A Cincinnati staple and OG resturant that is still living up to the hype! My husband loved their wings (rotate their sauces) and I had a delicious burger (a little heavy on the sauce but not mad about it). They had super yummy signature cocktails (if you are a spaghett fan they have it) and was asked to try and make their old fashion at home because it was loved so much! A super cool courtyard area that's enclosed for all year long use! Amazing people and in a great spot in the city if you are going to a game, show, or just roaming around! read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Goat cheese burger and fries - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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What an incredible experience at Arnold's! We tried Arnold's last week for their Friday Fish Fry and live music and holy moly we were blown away. Their inside seating area and bar have gorgeous wall to wall pictures of the history of the place. The owner- Chris- was extremely gracious and told us super fun facts about the place. The whole restaurant is rich with Cincinnati history. We ordered the Wisconsin fish fry and the truffle brie chicken. Both were super delicious. When the polka music started playing the whole place changed and everyone really got into the fun music and rejoiced in the glory of the live band. We can't wait to revisit and try other things on the menu. Highly recommend Arnold's. read more

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We stopped by on a Friday afternoon while in town visiting and met my sister. Arnold's Bar & Grill is known to be the oldest bar in Cincinnati. We first entered and you see the classic wood bar with nostalgia memorianlia lining the walls. They seated us in their enclosed atrium that was full snd lively with afternoon busy lunch crowd. They had a nice selection from burgers to grilled cheese and tomato soup to the Lenten Friday special of fish and chips. Everyone's meal was enjoyed and the ambience was fun. Fun atmosphere, good food, and a neat little corner of Cincinnati to explore. I'd happily go back for the old-school bar vibes and another round. read more

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I've started frequenting Arnold's for lunch. I find the prices and portions to be very fair for downtown. The wings and fries for $10.50 is a really good deal. I've found the service to be a tad on the slow side but proficient. The courtyard is beautiful. The seating can be a little awkward but is fine. My favorite is the Thursday turkey dinner for $14. A lot of food and very comforting. read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Thursday special - turkey dinner - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

After leaving a play at the Aronoff, we found our way to this legendary bar. You can tell that it has been preserved well - the natural wood throughout the interior, classic radiator, and a playlist to match. The bartender was cool as a cucumber and made the best drinks. Before leaving, we made our way upstairs to see more of the building. It was the perfect mix of adult adventure and fun. read more

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This restaurant was founded in 1861 It's a great space with so much character We ate in the back and they had a band playing The band was great but so loud we couldn't talk with our party Didn't like that at all Now the food is excellent Fish and chips so good perfect size Hubby got spaghetti and meatballs and he was happy Our friends got burgers Overall a nice night just not a lot of conversation read more

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I had such high hopes. We'd been wanting to go there for years, but we usually aren't around for dinner only and they didn't serve lunch until recently. We got the roasted garlic appetizer. It had so much potential, but was missing the cilantro sauce which I think really would've set it off. It was pretty good. I'll likely try to make it rather than buy it there again. Then we shared the Greek pasta. They left off the Parmesan cheese. I asked for it but by the time we got it it was an addition rather than part of the dish as intended. I brought it home to try to salvage it. It's been on the menu since 1955 apparently and I'm sure it might have been an exotic hit back then, but it's very plain otherwise. What it does have is about a half a pound of bacon. Sadly, that doesn't really move the needle. I love butter garlic pasta. This was just meh. Charming environs. Decent service. Drink prices were fair. Cute back porch. read more

We hadn't been to Arnolds before, but we loved the vibe. We were meeting another couple and arrived first. There was a lot of activity in the front bar. Molly Wellman must have been leading a cocktail discussion for the group. Very cool, indeed! We were greeted and asked if we had plans after dinner. We did not, which meant we didn't have a hard stop deadline. We were taken to the "outside" seating area, which has good character. We waiting until our friends arrived before ordering. They picked Arnolds and were familiar with the menu, which helped us decide what to order. I opted for the Truffle Brie Chicken, which was as delicious. Mark had the Spaghetti and Meatballs. He was not overly thrilled with it. My friend got the Greek Spaghetti, which she loves. It looked like the flavor relies on the ingredients mixed in with the pasta because it was not covered in pasta sauce. She loved it. Desserts were great! I'd definitely come back. read more

