Location is unbelievable, steps away from starting your night in Covington or a short walk to downtown Cincy. That aside, the food is absolutely amazing, pizza is a show stopper but don't look over the Gruff Boy burger it had me making a scene at the bar it was so good. Owners are great people and are on sight most of the time helping the team, you can tell they care and the employees enjoy being here. Stop by before a game, lunch or brunch it doesn't matter. They always rock it out and you know it's ran with good people and an even better staff. Support local and fight for local. read more

We had a group of nine here for dinner before "Blink" and this place was very busy. Jasmine was our server and she was friendly, professional, attentive and quick. I had the fried chicken salad - very tasty and the perfect portion size. Our table also had the fried pickles, tater tots and several types of pizza. Everything was delicious! We were amazed at how quickly we received our food, considering how packed the place was. Well done Jasmine, and the bar and kitchen staff at the Gruff! read more

SEVERELY understaffed on the Sunday we got brunch there. Food was mid for the price but the server tried her hardest to attend to everyone on the patio so I don't want to give 1-star. Wait was insane for food and drinks. Sat down at 12:08p and didn't get our meals until 1:12p...and yes, we actually timed it after the 30-min mark to see who would win the over read more

Another tasty meal at The Gruff. The Brunch BLT with tots. College football. Perfect. read more

The Gruff - 3 Billy Goats Sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Excellent food. Super friendly to my friend and I and my pooch! Would definitely go back

Food was so good! My kids loved it soo much and said it was the best pizza they had ever eaten in their entire life! My daughter wanted chocolate milk and they didn't have any,so they made some for her and she loved it. They also worked around our allergies!would definitely come back here again! Adam was sooo nice and helped us with the entire thing! read more

Had 2 little ones with us, ages 6 and 3. Have a nice play area for kids and plenty of books. Good food and service.

After posting my first review, the owner was kind enough to reach out, offer apologies for our poor experience, and sent us a gift card to cover another visit, hoping this time we'd have a better evening. Unfortunately, we still weren't completely satisfied. Last time we went on a Saturday, but this time we came on a Tuesday, thinking that the service might be somewhat better. We seated ourselves and were greeted fairly quickly by a girl who took our drink orders. The first time I was here, I liked the look of the chicken sandwich, but nothing else really stood out to me. This time, I felt the same, almost ordering the same sandwich as last time, before landing on the Griddled Meatloaf Sandwich, with coleslaw on the side. My wife opted for the Smoked Salmon Sandwich and fries. We waited maybe 30 minutes for our meal--not bad--and our server was checking to see if we needed anything every 10 minutes or so. Our service was definitely better than our first visit. When our food arrived, and we began eating, I came to the conclusion that our concerns with the food being bland may not have been a fluke. My meatloaf sandwich had very little flavor beyond a run-of-the-mill BBQ sauce and some pickled onions. The flavors seemed rather one-dimensional and didn't complement each other. In addition, the sandwich was a bit lukewarm, similarly to the food during our first visit. The coleslaw tasted like raw cabbage. Nothing else. There was some cream sauce on it, but it had no flavor of vinegar, mayonnaise, or even salt. My wife had similar complaints about her food: the sandwich had little taste except for the salmon, and the fries were unsalted and nothing special. The fries confused us too, because getting them as your side is an upcharge, despite them being just standard fries--and unsalted ones at that. My wife and I concluded, unfortunately, that the Gruff just isn't for us. Perhaps we should have tried their pizza during one of our visits, since that's what they're known for. We'll probably give it a try next time, if we do decide to return. read more

Variety of food is good family friendly and drinks for adults Atmosphere cute. Prices are very fair Would definitely return

Lovely atmosphere. The bartender (I think his name was Adam) was super friendly and attentive. He recommended great beer and food. I had a veggie wrap that was great. The pasta salad is a must try! It's so good I purchased a pound of it togo. My husband loved his cucumber salad and tuna sandwich too. Definitely worth the visit. We look forward to visiting again and trying the pizza next ! read more

