Normally when I go to yelp to write a review, its because I had a bad experience. But tonight my wife and I came here for a date which I grew up going here time to time on special occasions, and my wife and I have not been here in a while. This place I was so impressed with. These businesses are the businesses that deserve to hold a special place in the world... firstly our food was delicious, it came out hot, presented well and was just perfect. Second our service was spectacular, we had Ron as our server he was a true gentleman friendly, attentive, and very experienced from what we could tell. The main host was very accommodating, at first we were sat in a spot we did not like we told him and he moved us to a perfect spot with no hesitation. Third the price was very fair and well worth what we paid. We have been to almost all of the "fine dining spots in Cincinnati, such as Capital Grille, Primavista, Precinct etc and this place by FAR provides the best dining experience in Cincinnati. If you are looking for an amazing meal, amazing service and you are in Cincinnati you better give this place a try. Very impressed and hope this place continues the service and food they provide for years to come and doesn't change. read more

$100 Food Poisoning My husband was really wanting ribs and we had always heard good things about this restaurant. We didn't have a reservation but were seated pretty quickly on the heated patio upstairs. When we sat down, they instantly gave us our water and then we didn't see our waitress for about fifteen minutes. The waitress finally came and we went ahead and ordered our appetizers, drinks, and ribs all at same time because we didn't know when she'd be back (even told them no need to delay the entree to try to hurry things along). We waited quite a bit for our appetizers- about an hour. The couple next to us even left before they got their entrees and were very upset and spoke to the manager. We got the appetizers first- onion straws and the meatballs/grits. Meatballs were.... not good. Very very herby with an uncomplimentary sauce, grits were bland, but at least the onion straws were good. Ribs can out about 20 minutes later. We shared them and got mac as a side. Mac tasted very generic. We were very excited about the ribs but they were a let down. Sauce was very sweet and for price we paid I expected a bigger slab (we got the full slab). Went ahead and got our check while we were still eating so we could hurry home. Now, the real surprise came that evening. Husband got very very bad food poisoning- like the up all night kind. I'm not sure if it was his side of the ribs or the grits but it was BAD. Can't believe we paid over $100 for someone in the kitchen to not follow basic food safety protocol!! We will not be back! Money is better spent elsewhere! read more

Haven't been here in years but came back thanks to restaurants week and I am glad I did. The service was great and the food was even better. We enjoyed everything but our drink which tastes watered down as soon as it came to the table. We orders the ribs and chicken, 2 grilled pork chops and 2 loaded potatoes and we had no complaints! Of course you can't forget in views inside and outside of the restaurant. read more

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Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse is a great place to have a relaxing dinner. You can valet your car easily or park on the street. The restaurant is right on Riverside Drive and seating overlooks the river. BBQ and seafood here is very good and they offer generous portions. We were there a bit ago and had no trouble getting seating without a reservation. Although I would recommend it during summer and holiday seasons. My shrimp starter was uniquely flavorful as was my entree of broiled fish. The ribs and smoked chicken dinner were delicious. Served hot with fresh vegetables and thier own bbq sauce; tangy and excellent! Thus is a great place for special occasions. Business meetings and dates! read more

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A cincinnati classic that shouldn't be missed if you are a fan of old school bbq and fun venues. If you are eating on a busy sports weekene definitely get reservations. We had a great meal including chicken, ribs, steak and the famous chips. I also really was impressed by the wedge salad ans homemade dressing. Be sure to try the habenjero sauce if you want something different. We also saved room for the raspberry / chocolate ice cream. It was amazing and worth it. Overall, just an awesome experience top to bottom. Service, food, the view and the location. Will definitely be back. read more

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Best ribs we ever had! The duck was super juicy. We even got some BBQ sauce to take back to California. The service was awesome, and the food came out quick. The mac and cheese was good, and the Saratoga chips were super crispy. The pulled pork nachos were great too, with tons of meat and good sauce. The window seats were all taken, but still, it was a great time. read more

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Food was decent. Horrific service. Waitress, middle aged brunette woman with glasses, shoved past my family and I multiple times. Knocked our purses and the table next to us' food onto ground several times. Not an apology or a single excuse me. Avoid at all costs. read more