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Amazing burger at a super old place? Count me in! Anyway our first night on vacation in the area and of course it had to be here. Our airbnb host also recommended it so I knew I made a good choice. Service was great and we basically had the upstairs to ourselves. Inside was really cool and we loved the water closet :P read more

This is the second time I have had great food and service from Arnold's for a group event. I recommend Arnold's for work or personal events! My first experience was when they delivered 3 giant containers of hot Poutine to the P&G offices, for a retirement party I was hosting. This time, it was my retirement party and I thought Arnold's would be a fun place to host a happy hour type party, as it's a quick walk from the P&G office. They truly delivered a super event that my 40+ friends really enjoyed-- the set-up (back private atrium) with an appetizer buffet, and an open bar system for the attendees. Mario, the event coordinator and manager, worked with me on a budget and approach, that delivered a private space, with great food and open bar, yet kept costs within the range I wanted. Their waiter staff, Jess and Megan, and bartender Carly, were all over the crowd efficiently providing drinks, water and cleaning up and so upbeat and nice. Simply amazing service. Bonus is the fabulous stage in the historic space and the vibe. I was able to deliver a speech from a great vantage point and it was also a fun photo backdrop (attached photo). At the end, the staff packaged up the buffet leftovers, and we had another feast when we got home (their famous poutine, meatballs, roasted brussel sprouts and fresh pretzels and beer cheese). Thank you Arnold's, Mario, Jess, Megan and Carly for making my retirement party so memorable. read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The food was delicious. You can substitute chicken for a burger. The crispy onion straws, caramelized onions were excellent additions. Nate - our server was excellent, charming and helpful. He was prompt with all things! Sit on the patio! It's covered and makes for great conversation. read more

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Arnold's is one of those places that earns their stars based on their legacy, I think. And remnants of its legacy make it worth it to go. You should go! The bar has a great feel (the stories that must have been told there!) and the courtyard is very cute, especially with the porch where the band sets up. We ordered drinks -- Arnold's Aperol Spritz and Listermann Lager -- hubs said the beer was very good! The first Spritz was good, absolutely delicious. The 2nd was good, more Aperol and soda, a completely different drink. Must have switched bartenders somewhere along the way. We had the Mexican cauliflower app - the flavors were outstanding, and I'm sure would have been even more fantastic if it hadn't been served cold (we checked with our server - it's supposed to be hot). Our server offered to "make it good" but honestly, we ate the whole thing anyway - I imagine if it had it been hot it would have been heavenly. Hubs had the truffle chicken/risotto that he loved. He loved my Greek Spaghetti deluxe even more -- kept stealing bites! Big portions, enough to carry some home. Overall, the cauliflower experience was a good analogy: the interior and menu offerings could use some love and attention to detail. But you go anyway, because you see what it could be or was in the past. Lean in on your imagination! Or just go later at night for the bar and music. We made reservations on a Saturday night. It doesn't seem like the kind of place where you'd need reservations, but none the less it's popular and therefore not a bad idea if you are going when the nearby pre-theater/show crowd is scrambling for dinner on a short timeline. We parked in a lot a block and a 1/2 away (the lot across from Arnold's caters to the theater crowd and the price was 4x than the one we used). read more

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This was the coolest restaurant I've ever been to. The history is so amazing. Don't forget to check out the upstairs!! The food was incredible. I don't think you could go wrong with anything on the menu. The service wasn't good or bad. We saw our waiter twice. Once to take our order and another to bring us our food. Had to ask the hostess how to pay. Guess you don't pay at your table! The restrooms were so neat! This place really feels like you're walking into the 1800s when it was built! read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Fried Green Tomato B. L. T Sandwich - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Ate dinner at Arnold's tonite. Ordered Spaghetti & meatballs menu said $22 but was charged $25. Bread was $3.00 extra. Small glass of wine $11. Good atmosphere & friendly service. Food good but too pricey. read more

Always a bit crazy and old fashioned, but really cool space including patio and service is very sincere.

