Came in with my 92 yr old mother - seated in the bar with music blaring since it was 2:10. asked for a quieter spot as mom wears hearing aids. they said sorry it's this or nothing. mom too tired to move so we passed a miserable lunch not talking and listening to dance music. Wait staff was better read more

Not sure what to make of deSha's...wish it was more Tavern-like, yet modern. Randomly had Friday night dinner here, based on quickly perusing menu and the fact it was a Tavern. But, I don't think my husband and I were the "normal" crowd that patrons here, as DeSha's was awash in what many would refer to as the Karen type and those retired or spent the day golfing (or both). I felt out of place. We sat in the bar, which is the actual Tavern it seems, and our waitress was...well, not really attentive nor particularly nice. Upon asking about gluten-free options, it seemed more like she was guessing, as opposed to actually knowing. We started with the Chicken Andouille egg rolls. What is it about SW Ohio and making fancy egg rolls as an appetizer? They were ok, the flavors weren't really distinct. Then she brought the corn bread...all the yum! Melt in your mouth, literally, as they arrive warm...and the butter! Why doesn't it come with twice the amount? This was A+! Since I couldn't get what I wanted, I ordered the Spinach Salad with Shrimp. Pretty sure the shrimp were just microwaved, as they did not appear to be pan fried, air fries, or grilled...was like they bought a cocktail shrimp ring at Meijer and nuked it in the micro. Maple vinaigrette was good, but Nordstrom Bistro has a better salad. My husband ordered the meatloaf, green beans seemed canned, mashed potatoes were just ok, and the meatloaf was pretty good, but I've had better. Decided to end the meal with Brûléed Cheesecake...VERY good! Worth consuming! The live music was very good as well, great mix, and not too loud. So TLDR: cornbread and cheesecake are worth it, along with the moscato. But that alone isn't enough to make me wish to dine at deSha's again anytime soon. read more

Ate here for lunch yesterday with a group of 5. I had a chopped salad, loaded potato soup and the meat loaf dinner with mashed potatoes and green beans. Plus bread pudding for dessert. Everything tasted great. Service was friendly and attentive. Another in our party got the fish entree (fish and chips)--OMG !!! It was the biggest piece of fish I've ever seen served in a restaurant. I'm a good judge of size--this one piece was at least 2 inches thick and about 8 or 9 inches by 4 inches. He was only able to eat less than half of it and had to take the rest home. So if you want a good deal on fish and a lot of it, this is the place. read more

What a great experience ...we had cabbage soup, stuffed mushrooms, onion soup I had the most wonderful chop salad. Our server was Savannah. She was absolutely lovely, Ambience, was beautiful company we were with were perfect. It was just a lovely lovely experience and we will definitely be back. read more

I visited desha's for the first time with a work group during the holiday season. The decor is interesting and lodge-y (lookout for the moose head), and the vibe suits maybe more of an older crowd. Overall I enjoyed myself, the food was good, the drinks were excellent, and the service was attentive. read more

deSha's - Cincinnati - St. Nick Smash - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

My boyfriend and I went here for dinner on a whim for 2021 Cincinnati Burger week. No reservation, Monday night. We were quoted about a 20-30 minute wait but ended up only waiting probably ~15 minutes. We ordered the spinach & artichoke dip as an appetizer. No pictures because we devoured it quickly. I definitely recommend it! I ordered the Truffle Burger as my entree, which is what they were offering for burger week. It was pretty good, cooked well done. The patty was about average - I think what made the burger good was the brioche bun, Asiago and wild mushrooms, and the truffle aioli. Freaking amazing. Because it was the burger week item, it didn't come with a side, but I ordered the French fries. They came out super hot and cooked to perfection. 10/10 fries. They have a great drink menu with bottles/cans and drink on tap. They have white and red wine, as well as cocktails. Cons - we were not asked how we wanted our burgers cooked. Mine came out well done (no pink) and my boyfriend's came out slightly pink (medium-well). We both prefer medium heat, that being said, we both enjoyed the food. It was our first visit, so maybe they ask you when it's not burger week. Also, the sides are not listed on the menu. We had to ask our server what the options were. Again, it was our first time, so I'm not sure if they have a different menu due to COVID, but this should be a staple on any menu in my opinion. We will be back because overall we had a very good experience! read more

deSha's - Cincinnati - Waiting on dinner & listening to some amazing tunes by John Mayer - they have a great playlist! - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