What a fantastic experience!! We had reservations for a 5:30 dinner. The restaurant was busy but not as packed as when we left. We decided to sit outside on the porch. It was a beautiful day, not too hot /humid. Great view, the Boathouse is on the River. Our server, Jordan, was fantastic: lots of fun, attentive, friendly and knowledgeable regarding the menu. She made our experience even better. The three of us ordered drinks, and for the appetizer, chips and straws. The chips were good but the (Onion) straws were AMAZING! They very light and somewhat crispy and I couldn't stop eating them. (I should note I don't like onion rings, and even though they are cooked differently, they're still onions). For my entree, I ordered the brisket sandwich with a baked sweet potato for my side. The flavor of the brisket was incredible, but I soon got full eating that and the delicious sweet potato I ordered as my side. My husband had the barbecue spring chicken with a side of Cole slaw. He said it was perfectly cooked, tender, tasty and the meat fell off the bone. The coleslaw was prepared with horseradish, but it was subtle and not overwhelming. Our friend ordered half a wedge salad which was smothered with bacon ( not the crappy bacon bits) and a delicious blue cheese dressing. He ordered the ribs which was HUGE , "epic with amazing barbecue sauce and craving them all day today." We ordered the key lime pie even though we were overstuffed, and of course we polished it off. It was creamy, with a hint of nutmeg or cinnamon (?) in the crust, and Jordan got us extra whipped cream like we asked for!! Lots of leftovers too! The walls are covered with sports photos, jerseys and memorabilia, and even old Cincinnati Reds stadium seats , but it doesn't give off the usual sports bar vibe. The bar upstairs was busy and there was a self serve popcorn cart. Lots of pics, but Yelp only allows 10 sadly. Also, gorgeous huge hydrangeas outside at the entrance. read more

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This was my first time at The Boathouse and I and my friends will most definitely be back! We went for a Bridal Shower, so a slightly larger party but the managers Larry and Tyler treated us so well and made sure we were taken care of from beginning to end. We were a little loud and silly as we celebrated, but we were never made to feel unwelcome. We stayed downstairs with meals and cocktails and ended upstairs with live music, drinks and apps. Tyler was even kind enough to take a picture with our group as we left! We will definitely reserve tables at this establishment again, especially when we can expect such excellent service! Thank you all so much for helping our night be the most special for our friend before her big day!! ‍ read more

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We were in town for a bachelor party and heard this place was great. I ordered the pick two combo with pork chop & brisket with a side of broccoli. The brisket was tender, had a little bark, but wasn't the most flavorful. The pork chop was also very tender but not very flavorful. Overall, I would say the BBQ here is ok but not great. read more

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First.. it's a must if you visit Cincy. Have the waiter /waitress put the bib on you. It's part of the experience. Service; Our server was a 10/10. Very attentive. Perfect amount of checking in and not pushy. Did not feel rushed. Ambience: 5/5. Take a few minutes and walk around to check out the memorabilia- it's truly amazing what they have. . Food: 3/5. I am a huge Montgomery fan. We had the shrimp cocktail. Which was a mistake. Should have known but the shrimp were small and gritty and chewy. For $14.. I would expect better. But again.. this is a rib joint. But if you're going to serve it, serve decent shrimp. 1/5. We had a full rack with sauce on. (You can get sauce on side if you ask) 5/5. Exactly how I remember them. Had a side of Mac and cheese. Never ordered it before but actually it was legit. I mean, normally you go saratoga chips.. but the Mac and cheese. 5/5. Next we tried the bone in ribeye. Again, if you're reading this.. yes, it's a rib joint. But at 49.99.... You would think it's really good. WRONG. Absolutely theeeeee worst steak I've ever ordered at a restaurant. Montgomery Inn, if you're reading this, please have someone order this for you and try it (so kitchen doesn't know). It was gray, unseasoned, tough, and all out gross. I ordered my medium. Which it was.. but cutting thru it was a job. I've bought better steak from Walmart or Kroger than this junk. And yes, this is a rib joint... but we figured we would share the ribs and steak. Why not! Huge mistake. It tasted like a cheap sirloin steak with no seasoning cooked at all buffet restaurant. 0/5. I politely told our sever. And did not ask for it be removed from bill but we did get a free dessert. Which we picked the carrot cake.... That carrot cake. 50/5!!! It was the highlight of the meal. It's from Servatii's a local place to cincy. It's as good as their Opera Cream... if you know, you know. Just bummed out in cost of steak vs taste. Bone in ribeye should be wayyyyyyyy better. read more

