18 of the Most Anticipated Bars and Restaurants Coming to Cincinnati

Hello Honey Downtown and Fort Thomas

725 Race St., Over-the-Rhine; 188 N Fort Thomas Ave, Fort Thomas
Popular local gourmet ice cream shop Hello Honey is set to get two new locations soon. One shop is opening in Fort Thomas in the current location of Fort Thomas Coffee (which is moving down the street), and the other is a new location Downtown (changing locations from its previous home). This isn't your regular ice cream shop, Hello Honey serves up homemade creations with fresh ingredients and no artificial flavorings. They offer unique flavors from banana honeycomb to raspberry hibiscus chip plus vegan options like strawberry rose sorbet. They currently have a shop open in Walnut Hills. The two upcoming locations do not have opening dates.

Krueger's Tavern

1313 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Have you been missing the veggie burger from Krueger's Tavern? Us, too. (We've frequently named it a staff pick in the Best Of Cincinnati issue.) Well, there seems to be good news on the horizon for those of us craving burgers (meat and non), sausages and beer: Krueger's has announced that the restaurant will be reopening in an entirely new location. Krueger's closed its doors at 1211 Vine St. in March 2020 due to the pandemic and hasn't reopened since. Its parent company, Thunderdome Restaurant Group, then expanded the next-door Bakersfield taqueria into the space to allow for more seating and distancing. Now, the Krueger's website features an announcement saying the eatery will be moving into the old Panino location down the street. The restaurant plans to re-open this summer.

Alara

5410 Medpace Way, Madisonville
The team behind Tahona Kitchen + Bar, Toast & Berry, S.W. Clyborne Co. and others is opening a new high-end eatery in Madisonville. Alara, described by Looking Glass Hospitality as "experiential" and "focusing on innovative menu items and warm hospitality," is slated to open at Madison Square — the development near Medpace and The Summit Hotel at the corner of Red Bank Expressway and Madison Road. The 8,000-square-foot space will feature an open kitchen, dining room, bar, patio and conservatory, plus room for private parties. The restaurant is slated to open this winter or at the start of 2023.

Roy Rogers

Western-themed fast-food chain Roy Rogers, named for the Cincinnati-born actor and cowboy, plans to open a Queen City location this year. This historic franchise, founded in 1968, is known for items like fried chicken, roast beef sandwiches and their iconic Double R Burger — a quarter-pounder topped with American cheese and ham on a Kaiser roll. It's also bringing its famed "Fixin’s bar" to the local restaurant, allowing customers to top their burgers with their choice of condiments and veggies. The new spot is set to open in Cleves this winter. This opening is part of a 10-unit restaurant deal with local restaurant franchise group One Holland Corporation.

Five Irons Golf

505 Vine St., Downtown
National indoor golf and entertainment company Five Iron Golf is set to open in Fountain Square this year. The company signed a lease at 80 W. Fifth St. in the space formerly occupied by Macy’s, per a release from Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC). This location is part of The Foundry, 3CDC’s $51 million mixed-use development at Fountain Square. The 13,000-square-foot facility will host 13 golf simulators “featuring multiple high-speed cameras to capture every angle of the golf swing.” Other leisure games plus a full bar and restaurant will be offered for players and non-golfers alike. 3CDC says they expect Five Iron Golf to open in late 2022.

Qlicious Bubble Tea & Pastries Over-the-Rhine

1505 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
A new boba shop is coming to Over-the-Rhine soon. Qlicious will be the name of this new branch of Mason-based Queens Bakery, owned by Jerry Liu. According to a press release from 3CDC, the shop will serve five types of drinks — milk tea, fruit tea, smoothies and shakes, yogurt and sparkling inside the 499-square-foot space on Vine Street. “Over-the-Rhine is a hot spot where everyone likes to go; it’s a cool cultural hub and good mixed-diversity location,” said Liu. “Being local, we absolutely want to have our flagship store there.” The opening date for this new location has not been announced yet.

Bridges Nepali Cuisine Elmwood

6304 Vine St., Elmwood
People of Elmwood Place, rejoice: Bridges Nepali Cuisine announced it's going to open a third location in the neighborhood. "Bridges is excited to open its third location to serve the beautiful elmwood neighborhood!!! We will be open soon! Thank you for your love and support," the restaurant wrote in an Instagram post. The post shows a photo of owners Ashak Chipalu and his parents, Rose and Manoj, embracing in front of the new location at 6304 Vine Street, formerly occupied by Mikey's Kitchen. No opening date has been set, but CityBeat staff hungrily await Bridges' newest location in Elmwood.

Paris Baguette

124 W. Fourth St., Downtown
A national bakery cafe chain is opening its first Ohio location in Cincinnati. Paris Baguette has more than 90 storefronts across the country, and its newest one is set to open inside 3CDC's recent 4th & Race development. Cincinnati restaurateur Ai Lin of Sichuan Chili and Gyu-Kaku BBQ will own and operate the new location, per a press release from 3CDC. According to 3CDC, Lin came across Paris Baguette while visiting her mother in Flushing, Queens, where she is originally from. There are three locations just in that neighborhood alone, so she was inspired to bring Paris Baguette to Cincinnati. An official opening date has not been announced.

Third Eye Brewing Hamilton

Popular Sharonville brewery Third Eye Brewing is opening a second location. The brewery opened its original spot in June 2020. Now, Third Eye Brewing is gearing up to open a new place in Hamilton in early 2023, per a release. The Hamilton location will be home to a 10,000-square-foot production facility that will allow Third Eye to increase its annual barrel production from 2,000 to 10,000. With more beer comes more people, and Third Eye plans to accommodate the crowds in its 6,000-square-foot taproom, which includes a covered patio and a full kitchen run by chef Steven Vanderpool.

