We had Easter brunch at Brew River. As usual, the food was amazing, wine list and cocktails fabulous, service exemplary and ambiance perfect. One of my favorite restaurants in town by far. Love the patio, dog friendly, easy parking on street and in lot across the street. Highly recommend! read more

We carried out a large neighborhood order from here last Friday and the food was great! Some of the items were fried and they were still crispy and delicious when we got them home. The BBQ shrimp and grits were fabulous. Cant wait to come back and eat in person soon and hear some live music. read more

We had a wonderful evening at BrewRiver last weekend. We started with the Creole Poutine, then had the Jambalaya and Pasta Monica. We knew it would be too much food but wanted to try it all! Everything was super flavorful. We enjoyed a couple of craft cocktails while we listened to the musician playing outside. We felt 100% safe and really loved the atmosphere and the vibe. We'll be returning, that's for sure. read more

This place was not good for the price they charge. The service was subpar.... lady spilled a drink all over my friend's pants and didn't even do anything about it, forgot my other friend's order and ordered him something completely wrong and then came back out 20 mins later after everyone else has gotten their food and asked what he ordered again.... my mimosa was tiny for the price they charged, and the worst part was that there was a dead bug in it and the waitress tried to make an excuse and said it was from the orange.... that was annoying. Everyone at my table agreed that the food wasn't terrible but they've had better.. However, for the price we paid, should have been amazing!!! And no I will not go back there again. read more

I've been living out of town (in Berlin, Germany) for quite a while now, and whenever I'm back in my hometown Cincy I love to head out with friends for some great local food. Can say without a shred of doubt that BrewRiver GastroPub is one of the greatest things to not only happen to the area, but to Cincinnati's food culture at large. It has a fantastic new yet old-timey atmosphere that caters well to its diverse menu. They make a great po boy sandwich, but the secret success of this place lies in its diverse set of rotating beers and ales as well as the infamous homemade spicy pickles (ask for them!!!) Have been coming here every year that I visit home, it's pretty much the best new-ish restaurant in town. Go there!!!!! read more

Cool little place with nice patio and decent menu. Good craft beer selection but beers are overpriced.

We made a reservation on OpenTable and requested outside. After driving half hour to get there they told us that they don't take reservations for outside. The app doesn't say that. Too many good places to go. Won't be back read more

BrewRiver GastroPub is the perfect weekend brunch location - especially in the warmer months. They have an incredible patio and enough umbrellas so sitting outside is very pleasant. Not to mention excellent brunch cocktails. I enjoyed a HUGE Bloody Mary with all the fixins- bacon, olives, pickle green beans, lime. It was fantastic - I like my bloodies with a little kick and this one did not disappoint. Our server said they have their own in house recipe that includes Sirahcha vs. hot sauce. The food is all New Orleans style and is everything is made fresh, in house. The menu offerings are creative takes on traditional brunch options. I enjoyed a BLT&E. The eggs are fried with a runny yolk which infuses the sandwich with so much flavor once you bite in. The herbed aioli adds an interesting and delicious flavor element and complements their house cured bacon. While we were there they also had live music on the patio which is not something a lot of other brunch spots have. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - BLT&E from the brunch menu - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I love coming here for a bite to eat and more than a few beers! I always have a hard time deciding which sandwich to get because I love them all. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a place with a great beer selection and delicious dinner. read more

This place was terrible! From the overwhelming horrible smell, to the very unpleasant server James. We should have known when we saw so many scented candles being sought out by the staff. We had 6 people in our group and not one of said our food was good. There are many other choices, try somewhere else! read more

By far best ever truffle Mac and cheese! Love the creative made from scratch desserts! Fun atmosphere! It's my go to place when I want to impress out of town friends. read more

