I always enjoy the étouffée and jambalaya, they taste authentic and have a nice level of heat. The hush puppies are good, too; and the cornbread is always moist. Some of the sandwiches aren't great--I particularly didn't enjoy the cheesesteak. read more

I ordered the Vegan Jambalaya and corn bread for carryout yesterday and it was wonderful! The food was ready on time, staff was great and the food was delicious. Will be back soon. read more

Food was outstanding, great atmosphere. Hubs had jambalaya, I had etoufee (sp?) Both very delicious. Will definitely go back!

Hello. I wasn't impressed w my lunch. The Chicken Jambalaya was bland; a overcooked soupy mixture that I did not eat. The salad was just ok. The atmosphere is nice and will try again. Maybe I hit an "off" day. The waitress was nice. read more

1st time here. Drove down from Columbus, I already know I'll come back. AMAZING craft beer selection. Service has been excellent. Our food just arrived and it's OVER THE TOP! I ordered the Mardi Gras pasta with crawfish... I think there's more meat than pasta and there's a whole lotta' pasta! It's delicious! Great atmosphere too. I'll be back! read more

Allyn's Cafe - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Very good! The scallops were amazing! The etoufee was a bit spicy for me but I'm a mild eater. Pricing wasn't bad for the quality of the food. Will def come back! The server was nice and the food was quick! read more

This place is AWESOME! I love that they have lots of clearly labeled vegan options. I got the BBQ pulled jackfruit which may have been the best I've ever had, and also the vegan chili dog which was amazing as well. And their fries--omg. So good. Both my husband and I were so glad we made it to this delicious spot before leaving Cincinnati. read more

Awesome food, great flavor. Portion sizes are reasonable for the cost. Parking is a pain but that's in part due to its popularity. The owner is proactive in improving his business. Food on my last few visits has been excellent, let's hope it's going up from here. read more

Best chicken chimichanga I've ever had! It was NOT fried, but GRILLED! Also the best margarita in Cincy - tasted amazing, large size and very reasonably priced! Also, very tasty pinto beans and the ONLY spanish rice I've ever liked! I have seriously had dozens of margaritas in this city and this one takes first prize. My boyfriend was laughing as I oohed and aahed through the entire meal. After a year of dining with him he'd never seen me so excited about food! The hostess was slow to greet us, which was annoying. I had a bad attitude from her inattentiveness as we were seated. I've decided to put up with it when I return again and again! Ms. Frowny-face won't stop me from eating more and drinking more at Allyn's!! Beside, I'll make it my personal challenge to get that lady to smile. read more

This place was awful. I love Cajun food and from someone who used to live in Louisiana it was not authentic at all. I ordered the gumbo and it was okay. Honestly my grandma makes better gumbo and she's dead. Also, my friends and I went to the bar to order some drinks before we were seated and the bar tender was very rude. His friends got free drinks while my friends and I were charged a ridiculous amount for some beers. I will not be back. read more

Allyn's is definitely one of my favorite spots in Greater Cincinnati... The variety of dishes and cultures on the menu allow for a different experience every time... Order early for the stromboli, it's worth the wait... read more

I'll start off by saying that I really enjoy Allyn's menu. I think Allyn's is one of, if not the only place to get gator in the city. I've ordered numerous menu items, including the mardi dog (all beef hot dog covered in jambalaya), the "best chicken sandwich in town," and I gotta hand it to them that their margaritas are pretty good. If you like hot sauce, Allyn's will definitely have something to please your palate as they have so many variations (my favorite being the habanero mustard hot sauce). On top of this, Allyn's has a great little wine shop nestled inside where you can purchase wine to drink there ($5 corkage fee) and/or take home. So what's the hold up? Why only 3 stars? The service is ridiculously slow and inattentive, and I don't think it's just a one-off thing since I have been to Allyn's on numerous occasions for both lunch and dinner. Sometimes you want to get in and out of a restaurant in an hour, but I have never been in and out of Allyn's that quick. I would definitely recommend Allyn's for their food and will continue to go there when my friends and I have some time to chill, but there are definitely some kinks that could be worked out within the realm of customer service. read more

