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

-- 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.

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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I'm visiting my sister from out of town and was so stoked to try this place. When I called yesterday, I made sure that they had a pet friendly patio. Their response was, "We prefer dogs!" This made me smile super big and made me super excited to give this place a try. First off, such a cool spot! Great art on the walls and a pretty awesome view. We sat on the patio since we had my dog with us. Service didn't really start out all that well. We started off with ordering our drinks and food all at the same time. It took them awhile for our drinks to arrive but knowing they were pretty busy we didn't get upset! Every time our waiter came to check on us, it's like he couldn't fully stop at our table without leaving. He would ask if we were ok and wouldn't give us a chance to ask for anything. (Like a straw or more napkins). Now, onto the food. We ordered the Pickle Fries. I'm such a sucker for pickle anything. I didn't quite know what to expect out of these. When we got them, it looked exactly like they sounded. Fries that had pickles in the middle. It was so much batter and such little pickles. They were also super over cooked and seemed like they had been reheated in the fryer again. Not very good. We didn't even want to finish them. We ordered the Philly Cheesesteak pizza. This was okay. It reminded me of a breakfast pizza for some reason. Maybe it was the meat. Finally, the margarita. Can't complain about this! Super good for a decent price!! read more

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Dropped in to get a drink and a pizza on a warm winter day out walking and playing with my grandson. The Gruff was packed. We got the last table. Ordered us drinks and a pizza Italian Meat. The Gruff pizza and food is just good. Nothing more to say. It is just good, fresh, great sauce in a fire oven. I usually just eat 2 pieces of pizza when we get pizza at other places.....usually. Wellllllll me and my wife dusted off a 16 inch. . Friendly service and all around clean neat place. Lots of beer choices also. Give the Gruff a try. You will like it too I bet. read more

The Gruff - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

A pleasant pizza place close to the bridge to Cincinnati proper, they offer a pretty standard pizza plus American menu. The vegetarian pizza I tried was fine, but not wildly impressive. Of its many vegetables, they overdid the number of artichokes, so the others did not really come through. The garlic sauce was nice. More impressive though were the fries with some sort of house-flavored ketchup. I do not particularly like ketchup (and a decent fry shouldn't need it anyway), but whatever is in the condiment bottle here was a slightly spicy, savory, and delicious mix. They declined to tell me what the secret ingredient is. So all told, I had a pleasant meal, and thought it a bit better than the baseline for a pizza place. read more

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

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The Gruff always has something good in the menu, and it's my go to when I want a short walk from the Marriott for a tasty meal. Staff is friendly, portions are generous, prices aren't bad. Give it a try. read more

I have been here twice - once for lunch with a friend. We went but weather was terrible so it never got very crowded so it wasn't so noisy, but it was chilly. I also went once for dinner on a Wednesday evening with a small group of high school friends from the 60s. Both times, the food was tasty and I enjoyed it. Service was good. However, the evening experience was not so enjoyable. It was crowded and the interior is a wide open area, so the acoustics are terrible. They did trivia so with the trivia barker, the music, and voices echoing everywhere, I cannot recommend if for a large group. Secondly, parking was a joke on the evening visit. Nothing was available on the street and the lot behind the restaurant ending up costing $15 because there was a REDS game that evening. read more

Food is AMAZING! My boyfriend & I eat here just about once a week, one of our fav little spots!

I love this place. The food, drinks, and service were all good. It also happens to be a really cool spot. It's kind of tucked up under the Roebling and easy to miss, but what a great find. The patio was perfect for a nice lunch. read more

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

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Open, bright bar close to the river in downtown Covington. Offering brunch, brick oven pizzas and local beer. Must try if you like pizza in the slightest! I had an arugula & brussel salad, their maple vinaigrette was delicious. Also the truffle sausage pizza adding; goat cheese, banana peppers and red onion. Let me tell you, and I claim to "not like pizza" - I can't wait to go back. The crust was light yet crunchy, the topping were all cut into bite size pieces leaving for even distribution of tastiness throughout the entire pie. Impressed and almost ate the entire thing. Friendly staff, quick service, delicious food & drink. Can't go wrong, hope to see you there! read more

The Gruff - Truffle Sausage Pizza added: goat cheese, onions and banana peppers - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Great food. Nice atmosphere and great service Will definitely be back to try other items. Good beer selection too read more

The Gruff is a tucked away spot near the historic Licking Riverside area of Covington perfect for a casual lunch. We walked over the bridge from Cincinnati and decided to grab a bite before heading to The Yard to watch football games. The outdoor area was busy due to the unseasonably warm fall day, but we had no problem finding a table. Menu standouts included tons of local beers, tasty sandwiches with fun pickle fries on the side, and delicious looking flatbreads. This place is the goat! read more

