Had really good service at The Elusive Cow. While they did seem understaffed, our waiter was still very attentive. The nacho appetizer was my favorite part of the meal. The chips were really flavorful and well seasoned. I also really liked my fries. The burger was good - not the best I've had but still a good option. I would love to come back for lunch and try a different sandwich. read more

See all

Love this quant restaurant!! I have been here several times and the food doesn't disappoint The staff is so friendly and have exceptional recommendations The mussels best I have ever eaten The red potatoes as a side delicious All recommended by our server Also ordered the Blt and bison burger Everyone was happy and full read more

See all

We stopped in at The Elusive Cow for a late lunch. Parking was easy and it was pretty quiet when we arrived... needless to say service was excellent. To get things started we wanted to try some loaded nachos (minus the meat)... they came out quickly and were very nice how they were cooked. Just a little crisp on the top... the salsa it comes with was a nice smokey taste. i decided to go for the fish (cod) tacos. They were excellent ... good portion but nut to have much! I went with the Kale Slaw ... omg that was amazing. Perfect lunch w good peps! read more

See all

Solid spot on the Avenue for lunch or dinner.The dishes are really fresh and done well. I typically like to order the BLT which comes with good thick bacon and LOTS of avocado. They offer a variety of vegetarian and vegan options which is a pleasant surprise. Our server was attentive throughout the meal. One thing that was interesting to me that the food all came out in to go boxes and everything was disposable? Made it easier for taking home, but odd presentation. Also, be aware that prices have gone up from what is listed on this page. Sandwiches and burgers run $15-18 (understandable considering food costs and the quality of items they have are good!). However, you do get a side and the sandwiches are large. read more

Cute little bar/grill in Bellevue, serving a nice mix of upscale dishes and classic favorites, all with quality ingredients. Service is friendly but I've been here many times over the years and it's never been quick. Just something to know going in- ie not the best for hungry little kids (learn from my mistake LOL). As long as you're aware and don't go in starving, you'll enjoy your experience here. My go-to is the chicken sandwich and their fries are some of the best I've ever had. Natural style with peel, perfectly crispy and nicely seasoned. Helps make up for the fact that they no longer serve their onion rings with cornmeal breading which were the absolute best. Keep an eye on their specials as well. read more

Excellent food and great service! The staff were friendly and engaging. We felt right at home while eating beautiful, healthy food. The halibut dish was next level and I really enjoyed the kale slaw with it. The beet salad was fresh, light and fabulous. Cooked perfectly. All dishes were well balanced. I think they could have charged more for these dishes-but glad they didn't. :) Thank you for an excellent evening! read more

See all

We stopped in while visiting downtown and searching for a vegetarian friendly lunch spot. It's actually a bar. The staff was very pleasant if a little flustered by being understaffed. The hummus plate was remarkably tasty. my daughter tried the nachos were less successful- borderline burnt from being under a broiler. I'm not sure we'd go out of our way to go back but if you're in the area and need a quick snack it would be okay. read more

Great service, large menu! Affordable prices too. We both enjoyed everything we ordered.

One server waiting on tables and bartending? No salt & pepper on table, she was so busy handling everything in the front of the house that the meal was half over before receiving the salt & pepper. Had to ask for straws? Was out of 4 menu items? The clincher was no ketchup on the table either, asked for more ketchup which was served in a small soufflé cup (approx 1.5 oz) and was charged an extra dollar for ketchup. Needless to say won't be back! read more

What a charming restaurant. Be prepared to take a while to peruse the menus as they are lengthy describing their eclectic offerings. The cod was flaky, served hot with a cornmeal breading. The tomato-garlic salad dressing was the perfect complement for tide mixed green side salad. Barry had the Bison Burger served with lettuce tomatoes sweet onion and pickle. He said it was cooked to his liking and perfect. He also had the cucumber salad with its house vinaigrette which he said was excellent. read more

This is a nice place. Having grown up in Bellevue and I saw the transition from a thriving avenue, to a "dying" avenue and now a re-born avenue, it's refreshing to see these small bistro-esque places pop up. I started with the hummus plate. The house -made hummus with rosemary infused olive oil add a nice twist and the plate was abundant. Next, I had the beef burger with a side cucumber salad. Everything was fresh and delicious. My only "ding" was that the bun was a little crumbly. That aside, the food was great. It was nice to visit the old neighborhood and enjoy some new fresh food. read more