The perfect place for vegans and omnivores alike. There's no other place in town where I could take my meat-lusting AND hippie veg friends and all of us sit at the same table and be blown away by our food. read more

I ordered scallops and they were extremely fishy. They must have been bad because I threw them up when I got home..... Probably won't be back. However, the guacamole was delicious! read more

First time writing a Yelp review, never felt compelled until now. The service we received tonight at Allyn's is the worst I have had anywhere in as long as I can remember. We sat down at our table at 7:30ish and didn't get our food until 9:30. When we did, one of the meals was wrong and had to be remade. Drinks were late to the table, requests were forgotten - all of which could have been tolerated if we had received a meaningful apology or make-good from our server or the manager on duty. Nothing, not even a drink off the bill. The worst part, the staff seemed not to care at all, just insincerely said I'm sorry only to disappear once again. It has been at least 5 years since my last visit to Allyn's. Sadly, we won't be going back anytime soon. read more

Let me just say. Food is amazing. Great beer list. This place is amazing. Brandon is the best. Smooches, y'all.

We were there a few days ago, and our server well she seemed preoccupied. Very slow service on food and drinks. Everything we had tasted as if it was prepared by the microwave. The shredded chicken on the salad was very rubbery as if it was cooked in the microwave. My husband was unable to finish his gumbo since it was cold in the middle and steaming hot around the edges of the cup. We didn't say anything as not to just have our food sent back and heated back in the microwave. Great beer selection, but would likely not be back since this left a bad taste in our mouth. First Yelp review too. read more

This is an interesting place. The staff and service are great, but the food is a bit funky. I don't have a lot of experience with Cajun food, nor is it one of my favorites. There aren't a lot of options if that isn't your favorite type of food. They have a lot of tables, but the place is a bit sketch. I can't speak to the wine shop part of things, which I've heard great things about. read more

Fun atmosphere- seating is somewhat limited. It was crowded when we went and while we attempted to wait at the bar, it seemed like we were constantly in the way of other staff/patrons. The wait for food was also a long time during the busy times. read more

Great food, great beer and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend this place!! They have all types of foods for every type of eater. Great variety of beers - on tap and in bottles. read more

Had a serviceable meal here the other night while visiting Cincinnati. The tequila garlic sauce on the wings was almost non-existent. The gumbo was tasty and the service was great. read more

We went for the 1st time and were not disappointed! I had the Mardi Gras pasta. It had crawfish and a spicy cream sauce over angel hair and came with a huge piece of jalapeno corn bread. The pasta had a perfect heat and creaminess with huge meaty chunks of crawfish. The corn bread was super moist and had a nice subtle heat. My husband had the blackened shrimp and gator with linguine in a spicy garlic sauce. The gator was great, but the shrimp was even more flavorful. Perfect heat. We sat outside under the pergola and it was awesome. Beads hanging from the slats. Inside captured the Cajun feel but in Cincinnati. read more

Allyn's has always been a consistent restaurant. I liked their food before they changed their menu and their new menu is pretty decent as well. I must say I prefer the old menu because there were a lot of options but the new one is fine too. They have a large beer list with some interesting selections and their margaritas are delicious. I recently decided to go back since I had not sampled their new menu yet and was pleased overall. I had their fish of the day (mahi mahi), blackened served with black beans and steamed veggies. The fish was cooked perfectly and seasoned really well. The whole plate was tasty and a pretty healthy option too. I haven't ever had anything I have not liked at Allyns. It's a good neighborhood spot. read more

I like that you can buy a bottle of wine at Allyn's and their wines by the glass selection is decent. But the food just isn't very good at all. The portobello sandwich, salads, veggie burger, burrito--all fair at best. It's good for a beer on the patio or to listen to some live music, but the food isn't the star of the show. read more