Hands down the best ribs I have ever eaten. I usually avoid ribs because they are high fat and high calorie and whatnot, but these were so famous I had to try. WOW - so soft and actually falling off the bone. They didn't even seem very fatty at all. My husband absolutely loves! That has had quite a lot of them and he said these were the best he has ever had as well. That barbecue sauce was also so unique and flavorful so I totally see why this place is known for its barbecue ribs! He ordered the 2-items combo item where we got the grilled chicken, ribs, side of broccoli, sweet potato. I absolutely love how the broccoli was steamed and not fried or roasted with oil or anything like that. It was so perfectly soft and tender and yummy. Sweet potato side dish was also delicious. Perfectly soft and creamy and it gave it that delicious honey butter on the side which was unbelievable. I thought the dessert husband really wanted to try that Chocolate Volcano Cake and WOW. It was hard to pick one item on the dessert menu because everything seems so delicious but really glad we went with this. The chocolate cake was half and warm and gooey and to yummy and went perfectly well the ice cream on the side. They actually served ice cream from Graeter's which we were very grateful for. Apparently they usually only give the vanilla, but the server knew we were visiting and celebrating our anniversary so he added an extra scoop of the special Midnight Snack. What a beautiful dessert! read more

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Got carry out. forgot our sweet potato and then charged us for it. all of our chips were soggy.

Had a great Friday night dinner here to kick off a weekend in Cincinnati. I used the Reserve a Table link on their website a week or two earlier to book a time. The view of the river is great. We were seated in the main dining area that sits above the River. Loved checking out the sports memorabilia in the large display cases when you walk in. Also saw lots of folks with kids so bring the family! Our server was prompt, friendly and gave great recommendations. We started out with some Saratoga Chips - Our saratoga chips are hand-cut daily from the finest grade jumbo Idaho potatoes. They were served with their Onion straws and BBQ Sauce. Nothing crazy special about the chips app, but we enjoyed it. For Dinner I had their "Create your own Combo" - choose any 2 items - ribs, chicken, shrimp and pork chop $33.99. I went with a Half Slab of their famous ribs and added Brisket. (The Brisket is a limited quantity each day and the server mentioned I could add it to the combo) The ribs were fall off the bone and decent flavor wise. The sauce is pretty good if you like sweet and tangy. I like a taste of molasses in mine and it had it. The rib meat itself was ok, but the two large slices of brisket in my opinion were better. You could taste some wood and light smoke in the meat. My pic might show them to be a bit dry, but they were pretty juicy, thick and a large portion. My side was coleslaw in a creamy horseradish sauce. I was stuffed from the meat, but I can say if you enjoy horseradish and don't mind coleslaw, go for it. My friend ordered the Ribs and BBQ Spring Chicken Combo. He loved how the chicken was moist and fall off the bone. He agreed the ribs weren't "knock your socks off", but were above average. My son ordered the Pork Chop - Extra thick, hand-cut, hand-spiced pork chops. Served on a bed of onion straws at $21.99 He tore it up and reported it to be juicy and delicious. Drink wise they had a small list of local brews on draft and bottle, seltzers, white, red and sparkling wines by the glass and bottle. We ate well, were well taken care of by the staff and enjoyed the wonderful view of the sun setting along the Ohio River. Aside from a good meal, my sons favorite part was when our server tied plastic bibs on each of us before our dinner arrived. We kept them as a souvenir from our trip. Afterwards we checked out their cigar offering and small retail area. I bought a couple bottles of their BBQ Sauce pretty cheap. From there you can walk on the river trail and enjoy a nice stroll! Thanks again guys!! read more

I live in Texas and my co workers in Cleveland recommended Montgomery Inn when in Cincinnati. The location was great, next to the water, I recommend getting a window seat. We started out with the brisket nachos, which were so delicious. Brisket cooked to perfection, homemade chips and that BBQ sauce. The sauce was so epic, no wonder they've won awards. I had the BBQ chicken and macaroni and cheese which were both delicious. Don't forget to try the Home Run cocktail which tasted more like a Grand Slam to me. I highly recommend checking out this restaurant. read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I don't get the hype honestly. Tradition I guess? The atmosphere is fun and cozy, but the food? Not great... not even decent. Service was slow and they were not even busy. Took a very long time to be greeted and even longer for our drinks to come. Just meh. read more

Location, location, location. Poor bar service and the ribs were fair. They were fall off the bone but salty. Our server was top notch! I would go back for drinks and maybe an appetizer read more

The atmosphere at the Boat House is a striking reminder of its past. All the memorabilia, its history, the famous people that have passed through the door is just the start. They have maintained the tradition for excellence. The food is amazing, the service and ambiance reflects the culture the Rib King established years ago. The family should be very proud that generations have maintained this jewel in Cincinnati. read more

We love the Boathouse for years. It is still very good but my salad tasted like it was in the refrigerator for a while. Ribs were a tad overcooked. Service was great!! read more