The Gruff - tuna sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Wish I could give this business a 2.5, but I can't. Unfortunately some of the most bland uninspired food I've had in quite a while, which is even more disappointing as the menu is inspired and dare I say mouth watering... We ordered the "lemon dill smoked salmon pate" it was extremely dry, flavorless and really just seemed like dry canned salmon jammed into a small mason jar..We sent it back. We ordered a pizza and a burger. The pizza was okay, but really not seasoned well and generally just not impressive. The burger was edible but over cooked and dry (under sauced). Upon receiving the burger it was visibly dry (it was supposed to have tartar sauce on it?). We were charged $.50 for the extra sauce. Though the money is inconsequential, it's kind of messed up to charge for extra sauce for a burger that is supposed to have it but doesn't. Our waitress was nice. As a local restaurant they should take more pride in their product. Wish I had better things to say. Sad. Real sad. read more

I don't know why it took us so long to discover The Gruff. When visiting Cincy, we always stay at a hotel in Covington so this will definitely be on repeat for us. The Gruff has such a fun feel, with the bright colors and laid back atmosphere. We arrived around 2:30pm on a Saturday and had no problems getting seated and actually had a choice of inside or out. The beverage menu covered all the bases, including a hard seltzer on tap. The food menu offers something for everyone. I went with the chicken salad on lettuce. It was just the right amount of smokey and fresh. As a side, I decided on the cucumber salad and it did not disappoint. All in all - this will be our new lunch place when in Cincy. read more

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Stumbled upon this place during my stay in northern Kentucky for Bunbury. Needed a brunch spot to fill up before the concerts and this was perfect. We ordered the breakfast burger and the southern fried chicken with gravy. Everything was tasty and paired well with our pitcher of mimosa. Cute place with great outdoor seating. Would recommend. read more

The Gruff - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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Try their brick oven pizza!! We tried both the bacon & apple as well as a classic pepperoni. The bacon and apple pizza is a very unique blend of flavors. I wouldn't necessarily order it again, but it was a good pizza. I would definitely order a pepperoni pizza again. The crust had a delicious flavor and the level of doneness was perfect. I also tried the soup of the day which was a tomato, bean, and bacon soup. It was a great combination of flavors. read more

Really enjoyed eating dinner at The Gruff. Our waiter rocked, and made the experience 10 times better. We had a group of 8 and were checked on many times. He was very friendly and helpful with what to eat and drink! We ended up ordering pizza and the toasted salmon sandwich. Everything was good, but the pizza was definitely better than the sandwich (but sandwich was still good). Great place to eat with a fun atmosphere. Not very crowded (at least when we were there on a Saturday) but assuming because it's newer. Definitely give it a try, they have a great menu! read more

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Stopped in on a Monday around 6pm for dinner outside. Staff was happy to seat us outdoor even though no one else was outside. They wiped everything down as it had rained and there was pollen etc on the table. So nice! Grabbed a pizza ($11 special on Mondays) and some drinks. Vegetarian pizza was delicious and we were impressed with the quality and bake! The one 12" pizza fed us both but would opt for 2 or add some apps if super hungry. read more

The Gruff - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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I really enjoyed brunching here with my Alma mater- Go Norse! The staff were polite and accommodating with our large group. My order was originally brought out cold, but I was able to receive a new one in a short amount of time. I had the chicken biscuits and gravy, but I have plans to return and try the gumbo. read more

The Gruff - Southern Fried Chicken Brunch - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Staff was friendly and knowledgeable about menu. Great deals and tasty Margherita Pizza :) read more

Stopped in here on our walk over the bridge! Great little find. Cool atmosphere, staff was very friendly and attentive. The food is sooo good! Pizza is hot, fresh and made to order. The Guff BLT was delicious! The homemade ketchup is amazing! Next time we're in town, will be back for sure! read more

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Great local spot with delicious pizza and great people. The restaurant closes at 10 pm and I came in at 9:30 after driving in from out of town and they threw in a pizza for me no questions asked and gave me personalized beer recommendations. Adam is a master bartender who makes you feel at home. read more

For years we have been parking in Kentucky & walking across the bridge for ball games. Eating in Cincy. The crowd was huge, So ate here & pleasantly surprised. Plenty of parking nearby & big beer selection. I had the meatloaf sandwich & it was great. The have huge pizza oven. Looks like a good Sunday brunch place. They close early on Sunday & miss the after game crowd. On a Saturday they were packed pre & post game. read more

The Gruff - Meatloaf sandwich & pasta salad - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

We have ordered lunch from here a bunch but this was the first time in the restaurant. They have a little craft beer six pack store over in the corner of the restaurant. They do make a decent pizza. It's better the your corporate pizza. My favorite is the pastrami Reuben. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'd probably have hypertension due to the salty nature of the pastrami if I did this so moderation is key. Food prices are decent. Since this was a business lunch I didn't buy any beer. I was eyeballing it hard. Now I know this beer area exists this may be a Friday at 5 pm stop in the very near future. Another local gem Eat local. read more

First time visit. Had a great day at the Cincinnati zoo and wanted something to go. Loved the pizzas we got. First pizza was the Margarita pizza on a cauliflower crust and added mushrooms. My wife who is not a big pizza fan loved the Margarita pizza ! I had a build your own with cauliflower crust, white wine garlic sauce, mozzarella, bacon and mushrooms! It was fantastic! The bartender Cyndi was helpful, prompt, friendly and funny! If we are ever back in the area, we will come back to the Gruff. No photos of the pizza because we dove right in when we opened the boxes! read more