Updating review: still gets four stars, because most of our food was delicious, our drinks were good, and our server was super nice. Still don't love how hard it is to sit at their tables. Less clunky chairs without arms would be nice! I ordered the poutine again, because my friend had never had it before. The fries were overcooked and chewy. So, it was a disappointing representation of poutine. For desert, I ordered the brownie, but they brought out the shortbread cookie. I kept it, though, because I was curious. It was good, but it was super awkward to eat! Since it's a hard cookie, you have to pick it up to eat it. But, they serve it on a bed of lemon mousse, so you get mousse all over your hand! Also, it's dipped in chocolate, so that starts to melt and get all over your hand as well. Tastes good, but super weird for a nice restaurant experience! Overall, it's good enough that I'll come back, but just had to share my most recent experience. read more

Food wasn't up to the hype. While it wasn't terrible, it wasn't special either. They had an impressive beer list which made up for a lot. The pork rind appetizer was incredible and that alone was worth the visit. But the rest of our meal was disappointing. That said, the staff was very warm and inviting and that says a lot especially in this day and age. Just don't expect too much and you might just have a wonderful time. read more

Went for brunch today after seeing they reopened down the street from old location. Never had brunch at old location but had gone several times for dinner and was okay with food and service there not 100% wow'ed. Band playing during brunch was nice. Bloody mary was okay, not very spicy & no horseradish. I eat gluten free due to allergy and there weren't a lot of brunch options, but decided to try shrimp and grits. It was mediocre and $20 (!) for VERY basic shrimp and grits, which included 4 small shrimp that tasted watery & were unappetizing looking from sauce. Sauce was ok, grits were also watery tasting. Definitely could've used something to make it better. Most shrimp and grits will have bacon, sausage or extra sauce (something!!!!). My boyfriend ordered biscuits and gravy and he said biscuit was bad (it looked dry & crumbly). Of course I didn't taste his food but I could tell by looking at it that it wasn't up to par. In the past, we did like the fries so ordered a small side to share and they were literally inedible. Dry, cold & burnt, how do you get that combo I don't know, but it was bad! The service was also very slow and it wasn't busy. I'm questioning if I will go back for dinner which is what I had in past at their old location or if I should give up after this bad experience of 3 out of 3 bad menu options we tried today (not including plain tasting bloody mary!) Awful feeling to spend over $60 for 2 for brunch to have bad food and service! In need to go to another brunch spot that has good shrimp and grits to get these bad ones out of my mind! read more

This place is great. The bar manager Marcus keeps the beers in a fresh rotation and there are always new beers on the menu. The food is fantastic, especially the short rib poutine and the mussels (which are the best I have had in Cincy and in a lot of other cities as well). I can't recommend the mussels enough, that are nothing short of amazing. On Thursday's they do a crawfish boil which we plan to go back and try. Happy hour all of the 6 and 7 dollar beers are $2.95 from 3-6 m-f and 3-5 on Saturday. The brunch menu looks incredible but we haven't tried it yet. read more

Great atmosphere, friendly service and delicious food!! 5 star for sure! Burger was very good! read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Burger!! Get it - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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First time here...great looking bar/restaurant. Friendly service, good selection of beer and the food is really good, it is New Orleans inspired. It also has an outdoor patio for nice days. read more

My husband, son and I came here a couple nights ago for the first time since they opened their new location. We sat at a comfortable booth and ordered our drinks. I had a vanilla pineapple martini from their drink list (I can't remember the name and the website does not list the specialty drinks), and a hurricane. Both were delicious. To start, we ordered the fried green tomatoes and the mussels. The fried green tomatoes with the bacon jam were delicious! The mussels were good, but could use a little more flavor. For dinner, I ordered the buttermilk crispy chicken and my husband ordered shrimp and grits. My son enjoyed some shrimp and fries. The chicken was great, and the portion was large. I loved the coleslaw. My husband liked the shrimp and grits, but was unhappy with the amount of bbq sauce slathered on it. It was overpowering to him to the point where it's all he said he tasted. While eating, I did notice a couple being waited on at the table next to us. The lady serving them did not know the daily specials and was giving them multiple "I think..." responses. Our waitress did not have these issues. I do think it's very important, especially at the price range of this restaurant, for the staff to be fully prepared before evening service begins. Luckily, the other table was recovered by our waitress. I could tell the staff was very novice, which just may be a lack of training or meetings. I ordered creme brûlée for dessert which of course was fantastic. Overall, the food was good quality and tasteful and the drinks were delicious. I would return. I wish gnocchi had been available that night, but I guess I will save that for a future visit. read more

