The glowing reviews, as well as the other businesses I passed walking from my free parking up the street, suggested a fancier restaurant than the small space I found, which had only a couple of tables (they do take reservations I think), and seemed to be running more takeout business. The sort of food they make has great flavors and textures when freshly cooked, so I'd really recommend eating it on the spot. The cuisine is Malaysian, which is not commonly found anywhere in the U.S. (much more common in Australia, so I have a frame of reference). It is recognizably Asian, but with tropical ingredients and a comfort food vibe. While seemingly focused on barbecue, they have a few excellent vegetarian options. My roti, a delightfully flaky bread, arrived with a little cup of lentils and chili sauce for dipping (unfortunately you can't order any more lentils than that). The "vegetarian goose" noodles sounded interesting, though I rued missing the bok choy offered in their other vegetarian dish until my noodles arrived and happened to have bok choy as well, so at least I got some greens. The noodles were as tasty as you'd think, and the preparation also included hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, and a serving of some mushrooms encased in a wondrously braised tofu skin. I don't know how this is supposedly a vegetarian form of goose, but whatever you call it, it's delicious. The chef, who was milling about an open kitchen, clearly knows what he is doing. I'll happily try anything else vegetarian he makes. read more

See all

Great little place for authentic Malaysian food. A Great family owns it as well. Service was stellar and the restaurant clean.

Sago. Let me tell you about Sago. It was easily a five-star worthy experience. We got there in their last hour of service, for which we felt bad, but everyone working was incredibly friendly. The woman working the front area came over to explain the menu options and we were made to feel so welcome. Our meals were cooked to order. You could smell the aromas wafting from the grill and when I say the food was absolutely amazing . Chef Paul came out to say hi and thank us for stopping by. He asked if we needed anything else, so of course we ordered all the desserts that were available for the night. All in all, every aspect of this experience was perfect and we will definitely be back. read more

Sago - Chef Special: Claypot chicken rice - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This roast pork and duck are phenomenal here, what an amazing surprise!!! Sooooo crispy and delicious. The service is really great too. My only issue is that their hours can be a bit variable, sometimes they take vacation and post it in their door... you arrive and they are closed, but there's no great way to find online beforehand. I recommend calling ahead to make sure they are open before you go there. read more

See all

We visited here due to watching on triple D! Amazing food, service was wonderful and was soo helpful. We original thought the place was bigger but, it's small, quiet and if you didn't know you would miss it. Great place for lunch with amazing flavors! read more

Sago - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Our family's go to restaurant for roast duck, roast pork and bbq pork! Simple decor of Malaysian art and staff is always friendly.

Came into town for soccer game found this amazing little restaurant. Food service and staff were top notch. Great lunch experience.

We've been wanting to go here for quite some time. Good news our server is was amazing took the time to explain everything. The restaurant as mentioned is very small fortunately we got a table within five minutes. The food is served on paper plates and plastic utensils and flimsy napkins. Food. We tried both of the fried chicken appetizer flavors. I was underwhelmed. My friends liked their duck entree and my husband enjoyed is crispy pork. My curry chicken broth and noodles was so underseasoned I had to order hot sauce to spice it up. The chicken is served bone in and skin on. Not a fan. However the next a day as a leftover broth was better. Not sure if I'd be back. They do have their beer license with limited selection. You can bring wine in with a $5 corking fee and they have wine glasses. Water is served in chilled glass bottles but in paper cups . Parking is available but hit or miss getting a spot. read more

The amazingly savory and delicious smells hit you when you walk through the door. The food and service was no different. I ordered the hanaiese chicken which comes with garlic rice and pickled veggies. You can add on a meat of your choice for an additional fee. I chose the roasted duck. The plating wasn't as neat as all the pictures I had seen, but the food was delicious. The chicken was subtle and light but tender and flavorful. The duck has lots of bones but was nothing short of amazing. I had all the appropriate condiments which were delicious as well. I could easily eat here weekly. The staff was also really nice and helpful as I did a little running in and out checking my order, the meter, and forgetting my purse. read more

