinnati Restaurant Week. There was a special menu to try for $35. We ordered Seared Verlasso Salmon, Duck Breast and grilled Pork Shoulder steak. They were all delicious. We also liked the salad and lemon olive oil cake. They were all presented nicely. We also enjoyed walking through the 21C hotel artwork after dinner. We would come back to dine in the future. read more

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Fantastic food- fantastic service. My mom has some dietary restrictions and not only did they change up a plate for her, but they charged her appropriately for what she got instead of charging her entree price. Interior is great for special occasion or just passing through. There menu changes so don't expect to get the same thing twice! You must capitalize when you see it read more

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My Mr. and I were celebrating our 2 year anniversary and decided to dine in at Metropole located near Fountain Square in the 21C Museum Hotel. We made reservations on a Saturday. We arrived and were greeted/ seated right away. The time we were there from beginning to end was amazing. Service was excellent and food was delicious! Talk about fine dining at its best! We started off with Briccotondo 2015 Barbera. We figured this would be a great wine for both our appetizer and entree. We started off with: -Burnt Carrot Salad-Avocado, Pickled Onion, Charres Carrots, pumpkin seeds I ordered: -Seared Verlasso Salmon- Pickled summer veggies (chow-chow), eggplant purée. My Mr. ordered: -Marksbury Farms Pork Chop- sweet sour onions, collard greens, Nduja butter When we got our meals, and couldn't stop raving about it! The burnt carrot salad was my absolute favorite! The avocado, pumpkin seeds and carrots mesh together so good! The salmon was seared to perfection and the pickled veggies paired really well with the fish. My Mr pork chops were amazing. Never would have thought the collard greens would go great together but they did. We weren't going to get dessert but we still had a little more room in our stomach so my Mr. picked -Lavender Mousse- Lemon honey oat Crumble Wow! So light and enough to hit the spot! Overall we had a good time! We didn't feel rushed, server was very friendly/efficient, food was good and the mood of the restaurant was very laid back and comfortable. I would highly recommend coming here! Definitely will return! read more

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Very unique offerings at Metropole. The bread and marrow butter had great flavor. The parpadelle pasta plate was fantastic. The flavors are on point, and the textures supreme. I highly recommend it. Service was fine, relaxed ambiance for delicious meal. read more

I have been here a few times. The last time actually might be my last. The Good: The cocktails are excellent. Adventurous and delicious. The ambience is lovely. Kinda dark, kinda quiet and comforting. The Not So Good: Our bread was burned. The crispy deviled eggs had no resemblance of a deviled egg and was kinda plain. The salmon was served with beans. Which, might not be bad, but it looked and tasted like they had just been dumped from a can. I opted out of dessert. But, for a bill that was around $250 (for 2) I expected so much better. read more

The atmosphere was great and eclectic to go with the museum in front of the restaurant. The staff took great Covid restrictions and wore gloves and masks. I got the Fazzoletti pasta which was nothing special and could've used something to break up how heavy it was and maybe some more salt. My husband got the chicken and said it was good but probably not worth the price. For dessert we got the homemade candy bar and OMG it was delicious. It usually comes with caramel drizzle, but I'm not a caramel fan so I omitted it. We enjoyed our dinner but it feels like a one time meal and probably won't be back. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]I have not been to the Metropole for ten plus years simply because their dining chairs are painful if you are of any size at all. The corner posts dig into your leg and thigh terribly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I was looking to see if perhaps they have changed them to make a reservation, but it does not look like they have. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a shame because otherwise the place is nice and the food good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Visited Metropole last night for the first time with my husband and what a wonderful date night it was! I ordered the burnt carrot salad and Salmon with grits. I've never been a huge fan of grits so I was worried how it might turn out but boy was it delicious! They were so smooth and flavorful. My husband ordered the sweet tea brined chicken with The Chevalier cocktail and enjoyed both. Our server Jeremy was super friendly and kept us laughing throughout the night. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a good date night spot or place for an intimate dinner with friends. read more

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The Metropole staff was courteous and helpful when I arrived. They're taking all of the COVID precautions, including temperature checks at the door. I ordered my food in advance so I could have a quick in and out and it was ready when I arrived. The metropole fries were just as yummy as I remember. That garlic aioli is lip smacking good. I also enjoyed the radish & avocado salad (I added chicken when I got home) and my husband said the seared salmon was delicious. The charcuterie board has nice accoutrements. I will definitely be back to try the mimosa slushee on their brunch menu! read more

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First time for dinner here. Had a fabulous smash burger and braised short ribs. To start we shared the crispy deviled eggs. The food was excellent and plated like a work of art. For pre dinner cocktails we ordered an Old Fashion and a Fred&Ginger - recommend both! Waitstaff was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is urban yet peaceful. Glad that they have valet parking! Would highly recommend! read more

