Mark was our server today and he was great! I mentioned not caring for fennel but wanting to try the Bibb salad so he brought us a Gem salad as well just in case we didn't like it. He was very accommodating and helpful read more

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

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What a great dining experience. We were in the area on a Saturday afternoon and stop in to see if we could grab a seat. From the moment we entered to the time we left the staff were amazing at efficiency and friendliness. The Nocino old fashioned were great. The food was super and the pricing very fair. Love the interior also, which is calming and updated. read more

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Another delicious meal at Pepp & Deloris...I made reservation on-line several weeks in advance and misunderstood the "bar seating". Thought it meant seating in the bar...not at the bar...but after a brief discussion with the hostess, the manager was able to find us a table. Started with the Ricotta spread/bread which is always a favorite. Then on to crab/ravioli dish and Lobster pasta dish. Finished the meal with gelato...all excellent choices. read more

I have to admit, I'm a little conflicted over my first experience at this establishment. Everything was great: the server, the ambiance, the variety of dishes on the menu...except for the alcoholic beverage "misunderstanding." There's a $6 limoncello service that is priced by the bottle...unless two people (or more) at your table order the service, then it's less alcohol for everyone. There's a small-pour bottle of housemade limoncello that would normally serve one person...so each person at my table ordered the service. Rather than bring out three bottles (since we paid for 3 services) we were brought 2 bottles and made to share because well, I still don't really understand. We were all so confused that we even asked the manager to come explain why three people couldn't get three separate mini-bottles if they were priced at $6 per person. He gave an ultimately nonsensical answer that left us a bottle short (pun intended). It still doesn't make sense to me. If it's a $6 POUR, then call it that. Listing it as a service based on a $6 mini-bottle, then expecting two patrons paying $6 each to split what you'd give one person for $6 makes no sense. Outside of that unfortunate start, the meal ended beautifully. My lobster squid ink pasta is easily the best meal on the menu. Al dente, homemade noodles in that delightfully creamy sauce? Perfect umami, perfect portion size, perfect amount of lobster (I hate when restaurants skimp!). I would be remiss in my food review duties if I didn't mention the appetizers. Wow-we! The fried artichokes were a sight to behold, and a delight to consume. That sauce they make to accompany the artichoke is clearly made of crack, so be careful. Get "The Dunk" for the table...hell, get two. I'm definitely coming back to this spot for what is now my new favorite pasta dish, but I'll likely just stick to a G&T from the bar. If I pay for one of those I don't have to share, no matter how many other people at my table order one. ‍ read more

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Mark greeted us upstairs, love the friendliness and hospitality knew we were in for a great meal. Titus was our man, utmost best service and terrific guy all around. We ordered 6 of the pastas all al dente and nice chewiness perfect. Apps and bread on the money. House red devine for the value. Will definitely be back! read more

Pepp & Dolores - The spread - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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After a recent visit, it seemed time to confirm that Pepp and Delores is still a five star restaurant in my book. We came a few weeks before Christmas with my book club. The six of us were seated at a cozy table in the basement. Our waiter asked if we wanted a rundown of the menu and make sure to bring us drinks promptly. We decided to split the ricotta, appetizer and meatballs among the table. These are a great addition to our meal. I had the lobster pasta as my entrée. The squid ink in the pasta makes for a truly unique experience. The after dinner cookies are the perfect way to top off the meal! read more

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

I got to experience Pepp & Dolores on a Monday evening! Everything was great including the crowd. We a group of four were seated in an appropriate amount of time and received plenty of attention. Drinks, appetizers and main courses were all excellent and timed well in delivery. I can highly recommend the appetizers called "The Dunk" & "Housemade Ricotta " as well as the entree called "The Sunday Sauce". Looking forward to attending again! read more

We had a great meal here during a short stay in Cincinnati. The pasta was as expected from an Italian restaurant that makes scratch pasta. It's getting harder to find good pasta, and I appreciate when pasta is done well. The appetizers were all tasty (especially the bread and butter) and the cocktails were well thought out and reasonably priced. If you're looking for real Italian, I would consider giving this place a shot! read more

We were stopping by Cincinnati for a day and wanted to eat out for dinner! We decided on Pepp & Dolores because of the good reviews on Yelp. We got the bread and eggplant as sides/appetizers. I'm not sure if the bread was worth what it cost, but the eggplants were delicious and a good way to add some veggies to our meal. For entrees, we got the limone and agnello. The limone was delicious with the perfect lemon tang to cut the creaminess. The agnello was also delicious and definitely something you would love if you like lamb. We also got the house limoncello, which was delicious. They surprisingly didn't serve dessert, but we did get two free amaretto cookies at the end! read more

