Came to Cincinnati for a concert, initially planned to go elsewhere to eat but couldn't find…read moreparking anywhere. We stumbled upon Libby's and we're so glad we did! They had parking, and although they were full on reservations, 2 spots at the bar opened up and we grabbed them happily! First, the food was FANTASTIC! I had the Willy Burger and my husband had the fried bologna sandwich and we both loved what we ordered and vice versa. The sauce on the burger was phenomenal! The drink menu was extensive and looked so good but we were in a bit of a hurry and I'm 6 months pregnant so we settled for waters. Second, the service was excellent. Everyone was so kind and helpful. The ambience was great, I loved the big open garage door and patio seating they offered. The decor was so cute! We are bummed that brunch reservations for tomorrow are full, but we will absolutely be back!

We visited Libby's Southern Comfort on Tuesday. We had reservations for 12:00, but they weren't…read moreneeded. The restaurant is nicely decorated and is thin. They have a nice outdoor area, which we avoided due to the current heatwave. We ordered two apps - FRIED GREEN TOMATOES - Topped with Libby's pimento cheese, pork belly lardons, bourbon onion jam, and herb oil and FRIED CHICKEN SKINS - Hand breaded and served with hot honey dipping sauce. The fried green tomatoes were nicely plated, though the pork belly lardons and bourbon onion jam did not have the most pleasant color. They were good, but not as great as the description. Fried chicken skin is the thing! I first had it when we lived in California. An Asian market served them up thinly breaded and fried perfectly crispy. I just about jumped out of my skin when I saw it on the menu at Libby's. The breading at Libby's is thick. It's tasty for sure, but it's quite thick. A quick glance at the chicken skins and it looks like full-on chicken. Anyway, they were very good and I would definitely order them again. I had a taste of the hot honey dipping sauce because it spilled. It was good, but for me it detracted from the flavor I'm looking for. I had to have the FRIED BOLOGNA BLT - House smoked bologna, pimento cheese, fried egg, house made BBQ sauce, spring mix lettuce, & sliced green tomato on grilled 16 Bricks sourdough. First, it was huge! I could only eat half. It was very good. All the different flavors mixed together well. It was messy!! It was so obviously messy the server brought over extra napkins without us having to ask! Top Notch! Oh, the mac and cheese side was just okay. I barely touched it. The second half of the sandwich was delicious cold. It was also not messy at all. The leftover mac and cheese had turned inedible in the fridge. I did not mind throwing it out. My friend had the CLASSIC TURKEY CLUB. It was also huge and she only ate half. The fries were crispy and delicious. Mark had THE DOC HOLLADAY. He said it was okay. He also only ate half. I think he enjoyed the cold leftover more. I like the menu; lots of options. The place is cute. The staff is great. We'd definitely come back.

Love. If I can use…read moreone word to describe my experience at Soul Secret, that's it. Love Amore Besotted Take great people (Melinda was our server and the chef came out to check on us...more about Melinda later)... Combine it with great food and great ambiance, and you get this restaurant! The first thing that you notice when you walk in is that it feels like home. Some restaurants focus heavily on decor and leave a lot to be desired in terms of ambiance, the people, and the food. And in other restaurants, you walk in and feel as if you can stay there forever. This is one of those places. We stayed there for a while. Imagine being in Grandmom's living room with pictures on the wall and positive music playing in the background. That's Soul Secrets. The menu is big enough to make sure that everyone can find something to eat, but not so big that you will struggle to make a decision. From fried catfish and grits to French toast to salmon croquettes and the largest pancake on Earth, there is something for everyone. My niece ordered the French toast, and my sister ordered a special breakfast that came with a pancake, grits, eggs, potatoes, and sausage. I was still hungry from last night's meal, (and you can read about it in another review) so I just nibbled off of my sister's meal. The French toast came out first, and I could tell immediately that the chef knew what she was doing. The rest of the food came out, and again, they brought the largest pancake I've ever seen. My sister was treating us today, and I was glad that the menu prices were very reasonable. My niece said that the French toast was delicious, and she ate as much as she could. She has a dance performance tonight and made sure that she didn't put her show at risk. It was difficult for her because the food was so good, but she managed and took a box home to eat it later. Yes. My sister nibbled on everything else and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had the grits and some of the pancake, and I have to say that it was very difficult for me to stop eating because it tasted so good. The pancake was perfectly cooked and fluffy with crispy bits on the edge. The grits were creamy and flavorful, even without cheese. The coffee was great. I had several cups. All in all, it was arguably better than any breakfast I've had at any restaurant that serves it. Now let's get back to Melinda. So often, the dining experience can be directly related to the person that greets you when you take a seat. Thank goodness we were greeted by Melinda. She has one of those energies and personalities that makes you feel as if she has been in your family for years. Funny and friendly, but at the same time, dedicated to making sure that you have a good experience. Again, I felt like I was at someone's home rather than in a restaurant. She called me a "troublemaker," which means that somehow she was seeing the 20-year-old version of me instead of the person that I am today. lol So here's the summary. If you are in Cincinnati and you want a great meal, there are many restaurants to choose from. It appears to be a pretty decent restaurant town. But if you want to FEEL Cincinnati, while feeling right at home and having one of the best meals ever- Soul Secrets is one for the ages.