16 Lots Brewing Company Southern Outpost

One Levee Way, Newport
Newport on the Levee is getting a new nautical-themed brewery. 16 Lots Brewing Company in Mason has announced plans to open a new location on the banks of the Ohio River this year. Launched in 2017, 16 Lots creates its own brews, developing everything from hazy IPAs like the Lots in My Eye PA! to The Major pilsner and fruity sours like Tiki Vibrancy. This 7,000-square-foot location in Newport will be known as 16 Lots Southern Outpost. The Southern Outpost will serve up craft beer, cocktails, adult slushies and “sophisticated gastropub food," per the release. Former Moerlein Lager House head brewer and 16 Lots co-owner Erich Streckfuss will serve as brewmaster.

Verge Brewing

Family-owned brewery and taproom Verge Brewing is set to open in Delhi soon. The team behind Verge announced they secured a space on Delhi Pike for their business. They offer tons of craft brews that range from their year-round staples like the traditional lager and ales to seasonal options and some experimental beers. Find Verge Brewing at pop-ups around the city.

Hoity Toity Donut

Cincinnati-based, made-from-scratch donut shop Hoity Toity Donut is opening a shop in Walnut Hills soon. Hoity Toity says they make everything from their dough to their glazes to their fillings from scratch, small-batch and with no artificial flavors or preservatives. There is no official opening date yet.

New Riff Distilling Barrel Warehouse

There will soon be more reasons to raise a glass in Northern Kentucky — and more bourbon to fill it. The Newport-based New Riff Distilling has announced it is expanding and has plans to build a new barrel warehouse on a 10-acre site in Silver Grove, Kentucky. According to a release, the warehouse will be able to house and age more than 40,000 barrels of whiskey, with the option to add more space in the future. The new facility will span 55,000 square feet and is slated to open in 2023.

Amador

One Levee Way, Newport
Nick Pesola of chicken joint Revolution Rotisserie is tapping into his love of Latin American culture for his newest venture: Amador, a Cuban restaurant and rum bar at Newport on the Levee. Basing the concept off of a Cuban "paladar" — "an independently-owned, local restaurant where the best food and drinks are often found," says a release — Amador will open sometime this year. Featuring mojitos and river views, the name Amador roughly translates to "lover" and will boast "part 1980s Miami vibe, part Havana nights packed with plenty of Cuban nostalgia." The space itself will feature 3,900-square-feet of indoor dining and a 2,500-square-foot patio overlooking the Cincinnati skyline. It will also include a walk-up alleyway window with a limited menu.

Magnolias Southern Table & Bar

275 Pictoria Dr., Springdale
Magnolias Southern Table & Bar is set to open in Sharonville in this summer. The southern-inspired eatery will offer three "upscale casual" concepts under one roof. They will have The Black Room Lounge, which will have live music, small plates and cocktails, Magnolias Southern Table & Bar which offers southern cooking and specialty drinks, plus Magnolias Confections & Creamery featuring homemade desserts and ice cream from Creamalicious Ice Creams.

A New Bar Coming to The Banks

180 E. Freedom Way, The Banks
The Banks is set to get a new cocktail bar later this year. Cincinnati-based hospitality group Four Entertainment Group (4EG) has announced that they have signed a lease for the space that was previously occupied by Joella’s Hot Chicken. The currently unnamed bar will sit across the street from 4EG’s first spot at the Banks that opened in 2016, The Stretch, one of the 20+ bars 4EG has in their portfolio throughout Cincinnati, Chicago and Columbus. 4EG said in a release that they have big plans for the 3,000-square-foot space, hoping to turn it into a “high-energy cocktail bar with a food component.” They say the bar will also feature a “wrap-around bar, TVs to broadcast local and national sporting events.” Plus, there are plans for a patio where drinks and food will be served within the Banks' Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA). 4EG says they hope to open the bar by early fall.

Hi-Wire Brewing in Norwood

An Asheville, North Carolina-based brewery has announced they will be adding a location in an upcoming 20-acre mixed-used development in Norwood. Hi-Wire Brewing focuses on seasonal beers that are “brewed to be balanced and approachable.” According to the brewery’s website, they currently have eight locations, including one in Louisville. Norwood’s joint will be the first in Ohio and will be located within the Factory 52 development. Construction on the taproom is beginning now and they expect to open next fall. Hi-Wire officials say in a Facebook post that their taproom will encompass all 5,800 square feet of the first floor of the ‘Amenity Building,’ with a 24-tap bar and large patio. Guests will be able to head upstairs to the third floor where there will be a bar featuring 12 taps and a rooftop deck. The taproom has not yet announced an official opening date.

Arcade Legacy

2241 Crowne Point Drive, Sharonville
Arcade Legacy: Bar Edition in Northside closed in May, but it's not all bad news. The gaming group says they have found a large space in Sharonville and will be relocating Bar Edition and their existing arcade in Cincinnati Mall into this spot. Once home to Peg’s Pub, the storefront "is almost exactly the square footage of the Cincy Mall and Bar Edition combined," reads a Facebook post from the brand. The new location features a full kitchen and seating, as well as a large parking lot. In comments, Arcade Legacy says the new space will most likely be all-ages until a certain time and then go 21+ after that. As of now, the group — helmed by owner Jesse Baker — has closed Arcade Legacy: Bar Edition, and the Cincinnati Mall arcade is scheduled to follow suit at the end of July. The team will build out the new Sharonville space, which was once a billiards and darts bar, in June and July, with a tentative reopening in September.