Havnt had anything bad here yet my favorite is philly cheese steak pizza. Really like smoked chicken salad. Chicken sandwich is great too ! Bar is limited but I like this location and atmosphere. read more

I met my sister here for lunch with my 10-week-old at around 11:30a on a Thursday. I was pleased to find parking (limited) in the back and no wait (it got busy as we were leaving). I've found it hard to find places to eat that are accommodating to people with babies/kids and have great food and beer. The Gruff definitely hits all of those points. It had a play area for kids and a place to change my daughter in the bathroom (a large cart- other old buildings should take note of how easy it can be to make this accommodation). We had a beer and split some pickle fries, the chicken sandwich, and the BLT (seasonal). Everything was good, but the pickle fries and our waiter were wonderful. I definitely recommend this place whether or not you have kids. You'll be able to enjoy good food and great service. read more

Not at all what I expected. Waitress didn't like beer and couldn't recommend a blondie like beer for me. I got the hanky panky's which were very different and had no cheese in them. (I thought cheese was one of main ingredients in the dish) My friend got the burger and fries which the burger was pretty good but the waffle fries were too crispy and didn't taste like a french fry. I liked the overall look to the place and it looked clean and just simple which is nice. Trying to get to the parking lot was rather difficult and hard to manuiver out of. read more

The Gruff - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Went here today for the first time for lunch. The place was very clean and the service was excellent. The prices are reasonable. My friend got a salad and said it was good, and said she would have it again. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich. It was very dry and the bread was stale. It was probably one of the worst chicken salad sandwiches I have ever eaten. The tater tots were good. Overall, this is a very nice place with great service. I would go back and try it again, but I would not order the chicken salad. read more

Bad service. Sat for 30 minutes while the wait staff did everything but serve us. I get being short staffed but this was ridiculous. No food is with that treatment. read more

Over priced salads, but pizzas are still great. I want the fried pickles back. Also some of the most ignored service sitting at a bar when no one but me is there, especially during lunch. Pretty confusing to treat industry people. read more

Stopped in this place one night last week. Cynthia greeted us and gave us her take on the best food n beer based on our taste. Hands down the best fried chix sandwich I've ever had. I'm not embellishing at all. I almost ordered another one. The beers were tasty and wet. Can't ask for anything more. Cynthia was very outgoing with everyone at the bar. Put this on the list to hit up again on my next trip. read more

Had enuff of the "Gruff" Gas station quality pizza, ( might sound harsh but it was like eating pizza from a box ).. Staff was nice and the place was clean. Just to much $$ for what they offer. read more

The location is very interesting. The staff are super friendly. I will have to go back and try the fried chicken sandwich which is recommended. I tried a simple cheese pizza. I would not order it again. The sauce was very tomatoey and there was very little cheese on it at all. I like the concept though and will give it a second try in the future. read more

Amazing service and the food was great. Homemade ketchup!? Amazing. First time in Kentucky and I was looking for some tourist type food to be 'festive'. Amazing fried chicken sandwich, and Kentucky Bourbon on the rocks. Thank you everyone. Made my trip. read more

The Gruff - Two Must Haves for first time in Kentucky. Fried Chicken and Bourbon. Yes! - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

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With the warm weather finally here, I was dying to eat somewhere outside and have a drink. I found the perfect place with the Gruff. On a nice Friday night we were able to snag a table outside without difficulty and enjoy the evening with a pretty good view. The service was great and attentive. The drink choices are pretty good. We ordered 2 beers we haven't tried at the advice of our waittress and we liked them. I ordered a hot deli sandwich and my boyfriend ordered a pizza which I of course had to try. The mozzarella was delicious!! I ordered potato salad with my sandwich which I wasn't a huge fan of but the sandwich was great! Will be coming back for sure. read more

Here is the simplest reason why you know the gruff is quality.... the side cup of fruit. They do not bring you out a little cup of leftover fruit that no one cares about i.e.melon, cantaloupe. The bring you out a magical side cup of strawberries and grapes. Quality place.... also has bomb pizza! read more

The pizza crust is excellent. The atmosphere is excellent. The service was average. We really liked the vegetarian pizza. The only negatives were that we felt it was a bit pricey and we really weren't provided with enough water for everyone at the table. Overall we will eat here again. read more

The pickles fries (not fried pickles) are phenomenal especially when dipped in the yogurt dill sauce and don't even get me started on the prime rib pizza($10 on Mondays!) perfect flavor balance! All around deliciousness! read more

The Gruff - Prime rib pizza - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

This place is awesome! Phenomenal rotating beer selection on tap and great pizza. Nice outdoor seating and atmosphere!

