I love Swampwater Grill! My BFF is an enormous crawfish fan, so we definitely always make it there for a couple of dinners during the spring season but it's a year-round destination for us. I'm not a crawfish person (too much work) so I usually get the Louisiana BBQ shrimp (which is NOT BBQ sauce - it's like butter and herbs and it's spicy but in a cumin way, not a Tabasco way). This time I got the wings that come with the same sauce and they are 10/10. Ranch dressing is housemade and the real deal. The char-grilled oysters are not to be missed. Happy hour has deals on both food and drink (as all good happy hours should) and includes oysters. Overall, prices are super fair because the portions are huge and most things come with a side or two. The jambalaya is worth bringing home if you don't have room and the cornbread is moist even the next day. And it's weird but I like the side salads, they aren't just white iceberg lettuce and two cherry tomatoes. Service has always been great. You can't get seated until at least half of your party is there but that's fair. We accidentally got a table for six and had eight show up and they just let us pull up a couple chairs and get in their way but acted like it was no big deal. Get there early because it fills up quick, including the parking lot. It's an old-school restaurant and the decor fits. It's got corny signs, tables made out of wine barrels and a fireplace in the corner. There is outside seating that I haven't sat at (I mean it overlooks a parking lot and there is usually someone smoking but at least it's there). There is a grumpy but capable bartender and young people working the host/ess stand who greet you cheerily and always say goodbye on the way out. Swampwater is right next to the Riverside Antique Mall, so make it a day and do some shopping beforehand. Both are more than worth the visit. read more

Swampwater Grill - Friends are big fans of crawfish season - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Wait time: 35 minutes Atmosphere: always reminds me of a restaurant on the beach, fun at the Service: service is always good and they really keep busy Food: food is great, large portions, comes out timely. I tried something new this time which was the grilled chicken sandwich with pimento cheese. I would probably get again Price: $$$ Cleanliness: 7/10 read more

Swampwater Grill - Pulled chicken Sandwich - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This is the only legit Louisiana food in Cincy. The jambalaya is incredible. I'm obsessed with crawfish night. They know how it's done. Will absolutely continue to dine here. read more

Great service! Good food. I haven't been here in several years. I liked it when I had it and had tried to stop in a few times after the pandemic, only to find it closed when it was supposed to be opened. After it happened several times I just forgot about the place. We were happy to find it open when we stopped by this past weekend. I stopped in for dinner on Sunday night with my daughter and her boyfriend. We ordered drinks - a beer for the boyfriend, coke with grenadine (their work around for a cherry coke) and an Old Fashioned for me. It was one of the worst old fashioneds I have ever had. Ever. I'd respect a bartender more if they just said that they did not know how to make the classic and well known cocktail and that they were too lazy to look it up rather than the mess that I was served. The bartender had muddled cheap maraschino cheeries into to the glass, lots of them. Then either poured the juice in or used grenadine in place of the simple syrup. Drinking proved very difficult as the mushed cherry pieces kept coming up. And forget a straw! I tried the stirrers and my water straw and they were promptly clogged by the muddled cherries. The appetizer of Gator Bites was delicious! We finished those off without trouble. The entrees were: Southern Fried Chicken sandwich with Fries. Swamp Pasta with White Mac side. And the Oyster Platter with Side Salad and Red Bean & Rice. The chicken was very over cooked in the chicken sandwich. My daughter said that it tasted great but that it was so over cooked that it was stringy. Her boyfriend really liked the swamp pasta. My fried oysters were perfectly done. I enjoyed them. The side salad was fine. The red beans & rice was like soup and I didn't eat them. Overall, it was pretty good and we will return. read more

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My boyfriend and I have been frequenting Swampwater grill a LOT recently. It's always been very good. Some visits better than others. I always get the grilled chicken entree that comes with shrimp and swamp sauce on top. I've tried a few of the sides. My favorite has been the Mac and cheese and the house salad with ranch. The chicken is usually VERY good. The last time I went it was a little too thin and got pretty dried out. Other than that we always love it at Swampwater Grill. Fun place to mix up the routine places you go. read more

Swampwater Grill - Grilled Chicken Platter with Seafood Alfredo & Fried Catfish Platter - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Everything I've had has been delicious. Especially the fried oysters.. yummy. I've never been disappointed. I'll be back !

