I came here for lunch with three of my girlfriends. We took a lunch break in the middle of work, so we didn't have much time...But this place sat us right away and we were in and out in under 45 minutes! When you walk in, I really enjoy the feel of this place. It's in a cool older industrial building, and the decor is very eclectic and artsy. I think it would be an interesting date spot for dinner. I ordered the veggie burger with chips. It was a little bland, but overall a pretty good burger...The texture was right and the portion size was big for being less than $8. My friends ordered the BLT and the RPC Turkey sandwich. They all really liked their sandwiches, but the turkey sandwich looked especially yummy. Our server was very attentive and nice, even when we asked to split the check four ways. We got our food very quickly, and they rushed the check to us so we could get out of there fast. Overall, a very good experience! I will have to come back for dinner sometime soon. read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - Decor is very cool and eclectic! Mix of industrial and artsy - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Very charming atmosphere and location. But the service was very poor and the food was mediocre at best. There were 5 of us and we each had something different from the dinner menu, including appetizers, soup, main course, and dessert. And each of them were very lacking in flavor and technique. We hope they find a new chef who is more inspiring because it is absolutely a delightful place, they need a good menu and they will rocket. Unfortunately the 5 of us will not return unless we read that they have a new chef and menu. Hopefully they call Robert Irvine for some inspiration. read more

My first time visiting Ruth's was a great experience. Their lunch specials are fairly priced and the service was quick and enjoyable. I'd definitely recommend this spot to anyone looking for a good quality lunch spot. read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Nice location and very proper food. Even though the place is huge, it is actually difficult to find :) My advice: do not trust Google maps, look out for a huge sign on an old Can Factory :) I had a Cincysavers coupon which made the bill a bit lighter. My husband had a steak and I had the catfish which was sold to me as a specialty of the place. The fish came on a risotto cake and sauteed kale. It was properly cooked and well spiced. Both of the dishes were good and the restaurant is not a bad option when in the area, however there was nothing great or more than 'standard' and I think a solid 3 out of 5 is a fair judgement. The way the huge post-factory space is arranged is interesting in some aspects, but there is so much more room for improvement and for standing out. I would love this place to evolve to some real industrial chic place with amazing and more affordable options. read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - Creole catfish on a risotto cake and kale - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The girlfriend and I stopped by this place after remembering that we, as humans, typically eat dinner. I have been Northside resident most of my life and I have seen this place a few times driving around and never bothered to stop by. We almost drove past it but being the adventurous foodie that I am I made a very abrupt and sudden turn into the driveway. There was plenty of parking around the place so you will have no trouble there. The building itself, if I remember correctly, was an old factory or something till it was refurbished into high end lofts so the building is all clean looking. Walking into the door we were greeted by the host waiting to seat us with a smile. The interior is a mix of old and new. The host mentioned that the tables and chairs were all bought used. I asked him to wipe down the table for us since it was sticky but since it needed a new finish it was sticky again right after he cleaned it. If it helps that was the worst part of my experience with this place. The waiter was really friendly, the place looked very nice with art all over (Even a robotic wooden gargoyle... .yes... I am serious), and the giant windows looked out to the patio and parking lot. That means a lot actually since all the roads around the business at rush hour are VERY busy. The peaceful, green filled lot was a nice backdrop. We ordered the red potato app that had delicious gorgonzola cheese all over it. Potatoes were cooked perfectly too. She ordered the saute spinach with chicken (chicken is $2.00 extra) and I got the creole fish. My fish was really well done and seasoned but the risotto cake under it had texture, but little to no flavor on it's own. Her spinach was cooked perfectly but only came with like four pieces of chicken. Overall the food was a 4 out of 5. This place is good. The staff is top notch, the place itself looks great if not a little dated in places, the food was a little high for the price point but we would come here again. read more

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Ruth's Parkside reminded me of a restaurant that you would find in San Francisco. Cincinnati has it's good places to eat, but they seem to come few and far between. Ruth's is one of these great places. Ruth's has a unique menu that is not for the unadventurous. Come here to try something different and be surprised when you actually like it. I had the chicken curry and it was da bomb. The atmosphere is casual with what looked like a cafe or bar at the front. the rest of the restaurant is dining with short tables for four and booths. They have art around the establishment that is for sale with little price tags on all the items. Truly a great place. read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - Chicken Curry - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

As usual, our dinner was tasty, service was superb! We both ordered the salmon, my personal favorite, and it was great!

