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Nicholson's Fine Food & Whiskey

3.9 (629 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

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NICHOLSON'S FINE FOOD & WHISKEY ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Happy hour specials

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Duck fat fries
Colleen A.

My team and I had the most amazing dinner at Nicholson's after a long day of work. We sat in the back room and were the only people back there, so it was nice and quiet and just what we needed. Our server, McKenna, took great care of us the whole evening. She was friendly, engaging, accommodating, and just did an overall great job. Pro tip, go during happy hour for great prices on appetizers and drinks. The appetizer pricing was so good we were able to order more than planned. We got the duck fat fries, brussels sprouts, and buffalo chicken. The duck fat fries came with a delicious garlic aïoli. The brussels sprouts were just perfect. And the buffalo chicken with some of the best I've had in a long time. I had never had cock-a-leekie before, so I tried that too. It was a nice, warm, comfort food. For our entrées, several of us got fish and shrimp. It was delicious and the tartar sauce and cocktail sauce sauces were perfect. The highlighter of the evening for me was my mocktail. I noticed the drink menu had a cucumber elderberry drink, but I do not drink alcohol, so I ask if they would be willing to make something like it as a mocktail. It was genuinely one of the best mock tails I've ever had. It was so good. I asked if the bartender would mind sharing what she did so I could make some version of it at home. She happily obliged and wrote it down for me. Overall, a wonderful experience that will definitely have me recommending Nicholsons to friends and family!

Soraya V.

Food was really good. Service was excellent. Ambiance was very chill. My husband and I enjoyed this place very much. Definitely will be back.

Ice-cold sirloin.
Stephanie B.

I ordered the sirloin medium-rare. It came to me blue-rare and cold to the touch. It couldn't even melt the butter on top. They "fixed" it and it came back overdone. I wasn't about to send it back again. It tasted like dry flavorless potroast. On our way out, we noticed the manager that brought me back my re-fire was the person sending the food out. The decor and woodwork is the only thing that can be considered the level of fine-dining.

Shepard a pie and included salad that is not mentioned in the entree description.

We stopped at Nicholson's for lunch before a show at the Aronoff, and the location couldn't be more convenient. Our server, Lainey, was wonderful--friendly, pleasant, and very attentive despite being incredibly busy with the pre-theater crowd. She kept checking on us, and our food arrived promptly. She was definitely the highlight of our visit. Unfortunately, the shepherd's pie was a real disappointment. In a Scottish restaurant surrounded by plaid, I expected something traditional. Instead, it contained green peppers and appeared to be meat filling topped with a single scoop of mashed potatoes rather than an actual baked shepherd's pie. The Caesar salad was mediocre, although the unexpected side salad was quite good. I would return for the convenient location and Lainey's excellent service, but definitely not for the shepherd's pie. This shepherds pie is different than other pics submitted in yelp reviews. 4 stars because of Lainey it it with have been less stars.

Judith G.

What a unique restaurant for the downtown Cincinnati area! It's definitely fine dining, with mood lighting, unfailing hospitality, and sophisticated table settings on polished dark wooden tables. But it's also casual and hip, with a bar-like atmosphere, befitting of its location, in Cincinnati's theater district, and with reasonable prices. I've eaten at the front of the bar, and found it too crowded and noisy (especially when there's a show at the Aronoff across the street). This time, however, I was with a group of 9 people, and we were seated in a quiet private room -- the one that's free to the public (not the one in the way back, which is available for rent). Our waitress was exceptional - every time someone else arrived, she was there, taking drink orders and explaining the menu and specials, and brought the food out quickly. And the food, as usual, was excellent. The hits seemed to be the Buffalo chicken soup (the soup of the day), the goat cheese dip, the crab cakes, and the Kentucky burgoo (a flavorful beef stew). I loved the shrimp and grits -- well-made, with a complex taste. And as for my friends' entrees -- well, suffice to say they all looked amazing, and there were few doggie bags to take home.

Fireplace in our seating area
James H.

Recently stopped here before catching Hamilton at the Aronoff center! We made reservations the night before and were able to snag the perfect time to line up with our show. Nicholson's is location directed across the street from the Aronoff and within a short walking distance of Fountain Square and the Contemporary Art Center along with several other fun places making it the perfect spot to grab brunch, lunch or dinner! The atmosphere in the restaurant is incredible and the theming is on par with their menu. Very cozy vibes to go with some hearty comfort food. One thing that drew me to this spot is their themed menu's for broadway shows that are playing at Aronoff. Of course, they had a special Hamilton menu available during our visit, which made for a unique experience. To start we ordered the Belhaven beer cheese served with pretzels, celery and carrots. You can't go wrong with cheese dip and this one didn't disappoint! I went light for my meal and ordered the chicken caesar salad, it was decent. Nothing spectacular, but it did the job. My girlfriend got the traditional breakfast with the banger. She enjoyed her meal and said it hit the spot! A couple other folks at our table ordered the Bonnie Chicken sandwich, which everyone raved about for the rest of the day. Our service was excellent, but it did take a while between ordering, getting our food and the check. The crowd was light when we first arrived, but began to fill up quickly. I recommend making reservations if you're set on dining here to avoid any type of wait. Even if you don't want a full meal, this would still be a great spot to grab a beer or drink. I definitely would like to try more items on their menu and I'm sure we'll make it a tradition to come here before seeing a show at the Aronoff. Check it out if you're in the area!