We eat at the Gruff anytime we're near the riverfront. We haven't always had great service, but the food is always really good. Love the hanky pankies - this is the only place that has these, I used to eat them as a kid. read more

Visited The Gruff on Valentines Day with my wife and sleeping 13 month. We were hardly greeted, let alone acknowledged when we walked through the door. One of the servers suggested a table in the back corner, away from the dining area. After being seated, it was 15 minutes before anyone came to our table. We ordered drinks. The glass of wine that arrived was barely 2 ounces. We also didn't receive the water we asked for. After another 20+ minutes we ordered our pizza to go. Bottom line; the service was non-existent and staff failed to do their job. I don't write reviews often, but this experience was appalling. Pizza was good though and the manager (we think) comped our drinks. read more

The food at The Gruff is tasty and fresh. The staff is super friendly. I ended up eating there multiple times because I was staying at a hotel within walking distance. I ate just about everything on the main menu. The restaurant is clean a roomy. Give the Gruff a try you won't regret it. read more

Excellent, high quality, freshly prepared food. I had the fried chicken sandwich, dressed with spicy slaw, and fries. The chicken breast was huge, the slaw was the perfect amount spicy and the perfect amount cool and crisp. The bread was substantial enough to hold all these delights, but not so bulky as to be a meal in itself! The chicken was standout quality, crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and flavorful all around, none of that bulkiness and sogginess that comes from too much/too thick batter. This chicken was well seasoned, but not salty. It's like they have spices other than salt and black pepper in their arsenal!!!!(please get the memo to other "restaurants") The fries were good also, they are classic thin potato fries without any batter or coating. I also had a bite of my friend's truffle sausage pizza which was a benediction. Will definitely be back. read more

Had lunch at the Gruff. We had the 3 billy goat sandwich (excellent flavors) and the turkey and prosciutto sandwich which was very good. All ingredients were very fresh. Patio was a perfect spot to dine. Service was very good. Will definitely go back. read more

I can't wait to come back here! I'm mad at myself for not coming sooner. My husband and I stopped by for lunch on a week day. There were maybe only 2 other tables with people, so it was quiet and relaxing. Our server was over-the-top nice and enthusiastic, she was great! I didn't really know what they had on their menu other than deli sandwiches, so I was surprised to find all kinds of apps, salads, hot sandwiches, and pizza! And lucky for us, the day we went (Monday) was their pizza special day - any pizza for $10. After combing through the menu and deciding we'd have to come back anyway to try more things, we ordered a smoked brisket pizza and the 3 billy goats sandwich. Both were awesome! There was plenty of food so we took half home to eat later. We weren't drinking but noticed they have great happy hour specials (M-F 3-6pm $3 off drafts!), so next time we're going to plan around that! read more

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Yesterday was a particularly nice day to sit out, grab some lunch, enjoy a glass of wine and do some people watching in a dog friendly environment. The Gruff is one of those spots, a neighborhood spot, friendly and welcoming to all, a real gem just the other side of the bridge. We had two salads and a couple of adult beverages, service was friendly, food was excellent, beer was cold and the wine great. What else can you ask for on a sunny Saturday afternoon. If you are in the area and looking for lunch or dinner check out this place, you will not be disappointed, another key, you get to relax, no ones rushing you off. read more

Two stars for the food, which is ok. The people who work here are as obnoxious and annoying as they come. Multiple visits have been ruined because there was some person behind the bar running her mouth loudly, nonstop, talking ENDLESS shit, fart, piss. They also insist on playing wretched 80s synth band music. One might be able to enjoy this place more if they didnt have to listen to the bartenders endlessly run their bullshit and be forced to listen to some if the worst music that ever was. Lose the music and try to find some professional staff. read more

YUM! Love The Gruff. It sits right next to Covington's beautiful riverside historic district. It has ample parking. I've been here twice now--I prefer to come during the summer because they have a great patio with a view of the Singing bridge and the Cincinnati skyline. They have a great brunch menu, but I went for the truffle & sausage pizza because I am a sucker for truffle oil!! The menu is simple and rotates, but the food is amazing and prices are reasonable! It's a hip restaurant with great food and service. read more

I am absolutely stunned that this place has an average of 4+ stars on Yelp. I have been here no less than 5 times and always leave let down. The service is absolutely terrible. Always short staffed, always confused, always full of excuses. There's no reason you can't get a beer out before a full round of trivia completes. I want The Gruff to do well, but they're a mess. read more

