These 27 Restaurants Are Some of the Oldest in Cincinnati

Zip’s Cafe

1036 Delta Ave., Cincinnati
Zip’s Cafe was founded in 1926, meaning that it has been running for a whopping 93 years. Well known for their tasty and tangy burgers, they serve up everything from their famed Zip’s Burger, to more bold patties, like the “The Flying Pig” and the “Train Wreck.” Aside from their burgers, they also offer fish sandwiches, ruebens, barbecue, chili, soups and more. They don’t skimp out on vegetarians, either, offering both a garden and a bean patty option.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Scotti’s Italian Eatery

919 Vine St., Downtown
Family-owned since 1912, Scotti’s has solidified itself as a Queen City staple. Their large menu features just about every pasta imaginable and nearly 20 different varieties of veal dishes. Finish off your meal with a bottle of wine and you’ll be full for days. Multi-colored tiles plaster the walls, and candles drip layer upon layer of wax on Chianti bottles at every table, providing a little light to the otherwise dimly lit dining room. Scotti’s is named after early 20th-century opera star Antonio Scotti, so the sounds pumping through the speakers isn’t Muzak or clichéd Sinatra tunes, it’s Rossini and Puccini and Pavaratti — just another aspect that sets this landmark apart from the pack.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Arnold’s Bar & Grill

210 E. 8th St., Downtown
Open since 1861, Arnold’s is the oldest continuously running tavern in town, complete with dark wood walls, vintage memorabilia and a big ol’ bathtub in the dining room, rumored to have been used to make gin during Prohibition. A Cincinnati classic, it serves up a nice range of lunch and dinner options — pasta, sandwiches and burgers, plus vegan and gluten-free options — at bargain prices. Enjoy a local draft in the outdoor beer garden and almost daily live music. Named as one of the best bars in America by Esquire magazine.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

The Golden Lamb

27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon
Jonas Seaman came to Ohio from New Jersey in 1803. In a time when many couldn’t read, the business was marked by a symbol, not a name: a golden lamb. Present-day, the spot has served 12 presidents and an array of other famous figures. Their menu serves up items like braised lamb shank, chicken sliders and seared salmon. The Golden Lamb also is known for their Sunday brunch, served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Photo via Facebook.com/TheGoldenLamb

Frisch’s Mainliner

5760 Wooster Pike, Fairfax
Big Boy sandwiches. All-day breakfast. Warm bowls of chili and soups. Frisch's Big Boy Mainliner opened in 1939, when founder David Frisch opened Cincinnati’s first year-round drive-in, which could hold up to 60 cars. Now the regional diner chain is an iconic stop for Queen City residents. The famous menu still carries on today — with additions — and offers up both nostalgic memories and classic grub.
Photo: Catherine Viox

The Precinct

311 Delta Ave., Columbia Tusculum
You can always rely on a Jeff Ruby restaurant for a big, rare steak and platters of seafood. The Precinct, housed in a historical Romanesque-style former police precinct, opened in 1981 and was the first in a long line of Ruby steakhouses. You can’t go wrong with a sirloin or porterhouse, named after current and past Cincinnati sports greats. But there are other options, like blackened diver scallops or something from the tableside service menu like seafood fettuccine alfredo for two.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Mecklenburg Gardens

302 E. University Ave., Corryville
For a taste of Zinzinnati’s German heritage, Mecklenburg Gardens showcases some of the best German cuisine the city has to offer. Their specialty is wienerschnitzel, a tender, pan-fried veal cutlet topped with lemon; it’s served with mashed potatoes and cabbage. They have about a dozen beers on tap, most of which are German, along with some local microbrews. Nationally ranked as one of the best biergartens in the country, it’s also one of Cincinnati’s oldest restaurants, having been open since 1865.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Skyline Chili

1001 Vine St., Downtown
Skyline has been pioneers of Cincinnati chili since opening in 1949. First founded by Greek immigrants, the chili parlor pours the Queen City staple over spaghetti or hot dogs and tops it with a mound of cheese, oyster crackers, and — depending on your taste preference — onions and beans. Also available are chili burritos, fries, baked potatoes and vegetarian chili, which is made with black beans and rice.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Pompilio’s

600 Washington Ave., Newport, Ky.
This restaurant, where the toothpick scene in Rain Man was filmed, has been offering classic family Italian food since 1933. You can’t go wrong with any pasta dish. Play a game of bocce ball on the back court or grab a beer-and-burger special in the attached Colonel Pomp’s Tavern.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Mt. Adams Bar and Grill