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A cute little restaurant overlooking the suspension bridge..! The shareable plate of salmon dip tasted very good! The pizza was vegetarian but we were able to customize it and got chicken added to it.. read more

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Some of the best pizza I've ever had! The restaurant has a great atmosphere and good menu selection

Very pleasant atmosphere- clean, nice music, comfortable. Server was very kind and efficient. The food was phenomenal! I had the gruff burger with cucumber salad. My daughter had the chicken salad sandwich with the pasta salad. We can't pinpoint just exactly what made them so delicious but all if it was devoured with absolutely no complaints. . read more

I wanted to like this place more than I actually did because it has a cool vibe and good location but the food was just ok. I got the tuna salad sandwich and it was a little too dry. My mom's coleslaw was completely unseasoned and didn't taste like anything. read more

Here for pizza week. Philly cheesy weak pizza was awesome! Cool location next to the robeling bridge!

Fun atmosphere, games, good for kids. Food was decent and beer selection excellent. Service was a little below standard. Would visit again though read more

I own TaylorMade Construction , This review is for the waitress Emmanuelle and me and the guys wanted to try something new so we figured we would give the gruff a try , the food was decent but our waitress was one of the best we have ever had , Emmanuelle was on point , polite , upbeat, new what she was doing and how to handle herself , our glasses never went empty and our food was on time. I've been to some nice restaurants in my time , and that waitress is definitely up scale , we will be back just cause her service was amazing , me and some of the guys even called and talked to the bartender on 10-26-23 and told him about her service . He said he was going to relay it to her and the owners . I hope he did cause she deserves it . read more

The Gruff's Fried Chicken Sandwich is the bomb.com!! I was told to try their fried chicken sandwich by a friend because it was so good! It definitely did not disappoint. We went on a Saturday around 2:00 pm. It wasn't crowded and we did not have a wait. We sat ourselves as the sign told us. Our waiter was very bubbly and gave good customer service. The sandwich was delicious. The chicken was seasoned and fried perfectly. The sandwich was simple yet flavorful. It was a brioche bun, fried chicken, spicy pickled slaw and black pepper aioli. Everything went nicely together to make a delicious, cohesive tasting sandwich. It was perfect! Overall, The Gruff's Fried Chicken Sandwich is a winner! read more

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Mmmmhm I love their white chicken chili, when they have it. I love their pizzas (S/O to the Monday? 1/2 priced pizzas) they have some great deals going on here! I love that this feels fast casual, but you also have a server. It really works. It can be a bit noisy, just FYI. They do have parking and a drive through beer.... something... I'm not sure what you call that. But that's pretty neat, they also have a little shop inside as well. I do think the name and the painted designs are so cute as well. I'm a sucker for that. read more

A large group of my friends and I made reservations for brunch at The Gruff (immediate bonus points that they take reservations). First impression of the restaurant was that it was very open/spacious and inviting - there is a front door and a back door and the host is perfectly situated in between to direct customers to seating. I think our waitress was overwhelmed by such a big group (12 girls total), as it took a while to get our drink orders. No biggie, we were patient. I had a bloody mary and it was very good - it had sort of a smokey taste that I'm not used to but it hit the spot! The majority of the group ordered the $20 pitchers of mimosas to split, and they did have a HUGE craft beer selection. My friend and I split a pepperoni pizza, which I was excited about it being "brick oven"; it was just okay in terms of brick-oven pizza and I would order something else next time I go. The hit item seemed to be the sausage sandwich that someone ordered. The biscuits and gravy were described as average and also came in a small portion (I believe it is actually ordered as an ala carte / side item, so the small portion makes sense). Overall, The Gruff was decent and served it's purpose as a pre-Pedal Wagon brunch. I'd definitely be interested in returning and trying some of their lunch/dinner options. read more

The Gruff - Bloody Mary. - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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I ordered lunch from here. The salad was good with fresh ingredients. Overall good, but nothing super special. The preparation/delivery time was quick! Definitely would eat there again!!!! read more

We first tried to come here around 2p on a Saturday. We ended up leaving because no one spoke to us. We had never been there and were simply looking for a menu to review or someone to tell us if it was still brunch or the regular menu. We stood around for about 5 minutes trying to catch someone's attention and finally just gave up. Went back this week for their Wednesday $10 burger and beer special. The special is a good deal, you can choose between a burger, fried chicken, or fried pork loin sandwich and any draft beer. It's basically like getting a free beer. The sandwiches do not come with any sides when you order the special. Those of us who got the special were happy, the others who tried the brussels spout salad and the salmon bagel sandwich were less impressed and still hungry. If I'm in the area again, I may give them another shot, but not overly impressed with the first two tries. read more

Atmosphere great ! Service excellent and the brisket pizza was amazing !! Would recommend highly!!