The views are AMAZING! The business is for sale but still operating. Very good food! The woman at the bar was very friendly.

Historic dive bar with an amazing view and fantastic service. We stayed in a VRBO down the street. You can walk to other places on Mt Adams from here. read more

Food is always good unfortunately the staff tonight is super rude. We waited over 45 mins for a burger and it was cold.

My great uncle has been coming for happy hour for years, following his sister's funeral service he said he wanted to go to City View to have a been and relax. We arrived and they were closed, doing some work in the bar, when my uncle told Silas that he was looking forward to sitting on the patio with a beer after the week he has had, Silas set us up with beers on the patio. The kindness was much appreciated and we are so thankful, happy to support a local business that also supports their patrons and community. read more

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This is a quaint place and does have a great view. I went w a group of 5 and it took a looooong time to get our food. So why still 4 stars? The burger was fabulous! I had good company although we were starving, and the bartender was a 1 man operation tending to every one read more

Super dive bar with great burgers and a spectacular view of downtown. No tomatoes this time of year, because they apparently grow their own! Del, the Sunday bartender was cool as hell and attentive. I will definitely be going back and bringing friends. Haven't been there in years, and I have no idea why I neglected it for so long. Also, Charles Manson grew up on the same block, so what's not to like!? read more

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Great neighborhood/local bar! When it is warm, I like to sit the back patio. The view of Downtown is beautiful! The only thing I don't like is finding parking in this area is really hard. read more

City View Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This place was the perfect fit for a post-5k fuel up. The atmosphere is perfectly unpretentious and homey. The bartender and cook were both welcoming and funny and convinced me to get the peanut butter burger which was amazing! The beer and booze selection show off local offerings and I can definitely see myself coming back to sit on the back porch to eat, drink, and look at the city. read more

City View Tavern - Delicious peanut butter burger with bacon and a Taft's Gavel Banger. - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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On a visit to this place, we experienced extremely unhelpful service. The person taking food orders at the bar was surly and argumentative. It took 55 minutes for us to receive our food order for a party of four. The burgers had skimpy dressing so we asked for additional ketsup. He argued that we didn't need it, and then grudgingly provided a tiny serving of ketsup for the group. As we left, we heard someone ask for mustard and they got the same surly treatment. Good view but not worth the rude treatment read more

I LOVE City View Tavern. I used to live down the street. Their simple menu is awesome, and their bloody Mary's are the best I've ever had. I miss this hidden gem. read more

Burgers were not very good. With limited menu choices you would expect better.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used to live down the street. It's been a "go to" for decades for a wonderful burger, and still going strong.

Their porch offers one of the best views in the city however the service, interior and cost / quality of drinks leaves something to be desired. read more

Peanut butter hamburger is gas Place is dirty tho and only one guy works there 7.5/10 read more

City View Tavern is another hidden gem. The problem is I usually try to avoid Mt.Adams at all costs, but this little place is nestled on the hillside with one of the best, if not the best, views in the city. Cute little dive bar with a huge history here in Cincinnati. Talk to any of the bartenders and they will fill you and and treat you like family. Don't go into this place expecting anything pretentious. The burger is fat and greasy. It comes off a grill that has probably never been cleaned, and it is served with a bag of chips and a nice frothy brew. Ahhhhh, if you like this type of place, this will be your new fav, if not, too bad for you. More space for the rest of us!! City View rules all. read more