This place man lol. It's very creative in theme and large inside. It's very casual. We were told to seat ourselves and didn't see a waiter for 5 minutes when we got menus, then another 10 minutes till drinks and ordering and then 40 minutes to get our food. Except for me who they didn't tell was out of my dish until everyone else in my party already had their food. So I ordered something else and they came back 5 minutes later to tell me they were out of that as well. At this point my whole table was basically done eating. So I ordered an over priced salad and stuffed my face and left. Now I know they were busier than they were expecting but it would be nice if the restaurants near the conference center looked ahead to find out when there would be big groups in since this information is all online. The food was good and our poor waitress felt horrible. But two young girls are not enough to serve that whole restaurant and the kitchen staff is a disorganized mess. Good food doesn't make up for it. read more

My family and I don't often venture over to northern Kentucky, but there are definitely some great spots worthy of visiting. The Gruff, just over the suspension bridge in Covington, is definitely one such place. They specialize in brick oven pizza, as well as various fresh sandwiches and salads. We stopped in for brunch and found something for everyone in our family. I'm not a big brunch fan, as I do not like eggs. However, I was happy to find a number of sandwiches, and even pizza, on their brunch menu! I had a hard time deciding, which is rare for me at brunch, and eventually went with the Gruff BLT with applewood smoked bacon, arugula, pickled green tomato, and black pepper aioli on toasted sourdough with a chopped salad ($12). This was a great sandwich, especially the pickled green tomato. The salad was simple but full of fresh ingredients! My wife enjoyed the southern chicken biscuit with which came smothered in sausage gravy and topped with bacon and an egg ($12). I almost ordered this without the egg, but was happy when she shared a bite with me. This was very filling and tasty! My kids enjoyed the fresh veggie plate, and the hot dog (both $6). Overall we had a great visit to the Gruff and I definitely want to go back to sample some of the pizza. read more

The Gruff - Gruff BLT - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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The Gruff is a nice casual spot in Covington right by the historic Roebling Suspension Bridge with patio seating outside. Really great fried chicken breast filet sandwich, cooked perfectly on a brioche bun with a light taste slaw topping. The pickle fries were awesome too! Good beer selection as well. read more

The Gruff is my husband and I's go-to spot for a casual night out. This is a chill bar with plenty of TVs if you're interested in sports. We love coming on a nice summer day to sit outside and bring our dog. The menu has a decent amount of veggie options (pizzas, wraps, I think a veggie burger), but I love getting a pizza! So much good flavor. The drinks never disappoint either. They have good cocktails and decent wines (nothing too fancy), but their bourbon selection we love! They make a great old fashioned. It may be busier on game days or before concerts, but for the most part we've never had to wait. Love that it's right across the Roebling bridge and walkable from downtown Cincy! read more

This was my first time here and I was eager since I've heard lots of good things! I did not disappoint. I ordered the salad which had roasted Brussel sprouts, bacon, kale, arugula, and lemon vinaigrette. It was delicious! My one request would be an option on the menu to add meat. I asked if I could add chicken but it wasn't clear how much that would cost and wasn't worth the hastle. I didn't eat the pizza but it's a veggie pizza. It was a Monday and the specialty pizzas are $11. read more

The Gruff - Veggie Vegetarian Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Place is awesome and inviting right on the state line. It's a small family run restaurant with a great menu and a lot of loving touches. The bloody Mary mix (which is homemade and Adam does an amazing job), their kitchen is homemade, pickles etc. Had the Billy Goat sandwich and the olive spread was delicious. The service was great. Owners had their young daughters there and they were teaching them all of the ropes. It was so cool to watch. Wait staff was attentive and friendly, food came out quick and a ton of local beer options. read more

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The food is amazing, the service spectacular, and the ambiance is unparalleled! If you're ever in the area The Gruff s an absolute MUST!

Super and accommodating for our large dance group. Everyone left full and happy. A great local community find.

