We had the absolute best experience for a late dinner. I had heard and read reviews, but had to try for myself. The ambiance was great. We were seated at the high bar next to the kitchen where we were able to get full view of the preparation of our meals. We started off with the chilled seafood. The oysters were fresh, the crab claws were very tasty and the shrimp were large and sweet. We ordered many dishes, but my favorite was the seared pork belly, the black eyed peas and okra and the cornbread. Ohhhh, that cornbread, lol. The Summer menu will be coming out soon and I will definitely be back. Thank you Chef and staff for a great experience. read more

The food was Excellent! I ordered the Braised Beef with Grits and my girlfriend ordered the Redfish. Both entrees were so flavorful. The presentation was A1 and the drink the Waiter recommended- Hibiscus Margarita was good as well. The Chef came and asked us did we enjoy our food as well. That was a nice touch. I will definitely return. read more

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Why five stars, because that's the most I could give. Chef and his crew do everything right. The ambiance, the service and of course the food are all make for a perfect dining experience. It is always a joy to find people who truly enjoy what they do especially when they do it so well. Two suggestions, make a reservation, walk ins are a non event here and request a table near the kitchen. read more

If you are looking for quaint, relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere with great food, you found the right place. Staff was kind, gracious and responsive - delightful not doting to us. With an open kitchen the Chef Harris sets the environment with a chill vibe - he's got it under control. Every dish was uniquely prepared and was its own conversation piece - the goat gnocchi's broth, the cornbread's butter, the beef grillades tenderness and peppers. read more

Honestly - probably more like 3.5 stars. It is not that the place is not good - it is. It just isn't great. Service is mediocre at best. Did not course our meal at all - delivered everything we ordered at once... salad, small plates, entrees. Would be fine if we asked for that but we didn't. Ordered: Skillet cornbread (horribly dry and disappointing) Jalapeño Caesar salad (excellent) Okra and grits (good) Fried oyster with corn (oysters good, corn barely warm) Peel and eat shrimp (great flavor but really hard to peel) Pork and peas (wonderfully seasoned and tender meat and terrific peas - by far the highlight) Pound cake (really underwhelming) I would return to try the sweet potato "donuts" and the redfish. But I am really shocked at how mediocre the corn bread and pound cake was at a southern restaurant. read more

I've eaten there often and theres been nothing but exceptional food, good service, nice environment...I keep going back to find a flaw, that's not happening...chef and owner, Jeff Harris, does a great job...you name it, it's really good...fish, meat, vegetables, appetizers, service, all first rate...looking forward to going back really soon... read more

Nolia is not-to-miss, nestled on Clay street and teeming with New Orleans panache. The intimate space, formerly Please, boasts an open kitchen and everything comes straight from Chef to your plate--piping hot. We had the goat gnocchi and hush puppies to start-- two flavorful starters. I had the andouille crusted redfish and my husband had the grillades and grits (a NOLA staple stepped up and done beautifully). They also had delicious mocktails--which I've found are hard to come by in Cincy. The service was second to none with the intimate setting and homey feel-- we really felt like we were guests in the chef's kitchen. We can't wait to go back again this season and next for their new seasonal menu! read more

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We were in town last minute for a concert and happened upon this fairly new establishment. We didn't have reservations but the wait staff got us in the back bar. The employees were friendly and accommodating and told the chef we were up against a time crunch. The food was so delicious and filled with flavors and was hand delivered by the chef! This business deserves your time and money. Probably should make reservations but if you are willing to eat at the bar and don't mind waiting--it's worth it! read more

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Noila is absolutely worth checking out. Don't be deterred by the out of the way location, miniature space or the cheap silverware. The service was excellent, and the food was exceptional. The dishes are simple but executed to perfection with layers of texture and flavor. The short ribs we're probably the winner of the evening. They were cooked to perfection and I considered licking the salsa Verde off the plate. I've had plenty of salsa verdes before but that one is possibly the best I've ever had. Keep it up Noila! read more

Delicious food! The sweet potato donuts were a hit, but every dish was great. The jerk fried oyster was another of my favorites. All the cocktails were great too, we especially liked the Soulja and Spitta. Head chef Jeff was very hospitable and kind. We'll definitely be back! A new Cincinnati favorite. Elevated southern food done right! read more

