Cincinnati's 25 Most Romantic Restaurants, According to Yelp

Photo: Hailey Bollinger

25. Dee Felice Cafe

529 Main Street, Covington
”Take the Roebling suspension bridge from cinci and then continue the romance at Defelice. Their music stage is perched behind the bar and the jazz completes the speak easy feel . Food was good, we ordered it spicy. Our favorite was the ravioli appetizer. A bit pricey, but the atmosphere makes up for it.” — C M.
Photo via Facebook.com/Dee-Felice-Cafe

24. York Street Cafe

738 York Street, Newport
”Location is cool for a date as there is a theatre across the street... I believe it's the Footlighters. We have done the play/dinner date and that was also a great experience. We have been to this restaurant over ten times and I can only remember one time that I didn't thoroughly enjoy everything.... definitely going back again.... and again.” — Jennifer I.
Photo via Facebook.com/YorkStCafeNewport

22. Zula Restaurant & Wine Bar

1400 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
”Love love love Zula for a quiet relaxed dinner! Service is great and the waiters don't rush you. I came here on a Saturday night looking for a relaxing dinner. Zula is known for small plates that you can share with the table. I love trying several new dishes. The small dishes go great with a bottle of wine. All the small plates we had incorporated an array of flavors that came together so nicely! Definitely recommend trying Zula out for a date or with your girlfriends!” — Mariel D.
Photo via Facebook.com/ZulaWineBar

19. Taft’s Ale House

1429 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
”I came here with my gf for dinner one weekend in the summer and we had a great time. The food, service and beer was very tasty and it's also different than the Brewporium so the variety was nice in case you're thinking about visiting both. This place can be more of a sit-down style dining experience (top level) or the order and sit at a table with friends while playing board games feel (bottom floor). They have an elevator and ramped entrance so it's accessible which is great. ” — Fuschia H.
Photo: Jesse Fox

16. S.W. Clyborne Provision & Spirits

5948 Snider Road, Mason
”We were meeting up with some friends and decided to do a date night out of town. We always love a good cocktail and the reviews seemed to be really positive. When we arrived we were seated promptly and had the most knowledgeable server. He gave us the dos and don'ts and made some great suggestions. I typically don't like too many things outside the box but he had me try the braised short rib. It was divine and the goat cheese ravioli was good as well. If I'm ever back in town I'll definitely return.” — Keli T.
Photo via Facebook.com/Clybornes

15. Otto’s

529 Main St., Covington
”What a quaint but vibrant place on Main St! Colorful outside and in and the atmosphere has me feeling like I had stepped into the corner of the French Quarter. Friendly staff, simple BUT delicious menu with all sorts of fresh goodies. We sat outside during lunch on a perfect April day and it was beautiful! I enjoyed the HUGE and chock full of fresh ingredients Cobb Salad that was overflowing with juicy chicken breast. Oh and the tomatoes seemed home grown and popped with flavor in your mouth O MER GOD! My lunch date enjoyed their Tomato Pie, which she devoured every last bite and had it with a side salad that come with a house-made balsamic (you could have chose soup or sweet potato fries). ” —Abby D.
Photo via Facebook.com/Ottos521

14. Abigail Street

1214 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
”This place is fantastic. Stumbled upon this place on a short trip to Cinci for work. it's in the OTR area with nice restaurants and cocktail bars that's also easily walkable. So glad we came. The ambience is smooth, low key, down to earth yet sophisticated. Our server was great. I requested a drink not on their short cocktail menu and they did their best to recreate it. Their best was actually pretty damn good too, for a first take (I ended up ordering another). Now for the food. We got the octopus, gnocchi and short rib. All were KILLER but the star was the octopus. BRUH. The flavors of this bad boy almost had me walk to the back kitchen and demand the recipe from the chef. It was on a bed of hummus with some Spanish sausage, chorizo and fried chickpeas . I don't want to down play the gnocchi and short rib either. Those were equally phenomenal. I just don't feel like coming off as a mad man. Bottom line, come... enjoy some wine while they bring one dish at a time. Cut your phones off and live in the moment here” — Jonathan M.
Photo via Facebook.com/AbigailWineBar

13. Alfio's Buon Cibo

2724 Erie Ave., Hyde Park
”Service was exceptional. Ali made us feel welcomed, appreciated, and we were well taken care of. She was the right amount of attentiveness. We never waited for anything. Ambiance is perfect for a date night. There was a curtain separating our booth from the one next to us. A semi-private booth added to the already romantic feel from the lighting. Alfio's was the perfect choice for our date night.” —Elyse F.
Photo via Facebook.com/AlfiosBuonCibo

