Hey Cincinnati! What local restaurants would you drive down from Dayton for? (Lebanon: 2011, home)

[Crew Chief]

Hey! Hearing the ad on WLW for Andy's Mediterranian Grill, I got to thinking about what places around Cincinnati we could try. While we've still got a few places up here on our list, I thought I'd see what you guys enjoy. It's about time for a nice little getaway for the Lovely Bride n' Me. So, what's worth us driving down for? And is Andy's pretty good? ; we've both enjoyed food from that part of the world. Thanks in advance!

[Cincy-Rise]

Come Downtown and park on the street or FS garage.
Do a little ice skating.
Grab some drinks at NADA or Twist.
Leave there and grab dinner at Via Vite (make reservations a few days in advance).
Check out Nicholson's or the opposite mentioned above.

If you're wanting Indian let me know. Also, Scotti's DT is a MUST if you've never been, seriously.

[Ohiogirl81]

Are you kidding? I used to drive from Cincinnati to Dayton whenever I'd get that Milano's urge. I still have the phone number on my cell phone speed dial. Not that I need it -- There are some things that do not ever leave your brain!

I'm only good for dives, bars and cheap spots. If you want to sit at a counter and eat good barbecue or sandwiches, I'm your gal. Like Zip's in Mt. Lookout or Habit's in Oakley, or Walt's Barbecue in wherever the heck that is on the west side -- Monfort Heights, maybe?

Anywho ... ... if you want an old-fashioned Italian family restaurant with great traditional food, try Rusty's Ristorante in Deer Park. No matter how old you are, you're the youngest person in the place. Germano's in Montgomery is a little classier (although years ago it was housed in an old gas station -- you had to walk outside and around the side to use the loo!).

[Hartwell Girl]

Dont want to change the forward motion of this thread but can you guys think of the name of the restaurant that was in Dayton by the highway and had a grocery store under it. I tried to call my mom just now to ask her what it was called but man I miss that place. They closed it a few years back. I used to be the one who drove up to get a couple cakes for the holidays to bring back to our festivities when we lived in West Chester. I cant believe I cant remember the name or the street exit I used to get off. Your memory is the first thing to go right?

[jlrosen]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

Come Downtown and park on the street or FS garage.
Do a little ice skating.
Grab some drinks at NADA or Twist.
Leave there and grab dinner at Via Vite (make reservations a few days in advance).
Check out Nicholson's or the opposite mentioned above.

If you're wanting Indian let me know. Also, Scotti's DT is a MUST if you've never been, seriously.

Agree with all of that.

[soozycue520]

Terry's Turf Club
Terry's Turf Club | Cincinnati , OH, 45226 | CityBeat

And, as for Andy's, I think it is over-priced and over-rated. Personally, I don't like it, and I love Mediterranean.

[jlrosen]

Originally Posted by soozycue520

Terry's Turf Club
Terry's Turf Club | Cincinnati , OH, 45226 | CityBeat

And, as for Andy's, I think it is over-priced and over-rated. Personally, I don't like it, and I love Mediterranean.

Terry's is awesome, but I doubt worth the drive from Dayton. Andy's is great for appetizers and drinks before a show a the playhouse, but I have never been a huge fan of their entrees

[goyguy]

If you want to go top-shelf, the reincarnation of Pigall's on West 4th St can't be beat. It's officially known as Jean-Robert at Pigall's - I think.
Grand Finale in Glendale is a sure thing for delicious steaks as well as their famous crepes and the made-on-the-premises desserts which gave it its name. And their Sunday brunch is something everyone should experience at least once in life.
Pam and Paul Sturkey, who've achieved the improbable by both being chefs and restaurateurs and staying married (LOL), have a big fan club. Last year they sold their namesake eating place and "Encore" restaurants - all of which soon went out of business not long thereafter - and opened "Mesh" in West Chester. The raves have been many about this new venture, as they were with their original ventures.
For "occasion" dinners, my parents love Brandywine. It's in Monroe, housed in an inn from almost 200 years ago, has very limited seating, and also has a small range of menu selections which changes regularly. No one has had nice things to say about the nearby and far more famous Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon, not recently, but it's undergoing a makeover which will hopefully extend to the food.
Mecklenburg Gardens and Lenhardt's have been around "forever" with their German specialties, but the latter is hit-or-miss now that they're targeting students from nearby UC mostly.
A lot of the hype about Andy's has to do with its hookah bar, but smoking's bad for you and only a fool would try to bring in what's enjoyable to consume through one of those funky water pipes. I can't vouch for their food in any way. Last I checked, though, the "East Walnut Hills" gentrification hadn't quite reached where they are so it's still a sketchy block.
Tink's in Clifton continues to be a decent, dressy-casual spot but is said to have not weathered a change in ownership as well as it could've.
Although I've been a Bootsy Collins fan from back when few palefaces could say the same, I have my doubts about how good a downtown restaurant bearing his name but concentrating on "Latin-American" cuisine could be. They've only recently opened - has anyone been?
Jeff Ruby's followers outnumber the Sturkeys', and he's done extremely well with his original Precinct on Columbia Parkway and his plush steakhouse downtown. Cincinnati carnivores swear by his offerings, and he has nothing to fear from Palomino or Morton's.

HWG, you may be thinking of Woody's. They were in West Carrollton, just off I-75, a great big supermarket/restaurant combo with their own parking garage. Apparently the "Mall Warts" and mega-Kroger's and Meijer's got to be too much for them.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by goyguy

HWG, you may be thinking of Woody's. They were in West Carrollton, just off I-75, a great big supermarket/restaurant combo with their own parking garage.

That was my first thought, too, although I always thought of Woody's as a grocery store with the restaurant on top, instead of vice versa! LOL (and a good place to go at 3 a.m. when the bars closed and you didn't feel like going home I bet the staff just loved us ... )

[soozycue520]

Originally Posted by goyguy

If you want to go top-shelf, the reincarnation of Pigall's on West 4th St can't be beat. It's officially known as Jean-Robert at Pigall's - I think.

Although I've been a Bootsy Collins fan from back when few palefaces could say the same, I have my doubts about how good a downtown restaurant bearing his name but concentrating on "Latin-American" cuisine could be. They've only recently opened - has anyone been?

Jean-Robert is leaving Pigall's, and they will be closing Feb. 28th:
Jean-Robert leaves restaurant group | Cincinnati Enquirer | Cincinnati.Com

I ate at Bootsy's Wednesday night after going to the Travel, Sports & Boat Show. We had 5 appetizers & a total of three drinks {not a piece, 3 drinks}, and the bill was $75 without tip. I wouldn't have minded paying this if the food was good, but the food was mediocre, at best.

I would agree with some other places on your list, though.