We dine here occasionally. Food is always delicious, atmosphere is great, and the service is good for the most part. With exception of our last visit. The server was so rude to the point that all we could do was chuckle. She literally tossed my salad on the table as she walked by to the adjacent table. Unfortunately I left the receipt on the table. I wish I knew her name. Apparently she was having a bad day. read more

This may sound like an ad but I'm a real customer who is picky and expects consistent food and good customer service. Long time patron here where I'm now ordering to go dinners for the past year every few months and it is consistently good every time! The staff is always friendly when I pick up, food is fresh, delish and always what I've ordered. The butternut squash salad with salmon is our favorite as is the burger with Swiss and onions. read more

We usually love DeSha's but our server (Bri) was rude, short with us and unapologetic when she forgot to bring us what we asked for. Won't be back for a while. read more

Our visit to deSha's was great. The ambiance is welcoming and very cozy, which makes a nice setting for any meal. The food was very good - I highly recommend the crab stuffed mushrooms. The mashed red potatoes were just okay, I think they could use a bit more flavor. The service was unbeatable - our waitress Lydia was very personable, friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. I recommend this establishment and would definitely return! read more

The jambalaya had no seasoning to it. The spinach salad was fresh.Dressing was all on the bottom.French Onion Soup was good.Our waiter was working othe bar and waiting tables. Never came to ask about refills on water. One older couple had to get up and ask for silverware next to us. They had there food and no utensils.There was 2 large parties. read more

See all

Haven't been here for years, but we went for a birthday dinner and glad we did. We both had prime rib which was perfectly prepared, rare for my wife and medium for me, and the price was quite reasonable. We will be back! read more

First visit, which included a group of six. Happy round tables were available, and the unexpected live band was nice (we appreciate the volume was reasonable enough to still enjoy conversation with friends). Our server was great, she accommodated all our needs. Finally, all guests loved our meals (the blacken grouper was exceptional). Glad we discovered this gem! read more

Meh. Very disappointed. Made reservation and requested a table. Checked in and no tables available. When I reminded hostess that I requested during the reservation process, she explained that other larger parties had all available tables. No sorry. Nothing. She didn't care. We're not important. So we were directed to the bar. It was very loud. Food was fine for bar food but server was way too eager to rush us out and turn the table. Still had some of my lunch on the plate and damned if she didn't take the plate with some of my food on it. read more

DeSha's is a long time popular bar and restaurant along Montgomery. It has a couple of nice bars. The restaurant is nice looking but still casual. Good cocktails are served at the bars. They also haven't pretty good happy hour. It has a menu pretty similar to somewhere such as Applebee's. It's pretty meat centric with steaks and stuff like that, but there are a few other options. This is somewhere a little more mature than that, so there aren't a bunch of crying kids. It looks pretty nice inside. One of the bars is just past the entrance, and there's a few TVs. It's classier than a sports bar. The atmosphere is still casual though. I ordered an old fashioned. It's about $8 at the regular price, but a few dollars cheaper at happy hour. The whiskey was pretty strong. It's Bullett, and it was garnished with an orange peel. The big ice cube was fun to play with. It doesn't get crowded at lunch. If you want a seat at the bar, go early. The food is good if you like traditional American restaurant kind of stuff. read more

deSha's - Cincinnati - Old Fashioned - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

DeSha's has moved their music outside, which is absolutely fine, but when we were there tonight we inquired about outside seating (there were 4-5 tables completely empty), and the hostess said it would be a 45 minute wait for outside seating. Ok, no problem, we sat inside, assuming there would be music in there as well. (There's not.) When we left the restaurant 45 minutes later, there were still SEVERAL empty tables outside. Ridiculous and just plain lazy. We used to visit fairly often before Covid (and I thought that what they did in terms of outdoor seating to accommodate during that time was nothing short of genius). I'm irritated enough now that I don't know if I'll ever go back. read more

It was fine. Nothing great. Nothing bad. I just thought the food took a very long time to come out, and it was just average.