My boyfriend and I live in Columbia Tusculum-so we like to walk down to Allyns sometimes. The past couple of times we have been the service has been really bad and SLOW. Also, I had ordered chicken and it was extremely dry. I remember coming here two years ago when we first moved, and I loved it. Now it seems like the servers are only their for a paycheck and the food quality has really gone down, and overlooked. I'm pretty bummed out because it uses to be one of our spots we really enjoyed going to. read more

Fun atmosphere and great place to get a few beers, but the food was terrible. Would not recommend the blackened chicken salad or quesadilla. Will return for drinks only - read more

I was a big fan of Allyn's twenty years ago when we lived nearby, so when my daughter suggested it, I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately we didn't have a very good experience. I ordered a shrimp po boy, which was so difficult to eat that I ended up eating it with a fork. The shrimp were very dry and overcooked. The tartar sauce tasted like Miracle Whip. The fries were unseasoned. My daughter liked her veggie burger, and her Cajun fries were better than my plain ones, though still not really crispy. I'll probably give it another try and maybe do a little Yelp research first to make sure I choose something that's very popular; definitely won't be trying the shrimp po boy again. read more

I have been to Allyn's twice and the first time was a pretty cool experience. We had the popocorn shrimp & gator appetizer was pretty tasty and my creole chicken & shrimp pasta was great (a little spicy). The second time, I had the blackened chicken sandwich, which was supposed to be a "famous" item. I was far from impressed. It was a large chicken breast that had not been marinated/seasoned well enough. I was disappointed, especially since the dish was somewhat 'renowned'. It was certainly lackluster and I took 2 bites before calling it quits. My fiance had the shrimp etouffe, and that had a little more flavor, but it seemed abnormally buttery & saucey. It overpowered the rice accompanying it. Also, a friend recommended us trying the FatHead beer, he raved about it, so we tried to order it. The waitress said they were out & that half of the full-page beer menu was out. That too was disappointing. Last, we asked to be seated at a different table because ours was incredibly sticky. Turns out they're all like that... not a sour rag, but the tables are in horrible shape- the laquer is detiriorated and all tables need to be re-finished. Not the best experience. read more

Stopped in for lunch on a Saturday. They were really busy with a private party and take out orders. We were at the bar and still got really attentive service. Nice variety on the menu. Much more than your average bar food. Will be back. read more

Liked the "no chain" atmosphere a lot. Food was just "OK". Great bottled beer selections, but no drafts.

To start off, I was super excited for this place after visiting NOLA for the first time this year. However, after leaving I have very mixed reviews and feelings. The starter meals were amazing! I had the gumbo and my girlfriend had the jambalaya. We were both very happy with these. The came out in little cups and accompanied by a slice of delicious corn bread. But then the meal came... I had a Shrimp Po Boy and Cajun fries. Don't get me wrong the food was good but it just didn't have that home cooked fresh taste. The Cajun fries were over seasoned and they tasted like they came from a frozen bag. The waitress was nice and they had Abita beer, so they get points there. But overall this experience was just okay. I'll give the place another shot but only would recommend the starters. Oh well, guess not every place can be NOLA. read more

I used to frequent this place often but have been away for 3 yrs. was looking forward to a return visit. Unfortunately I was dramatically disappointed. While empty tables were available we were told we had to wait till the manager gave the ok. What?? I asked if there was a problem and was told "I don't have more information ". When we did get seated (20 minute wait) service was terrible and food was worse. We left and as we went to the car spoke to other diners whose opinions were similar. What a bummer to see an old favorite go so far down hill!! read more

Your a joke my friend. I've told so many people your restaurant is garbage. Good luck writing more of these horrible rebuttals to bad reviews. Won't make your food any better... read more

This place is sketchy looking but it's actually pretty sweet. My aunt and uncle took my dad and I here on one of our visits back to Ohio. I searched the online menu and couldn't find it, but I swear I had a vegetarian dish, some sort of jambalaya with tofu even. I wasn't eating any meat at the time, so it was a nice surprise. The wait staff were friendly, the food was good and inside was crazy-funky to look at. Not necessarily what you'd expect in Cincinnati. They have a huge selection of beer and wine, and I think they have live music regularly. read more

Very good. Love the brunch. Great selection of beers......great service!! Will return again ....