938 Hatch St., Mount Adams
Opened during the prohibition era in 1919, Mt. Adams Bar and Grill’s roots are thought to tie back to a speakeasy owned by infamous bootlegger George Remus. It became the first bar and grill in Ohio to receive its liquor license in 1933. Known for their whiskey, it offers a varied menu that serves up hearty burgers, soups and even features a Cincinnati favorite with a twist: white chicken chili. Walk inside and enjoy this Cincinnati blast from the past while tasting some amazing grub.
Photo: Izzy Viox

Lake Nina

7200 Pippin Road, North College Hill
Lake Nina Restaurant is a seafood spot that has been in the business for about 60 years. Famous for their fried fish log, they also offer a variety of other non-seafood options like fried chicken, frog legs, burgers and double deckers. This treasure on the water has been a place to create memories with the fam for decades.
Photo: Izzy Viox

Maury’s Tiny Cove

3908 Harrison Ave., Cheviot
Maury’s has been packed full of flavor and a West Side tradition since 1949. The dimly lit supper-club vibe will have you feeling like a regular on your first visit. The extensive menu consists of all the classic steakhouse options: tender, juicy steaks, seafood and chicken cooked just right, plus pasta, Atomic Age sides (shredded lettuce salads; a complimentary ramekin of pickles on every table) and a perfect martini. Ask for the Carol booth — the restaurant appears in the locally filmed, Oscar-nominated movie starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara — or take a photo with the Maury’s sign, featuring a kitschy cartoon steer holding a cocktail.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Sugar n’ Spice

4381 Reading Road, Avondale
Huge, fluffy omelets and “wispy-thin” pancakes have made Sugar n’ Spice a bona fide breakfast institution for over 75 years. One of the city’s most popular places for people of all ages and backgrounds to dine and socialize, new owner Steve Frankel has made updates to the menu, digging some old favorites from the basement archives. He’s also the guy behind the genius marketing plan of giving patrons little rubber ducks originally from Ace Toys on Reading — and passing out fried macaroni and cheese bites during long waits. It’s a charming quirk that keeps people coming back.
Photo: Jesse Fox

Montgomery Inn

9440 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
World-famous for its ribs, Montgomery Inn has been a staple in Cincinnati since 1951. Along with ribs, the Inn offers barbecued spring chicken, silver salmon, pulled-pork sandwiches, burgers, salads and more, including everyone’s favorite: Saratoga chips served with their famous barbecue sauce.
Photo: Provided

Herb and Thelma’s Tavern

718 W. Pike St., Covington, Ky.
Open in 1939 as Heine’s Café, the small drop-ceilinged dining room is what some may call a “hole in the wall.” Their incredibly friendly staff serves up simple but delectable made-to-order burgers. Their speciality is a juicy meat patty topped with cheese, onions and pickles; a short list of sides includes chili, soup or Husman’s chips. The joint recently added craft beer to its program of PBR, Bavarian’s and Budweiser. One note: Herb & Thelma’s is cash only, but burgers cost less than $5 (as does the fried bologna sandwich with cheese).
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Colonial Cottage

1865, 3140 Dixie Hwy., Erlanger
Colonial Cottage opened during the Great Depression in 1933 with a dream: To feed the community. The Northern Kentucky spot has been featured on the Travel Channel’s Taste of America and offers affordable, home-cooked food. Known for their all-day breakfast, the cottage offers omelettes, chicken and waffles and the cottage special — the latter of which includes goetta and ham.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Camp Washington Chili

3005 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati
Named one of the “10 Best Restaurants in Cincinnati” by USA Today, there’s no question as to why Camp Washington Chili has been operating since 1940. It is good eats! Despite having ‘chili’ in the name, this establishment offers many chili-free options, including burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs, fries, coleslaw and salad.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Grand Finale Restaurant

3 E. Sharon Road, Glendale
Operating at the same historic building since 1975, Grand Finale serves up everything from steak and lobster to crepes and outrageous desserts. Try the bacon, lobster and sun-dried tomato deviled eggs or the herbed filet mignon brochette. No worries for your vegetarian tablemates: Grand Finale has plenty of veggie fare.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Walt’s Hitching Post

3300 Madison Pike, Fort Wright, Ky.
Walt’s Hitching Post is a casual kick-back place where everybody knows your name. Open in some iteration since 1942, classic menu items include Walt’s Legendary Fried Chicken, country fried steak with white-pepper-bacon gravy and fried chicken livers. All steaks are dusted with a unique seasoning blend and charred to perfection at 850 degrees, and on Fridays, Kosher-salt encrusted prime rib is on special — while it lasts.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant

1000 Elm St., Downtown
Established in 1875 (and re-established in 1986), the downtown saloon has been serving up New Orleans-styled grub and drink to the Queen City for decades. Well-known for its focus on seafood, the eatery is home to an annual Oyster Festival, Lobstapalooza and Crab Carnival. Catch live jazz music every Friday and Saturday night.
Photo: Paige Deglow