Despite the long lines, wait times or reservation struggles, these Queen City eateries live up to the hype. From top-notch fried chicken joints to bakeries slinging outstanding donuts and bustling brunch spots, these local eateries are absolutely worth the wait.

Sugar n’ Spice 4381 Reading Road, Paddock Hills; 1203 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine Open since 1941, Sugar n’ Spice’s original pink Paddock Hills diner is known for its fun atmosphere and being a comfortable and family-friendly place to eat (ask for a free rubber duck with your meal). Favorite menu items include “wispy thin” pancakes and giant omelets. Lines at the petite original can be long, but there is also a second, larger location in Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Two Cities Pizza Company 202 W. Main St., Mason If you’re looking for some damn good pizza, this Mason eatery is absolutely worth the trek — and wait for a seat. Two Cities Pizza Company, a dining destination housed in Mason’s former city hall, closes the chasm between the dueling pizza metropolises of New York City and Chicago, offering both styles of pie. Photo: Facebook.com/TwoCitiesPizza
Pepp & Dolores 1501 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Pepp & Dolores is inspired by Sunday dinners at Thunderdome co-founders Joe and John Lanni’s grandparents’ house.The menu features housemade pastas — like spaghetti limone, a butternut and mascarpone pasta and a lobster and squid ink pasta — along with a focus on shareable dishes, salads and bread. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Incline Public House 2601 W. Eighth St., Price Hill Named after the Cincinnati incline that traveled to Price Hill, Incline Public House features a gorgeous view of the city as well as New American eats for brunch, lunch and dinner. The menu includes pizzas, burgers, salads and even cheesesteak, plus a great bloody mary at brunch. It’s a popular and busy restaurant, so be prepared for wait. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Goodfellas Pizzeria 1211 Main St., Over-the-Rhine; 6099 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge; 603 Main St., Covingvton Goodfellas Pizzeria features New York-style pizza in a 1920s-inspired setting. The wait in a literal line to try their popular pizza can be long, especially on the weekends, but it’s worth it. Alongside their giant slices and pies, other menu items include calzones, salads and their signature meatball sub. For an extra dose of carbs, grab a breadstick the size of your arm. Plus a side of their housemade ranch dressing. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Baker’s Table 1004 Monmouth St., Newport Located just across the bridge from downtown Cincinnati, The Baker’s Table serves seasonally changing prix-fixe meals Thursday to Sunday. Their menu includes locally sourced produce and proteins, with a focus on sustainability. They also have a variety of desserts including must-try ricotta donuts. And, as the name suggests, don’t skip the bread. Make a reservation online in advance. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Brown Bear Bakery 116 E. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine Brown Bear Bakery first started in 2012 and has become increasingly popular every year. It grew from just a table with some pastries to a full retail bakery, featuring a variety of pastries and desserts. Lines can be long, sometimes out the door, but getting to try popular items like the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Twist or the Coffee Cake is worth any wait. Online ordering starts at 9 a.m. each day they are open. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sotto 118 E. Sixth St., Downtown Sotto is Cincinnati’s clandestine basement trattoria — a below-street-level Italian eatery, nestled underneath sister restaurant Boca on Sixth Street downtown. It’s a hot spot for diners celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for some excellent pasta. With multiple dining rooms, the kitchen is open to view, including the custom-made woodfire grill in front and a fresh-pasta room in the back hallway. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Echo 3510 Edwards Road, Hyde Park Opened in 1945 and located in Hyde Park, The Echo has been a popular and busy restaurant for breakfast and lunch for many years. Try one of their many breakfast combos early in the morning, or stop in for lunch and have a cheeseburger or club sandwich, which are all served by a friendly and welcoming staff. There’s typically a line out the door weekend mornings. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Otto’s 521 Main St., Covington This Covington classic has been serving Southern-style cuisine right on MainStrasse since 2003. They are open for brunch on weekends and reopen in the evening for a luxurious dinner service. For brunch, Otto’s Benedict features a cheesy bacon grit cake instead of an English muffin, with country ham, poached egg, spinach, tomato and hollandaise. Photo: facebook.com/ottos521cov Photo: Otto's