I really wanted to support this Black-owned restaurant, which is why this experience was so…read moredisappointing. My family of six came to Soul Secrets during Cincinnati Music Festival weekend to celebrate my sister's birthday. Before coming, I tried calling the restaurant for two straight days to make a reservation, but no one ever answered the phone. When we arrived, my brother asked for a table for six and we were told the wait would be 30 minutes. We were perfectly fine with that. After waiting the full 30 minutes, my brother went back inside to let them know our party was ready, and that's when we were told the hostess had made a mistake and the actual wait would be two hours. We later found out the hostess was a trainee. Mistakes happen, and I understand that. However, if someone is still in training, there should be a senior staff member or experienced hostess supervising the front station at all times, especially during a major event weekend when the restaurant is expecting large crowds. What made the situation even more frustrating was the explanation we were given. We were told the delay was due to reservations and open seating already being signed up, but when I asked about making a reservation, I was told Soul Secrets does not take reservations. That simply did not make sense. If reservations are not accepted, how were reservations the reason for the extended wait? I spoke with the manager and politely asked if, since the mistake was made by the restaurant, they could meet us halfway and reduce the wait to one hour instead of making us start over with a two-hour wait. Her response was absolutely not. More disappointing than the answer itself was the tone--it came across as rude, dismissive, and condescending. There was no apology, no empathy, and no acknowledgment that our family had already waited based on incorrect information provided by their staff. Because it was my sister's birthday, I chose not to argue or create a negative scene. We simply left and decided to spend our money elsewhere. I completely understand that Cincinnati Music Festival weekend brings heavy traffic, and I appreciate businesses being busy. But preparation matters. A sign at the door explaining longer-than-normal wait times, answering the phone, having experienced staff at the hostess station, and communicating clearly with guests would have gone a long way. Long waits are one thing. Being treated as though your time does not matter is another. First impressions matter, and unfortunately this was not a good one for our family. I truly wanted to support Soul Secrets, but the lack of professionalism, the conflicting information about reservations, and the manager's attitude made this an experience I cannot recommend.

Have been to Nolia at least a dozen times. Chef Jeff always has an interesting menu that changes…read morequarterly. Through all of our visits, we've had some truly wonderful meals, but this one may have been the top! We were immediately greeted at the door by Kristen who welcomed us back and showed is to our preferred table. Shortly after, Henry introduced himself as our server. Having already previewed the just dropped summer menu, we had a pretty good idea what we wanted. Henry shared some specials and we got to to ordering. The tuna appetizer was a great start. Three different cuts of tuna with a peach and oil sauce. The fish was amazing with the slight peach flavor amping it up a notch. Great start. Next we had the pork belly skewer. The pork belly was grilled with a drizzle of Alabama bbq. The pork belly was so tender and flavorful. Again, plenty of smiles to go around. For the main course, we shared the fish and iberico mains. The fish this night was swordfish which was so flavorful and moist. The iberico was tender and, for me, the corn maque choux made the dish. I could have eaten a big bowl of that goodness! Though we dont normally order desert, we did get to peach skillet cobbler. A perfect light tasty finish to the meal. Throughout the evening, Henry was the perfect server, happy to share his observations and always with a smile. Love when we get a minute with Chef Jeff as well. So glad we got to experience this menu so early. We well for sure be back before the next seasonal switch.

Honestly some of the best food I've had in the city. Whatever they got going on here is the good…read morestuff. My friend and I got cornbread as an appetizer and I got the fish as my entree. The cornbread was awesome - the butter that's on top makes the bread a bit soggy and sweet in the best way possible and the fish was really good. I also don't think that the portions were as small as many other boujee restaurants. With regards to service, we sat at the bar, and the bartender was really cool too. Definitely would come back!

We've been here quite a few times. First few times was in the original location…read more Very nice place, great food and good service.

We read about how good the fried chicken is, so we called to make reservations for a Saturday night…read more(you must call). The place is small and had a very weird vibe between fine dining and kitschy. White tablecloths, but then lots of purple and pictures of roosters everywhere (I realize the name, but hmmm). Our server was lovely but would disappear for too long between times when she should have been present. We ordered our drinks at 745pm, and I watched them sit at the end of the bar. Finally, at 805pm, I went to the bartender and said, "those are our drinks that have been sitting there for a while". Our server brought them over like we ordered them 5 minutes prior. But the lovely owner/manager came over and said the "drinks are on me" because we waited so long. We appreciated that! The fried chicken was good, but the breading was very salty. The green beans were almost inedible because they were so salty. The mashed potatoes were average. The biscuits were fantastic. The fried deviled eggs were okay. A regular deviled egg is better. The shrimp and grits had a lot going on. The shrimp was lightly battered and fried (?) and the flavor of the dish was bold. I think sauteed shrimp and a little less gravy would make it perfect.