Pizza - delicious! Turkey sandwiches - delicious! Pickle Fries - extra delicious! Chicken Salad - extra, extra delicious! Potato Salad - stay away. The staff is wonderful. Laid back, courteous, and friendly. Food overall was superb! read more

I had the Fried Cod Sandwich. It was great. I also had waffle fries, which were good, but I don't like the house ketchup. It's pretty much tomato paste. My girlfriend got the Philly cheese steak pizza. She liked it, and so did I. I thought the crust tastes a little like a sardine cracker though. I'd like a crisper crust. read more

We heard about the vibe of this new place on the river and it was spot on. The Gruff is an open atmosphere with an amazing view of the river and downtown Cincy right on the historic Roebling bridge. The local beers on tap is what I look for and they have 8 smart options with a cooler of bottles options. We didn't get the deli sandwiches but they looked awesome. We had 3 pizzas for 6 adults and it a stuffed us. The meat and potatoes pizza is hearty, the Brisket pizza has a really good bite to it but the Philly cheesesteak pizza is absolutely money! So cheesy, so creamy. Thin crust gourmet pizza, it's amazing stuff. I'll be back again for before and after Reds games this Spring. The Gruff is a great addition to the growing foodie landscape of Covington. read more

Wood-fired pizza oven, a delicious fried chicken sandwich and local craft beer. What's not to like? I have had a positive experience with the service every time I've visited this place. Located at the end of the Roebling Suspension Bridge, it's easily within walking distance of Great American Ballpark and Smale Riverfront Park. Look for the goats! read more

We hosted a morning after the wedding brunch for about 70 people. We wanted all the travelers to have a nice meal before hitting the road. We contacted the Gruff and was assigned to Caitlin to make the arrangements. Caitlin listened and made suggestions. Two days before the brunch we met with Auram at the Gruff to make all the final selections. Most importantly all the food was delicious. One of the best moments was when Auram arrived at the brunch venue in Cincinatti, with the food, a little EARLY. Thank you. Auram set everything up and delivered everything we ordered. He came back at the end to retrieve his stuff. We had a variety of souflets and fruit. Everyone loved the food and it was just as promised. Thank you Auram and Caitlin for helping us host a wonderful brunch that meant so much to so many people. Sincerely, John and Jane Wilkinson read more

It began unpromisingly. It took nearly 10 minutes until I was acknowledged, but Cynthia made up for it with her enthusiasm. I was staying a short walk away and had a dynamite fried chicken sandwich with fries. My order was cooked promptly, and if I am back in the area, I will surely return. read more

3/18/2018 Sunday Brunch Great place to meet with family or friends. Child friendly as 4 year old said, look, there's a kid area, and off he went. Menu has good variety , something for everyone. Worked great for a casual, comfortable yet delicious Sunday BD celebration lunch. Diane read more

FANTASTIC!!! We were in town for a dance competition and stopped in for dinner - a group of 16 with 8 kids. The service was FABULOUS! Sarah and Cindy took EXCELLENT care of us and were very responsive with all the extra requests we had. Some mishaps with spills and needing extra things - they were on it!! The food was also excellent. Great place and highly recommend! read more

I ordered the $13 Nicosia Salad. The salad was below par for a place that claims fresh. The salad had tasteless greens beans (canned?), tasteless potatoes, small amount of spinach, and small amount of tuna salad. Had to ask for the dressing, no bread or crackers were offered, and this was suppose to be their special summer menu. Don't take the chance, stick with the their regular offerings. read more

Absolutely AMAZING! The food is great, the beer is great, the view is awesome and the service is even better!! Came down for the fireworks and I am so happy we did! Our bartender Shaun couldn't have been better if he tried!! The atomsphere is so welcoming and relaxed!! I had the pork tenderloin with chipotle mayo and my husband had the truffle sausage pizza. We will definitely be back for more! Excellent experience! read more