The service was great, and our waiter was very attentive. The pizza, as it always is, was fresh and delicious with amazing pepperoni. Everything is baked in a real traditional pizza oven, not sure if it's Woodfire, but it looks like that from the outside at least. Highly recommended! read more

We've walked past a million times, always with a promise to return to try their pizza. Today was the day... except I heard their chicken sandwich is also amazing so I opted for that instead. Hubby ordered the brisket pizza. We both had delicious hard seltzers (peach and black raspberry) as we waited. Our server was great, but our wait was longer than expected. When the food finally arrived hubby's pizza was delightful. My chicken tasted like rubber. When the server returned, we let her know that the texture of the chicken was 'off'. It is unusual for us to have a dish remade ( always a fear to offend the chef) but she insisted and we agreed. The second sandwich was very tasty, much better than the first. I loved how our server handled the entire situation. She was high energy and clearly wanted us to have an enjoyable experience... and we did!! We will definitely return!! read more

The Gruff - Boozy sparkling water - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

I was in Cincinnati last weekend and did a search for restaurants.. the Gruff popped up a few times... So I decided to try it, plus it was close to my hotel. The mad tree lager was very good... I am a lager guy. I ordered a kale salad and the wood fire Italian meat pizza... EXCELLENT... I will be back on the next trip to Cincinnati. read more

The Gruff - Great lager! - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

What a pleasant surprise this visit turned out to be. Discovered this place by accident the day before during our walk over the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. Because of the time of day, it was not open, but I was intrigued by the wall art and its retelling of the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff from a food perspective. Today after a visit to the National Underground Museum that had me all in my feels, I decided to take a walk over the bridge in the sunshine to get a bit to eat and a drink. Walked into a fairly large space with a sign that said to seat yourself. Thought about sitting in the outdoor area, which looked cute, but wanted the air conditioner after walking in the sun to get there. No one spoke as I came in but as soon as I settled on what table I was going to sit at, Jessica came over and greeted me warmly. Jessica asked if I wanted a beer menu, I said wine and she laughed and said she had me. Was happy to see that they had La Marca Prosecco by the glass, so that right there will get them at least 3 stars on this review. I started with Smoked Lemon Dill Salmon Pate. The menu said it was served with English cucumbers and sliced radishes, with a brick oven flat bread or rice crackers. The dish actually came with tomatoes, which was way better for me. I opted for the flat bread instead of the crackers. The pate was nice. I am guessing that they make it in-house. I say this only because this is a dish I order often when available on a menu and this was the first time I ever had one that had large chunks of salmon in it. Again, not complaining as I love it. Didn't finish it as my sandwich came out about 5-7 min later. So glad I didn't as I got the pate to go. For my main entree I got the Fried Pork Loin Sandwich with fries. The sandwich came topped with arugula, sliced tomatoes, pickled red onions and a chipotle cream sauce on a brioche bun. The onions were not mentioned on the menu, but man make sure you ask for them as they totally made the sandwich. The pork was not breaded, so I am guessing the meat was more grilled/sauteed in the skillet that actually fried. Very good sandwich, so much so there was none left to take back to the hotel. Fries were hot and tasty and the entree came with a little personal squeeze bottle of ketchup. No idea what it tasted like as I not a ketchup person in general, but thought the concept was cute. Serve was prompt and fast. Jessica was very attentive and checked in on me. She had a great personality and was very welcoming, with a great laugh. Even though she was working tables and the bar, she managed to take care of everyone. Not sure I will be back there before I leave town, but if I do, I want her to serve me and I want to try Braised Beef Stroganoff with a sunny side up egg and fries (I am a sucker for this dish!). read more

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We wanted to try something new, and when I saw that they had a brisket pizza, I knew I needed to try it. The pizza was hot and fresh on a homemade thin crust. Proper amount of cheese and toppings. I worked at a pizza place for two years and I appreciated the quality and effort that they put into the pizza. I saw another review comment that their thin isn't a true thin, but this is true homemade thin! Anything thinner comes frozen and premade! This pizza was fresh, just a bit spicy, and absolutely delicious. I even mentioned it to my dad (a man obsessed with brisket) and he wants to try it next times he's in Cinci. The only (minor) complaint I had was that I'd like more meat, but that's just because I thought it was so good! The restaurant is a bit hip but I loved the outside sitting and the selections for the bar! Our waitress was very nice and checked in on us the right amount of times (not too much or too little). We're planning on going back soon! read more