Over rated and over priced. I still believe they boil the ribs and bake them. Oh yea and drown them in BBQ sauce. Keep looking for real BBQ ribs. They are out there !!!! read more

In Cincy for just a few hours and wanted a spot with a view! It delivers on view, and its casual atmosphere is easy for families or big groups. The bbq is good, the ribs were fall off the bone. The chicken was too! Moist and a good flavor! Service was attentive and nice, along with speedy which I love!! read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - Ribs - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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6:00 pm Birthday Reservation. Sat @6:30. Brought to a table that was filthy. Trash on the floor, left over food on the table. Spent 5 minutes cleaning up instead of offering us a different table. No manager present. Filet ordered medium comes out well done. What a mess. Ron our server was no help at all actually very rude read more

Great place to eat. Food and service is great. And the view of the river is a plus!

Bad Steak Was a patron on December 12th for dinner. Ordered a Ribeye at medium temp. It was more medium well, not well seasoned, and dry, it was clear the waiter didn't want to take it back and tried to convince me it was done correctly because it had some pink in the very middle. When someone in our party asked for a paper bag to carry their multiple containers in and was told to go to carryout station to get one vs. honoring their request I was done! Brought the steak home and tried to doctor it up but it didn't work. $45.00 of a total bill of $86.00 wasted... hadn't been there in awhile, not planned on going back. read more

Awesome customer service. We visited on a Friday night about an hour before closing. Our food was served fresh. We got good service professional, friendly fast. Establishment is a place to host parties six people or more family friendly. There was two people in my party. Great date night restaurant. The view is awesome. Street parking and private parking. Two floors, first floor, accommodate large parties or small parties. The top floor has a deck area and a full bar with televisions. I would recommend to try I will visit again and try other items on the menu. the food was delicious. The servings were moderate size enough for two people to share a rack of ribs and chips. Very nostalgic the decor is sports. There's also a gift shop, the gift shop has cigars, wine, and privately own items for sale. read more

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Birthday celebration, party of 8. Service was good, she was very kind and friendly. It looks just as I remember, I hadn't been in years. My wedte salad was excellent. The shrimp was flavorless the plum sauce is the only way to eat it. The brisket we left on the plate. I love brisket, my mom moved to Houston in 1992 so I've had some good brisket. This one missed the mark. I did like my onion straws alot. My cocktails were also good. Some had virgin drinks they also enjoyed. More important, my cousin who we were celebrating loved her ribs. Her nephew had the same and agreed they were good! read more

I don't normally agree with a lot of review values, but this time I have to agree completely. 3 stars is as high as this place gets today. The ambiance was as always amazing. Views of the river and all of the sports memorabilia is always great to see. However, our waiter left a great deal to be desired. While he was present and provided a service he was not very happy and didn't seemed pleased to be there. I understand some people might be having a bad day but when you are a server you can't take it out on your customers. Now onto the food. I got a quarter duck and Cajun shrimp special and my husband got the iconic ribs. The best part of our meal was the onion rings. The ribs tasted funky and the duck had been sitting back there drying out for a good 20 minutes. Would we go again? Yes because it holds a special is place in our hearts but we will try downtown again next time. Overall it was a disappointing experience. read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - Onion rings!!! Yummy. - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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If you have a bunch of free time and you want a great view and a basic beer this could be the spot. But if you want good service and good food you might keep searching. We had a reservation for a large group. Everyone has arrived accept for one member of our party and they refused to seat us. Once seated, we received water pretty quickly. I would suggest knowing what you want to order and order it as soon as you are seated. When we finally received our food everyone was underwhelmed. I will say the salmon was flavorful! For $26 it was a flavorful cut but the green beans were very rubbery. My baked potato had for sure been sitting out most of the day. For the price, move on. For the view, stop by. read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - Salmon & Baked Potatoes - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Ribs are tender but get sauce on the side. Smothered in Montgomery Inn sauce which to me is not all that. For special occasions. Great view of Ohio River from Cincinnati. read more

We have not been back to the Boathouse in a while but thought we'd celebrate our 53rd wedding anniversary there. Let me say that the food was excellent but our highlight of the evening was our waiter, Ron. What a delight to meet this wonderful man who treated us with excellent service and made our evening very very special. We certainly hope that Montgomery Inn Boathouse recognizes what a gem he is. We will certainly be back Because of him. Thank you Ron! read more

View of the lake was nice. Went in by myself with no reservation, and I probably waited 10min. Had the ribs and they were fall off the bone. I would go back if back in the area, family friendly with good servers. read more

