The 28 Hottest New Restaurants and Bars to Open in Cincinnati This Year

Lost & Found OTR

22 E. 14th St., Over-the-Rhine
Over-the-Rhine's newest cocktail bar is a funky, community-driven gathering space with an inventive drink menu, small bites inside of a creative, art-filled environment. Co-owners Steven Clement and Camilo Otalora are the masterminds behind the bar, with the goal to create a space where guests can feel welcome and inspired. Work from local artists fill the walls from room to room.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

HomeMakers Bar

35 E. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine
Cincinnati hospitality mavens Julia Petiprin and Catherine Manabat have opened HomeMakers Bar at the corner of 13th and Walnut streets. The duo worked together to create a space inspired by a retro vibe and the domestic cocktails of the 1950s through the 1970s.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Yonder

621 Main St., Covington
Inspired by owners Chris and Tess Burns' love of Kentucky State Parks, this new concept by the folks behind Covington's Commonwealth Bistro features a chic treehouse-esque rooftop bar with a small rotating menu and craft cocktails, as well as inventive mocktails.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Comfort Station

793 E. McMillan Ave., Walnut Hills
From the team behind OTR’s Sundry and Vice comes Comfort Station. Opened in late June, this cocktail bar is located in a century-old Walnut Hills rest area. Guests enter via the original women's room door into an industrial and airy space with skylights, inventive cocktails and a living plant wall. A back patio and lounge creates an indoor/outdoor feel.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Braxton Brewing Co.

27 W. Seventh St., Covington
Braxton Brewing Co. opened their much-anticipated rooftop patio and bar on July 20. Guests can now enjoy an entirely new experience at the brewery with the 5,000-square-foot-patio, which features plenty of seating, shady umbrellas, a full bar, a living wall and some pretty neat views of Covington and downtown Cincinnati.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Holiday Spirits and Forty Thieves

1538 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
Helmed by Dan Wright and his wife Lana (Senate, Abigail Street and Pontiac Bourbon & BBQ), this space at the corner of Liberty and Race streets is meant to evoke the vibe of a dive bar and offers a menu of Middle Eastern street food. The bar features 15 beers on tap and about 10 different cocktails ranging from a tequila old fashioned and a Hurricane to a Cinnabon-inspired drink and their take on a Harvey Wallbanger.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Branch

1535 Madison Road, Walnut Hills
The team behind The Littlefield has opened this new concept in East Walnut Hills in the former Art Deco Central Trust Bank Building at the corner of Woodburn and Madison avenues. Branch is the restaurant portion of the space and is located upstairs while Night Drop, the bar, is located downstairs. Both have a focus on local art with mosaics, chandeliers and murals created by Cincinnati artists. The menu at Branch is overseen by executive chef Shoshannah Anderson and offers a mix of “classic and contemporary American with ethnic influences."
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Lonely Pine Steakhouse

6085 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge
Pleasant Ridge’s restaurant scene has really beefed up now that Lonely Pine Steakhouse is open. The casual dining destination takes a simple concept — quality food at an affordable price — and elevates it with Southwestern flair and retro decor. The newest venture by Gorilla Cinema Presents, Lonely Pine is the first foray into food service for the company.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Wódka Bar

1200 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
From the team behind cult-favorite Babushka Pierogies, Wódka Bar carries an ambitious selection of vodkas, stocking upward of 60 types including many Russian, Polish and Ukrainian brands that are lesser known in the United States. It also offers a streamlined Eastern European-inspired menu of light bites.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Goose & Elder

1800 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
Located near Findlay Market, Goose & Elder is chef Jose Salazar’s third Cincinnati restaurant venture and offers American comfort food along with healthy and gluten-free options. Salazar describes the restaurant as "Midcentury grandma," sourcing colors and patterns that evoke a sense of the 1970s and '80s.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Mikey’s Late Night Slice

2014 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
Mikey's is known for its giant, foldable pizza slices and drunk-friendly menu items like the Pizza Dog — a hot dog stuffed with pepperoni and cheese, which is then wrapped in a slice of pizza — and the Cheezus Crust and Baby Cheezus, which is American cheese melted on top of two slices of pizza and pressed together into a sandwich.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Delwood

3204 Linwood Ave., Mount Lookout
Nestled at the intersection of Delta and Linwood avenues in Mount Lookout Square, Delwood is a family-friendly Peruvian-inspired gastropub from owner Trevor Snowden, formerly of the Thunderdome Group. Snowden comes by his Latin American inspiration honestly; his mother is Peruvian and that country’s recipes and ingredients infuse the menu with an uncommon flair.
Photo: Brittany Thornton

The View at Shires' Gardens

309 Vine St., 10th Floor, Downtown
The View at Shires’ Garden is located on the 10th floor of the City Club Apartments with views of the riverfront and the surrounding cityscape. This new rooftop spot features an indoor dining room, an outdoor patio and a private event lounge with a bar, cigar patio, baby grand piano and firelit tables. The décor mixes modern furnishings with the style of the original Shires’ Gardens from the 19th century — a historic Queen City amusement resort of sorts in this same spot at Vine and Third streets.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Taglio

56 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine
Taglio, the Columbia Tusculum pizza joint from brothers Nick and Jared Wayne (also of A Tavola) and partner Jake Goodwin, has expanded into Over-the-Rhine in the space once occupied by sports bar Lachey's. Taglio is known for both its traditional and deep-dish Detroit-style pizzas, among other menu items, and the fact that they deliver their entire menu — including wine and beer.
Photo: Holden Mathis

Social OTR

1819 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
Social OTR features an ambitious New American menu and two spaces: a front dining room and a cozy back bar with an entrance from the alley. The menu includes about eight “Snacks,” 10 to 11 “Small Plates” and just two “Large Plates,” with a drink list that’s almost longer than the food offerings. Whether you prefer tequila, rye, gin or any other spirit, the house cocktails have you covered. The nonprofit restaurant also aims to fill a multitude of societal and business needs in the community through its workforce development program.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Tortilleria Garcia

5917 Hamilton Ave., College Hill
Popular Springdale Mexican eatery Tortilleria Garcia opened a second location in College Hill. The restaurant uses old-fashioned techniques for their straightforward cuisine like freshly-made corn tortillas, tamales, burritos, housemade salsas and rotisserie chicken — in addition to their beloved tacos.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Fairfield Market

700 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue
This hip new market, coffee and wine bar recently opened in Bellevue. The fresh, light-filled space is a perfect place to start or end your day. Try one of their build-your-own charcuterie boards with their happy-hour wine special or stop by for a sammy or picnic salad at lunch.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Mazunte Centro

611 Main St., Downtown
Madisonville’s cult-favorite taco hub recently put down some downtown roots. The downtown menu features tacos, tostadas, tlayudas (a sort of Mexican-style pizza), soups, sides and alcohol. Taco fillings range from al pastor to chorizo con papas (housemade ground sausage and potatoes) and mushroom and beet to beef tongue. They also offer a menu of local beers and housemade, bottled margaritas.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

BlaCk Coffee

822 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
This new coffee shop is from the owners of BlaCk OWned and recently opened on July 19. BlaCk Coffee’s coffee is supplied by La Terza and their house “Wakanda” blend is a mix of Ethiopian, Rwandan and Brazilian beans. All of the food served at BlaCk Coffee come from black-female-owned businesses in Cincinnati; pastries are provided by Sweet Petit Desserts, the cakes are from Shana’s Sweet Treats and sandwiches are made by personal chef Chanel Jordan of Chanel’s Upscale Homestyle Cooking.
Photo: Liz Davis

Mom ‘n ‘em Coffee

3128 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington
Brothers Tony and Austin Ferrari opened Mom ‘n ‘em Coffee in Camp Washington to honor mom Theresa. Mom ‘n ‘em serves coffee and espresso drinks along with toasts and pastries, as well as a diverse offering of wines selected by certified sommelier Austin. They also have a full liquor license with cocktails like a classic negroni and Manhattan, and a smart selection of beer in their cooler. Their menu features items such as cheese and salumi, anchovies, sardines and an egg sandwich named the “Dirty ‘Nati."
Photo: Hailey Bollinger