Our booth was so clean. Like they had polished the woodwork or something. Really good food and service. Try a window seat at sunset! .

This place is amazing!! When I pulled into the parking lot it looked like a Winter Wonderland - lots of lights and twinkling igloos. Then I stepped inside and the Christmas decorations blew me away. The coziness of this place is unrivaled! The Christmas music was just perfect- smooth and inviting. I'm all for ambiance and deshas checked all my boxes. I sat in the Polo bar, an intimate room right when you walk in. The fireplace was the perfect touch! The bartenders, Erin and Allie, treated me as if I was a long time regular. Even though they were busy, they stayed engaged with me and I never had to wait for anything. Ive been to quite a few places post-covid where the service was ehhh, but here it was awesome! I appreciate that. They have a special holiday menu going on right now for a great cause- I ended up getting quite a few things. The peppermint mocha-Tini was amazing and so festive! I also had the winter salad and shrimp bruschetta, which I'll be back for because they're to die for. I was pretty full, but couldn't pass up the special gingerbread dessert. Layers of flavor, and it had a special ingredient that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I was in heaven! read more

deSha's - Cincinnati - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Always great food, service and atmosphere. Met friends for late lunch, had the meatloaf sliders. Highly recommend them. Sounds like a big meal but really it's perfect. Two small squares of meatloaf on slider size buns. Enjoy! read more

The positives of deSha's are that the quality of food and preparation is excellent, especially given that most prices are moderate, and service is really good and competent. The "turnoffs" for some might be that the clientele tends to be elderly, and the decor consists of very dark wood, so deSha's lacks a strong upbeat vibe. I consider it to be a good place for a business lunch or a date night where you don't want an obtrusive atmosphere. Their buffet service for events is excellent. A lot of restaurants today seem to have consistency and quality of service issues - deSha's remains consistent and reliable in 2023. read more

Great place. Got the prime rib sandwich and crab stuffed mushrooms. Loved everything

This place was alright but nothing to write home about. I would say the pros of this place are that it has a really beautiful interior and it probably would work to host a lot of people, and they had a great wine selection. Unfortunately, the food just didn't wow me. We started with the pretzel fondue and the moisture from the carrots made the actual pretzels quite soggy so you had to eat it SUPER fast. We also split the fish and chips and I think it'd be exponentially better if a) they had much smaller cuts of fish, and b) if they patted the fish down to remove all of the moisture. The breading would not stay on the fish and I'm generally not looking to fork-and-knife fish and chips. It's a pretty popular place though so it may be worth checking out, but I don't think I'll be returning. read more

I'll start off by saying I haven't been here in years. I was meeting a friend who suggested it as it was a nice halfway point for each of us in distance. I read the reviews, wanted to suggest something else but then decided what the heck. Walking in the ambiance was so charming and even intimate for such a large atmosphere. The fireplace was going and it was such a warm feeling on a chilly Friday night. I truly wanted to love this place because of the environment. There were lots of big parties hosting rehearsal and holiday dinners. My experience went down hill from there. The fall cider sangria was tasty though I don't think there was much alcohol, if any. The pot roast dinner with root vegetables had good flavor but was not a $20 meal by any stretch. The garlic potatoes were literally home fries like you'd get at Frischs breakfast bar. The cookie dessert was awesome. My bill was nearly $50 for just me! Dinner, dessert, 2 drinks. I wanted to like the server. He was quirky. Tried to be silly. BUT...the service was soooo slow. So many times he'd walk around us like we were invisible. And given the atmosphere I didn't want to shout to get his attention or seem irritated. I was with a friend I hadn't seen in forever, I was trying to be present. But we practically had to beg for water and our check. We were there 3 1/2 hours if that gives you any idea! They also had live music. Nice band. Nice touch. But incredibly loud. Definitely took away from the ambiance. Ps...I'm a live music gal. Trust me it was loud! read more