I had probably the worst experience at this bar. I just moved to Cincinnati and was excited to explore different places for my birthday. My husband was excited to take me here to see the historical oldest bar in Cincinnati. When we walked in there were about 5 workers chatting in the front no one acknowledged us. Feel uncomfortable I said we should just sit at the bar. The bar tender didn't acknowledge us I kid you not for like 20 minutes. There was only one other patron there and he was attentive to that person. I realized it was because his shift was ending and he didn't want to serve us knowing he wouldn't get the tips. The woman who was there to take over for him just continues to chat with a coworker and ignore. Finally the bartender decided to serve us drinks. I had the worst whiskey sour I've ever had. We finished our drinks and still no ones acknowledged us. So we used the restroom. Then FINALLY the bartender asked if we need anything else. We said no and closed our tab and left. Why waste money in this economy at a place that doesn't want us there. While we were there a group of enthusiastic people came in and still no one acknowledged them. Finally the bartender goes "there's a host stand right there" and points. Of course there's no host there. So the group just walked onto the patio hoping to be served. It was a bizarre experience and I won't be coming back. read more

Good service and great salad and veg burger,black bean. Nice to sit out when weather is decent. There was music in back nite I went with friend read more

The TAB salad was amazing for a business lunch with a friend! Love this old bar in cincinnati! Service was great too, read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Tab Salad Lunch - Turkey, avocado, bacon salad (half salad with half fettuccine noodles) with ranch! Delicious. - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I can't stop thinking about this dish. The truffle brie sauce was the kind you want to lick off the plate. The chicken was juicy and crispy. The wild mushroom risotto was creamy but not too rich. I will be back just to eat this dish again! read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Truffle Brie Chicken - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We went to Arnold's on a Saturday afternoon for Cincy Burger Week. We were seated in the beautiful courtyard area, which I love. The fans kept things cool enough on a hot sunny day. Our server, Becca, was very attentive and even made it a point to check if we liked our beers before the food came. I had the burger special and added fries. Everything was delicious and clearly homemade. I also had a Guinness which was perfectly poured. Arnold's just recently started serving lunch again and as a downtown employee I'll be sure to take advantage of their reasonable prices, homemade food and historic ambiance. I also appreciate the number of vegetarian options for those seeking options. Highly recommend!! read more

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Such a great gem!! Cocktails, food and service were all amazing! Club and Brussels sprouts were so good.! Arnold burger was fantastic.

Amazing food!!! I love the history of this place and the decorations too!! It was my first time trying a Goetta sandwich and is so yummy!! Highly recommend!! read more

Great burgers and atmosphere. The staff is amazingly friendly. This should be on your radar.

1st ever restaurant I ate at in Cincinnati .. I tried the Goetta burger .. crazy amazing!! Keep up the great work.. and see ya soon!!!! Cheers! read more

Good food, great service. I had dinner here last night with my daughter and we both enjoyed the food, drinks and live music. After ordering cocktails. - Old Forrester & Coke for my daughter, the Diebold Fashioned for me - we ordered the Mexican Street Cauli. It was very good! Quite salty, though. I ordered the Arnold Burger and my daughter ordered the Yo Mama Burger. She up ordered the fries and I went with the potato salad that comes with the burgers. All of it was good! If I could change anything it would to make the burger just a little less cooked so it would've been juicier. Otherwise it tasted pretty good. The service was great. Quick and friendly. There was an awesome musician playing/singing while we sat in the courtyard. Overall - good meal, cool atmosphere, great service, great entertainment. Also, we found street metered parking nearby for much cheaper than the lots. read more

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This is definitely an Ohio bucket list item! It is the oldest continuously operating bar in Cincinnati. Street parking is metered and it usually easy to find a space. Guests are greeted with a tub at the entrance so it is hard to miss; also a nod to the bathtub gin made during Prohibition. There is also some patio seating in the front reserved for summer months. The interior is cozy, dim, and the walls are lined with old articles and advertisements. The cocktails are creative with a frequently updated beer menu. However the food was just ok; the entrees weren't for my taste. The burger and the brussels may be the only exception. The side patio area is still open and heated making it a great venue for live music! read more

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Food is always fresh and healthy. Nothing canned or pre-pared. Genuine and helpful staff. Clean and yet historic.