The Gruff - Smoked Brisket Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

My first visit here with my husband and my parents were visiting from out of town. The weather was gorgeous for sitting outside, so we seated ourselves and waited for our server (which took a while because she was busy with a LOT of customers outside). The service was slow, but I knew why and was patient. When our server took our order, she might have been confused or new, because we asked about the margherita pizza and if it had red sauce. She said yes it did, but there's only one pizza on the menu that has sauce and this wasn't it. The pizza was a tad sweet to me, but my mom thought it was very salty. I got the roast beef sandwich with pickle fries, which was tasty but not fantastic. I really liked the pickle fries, but I just simply wasn't wowed by them. Overall, the food was okay, but nothing fantastic and that was what was most disappointing. read more

The Gruff - Roast beef sandwich with pickle fries - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Not really my cup of tea. The Gruff's pizza is Cincinnati style, but with premium ingredients. I'm not a fan of the texture or the way the crust tastes. It's not thin enough to be thin crust, but not thick enough to be standard. It was just kind of there. More of a stale bite. We were not traveling far with the pizzas. (Less than 5 miles.) Close enough that if there had been any crispness at least some should have remained. A friend told me how much she enjoys The Gruff; particularly their pizza. Customer service is what brings this review up to three stars. The person who gave us our pizzas knew that we had ordered the special pizza with no bacon. She took a moment to check. When she saw bacon on it, she immediately had it remade. It's kind of a double edged sword. On one side, I really appreciate her thoroughness. On the other side, the kitchen was not as thorough. Rather than saving time by ordering ahead, we ended up having to wait anyway. The server was very apologetic. Her sincere apology was appreciated. read more

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Great food, great craft beer, and great ambience. Definitely will be back. Great selection of food and spirits. read more

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Visiting family in Cincinnati for the first time, I spotted this place from the street blocks from our hotel. Its easy to see, painted colorfully on the outside and located right at the base John A. Roebling bridge on the Covington, KY side. To start, this place is adorable inside. Colorful and fun inside with also outdoor seating facing the bridge. A small packy retail area and full bar as well. The menu? A mixture of healthy and comfort foods. We were craving pizza so decided to share a pie. The pizza was great. Olive mix with Pepperoni on one side, just cheese on other for our 8 year old. I ordered the "Chopped" side salad as well. Argula, red peppers, onion, chick peas and radish with a balsamic vinaigrette. I loved that any salad on menu had a side salad option at a cheaper price. The pizza? Fantastic. I love that the cheese is cooked all the way to the end of the relatively flatter crust, that crispy baked cheese finish was delicious. Beer selection? Fantastic. Lots of good options, also cocktails and wine available. The service? Great! Our server was super peppy and sweet, even after our daughter accidentally knocked a water over on our table. She no stress helped us clean it up. A hip/ hipster vibe in here. Good prices, great food. I'm pretty certain we'll be hitting this place up again on our trip. Last thing, great upbeat indie music our entire visit. This place is a mouth win! read more

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My husband and I LOVE this restaurant. It overlooks the Roebling bridge and has a cute but relaxed atmosphere, so it's perfect for a last minute mini date night. I've been many times and never left dissatisfied. The service is always friendly and fast, and the price is very good compared to similar restaurants, and on Monday night you get a 12" pizza for $11!! They have a similar deal on Wednesdays, $11 for a burger and beer combo. The bacon and apple pizza is the stuff dreams are made of. I dream about the lemon vinaigrette sauce they drizzle over it! My husbands favorite is the fried chicken sandwich with the tots. One thing, it's not my favorite margarita pizza! But I am VERY picky about that style of pizza, and it was still good. Seriously, the bacon and apple pizza is reason enough to go, but we've tried several other things on the menu and love them all! read more

The Gruff - Half Bacon and Apple Pizza half Margherita Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