I love ordering Hainanese chicken, crispy pork, and duck from Citrus & Sago. I usually order whole birds or 1lb of the pork as carry-out and share these dishes with 3-4 other people. We always end up with leftovers that I happily eat for lunch the next day! My favorite dish is the Hainanese chicken. The chicken here is so juicy and tender and especially delicious when paired with the garlic chili sauce. That sauce is everything. EVERYTHING. The service here is always wonderful and friendly. I will definitely add Citrus & Sago to my regular dining rotation. read more

See all

As decade-plus-long residents of Mt. Lookout, we long ago gave up hope that our neighborhood square might become any sort of a relevant dining hotbed. Its location, real estate spaces, and early-20th-century charm, coupled with the relative wealth of the surrounding neighborhood, suggest that it ought to be one, but for whatever reason, no dice. Citrus & Sago sure is a nice building block, though. We'd never been to Straits of Malacca, the owners' former restaurant out in Mason, but had heard great things about it. And when you dine at Citrus & Sago, it seems like some of that restaurant's fans are guaranteed to be there. Apparently Straits of Malacca was a nice, if homey, place. C & S is nice enough, but it's in one of the tiniest commercial spaces in the area, the one that formerly housed El Camino, and a few years before that, the fine breakfast spot, Annabel's. I'm talking just six or so tables, and they're pretty crammed together--if it's a full house, you'll probably get to know your neighbors. This spot is super-casual, with service on styrofoam plates. But the food, though: The chef, Paul Liew, specializes in Malyasian-style rotisserie meats, and Holy Bejeebus, he is masterful at it. Roast duck at $14.50 is one of the better deals in town: a substantial portion both times I've ordered it, and one time it was just mouth-wateringly good (superb contrast of succulent flesh and crispy skin) and the second just slightly less so. Crispy roast pork is pretty great, too. Plates come with a side veggie (or salad), garlic butter rice, and a few pickled veggies. There are also some rotating Malaysian entrees for those who don't want to go too meat-heavy. Seared pork dumplings were excellent, too. Highly recommended. 4.25 stars for now, but I could see kicking this one up in the future. read more

Such a treat. Small, quaint atmosphere with just about 6 tables total. Our server was extremely helpful going over the menu, explaining each dish quickly and thoroughly. She was on it with each customer that came in, and I love seeing that energy! Those good vibes carry over to the food. The kitchen is open and I loved seeing the fresh ingredients being used. We did several dishes for tasting. A few highlights: the pork belly, the dumplings and samosas, any of the desserts, and the pilled tea served hot. We loved the pickled vegetables served along side each dish. It pairs well with the fattier meats, like pork belly. I could have eaten my weight in the baby bok choy! Highly recommend! read more

See all

A family member recommended this place, because their duck is consistently made well. I ordered a half order of duck for takeout. The duck was delicious. It was tender, flavorful, and the skin was crispy. read more

Sago - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Food was great. Server was really helpful. Everything tasted homemade. Tip: ask for some hot sauce. U won't regret it read more

Sago - Chicken Nasi Lemak - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Food is always good here but once in awhile they do miss the mark a little. Their coconut was something I look forward to but sometimes it comes out like mash potatoes instead rice. I do wish they open earlier during the week. read more

Well known among Chinese Americans and Chinese Vietnamese immigrants for the best roasted duck in Cincinnati! I hardily agree!!! Adequately slight crispy skin, flavor, tenderness and plump juicy goodness. read more