My wife and I had dined at brew river numerous times before they moved to their new location. After they first moved, we ate there and were disappointed in the service; well over an hour to get our food. We tried it again last weekend and are happy to report that the experience was similar to the original location. Good food Ann's good service. We will return. read more

Ordered this through UberEats. Maybe it would be different as a dine in. I ordered the beef short rib poutine and the Cuban sandwich. Fries quickly became mealy and hard to eat (like when you reheat them from being cold). Cuban sandwich was okay however. read more

had the fried green tomatoes and it was amazing !! love the place always great service !

The food was delicious! The turkey and goat cheese was perfect and my husband's shrimp poboy was amazing. The fish and chips option was okay but the other options were better. Definitely recommend this place for those looking for a low key good time with tasty food! read more

Ok. I was dead set on giving this place a piece of my mind.... I had been in twice and sat at the bar and straight up had TERRIBLE service -like, nearly had to flap my arms to get the bartenders attention- It was one bartender in particular, and just so happened he was working on the two occasions I went in and both times he was just rude. Another bartender seemed much more pleasant, alas, he was on the other side of the bar. Both times I'd intended to eat but left because he was so bad. Ok, so the beer that I had was yummy and the food did look good so despite my immediate hatered, thanks to Dufus behind the bar, I decided to return for dinner with a girlfriend and we ate upstairs in the dining room. I am glad I did. Our server was wonderful (dang-it-all-to-heck I can't remember his name.... but he was great). His beer recommendations for paring w/ our food was on pointe (their selection is wide and they have plenty to suit any palate). We started with the pate which was good but the highlight were the sweet carmelized onions that came along side, we got seconds of those bad boys. My friend ordered the salmon which was good -though a little dry- but the cauliflower mash it came with was delish. I had the fish and chips which were tempura-like and flakey. I would order that again. So, with all considered, I'm glad I waited to write my review until I sat down and had a great time with excellent service. Dufus could have really ruined it.... Also, he may not work there anymore as I've seen him bartending at another one of my absolute favorite bars (GASP!!!) Let's hope he gets his act together. read more

This place is awesome. Great local menu with lots of creative Farm to table sandwiches and main courses. The craft beer and wine menus are enormous and rotate constantly. My wife and I love this cozy gem. read more

Burger was pretty good. Outdoor patio was nice. Sold out of Cabernet so ended up with a Shiraz. House salad was pretty good. Service was fine. read more

Had a late lunch here on a weekend afternoon. We each had The BrewRiver Salad (I think that's the name) and split the pimento dip. The food was great. Exactly what we wanted and will definitely order it again. The only downfall was the patio. We sat outside since it was a beautiful day. The patio itself was ok. It was clean and you couldn't even really tell there was a busy road next to it. But there were other guests (we assumed regulars from how They joked around with the staff and how comfortable they were being very loud) smoking right in front of the restaurant next to the patio. We were there for probably and hour and the 7ish of them chain smoked and drank the entire time. We had the smoke blowing on us the whole time we were there. One of them also got into their truck and turned on the football game loud so everyone could listen. There was a larger party on the patio as well and you could tell everyone was annoyed. It would be nice if the restaurant could move the ashtray they had set up for smokers further from the patio. We'd love to go back but we typically pick restaurants where we can sit outside in nice weather. They have a great space otherwise! read more

After having been back a few time I am giving this place a solid 5 stars. It is one of our new favorite places. This is a cool, small bar with upscale bar food. A very nice selection of beers with a knowledgable staff (well there was one guy working- but he knew his stuff) The decor is nice with cool antiques in a residence turned hipster bar. The upstairs is nice with a lovely river view. The down stairs is well appointee and close to the beer taps. The music was fun- brass band versions of rock and pop songs that would make any high school band nerd lose their freaking mind. The truffle Mac and cheese was delicious. The house salad was very tasty. On a second visit, after discussing with our waitress about being vegetarian in a burger place- she talked to the cook and he was willing to make any burger vegetarian by replacing it with a portobello mushroom. It was amazingly delicious. Parking is very easy either right in front or in the lot across the street. In a previous review I'd complained about the prices but I have since learned everything is hand made and prepared in house. The food is very good. read more