Good food, big portions, at a good price range. Allyn's is a cute spot with a nice back patio. Everything was pretty solid, though I wasn't blown away by anything in particular. The cajun seasoned fries are tasty, and my bowl of jambalaya was pretty huge, with two nice pieces of jalapeno cornbread. We had the shrimp and gator appetizer, which was a little overwhelmed by the fried batter. Seems like a fun place for drinks, with a good size bar and craft beer selections. read more

We are from Chicago looking for local flair. I saw the yelp reviews and was a bit worried at first. The drive is 20+ min from the airport but the family is all happy we did. We had the alligator appetizer, jambalaya, gumbo and étouffée as as entree. It was all really good! Just enough spice, kid friendly, good house wine, not so good sangria but worth the trip. It's loud, but local, bar type atmosphere but overall fun! read more

2 friends and I ate here in celebration of a birthday. It was my first time and I thought the food was great. They were very accommodating to a few requests with a few up-charges but they weren't much. We spent $86 between the 3 of us and that was ordering an appetizer for us to share, each of us had an alcoholic beverage and each had an entree PLUS shared a dessert. First, our appetizer, we had Fried Gator & Shrimp we asked for the gator & the shrimp to be grilled, no problem, just a small up-charge :) This was very good, it came with a cajun sauce that when the server took the empty plate, we were saddened that she took the sauce (should have kept the sauce). I ordered the Blackened Fish of the Day which was Mahi Mahi, with a side of broccoli & onion rings. Friend 1 got the same thing but with cajun fries, friend 2 got the Tuna with broccoli and mac & cheese. We all loved what we ordered! it was all delicious. The Mahi Mahi was tender and flaky, the broccoli was cooked perfectly. We asked for the cajun sauce and the server said it would be a .50 up-charge because they make it in-house, fine (we should have kept the sauce from the app). Now we know and now YOU know :) Learn from our mistake. On to dessert, we ordered Bread Pudding and it was DELICIOUS!! It was perfectly sweet and not too much of anything nor too little of anything. Great job in the kitchen with everything!!! My only critic is our server. I'm not saying she was terrible or mean or rude. She told us about happy hour before it was over and checked on us and pre-bussed but she was quick to walk away. For instance, we were ready to order our appetizer but had a question about it and I had a question about the fish of the day too. When she dropped off the drinks she asked if we were ready to order, I asked my question about the fish of the day, after answering my question, she started walking away, I said "excuse me, we have another question." She did that a few times. She may have had a big party in the back that we were not aware of because she was always doing something, as far as I could see. She just needs to be more in the moment when at a table, but I can understand being busy. I will definitely return :0) read more

I had one of the best salad's of my life here last night! I know I know....salad? How great could that be? But the Fantastic Taco Salad is seriously amazing. The chicken on top has the BEST flavor, and it comes with all kinds of toppings (I requested on the side) like salsa, sour cream, and I recommend the Chipotle Ranch Dressing. It was a huge portion too...I couldn't finish it. The outside patio was perfect for the nice weather. Huge fan here! read more

Went for the first time on a Friday for dinner, the service was a little sketchy, to the point where the waitress took my wife's drink order and then walked away without taking mine. Food was ok, not great, but good. However, my wife and I were excited about trying the brunch, we really enjoy brunch and were looking forward to something different. So we went on a Sunday, were seated, without brunch menus, so the waitress came around, we ordered drinks and asked about brunch, she says they aren't doing brunch today, no explanation and walked away. So my wife and I were mulling over if we should just leave, but we had already ordered drinks and would have to wait anywhere else we went. So we waited, took quite a while for the drinks to arrive, and the place wasn't busy. Ordered food, and it took, in my opinion too long for the food to come out. Then the waitress basically was nonexistent. She didn't seem to interested in waiting on us. Food was once again good not great. So I paid the check with my card, tipped light, as the service was slow, but then when I checked my account they had charged me more then what I had signed for. Pretty sure that's fraud. Won't go back. read more