Sago - Citrus & Sago's Chinese roast duck, Cincy's best, second to none! - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I really love Citrus & Sago's concept. I've never had Malaysian food until now. We tried C&S during Asian Food Week 2020. I love Asian Food Week and any other food/restaurant week. It's an amazing way to try multiple locations and their dishes for a reasonable price. Someone mentioned C&S to me and after looking at the pictures, I knew I was going to try them. I'm happy we did. I came with my husband and two daughters. Usually during these weeks they offer either a special dish or a pri fixe 3-course meal. In each section there is usually 2-3 options to choose from. My husband and I always pick a different option in each section and share, so we can try multiple dishes. Some even have a pri fixe dinner for 2. It just all depends on the establishment and what they want to offer. I also want to point out the GM, I don't remember his name was super nice and hospitable! For our appetizers we picked the BBQ Pork Buns and Seared Pork Dumplings. My husband and I love dumplings so if we see them on a menu, we are always going to choose them as an option. These dumplings were delicious and seared perfectly. The pork buns were also really good. Think of a homemade sloppy Joe with delicious flavor. It was a bun stuffed full of their BBQ Pork filling. It was flavorful, it was sweet and paired perfectly with the buns. Both were good dishes but certainly try the buns! For our entrees we picked the BBQ Pork and Roasted Duck. We also added a Roasted Chicken for our girls. All of the dishes were served with sautéed veggies and rice. All three entrees were delicious and flavorful. The meats were cooked perfectly! The veggies added a nice crunch and I mean you have to do a side of rice or some starch. Lol! Very,very good! We did not have any complaints. We ended our meals with the two desserts they were offering which were the Mango Rice and the Sago Gula Maleka. Both desserts were good!! I think rice sweetened is odd. Yes, I'm from the south and do not like sugar in my rice! LOL! However, I always appreciate the Asian culture and their dessert dishes with sweet rice or rice and a sweet sauce. I can say these desserts from here are the best I've had of either. I've had them at other places and these were the most memorable. Overall, Citrus & Sago is pushing out some delicious food! Certainly give them a try! read more

See all

Did not love the chicken curry take out that I got from this place. The meat was kind of slimey and not very appetizing although the broth was delicious . Probably will not get take out from here again but will try to come back to try their food in the restaurant read more

Excellent food & the Lady was very friendly ! Reminds me of home ! I ordered Roasted Duck & Hainanese Chicken read more

unbelievably delicious food layered with deep flavor- a focused menu, food that stands on its own- cooked perfectly- a harmony of flavor, texture, presentation- my only regret is not trying this place sooner. read more

Cute place with multiple vegan options. We got the special of Mapo Tofu + Brown Rice Noodles which was so flavorful and delicious! We also got the Bok Choy, 5 Spice Tofu and Mushroom Dish which was lighter but still flavorful. We finished the evening with 2 Vegan dessert, Mango Sticky Rice and Sago Gula Melaka which were incredible! read more

Food good!! Super small place and isn't grew for those that have mobility issues. Parking is a challenges. If you go, recommend a non peak time. :) read more

Food is fantastic, chef Paul is amazing, and service is always perfect. This is a very small dine in restaurant. There are only ~8 table tops. So call ahead and be prepared if you eat there in the winter because it gets drafty. They do a kick ass take out business so feel free to place an order and pick it up. And it's BYOB!!! Bring your own booze and have a great Malaysian meal right in Mt. Lookout. read more

Amazing food! Loved the pork dumplings (crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside) which was nicely paired with Gochujang slaw. The Beef Rendang and Prawn Mee were super delicious! The service could have been a little better as the tables were very sticky/not clean but the waitress was very nice. read more

Everything about Sago is incredible - a must try in Cincinnati. One of the best restaurants I've been to - service and food amazing. read more

Sago - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Citrus and sago was strongly recommended to me and it definitely did not disappoint. The food was delicious. I loved the bbq pork but that vegetable samosa was absolutely mind blowing. The service was slow but it is a small restaurant that puts time and care to the food so that is ok. Also the forks are a little thin and I was worried it was gonna bend with the weight of the food but they didn't! They forgot about my boba at first but when I finally got to drink it I was very impressed with the taste. Overall a great experience read more

See all

Absolutely delicious and our server was very friendly and knowledgeable. Fried chicken special for Asian Cuisine week was the best fried chicken we've ever had, it was excellent. read more

Citrus and sago came very highly recommended to me, one of The better chefs in the city told me to check them out and I already had them on my list. Turns out the man knows good food, and I'm extremely happy to take his advice. My partner and I put in a carry-out order it was ready right when I got there, they knocked off 10% because I'm a teacher and for some reason they seem to think that's a good thing, and we were on our way. This smell when you walk in there is absolutely intoxicating, this smell why you got to sit next to you driving home is almost infuriating. It took every bit of willpower to not stop and crack open the incredible rotisserie meat and vegetables that were sitting next to me. But I did make it home my roast duck was fantastic once I managed to pick the bones out, that's a skill that I've never got quite the hang of with smaller birds... I should probably eat more chicken wings right? Anyways the duck sauce with it was so savory and slightly sweet that I was more than happy to mix up the rest of my coconut rice and the remnants behind and eat every last bit. My partner's crispy pork belly was a little bit dry and the accompanying sauce was super hot, so she was a little less impressed. However the salads and pickled vegetables more than made up for it on both sides. her absolute favorite thing of them all though was the mango rice. I had expected it to be a cold almost pudding like dish, but she was so excited because she hadn't seen anywhere around here that did it in her words right. Citrus and sago does it more than right, they do a great job on every aspect of a meal right down to dessert. I will be back! read more