We used to really love this place but it's not the same as it used to be. My wife is a vegetarian and now has to eat gluten free so her options are limited. The last like 5 times that we have gone they have been out of what one of us wanted to order. Most them it has been her, the last time it was me. The thing I wanted to order was a daily special on a Friday at like 5:30, really. The more bothersome part is they didn't bother to say anything before we ordered so then we have to wait even longer to order. No more draft beer either. read more

We were looking for a local cafe with character. This fit the bill. Very friendly staff. Locally owned & run with interesting menu. I had a falafel pita & collard greens. Both were great. I'd definitely go back if visiting the area. read more

Wonderful local place with outstanding food! My go-to is the Falafel and the cucumber salad, but I take guests on a regular basis and everyone always loves what they order! As a bonus, friendly team and owners! read more

The Elusive Cow Cafe - Bacon Cheese burger with hand cut fries and house made ketchup. - Burgers Near Me - Bellevue, Kentucky

Love this place!! The staff is so friendly, the menu has different options for everyone, and it is all delicious! I absolutely live for the falafel wrap. It is huge, so fresh, and one of the best falafels I've had in the area. read more

Earlier this year, I met a friend for lunch at The Elusive Cow Cafe. She had been there before, and she recommended the Tempeh Sliders ($8.75), which was the first thing I gravitated to on the menu anyway. Unfortunately, there was a long delay in actually receiving our orders at the table, to the point where we were getting a bit antsy. The sliders were a bit dry, so perhaps they'd been overcooked. While they have a full bar, there was no cocktail menu, so we just stuck with simple drinks ($5 for a vodka soda). The Cafe boasted some solid food menu options, and I'd love to see them add a cocktail menu as well. read more

The Elusive Cow Cafe - Tempeh Sliders - Burgers Near Me - Bellevue, Kentucky

I've been wanting to try this place and finally the day has arrived. I first have to say this restaurant has a very cool vibe! Tried all of our entrees, and the only lack there was is salt, other that they were very delicious!! Our appetizer was the portobello fries and of course they were gone in seconds because it was that good!! I will have to make another trip back to try other Elusive Cows entrees and appetizers. read more

See all

Always delicious. The food is fresh and homemade. Love the hand cut fries and you can't beat the fish sandwich! Nachos are killer too.

I'm sorry to write a poor review as We like to support local places over chains. I had heard some good things about The Elusive Cow so We were looking forward to trying it. It is a nice, little local place and everyone there was very friendly. They do have several vegan options as well as takes on more normal type food. The wait staff was friendly & great on taking our order, getting our food out quickly and checking back in on us. The problem was with the food. My wife got the regular burger and I ordered the buffalo burger and both had so much spice (in my opinion, just straight onion powder), we could barely taste the burger. The home cut fries were hot but not very crispy at all. We finished our food but we aren't likely to go back. I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this one. read more

The Elusive Cow has been on my list to try for a bit, so I'm glad I finally got to stop in! This small divey restaurant/bar has lots of charm to it. During a Friday lunch hour, it seemed to be moderately busy, too! It appeared that there were only two people waiting tables, but I was impressed with the hustle, they did a pretty solid job of keeping up with the crowd. I tried to get a little work done while we waiting on food. The wifi is pretty awful here, so I would definitely not recommend trying to do any kind of work session here where you need internet access. I ordered a veggie burger (made with a beyond burger patty, but seasoned by The Elusive Cow) with gouda cheese on flax seed bread and chose the sauteed kale as my side. I thought that both were super-solid choices. I was told that the fries were excellent (but my better self resisted) - I'll have to try these the next time I allow myself to indulge. read more

See all

The food here never fails to satisfy. The smoked meat is really good as well as the Kale salad. The servers are attentive and even with a bigger crowd able they keep their focus. The space is well used and accentuated the retrofit of the building in a welcome manner. read more