I hit up Yelp to find a place with good food and a good view, and it pointed me to this place. It did not disappoint when it came to their famous burgers or their famous view (see my photos), but when it came to the woman I first encountered when we got there, I was not impressed at all. This place was an interesting drive, to say the least. I felt as though I was driving through the Hollywood Hills; windy roads, quaint homes along the way, view of the city below in between lots. We walked in a appreciated the dive-y feel of the place. That didn't put us off. I asked the lady behind the bar if we could sit on the deck. She says sure so we find a table. Ten minutes go by and we haven't seen her. I get up to get us a menu and notice signs that say there is no table service. Ok. Would have been nice to know that ahead of time. As I return to the counter, I notice Ms. Attitude is getting ready to leave and a guy is getting ready to take over. He was nice. Reallllly nice. I order our drinks and place our orders for burgers. There are only two kinds: one with cheese, one with no cheese. My friend wanted fries, but they don't serve fries...only potato chips with their burgers. I paid the tab and went back to the table to enjoy the view. Burgers came, we devoured, and stayed for the view. Gotta say, we were impressed with the food; I would recommend this place if you're looking for the same two things I was looking for. It won't disappoint you. One thing I really didn't care for about the place, and it's only because I'm not used to it, was the smoking inside. Parking is on the street, and we didn't have any trouble finding a spot on a Tuesday night. read more

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This place has a gorgeous view, but it's all down hill from there. I didn't try the food so I can't really comment on that, but based on my experience a few you cons about this place include the difficult parking situation the limited amount of craft beers. My number one complaint is the male bartender as he was very rude. For example, when I ordered my girlfriend a drink he asked if I wanted a single or double, I quickly turned to confirm with her what she would like and he yelled, "WHICH IS IT! SINGLE OR DOUBLE!" Its like damn, give her a chance to think bro. He also yelled at my friends, threw our checks at us, and was visibly annoyed when we asked for receipts. We had just gotten off work and only had two drinks a piece so its not like we were being drunk idiots, and we needed our receipts so we could expense it. Due to this I most likely will not be coming back. read more

City View Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

City View is one of those places that I was hesitant to review because now that the weather is getting warmer, I don't want their fantastic little patio to get too publicized. But judging by the number of reviews and its #2 Best Burger status, I guess it's not that much of a secret! You have to forgive a lot of things to enjoy this place, but the burger, view, and bloody marys (if you're into that) are worth it. Parking can be a challenge so brush up on your parallel parking skills. Once you get inside, you need to go to the bar to put in your food and drink orders. It's not speedy-service-with-a-smile, so don't be put off if that's what you're used to. I suggest putting in a food order as soon as you get there. No matter how busy or slow, it always takes a while. If you aren't lucky enough to score an outside seat, there's a pool table inside to help you pass the time. Your patience will be rewarded with an excellent tasting burger. read more

City View Tavern is gritty in the best way. No table service means you order at the bar, with refreshingly gruff service-- the bartender and cook, who appears to be a one man show, is honest and upfront about orders and choices. The menu is simple, but coherent-- bar food and burgers dominate the two pages. I ordered the PB & B burger, which has bacon and peanut butter, of all options! I ended up loving the unique combination. Though the food ends up taking a bit to come out, it was definitely worth it. Juicy burgers are ALWAYS worth it. We'll be back for the view, the food, and the low frills vibes read more

City View Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This review is based solely on drinks and the view, we didn't eat here. We came into this place due to the view. We were visiting from Pittsburgh and watched to check out the Cincy Skyline. We came at 12 on Tuesday, the place was pretty deal except for a couple of business men. The view was very impressive. The bartender was very helpful, and service was great. I ordered a Bloody Mary and it was one of the best I've ever had. Definitely a must try... They use Cajun seasoning to rim the glass and a give you a cinnamon pickled greenbean. Sounds crazy but it's so yummy. Overall it's a cool little spot and would definitely recommend if your visiting the city. read more

City View Tavern - Bloody Mary! Cajun seasoned rim, so tasty! - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

If you like low key, old school bar bars, you'll love City View. On a hillside in Mt. Adams you can grab a brew, a burger and a birds eye view of the city all at the same time. The bar is simple, the food is simple and the vibe is chill. I usually opt for a bloody mary, a burger and a bag of chips (the only other food options are bbq sandwiches and chili). To me, this is a bar. How a bar should look. How you want to feel hanging out in a bar. Definitely a Cincinnati treasure. read more