deSha's - Cincinnati - Pot roast with root veggies. Those potatoes are literally crispy home fries not fresh at all. - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

Food is average. Service isn't consistent. Location and ambiance save the place. Child friendly or date friendly.

I didn't have dinner here so this review is strictly for the bar. I recently moved to Cincinnati from Detroit and just checking out some local places. A friend of mine mentioned this place, I went to Kroger today and it happened to be in the same place so I came in for a drink. I ordered a sidecar which is one of my usual drinks. I had run into bartenders didn't know what it was. At least she did but it was not a very good sidecar, too sour. There were two female bartenders here and they were really flirting with the two guys next to me who seemed to be regulars. The first bartender didn't greet me and the second girl came and took care of my drink. She was friendly enough but she seemed didn't want to talk to me. Not sure if it was because I was an Asian female or because I was a stranger, but I understand taking to customers is not part of her job description. read more

deSha's - Cincinnati - Sidecar - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I ordered the pot roast and it was Extremely salty My husband had the blackened grouper and he said it was delicious read more

My quest for Cincy's best fish and chips has ended. The panko makes theirs so crunchy. Slaw was average. Nice wine selection. Will try other entrees and will report back. Service was so so . read more

Had a great night sharing so many great items on the menu. One not pictured because we are them too fast was the spring rolls so make sure to grab some! Great service and really good cocktails! The prime rib sandwich on pretzel was so good and the bun was soft! Just a great casual night and something for everyone! read more

See all

This place is amazing! We've never had bad service and the food and drinks are always on point. I highly recommend the chicken andouille spring rolls! We've also had their Mac-n-cheese, fried chicken, and a few other things and have never been disappointed. I love how they have several different dining areas each with their own atmosphere. read more

Great food, very good service & love the ambience. Had the French onion soup & it was delicious.

**** Review 25 **** Stopped in for lunch twice in one week by accident. I had the Jambolaya on one day and the Cuban the next. Both were really good and filling. Waitress was great both times, very attentive and friendly. Lunch time seems catered more towards the older crowd, prices are a little higher than average but they have different target audience. Nothing mind blowing about the restaurant or the food, but sometimes great service makes the experience better, and these were definitely some of those times. read more

deSha's - Cincinnati - Jambalaya - American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We decided to come here for a late 13th month anniversary dinner/lunch and left unimpressed and her still hungry. The Good: Cool atmosphere inside. The view of the lake is also very nice. The staff was friendly. The place seemed clean and homey in that tavern way. The mushrooms were very good but sadly for $10.50 overpriced as they're small caps with no stuffing. The Bad: The food was bland. She ended up getting the fried chicken and it had no flavor neither did the gravy that came with it. Both of our mashpotatoes and green beans had little flavor. My meatloaf was alright thanks to the bbq sauce and a few pieces of peppers mixed in but the meat itself needed spices. They gave her the lunch fried chicken without even asking us... they also didnt allow us to even pick our sides (never asked once)... btw, the lunch fried chicken it was just a fried boneless chicken cutlet. We would have preferred dinner size as bone-in would have added a little flavor, hopefully. Thankfully it was $12 vs $17 which is why this is 2* and not 1*. The prices are ridiclous for how bland the food is and what type of food it is. How can anyone justify spending $17.5 for meatloaf that needs extra bbq sauce and $12 (lunch sized) for 1 bland chicken cutlet that's fried ($17 for dinner size). Also, $10.50 for 6 small mushrooms with almost no stuffing. Verdict: We wont be back. We came here nervously after reading reviews and checking prices but I had a gift card for $25. Still spent $35 after an $8 tip as I couldnt blame the waitress for the bland food. We will go to BWW before here. read more