I really liked the place for the food and service. I wondered it took us so long to discover this place while we lived less than a mile away. Food: Food was great a delicious for the most part, except for their Portabella fries which I would definitely NOT recommend unless you like oily and greasy food. We had to leave it right there because it was just too much oil. We also ordered Flatbread Pizza and Tempeh Sliders. In the Flatbread Pizza, we got it made vegan and it was good. What stood out really was the Tempeh Sliders - one of the best I have had till date. The tempeh patties were marinated and seasoned perfectly. The greens on the side complemented really well - which is quite rare. I would definitely recommend it for the vegan food lovers. Ambiance: They have a high-chairs bar, the high-chairs table as well as regular tables on the other side. So, plenty of room. The ambiance was more like a bar and less like a restaurant - so a good place to have some rounds of drinks with your friends. Staff: The staff was great. The service was quite well paced - we didn't have much of a wait time with the food. They didn't charge us for the Portabella fries after we let them know about the issue. Overall, a great place to hang out with friends or even for couples to have some relaxed time during the weekend. Parking here may be an issue since there is only street parking available - so you need the luck to find an empty spot, especially in busy hours. read more

See all

We took a coworker for her birthday lunch this past week. The service, atmosphere, and food were all fantastic! I didn't get any photos but I had the veggie burger and potato salad. So so good!!! We shared nachos for the table abs the chicken was seasoned perfectly. I highly recommend checking out this hidden gem! read more

Popped in for an early dinner and got a spot at the bar. I had the spicy garlic chicken wings and a side of onion rings. Both are really good the spicy garlic might be better described as tangy garlic. Or just know it's not overly spicy. It was perfect for me. I think the ketchup was housemade. It was really good. read more

The Elusive Cow Cafe - Spicy garlic chicken wings and a side of onion rings - Burgers Near Me - Bellevue, Kentucky

First time eating at this establishment. Very good food! Good atmosphere. Very very clean. Had a very nice server who seemed to be new and he did an excellent job ! We did try to tell the other staff about our good experience and great service but seemed to get ignored . Will eat here again and looking forward to trying other food on the menu. Tried: Bison Burger/fries/broccoli read more

This is a great spot for lunch! I had the Beyond Burger with vegan cheddar, my fiancé had the BLT with avocado and we both got fries--which were amazing! We both enjoyed our meals. We didn't order alcohol so I can't speak to the selection of beers. They do have a full bar and quite a few taps. The coffee was decent. There's street parking(can get pretty crowded) and it's near Darkness Brewing so it would be a good place to eat before or after beers. The atmosphere is cozy, and it's actually very pretty inside. I will definitely be back! read more

See all

This place is a hidden gem just across the Ohio River. Stopped in for a quick bite to eat, guy next to me at the bar heard me tell bartender I'd never been here, then he said "get the burger" Dude was right! Crazy good, bursting with flavor, and cooked perfectly. Fresh cut fries were excellent. Glad I stopped in and definitely coming back. read more

The Elusive Cow Cafe - Burgers Near Me - Bellevue, Kentucky

See all

every time i come here, it's somehow better than the last. everything they serve is delicious (the falafel is 11/10), it's always quiet and chill inside (though they deserve wall-to-wall patrons), and the service is always quick and friendly. i truly could not recommend this place enough read more

Nice neighborhood burger place. Great food and ambiance. Nice staff and the service was quick.

I have now been to The Elusive Cow more times than I can count because it is just so delightful. I never get tired of their food and the variety of. They have the best falafel, loaded with veggies, and hummus on the side. Their veggie burger, which is Beyond Meat, is so true to flavor and very satisfying. They have delicious sides including veggies, kale-slaw, fries, etc. I've never left The Elusive Cow hungry or disappointed. The servers here are sweet and take care of you well, even though it is generally just one or two of them for the whole place. Prices are great, getting a meal under 10 bucks, with a few entrees above. The beer selection is broad and they typically have certain specials or themes each night of the week. I've raved about this place to everyone I talk to. I would eat here every day of my life if I could! read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I have NEVER gave a restaurant 5 stars.... This restaurant never disappoints! It's small and quaint, owners are super sweet and kind, when I come to town I always kale, bison burger and pea soup (when available) and Brussels one word AMAZING! We ordered out the last time, due to family recovery from surgery, however with a family of 4 with meals to prepare still yet another wonderful job, and BONUS POINTS... THE ORDER WAS CORRECT!!!! Always look forward to my visits "home" to visit this restaurant, never lets me down!! Keep up the superb job!!!! read more