What a delicious Cuban sandwich they have. It's not on the menu so be sure to ask for it. Slightly smaller than I would prefer, but I was full after eating it and a side of fries. But I wanted more. They were plentiful on meat and the bread was toasted perfectly. But as good as the sammich was, the fries were just as good or better. They tasted homemade and have a good crisp to them... Similar to Outback's French fries, but way better. The catsup served was also homemade and had a sweet salsa flavour to it. Not spicy. We are on the patio and enjoyed the afternoon. read more

Would have given 5 stars a few months ago. Have been regulars almost since it opened. Best gumbo around and other items as well, except specials were frequently the same. Friendly feel. Waiters always remembered us. Lately there has been a BIG decline. Seems as if there has been 100% staff turnover. Food has declined. Gumbo doesn't have any flavor. Thought oh no now the chef has left too!!! We want our Brew River back! read more

I recently went to Brew River on a date. The date wasn't so great, but they have a really fabulous selection of craft beers on tap, which certainly improved the evening. They get 5 stars for the beer selection. We got to sit outside on their little patio tucked in between two buildings. I enjoyed getting to watch the cars go by and listening to the guys working in the kitchen. However, under the table there had been a beer spill and some tomato-splats. We both had to sit carefully to keep our shoes out of the mess. I realize they aren't going to mop up the patio, but it would have been nice if there was even a slight effort to clean it up. The food at Brew River is very interesting, in a good way. It's a great blend of styles and I enjoy the Cajun flair. However, I was still hungry after dinner. My oyster Po-Boy was delicious, but could have certainly used a few more oysters to make it "edge-to-edge." The truffle fries certainly make up for a lot. I will keep giving this place a try because it has a lot of potential. read more

congratulations, BrewRiver, you've earned two more regulars. my wife and i first heard about the GastroPub through yelp. once my wife heard about the Truffle Mac n' Cheese, it immediately went on "the list." we checked out the pub on our date night this weekend (friday). +1 for free street parking +1 for greeting us immediately after walking in. it wasn't even the hostess, just a waitress who happened to be walking by. she made sure to seat us right away. we were given the choice of seating downstairs with the large bar area, or upstrais. my wife opted for the upstrais since there is no vestibule (and it's cold outside!). -1 for tight quarters. not a lot of space to move around once we were seated. my wife had to move her elbow every time the wait staff passed by. +1 for decor. fairly typical ... americana. but it did to serve to add some flavor. +1 for a great waitor. he was humble, moderately quick, and took good care of us. +1 for neat menu concept. you'll have to visit to see what i mean. +1 for great Truffle Mac n' Cheese, at least according to my wife. she opted for the large, which is truly large. we took a good bulk of it home with us. (tip: according to my wife, it's better the next day!) +1 for good BLT. the bread was fantastic, and the lettuce/tomato were local. my only beef (pun intended) was that the bacon could have been more crispy. it was still tasty, and i'd get it again. +1 for *great* french fries. nice amount of salt, but not too much. i'd go back just for the fries. but the kicker... +1 for *fantastic* homemade ketchup. i don't know the recipe, but it tasted like pureed tomatoes with brown sugar and perhaps a hint of applesauce. i could have eaten a lot of that ketchup. +1 for extensive beer list. i tried the RiverWater Dark Lager, and it lived up to its description ... hints of nuts, chocolate, and caramel. recommended. +0 the desserts looked good, but we were both too full to try something. -1 for volume. it was loud upstairs when we were seated, and it only got louder as the evening progressed. +1 for attentive manager. she was nice as could be, and i observed her doing all kinds of work for her employees--even bussing tables. +1 for reasonable prices. +1 for clean restroom. +1 for great side patio. it was too cold this weekend, but i could see us enjoying it once it's warmer. my wife and i agree, this restaurant is a repeat. you might see us there next time. i'll be the one eating fries with way too much ketchup. read more