TLDR: if you love Cincinnati history this is neat place to check out. Local inspired fare all over the menu and a great place to get a drink. Growing up in Cincinnati I'm a big fan of the cities rich history. So getting to have a meal and drinks in the towns oldest tavern (150 years old!) is pretty cool. They have heaters in the outdoor area and a roof so you can soak in the history even in the colder months. Drinks (not pictured): I had the diebold old fashioned. I like the concept and it's definitely a unique take on an old fashioned. It's supposed to be briefly barreled with an infusion of cherries but the spice from the old overhort rye packed too much of a punch for it to shine through enough for my liking. The earl grey and blood orange ice cube is a nice touch but it doesn't add much to the drink. 8.5/10 Apps: We mostly went heavy on the apps since we found the offerings here more inspiring. The Cincinnati poutine is a must for any fan of local cuisine. It combines grippos seasoning (if you know you know), goetta, and delicious cheese curds on a bed of hot fries. I do wish the grippos seasoning came through a little more and I found a slight lack of cheese curds but the goetta gravy was outstanding for sure. 8.5/10. The Mexican street cauliflower was the biggest surprise to me. It was tangy and creamy while still being light. The cauliflower pieces were quite large for the most part so definitely something you have to cut with a fork and knife rather than finger food. 8.5/10 Mains: We ordered the Arnold burger with a gluten free bun. It's a nice offering but from the start I could tell this bun wasn't it. It was bland and crumbled the minute I picked up the burger. The burger itself was delicious and paired well with the toppings (cheese, pickle, onion, and the house sauce). The house sauce was outstanding but with the gluten free bun we ended up taking off the bun and eating just the sandwich. 6/10 The potato salad was the side and it's worth not skipping. It's night and light. I appreciate it not being overloaded with mayonnaise. It's enough of a portion and worth not skipping. 8/10. read more

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It's a dive, but in all the best ways. Food is good, always crowded, and Molly Wellerman tells stories and serves her signature drinks almost one night every week. It's a blast! read more

It's an old school bar with some good food. This place is loaded with vintage decor and vibes. We only tried a couple of appetizers, but they were both pretty good. My husband really liked the goetta poutine and the rest of us preferred the meatballs with bread. The service was slow on a Saturday afternoon, but maybe they were short staffed at the time. The drinks were strong and the beer was cold, so it made up for the slow pace. read more

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This is a delayed review for Arnolds all-in-one Halloween ghost hunting experience. I booked the tickets for this through EventBrite -- and the people who led the ghost tour were from POV Paranormal. My fiancé and I were so excited to explore a space we'd learned about online ... especially one with as much Queen City history as Arnolds! The event officially started at 9 p.m., but that's a little late for dinner, so we showed up around 8:40 p.m. and were seated right away! You wouldn't know it from the outside, but Arnolds has this courtyard space set us as an outdoor-type dining area. Since it was raining that night, they had the courtyard covered -- but you could hear the rain against the metal roof, which set the tone for a spooky evening. There was a special, three-course menu for all ghost hunters -- soup or salad to start, then my fiancé and I went with the burger and the spaghetti and meatballs as our entrees. Both were appropriately Halloween-themed, and equally delicious! The spaghetti sauce in particular was something we've tried to replicate at home. The final course is a dessert ... and I can't remember exactly what it was, only that it was sinfully chocolate and I definitely finished every last bite. The dinner also included 2 drinks from a set beverage menu -- but guests were not able to purchase any additional drinks after that. I fully understand why they limited the drinking, since we were going to be wandering around in the dark and using specific equipment ... but we were sitting around waiting until the restaurant actually closed, and an extra drink might've kept us feeling occupied. The entire experience was well worth it ... and we'll definitely be back this October, and maybe sooner if we can't figure out the secret behind that pasta sauce. We also love following Chef Kayla on Instagram -- and enjoy catching her competing on Food Network. read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Halloween-Themed Cheeseburger - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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The food was wonderful, and our party enjoyed everything. The only problem is, when looking at the stained light fixture with food on the table, it looks like cleaning is not a priority, sometimes the food is second 3 star read more

This spot has been on our list for so long and I finally made a reservation. The vibe feels like you're not even in Cincinnati anymore. It feels very old school, and is such a cool spot. We of course ordered the burger, and it did not disappoint. This might just be my favorite burger in Cincinnati. I heard a man at the table next to us say "you can get a burger anywhere" and I have to disagree with him. Finding a truly good burger is so tough. Order the burger here. I promise it's worth it. read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - Arnolds Burger - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Know before you go, if you are seated along the perimeter of the outside covered area, my husband said it best. "I feel like I'm sitting in the cafeteria back in school." You are inches from the next table and couple. Crammed together and super uncomfortable. No, thanks. I couldn't wait to leave, but I know all kinds of information about the couples on either side of us. Inside seemed cool. Burgers were good. read more