Selection. Soup!!! Service! Sound! Restaurants like this are what Yelp is made for. A location you might never go to if you don't live or work nearby, but this is a special place I'd recommend driving to for a date or party gathering from anywhere in Greater Cincinnati. Worth a 45 minute drive. It is a busy place, run by people who both know how to run a restaurant AND who have built a menu that is unique, tasty and even offers many healthier choices. It looks hip, sounds hip, feels hip and the food won't hit your hips! I give it two lips up! In fact I'm bringing my wife and flowers next time. Bookmark this baby and don't forget it! This is actually in the rarified air of a Faustian 6 Star Yelpian Bargain! read more

After reading the mixed reviews on Yelp, I was hesitant to try Ruth's. But since my clinical director gets what my clinical director wants, Ruth's it was. It turns out that what my clinical director wanted was a great idea! Despite the complaints about bland food, which is my absolute pet peeve, everything I tasted at Ruth's was full of flavor. Our party shared the Mediterranean platter, which was very good (the hummus was my favorite). My only complaint is there was not nearly enough pita included. I decided to get the burger with coleslaw as a side. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium and seasoned excellently. The coleslaw was good, but there could have been a bit more of it. Others had the burger, the catfish and the reuben, and everyone enjoyed their food. After seeing the dessert menu, I couldn't resist and easily persuaded everyone else to go for it. One had the apple pie and three had the devil's food cake with a scoop of salted caramel gelato. Can you say, "heaven"? Besides very good food, the setting and service were also something to rave about. Do not judge Ruth's by the look of the buildings in the neighborhood. It is completely different inside. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable,and efficient. I can't wait to go back! read more

Ive only been to Ruths Parkside for lunch, since I work nearby. The place is spacious and cute, and the outside patio is especially nice in warmer weather. I would recommend this place to vegetarians or vegans, as there are a ton of meatless options on the menu. I got the potato chowder to start which was super satisfying on a cold day. I ordered the Yvonne, which was an open face sandwich. It was seasoned so well and the veggies were delicious and filling. However, the bread was so soggy underneath that I just ate around it. Pricewise, its a little more than what I want to pay for lunch but was still reasonable. The service was slow but that may have been because i came with a big party. A big plus is that this place has tons of parking, a rarity in northside. Would go again! read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - The yvonne - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I don't know what I was expecting from Ruth's. It has the "cafe" in the title so I was hoping for a burger and mac&cheese place, but this is far from it! In a good way though, because they actually wanted me to eat healthy!?! With limited appetizer choices we went straight for the meal. We ordered the Orange Szechuan Stir Fry, Pasta w/Tomato Herb Sauce and the specialty of the evening, a Vodka Creamy Penne Pasta (each with the addition of chicken because their vegan/vegetarian based). The Orange Szechuan Stir Fry was really good. They made me choose between brown rice and whole grain pasta. Neither sounded appetizing cause that's healthy, but I went with the brown rice. It honestly wasn't bad either, brown rice is usually sticky but this wasn't! The taste of the CRaZy amount of veggies and rice together was delicious! Almost felt like it should have been mixed with Pad-Thai Noodles, (but they'd never do that because that wouldn't be so healthy). The pasta was ...pasta. Herby marinara sauce like the menu says. The Creamy Vodka Penne Chicken was awesome! My husband got it really spicy which was probably done purposefully so I wouldn't try it, but I did and I loved it! The service was ok. Knowledgable guy when we had questions and pretty attentive, but he wasn't very personable. I'm looking forward to trying their sandwiches for lunch some day, and when I'm on a diet (haha!), I will keep this place in mind for a healthy choice outing. read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I've been meaning to eat at Ruth's for a long time and finally got around to it! I'd definitely recommend. I love the American Can building, so it was cool to see how they created their restaurant space. The Olive Tapenade Bruschetta was delicious - they're very generous with the toppings, which can make or break bruschetta. Then for dinner, I love that they have a variety of options from fancy to basic, so everyone can be happy! I got the Orange Szechuan Stir Fry over rice with tofu (you can pick your protein, there are both vegetarian and meat options) and my boyfriend got the Spinach Saute over pasta with Tempeh. Love the flexibility of the menu. Both meat-eaters and vegetarians can be satisfied, and there's enough of a variety that you don't feel limited. read more