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Three words: Burnt. Carrot. Salad. If I'm ordering lunch at Metropole, you hardly even need to ask me what I'm ordering... It's that good. I don't even like carrots that much... but this is different. The Burnt Carrot Salad consists of: avocado, pickled onion, feta, pumpkin seeds (and burnt carrots of course). Even in the days of social distancing, Metropole is still available via carry-out. The service here is always stellar. I've been here for morning coffee meetings, lunch meetings, and dinner dates and I've never had service that was less than remarkable. The restaurant also occasionally hosts a drag brunch, which I haven't attended yet (but I'm sure I will at some point). Going to Metropole is an absolute treat and is a must-visit for any Cincinnati local (or a visitor coming to town!). read more

Metropole - Burnt Carrot Salad (SO good!) - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

If you haven't dined at Metropole yet, get on the horn and make a reservation! If I had to summarize the two key features of this place, I would say ambiance and service. I really liked the aesthetics of the restaurant, and our server last night was top notch. Granted, the place was mostly empty due to the pandemic, but I'll take it! On to the food. We got various appetizers. Winners included the charcuterie board, peppers, and deviled eggs (not traditional in any way). I don't recommend the barrata appetizer. Barratta is mild in and of itself, and they paired it with bread and radicchio. The result was a bland appetizer that lacked flavor contrast. All cocktails were delicious. For a main, I got the homemade pasta. The server raves about it. It was good, very well made pasta. I would give it a 8/10. Honestly, the sauce wasn't rich in flavor as I expected, and I sort of wanted a salt shaker. But, clearly it was delicious enough because I chowed the whole thing down. I adored the olive oil cake, though most people with me did not. I don't like a cloyingly sweet dessert, so that cake was perfect for me. read more

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The bartender stole money from us and the manager told us wrong information. No idea why this place has so many stars.

Came for dinner before a show at the Aronoff. We made 5:30 reservations and glad we did as it got very packed around 6 PM! We opted for cocktails on recommendation of our waiter who was AMAZING. He was quick, attentive and witty. We split the famous grilled carrot salad and I appreciated that they split it on two separate plates when serving which made it so much easier than trying to smoothly transfer the salad onto another plate. For dinner I had the Salmon, it was juicy, flavorful and sooo crispy. My boyfriend had the burger and their classic fries. The fries were surprisingly so flavorful and the burger juicy and topped with the perfect amount of cheese. We split the Metropole Candy Bar for dessert with a scoop of Malt ice cream. This was the perfect ending to our meal - so rich, light, crunchy - everything all in one! Definitely will be back for dinner again - this is definitely worth it for a little splurge! read more

Metropole - Metropole Candy Bar - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We stayed at the 21c hotel and would come back solely for the service we received from Alex at the Metropole bar!! She was the best bartender, knew our drinks after the first night and made the best mojitos!! All around she is what made our stay here worth while read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance and vibe was a bit sterile.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was marginal and overpriced. Wait staff was mediocre and not friendly and kept us waiting forever for dessert when the restaurant had completely emptied. The scallops and beet salad were good but ridiculously overpriced. The complimentary ice cream sandwich offered for a birthday celebration was tiny and about the size of a Oreo cookie. Very embarrassing. Also ordered the cheesecake and the compote topping was distasteful and bad. Told this to the waiter and he did nothing but say "yeah I will pass it along to the kitchen." Unfortunately, we all agreed the dining experience was underwhelming and we won't be returning. Not sure if they care though. read more

Loved this place. The food was absolutely amazing as was the bar staff and service. My mom went out on a limb to try a new cocktail (a rare occurrence), and she didn't LOVE it. They had no problem taking it off the bill and crafting her a new cocktail she absolutely loved. Everyone was very accommodating. The whipped marrow butter and bread (only $2) is worth every penny and then some. Can't wait for our next trip out here. read more

Metropole - Cool bar. Full dinner service - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I had three separate experiences here: dinner, late night bar snack, and breakfast. All were outstanding. Here's the quick take: Dinner: I did try their signature carrot salad. It was fine, but not sure I'd stake my name on it; served a bit too cold and in need of salt or citrus. However, the roasted scallops were insanely good, and paired with a great white suggested by the bartender (yes, I ate at the bar). Melt in your mouth good (and I'd order again for sure). Staff excellent, vibe and atmosphere great. Late night: post concert glass of wine and a bit from the late night menu included the charcuterie plate, which was definitely worth it - and glad I saved it for late night rather than getting as my dinner app. Pretty people to look at but not snobby or annoying. Breakfast: OH YES THE GRITS. GET THEM. I'm a grits and breakfast snob, but these bad boys with the black beans had me over the top. I did have to get some salted pork bacon on the side, however. Not sure it was completely necessary, but it was well worth it. I'd go back and repeat the same. read more

Metropole - Grits & eggs brunch. Side of bacon. Very on spot! - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Was easy to get into bar even on Friday for quick drink and small bite. Great cocktails and bar staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The shishito starter was amazing! Highly recommend. read more