Inside bar area
Anthony C.

An authentic Scottish pub experience in Cincinnati. The place is big, rustic, and feels like you're stepping straight into Scotland. You can tell the owner put real thought into making it authentic. I ordered the bangers and mash and it was excellent. The sausage and potatoes were good, and the gravy tied it all together. Staff were friendly and the place was clean. Between the décor, the size of the space, and the quality of the food, Nicholson's is worth a visit. As they'd say in Scotland, the meal was "pure dead brilliant"...I have no idea what that is, but I looked up things they say in Scotland to add here.

Spoiled for choice here at the bar.
Jewels G.

Great food, amazing ambiance, quiet at noon on Saturday for a leisurely lunch. It very much feels like a pub in Glasgow and the drink selection is lovely. A highlight of our weekend getaway to Cincinnati.

Pretzel bites
Connie H.

Wait time: 10 minutes with reservations on a Saturday before a show. Atmosphere: busy, crowded, seats close together hard to walk through Service: slow since they were busy Food: we just ordered apps Price: $$ Cleanliness: 8/10

This soup was amazing (5/5) Sat Night (July 2025)
Tony U.

Located in Downtown Cincinnati, came here in a Saturday Night with friends and really loved the vibe here. It was packed but there was still seating available for our party of 7. They have an amazing Single Malt Scottish Whiskey Bar and the service is gritty but cool, dependable, fun and too notch. They offer a lot of interesting UK dishes and they deliver! Had: 1. Scotch Egg (4/5) perfect yokes consistency. Not a big fan of Scotch Eggs otherwise I'd give this a 5/5; 2. Goat cheese with pita (5/5) was stellar! 3. Shepherds Pie (3.5/5) while pretty good it was more like a deconstructed shepherds pie and seems of the meat, potatoes and peas had been cooked separately. 4. Some kind of soup that was like a vegetable soup that even had a sort of gumbo like flavor: was very good. Because the vibe and service were too notch and the Guiness hit the spot, going to call this a top notch experience. Be warned in advance: come here hungry.

Thomas T.

Restaurant Great locations, comfortable seats, and good lighting. Absolutely great location if you're about to see a play next door. Service Our server was not so great. Maybe the waitress was new, but she took forever to come and help us, our glasses stayed empty, and it took an extra 15 minutes just to get the check. Appetizer None Main Course - Crab cake and toast was a huge hit with my wife. Though she wasn't sure how to eat it and the egg wasn't runny as she wanted, she enjoyed it. - 9/10 - Steak and fries with chimichurri was quite delicious. The bourbon bbq sauce for the fries I highly recommend. Steak was a bit over cooked but tasty. - 8/10 Dessert - Brulé cheese cake was light and fantastic. The berries consisted of 4 blueberries. Would have been nice with a few strawberries or raspberries- 8/10

Dining room
Shanley H.

Yummy French dip they affectionately call the Welsh dip. Loved the ambiance in here as well. Decor leans into the aristocratic theme I think... Enough TVs that you can see one from everywhere in the restaurant. They aren't huge but will definitely have a game on if you need!

Brussels sprouts
Sean C.

This restaurant wins on service and ambiance as it looks perfect in the little 'touristy' spot downtown Cincinnati. The decor is fun and the place is large with tons of room to move around, which is nice (and abnormal) for a restaurant downtown. The server team was very attentive and kept the meal moving quickly which gives them huge kudos for many people running to see a show across the street. All of that known, the food was fine - nothing spectacular, but felt fine for the space, place, and time. If I were to go back, I would skip the pot roast, it was very salty, heavy, and greasy. All things I wasn't particularly expecting when it was ordered. Although, the portion size was very large, enough for more than one, for sure. The sprouts were also quite salty, but weren't as bad as the entree. The best thing, of course, was the crumble and ice cream - but it's hardly a meal.

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

Quite possibly my favorite downtown Cincy dinner spot. Great good, atmosphere, and location. Tough to beat.

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4 years ago

So good my wife hobbled there from our hotel on a sprained ankle to have it a second time.

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8 years ago

Great place to enjoy a glass of wine or great beer before heading to The Aranoff. Great vibe.

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Page 4 of 16

Nicholson's Fine Food & Whiskey Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Nicholson's Fine Food & Whiskey

Do they have a kids menu?

Yes we do! All items are $8 and include fries & a beverage… 

Do they still have hand pumped real ale options?

Hi, due to frequent availability issues, we no longer carry cask-conditioned real ale. We do offer an impressive selections of imports and domestics on tap at all times. We hope you'll stop by and have a pint with us soon.

Do they still serve duck fat fries?

Yes

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Nicholson's Fine Food & Whiskey - pubs - Updated October 2026

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