The atmosphere is way too dark for my liking. It was like eating in a basement, but the food and service were amazing. The chat grilled oysters were DELICIOUS! I would definitely recommend the jalapeño poppers and Swamp Juice as well. If you don't like or aren't in the mood for seafood they have you covered as well with their smoked pork and chicken or salads. * I also appreciate that they have their menu (with prices) on their website. It makes it easier to choose a restaurant for a large group when everyone can see what their food and beverage options are. read more

Best creole and smoked food we have had in the area. We sat at the bar because there was a 45 minute wait. We had the jambalaya, jalapeño poppers, shrimp po'boy, and swamp pasta. I loved the pasta and jambalaya. My husband loved it all. The jambalaya had a nice Smokey flavor. The pasta was amazing and creamy. I brought home a ton of leftovers. Share, unless you want leftovers! read more

Swampwater Grill - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Might be a bit of a wait but it's worth it. Had gator bites, swamp pasta and bahama mama. The drinks are not watered down. Food is delicious. Service is great. The decor is very cool and I highly recommend you try this place! read more

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Wow was I surprised with Swampwater. Maybe it's the name, maybe it's the location in the Ohio flood plain, but I've just never felt the urge to try this spot. Pulling into the parking lot around 6:30 on a Wednesday evening, I began to suspect I was missing something. The place was full, but not packed. The host said it would be about 20 minutes for a table for two, and then mentioned that the bar was full service. Bingo. We grabbed two seats at the bar and asked the bartender for recommendations. We wound up with the Mahi Mahi platter, with Mac and Cheese and Jambalaya as sides. I thought the Jambalaya was excellent. The sauce on the fish was the real highlight. The fish was a little over done for my taste, but in no way ruined, especially with that sauce on it! We also got the pork belly appetizer. I always expect pork belly to be fatty, but this cut was perfect. The meat was nicely done - crispy bits at the edges, and still plenty of that tender pork belly in each bite. The fried Jalapeños were a perfect topper. I think next time I'd get the bbq sauce on the side. It's more than is necessary on this dish. I thought the overall value was exceptional. The two of us split the appetizer and the entree, and were stuffed with that. Very reasonable. I understand why this place has a strong following. The inside is pretty dark, so I think it will be more on my winter restaurant rotation, but I will be back! read more

My family and I have been here a few times. On the weekends it can get pretty full and you might have to wait a while for a table. Also keep in mind that they don't have open hours on a couple of the weekdays. The food is usually awesome! Everything I've ever had is always been so good. I did have a seafood pasta recently and it wasn't the best. Could just be considered maybe one dimensional. I've had it before so maybe this was just an off night for their cook. The ambience of the place is very Cajun and country and overall just good for the most part. Definitely a winner for good Cajun food! Recommend this place all the time for everything so far. read more

Swampwater Grill - Half rack of ribs - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Wow! Sat at the bar and great atmosphere. I started with a bowl of gumbo. Really nice! Caesar with blackened chicken also a good selection. I will definitely be back read more

Swampwater Grill - Cesar with blackened chicken also - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I must say the food that we had was delicious. We had the catfish po boy with jambalaya and the swamp water pasta with collard greens. It was our first time at this yesterday. The waitress was very nice and helpful with telling us about stuff on menu. The place was like being in a Nee Orleans restaurant back on bayou. I will for sure go back. read more

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Cheesy Grits YES Collard greens. YES Oysters YES Sit at the bar, the bartender is funny. Dry sense of humor is fabulous read more

We hadn't been here in years but recently popped back in. We ended up sitting at the bar as there was a wait for tables. The bartender ended up being amazing, I wish I'd caught his name. He gave us suggestions and he was dead on. We had the pork belly appetizer and split a fish entree, both were excellent. We left absolutely stuffed. I can't wait to go back. read more

Place was packed! A bit on the dark side, but clean. Fried oysters were above average, remoulade was good. Crawfish etoufee was forgettable but not offensive. Seafood pasta was decent (they used fake crab in the sauce ) the collards were definitely Glory brand with some cayenne and diced tomatoes added. Still edible and not a turn off. We were too full to try desserts. It's attached to an antique mall that I wish we could have seen but it was evening and it was closed. Service was prompt, sweet, and informative. Be prepared for the usual sexual innuendo t- shirts, but otherwise a really decent restaurant! read more

Food and drinks and service people are fabulous! Shout out to Brian and Johnny... the best bartenders ever! Always welcoming atmosphere and easy to meet people. read more

Swampwater Grill - Bonnie - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great food, helpful service and great atmosphere. Portions are great for the money. I took lots of food home which was great for lunch the next day. Very familiar family crab boil like you'd find in any back yard on the bayou. Feels like a great place to hang out after a day of boating on the river. read more

My favorite restaurant. I especially love bringing out of town guests here - and enjoy celebrating my bday and Mother's Day here. There are sooooooooany yummy foods. We love the blackened tomahawk chop with blue cheese, the red beans and rice, the swamp pasta, shrimp skewers, jambalaya, cheesy grits, bacon wrapped Jalapeño poppers, ribs and the desserts! read more

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Brandie was an amazing waitress. She helped me decide between the Tomahawk Pork Chop and Pork Butt Sandwich, we decided on the pork chop and I just saw it was a really good decision! The pork chop and the shrimp were both very well seasoned. read more

Swampwater Grill - Big Ass (Tomahawk Pork Chop) Mac & Cheese Red Beans and Rice - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I think the ambiance here is great. Our server was very nice and on top of things. We started with the grilled oysters, which were very, very good. I highly recommend them. For mains, the menu is large and everything sounds fantastic. I opted for the Voodoo Catfish. I added a skewer of shrimp and had the cheesy corn grits and green beans. The catfish was good, but the crawfish étouffée overpowered it a bit. Taking a bite of grits with the smothered catfish tempered the flavor a bit. Overall, the flavor was good. I think I'd order something else the next time. Mark had a BBQ pork sandwich with crispy jalapeños. He said it was good, but it was lacking any bbq sauce. He didn't mention it, so we don't know if it was an oversight or if the pork was somehow braised in a bbq sauce. We had the bread pudding for dessert. First, it's a HUGE portion. There is plenty to share. It was delicious, but because the piece is so large, it would have benefit from a more generous serving of the rum sauce. We were here many years ago. We'd come back for sure. read more

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Despite living 10 minutes away- I just went to Swampwater for the first time. I can't believe I've been missing out for THIS LONG!! This food was so delicious & flavorful - from the shrimp to the grits to the side of bread that you get. I already cannot wait to come back! And definitely check out the Riverside Antique mall next door- even a 40 minute wait time for dinner doesn't make me hesitate- just means more time for grabbing a beverage from the bar and shopping around next door! read more

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This was the first time I ate alligator bites and I thought they tasted like chicken! The atmosphere was a nice casual experience with enough room for big parties. There wasn't too much of a wait and with the salad I ordered, I was full by the end of dinner. I would come back as the staff was nice and relatively timely with taking orders and getting us waters at the beginning of the meal. I wished that the entrees didn't take as long but with our appetizer, we didn't have to wait too long for some sort of food. read more

BEST RIBS EVER! Hands down.. we've waited a few visits to enjoy because they were sold out. Grabbed them today, best decision we made today. Bartender knows his drinks, great conversation while we waited. Gator bites are This place deserves 5 star easy! read more

FAVORITE restaurant in Cincinnati. Food is perfect every time and the bread pudding is amazing. The ambiance is perfect for that low lit, bayou feel. Swamp water is a must visit at least once a month for me! read more

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Hadn't been here in quite a while. Came on Friday around 5:00. Not busy then wham the place was jam packed! Our server Sammie and the whole serving team were outstanding. I had some fresh oysters, a nice side salad and a cup of the gumbo with a side or cornbread. Husband had the jambalaya the smoked oysters-he loved everything. Friend had the tomahawk porkchop and it was cooked perfectly. Definitely recommend this great Cajun restaurant. read more

Great good! The swamp pasta was delicious. Would order it again. And the same sauce from the pasta was used for the mahi mahi which was very well cooked. The grilled shrimp was also delicious. read more

Swampwater Grill - Blackened Mahi Mahi dish with Cole Slaw and Red Beans and Rice - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I highly recommend this place and I cannot wait to go back to Cincinnati so I can go there again. The whole place has such a fun vibe with the fun statues out front like the alligator and pelican. We were greeted immediately when we walked in by a young gentleman. he was super nice and quick to seta us in a giant booth. Our server was quick with water and taking our drink order. The menu has some great stuff on it but we were just trying to snack our way through the day so we just got raw and charbroiled oyster, fried alligator and their delicious homemade jalapeno poppers. This poppers will forever has a spot in my heart. Everything was really good! I want to go back and get an actual meal there now. read more

Food was very good. Seated very quickly and service was friendly. Hope to make it back next time we are in the area.