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Really rude bar staff. When we walked in the bartender came over and had an attitude that he couldn't be bothered to tell us about the menu. I have him the benefit of the doubt at first. When we were cashing out he said our total was $29 and told him we wanted to split it. Without a word he took my card and ran it. When he came back and told my friend her total I was confused and asked if my personal total was $29. In an extremely sarcastic email tone of voice he asked me what half of $29 was. I told him there was no reason to get smart with me. No apology, no word about it. The food sucks and they literally have metal folding chairs. Looks like it hasn't been updated since the 80s. Literally the only good thing about the place is the view. Skip it. read more

BurgerQuest! Big Ted Deluxe BIG Ted Deluxe ~ voted "Best Cheeseburger in Paradise" by readers of Cincinnati Magazine ~ is a griddle cooked 6-oz hand-made burger topped with American cheese, and just the right amount of brown mustard, onion, mayonnaise, lettuce, catsup, tomato*, and pickle. *in-season ... we use "home grown" $6.75 Cooking Style/Temp: griddled, all burgers medium well Additions/Subtractions: none Burger: 4.5 Hand formed patty, cooked to a juicy medium-well, had a slightly chewy texture, but it was tasty, perfectly seasoned and had a good crust from the griddle. The size was absolutely perfect, big enough to be satisfying but not so huge you felt gross afterwards. This was true for the burger as a whole as well. The main complaint was you can't request temperature, but this is a bar burger, so it would be silly to expect otherwise. Bun: 3.75 Fresh white bakery bun, held up for the whole burger, it would be amazing if they grilled or toasted it. Toppings: 3 Not much in the way of variety, but what they do have is fresh and tasty. Im not a brown mustard fan, but this version was very mild and when mixed together with the ketchup and mustard they came together to form a nice sauce. The american cheese melded perfectly into the cracks of the burger and mixed perfectly with the seasonings on the meat. Accoutrements: 2 This was my beef (no pun intended) with City View when I previously visited B.B.Q. (Before BurgerQuest). You get a side of Husman's plain potato chips or Grippo's BBQ chips. While you can't beat a fresh bag of either, sometimes you want a basket of fries or onion rings to go with it. Atmosphere: 4 City View Tavern is a nice sized bar on a hard to access street on the side of the hill in Mt. Adams, the cook/owner is brusque in a good way and the deck is cozy. They have good beers on tap and a pool table. It can feel a bit like a church basement or elks club with the wood paneled walls and linoleum floor. But the whole thing works and feels very comfortable and unique. Overall: 3.45 The Big Ted burger was recently named the #2 burger in town by Cincinnati Magazine in it's recent burger issue. I can see why it was voted so well, but I cant agree that it's that high up there. Dont get me wrong, this is a near flawless burger, but there is also nothing exceptional about it. I would say when you want a very good burger with no fuss, good beer and a really good view, have at it. Just hope you get an outdoor seat. One of the main issues with City View can be finding a parking spot on a totally cramped street, and as trivial as it may sound, that could be the true test, as a great burger would convince me to not give a shit about the parking situation. When presented with that challenge to go get a Big Ted, I would say that its a really good burger, but not so super good that I'd steal someone's parking spot over it. http://eightytwenty.tumblr.com/post/758652048/burgerquest-city-view-tavern read more

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Giving a second awesome review to this place. Made a special stop just for the Bloody Mary and the view...or maybe more than one. It's the best around and top 5 all time for me. It's a hidden gem that everyone should go see in Cincinnati. Close to downtown with the best views. read more

City View Tavern - Watching the rain come in from the covered deck. - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I love love love this little tavern. Came here Christmas Eve while shopping downtown & OTR. Since when is Cincy warmer than AZ in December? So we got to sit outside on the patio in December looking at that VIEW! This is such a great little spot if you can find it to chill and grab a drink. The view is special. Cheers! read more