I remember seeing this place when my friends and I were walking around near the bridge. My friend ended up trying it out some time ago and suggested it this time for lunch. When we came in on a Thursday close to noon, it wasn't packed yet. There were groups here and there already waiting for food. Mostly families. Later, I saw more young adults coming to dine in during their break from work. We got greeted as soon as we walked in. It's cute! The space is open with bright green and blue colors. The name of the restaurant is based off the children's story, The Billy Goats Gruff. I ordered the 3 Billy goats sandwich. It's similar to an Italian. It had salami, soppressata, prosciutto, spinach, goat cheese, and an olive spread which kept falling out. I loved the flavors!! It was really delicious and well-presented. I got it with a side of fruit which was a mixture of raspberries and blackberries. My friends got the Brussels sprouts arugula salad and the fried chicken sandwich. They all enjoyed it! My friend who got the fried chicken sandwich thought the fries were just okay. Could've used more salt and were floppy. They also have local kombucha which was pretty good! Service was good! They kept checking up on us and food came out pretty quickly. They do have gluten free options but it's not extensive. They don't have gluten free bread or pizza crust. I know it's expensive to have this on the menu though. Overall, would love to come back again for the pizza. Seems like that may be their main thing. They also do catering and you can buy apparel here. They've got a small lot but we didn't have trouble finding parallel parking. There's also a lot nearby you can pay for. They also have a drive thru window which seems convenient if you are in a hurry. read more

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My first time here and definitely not my last. Had dinner here with some friends and had a great experience. Our waitress had so much energy and was so attentive. Our food was just as good as the service. When our food was brought out the waitress said the French fries were not up to standard so she brought out tots to eat until the new fries were ready. Now that's good service! I highly recommend this place. read more

The Gruff - The Gruff Boy - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

I tried this place for the first time a few weeks ago, to be honest it was a rainy day and we went because it was dog friendly on the outside but we ended up leaving fairly quickly because of the weather so we couldn't try much, but we got a couple of beers and ordered a Cubano Sandwich to go. The service was pretty good, being a first timer I didn't know what I needed to do if I could sit anywhere I liked, If a waiter was going to take our order or if should just to the bar and ask for something, which I ended up doing. The guy on the bar wasn't very welcoming; I went to the bar and started looking at the beer options that they had and the bartender says ' Are you going to order something?' and it's not the question but the way he said it; sounded more like a 'Are you going to stand there all day or order something'. after some back and forward conversation he ended up saying, ok just sit on any table and a waiter will take your order. The waitress was great though! The place looks pretty cool and it had a great atmosphere (If you don't count the bartender vibe). The sandwich that I tried was fairly good, Not a great Cubano sandwich but wasn't bad neither. It felt like a healthy snack. If that's the concept of the restaurant then that's great for them and the people looking for a healthier choice. I personally wanted a more traditional Cubano sandwich. It is served on a sourdough toast which ended becoming soggy and it needed either more meat ratios or less pickles since they are chunks not slices; the ratios felt more like 50% meat 50% pickles. Eitherway, everyone may have an off day so ill be coming back, It is still a great place to have a few beers, chill and the food looks great so next time I'll be trying something new, maybe talk to another bartender and give an update if needed. read more

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This restaurant is the bomb! I always order the Veggie Wrap. Best wrap I have ever tasted. My sister gets the Grass is Greener Salad. The restaurant is always bumpin'. Very casual. Good for kids, large families, singles, girls/guys night out. There is an area for kids to play. It has a little store in it too with great wine, beer, and snacks. It's always busy so the service is a little slow but well worth the wait. I have 2 small complaints, the music can be way too loud and not fond of their pizzas. Otherwise, one of my favorite places to have great food without the hassles of dressing up. Just come as you are. Really nice laid back staff. Good vibes, excellent food. read more

Excellent waitstaff. They did make some mistakes with our pizza but were quick to make up for them. Food was delicious as were the drinks. Absolutely will be going back. read more

