Best Dining Experience in Cincinnati (Ada, Glendale: crime, house, live)

[Barca_fan]

Not sure if it has been discussed before...if not, what's your favorite restaurant in Cincinnati? What's your favorite dish? What did you like best about the dining experience?

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by Barca_fan

Not sure if it has been discussed before...if not, what's your favorite restaurant in Cincinnati? What's your favorite dish? What did you like best about the dining experience?

Like a million times...

http://www.city-data.com/forum/search.php

[Barca_fan]

I thought so, but I didn't find it the first time I had searched for it. Anyway, found a related thread this time, but it is mostly about

Anyway, I want to take my date to somewhere special (so no skyline, zip's, or big box chains). Any suggestions?

[Cincy-Rise]

^ Scotties. Hands down. The most romantic, quirky, best, authentic restaurants in the tri-state. Do it. Now.

Scotti’s Italian Restaurant

[wilson1010]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

^ Scotties. Hands down. The most romantic, quirky, best, authentic restaurants in the tri-state. Do it. Now

Yea, but if you go to Scotties, don't be too surprised if the waiter tells your date that he danced with you at the Dock, or that the last time you were in they had to call the police. These guys have an odd sense of humor. Not a good place for a first date.

I think I'd choose the China Gourmet. You can get romantic privacy in there and they can accomdate every female taste from Steak Kew to to strict vegan. Also a very democratic place so you won't look like a toad just because you aren't known there.

[mike1003]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

^ Scotties. Hands down. The most romantic, quirky, best, authentic restaurants in the tri-state. Do it. Now.

Scotti’s Italian Restaurant

Is Scotties as good as it was in the 70s and 80 when the original owners were there. Bobbie and?????

We used to love it. Haven't been there in ages.

There are so many great restaurants in Cincy that I cant pick a favorite. Ruby's, Bootsys, Nada, The Brown Dog, Pit to Plate, Greek Isles, several Thai places, (Trio's definately not on list...ate there Saturday-has gone way downhill)

I think the three best places in town since Jean Robert disassociated with his partners are the Phoenix, Palace and Orchids.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by wilson1010

Yea, but if you go to Scotties, don't be too surprised if the waiter tells your date that he danced with you at the Dock, or that the last time you were in they had to call the police. These guys have an odd sense of humor. Not a good place for a first date.

I think I'd choose the China Gourmet. You can get romantic privacy in there and they can accomdate every female taste from Steak Kew to to strict vegan. Also a very democratic place so you won't look like a toad just because you aren't known there.

When I went to China Gourmet, the host asked me to have sex with him and I'm a guy.

[goyguy]

Originally Posted by mike1003

I think the three best places in town since Jean Robert disassociated with his partners are the Phoenix, Palace and Orchids.

I'll second that, and add the Grand Finale in Glendale. It's a dressy-casual type of spot where you can order anything from lobster crepes to filet mignon to a BIG salad (the house dressing rocks.) The desserts which gave the place its name have shrunk over the years to where they're now just generous, lol, but you're forbidden from passing on ordering at least one to share. Within the converted corner grocery store there are some smaller dining rooms, so you can request a table away from the general din of the main section of the restaurant. The atmo is cozy without laying on the "mood" too thick. And even with a bottle of wine you can probably get out without going over $100 on the tab.

Watching the sun go down and the lights go on around a city is guaranteed to start an evening off right. There are two places in Cincinnati which can't be beat for this, one of which is The Celestial in Mt Adams. It's billed as a steakhouse "with a diverse menu." Be forewarned, their "Incline Lounge" features live music for dancing on Fridays and Saturdays (unless "dining and dancing" would be what you're after.) The other is Primavista, in the Queen's Tower high-rise literally at the edge of Price Hill. Their Italian cuisine is said to be excellent, and normally I'd recommend them more highly except that one of their longtime waitresses was murdered not long ago. A memorial has been set up as you walk in, which was a caring and thoughtful gesture but maybe not the best subject matter to start an occasion dinner with. (The crime didn't occur at or near Primavista, btw.)

Dunno what all the uproar about same-sex-inclined restaurant employees is about, lol; host/waiter has been a gay-friendly profession since the days not long ago when few other professions were. Maybe the "red-blooded guys" getting unwanted attention have done the same to waitresses and hostesses?

[wilson1010]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

When I went to China Gourmet, the host asked me to have sex with him and I'm a guy.

Can I assume that was an unwelcome proposition? If so, maybe the host's gaydar was off a couple of clicks.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by wilson1010

Can I assume that was an unwelcome proposition? If so, maybe the host's gaydar was off a couple of clicks.

You're probably right. I'm sure he was thinking ... "daaaamn ... ain't no straight going to dress this good. He got it goin on."