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The food was superb, the service was wonderful and the ambience was nice but not stuffy. The complimentary almond cookies were a perfect ending to the meal. read more

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Holy handmade pasta! The hype is legit. R and I finally made it to Pepp and Dolores (after having resies several times and needing to cancel.) I started with the antipasto salad which was olive and artichoke based (not salami and cheese like you might think.) It was so springy and zesty, I wanted more. I would have been happy with that as my dinner, honestly. R got the wedge, which is their version of Cesar. For the main course I had the agnello. The rigatoni color was a bit concerning, but lemme tell you...this lamb dish was the deal. Make resies and ask for Tia. She's fantastic. read more

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If it were not for the salt, the food would not be so initially satisfying. Taste of food leaves a person wishing for Mama Pallazollo to take over the kitchen to teach the cooks a thing or two about Italian food. read more

Went to Pepp & Delores this weekend with friends to celebrate a few birthdays, and it was such a great experience! The food was absolutely delicious, and the service made it even better. Our server, Darla, was so sweet and attentive. Highly recommend for a fun night out in Cincinnati! read more

Pepp & Dolores - crab & corn - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Wanted to check back in and update my review 2 years later. Pepp & Dolores stays being consistent and delicious, their bread, cocktails, and pasta are always so good. The vibes are great inside, great for a great dinner for 2 or a small group of friends. Love it here. read more

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When my husband and I have a date night nowadays we do as much research as we can before picking an option. Pepp & Dolores was raved about on Reddit, and the local Cincinnati foodies group. Let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint!! They had an orange wine on the menu which was so crisp, and refreshing! It was recommend by our waitress Rosciv who was SO NICE! For the starter, she recommended the house made ricotta which melted in your mouth! The bread it was served it was to die for! Okay, now for the entrees! I DREAM about these entrees...I live 2 hours away, and wished if I could eat this over and over! The butternut squash ravioli...it was sweet, savory, and the ravioli was so soft like pillows! My husband had the limone which was OUTSTANDING! Definitely the best pasta we've ever had! We also got the side of shrimp which was cooked to perfection and went so well with the limone! They don't have a dessert menu, but they served coffee & these almond cookies to go alongside which were really good! We had the best experience here, and can't wait to go back again! read more

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Enter into a cool bar area, we sat in the back room which I didn't know existed; restaurant is way bigger than it looks. Greeted by friendly staff and our server was solid. Marinated cucumbers were surprisingly delicious. I had the lobster pasta which was pretty good but my wife's spicy vodka pasta was hands down the best dish. Perfect al dente noodles and a classic vodka sauce, she also added peas which was a great touch! read more

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Had 5 for a Monday night dinner. We all loved it. "Sunday" pasta dish was really good. All pasta clearly homemade and. Dry good. House red was underwhelming. Service good, friendly. read more

I have a really high bar for Italian food, given my family is Italian and I grew up eating delicious food. I would say everything I tried was really good, but also overpriced. However given that Sotto, is the go to place in the area they set the price point high for Italian food. This is a higher end restaurant and I felt like you can dress cute casual to super fancy. It's perfect for a date night or eating a nice meal out. For the food I remember loving the ricotta dip for the bread. I also ordered two pasta dishes. One had a neat sauce with sausage and the other was squid ink with lobster. The pasta was extremely well made, but I felt like the flavors of the sauce were okay and nothing to rave about. For the area and especially Ohio, I'd say they are serving great Italian food. However for the price and having access to my family's italian recipes. I dont feel the need to go back to this restaurant However I would say it's worth checking out for the area! Lastly I appreciated our kind server and thought the service was great. She was able to explain the menu well and make recommendations based on my questions. read more

The best noodle spot I have ever been to, it was worth the drive there. But the customer service was somewhat good. The restaurant vibe was super cozy and everyone was happy read more