Good news! Ruth's is now taking reservations for small groups. Their Mediterranean plate appetizer was fresh and tasty. All of our main dishes - pasta, catfish and salmon - were nicely presented and very tasty. The servers were attentive and pleasant, and the evening out at Ruth's couldn't have been better. read more

Seems like the bartender gives free drinks to regulars.........interesting!!! Place was busy 18Jan15. No hostess stand when you come in so you really didn't know who to speak with to get a table. No room in bar area really to hangout. Bar flows into main traffic area to restaurant. The salads were not as memorable as they were when restaurant was in original location. Ran out of special by 8PM so I got a braised lamb shank which was tough and just ok. Probably won't go back. Place needs a good POS system for bartender skimming and a Hostess stand with a added body to direct traffic. read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - The free drink bartender - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Everything was great! Red beans and rice -- a solid vegetarian option -- was flavorful. The veggie burger is homemade, couscous based, and delicious. Their coleslaw was divine. This is one of the only places I've seen in Cincinnati with tempeh as an option to add to dishes -- very cool! Overall, it was a great meal and totally affordable -- $21 for two entrees and a dessert. read more

While Ruth's has great service and an interesting, electric decor, the clientele tended to be 90% grey hair and the food was so-so. I would imagine the lunch time crowd might be more fun than the Wednesday evening crowd. I had a nice glass of their wine special, a Malbec, to go with my Italian sausage flat bread. They have generous pours. The crust of the flatbread tasted like crispy crackers that you'd have with cheese but the part that was under the pizza like ingredients were a bit soggy. The Italian sausage were so big and lumpy that I felt like I had to cut it to get even bites. Otherwise I'd get one bit sausage plus flatbread and another 2 bites without any meat. And the spicy tomato sauce ... Basically bbq sauce. My friend got the risotto special which sounded really promising but ended up also being eh. While this place has promise and looks like it would have an interesting menu, at the end of the day people eat out to eat and the food wasn't executed all that uniquely. Still not expensive and if I were in the neighborhood I might consider trying them for lunch. But probably not before I go to many of the other north side eateries in the area. read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - Italian sausage flat bread and a glass of their Malbec - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Loved this place! I live in NY and this was my first time here. The ambiance was relaxed, our server was super nice and knew the menu very well. I had their Mediterranean Plate with tabouli, quinoa, baba ganoush, hummus & pitas was fantastic. Will definitely come back when I return to Cincy! read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

First time patron of Ruth's and I would definitely go back. My Greek salad was fresh and arrived in no time. I was immediately seated and offered a drink, while the rest of my party arrived. There were also lots of vegetarian options. Looking forward to trying other things on the menu. read more

The restaurant has an interesting cocktail menu, a couple of good beers, and a decent wine selection. The best part is that everything is so affordable. We split a bottle of wine that was pretty good and only cost $25. At a restaurant, $25 for a bottle of wine is a steal. For an appetizer I had the roasted beet caprese. I absolutely love roasted beets and I particularly love them with goat cheese. At Ruth's, they serve their roasted beets with burrata which is really good, just not as good as goat cheese. It added more of a creaminess than the tartness and bite that goat cheese adds. When I took my first bite I initially thought the beets were bland but then I tasted this really coarse salt that adds perfect amount of seasoning to the dish. The balsamic glaze was nicely balanced (not too sweet) and the presentation of the dish was nice. See my full review: https://www.eatupcincinnati.com/single-post/2018/01/08/Eat-Up-Cincinnati-Ruths-Parkside-Cafe read more

This is a very comfy, relaxing place with outstanding food, drinks and desserts. The staff are efficient, knowledgeable and friendly. All in all it is a wonderful establishment. read more

Went for dinner tonight with my boyfriend's parents. We got the 3 cheese plate to start. The cheese were a good variety and came with apples, cranberries, crostinis, garlic spread, and honey. I got the veggie burger for my entree with slaw. The burger was good but was missing some spice. It didn't taste seasoned at all. I love that they make their own... but other places have better homemade veggie burgers. Everyone else's food looked fantastic. I'll definitely be back to try something else. read more

Food ok but I love the pita bread and toboli yes I would go back again maybe just fair drinks

So happy we decided to come here to celebrate after UC Graduation ceremony. I called ahead for a reservation and they were so accommodating when we arrived earlier than expected. Both food and service were wonderful. Sampled 3 desserts, all delicious. Loved the ambiance and easy parking. Already looking forward to our next visit! read more

Tried again after having a less satisfying experience about a year ago. This time they didn't disappoint. Dijon Salmon was excellent. Bagel with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and tofu with curry yogurt dressing was flavorful and appealingly presented. Vegetables were all fresh. THe Pinot special on the menu was very good & not expensive. read more

Ruth's is one of our go to local restaurants. I always prefer spending my dollars supporting locally owned businesses. The service is always good and the food is always prepared to my liking. read more

Staff is very friendly and accommodating! Food is delicious, especially the pasta with handmade meatballs. Thank you for such a great experience! read more

I am so thrilled to see Ruth's Parkside Cafe open for business in Northside. I was such a fan of Mullane's, and it makes me happy to see a new incarnation with new menu items as well as some with ties to the past; The lunch salads, red beans & rice, the Yvonne, the peanut butter sammy,the spinach saute and the bagel sandwich. and then there are the dressings... Can you say Sesame Soy Vinaigrette? (YUIM) Three of us went to lunch. We got their about noon, were greeted right away and taken to our seats. The dining room was nice; I liked the earthy colors. I ordered the Bagel Sandwich #4 with Chicken and 2 sides of sesame soy vinaigrette and a side house salad. the waitress said it was a good thing I ordered dressing because the bagel was 'kinda dry' without it. Service seemed a little slow. It took a while for my friends salad to come out and then longer for the lunch items (almost worried finger-tapping slow); 1 spinach saute and 2 bagel sammys #4 with chicken. The restaurant had perhaps 10 guests at the time, including us. Guess I was glad the waitress forgot to put in the order for a side salad for me - it would have been too much. I would suggest adding the option to order a side of the Sesame Soy dressing to the bagel sandwiches without charge - at least for the first one ordered I think the wait staff and speed of the kitchen will get better as things settle down and all the kinks are worked out. the little hiccups will not keep me from visiting Ruth's. I really want to give Ruth's a 5-star rating. I think I will keep returning until I can. read more

Cute and quirky new cafe in Northside with an eclectic menu. Grabbed lunch with a friend here recently and chose the burger with a side of slaw (side options are: kettle chips, slaw or pickled vegetables). Ordered the burger medium and came out true-to-temp on a soft, grilled bun--bottom bun slice was too skinny so got a bit soggy, but a very flavorful and well-prepared burger overall. The slaw was long pieces of red and green cabbage--more of a salad-like preparation than traditional coleslaw (i.e. vinegar-based dressing vs. creamy/mayo-based). Other selections on the menu include rotating soups, desserts and other specials as well as a variety of salads, sandwiches and a diverse entree selection (Chinese! Italian! Creole! American!). The lack of focus made me slightly nervous, but my dining companion raved about her pasta dish and it did look darn tasty. There are also lots of good options for vegetarians with alternative protein options like tofu and tempeh available in many sandwiches or meatless entrees. One tip: my GPS had trouble finding this place because while the address is Spring Grove, you actually enter on Blue Rock. read more

This is a small odd feeling cafe in the Northside area of Cincinnati. I really wanted to like this place, I did. I mean, I tried it twice and both times unimpressed to say the least. When you first walk in, Ruth's has a very uncomfortable feel. No one greets you, but they expect you know that you have to flag the host down to get seated. So there is that awkward moment where you walk in, and feel a bit lost. After you finally find the person who seats you, this prepares you for the poor service Ruth's provides. Our first server was ok, and the 2nd server was just flat horrible. He was at our table 3 times. Once to take our order, 2nd. when I flagged him down for another beer and our bread, third when he finally came buy to drop our check off and quickly offer dessert. Now, for the food. Blehhh. First time I had the Tempeh and veggies over a white bagel. The veggies were a little over cooked, but the Tempeh was seasoned just right. The bagel was just that, a plain bagel that appeared heated in a microwave and thrown on a plate. It would have made all the difference if it was slightly buttered and grilled to give it a little crunch. The 2nd meal I tried on our next visit was the veggie burger. It was missing something, oh, yea, FLAVOR! I put the coleslaw, that came with the buger, on top, hoping to add flavor. I then flagged down someone to bring me ketchup because our server never checked up on us. I will end this rant with, if you go here be prepared to wait. It is a slow painful process. The slow service could possibly be overlooked a little if the food was decent. Maybe it's just what I ordered. Don't really know and don't care, because I definitely won't be back. read more

My friend Sue and I met up at Ruth's Parkside Cafe prior to the Over The Rhine, the band holiday concert. We arrived just at the right time as within 10 minutes the place was packed with people waiting for table. We started off with specialty cocktails for the holidays, I love drinks with ginger, so went with Ginger Gin Fizz and Sue went with the Lemon Ginger Martini, both drinks were served promptly within minutes of ordering. My friend ordered the evening special a salmon dish and I went with the Vodka Garganelli adding chicken to the dish pasta sounded wonderful on a cold winter night. Our meals also arrived in no time, great portion sizes. Sue loved her salmon dish and I my pasta, it had a bit of a kick to it, which I enjoyed every bite. We finished off the meal with one of their fabulous desserts, they have a variety to choose from local, fresh, we shared chocolate gooey cake, nice & warm. What a great time at Ruth's Parkside Cafe welcome addition to Northside and great alternative to downtown/OTR on Saturday night. read more

In town for a couple of days and this spot was suggested by a local I was going to have a visit with. Location is not the easiest to find - set back from the road and not terribly apparent, or reliably located via google maps. Inside is open and airy with very high ceilings but surprisingly, upon reflection, quiet enough for a conversation though the place was reasonably packed with other diners. Food was truly excellent. I had a spinach sautee which was perfectly cooked. I like too that you can either go vegetarian or opt to add various meats or fish to your entree. A pretty extensive menu with a good variety of items to choose from. Is very vegetarian friendly. Service was excellent. If I lived in Cincinnati, I would definitely be back. As is, I will just count it as an exceptional dining memory. read more

Home cooked style from a great home. Beet caprese absolutely delicious. Pasta ratatouille superb. And it all came in nano moments. Fastest great meal ever. And finished with wicked chocolate cake. We'll be back! read more

Each member of our party enjoyed their respective dishes. The Szechuan Stir Fry was tasty but be careful with the spice level. I personally enjoyed the shrimp arrabbiata, which was rich with flavor and paired nicely with the plump shrimp and tender pasta. A generous serving of beef was served to our carnivorous friend who ordered the NY strip. And my mother throughly enjoyed her lamb chops, that required no more than a butter knife to portion, if anything at all. Don't forget to bring your foodieCincy cards because the prices are around $20 per person. Overall tasty food, fun and friendly environment that meets the needs of any occasion. read more

Delicious and healthy food, and awesome Tito's blood orange martinis at just $7 each! The building is a beautifully restored historic factory with condos above. Cafe features local multi-media artwork including unique lighting and mobiles to showcase the vastly high ceilings. read more

Ruth's is one of my "go to" restaurants in Cincinnati. The food, setting and staff are all at the highest level. The menu offers a variety of options. Personally, I'm a big fan of the airline chicken. For the dessert, I go for the Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter Cake. The setting is quiet, which makes it great if you are looking to enjoy a nice conversation over dinner. If you are in the Cincinnati area, Ruth's Parkside Cafe is a must! read more

Sorry, Ruth's. I think I could maybe give 2.5 stars for food and service. I came here with my family for my dad's birthday for something in between both of our homes. Unfortunately, this place missed the mark and I felt bad that my dad's birthday meal wasn't very good. We started off with the hummus dip, while the hummus itself was actually wonderful. It tasted freshly made, with great ingredients. Although, the pita chips were very stale and almost hard to even chew through. Some were tougher to eat, while others were crispy and chip-like. The corn risotto cakes fell flat. It essentially tasted like a pan-fried corn and rice cake... and that's it. The seasoning was bland (as in I really tasted none), and there was hardly any of the red pepper sauce to even distinguish its taste. For our entrees, my sister and I got the chicken curry special. While creamy, it sort of fell bland. I make curries a lot at home and there was really no spice or heat element to this. It was supposed to have fresh basil, of which I tasted none, and shishito peppers, of which I found zero. The portion was pretty small too for $17 - I would have much rather gone to a thai place to get this. Same went for the orange szechuan stiry-fry. There was hardly any meat in it ($2 extra and $2.75 extra per PIECE of shrimp), nor was there much of the starch choice in it (either noodles or rice). It was basically just a ton of cabbage with again, pretty so-so flavors. I guess I should stick to the Asian restaurants for the rendition of these dishes. My mom got the veggie burger, which was alright. This went to show that this place might be better at lunch at a decent-price point, than a less than average,overpriced dinner entree. I love the authenticity of Northside, but Ruth's fell extremely short for me. While our waitress seemed great at the beginning, it went downhill when our food took over an hour to come out, our water glasses were sparingly filled, it took 15min to get the check, and another 15min to get the credit card back. We went with reservations on a Thursday and it wasn't crazily packed. I did notice a lot of other people waiting as well. I think Ruth's is a really cool space, and in a great location with all of the up and coming things happening in Northside. If they could better refine their menu items, I think they could be special. I appreciate the hand-made healthy elements to this place, but you're scaring away people from wanting to be healthy when the food is bland and boring. I don't think I'll be able to get my parents to get out of the Westside again for awhile after this meal... read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - Looked good, but bland chicken curry with no shishito peppers or fresh basil - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I have not much else to say other than I just love this place. I have been to Ruth's probably 8-10 times (it's in very close vicinity to my work which makes it a very convenient lunch spot) and I have never been disappointed by any of their offerings. As a matter of fact, I often look forward to discovering what their daily special will be because it's nice to try something new once in a while. The menu is indeed eclectic and almost has a strange mix of items but once you begin to dive in and sample them you will realize that the food is all well executed. For example, one of my favorite things for lunch is their open faced bagel sandwich. They have 4 different selections, each with a variety of toppings- and you can add tofu, chicken or chorizo as a protein. I enjoy the #4- it has sautéed onions, tomatoes, pepperoncini, artichokes hearts and black olives (I always leave off the olives because I despise them). However, the rest of the ingredients are fantastic. One of my other favorites is the Orange Szechuan stir fry. It has a large variety of vegetables in it with a very tasty (but not overwhelming) sauce and this dish is spiced to your liking on a 1-10 scale. Perhaps the other thing that strikes me the most about Ruth's is how everything is very fresh. All of the veggies are crisp and tender and all of my food has come out of the kitchen piping hot. Going back to their daily specials- these are often exciting and very well done. I recently had the pleasure of having a delightful spot-tail bass dish with an excellent quinoa. It's things like this that keep me excited to continue going back to Ruth's Parkside Café. The only reason I have awarded this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because the service can be, well, a bit spotty at times. Everyone is always very friendly- but occasionally it can take a minute for a server to notice your needs. I attribute this to inexperience and a lack of training, but honestly, the service has never been bad- it's just generally not perfect. read more

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the main Northside neighborhood with a spacious parking lot, Ruth's only recently came on my radar, although it seems to have been open for a while. They have a decently spacious interior with art installations hanging from the ceiling. While I was a bit disappointed that they were out of the lunch special for the day (Fried Green Tomato sandwich), I was not the least bit disappointed in the sandwich I got in its place. The Tempeh Reuben was absolutely delicious and incredibly flavorful. The Roasted Rosemary Potatoes were also very flavorful. My husband had a Grilled Bagel Sandwich (#4) with Tofu, which was a little heavy on the tomatoes, which diluted the flavor somewhat. We also had a slice of Gooey Butter Cake to wrap up our early dinner, and it wasn't as gooey as we'd expected, but it was still soft, moist, and delicious. The worst thing I could say about the service was our water glasses were empty before the end of the meal, and our server never came to refill them. I would return to Ruth's just to get the Tempeh Reuben again! read more

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Ruth's is a Northside gem! The exterior is industrial and spacious which matches the interior well. When you enter, you first see the bar in front, which is unique. Walking in at 5:00, right when they opened, I didn't have a problem being greeted and pointed in the direction of my party, but I can see why others would complain that it is not sufficient as a host stand. I love the Cincinnati pictures on the walls, they were labeled with numbers and I meant to ask if they were for sale, but forgot. We called a few days in advance and got reservations for a party of 20, they accommodated us well with 2 10 person tables in the back. I would highly recommend coming with a large group right at 5, and not too much later, out of respect for the restaurant and other patrons. It worked really well for us. The menu was not exactly what my (extended) family usually goes for, so I was surprised when I found out we were coming here. It was recommended by a further extended family member who resides in Northside. It is really not too far from the West Side, I know west siders don't like to leave the hill, but this is hardly a trek for you, and something cool in case you've had enough Incline House :-). In the end, I think everyone was happy, from kids to grandma, with their order. The kids were able to get red sauce pasta which is on the menu or they also serve 1 lunch item at dinner: the grilled ham and cheese. They have a good beer selection and I got my local favorite. We tried the Olive Bruschetta, and it was very heavy on the olive, I did not care for it at all. For dinner, I ordered the nightly special (as I usually do wherever I go), it was marinated Skirt Steak with chimichurri and Mexican street corn. It was a little over priced for the portion but taste was perfect! I loved the corn the best of all the things I tried, I can't wait to try to recreate it at home. I also had the Roasted Rosemary Potatoes which were yummy and went well with the steak. I got the chance to try a few dishes in addition to mine. I tried the 2 pasta dishes, they were basic. I heard rave reviews from the grandparents about the Airline Chicken (we think its named that because its a breast on the bone with a wing attached as well) and the Port-braised Lamb Shank. I'd come back, maybe for lunch! read more

Ruth's Parkside Cafe - Nightly special 3/7 - marinated skirt steak with chimichurri, Mexican street corn and a side of Rosemary roasted cheesy potatoes - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Our group goes to lunch once a month. We try to find local places -- not chains. Today we visited Ruth's Parkside Cafe. I had the 1/2 Sandwich & Soup Combo -- Gazpacho and BLT, other dishes were the hamburger, bagel sandwich and Spinach Saute. My soup and sandwich combo was wonderful! Although something was a bit heavy on the garlic. I love garlic, but it's the taste that won't go away. My friends like the burger and bagel sandwich. Another friend thought the Spinach Saute was bland, but she didn't ask for chorizo or chicken. Maybe it needed a little kick. We had peach pies and gelato and sorbet for dessert. The gelato was good. I liked my peach pie, but another friend thought it was too sweet. The raspberry sorbet was terrific. Service was efficient, although it took a while to get the checks. We really enjoyed our visit. I'm sure we'll be back. It got four stars because of the few problems mentioned. The restaurant was completely crowded, but we didn't feel rushed. That's a great plus in my book. read more