See all

What a great environment the ambience is always welcoming and the wood makes you feel warm all over or on a hot day like today it actually cools you down with the lighting down low and AC up. This place nails service, ambiance, quality quite well. read more

Why do I always forget deSha's is an option in this part of town? Is it the name? It sounds like a barber shop or a drive-in. But... The food is good! The service is great! The drinks are stellar! I just wish I could remember that it exists when I'm starving and on my lunch break! Every time I try a menu item, it ranges from pretty good to downright delicious - EXCEPT for the green beans; whatever canned atrocity they're serving needs to be 86'd. They're terrible. During our last visit, Tim was our waiter, and bartender, and he deserves kudos galore. This man held down the entire bar for drinks and food, on his own, for the entire hour we were there. Plus, his drinks were on point and his service came with a smile and zero hint of stress or frustration. We even saw what should have been "help" come in to assist him, but she did nothing but chat. We named her "Hindrance." Let's get to the good stuff! I absolutely love their buttermilk fried chicken and gravy. It's so southern clucking good, especially when paired with a loaf of golden corn bread and honey butter, all of which render me speechless with each bite. The chicken is boneless and evenly fried with a super crispy outside and juicy inside, seasoned as it should be. When I want fried chicken, this is where I want it from. And that gravy! Ohmygawdyum. Add some of their creamy, mashed taters and I'm in poultry paradise. The Jambalaya is delicious and teeming with meat and big, plump shrimp. The sauce is a bit soupy, but the seasoning is excellent and the meal is very satisfying without a bunch of rice filling the plate. Washing it all down with liquid love is imperative; Moscow mules and Mojitos make me very happy, especially when made by Tim. Tim knows how to make a drink. Pretty much any drink that starts with "M" is good.... actually, any drink Tim makes is good, period. The chicken spring rolls could have their own restaurant, or at least be a feature. I'd go back just for these. Crispy egg roll skins batter fried, surrounding tender bits of chicken and andouille sausage. With a sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce. Genius. Now that I've written this, I want more fried chicken. And chicken spring rolls. And a Moscow Mule. read more

See all

Took my husband and granddaughter here for lunch! The first thing my granddaughter noticed was the clear plastic tents outside (heated!) with nicely set tables in them. My granddaughter wanted to try those but my husband wasn't too enthused so we proceeded inside. He and I both had the lunch special which was a chicken pesto sandwich with cheese and bacon. It came with an order of fries and I have to tell you the chicken was very tender and flavorful. My granddaughter had the kids chicken nuggets and fries. We sat in what I assumed was the back with a view of a small pond with a fountain. The service was fantastic. We had a great time there and everything was clean per the Covid rules. I really can't tell you how much I enjoyed good food and great service like we experienced here. We spent $40 (with tip) and I would definitely go here again!!! Lots to chose from on their lunch menu like soups, salads, burgers, fish and chips and even a Hot Brown (which I will be trying on My next visit). Sometimes older places have the best food, service and value and this place checks ALL those boxes! read more

Good food. Ample choices. Nice atmosphere. Very pleasant dining experience. Love the Prime rib.

5 stars all the way. Excellent food and service. We have been here many times and never a bad experience.

Been coming here for the 30 years they've been open. Consistently excellent. Solid American menu with an emphasis on Southern cuisine.

attended a birthday party last night for about 15 people, and I have to say that deSha's does a really good job, even on busy nights, of handling big parties. It was very nice. At least 3 servers watched over us as they also tended to other tables. Plus the food is reliably good and prices are very fair, and, according to my husband, the Bellhaven (one of few places in the area to have it) is the best. Thank you. read more