Where else do you go on Red's Opening Day other than GABP? Arnold's, course! We came just after the second inning when the game crowd had thinned and there were seats in the courtyard. The food, service and vibe were just perfect! read more

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Stopped into Arnold's for wing week. It was a must for us. We have been to Arnold's many times but our last visit will be the last. We sat at the bar, which was full with one bar tender. I know he was busy, but "I'll be right with you" would have been nice. Got our beer and our wing order in. The second bartender came in and she was in a sour mood and not friendly at all. We got our wings, which were under cooked and pink in the middle. No one checked on us and we had to wave Kendoll down to get our check. The 2025 version of the wing week app and Facebook posted if you ordered a Sam Adams beer between 4-6pm (we were there at 5pm), the beers were $4. We were charged $7. We brought it to both bartenders attention, who then called over the manager. We were told it was an old app and they weren't going to honor it. I understand it is a $6 difference but it was how we were talked to and how rude they were. Customer service was horrible, wings were worse. It could have easily been resolved by giving us another beer or honoring what the website said. It is sad to lose business over $6. read more

Built in 1861, this is the oldest bar in Cincinnati. My wife and I love to go to Arnold's when we are downtown because of four Arnolds-only experiences: elevated food + outdoor arboretum seating + live music + cool vibe and styling of an old local pub. We often go here before a Reds Game, FCC soccer game, or before seeing a show at the Arnoff. We always like the food. The menu is always changing, but whatever they create is always a unique take on a dish and very good. On this night I had a harvest salad with Salmon. It had beets, oranges, roasted spiced walnuts, goat cheese and more. It was simply outstanding. My wife had the fried green tomato BLT sandwich which had pimento cheese spread, bacon, and of course fried green tomatoes. Arnolds also offers an array of in-house conceived cocktails, local craft beer and a strong bourbon list. The outdoor arboretum, or courtyard, seating area is special. It is basically a hidden-from-the-street area surrounded by brick walls but completely open on top to the sky, like you would find in an Italian Villa. The ground is not even so your table will probably rock a little and not be level. There were a couple of leveling wedges under mine that let me make it rock solid. It's kind of a euro-cafe vibe in this way. The courtyard also has a full awning to protect during rainy or cold weather and a steam radiant heater for winter, making this one of the best equipped outdoor 365 areas I've experienced. The table spacing is densely packed so more people can enjoy the area. This adds to the vibrance of the experience for me. The hours are more limited as we've come out of Covid, so I recommend looking at their latest before you go. Also with the increased downtown population connected to the new Condo developments, Arnold's can get quite busy so a reservation, although not always required, will ensure you can get your seat when you arrive. read more

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Having no idea what to expect from Cincinnati's oldest bar, I was absolutely blown away by how charming the dining area and in-door/out-door patio are. With holiday lights and music playing, the mood is festive and cozy - even while everyone keeps their distance. I thoroughly enjoyed being there in the early part of the evening, early enough to take advantage of their Saturday Happy Hour (4-6pm). I love a good Old Fashioned and theirs is on point. The Earl Grey ice cube is a great touch, too. The menu is outstanding and surprisingly innovative/creative for a place that has been around since the Civil War. We came in specifically for the Matzo Ramen, in honor of Chanukah, and it was exceptional - hats off to the chef. Speaking of the chef, communication with the head chef and staff ahead of time (to order the special) was super easy and responsive. I'm now a HUGE Arnold's fan and it is definitely going on my must-try list for when I get out-of-town visitors. read more

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A step into Cincy history always a good time. Service and food very good. Crowded sometimes but in a fun way.

Wow- not your typical looking bar in regards to food and seating. Deceptively larger than what one would presume from looking from the storefront. Everyone was extremely friendly. The menu had a lot variety to it. The whole meal was delicious from start to finish to start again ( there was live music so we ordered appetizers at the end ). Found out as well that it is the oldest bar in Cincinnati read more

Arnolds Bar & Grill - One of the inside patio murals - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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