Came here with a group to avoid a long wait at another restaurant, and wow were we glad we made the switch! We were pleasantly surprised with everything this new spot had to offer!! The food was DELICIOUS and it is definitely a contender for best BBQ we have had in the Cincinnati-area so far. Pulled pork was perfect, tasty and no burnt bits, and the ribs were so tender. We got a wide variety of sides and had no critique on anything. YUM!!! read more

Bee’s Barbecue - OTR - Great BBQ spread! Pulled pork, ribs, wings, cornbread, "fries", and more. - Barbeque Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

we stopped by just to have a drink on the way to our car. one of my friends hadn't eaten yet so she ordered the beef brisket. she shared a bite - I can't say enough about how great the brisket was!! I ordered some as take out along with their macaroni and cheese - that was amazing too! I recommend Bees - 5 Stars!! staff was also wonderful! read more

OUTSTANDING best BBQ north of Georgia! didn't know what to expect but the reviews on this platform are accurate. I had the 2x brisket and my spouse had the Bee's BBQ sandwich and we both shared some awesome sides, including Cincy Light (great beer). read more

Outstanding! Best brisket I've ever had. Fork tender and juicy. Rib tips were also super tasty. Reasonable prices. Good specials.

This is the optimal choice for Barbecue in Cincinnati. *THE FOOD* Everyone expects great meats from an establishment with "Barbecue" in its name. And the meats are great. But first the salads and sides. Bee's has beautiful collards and cole slaw. All of the salads are delectable, fresh, creative. My favorite dressings are the hot honey vinaigrette and the smoked jalapeño ranch. I know. You probably do not need to read any further, you're already on your way to Vine Street. Now the meat. The brisket is precious. The Cincinnati Hot Link is the sausage dreams are made of. The chicken wings are some of the best in town. And we haven't even mentioned the ribs. Spoiler: the ribs are great. And there is bbq jackfruit for your vegan friends. It's delicious. What holds all the food together is the sauces. Poetic sauces. Many choices of sauce. Try them all. Do not miss the sting sauce. There may be municipal fines levied if you do not order the sting sauce. *THE AMBIANCE* This is a comfortable, clean, totally unpretentious restaurant with charming details and a buzzing vibe. But the buzz does not overwhelm, you can hear your friends. There is lovely outdoor seating, a very nice bar, plus indoor tables and booths. *THE SERVICE* The Bee's team is delightful, professional, skilled. They are deft. I come alone and with big parties and I get the same friendly and engaged service every single time. Make Bee's part of your Cincinnati routine, and bring visitors. All of my visitors from Europe, Australia, and Asia love Bee's! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Fun place with great character but it's not enough to give it a positive review.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] First off, props to Bee's for carrying Hudy Delight...awesome. Aside from that - not a lot of other positives. $20 to park in the lot across the street. Not the fault of the business however it's definitely a consideration when contemplating where to eat. My biggest issue is with the brisket. I asked if it was moist and tender and was assured it was. It most certainly wasn't. It was dry and tough. Sides were adequate (we had Mac/cheese; beans and collard greens). The pulled pork was good. read more

Bee’s Barbecue - OTR - Bee's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Outstanding staff. Probably the best BBQ in Cincinnati. Brisket, ribs, burnt ends and pulled pork were great. All the sides were above average. They only thing we weren't thrilled with were the sauces. read more

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Best brisket we've had in a bit, queso was also good. Staff was witty, friendly, and providing quick service despite the place being incredibly busy with events in the city. Would recommend. read more

Ugh I love bee's barbecue!! Great casual atmosphere where you seat yourself and order at the bar, the service is always really nice and friendly. I've been a few times and it seems like they've recently changed some of their menu items! My go-to is the bee sting, I love the bbq chips they add to the classic pulled pork sandwich. One of their new items is their deep fried deviled eggs which I highly recommend, it had such a great kick to it and the jalapeño ranch is amazing. I wish they kept the unique fries that they had previously served with the special sandwiches but they switched them to chips (which were still pretty good). My friends have had their brisket and wings, all of which they also love! read more

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For starters, the Bengal Boilmaker of Cincinnati, Ohio illicits the same vibe as the Spotted Cow of Wisconsin. The bartender John enjoyed the small talk of the upcoming Cincinnati Bengals game against the Washington Commanders, brought out my food and provided a great atmosphere. For the food, I had the pulled pork, and the 4-cheese mac and cheese paired with the aforementioned brew, like heaven. read more