See all

In some ways Citrus & Sago is great and a needed addition to the Cincinnati food scene ... not quite amazing though: 1) plastic utensils and a price point slightly above that 2) portions are small The Sambal was great but I had to ask for it read more

Amazing Cantonese BBQ! I cannot say more. If you want authentic Cantonese bbq in the Cincinnati area, please go to Citrus & Sago. I especially love their roast pork, flavorful and crispy. The most authentic yet in the Cincinnati area. Roast duck also has great flavor with no gamey taste, thin and crispy skin, get the roast duck too. They also do a great job with takeout order, they arranged everything beautifully and neatly, if you are throwing a party and want to impress your friends, this is the place to go. read more

See all

This is my new fave place in Cincinnati! Best food around town that's for sure. This is the most authentic place for Chinese meats. I ordered so much and still am hungry. I 100% recommend coming here. Even take out orders are quickly packed. The owner and his staff are very friendly and make you feel right at home. Will be back soon!!!! read more

See all

Food is always high quality and delicious. Large portions and great value. Friendly too!

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here! We had watched this on Diners, Drive-In's and Dives and knew we had to try it immediately! The food was so tasty and the service was amazing. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because our food was a little on the cold side. We will definitely go back though for sure! read more

See all

Simply wow! The food is delicious. All the dishes were meticulously prepared with fresh and incredibly favorable ingredients. This restaurant is a gem in a fantastic location. Do yourself a favor and order here, you will not be disappointed. The chef/owner is awesome and he came out to talk to our table. The waiter was very knowledgeable of the menu and helpful. BYOB which is an awesome option (I wish more restaurants did this). When you go or pick up make sure you are hungry and order everything. Sharing with friends/family (family style) is recommended I cannot wait to go back. read more

See all

DoorDash review --- Packaging: Everything was packaged well no chance of having a spill in transit Food: Roast pork had great crispy texture but was served cool - I actually enjoyed it more the next day after I put it in my air fryer Gyoza were great clearly had crisp on them from a pan, stuffing was great Chicken curry - the star of my dinner, lots of flavor with tons of turmeric taste and the pickled vegetables cut through the salt content of the curry Looking forward to trying the duck next read more

See all

A small, hole in the wall restaurant with HUGE portions!! The chicken we got was so juicy and flavorful and the noodles with the sauce was perfect. My friend got the wonton soup and she said it was fantastic as well. We got some kind of bun appetizer which was ok but the entree was the best part. We went when it was quiet hours so the service was very quick! read more

Sago - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

One of my favs in town; every dish is truly spectacular and I regret that I don't get to come here as often as I would like. My parents used to own a Hong Kong/Cantonese style BBQ restaurant when I was young in Arizona so I grew up on roast duck, roast pork, and char siu. It's still a special occasion dish whenever I go home. Citrus & Sago is some of the best I've eaten and the only I will eat in Cincinnati. We are lucky to have this gem of a restaurant in our city. I eat less meat nowadays and their veggie and vegan friendly dishes are great and don't make you feel like you're an afterthought. read more

The chef is from Kuala Lumpur, has been cooking all his life, and it shows. The food is delicate and subtle, but with depth. The flavors are expertly layered but still allow the flavors of the ingredients to shine through. Plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options, with excellent vegetable and tofu preparation. The portion size is generous, and the prices are reasonable. read more

Delicious and creative dishes, friendly service. Got takeout, so can't speak to ambiance.

This was a 10/10 would recommend, if you want a small place with a great story and great food this is it! The food is amazing spiced perfectly and you can't go wrong. It's a smaller spot but inside is a great feel if you enjoy eating and knowing the chef is working hard to make everything perfect and to order. And the wait staff wouldn't be nicer they'll take care of you and are very attentive to you and making you're experience one to remember. read more

Sago - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all