The Elusive Cow is an independently owned restaurant with locally sourced, amazing food! Just go - you will not be disappointed! All of the food I've had at my 2 visits was fresh and excellent. Their fried portabello mushrooms are a must! Their side salads and dressing are amazing. Every entree I've tried - awesome. And they have quite the vegetarian selection. Draft beer selection is fairly good, with around 6 local beers. I would give the Elusive Cow 5 stars, but the service is sub-par. The servers are stretched thin, and food takes quite a while to receive once ordered (but it does come fresh!). Often, the bartender is also acting as a waitress. They need more employees to provide better service in my opinion. But their lack of great service doesn't turn me away - I highly recommend checking out the awesome eats at the Elusive Cow if you haven't already. read more

The Elusive Cow Cafe - Fried Portabello Mushrooms with awesome sauce - Burgers Near Me - Bellevue, Kentucky

See all

This place is a great find! I will say don't come if you're in a hurry, not exactly fast but I think it's because they literally are making it all... Even the Ketchup! We shared a mushroom fry appetizer, so good! Crispy, meaty, and the sauce.. perfect. I had the steak sandwich and it was good, but the fresh cut fries and ketchup were on point. read more

The Elusive Cow Cafe - Mushroom Fries - Burgers Near Me - Bellevue, Kentucky

See all

I'll definitely go back! Fun place, good food, attentive service... and who can resist that funky name!

Great Nachos! Good Beer! Fabulous owner! It was a pleasure to eat here. Check out the artwork.. it's all for sale.

I had known about this spot for a few years and finally got around to going when I found them in the Foodie Cincy deck ($10 off $30 purchase). My husband and I both had fish fishes, cod and trout. Both were very tasty, as well as our salad and soup appetizers. The service was attentive and the atmosphere was cozy. If the weather had been better, we would have strolled up and down Fairfield Ave for the First Friday event. Tips - Avoid coming on a 1st Friday of the month if you don't want to wait - Be patient if there's large parties, as this place cooks food to order. There was a 10-top ahead of us so it took about an hour for our main courses to arrive. The server was very apologetic but we didn't mind as we weren't in a rush and enjoyed people watching from our window table. read more

It was so yummy! The food was very fresh and tasty! The server was fast, and quick with getting our refills and our food! I loved all the art, especially the little chicken art photos, so stinking cute. Would definitely come again. Somewhere very nice for a quick lunch! read more

I met a date here because she works in the area, and I was always interested in trying a place that is renowned for doing simple food well, with good quality local ingredients, and a true commitment to the local neighborhood. She and I arrived around seven and it was pretty much packed for seating other than the bar, because they let you just seat yourself there were numerous people sitting at really messy arrangements, kind of wherever they like kinda taking up more space than needed. That's okay, because the two of us manage to grab a spot on the bar, without having to rub elbows with anybody else. We each ordered a bison burger, mind medium, hers medium well, both put a lot of things on top of it, and a side of fries and a side of the house salad. Setback, chatted relax, she enjoyed a drink from the bar, and I said waiting very hungrily. And waiting. And kept waiting, because it took quite a while to make those two burgers . The bartender was friendly and polite, but that did little to tease me when everybody around me was getting some incredible looking sandwiches and plates and I was sitting there waiting on my burger. When it did arrive my first thought was that it was a pretty good size, and they put it on the challah bread like I asked. unfortunately my first bite revealed that it was way overcooked, a little bit dry, and that the bread wasn't substantial enough to take the heat and juice so it ended up becoming very soggy. That's my own fault, so I can't blame them, it would've been nice if they were thicker slices, or a little more toasted to soak up some of that fluid without crumbling . She ate a good half of her burger, we split some of the fries and they were decent. Could've deafly use more seasoning, but you fry anything in a be alright. The house salad was actually really good, as was the house vinaigrette, but I don't know if I would come here just for either one of those. By the time you added in the ad on charges for the burgers we spent around 16 $17 a person, which isn't bad for a night out with a entrée inside a piece, especially with local ingredients and the fact you're supporting the small business. It just nothing really blew me away about the experience, so far short of five stars, but it's definitely a solid option in the neighborhood read more

See all

We called ahead and ordered a pick up for a specific time. The food was ready, hot and delicious!! Many ordered different things and everyone loved their meal. We will definitely go back! read more

The food is without a doubt the tastiest and most fresh flavors I've experienced anywhere in the 15 years I've lived in Northern Kentucky. Superb service, very cordial staff, and such a cozy comfortable atmosphere. Shout out to Diane she is lovely! Thanks for making us feel 'at home'!! read more

The Elusive Cow Cafe - A flavor explosion in my mouth!! DeLish!!! - Burgers Near Me - Bellevue, Kentucky

See all