From out of town and looking for somewhere to eat and we were SO happy to come across The Eagle…read more The server was real nice and said "I don't say this just because I work here, but this chicken is REAL good". And he was SO RIGHT! They make their chicken different and it shows! There was amazing flavor in all of our food. Chicken, fries, Mac & cheese, and the spicy honey on the side?? The spicy chicken dip was insane also! Amazing portions on everything we ordered as well. We were stuffed and still had leftovers. I see it's a chain & I wish there was one by me!

First time visiting Cincinnati -- came here to The Eagle OTR as Pepp & Dolores nearby was full,…read morewith a waitlist. Found free street parking nearby, thankfully. I ordered immediately as I was late at 9 PM for dinner. I got the three piece dark with sides of Mac and cheese which came with biscuit, and green beans. Everything tasty enough, and the fried chicken was juicy and honestly fine without the honey. The spicy honey which was in a glass ramekin, was pretty good. As oft said, "I put that sh*t on everything -- so I tried it with the Mac and cheese and it was noticeably better. All in all, pretty good experience here and will rate it 3.5/5 overall.

We definitely continue to love this place. They really do have some great food. Super fresh and…read morecreative and always well made! Great service, always with a smile. Definitely helpful to have a reservation as they are busy every single time we have been there. Ambience is very at home and comfortable. Definitely one of our places to go to for brunch especially when friends and family are in town!

A member of our group absolutely swore by the pistachio halibut, and after trying it, I can confirm…read moreit lived up to the hype. The fish was delicious on its own, but the real magic was the goat cheese pear risotto and hazelnut cream sauce underneath. Together, they took an already great dish to another level. I could happily eat that combination for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The decor is eclectic and fun, with plenty of character, and the parking garage next door makes getting there surprisingly easy. Great food, unique atmosphere, and a dish I'll be looking forward to again.

This spot is legit. My family and I were visiting the Cincinnati area for the first time and came…read moreacross Pendleton Lucius Q as a good BBQ spot recommended by DDD. It was so good the first time, we hit it again this afternoon. Cool, relaxed feel inside, great service and great food. Jameela served us on both visits and she was awesome. Everything we tried was good, but my favorite was the Pendleton Porker and the banana pudding for dessert. If we're ever back in town, Lucius Q is on the top of our list!

Tucked into the heart of Pendleton, Lucius Q is the kind of place that pulls you in before you even…read morereach the door--the irresistible aroma of smoked meat drifting out onto the street is enough to make you stop in your tracks (and immediately start craving barbecue). Every visit feels like a treat, but lately they've taken things up a notch with a lineup of signature cocktails. I tried the espresso martini, and it was outstanding--smooth, balanced, and the perfect complement to the bold, smoky flavors coming out of the kitchen. As for the food, it's consistently excellent. The dry rub wings are my go-to: perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of heat and flavor, and even better when paired with their bama white sauce. If you're leaning sandwich, you can't go wrong with a pulled pork or pulled chicken sammy topped with their Carolina gold sauce--it's tangy, slightly sweet, and completely addictive. And the fries? Thick-cut, crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside--exactly what great fries should be. Beyond the food and drinks, Lucius Q really shines as a place to gather. They have a fantastic event space that comfortably holds around 50 people--perfect for parties or private events. It's also one of the rare downtown spots with plenty of TVs, making it a great place to catch a game. Add in live music most Fridays and a great outdoor patio for those perfect Cincinnati weather days, and it's easy to see why this place is always buzzing. Lucius Q is one of those spots I simply can't walk past without slowing down and breathing it in. Whether you're a Pendleton regular or just passing through downtown Cincinnati, it's a must-visit that delivers every single time.

Inside is nice, tan and green and modern aesthetic…read more Waiter/tress was very nice. Attentive and ensured all was good for us. Garlic knots were incredible. Tasted fresh, and came with a slightly sweet tomato sauce. Would highly recommend! Gnocchi with pesto sauce was freakin incredible! Was hard to not finish (even though we were so full!) could eat the sauce by itself Pasta vodka was delicious too! Was slightly undercooked (pasta was a little hard) but the sauce was really good and would get it again! The tiramisu would delectable. Creamy and good size to share for two. Definitely a must get! If we lived in Cincinnati, this would be a spot we frequent once every few months. Its high quality ingredients and recipes, as well as reasonable prices, would drive us here for every date night. Highly highly recommend!!

House made pasta and sauces? Yes please!…read more This is a delightful Italian restaurant. The wait staff is quick and resourceful. We tried several dishes. The meatballs were delightful, we added noodles . We also tried the mushrooms and orechiette. All were delightful! We ate outside so can't comment on the interior. However, on a nice summer night, I'd highly recommend dining on the patio.