Bee’s Barbecue - OTR - A quote by the late Anthony Bourdain and what I believe is the restaurant's mascot. - Barbeque Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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We tried a few things. The brisket was very good. Not quite great, but it was pretty juicy and flavorful. The pulled pork was good but not great. The smoked wings were amazing. I wish we would've gotten more. We got the grippo dry rub. They were the best wings I've had in years. The Mac and cheese was really good too. I like saucy Mac and cheese, and their cheese sauce was sort of like beer cheese and the ratio of cheese to noodle was high. I really liked the bbq beans, they were unique, a blend of black and pinto beans with some sautéed peppers and onions. We have small kids and they actually didn't eat the sides. Too rich I think for them, so fyi if you bring kids. We'll be back for the wings. I'd give them plus the sides a 5 out of 5. read more

Loving this spot, the more i try the better it gets. Trying not to stay on one thing and it's hard Brought my co workers some and they fought about who who every inch of it, if the tells you want you need to know read more

So... been a huge fan of Bee's Barbeque in Madisonville for years! I heard Brendan was putting up a second store in OTR and I was like Nooooo. As I'm not a huge fan of the area but the lovely Mrs suggested we give it a try on a Friday night and I was like that's crazy but there we are. It took almost an hour to get there but OTR around 530p was empty and parking was a breeze. Almost front row street parking. So yay! Good start. Storefront reminds me of Madisonville but inside is way different because there is seating and a bar! It's kind of nice to have all this but I like the picnic tables and the back yard feeling of Madisonville. Service here was pretty good. Bar tender was somewhat attentive. Saw Brendan in the kitchen and walked back to say hello! Very subtle but true to his history, the bbq, as anticipated, was fantastic! Brisket was spot on, Mac and cheese and cornbread were delicious. The kitchen was spotless. Will I come back? Sure, just to support the kind folks I've grown to love and only OTR store if outside seating at Madisonville is not something that's possible due to weather/season. read more

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If you haven't been to this BBQ spot in OTR you're missing out on some really great food with friendly staff and a good vibes atmosphere. Checked it out on Friday for lunch. Had the bbq sandwich that came with pickles and slaw- YUM! read more

Been there twice with family when visiting Cincinnati. Great bbq and smoked dishes, never had a bad one! 3 great housemade sauces at every table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cool vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Hardworking staff that maintain a real friendly atmosphere even when the place is packed. Located in the hip OTR neighborhood and not far from UC. It's a must to stop in for late lunch, dinner, or evening snack. read more

UNBELIEVABLE. My mom is from Texas and my dad is from KC. This place not only does Texas bbq justice, it goes beyond. Owner and employees were very friendly and helpful to our questions. Beautiful decor as well, with casual feel. read more

Bee’s Barbecue - OTR - Wings, turkey, cinci hot links, lockhart link, cornbread and beans - Barbeque Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I got to finally visit Bee's last weekend and was absolutely floored by the experience. It has such a classic BBQ shop vibe with the convenience, service and space of a great sit down restaurant. We got the 2 Meat plate, with the Lockhart Sausage and Pulled Pork, and sides of the Sticky Beans and Cornbread. Everything was outstanding and we had the Beesting sauce, which is phenomenal... Think of the best spicy BBQ you have had. I was not done there, and we decided to get wings and fries, and as I would consider myself a wing connoisseur, These are the best in the city, Period. They are smoked and maybe fried? The crisp on the outside blended with the rub and the soft, fall of the bone tenderness is something I think most places could not replicate if they tried. I love being given the sauce on the side too, to presefve the texture of the wing as is. (Candidly, you do not even need sauce...they are that good.) Oh and the fries... they had grippo dust on them and were incredible (I have heard the cajun is good too...) Pricing is very reasonable and the drink combos are fun to explore. The service was awesome, and the team was as friendly as could be. I even got to meet "Bee". read more

Seems like a locals type of place. We were told to sit and then go up to the bar to order. Pickle dip was tasty. 2 meats (brisket and turkey) and 2 sides (fries and mac) were ok. The brisket could have used some more flavor but was tender, turkey was very good, fries were phenomenal. Banana pudding was good but could use more bananas read more

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I had tried out their Madisonville location previously and was blown away. Super thrilled to see they opened a bigger spot for more of a sit down vibe. Food here is reasonably priced and delicious, definitely worth every penny. read more

Best barbecue I've ever had. We came up here for our Anniversary and wanted good barbecue. Tried this wonderful place. So glad we did. We were set at the chef's table (it was right outside the kitchen) and the chef brought us brisket to sample. Holy drool worthy food. The brisket melts in your mouth. Go there. Trust me, you won't regret it. read more

Bee’s Barbecue - OTR - Brisket Philly and collard greens - Barbeque Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Hands down the best place in the city for barbecue! Their smoked meats are perfect every time and the sides are incredibly tasty. We've tried almost everything on the menu and have never been disappointed. I'm not normally a lover of spam but even that was tasty and the presentation was clever. They have plenty of cold beer on tap and a full bar. Bartenders are friendly and observant. The vibe is Cincinnati sports themed and a chill atmosphere. Mac n cheese is creamy, greens are well seasoned and tender, smoked turkey is like nothing you've ever tasted. read more