Just the name of this place attracts me if I'm being completely honest. I ADORE pasta and I had a good feeling that this place could deliver something memorable. I was looking for reservations about 10 days in advance and the only things available was 4:30 and 9. After some hum and hawing and looking into other shit, GF and I eventually decided to pull the trigger on this reservation. We arrived a lil early, as we tend to do, and we could tell from a mile away that our table would likely not be ready. This was communicated to us in short order by the host but, and I can tell this is probably a common occurrence, they had plan B rehearsed. They seamlessly provided us their menu and suggested we stand by one of the high top shelves in the bar area to order a drink while we wait. Don't mind if I do. The host also mentioned the return of their holiday cocktails, one of which is the panettone and again, they sold me on the name alone. With vodka, sherry, spiced cranberry, amaretto it was the hard version of the classic holiday bread. My toddler pallet would have preferred some more sweetness but GF says she "thought it was good". 5 min or so after our reservation we were brought to our table, drinks in hand. Our server was excellent, knowledgeable, and prompt. He made suggestions for ordering due to the unique nature of their menu. We mostly followed his recommendations and ordered a bread, starter, 2 pastas, and a side. I was intrigued by the ricotta but ended up ordering (we think) "the dunk" with an oil, vinegar, herb accompaniment. The bread was DELICIOUS and a very unusual shape (a literal sculpture in bread form) but was a pretty small quantity of actual bread considering we paid almost $10 for it. I like the artistry but I'd rather just get run of the mill bread if I can have more of it. The dip was enjoyable but nothing to write home about. It was a touch too vinegary for my personal taste. We also ordered the cucumber starter, about probably 1/4 of a cucumber of less sliced into half moons and covered in a heavenly sauce and their homemade ricotta. This was fantastic. I wish there was more of it but due to how wonderful it was, I won't complain. The ricotta was also so good that it made me regret our bread choice. We wanted the beans and greens side (talk about a laxative..) but they had run out for the evening. UGH. We ordered the broccolini instead which was cooked to allow for some remaining bite. It was covered in tasty breadcrumbs. This was a great side. For my main, I went with our server's suggestion and ordered the spicy vodka sauce which is certainly something you don't see every day. It was excellent. It was ORGASMIC. The sauce was spicy but not prohibitively so. The pasta was also flawlessly al dente. I would love to recreate that at home, such a nice bite. I could've eaten a vat of that stuff. GF ordered the lobster with squid ink pasta (in the shape that looks like the pasta has a Mohawk lmao). She, "liked it, it was creamy". Server admitted they don't have desert which was disappointing but a relief at the same time. They do provide complementary cookies with the check which is a nice touch. Something else that is worth noting: the food took a very long time to come out, specifically the mains. We had been there for probably almost an hour before receiving them. The server apologized, mentioning that they had a 40 person party in the other room and the kitchen was "getting behind" which is understandable but it was a struggle due to our anticipation. read more

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Great service and delicious food. We sat outside and enjoyed several different appetizers and pasta dishes.

Pepp & Dolores has become a Cincinnati staple for us, like so many others. They never miss. Incredible service, food, and ambience from start to finish. Every single time. Right when you walk in, you can feel the energy in the restaurant. The decor is elegant and classy. Feels appropriate to dress up if you want a fancy night out. They have plenty of seating front of house, and more around the corner in the back. Two large bar tops, one at the main entrance and one downstairs. We didn't have a reservation, but they were incredibly accommodating and got us a seat at the downstairs bar. Our bartender was amazing. Got us situated with menus and drink recommendations, including mocktails. We opted for the grapefruit ginger Paloma (mocktail) and the Five Families (Manhattan). Both were delicious and refreshing. Food came out hot and fresh. We got the side of meatballs, spicy vodka, and the gricia. Perfectly Al dente and the sauces pair so well with the pasta. The spicy vodka is creamy with a subtle spice. The gricia is perfect for a cold day, rich and hearty. Limone is always a banger. You can't go wrong with most of their menu offerings. We love coming here and find every reason to come back time and time again. Definitely worth all the hype. Until next time, cheers! read more

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Everything was perfect! Great ambiance, service, and food! We had the ricotta, arancini, and eggplant for the table (all excellent!). And I had the Sunday dinner pasta which was great! They don't have dessert but have complementary cookies, Definitely would come back! read more

Pepp & Dolores - Sunday dinner pasta - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

What an absolutely amazing experience here. I was visiting from out of town, and I had no clue you could find quality pasta like this in Cincinnati. The service was fantastic. They had some great recommendations and were very friendly. The Brezza Estiva was a great cocktail. So great I ordered two. It's raspberry, vodka, citrus, and amaro. So refreshing and smooth. The bread plate, asparagus, and artichokes were all equally excellent. So many great appetizers to choose from, but these three all hit the spot. The spicy vodka pasta was PEAK! Perfectly al dente. Amazing flavor. Might be the best spicy vodka pasta I've ever had. When I'm back in town I can't wait to return. read more

Pepp & Dolores - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Fantastic Italian restaurant with house-made pastas. The vibe is cute and cozy and they don't have a ton of tables. Definitely make a reservation here since seating is limited. The service was excellent. Our waitress walked us through the menu and made some great suggestions. The service was prompt but did not feel rushed. We started with the ricotta appetizer which was absolutely delicious! I got the lobster dish with the squid ink pasta as my main and my party got 2 other pasta dishes, I'm blanking on which ones currently. Since their pastas are homemade, they are all served on the Al-dente side. All of the dishes were fantastic. Highly, highly recommend checking this place out if you are looking for some yummy house made Italian food! read more

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The star of the show here is the appetizers! The fried artichokes and carpaccio and ricotta are all amazing. We were seated in a back room behind the bar with great ambiance. Perfect for a date night. Our waiter was attentive and helpful with selections. For our main courses we all got pasta. The butternut one was just ok for me. The amatriciana was the best pasta dish by far. read more

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A Taste of Italy at Pepp & Dolores! Pepp & Dolores, an Italian gem in overs the Rhine , provided a dining experience that was a delightful blend of flavors and ambiance. Food: 4/5 - Spicy Vodka Pasta was delicious, the spicy kick of the sauce was amazing. However, there is some space to improve for Lobster Pasta. I wish the pasta is thin and the sauce is more thick. The lobster sauce is delicious, but i can not see the blend between pasta and sauce. The inked pasta doesn't match with lobster and it doesn't look appealing as well. We were looking for dessert after the meal. Even the restaurant didn't offer any dessert options, but they served with almond cookies at the end of the dinner. Service: 5/5 - The service was impeccable,the wait or recommended multiple of his favourite dish. The staff at Pepp & Dolores were attentive, friendly, and ensured a seamless dining experience. Ambiance: 5/5 - The ambiance at Pepp & Dolores was a highlight. The cozy yet sophisticated atmosphere created the perfect backdrop for an enjoyable meal. Price: 4/5 - The prices reflected the quality of the dining experience. The price of the meal is somewhat fair. Pepp & Dolores is a must-visit for those seeking an authentic Italian dining experience. With a superb ambiance and attentive service, it's a delightful spot for a special meal, though a bit on the higher end in terms of pricing. read more

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Had a great experience last weekend at Pepp & Dolores. We made the reservation 3 months prior and when we arrived, I was not entirely sure why we needed a reservation because the downstairs was pretty empty. I highly recommend sitting downstairs as it is very intimate and cozy. We had a party of 3 and were seated right away. The stairs are pretty cool as they come from two different ends of the restaurant and come together to the basement. There are family photos all over the basement and we were told it was the original owners family. How cool! We ordered the Homemade Ricotta that comes on grilled Allez Bakery sourdough, olive oil, sea salt. It was so good but my stomach hurt after. The salad was probably my favorite part. I got the Gem with gem lettuce, walnut, ubriaco rosso cheese, crouton, citrus caesar dressing, parmigiano-reggiano. For my main dish, I ordered the Spicy Vodka with mezze pasta, calabrian chili, vodka sauce, parmigiano-reggiano. It was good but I preferred the other dish of Limone. The Limone is spaghetti, meyer lemon, chili flake, parmigiano-reggiano, garlic breadcrumb, ricotta. I tasted my brothers dish of the Sunday Sauce which is spaghetti, nonna's red sauce, veal & pork meatball, braised pork shoulder, parmigiano-reggiano. All great dishes but limone was my favorite. I would come back again. I loved the atmosphere so much read more

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

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After a week of camping in the woods and a long drive, this was our date night experience! We didn't have a reservation for this place but the restaurant was courdal and very accomodating - after a short wait of about 30 minutes, we were seated at the bar. Very lively place. The staff are very friendly, inviting, and considerate. I was really in the mood for a whiskey sour but didn't see it on the menu. I asked the bartender if he would be able to make it, even if it wasn't on the menu. He said "yes I can, but how about i recommend a special we recently had that is also very good, a Sicilian Sour" (i believe that is what he called it...pictured below). What a GREAT drink! Great presentation as well! The food was all delicious! Very fairly priced for handmade pasta! The portions were not big, but they weren't small either - it was the perfect amount to be able to enjoy and sample a few different things. We had the spicy vodka pasta and the lemon based one - both AMAZING. I highly encourage anyone in the area to drop by for a drink and some pasta - you won't be disappointed! read more

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This is a wonderful Italian spot located in OTR. They work very hard to create an atmosphere that reminds their guests of a coastal Italian restaurant. It's a light, beautiful and welcoming interior. Ice enjoyed the Limone pasta (spaghetti, meyer lemon, chili flake, parmigiano-reggiano, garlic breadcrumb, ricotta) and THE DUNK (Allez Bakery epi baguette, olive oil, vinegar, herbs, seasoning) the most. I've also tasted the CARPACCIO PIEMONTESE (shiitake crusted beef carpaccio, truffle vinaigrette, arugula, walnut) which was light and decadent at the same time. But, a must for me is Tony's Negroni or the Melone Spritz...their Italian cocktail game is perfect. This is a great spot for a girls lunch or date night. Or just a solo treat. read more

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We had a wonderful dinner here while meeting a friend. The pasta was just right, and of course, the pasta was cooked well. All the appetizers were delicious, and the cocktails were well-designed and reasonably priced. If you're looking for authentic Italian cuisine, I highly recommend this place! read more

Really wonderful dinner. Server was excellent, she was affable and knowledgeable about the menu. She gave us a rundown of the menu without it feeling like a sale pitch. We had: Tony Negroni: aged gin and aperol. Great Margarita: cool riff The dip? The Dunk? Bread and vinaigrette. Ricotta: and bread Bread was from Allez and it was fantastic. The ricotta was luscious. Entrees: Sunday sauce Grecia Ala vodka Limona All were excellent. House made pasta was stellar read more

Our servers Gina and Chloe were amazing! Very tentative and had great recommendations and banter! Will definitely be asking for them every time we come back! Can't forget how amazing the food always is here as well. read more

Good food ilwithout a crazy price tag. Definitely a much better value that sotto or other Italian restaurants in the area.

The ricotta and bread is excellent. The pasta was good. The service was ok. Interior is relatively clean and the downstairs is interesting. read more

TRY THE RICOTTA!!! Walked in on a Sunday night and had to wait about 45 minutes to get sat at the bar. The bartender was attentive. When food was being served at the bar, there was confusion and most people got different orders or part of the order. We got half of ours and the other half got served to others 15 minutes later. We tried the Housemade Ricotta, Meatballs, Veal Cutlets, Limone and Butternut & Mascrapone. I would come back for only to things, the Housemade Ricotta and Veal Cutlets. The ricotta was delicious and the olive oil used was great. The veal was tasty in the lemon sauce. The pasta was disappointing. They cook it aldente but it was cooked well under that. Overall, if the bar service was better and pasta was at least cooked aldente, it would've gotten another star. read more

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Took my parents and kids there on Sunday evening to celebrate Father's Day. Was not impressed. Service was extremely slow. We had to flag down our waiter multiple times just to get his attention. My dad ordered a gin on the rocks with olives, it looked like one shot at best, with a single olive. I had a Negroni and it was also a pretty small pour. I expect to pay $14 for a cocktail at a nice restaurant, but I shouldn't have to order a double to get a full cocktail when doing so. The basement is so dark we could barely see our menus. I understand ambience, but it was brutal. Especially for my parents who are in their late 70's. We ordered pasta dishes individually and the sides to share. Pasta arrived an hour and forty five minutes after we were seated. Sides didn't come out with our dinner and our waiter didn't come to our table until 15 minutes later. My dad told him just to cancel it as we were pretty much done eating at this point and pretty frustrated with the inattentiveness of our waiter. The pasta dishes were flavorful but way undercooked. We were told it would be al dente, and I expected it to be so, but it was as if they dropped it in the water for a few seconds and then served it. The bread and appetizers were really good but they were pretty much the only highlight of the experience. Maybe we caught P&D on a bad night with a mediocre server, but we were pretty disappointed, to say the least. read more

Honestly, this might be the best Italian meal I've ever had. The pasta is handmade - super fresh, packed with flavor, and cooked just right. Friendly staff, cozy feel. You'll want to reserve ahead since it's always buzzing - and for good reason. read more

Fantastic friendly service provided by all specially our server, Mark. Menu is small but amazing. We ordered every appetizer and loved them. read more

Pepp & Dolores - 2 of the appetizers. - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I made a to-go order, and the amount of lobster in the lobster pasta (pictured below) is extremely disappointing. Also disappointing was that I ordered and paid for extra focaccia bread with the ricotta cheese, and they didn't provide it. When I called, they initially said it require an extra fee, and when I said I paid extra, they agreed to refund me the amount. Disappointing service. The ricotta cheese was amazing though. read more

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