12. Forno Osteria + Bar

3514 Erie Ave., Hyde Park
”We have been here a handful of times and just went for brunch this past weekend! It has yet to disappoint! It's a smaller place but doesn't feel overcrowded and the food is always great. Their short rib is probably my favorite of all time and their brunch is just as good. I got the avocado BLT and the flavor was great, although I do wish they used avocado slices vs spread. But our servers are always attentive and knowledgeable, something that always keeps us coming back to an establishment. Perfect for a date night or dinner with friends!” —Desiree J.
Photo via Facebook.com/FornoOsteriaBar

9. Carlo & Johnny

9769 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
”One of the marquees of the Jeff Ruby chain of restaurants, Carlo & Johnny is exactly what you expect from the name. Transport yourself to the 40-50s: opulent meals, heavy furniture, dark dining rooms and fantastic steaks! You almost want to wear pinstripes when walking in. The place is in the town of Montgomery therefore I am a bit biased since it is my backyard. The service is pristine whether you are on a date or dining with a group. Reservations are a must as the place can get quite busy. BTW, bring your nice credit card and don't look at prices. This is not the time to nickel and dime; just enjoy the experience. I promise it will be worth it!” — Juan T.
Photo via Facebook.com/JeffRubysCarloandJohnny

8. LouVino OTR

1142 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
”Dinner here on a Saturday night, we had reservations and were promptly seated. Nice atmosphere with decor vibes of urban and rustic. Our waiter was very helpful in explaining the wine flights and the menu. I really enjoyed the wine flight. What a great way to experience and explore the differences of a varietal of wine! We started with the charcuterie board which is very good” — Julie W.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

7. Nada

600 Walnut St., Downtown
”My wife and I had our "actual" first date here about 6 years ago or so and Nada has been a staple to us and our relationship! My wife and I got married on Saturday, October 10th, 2015 and we had our wedding reception at Nada. At the time Laura Elwyn was the party planner and was THE BEST PLANNER by far!! We were actually the first couple to have a wedding reception at Nada, let alone the first same sex marriage to have this party. We rented the upper level out for about 4 hours. We had our own menus made along with drink tickets for our guests. The service was impeccable and couldn't ask for a better evening for our family and friends that's travelled here to Cincinnati, OH to celebrate our marriage and our absolute favorite restaurant. Every year we still make reservations for our anniversary and each year we get surprised by the staff and they may be little but they're BIG things to us! The food is impeccable along with the service. We will definitely continue to celebrate our anniversaries here along with every huge mile stone we make!!” — Melissa J.
Photo via Facebook.com/EatDrinkNada

6. Mita's Restaurant and Bar

501 Race St., Downtown
”Dined in at this place for our wedding anniversary. We had a reservation, took our temperature and did a basic COVID screening with questions and we quickly got seated. The restaurant itself has really good aesthetic and decor, nice ambiance that comes with dining. We ordered multiple items off the menu - it definitely is on the pricer side. We started with the garbanzos and bread plate. Nice apps to begin with. The short rib empanadas were delicious. The ceviche del dia was amazing - My favorite on the menu!! Definitely recommend getting that if you're looking for something tasty and refreshing. The waiter brought us complimentary champagne for our anniversary as well which was a nice gesture.” — Sarah M.
Photo via Facebook.com/MitasCincinnati

5. Red Feather Kitchen

3200 Madison Road, Oakley
”Deliciously creative fare in a comfortably designed atmosphere. What made the whole dining experience even more enjoyable was our waiter Chris. Helpful and truly dedicated to his job, he described the menu with passion clarity and creativity. The pork chop was like no other I've had in my life and cooked to perfection. The oysters were fresh with a light minuet. The roasted olives were perfectly done as well. If you live or just visiting Cincinnati you must must go to this restaurant. And the cherry on top was that after my guy made the request, they graciously reseated us so we could sit next to each other and not facing one another. It's the romantic way to dine with your darlin.” — Alison H.
Photo via Facebook.com/RedFeatherKitchen

4. Bouquet Restaurant

519 Main St., Covington
”Bouquet is set in the most quaint but hopping area of Covington. The restaurant is Old World style in a brownstone, very cozy and comfortable vibe. We ordered a cheese plate, mushrooms, and burger "tapas style" between my date and I and some cocktails. Cocktails were solid, my date enjoyed the smoked old fashioned with sorghum on the rim for a slight twist. Food was excellent, with the pimento topped burger being the star. ” — Emily B.
Photo via Facebook.com/Bouquet519

1. Sotto

118 E. 6 St., Downtown
”Terrific. Fantastic. Delicious. Are three words to describe Sotto! My boyfriend and I came here last night for my birthday dinner. We had an excellent time. We decided to split all of the appetizers and entrees so we got a chance to try different menu options. The decor of the restaurant is romantic and a bit more upscale, the prices are definitely reasonable and the food is probably the best I've had in Cincinnati! If you are looking for some great Italian, Sotto is definitely the spot to go to.” — Courtney L.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger