Cincinnati

I can't seem to find the Cincinnati forum or any topics that really address the food in the Cincinnati area. I am planning a weekend trip to Jungle Jims and plan on overnighting in Newport or Cincy depending on the food. I am looking for a really great casual restaurant/restaurants on or near the river. I would love to hear everyones input. The only type of place that is out of the picture is a steakhouse. I never feel I get my moneys worth and there are plenty of steakhouses in Louisville.

The Houfbrauhaus in Newport is pretty fun. Also August Moon/Asatique has a new outpost out by the Ikea. If you like Cincy style chili then you have to go to Camp Washington Chili. I highly recommend any of these.

http://www.campwashingtonchili.com/

http://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com/

http://www.asiatiquebistro.com

Yeah, we're lost in Cincinnati around here anymore without Ron.

I always stop at that Pappadeuax place on the Jungle run. It's the exit before JJs, you can see it from the highway. I've only experienced lunch there, it's not bad. It's a New Orleans type theme chain restaurant.

I always stop at that Pappadeuax place on the Jungle run. It's the exit before JJs, you can see it from the highway. I've only experienced lunch there, it's not bad. It's a New Orleans type theme chain restaurant.

I ate at one of those on a business trip to Houston when I was stuck out in a suburban office park. For a chain, it's really not bad at all. The seafood is very fresh and well prepared. It's nothing spectacular, and a little pricey for what it is, but it was one of the better chain meals I've had.

The menu varies from location to location depending on what fresh seafood they can get.

I went to Jungle Jim's for the first time a couple of weeks ago... Wow! That place is amazing, I'm kind of hoping that from now on, we can get up there once a month at least. So wish there was something even halfway close to it in Louisville.

i'll vote for Hofbrauhaus. we had a good time there and would surely go back if we were in the area. the food and beer were both tasty and prices were right for us. another fun thing: the tables are positively covered in carvings and graffitis from past customers so be sure to bring a tool to leave your mark. our server told us this "vandalism" is encouraged. just a heads up, patrons are allowed to smoke in the restaurant. even though i smoke, this bothered me a bit while i was eating.

"On the river" in Cincy means chains; the independents are in downtown Newport or Covington, or further downtown in the city.

Dewey's Pizza in Newport on the levee is a decent pizza place, and while a chain, is a local one. Otherwise, look at Cincinnati Magazine (or - and I shudder to say it - try Cincy Metromix) for the little good spots not far from the Ohio. Especially look up Chalk!

I have to third (?) Pappadeuax, very close to Jungle Jim's. It's out of Texas, and the finest chain in the country! The key "theme" is service: you are greeted within 30 seconds of sitting at your table, and anything on the menu can be made "your way" (in other words, if a particular impeccably fresh fish sounds interesting, but you don't like the sauce, just tell them how you want it made, or with what other sauce, and they'll do it!). Yes, it's a tad pricy (high teens to low/mid 20's for dinner, less for lunch), but for the type of seafood they are doing I'd be wary if it were cheaper.

Has anyone tried Arnold's?

http://www.arnoldsbarandgrill.com/Arnol ... 20(spreads).pdf

I tried Arnold's a few years ago when I went up to play at the Blue Wisp. As I remember the food was good and they had a neat little courtyard.

Arnold's also frequently features the Cincinnati Dancing Pigs on saturday nights - a fun jug band!

The Houfbrauhaus in Newport is pretty fun. Also August Moon/Asatique has a new outpost out by the Ikea. If you like Cincy style chili then you have to go to Camp Washington Chili. I highly recommend any of these.

http://www.campwashingtonchili.com/

http://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com/

http://www.asiatiquebistro.com

I tried Camp Washington Chili last Saturday. The chili was good, the sauce was a bit thicker than Skyline but fairly bland. No traditional Cincinnati Chili cinnamon/greek spice flavor, more like school-house chili. Are there any more old school chili parlors in Cinci? I will be making weekly trips up with my family and have an hour to kill each trip.

The wife and I went to Cincy this weekend for a hockey game and Jungle Jims. We ate at Nada during their happy hour and the food and value were excellent. The place is very modern, with a mexican wrestling/comic book theme, an upscale mexican food.

http://www.eatdrinknada.com/main.html

Jungle Jims was somewhat of a disappointment. There is really nothing there that can't be found in Louisville. I guess the draw is that it is all under one roof, but fighting the crowds and the redundancy of products make the 2 hour drive not worth it.

[Robin Garr]

Jungle Jims was somewhat of a disappointment. There is really nothing there that can't be found in Louisville. I guess the draw is that it is all under one roof, but fighting the crowds and the redundancy of products make the 2 hour drive not worth it.

I've been reluctant to post my opinion about Jungle Jim's because so many people here seem to love it so much, but that's exactly my opinion about it. Why make a two hour road trip AND take our money out of the Louisville indie food community while we're at it?

Why make a two hour road trip AND take our money out of the Louisville indie food community while we're at it?

We won't be going again. We only spent about $60. We bought some lobster claws, cheeses, butters, and jerky.

The Asian section did have some produce that I have never seen before and the seafood section was pretty impressive, but still not worth the drive.