Nolia - Southern Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Was not impressed with the food only thing I like was the cornbread and the butter service was great greetings and everything was fine. Hospitality is fine. Seating was good. I don't think I will go back again. read more

The most unique, understated, delicious and most special restaurant in Cincinnati. This is a must try and I suggest seating at the bar at front of house or back. read more

Nolia - OYSTERS - Southern Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I love this place. I have always been looking for an excellent southern food place in Cincy area --great foods and amazing vibes. I went for a quick bite to get my needed NoLA food fixed, and it didn't disappoint me. I got a couple of small bite dishes, and all of them taste amazing. The food presentation looks simple and humble yet has great complexity in the flavor. The owner/head chef is super friendly. Ask them to try their homemade hot sauce. The green sauce is my favorite out of two. I can't wait to try their first Brunch this coming Sunday!!! read more

Nolia - Southern Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Had the opportunity to eat here for a third time, and for the third time Chef Harris and his team absolutely killed it. We had a larger party and were seated in the bar area where Max knocked it our of the park with delightful drinks and entertaining conversation. Started with the raw sampler and everything was fresh and tasty. I'm not usually a fan of gulf oysters but these were superb. Hush puppies, goat gnocchi, and corn bread were all excellent starters with the gnocchi really being a standout. Most of our party were split between the flounder and beef and both were beautiful dishes. The team here makes dining a special occasion, one we can't wait to enjoy again down the road. Cincinnati is lucky to have Nolia. read more

We were so eager to try Nolia that we made a mistake and arrived a week before the reservation we'd made! But the manager was so kind, she found us a table for that night anyway. The place is homey but beautiful, the whole staff was friendly and helpful, and Madeleine our server made us feel right at home (okay, we've spent a good amount of time in New Orleans). The food was superb. Gazpacho was a heavenly base of fresh pea soup with green peas and purple snaps cut in. East coast oysters were crisp and briny, with a mignonette you could sip with a spoon. Fish au poivre was surprisingly subtle, bringing out the taste of the redfish, while the beefy iberico came with kickass demiglace and rice made with their special hot sauce, all hot and pickly. All perfectly suited to the wonderful main ingredients, and each plate worth a photo (though we don't do that stuff any more). We appreciate that Jeffery Harris is supporting our great local Findlay Market suppliers, and that he's brought his epic talent for Southern flavors to our town! read more

Absolutely blown away by the food and the comfortable, friendly, and attentive service. The place is tiny - like pocket-sized - which contributes greatly to the intimacy and feel that the staff really wants you there. During our dinner, the chef/owner was finishing plates at the open pass, about four feet from our table, and delivering many plates to tables. He seemed genuinely interested in what people thought and appreciative of compliments. When I asked about tasting something spicy in the dessert (the cheesecake, excellent), he called over one of the assistant chefs to tell me what it was. Drinks: Hot Boyz (almost like a sidecar) OutKast (like a fruity, spicy margarita on the rocks) Appetizers: Crab boulettes (scrumptious balls of crab with a tiny bit of breading, fried and served over a decadent sauce. Try them with a couple drops of the house-made hot sauce.) Brussels sprouts (my husband LOVES sprouts; we get them everywhere. He said they were the best he's ever had, and I agree. Crispy, spicy, sweet, bitter, perfection.) Dinner: Jerk rabbit (so, so good. A little spice and a ton of flavor. Every bite was different and special with the mole and pickled plums.) Lamb steak (surprisingly good. Only a tiny bit of that lamb gaminess; tons of juicy flavor and texture.) Wines: Ask for pairings. They know what they're doing. Dessert: The cheesecake. As mentioned, this is a tiny, tiny little spot. We had an 8:45 p.m. reservation, which is pretty late for us. Don't regret it at all - no one had the table after us, so they encouraged us to take our time. read more

Had an amazing meal at Nolia! Our server was really helpful as one of our friends has celiac's disease and cannot eat any gluten. There were so many options for her! The hush puppies and cornbread not to be missed and get the sweet potato cake if it's still available! I dream of that cake! read more

Met with my girlfriends for our quarterly Dinner. We try to visit a new Restaurant when we meet The food is excellent. Not sure if this would be considered a Cold Kitchen. The only things they cook to order are the fish, quail and beef (i may be missing something). Everything else: grits, beans, rice, sauces, stewed okra etc are already pre-cooked We order the Stewed okra to share and I liked it so much i ordered it as my entree. Also in part, because i didn't see anything else on the menu i was craving for. I hope they change the Menu with every season. The current menu has a lot of the same group of foods (beans, rice, grits, delicious corn bread) I was hoping to have gray greens salad to start but I had to settle for the Cider green collard which I enjoyed. service was great. Nice Location. Nice Ambiance. Great food quality. I don't think i'll go back if the Menu doesn't change. read more

Pros: The cornbread was amazing. Warm, sweet topped with butter. Cooked in a skillet with crispy edges that melted in your mouth. The Crawfish remoulade had a great seasoning served with crispy toast and was the perfect appetizer. Cons: The Peel n Eat shrimp was the biggest disappointment. Having had peel-n-eats in NOLA, we were so excited to try it. Man, was it a letdown. We were served 5 cold unseasoned shrimp with cocktail sauce. The shrimp were mushy and the shells were sticking to the flesh, which is a marker of being old. This was far from eatable peel-n-eat, and more of a stale, flavorless shrimp cocktail. For $21, I at least expected flavor and freshness, not 5 unseasoned old shrimp. The other item that was a disappointment was the cocktail we ordered. Knowing this was a NOLA-inspired restaurant, we were expecting to enjoy a good hurricane cocktail. However, we were surprised when this wasn't on the menu. We asked the waiter if they could make one, and he said yes. However, what we received was green and lacked all the flavors of anything remotely resembling a hurricane cocktail. read more

Nolia is definitely the best restaurant in Cincinnati right now. All of the food is delicious and the staff is so kind. The owner is an amazing man with a great story and was in the restaurant working right along side his staff. I would highly recommend anyone try this place out. read more

Great time and great food. We were first timers and enjoyed our food and the atmosphere. I had the pork steak and the hubby had the hoppin John. We also shared cornbread which was excellent and the fried oysters which were too spicy for him. We enjoyed the interaction with the owner and chef in the open kitchen concept. Such a great experience. read more

Nolia has got to be hands down the BEST restaurant in Cincinnati. I've been in here a couple of times on different occasions, but no matter what time of day these people bust their butts to make some serious amazing food. Cornbread is the best I've ever had. The menu rotates, so there are always fresh and new options to try! Exec chef Jeffrey Harris made our first time visiting a very memorable one that made us want to keep coming back. He is the most down to earth human who just wants to share a love and passion for his food. Check out his story and be sure to say hello! Such an uplifting place with incredible food!! read more

Fantastic food and service! Loved the hush puppies with country ham inside and pepper jelly. Excellent red beans and rice. Everything was really great. Ate it so fast, didn't take pictures read more

As someone from New Orleans, it's great to finally have the true taste of New Orleans and the south. Chef Jeff and Nathan have crafted something truly special and I'm looking forward to many more meals at Nolia. read more

Best food I've had in a long time! Can't wait to go back! It's a little crammed but it's worth it.

The food, the service, and the music were absolutely amazing!!! I definitely recommend the Oyster Maque Choux, Red Fish, Cider Greens and the Skillet Cornbread is omg amazing!! We also tried the hoppin John. And don't forget the drinks and desert, I only had the Cash Money drink, but it was also the bomb! We also had the pound cake, I have never had burnt pineapple before, and it was definitely an experience! I'll be back for sure for that! read more

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This was our first visit to Nolia, on one of the rare Sunday nights the restaurant was open. Though the menu is limited (with respect to the everyday menu), the offerings were excellent. My wife chose the fried chicken with cornbread, while I opted for the shrimp po' boy. The chicken was amazingly tender, with a light, crispy finish to the fried breading. This came with a side of molasses for dipping, and the combination was perfect. The cornbread is about the finest we've ever had, topped with a maple syrum-infused butter (my wife called it a "mystical experience"!). The po' boy was quite good, with lightly breaded and fried shrimp, but, having eaten po' boys in New Orleans, I found the price ($20) a bit high for what was provided. The taste, however, left no doubt as to its quality. We both ordered a glass of Protocolo, a Spanish red (from Rioja), which is a decent table wine, but as it breathed a bit, it made an acceptable companion to our dinners. Between us we have one garlic allergy and one need for a low-sodium diet, and Nolia's offerings met our criteria. The ambience is warm. While I was afraid the music would get in the way of conversation such was not the case. You could hear it, but we still were able to talk throughout our dinner. It's become difficult to find quality dining establishments downtown or in OTR on Sunday evenings, so Nolia was a happy discovery and a welcome venue for those Sundays when they're open (check the website for dates). We plan on returning during a weekday, making reservations (really necessary) in advance. Nolia is a restaurant not to be missed. read more

Excellent meal and excellent service. An upscale southern style restaurant with strong Louisiana influences. Really tight menu but I honestly could have eaten everything. Higher recommend. read more

Drinks good service ok. I wanted to like this place. Peach burrata good. Do not get crab so not what you'd expect. Corn bread good. I so looked forward to eating here. Menu limited. Sadly disappointed. read more

The peach Caprese salad was delicious and perfect. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails as well. The cornbread was pretty good, but the Hoppin John and meat board left something to be desired for the price. Nothing we ordered is an expensive ingredient, so the price points seemed a little high to us. read more

Blown away every time I come here. Amazing food, amazing service, awesome atmosphere. Do yourself a favor and go check it out

I cannot say enough good things about Nolia - the decor, the drinks, the service, and the food are all incredible. It's a small space and the kitchen is right in the middle so you get to see the whole cooking process. The whole snapper with chimichurri and fried plantains was incredible. Cannot wait to come back! read more

We had an excellent meal! The menu was very well thought out, different, and tasty! We dined on the last night of the spring menu and can't wait to come back to try the summer version. read more

The restaurant has only been open a month and they are already crushing it. Every ingredient in every dish is thoughtful. It's rich and satisfying food, but also subtle and not over done. Elevated New Orleans style food cooked and served by an enthusiastic and attentive staff. We will 100% be back. Go and get it before it's impossible to get a table. read more

Honestly fire! The small plates here were the star. The skillet bread, Brussel sprouts and crab broulettes were amazing. We ordered an extra Brussel sprouts for the table. Potatoes were flavorful and crispy at the same time. Lamb and jerk rabbit were also tasty. read more

If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Best of everything Cincinnati has to offer! Best pork and peas, best service, best environment. Also can't forget about the sweet potato donuts. Cannot recommend enough. Will be back ASAP! read more

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I don't leave reviews often, but this place is worth the time and all the hype. The food is authentic but not over the top, incredible vegan/vegetarian options, and the staff is old school professional from the moment you walk in the door. The owner had an unsuspecting presence the entire night and we didn't realize until the end of the night that it was actually the head chef that actually opened the door for us when we arrived. This is an all around amazing experience. One of the best in Cincinnati! read more

My son and I went there for the first time last night. It is very small (only nine tables) with an open kitchen which gives it a very intimate atmosphere. The food was excellent, but it was the small aspects of the presentations that stood out to me. My son's pork loin dish had these mini lilies (picture a tiny water lily) that I had never seen before but were eye catchers. My fish sat on a peppercorn sauce, with the thinnest potato straws I have ever seen layered on top. It would never occur to me to pair a peppercorn sauce with fish, but it was damn good! A special call out to the hot sauce on the table, which they make there (and sell by the bottle) which was one of those that enhances the flavor of everything it touches, rather than distracting from it. We had to make a reservation two months in advance to get in (at the particular time we wanted to go) but it turned out to be worth it. It was the little details of the dishes that explain why the chef was a James Beard nominee. read more

I rarely leave reviews, but this was the best dining experience I've had in years. First, the staff.... The owner is present and checks in on you from time to time. The rest of the staff is friendly and beyond that you can tell they genuinely are enjoying themselves and each other. The owner told us about how he selects his staff to work well together and then encourages them to make contributions to how the restaurant is run. This is a place where everyone's ideas are valued and you can tell. You know all of this because of the open kitchen at the heart of the room. It's cool to watch the team in action as they prepare your food. The space is beautiful. The lighting and acoustics are such that you could come on a work dinner or intimate date night and either would be perfect. Then there is the food. Everything we tried was incredible, especially the pork and peas and redfish spread. I can't recommend this place enough. Also the staff got our food to us quickly. My only minor complaint is that while there is a long wine and cocktail menu the beer menu was limited. read more

What possibly is not to love? This is NOT simply another restaurant with really good food, it is a restaurant that infuses love, passion, and thought into every single dish and really great food. It doesn't matter what you order at all which is why I am skipping describing what we had, because no matter what they are serving up, it will bring joy and make you feel a heck of a lot more than satisfied. You will feel loved. read more