I walked in with my significant other and the people ignored us. We saw the sign that said you have to go to the bar to order and no table service, so my SO went up to the bar to order. The bartender ignored us while we waited at the bar and asked a different couple that arrived after us for their order. I've never been to a place with such disregard for their patrons. It was dirty, dingy, and poor service. Only good thing was the view, but not worth it. Go somewhere else . read more

OMG THE BURGERS!!!! I couldn't praise this burger enough if I tried. Everyone in my group LOVED them. My burger had Swiss cheese, onions, and green peppers. Will go back again! read more

City View Tavern - Burger with Swiss cheese, onions and green peppers - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Words cannot so this place justice. The view of the Cincinnati skyline is breath taking. The burgers were more than amazing! The freshest hamburger buns I believe that I have ever had. Cold beer. Incredible Service. This is a must visit each and every time we go to this great city! read more

City View Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This is my favorite bar in the city. The view cannot be beat and it's a dive bar with relatively cheap beer and decent food, it is also tiny...like only 10 folks can sit on the deck, but if you go there during the early day you have a cold drink and a nice time on a patio you have all to yourself. Though Blind Lemon is a must see bar for tourist...this is my must do bar every time I'm in town. read more

Never heard of this place at all before. Went here this past Sunday afternoon with my friends. Located off a very narrow street (Oregon). So parking is eh. Can imagine its frequented by those who live in Mt Adams and just walk there. Interior is very bland-definitely a bar that's been around and unchanged for a while. Ordered a bacon cheddar burger. Pretty small and it wasn't extraordinary. Prices are very cheap here. But what makes this place different are the VIEWS outside on the patio. Will probably stop by here again. read more

This was our very first stop when we arrived in Cincinnati. A MUST visit for out of towners. A great iconic bar and restaurant serving only excellent burgers and featuring tremendous views off the porch. Be sure to spend some time ordering up great tunes on the fabulously old school jukebox. read more

Great food and exceptionally friendly staff. One of the best views in the city! Love this place!

Great Place!! Great View!! Great Burger!! Going back and taking friends. Laid back atmosphere. read more

A few decades ago, Mt. Adams was a working-class part of town rife with artists and craftspeople. Even when yuppies colonized this hill in the 80s and brought their Patrick Nagel prints with 'em, the City View retained its no-nonsense charm. This charm extends to the patrons as pretensions dissolve at the door and acquaintances are made. This is and always has been my favorite place to go after my frequent visits to the art museum. It is the perfect place to relax before re-entering the world of rent and deadlines. The admission price of a burger and a couple brews is a paltry sum for the spectacular view. I generally go with either the juicy Big Teddy burger or the spicy, shredded BBQ Beef sandwich accompanied by some frosty Christian Moerleins. Two of us walked away happy, full, and restored for less than $20. The City View is like the cool old guy on your block. He's got tons of great stories, shared not to impress, but to make you feel welcome. It's the real deal. read more

One of the best views in the city without a doubt! You can see a huge stretch of the Ohio river, Newport, the banks, the stadiums. It's stunning. 5 stars all the way. Honestly we went just for the view the burgers were second. So the burgers.... not the best. I've probably made better at home and I don't even have a grill.. Yes it was juicy, but it was major slacking on all the toppings. I had the Laggman (sp?) which was pretty basic with just sauerkraut and I could barely taste any over the rye bread and hamburger. A little disappointed I couldn't get fries (I mean burgers and fries are bffs) but grippos are one of my favorite chips. It was pretty sparsely seated at 7:30 on a Friday so no wait..each burger is definitely cooked to order! Five stars for the view, two stars for the burger. read more

I wanted to check this place out. I have read many good reviews and my expectations were pretty high because I travel and every place i go I it is either a Diner, Dives and Drive-in, Outrageous Food, Man vs Food or an Anthony Bourdain recommended restaurant. After stumbling around Eden Park, I decided to open up my phone and look on Yelp to see if I was close to any of my bookmarks and sure enough - I was 10 mins from City View Tavern. City View Tavern is a small bar with a view. The tavern was not crowded for a Saturday afternoon but it was a good escape from the heat. I ordered a beer and burger. The burger was really good. It was not huge or messy. It was just a well cooked / seasoned burger. I enjoyed my couple of beers and the burger. The bartender was nice - I will definitely go back there but it will have to be early because parking is an issue. Enjoy... read more