1. Delwood 3204 Linwood Ave., Mt. Lookout “My fiancée and I wandered into Delwood when both of us were hangry and realized the sushi places down the street were both closed. We were excited to try something new but weren’t being picky because we were starved! So we went in not having any idea about what kind of food Delwood served. Well we were very pleasantly surprised! It’s very welcoming with big trailing plants everywhere and lots of natural light which his well complemented by a warm and approachable staff. Our server explained the concept and menu to us with a few recommendations- we went with a chicken sandwich, chips and guac, and a chop salad. My fiancée has been talking about that chop salad for DAYS now. She says the champagne vinaigrette was out of this world. The guac really stepped up on a traditional recipe with the addition of corn and beans and that kept us really interested. Everything was super flavorful and tasty- they’ve made regulars of us!”— Sami B. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
​​Senate 1100 Summit Place Drive, Blue Ash Now that Senate has closed its flagship Over-the-Rhine eatery, there’s only one place to grab your gourmet hot dog: Blue Ash. The Summit Park location is bigger than the original, but caters to a large crowd of fans in the suburbs. The Trailer Park (applewood bacon, American cheese, coleslaw and crushed Grippo’s) and Lindsay Lohan (goat cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, arugula, balsamic and “tons of drama”) dogs are favorites. Photo: Catie Vox
Boca 114 E. Sixth St., Cincinnati Showcasing both Italian and French flavors, Boca has been featured on many top restaurant lists as one of the best French restaurants in the United States. Some of Boca’s menu items include the short rib tartare, beet mezzaluna and Amish chicken. There is also a variety of desserts and wine available. Reserve your table advance to ensure you can enjoy this European-style restaurant. Photo: Provided by Boca
6. Nada 600 Walnut St., Downtown Photo via Facebook.com/eatdrinknada Photo: Facebook.com/eatdrinknada
Bakersfield OTR 1213 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Season 21, Episode 6 Bakersfield, which started in Cincinnati but has locations in Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit and Indianapolis, among others, serves up tacos and other Mexican-style dishes with lots of margaritas to go along with them. On the show, Fieri especially loved their killer short rib tacos and chicken torta. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Eagle 1342 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine The Eagle has become a popular place to dine in Cincinnati thanks to their great fried-chicken, beer and Southern comfort food. Inside the welcoming and rustic interior of The Eagle are 16 taps that pour local, craft, and domestic beer. Try their natural and antibiotic-free chicken, and their many sides like mac and cheese, white cheddar grits, homemade biscuits and coleslaw. Photo: facebook.com/TheEagleRestaurant
Mi Cozumel 3100 Vandercar Way, Oakley; 11700 Princeton Pike, Springdale If you can brave the long wait on the weekends, Mi Cozumel is an amazing place to enjoy a night. Their menu features massive imaginative margaritas (one even comes in a Patron bottle), street tacos and their popular flaming fajitas. Photo: Facebook.com/micozumel1
Spread of shareable plates and cocktails Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Zip’s Cafe 1036 Delta Ave., Cincinnati Zip’s Cafe was founded in 1926, meaning that it has been running for a whopping 93 years. Well known for their tasty and tangy burgers, they serve up everything from their famed Zip’s Burger, to more bold patties, like the “The Flying Pig” and the “Train Wreck.” Aside from their burgers, they also offer fish sandwiches, ruebens, barbecue, chili, soups and more. They don’t skimp out on vegetarians, either, offering both a garden and a bean patty option. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Maplewood Kitchen and Bar 525 Race St., Downtown Maplewood Kitchen and Bar is a West Coast-style restaurant serving breakfast and brunch. Walk up to the counter to order omelets, benedicts, burgers, bowls and fresh-pressed juice. There’s also a bloody mary with housemade mix and bulletproof coffee. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Walt’s Hitching Post 3300 Madison Pike, Fort Wright Walt’s Hitching Post is a kick-back, casual place where everybody knows your name. Open in some iteration since the 1950s, classic menu items include Walt’s Legendary Fried Chicken, Steak Diane and fried green tomatoes with chicken livers. All steaks are dusted with a unique seasoning blend and charred to perfection. On Fridays, Kosher-salt encrusted prime rib is on special — while it lasts. This is a hot spot for regulars and locals, so try to make a reservation in advance. If you can’t, be prepared for a wait on weekends or try to squeeze in at the bar, where you can request a dram of their more than 100 bourbons. Photo: Paige Deglow Photo: Paige Deglow
No. 7 Best Takeout: Mazunte 611 Main St., Downtown; 5207 Madison Road, Madisonville Mazunte has been long-hailed as a “hidden gem,” but hopefully this will finally put it on the map as a Cincinnati institution. Their Madisonville and Downtown Cincinnati restaurants mix casual order-at-the-counter dining with authentic, high-quality Mexican cuisine. Mazunte offers pork tacos, chile relleno, tamales and margaritas, and while both restaurants offer carryout, they have another Madisonville location specifically for takeout, delivery and catering. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Salazar 1401 Republic St., Over-the-Rhine Salazar will offer two five-course dinners with menus for omnivores and vegetarians. $90 per person / $120 with wine pairing. Photo via Facebook.com/Salazar Photo: Facebook.com/Salazar