Be Ambience, is always beautiful at the boathouse. It was a fabulous experience from making the reservation to pay the bill. I called ahead and I spoke with Tyler and Todd. They helped me pick out appetizers to be available at the table for my guest. We were sat on and the appetizers came out piping hot, and they were absolutely delicious. We had straw and chips , shrimp cocktails and they made me a requested veggie plate. The table orders, salmon, ribs, brisket, rib eye , Mac n cheese, baked potatoes and sandwich. Needless to say the food was excellent and always played it love. Our server was Jamie, extremely attentive. I brought own desserts and they plated it beautiful for the table. Ty Boathouse read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - Window seating with family and friends - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great food great service great view. Enjoyed my dinner here and to see all the memorabilia from rowing to football to boxing to car racing and baseball. A must go to when visiting Cincinnati . Don't miss out on the graters ice cream too. Nothing you have ever tasted. Parking is easy!! Make reservations. Trust! read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - Pork Chop - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Been to original place in Montgomery many times in the past HOWEVER, the Boathouse location was a severe disappointment I ordered the ribs but they came slathered in so much sauce. The sauce seems way more sickening sweet than it used to Couldn't taste the smoked flavor, in fact they seem boiled first I could only eat 2-3 ribs ($39 ) The onion straws and Saratoga chips were cold and not crispy at all Nice house salad, yea! and great service but smoke the ribs, put bbq sauce on the side Really Really dissatisfied as well as those in my party ordering the same thing as well as the butterfly shrimp that were bland AND cold Tried to explain to the manager on duty 9/20/25 but he seemed uninterested in my concerns and wouldnt look me in the eye while trying to talk to him Over a $500 bill for 14 person reservation wasted Needless to say, I won't be coming back read more

I was so excited to get to celebrate my son's 20th birthday at the boathouse, but was quickly disappointed after getting our food. I'm not sure how the ribs were ever a fan favorite. They were absolutely disgusting. I believe we had ribs from the previous day that they just dumped a whole 8 ounce cup of BBQ sauce on top. The ribs looked as if maybe they were boiled in water? I'm not even sure how they prepared the ribs, but they never saw a smoker or a grill. I am giving the restaurant a two star rating solely because we had an excellent waitress. We did not complain about the food. It's not fair to the server. If I ever go back, I would definitely not order the ribs. read more

For starters we had made reservations and were coming from out of town and were running a bit late. Called the reservation desk and they were able to give us a bit more time. We really appreciate that! I had ribs and my spouse had the fish, both were excellent! The service was top notch as well. read more

When I think regional ribs: usually St. Louis or perhaps a BBQ city like KC would come to mind. However on a trip to the Queen City, the Montgomery Inn and their ribs appeared to be a local legend. I stopped by to try them at The Boathouse on a Tuesday night. The vibes feel local: downstairs there's regular seating and upstairs there is a bar. Also upstairs is a covered patio looking out onto the river. First floor and patio you have to get reservations or walk up with the hostess, bar is first come first served and you order through the bar. I sat at a table at the bar area and the joint was filled with local sports photos and memorabilia. The service was fast and friendly (it was a pretty quiet Tuesday.) I got a full slab of ribs with a side of broccoli. The ribs were good, tender but not the most tender I have experienced. Not fall of the bone immediately but were easily tackled with a knife and fork with minimum mess. They are well complemented with a sweet, tomato-y BBQ sauce. Overall Montgomery Inn offers a unique local experience with great views and good food. Definitely a list item for anyone visiting Cincinnati. It's a great change up from all that Chili too. Pro Tip: Valet parking is mandatory, you can pay it on your bill with your meal. read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - Ribs - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We arrived on time for our reservation and ended up waiting another 20 minutes for a table. There was minimal seating available while we waited, so our party was stuck standing by the door. The view of the river was nice, even when we had bad rain. 5 people in our party ordered the brisket, and 3 of them had to be sent back for being so dry we couldn't cut them. The new briskets were much better, and our server, Shawn, was very quick to address the issue and to apologize. The ribs were good but not extraordinary. The shoe string onions were excellent. We could also smell cigarette smoke despite sitting inside. Overall, a passable experience not worth repeating. read more

This place is great! This was our first stop in Cincinnati, straight from the airport. This place is right on the water with a wonderful view of the Ohio river and Kentucky on the other side. Get the ribs! They are saucy and delicious. They come in a huge slab. When they offer you a bib, accept it. You're gonna get messy! Make a reservation. This place is fantastic, so they get super busy. read more

Montgomery Inn - The Boathouse - Ribs & Macaroni and Cheese - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Food service and ambiance are all top shelf! The ribs are great the sauce is the best! Dinner specials are excellent too read more