The Food: The menu is small, but I'm all for sticking with what you know. City View's burger consistently wins "best of" status in Cincinnati, so on my first visit for food (my other couple trips have been post-kitchen close) I tried something else - the BBQ Beef. Not the healthiest choice - although it should be noted that City View has a few vegetarian options (with American cheese as the main attraction) - the sandwich was passable. A side of Grippo's barbecue chips accompanied the spicier than sweet and somewhat dry bites, which have an interesting topping of coleslaw that's actually a pretty good original twist. This is bar food. And for bar food it's not too bad. I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars. The Drink: City View also consistently wins for it's Bloody Mary's, and the 2 of us at my table who made the order were not disappointed. Presentation was solid, with a spicy, seasony salt rim with a pickled green bean (which wasn't gross, as I have to admit it I thought it looked). My girlfriend said "as a connoisseur, I was satisfied." She noted it wasn't exactly to her taste though - it's a bit sweet. In other news, Bell's Oberon and Christian Moerlien OTR are both on tap, so even your beer snob buddies will be happy. But don't order a tequila or Jagermeister, see The Story for details... For a small place, the selection was more than solid. 5 out of 5 stars. The Setting and Service: City View Tavern's location is hard to beat. The P&G towers and Cincinnati's beautiful skyline are highly visible in the distance. The river is just below your outdoor deck seat, and the jukebox jams with old school R&B, classic rock, and more. With an owner tending bar, a pool table in the front, and a side street location that's as unpretentious as Mount Adams gets - this is a great spot. One small note though, it's a skinny little street, so if you're scared of parallel parking (or having more than a couple drinks), take a cab. 5 out of 5. The Story: This place has a history. You can tell when you walk in the door, see postcards from patrons on the walls, and look at the photographs rich with Cincinnati history. But when my girlfriend tried to order a shot of tequila, and was told no, we got a very interesting explanation as to why. Apparently, there was a regular who lived down the street from City View Tavern, who drank quite a bit of tequila in the early 60's. The guy would talk about how he was going to jump off the deck when he got drunk. Well, he didn't jump, but his name was Charles Manson. Yup, the Charlie Manson - who grew up in Cincinnati. Gotta love this city. 5 out of 5. The City View Tavern has personality. If you enjoyed this review, there's more at Amateur Foodies. read more

Typically greasy bar food and drinks. View is to die for at sunset. We always take friends here from out of town for a quick burger and drink so we can show them the view. It's not the cleanest. No table service. Food and view is well worth it. read more

It's a limited menu. I've had the burger, beef bbq, and spicy mett (that's about 3/4 of the menu). The burger did not impress me (but I am from Texas). The spicy mett was indeed very spicy and also very good. Finally, the beef bbq is fantastic. The beef is great and they load it up with enough horseradish to clear your sinuses. It's a good tangy-ness when you put the coleslaw on the sandwich. Also, the view is really tough to beat - even if you're inside. Be aware that there's no table service and that there's just one cook. So, sometimes there is a wait (but there are plenty of delicious beers to help you wait). Oh yeah, and the prices are from like 1980, including the jukebox - 8 songs for $1. Bottom Line: I'll be back for the bbq or mett. read more

I thought I reviewed City View a long time ago, but somehow skipped it. The other yelpers here have pretty much covered the bases. My favorite thing about City View is that it's the only option in Mt. Adams that is near a true dive, and I mean that in the most loving sense of the word. To those who have been disappointed by slow service, overrated food or the weird sense sometimes that you are hanging out at a bar before it opens for the night, I can only say this just might not be the kind of place for you. City View is always a good stop, but it is best enjoyed on the deck, Bloody Mary in hand, on a sunny afternoon when you have no place else to be. read more