The Gruff - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

-- Update: November 2022 -- Rating: 1 star I went in early on a Thursday around 5-6 pm for a pizza. I sat at the bar and waited for 15 minutes attempting to get the bartender's attention to finally get a menu and a water. Unfortunately, after waiting for 15 minutes, the bartender's response to my order of one small pizza was "it's going to be over an hour" and I gave up. He shrugged it off and didn't seem to care anyways. If they're this backed up, they should have a greeter telling people so others don't waste their time. This place used to have awesome service... apparently it's gone downhill as it became more popular. Not sure if I'll be back after this... there are too many good alternatives around here where service isn't an afterthought. -- Previous Review: 2017 -- Rating: 5 stars Chicken sandwich was incredible, even better than The Eagle in OTR. The Gruff is a weird place -- a bar, a restaurant, a butcher, a little convenience shop all-in-one. I'm excited to see where it goes. read more

This place is great! We had a fantastic experience hanging at the bar. Special shout-out to Cindy for being stellar.

The Gruff is a great family friendly, local spot to grab a bite and drink while you're bopping around Covington's historic parks and riverfront. We stopped in after a wedding and tried a variety of their appetizers and I tried a Cup of The Soup Of The Day (Which was a delicious Potato Soup that I highly recommend!) to warm up after a chilly outdoor October ceremony. The staff were very good about following COVID safety measures and precautions. All were wearing masks and gloves and tables were seated with more than 6 feet apart. When we arrived we weren't sure that they had wiped down our table, but my confidence in their staff increased when I saw another party leave and they immediately cleaned and sanitized the table. read more

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We were in Cincy visiting friends and we walked across the bridge into Covington and decided we needed a drink and a snack. We were seated in the very last table outside, brought water, had a few drink orders taken and then nothing happened. We sat for about 20 minutes, drinking water, waiting for our server to come back. We drank all the water and decided to leave. So we did. H2O was room cold but was served in short glasses with no ice. Provided a bottle for refills. Tasted good. read more

This place was a letdown. My daughter and I were going to be in the general area on Saturday and picked this place for lunch after reading the menu and the reviews. After we were seated the server told us that they were only serving brunch. We had no idea that was the only menu being served since it doesn't say that anywhere on their website or their Facebook page. I've looked again and it's not mentioned anywhere. Since we both already knew what we wanted to order when we walked in - we spent a couple minutes going over the brunch menu. I decided on the Smoked Salmon sandwich and subbed tater tots for the fruit. My daughter ordered the Southern Fried Chicken. The smoked salmon tasted great. Nice smoked flavor. I just wish there had been more of it. It's served on a everything bagel with roasted red pepper cream cheese, red onion and arugula. The combination is perfect - if it just had more smoked salmon. It was super skimpy on the salmon. My sandwich was mostly bagel, arugula and onion. My daughter's meal had a nice presentation. That was the best part of the dish unfortunately. After a couple bites my daughter said, "Eh, this isn't that good. The chicken is flavorless and so is the gravy." After I said it looked delicious, she offered me a bite. I understood what she meant. Bland, unseasoned fried chicken that had an overwhelming flavor of oil. The bland white gravy just added to the overall boringness of the dish. Then the aftertaste of greasy oil soaked breading lingered. Ick! The service definitely needs improvement too. Our server, C., certainly has her schtick down but could spend more time perfecting her service skills. She was slow and inattentive , spending more time either socializing or on her "I'm cool/funny" schtick. To top it off - an unclean restroom. It wasn't busy at all and with three employees up front there's no reason for a dirty restroom. This isn't a place I'd return. read more

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One of my favorite date night spots! Such a cool spot in a great location. The first time I had it with my husband we liked it so much we went back the next day. I always get the same thing and it is never old- margarita pizza and a blackberry gin sling to drinkI have also tried the tots with sauce (best ketchup ever!), hanky panky dip, and truffle pizza too. read more

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Went for trivia on Wednesday and it was a great time! They off great deals any day of the week, lucky us the deal on Wednesdays is any hot sandwich with a beer was a $10 combo! The food was so good, especially the tater tots! I also got their Ice cream sandwich, which was also amazing. read more

The Gruff - Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky