I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and the experience was wonderful. Neither of us had been there before. Lindsey was amazing she made it such a special experience. She walked us through the menu and made some great suggestions. The food was incredible. We will definitely be back and asking for Lindsey! read more

Our server, Mark, was just above awesome. impeccable service and great food. One thing: the "ricotta" in the menu is really homemade butter. delicious indeed, just inaccurate. Still definitely a 5 star and we'll go back when in the area. read more

Just had an amazing dinner here, food was incredible but what really stood out was our waitress! Mallory was incredible and made us feel so comfortable and welcome. Felt like a family dinner with a few great friends. Highly recommend! read more

Had the most fabulous birthday dinner here with my bestie. The service was top tier. Lots of people out celebrating that evening, but service and attention did not lag! We got the housemade ricotta, eggplant involtini and artichokes alla guidia for appetizers. All of which were phenomenal. The ricotta was so smooth, the flavors of the filling and sauce with the eggplant complimented each other perfectly, the lemon vinaigrette on the artichokes was delicious. I ordered the crab and corn for my entree, the corn puree was the perfect sweet compliment to the ricotta ravioli and crab. For dessert I got the Lemongato, mmmm. Looking forward to my next visit!! read more

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The food was good, but the overall experience made it hard to rate Pep & Dolores higher than three stars. We were seated and waited nearly two hours before being served. For a $121 meal, the portions felt surprisingly small. The noodles were thick and satisfying, the meatballs were large, and the Corn & Crab dish was excellent. The bread may have been the highlight of the meal. Absolutely delicious. It was also my 48th birthday. We would have celebrated with a special dessert and candle, but at the pace things were moving, I figured I'd be 50 before we got to enjoy it. The outdoor seating was a different story. There was a strong sewage-like odor throughout our meal, mosquitoes were relentless, and we were approached by people soliciting money while we were trying to eat. Good food, especially the Corn & Crab and bread, but the nearly two-hour wait, small portions, outdoor conditions, and overall cost took away from what should have been a fun birthday dinner. I'd give the food closer to four stars. The total dining experience lands at three. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Corn & Crab - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Amazing experience here! We were able to get reservations around 4:00 p.m. on a weekday just a few days before and that was basically what we could get. We parked just across the street in a paid lot. Samantha was our server and she was amazing it took great care of us! She really went above and beyond. Ambience was friendly with there being many different rooms where they can seat people in. Food was amazing! Can't put into words just how amazing everything was. Everything from any of the pasta dishes to the meatballs to the bread to the dessert. Check out my pictures and see just how delicious everything was. The crab and corn was probably my favorite followed by the lemon pasta. Husband and I are ready to put this in our top four of Cincinnati restaurants along with Sweetgrass, Sotto, and Shire's Rooftop. read more

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My best friend and I dined at Pepp & Dolores to celebrate the restaurant making Yelp's Top 100 list! We decided to go a little crazy and do a pasta flight. We tried: GRICIA- 10/10 for big flavor and very filling. While this pasta dish was my third fave of the four we tried, it was great. I took leftovers home to my husband and he loved it. FUNGHI- Definitely my second fave. I am a huge mushroom fan, so this was just the perfect dish for me. Aside from being delish, it was also a really comforting meal. Our waiter described it as "everything you wish Campbell's cream of mushroom soup was" and that was the perfect description, tbh LOBSTER- ONE OF THE BEST THINGS IVE EATEN IN CINCY. This dish is truly expertly crafted. The flavor is exquisite and the textures and colors all enhance the experience of eating it. SPICY VODKA- A really solid, more "normal" dish. I could see this one appealing to a lot of different people and palates. We started our meal with the homemade ricotta and I don't even have words for how delicious and perfect it is. Just order it. Made even better by the fact that it's served with Allez Bakery bread. We each got a mocktail as well. I got the pineapple punch and she got the blood orange mule. My mocktail was good, but I don't think I would pay $12 for it again. We sat at the bar and the bartender took great care of us and humored us while we got lots of content of our dishes. Oh, and can now confirm that four pasta dishes for two people is too much food, but all reheat well. I was pumped to have leftovers and to get to enjoy the flavors again the next day! read more

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First time here . We ordered the meatballs for app - got those quickly. They were very good Ordered the Limone and the pasta with the Bacon- both very good. The marinated cucumbers with ricotta were very very good! Try those read more

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I've been wanting to come here for years. Heard nothing but great things about Pepp & Dolores. My best friend and I just finished a 5K nearby and wanted to grab lunch. I mentioned this place and with no hesitation she said yes. I love the vibe outside and inside. Very laid back and relaxed feel. Also the natural lighting is inviting. Makes me feel like I'm in Europe. The food and drink menu looked so good that it was hard to choose what I want. My bestie mentioned it is tapas style which I love. So we shared our dishes. We ordered: Drinks: -House red- Cirelli, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo -Barbera Blend Salad: -Gem- gem lettuce, walnut, ubriaco Rosso cheese, croutons, citrus Caesar dressing, parmigiano-reggiano Lunch: -Limone- Spaghetti, Meyer Lemon, chili flake, parmigiano-reggiano, garlic breadcrumbs, Ricotta -Funghi- Maccheroni alla Chitarra, wild mushrooms, sherry cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano Since we didn't make reservations, we sat at the bar and our food came out right away. The salad was very light and had great flavor. Both the pastas were amazing but the limone is hands down my fave. Both wines paired well with my meals. Would I come back? Absolutely. I know my fiancée would love it here! What a great experience! Food and drinks were on point. All fresh ingredients and hand made. read more

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The service was great! The waiters are very attentive. They check in often and have good recommendations We tried the lobster pasta and the spicy vodka pasta, and both were delicious. The lobster pasta was unique with squid ink. I was confused about it until actually trying it. The squid ink makes the dish look like octopus but it's not. There is cut lobster on top. It tasted great like seafood and pasta. The spicy vodka pasta was great and classic. The most unique thing was the texture of the pasta with it being thick since it is hand made. That was really great. I definitely want to come back to try the peso pasta. read more

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Pepp & Dolores remains my favorite festive-yet-approachable spot in Cincinnati for amazing and comforting dishes! I visited with my foodie best friend who had been before a long time ago but didn't remember much and had been hearing me rave about how much I loved their pasta too many times :) We also wanted to celebrate P&D making the top 100 Restaurants over the winter! This, combined with the fact that she wanted to try a lot of the menu, and we ordered a LOT- it was the most indulgent and fun night! If you have a couple people I'd highly recommend splitting or sharing pastas, flight style. Or just take home the leftovers- they were delish the next day! Of course we got the ricotta and grilled sourdough which was as good as ever. No notes, just my top favorite starter in the city. For pastas, we tried the gricia, the funghi, spicy vodka, and the lobster pasta. I would have honestly never ordered the lobster on my own but OMG- it was so good! I was totally blown away by the texture and flavor profile that I didn't even have any idea of before. I liked it better than any of the pastas I have previously tried! Funghi was delicious because we both loved mushrooms, but I still prefer that spicy vodka as one of my favorite menu dishes. I love to make vodka sauce at home but this one still tops it and is just so comforting. The gricia was my least favorite- probably just because I had 3 other amazing options in front of me too, I didn't gravitate towards it but I did find my bites savory and satisfying. You really can't go wrong with this menu. And because it's small and navigable, it's not overwhelming to try and fit your fit. If you had any questions about the menu, I'm confident their staff would be so helpful. I've always had such wonderful and friendly service, even when I have trainees or bartenders as servers. The bartender we had on this particular evening was wonderful and struck the perfect balance of making conversation and leaving us to our friend time. He also gave us tasting samples of a NA wine they are offering and gave us excellent menu notes before we ordered. Because my friend was anticipating our visit so much, I wanted to sit in the main dining room with beautiful windows but we sat at the bar downstairs. It was actually so cozy and romantic for a late winter evening and I think that space rivals the upstairs! I used to always request the main room in my reservation but now I want to return with my husband to the downstairs space. Well done, Pepp & Dolores! I already want to come back! read more

Pepp & Dolores - Ricotta and grilled sourdough, pineapple punch mocktail and blood orange mule mocktail - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I can see why this spot has incredible reviews and frequently makes top national lists on Yelp. For starters, the service is amazing. The atmosphere and design of the restaurant is also fabulous. The tiled floors, natural light and location in the OTR neighborhood set the mood for our experience. While there, we enjoyed a mocktail, the luscious made-in-house ricotta with grilled Allez Bakery sourdough (incredible! like buttah!), limone pasta with spaghetti, meyer lemon, chili flake, parmigiano-reggiano and another pasta and veg that I'm blanking on at the moment (all incredible...). This spot is great for date night, celebrations, fancy friends lunch (let's make it a thing, okay?), you name it. Truly, a treat and worth the hype. read more

Delicious food and fantastic service. My daughter brought me here for a birthday dinner a few weeks ago and we had a wonderful meal. To start we both ordered the Nocino Old Fashioned. It was divine! The appetizer we chose was the Arancini. It's fried risotto balls and it's amazing! For our entrees I chose the Limone pasta and my daughter chose the Spicy Vodka. We also chose the Meatballs for a sharable side. The entrees were awesome! The meatballs were average and I wouldn't order them again. They were good but not a standout. But the extra side the server brought out to us complimentary was fabulous! The Eggplant Involtini was so good! I'm not usually a fan of eggplant because when it's overcooked it is mealy. This was perfectly cooked and delicious! I'd definitely order it again. The service was fantastic! read more

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We booked a reservation for my birthday while in town celebrating and were ecstatic to be seated in the quaint basement bar. Our server was amazing and even gave us some other recommendations while we are in town! We started with the meatballs and devoured them. My husband commented how much the sauce reminded him of his Sicilian grandmother's sauce growing up. Hubby ordered the Sunday Sauce while I immediately knew I wanted the Limone! I now have a new favorite and immediately started searching for options closer to home once our trip ended. The balance of the lemon and ricotta with the spaghetti is absolutely divine! We loved the gelato options as our celebration came to an end. read more

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This place was delicious. Prices were reasonable for the quality of food. There's is a lot of inside seating, but seems like reservations are required to get a spot inside. We ate outside which was okay, there's a lot of cars and people walking by the area. read more

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Just in Cincinnati for a work trip, and after scouring for pasta restaurants, I settled on Pepp & Dolores. It had a nice menu and moderately priced for my work budget. The restaurant has a great ambiance, the pasta was al dent and all the staff I interacted with were so helpful. It's a bit louder in here, but that kind of added to the vibe. First I started with the Barbera Blend which was delicious! G.D. Vajra was the name. Next I ordered the gem lettuce salad, I asked for dressing on the side, but dressing was on the salad when it came. I decided I would send it back if it was heavy dressed which it was not! I loved the cheese and walnuts. The Cesar dressing was lighter and not too thick and heavy. I was torn between the Grecian and the Limon but settled on the Limon. It was delish! If I had another day I'd come back for the Grecian. It was a little creamier than expected, but that was just it. I was expecting a thinner lemon sauce, it was a little thicker. I added red pepper flakes. Overall, I'd recommend this restaurant for the staff, ambiance and price point. You do need to have two dishes to get full, but I still feel the food pretty exceptional . read more

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First time visiting Cincinnati. Came here to Pepp & Dolores the day before running the Flying Pig Half Marathon. I ordered the Greens & Beans appetizer along with the arrabbiata pasta and a side of sourdough bread. Everything was pretty good. The Greens & Beans had a nice tomato-based broth that wasn't too heavy or overloaded with cheese, which I appreciated before race day. The arrabbiata pasta was also enjoyable -- plenty of tomato flavor without being overwhelmingly spicy. Overall, the meal felt filling without being too heavy. Hard to say how much it helped my race performance considering how crowded the event was, but it definitely felt like a solid pre-race dinner. A little expensive, but the food was good and I can see why it's such a popular Italian spot in Cincinnati. I'd definitely come back if I'm in town again. Last visited: May 2, 2026 read more

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This restaurant went above and beyond. A group of friends and I came here to celebrate a 21st birthday. To start the meal off, I ordered a limoncello & tonic. It was refreshing and not too sweet. As a table, we did an order of housemade ricotta. This was the perfect appetizer and 100% would order again. I ordered the limone. It was light, flavorful, and creamy. I would order it again if I came back. To end the meal, they are known for bringing almond cookie/sweet treat to the table after your meal is completed. The restaurant has beautiful outdoor seating. They also have indoor seating which includes space at the bar, the main level seating, and seating in the basement. This restaurant is always booked so highly recommend making a reservation in advance. There is street parking and many local paid parking lots to park in. The service was speedy. The waitress was very kind and knowledgeable on the menu. She went out of her way to bring us homemade ice cream with a cannoli. Highly recommend for a date night or celebration! read more

Pepp & Dolores - Limone - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great food, beautiful ambiance and top of the line service. I ordered the limone pasta with a side of grilled shrimp. The pasta was amazingly fresh and very flavorful. The only reason Id give the restaurant a 4/5 is due to the shrimp coming out cold when it is normally served hot however it was still a nice added touch to the pasta. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Limone pasta - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Holy canoli! This is THE place! I'm already planning my next visit. The food was so different and so delicious! read more

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If you're looking for one of the best Italian spots in Cincinnati, Pepp & Dolores absolutely lives up to the hype. We started with the ricotta and grilled bread, and it was a favorite for our party of six. Creamy, rich, and perfectly balanced with a drizzle of olive oil. Paired with the warm, crispy bread, it was one of those simple dishes done exceptionally well. The veal cutlets were crispy , golden, and super tender, with just the right amount of brightness from the lemon and sauce. For pasta, we went with the gricia and the limone, and both were amazing. The gricia was rich, salty, and packed with flavor from the jowl bacon and cheese, while the limone was lighter, silky, and perfectly balanced with that citrusy kick. You can tell everything is made fresh. Service from Mike was great, super chill guy. The atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to and recommending. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Gricia and Limone pasta - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Delish homemade pasta and appetizers. The artichoke is to die for as well as the Sunday sauce. We got this delivered and it was packaged perfectly. My only complaint was no utensils were included and we were in a hotel. Luckily our hotel had in room service so we were able to get cutlery through them. read more

Visiting Cinci for work and this place was recommended. I walked in with no reservations so no tables were available, but the bar was open and welcoming. Greeted right away. This place is rustic looking on the outside but open and well lit. I ordered a Margarita and the spaghetti (with 2 meatballs). Both were absolutely delish. Bartender was attentive and friendly. Would def come back if I'm in the area. read more

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Just went here for the first time to celebrate my birthday and I was curious to see if it was better than Mama's on Main. I thought it was, it was probably the best pasta dish I've ever had. Our server recommended a lot of good options. My favorites were the meatballs, the cucumbers and the crab and corn ravioli. Everything was delicious. I've already bought a gift card at Costco to come back! Unfortunately i ate before my phone did so i didn't get a lot of pics. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Crab and corn ravioli. Amazing!!! - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The pasta was fresh and flavorful, and the sauce was excellent. Cozy atmosphere and friendly service. Would definitely come back.

After a long day of roadtripping, Pepp & Dolores was the time out we needed. An incredible atmosphere that feels small and quaint but gives you enough breathing room to feel comfortable. We were seated at the bar which was perfect because we like being close to what we love. I decided to try one of cocktails on the drink menu, I wasn't too fond of it so I changed course and ordered an espresso martini. It was the best decision I made that day. Scrumptious! I started with an appetizer of meatballs which were delicious and juicy followed by the Lobster pasta. I thought the espresso martini was the best decision I made that day but quickly after taking my first bite of pasta- I knew I was going to have to fight off the urge to lick my plate clean. I had another espresso martini for dessert and my companion and I left Pepp & Dolores thanking whatever Italian food Gods (and the chefs in the kitchen) were responsible for such an incredible meal. read more

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Simply amazing. Handmade pasta. Couldn't be happier with the food and service. Good ambiance and you feel so at home.

We had such a wonderful evening for a surprise birthday party! The service was good. The food was great. I had the crab and corn pasta; which I really enjoyed. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Pasta - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I moved from Cincinnati 2 years ago and this place continues to be excellent. My review from 4 years ago stays true. Still consistent and delicious to this day. Every time I come back to this city - P&D is a mandatory visit. Service is amazing. Ambiance is spectacular. A very special place I've shared with special people. Food is top tier and unmatched. Lots of love for this place. read more

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Delicious!!!! Enjoyed the house made ricotta, gem salad and the limone pasta. It was all so tasty! This was my last meal in cincy before heading home and i cannot wait to return! read more

Pepp & Dolores - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Pep & Dolores has been on our must-try list for a while, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The location in OTR is perfect, and we were immediately greeted by the friendliest staff when we walked in. The ambiance was amazing--loved the decor and being able to look out the windows and take in the OTR vibe. Our waiter was fantastic--super friendly and gave great recommendations on what to order. My friend and I ended up splitting two entrées so we could try more than one, and both were absolutely delicious. Everything we had was so good. What really stood out was how relaxed and welcoming the experience felt. Our waiter was so kind, let us sit and catch up without feeling rushed, and kept checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. Overall, we loved it, would definitely recommend it, and will 100% be back. read more

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My sister and I had a lovely dinner here this past weekend. We arrived for our reservation early and opted to forgo our table for bar seats downstairs and had a wonderful evening. We started out with the house-made ricotta (and it was INCREDIBLE) and each got a different spritz cocktail to sip on. We saved the remaining ricotta for when our charred broccolini came out and it was sooo delicious with that as well, highly recommend it for dipping your vegetable sides in! We also split the arancini and it was to die for. The risotto was chefs kiss. For mains, we got pasta, of course. I had the lobster and it was so tender and flavorful. Our server told us that the squid ink pasta is the most time consuming pasta they make since everything is house-made and they have to get it shaped perfectly (love the tentacle shape, so fun). My sister got the vodka pasta and it was classic, spicy, and incredibly flavorful. We shared bites of everything throughout the night and it was nice to be able to try so many dishes. For dessert, we each got vanilla mascarpone gelato with different toppings. I opted for olive oil + sea salt because I had it before back in Indy once and loved it. This time it was just as good, if not better! My sister got the crushed pistachio + mini chocolate chips. We each got a little espresso drink (classic espresso for me, cortado for her). It was the perfect end to a perfect dinner. Our server/bartender was very attentive, gave us recommendations, refilled our waters all night, and was super friendly. All around such a lovely night and it was less than a 10 minute walk from our Airbnb! Can't wait to come back. read more

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We love this place. The arancini is wonderful. The parking is the only downside, but there are a few lots and garages nearby. The have ice cream but not a full dessert menu. The funghi pasta was excellent. The portions are great for lunch here and if having dinner might get a salad along with the pasta. The pasta quality is top notch. We enjoyed coffee and gelato as well. But the arancini and the pasta dishes are what we will be coming back for hopefully sooner rather than later. This place is consistent, elevated and memorable. read more

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A small little place, nope there is a basement and an entire other room not seen from the entrance. We made reservations for 6:30, for 3 people. We choose Pepp & Delores because of the reviews and a rating of one of the top 100 places to eat in the U.S. What we ordered: Appetizer: House made ricotta Artichoke alla giudia Both absolutely delicious The Pasta we ordered: Sunday sauce - this was a red sauce that came with meatballs. To me it was a little heavy but my husband and granddaughter loved it. Limone - a light flavor and very good on its own. Funghi - my favorite. A light white sauce that complimented the pasta and mushrooms. A very nice reasonably priced establishment. Worth coming back and trying other options. I would give it a 4.5 star rating. As the seating was tight for 3 people. read more

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I had a chance to go back to Pepp last year in August with two of our out of town friends and HOLY MOLY- their food was EPIC!!!ABSOLUTELY loved their hospitality, the ambience was PERFECTION. I am so glad that Pepp is part of the Cincinnati food scene and can't wait for our next Pepp rendezvous read more

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I never think about getting a reservation at Pepp & Dolores until it's too late, but not tonight! This one had been on the calendar for a while. Determined to not overeat on a weeknight in early January (Still clinging to those New Years Resolutions!), my friend and I split the Ricotta, Artichoke, Chicken and Limone pasta. Both of us were full, even enough left over for a small lunch tomorrow, and each dish was delicious! I want that Ricotta every day of my life. Is it the best bread item on any menu in Cincinnati? You tell me, but I think it might be. Our server (Mallory) was perfect. Highlighted a few things that we might not have tried, just the right amount of friendly chat, spot on with everything through the whole meal. I don't really want the secret to get out, but I also think P&D might be the best value in town. I guess when you are making it in house, no tariffs, right? Make plans, book a reservation a month or more out, and get there. It's worth it. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Limone pasta and Chicken Scarpariello - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I love the atmosphere here and the employees were nice and helpful. Our server explained all of the Gluten Free options for my friend. I didn't care for the artichokes appetizer nor my Gem salad. I did enjoy my Gricia pasta and do recommend this or the Limone. There's a parking lot across the street but I'd recommend paying at their terminals. read more

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My favourite restaurant in Cincy! Their homemade pasta are delicious, very well made and with sometimes unusual combination of flavours. Their take on Italian cousine is a great example of how personal twist can create wonders! All the pasta dishes are great, go grab one if you still haven't been there! Super recommended as a date night, don't skip the excellent wines! read more

Pepp & Dolores - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Absolutely incredible! It's a no brainer for Pepp & Delores to be on the Yelp Top 100 US restaurants for 2026 because it was fantastic! The spicy vodka pasta was great and so was the Pomodoro! We didn't have a reservation but we were able to sit at the bar as a walk in which was great. We had incredible service even with it being extremely busy. We loved the overall vibe of the inside. It's perfect for a date night. I can't wait to go back! read more

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Nice vibe in the place, but a bit oversold. An enjoyable meal I had the Sunday Sauce which was very good but frankly the house made pasta was nothing special and over cooked. We really enjoyed the desert the gelato was on point and the additional amaretto cookies was a nice finish. The wait staff was very good and service was excellent. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Nice brow of the patio form Inside - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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