We went on a Saturday (today actually) for brunch after finishing up some Cincy errands on a whim. We were between going to our "usual" spot and trying somewhere new - obviously somewhere new won. It wasn't terribly busy when we went, but the parking situation was pretty lackluster in my opinion. Regardless, THE FOOD AND DRINKS. On Saturdays they have a special brunch menu so I took advantage of that! The beer selection is solid - a nice mix of local beers and some more mass-produced beers. They've got a rotating draft list that wasn't too bad either. We got a cinnamon roll (that wasn't really the best but it was still okay) and a side of seasonal fruit. It was pretty doughy in the center and kind of dry and crumbly on the outside. My fiance got the fried chicken sandwich with slaw and black pepper aioli + a side of fries - it looked seriously amazing. I, on the other hand, went for the Southern Chicken. It was a take on the fried chicken sandwich but served open face on a biscuit with a black pepper gravy, peppered bacon, and a sunny side up egg. It was amazing. The fried chicken is perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. My only complaint, probably because I'm not used to it, was the amount of sodium I consumed. It probably didn't help that I topped off my brunch pick with a $5 bloody Mary. It was smokey, spicy, and all-around perfect. I was told someone comes in weekly to make the mix and they mix in a stout (such as Guinness). Overall, I was very impressed with the service, the atmosphere, and 95% of the food. The cinnamon roll didn't really make or break me. read more

The Gruff - The Southern Chicken off the brunch menu! - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Love this place. Great staff, locally owned. Food is awesome, from pizzas to sandwiches and salads. Full bar with nice wine, beer selection. Not a huge menu but perfect selections. Great deli available to go and nice wine, beer and liquor selection to go. When weather turns, outside patio at foot of Suspension bridge, dog friendly. Can't say enough good things about perfect casual place. read more

My husband and I stopped in here for dinner on opening night and again the following Saturday. He works across the street, and has already eaten here an additional 3 times (lucky him!!). We fell in love with this place from the moment we walked in. Unlike a lot of OTR restaurants, there is room (!!) for lots of tables, and an expansion outside for the warmer months. They have a great drink selection, and the pizza is out of this world. We've tried the brisket pizza and the philly cheesesteak and they were both cooked perfectly, and had a good toppings-to-crust ratio. We've also tried the Truffle Fried Bologna sandwich and the Fried Chicken Sandwich, both with waffle fries, and let me tell you, if I worked as close to The Gruff as my husband does, I would eat there every day. My favorite part is walking around the store after finishing our meal. They have some cool stuff that I've never seen anywhere else, and they also sell Stoneybrook Milk which... I've only ever seen at Whole Foods.... Big deal!! I can't wait for Reds season so we can have a pizza and a beer before walking across the bridge to the game. read more

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After reading all of the previous reviews, we were looking forward to The Gruff. BIG disappointment ! We sat at the bar and waited, and waited, and waited. I wanted to leave, the hubs said "they are new at this, let's wait a bit longer." It took forever just to be acknowledged and then even longer to ask for our drink order. It was painful to watch the bartenders make cocktails/mixed drinks, they looked clueless and very inexperienced. No sense of order behind the bar at all! We each ordered a pizza. The hubs: red sauce-mozzarella-pepperoni. Me: Margherita and add sausage. When they arrived (fairly quickly) they were not hot by any means and mine did not have any sausage on it. When I told the bartender the sausage was missing he shrugged his shoulders and said " well they're new at this". Really, really!! The crust was not good at all, no chew like a brick oven should and definitely lacking any flavor. The hubs said there was something "off" about the red sauce. The tomato on the Margherita were pitiful!! If you are going to offer a Margherita then your tomatoes should be tasteful and ripe not some unripe no taste tomatoes. I had to take them all off of the pizza, that bad! There are soooooo many other places in the area with great pizza. Yes I get it, they are new, but we won't be back. They'll be fine though, the place was packed by the time we left. It makes me wonder though, what place the other reviewers were dining at??? !! read more

The Gruff - Pizza Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

A little bad/deli/pub on he Kentucky side of the a Roebling bridge. It serves pizza, sandwiches, burgers. Basically a great place for a meal at a super reasonable price. We came on a Saturday night for dinner for the first time. They have a great selection of beers, decent selection of wines and a fantastic food menu. Our server Brie was super helpful and explained their menu. We ended up ordering an Italian pizza, chopped salad, fried chicken sandwich with fries and vegetarian sandwich with pasta salad. The pizza was really great although the crust wasn't as good as a brick oven pizza place like Strong's. But it was still really good. The highlight for me was the chicken sandwich. Perfect crispness and juiciness ratio with a super delicious picked vegetables and aioli. That sandwich is probably one of best things to eat in Cincinnati. The waffle fries were good although they are more on thin and crispy side vs the crispy soft inside version like what you would get at Chick Fil A. Still good though altho maybe not my preference. Maybe I'll get the pasta salad next time. To end it all, we had the ice cream sandwich, a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream between two warm homemade cookies. Fantastic meal for a great price $30 for 2 people. Definitely would come back for a casual good meal read more

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