This is place is amazing and the hype is correct. The menu is straight out of New Orleans. Jambalaya Gumbo Po Boys Red beans and rice and shrimp and grits. These are just some of the many southern foods. We sat at the bar and our server was so nice and made us laugh and feel at home. We ordered shrimp and grits with a side of red beans and rice and jambalaya with baked beans. I had so much grits I may be eating them all week. We will be back to try something new read more

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Literally the biggest hidden gem in Cincinnati. Food is amazing! Service is great and the food comes out so fast. Fresh. Great portions and just simple good food. I work in a local downtown hotel and this will be my number 1 recommended place for guest traveling in. read more

Swampwater Grill - Swamp pasta - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We had an awesome dinner last night at the Swampwater Grill. It was my first time and I'll be back. The restaurant was busy, which was great to see. We sat at the bar and the bartender was fantastic. Very nice and welcoming guy. His recommendations were on point. We started with the blackened shrimp appetizer and it was fantastic. Extremely flavorful with a great dipping sauce. For our meal we got the pork belly appetizer which came with grits and fried jalapeños on top. It was bussin'. The barbecue sauce on top was hitting. We also got the oyster po'boy and were impressed by the amount of fried oysters on the sandwich. Cajun food isn't easy to do. I've spent some time in New Orleans so I'm not easy to impress. The vibe of the restaurant was dope, clean. You feel transported. They have a ton of different hot sauces to try. Lots of parking. A bit out of the way so you have to be intentional about going. read more

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This place is always amazing. The jalapeño poppers are the best we have ever had! Huge portions and the cocktails are wonderful! They are always busy so go early! read more

Dinner with the ladies tonight was fantastic! I had the mahi mahi with sides of Caesar salad and cheesy grits. Everything was fantastic and cooked so well it almost made up for the portion sizes being a little smaller than I would have liked. But I'm a big eater The waitstaff was excellent and I was excited to be here again after close to 15 years after my first visit. This place is good for a casual dining experience or a date night out and everything in between! read more

Great food. Love the fried oysters and the best jalapeño poppers I've ever had. Generous portions.

Excellent food at a great value. My son wanted Jambalaya for his Gotcha Day and they had good reviews here. So we went and it was a good time with great food. The service was good. And the ambiance was good. There was a wait, even on a week night, which shows how popular the place is. read more

One of our favorite places to go in Cincinnati for Cajun food! I've never had a bad meal here. The service is always great and the restaurant vibe is as well! read more

Don't judge a book by its cover! I'll be honest, when we arrived in the parking lot for the first time, my husband and I were less than impressed. From the outside, this spot looks like an old, rundown bar attached to an old antique mall. The inside appearance is somewhat better with wooden booths and clear signage about specials, etc. However, the food was great! My husband ordered the raw oysters and swamp pasta which he said tasted delicious. I ordered the gator bites which were so yummy and the Shrimp Po Boy. For some reason, my Po Boy did not come with any sauce on it, only a side of cocktail sauce which is unusual for a Po Boy. However, I used the remoulade sauce leftover from the gator bites for my shrimp and it tasted great. The service was rather slow and our drinks ran empty a few times which was unfortunate. However, we know this could likely be due to staffing issues like many places are encountering right now. Overall, we enjoyed our time and I would recommend this spot to anyone in the Cincy area looking for some Cajun cuisine! read more

Swampwater Grill - Swamp Pasta - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great food, great service, VERY busy. If you don't like spicey, this place may not be for you. Otherwise, what are you waiting for, other than a table that is. My only negative, I'm not sure I'd like it if my teenaged daughter wore one of the store shirts. Heavy on the innuendo. read more

Came back for the charbroiled oysters because they didn't have them the first time I came. Wellllll... They are ok but not New Orleans acme. They need more char . I wish restaurant would stop saying they are Nola. It's better to say "their version" of Nola. However service good. Ambiance is good for the food. read more

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