Really more like 3 1/2 stars. I wanted to like this place more. We dined on a Saturday night around 6:30. Pub was about half full when we arrived, but packed by the time we left (8:00?). We had called ahead to check on the wait. We were told there was no wait, but that they could not guarantee there would not be one when we arrived. We arrived about 15 minutes later and they had our table ready for us. Nice. The hostess mentioned that our table was reserved for a reservation @ 8:30 and asked if that was ok. That was fine with us and I let her know that there were 3 children (10, 8, & 5). in our party of 5. She did not seem put out by that (unfortunately a lot of places do act put out). BTW - I did not see any other children while we were there. Although they did not have the Listermann peanut butter ale that my husband and I were hoping to try, our waiter was very patient in talking about and recommending other options. We ordered 4 entrees to share amongst the 5 of us. The Fish n' Chips was a favorite with the kids and we all loved the sauce. The Amish Chicken was ok - a little greasy and a tad bit overpriced @ $16. We also had the Muffaletta and the Natchez burger. They were both good. We especially like the smoky flavor of the burger and the fried onions on the burger. The fries and cole slaw were also very good. We did not care for the housemade (?) ketchup. Overall, we didn't dislike anything. We weren't wowed by anything either. . . Well, maybe the "tarter" sauce. We go out to eat frequently with (and without) our children. Our children know how to behave in a restaurant. I really appreciate when an establishment (especially a primarily adult one) doesn't prejudge us or our children. The staff at Brew River was very helpful, friendly, and made us feel welcome. So. . . Service 5 Food 3 Value 3. read more

It's nice to enjoy a local favorite when traveling for business. The restaurant is in a cute area near the river that looks to be revitalized. It has a fun atmosphere and great menu. I had the special of the day which was a Cuban sandwich. Very delicious and you could tell that the pickles weren't your typical jarred pickle. The homemade ketchup was great.. I can't quite pinpoint the spice in it, maybe thyme? Others in my group had the grilled cheese with pickles which sounds weird but they all loved it. The truffle mac-n-cheese looked amazing! read more

Sometimes restaurants grow on you as you visit them more often. This one has gone in the opposite direction. It would have been a five star review after my first visit and maybe 4 stars after the next couple visits, but I seem to enjoy it less and less each time I go. For $20 per person, breakfast on River road in Cincinnati better be amazing. This has the potential to be but it's just too inconsistent. From wait times to menu offerings (they're frequently out of our first and second choices), BrewRiver just finds a way to disappoint. If I want to spend $100 for breakfast for 4, I'll go somewhere nice. Otherwise, there are plenty of quality breakfast options on both sides of the river that deliver consistent quality at reasonable prices. read more

Apparently the bartender was late so the waiter was rather confused? We went for lunch and the food was ok at best. I sent the BBQ shrimp back because it was over cooked and then sauced up a lot! My son had a shrimp poboy and it wasn't very good either. The ambiance is dark and cold. Do yourself a favor and try something else. read more

Amazing service, food, and bar selection! It's a small place in a somewhat random location, but it's definitely worth the trip!

So, tonight was our 3rd time there, and each time has been great! The wait staff is so friendly, and helpful. They have such a great selection of beer, that no matter what type of beer you like, there is something for you. We had the great pleasure of the band "Marmalade Brigade" playing, and they are great as well. The entire evening was wonderful. Their food is amazing. The truffle mac & cheese is so good, along with everything else we have had. The patio is awesome, and tonight the weather was a perfect fit! I always look forward to when we can go again! read more

Tried this place recently, found it to be rather bland. Might have given it a second try, but the folks essentially told us that we were wrong, that their stuff was excellent and flavorful, so we must be mistaken. That's the most efficient way to ensure folks won't return. There are other, more flavorful and less expensive places to get decent Creole in Cincy. read more

Truffle Mac and cheese. That's all you need to know when dining here. You must get this. We had the gumbo as well, which was great. Nice drafts on tap too. The burger was average. read more

My girlfriend and I came here for a dinner date. The food was amazing. Our server Devin was amazing. Super attentive and really fun to talk to. Great service. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a good meal, great music, and excellent service. read more