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My sister and I were visiting from California so we decided to try this place . It's definitely worth the hype. This place was so delicious. My sister and I had the burgers for lunch with their fries. The customer service was great. Everyone was so professional and and respectful. I would definitely go back. read more

BBQ is of a gamble , even in Texas and Kansas City. There is always the good , the bad , and the ugly! And I've happened into some real humdingers on both sides. There have been some new players in the area that were ok but underwhelming. How does Bees rank??? Last night , at about 10 pm, I ate the best damn pulled pork sandwich I've ever had , take out , on my couch from Bees!! It was pulled, not pulverized and macerated into paste like some places. I understand some folks hate the word moist. We'll eat this barbecue and you won't hate that word any longer. It's not wet, it's not all dried out, it's perfect!!!!! Just a touch of sauce, because I didn't want a sauce sandwich. They didn't feel the need to make it taste like something because it tastes like what it's supposed to, yummy pig! And BBQ, even the crappy stuff isn't cheap, but this sandwich was $10 and came with a pickle and some homemade Saratoga chips( get some dipping sauce for these). Some of these local places are charging $16 for a pulled pork sandwich this size. Sorry other new places around town, the extra high price doesn't make it good. Bees is a solid value and way up there in my rotation. Do your taste buds a favor. Can't wait to try the brisket !!! read more

So fun to walk into this place for the first time and to be treated like an old friend. With the front windows that can be opened wide to the street, you can feel a part of the neighborhood energy while enjoying delicious BBQ. Their meats are smoked onsite and everything was fresh and delicious. The wait staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about their menu and drink options. We will definitely be back often! read more

Bee’s Barbecue - OTR - a pulled pork sandwich on a bun - Barbeque Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Loved it! Staff was super friendly and the food was excellent. Had the Bee Sting and husband had a specialty burger honoring Rory's Masters win. Both were delicious and the fries were top notch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cool small bar vibe was nice too[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. A+ read more

This place exceeded my expectations! The vibe of the restaurant was so awesome. Everyone in there was so nice and service was amazing. The food was some of the best barbecue I've ever had. 10/10 recommend the wings. Would go back again any day. read more

Bee’s Barbecue - OTR - Pulled pork sandwich, wings, brisket Philly - Barbeque Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The setting, service, and most important, food are excellent. The sides are an adventure. We tried the beans, collards, and slaw. All were great. The brisket and pulled pork were perfect. The fries are the happy surprise of the night. The portions were large (lunch tomorrow). We will be back. Thank you very much. read more

I'm from Texas, and the food was amazing. Service was fast. The amount of food was enough for a to-go box. Great job Bee's. DB

Not my favorite place. Bartender was nice but not a place I'd go again. Find another place sorry to leave a bad review. I really wanted to like the place but they were out. Of 2 of the three main meats. No brisket and no ribs. read more

Wonderful! My only feedback is please please please give us a side a bbq sauce for the chips read more

Everything we had was great. The service was awesome and everyone was very friendly. The food is top tier.

We're lucky to have this gem in OTR. The BBQ is great, but don't skip on the apps- the pickle dip is a must. The sauces are really good too. Nice atmosphere. Cocktails are solid, plenty of beer on draft and the service is friendly, attentive, but not on top of you. You'll likely go home with leftovers. read more

Delicious food. Great atmosphere. Friendly staff. What's not to love?! Try the Bee Sting sandwich. You won't regret it.

I am not a fan of smoked wings, but the redemption on these is the fry after they are smoked. They are incredible, I come back just for them. read more

Amazing BBQ, very friendly staff. Quick service; also located in a super cute area of town. Would recommend to anyone!

I really enjoyed the customer service, extremely friendly and easy to help me order. I got the pick 2 meats ribs & brisket & the Mac and sticky beans with the cornbread. I was not a fan of the Mac but the beans was really good!!!! And the cornbread to! I enjoyed both meats and wanted more but def enjoyed it! Think next time we will dine in it was a cute little space lots of conversations and people gathering I loved that for otr! read more

Really great food and cold beer, staff was nice. Little pricey but good quality. I will go back.

Great food, but we went Sunday at 6pm & they were out of sausage, pulled pork and deviled eggs.The Brisket was tender, moist, tasty. The bar guy was nice but odd system. We had to go-to the bar to order food/drinks -they give u a number for your table and the kitchen brings it out. No plates, eat off serving tray and paper trays on the table. We'd prefer a waitress. About $110 for 2, ill get to go sometimes but to much work for customers. Nice interior. read more

Popped in this place after a Cincinnati history tour because it smelled so good outside. Super friendly staff, chill ambiance and impeccable food, and the price tag ain't half bad either! We'll be back. read more

Food and service were good. Outside seating on a Friday night is the way to go. I will definitely come back to try the brisket Philly. read more

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