22 Cincinnati Eateries Offering Can’t-Miss Specialty Dinner Nights Every Week

Nicola’s

1420 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine
Nicola’s had fallen off my radar, but news of a recently hired executive chef gave me good reason to revisit the fine Italian restaurant. It has been at the same downtown/Over-the-Rhine location for 22 years, making owners Nicola (Nick) and Maureen Pietoso true pioneers in the area’s eventual renaissance. In June, executive chef Jack Hemmer came on board. He had cooked at Nicola’s a few years ago and left for other local kitchens, including a stint as executive chef at Mercer OTR when it first opened.
He and his team retained some fan-favorite menu items that he said “absolutely deserve” keeping, such as a couple of pastas — tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce and four-cheese gnocchi — along with a goat cheese salad. And since June, Hemmer has developed several intriguing appetizers, pastas and entrées. He said that on the fall menu he especially recommends the duck leg and octopus starters; tortelloni pasta with a mélange of ingredients that “balance savory, sweet, spice and acidity;” and a pan-seared branzino entrée.
We took our server’s recommendation and split a couple orders of gnocchi ($18-$28) as an intermediate course. We agreed that the dish had been over-salted, which bothered some of us (including me) more than others. After more wine and waiting, our main dinner arrived. Several of my companions scarfed up more pasta, from the Bolognese ($15-$25) to risotto Milanese ($18-$28), while two of us went with fish entrées. Between the branzino ($34; my choice) and my friend’s Atlantic sole ($34), I preferred the latter. The fish was tender and flaky, and I liked the preparation with sautéed cauliflower, Marcona almonds and wine-soaked raisins. (Pama Mitchell)
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

SUNDAY

Sunday Sauce at Oakley Wines
4011 Allston St., Oakley
Very few things go better with wine than pasta, so every Sunday at Oakley Wines, chefs David Jackman and Lydia Jackman host a pasta pop-up featuring homemade creations. Oakley Wines changed ownership last year when Stephanie and Dave Webster, who also own The Rhined cheese shop in OTR, were ready to expand their brand. They opened The Rhined in 2017 and acquired Oakley Wines in September 2018. Oakley Wines had featured a small plates menu since before the ownership change but putting food front-and-center at the wine bar was one of the Websters’ new priorities.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

SUNDAY

$1 Wing Sunday at Pontiac Bourbon & BBQ
1403 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
This restaurant features a quirky coupling of barbecue and Tiki-style cocktails along with more than 100 bourbon varieties, 10 draft beers and an assortment of popular bottles and cans. Wings are just $1 on Sundays.
Photo via Facebook.com/pontiacbbq

SUNDAY

Burger Night at Bishop’s Quarter
212 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland
Bishop’s Quarter experiments with a new craft burger every Sunday for just $5.
Photo via Facebook/BishopsQuarter

MONDAY

Bolo Night at Nicola’s
1420 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine
Nicola’s housemade pastas and secondi piatti transport patrons to the heart of Italy. On Mondays, you can enjoy the tagliatelle alla bolognese and a house salad for $15.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

MONDAY

All-You-Can-Eat Ribs at Trotta's Steak and Seafood
441 Sixth Ave., Dayton
This steakhouse is located in the heart of Dayton, Kentucky, offering an upscale feel while still maintaining a laid-back vibe. Owner Kathleen Trotta opened Trotta’s after traveling and working at many restaurants across the United States. Being from the area, she thought it’s exactly what the neighborhood needed. Trotta’s features a menu of quality hand-cut, dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood. The restaurant offers nightly specials throughout the week like all-you-can-eat ribs on Mondays and all-you-can-eat crab legs on Wednesdays.
Photo via Facebook/TrottasSteakandSeafood

SUNDAY/MONDAY/TUESDAY

Burger Madness at Arthur’s
3516 Edwards Road, Hyde Park; 8221 Beechmont Ave., Anderson
On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, you can get any of Arthur’s burgers for $9.49 — fries included. The restaurant’s current selection includes a classic burger, a 5-ounce “Sally” burger, a vegetarian black bean burger and a turkey burger.
Photo via Facebook.com/ArthursCafe

TUESDAY

Bolo Night at Forno Osteria
3514 Erie Ave, Hyde Park
Tuesday night is bolo night at Forno Osteria. Beginning at 5 p.m., try a bowl of bolognese, a fresh salad and bread for $12.
Photo via Facebook.com/fornoosteriabar

MONDAY/TUESDAY

Family-Style Fried Chicken at Greyhound Tavern
2500 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell
The family-style fried chicken special is available every Monday and Tuesday at Kentucky’s historic Greyhound Tavern. The special begins at 4 p.m. and includes half a chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, cole slaw and biscuits — all for a reasonable $16.50.
Photo via Facebook.com/greyhoundtavern

TUESDAY

Taco Tuesday at Veracruz
3108 Price Ave., Price Hill
Taco Tuesday means $2 tacos at the family-owned Veracruz Mexican Grill in the Incline District of Price Hill. All menu items are marinated, prepared and cooked on-site.
Photo: Provided

TUESDAY

Taco Tuesday at Torterilla Garcia
11774 Springfield Pike, Springdale; 5917 Hamilton Ave., College Hill
Every Tuesday, Tortelleria Garcia serves its tacos (made with house-made tortillas) for just $1 each, all day. The restaurant’s menu consists of straightforward Mexican classics like tamales, burritos, housemade salsas and rotisserie chicken, in addition to tacos, plus classic tortilla shells that are available in two-pound packs so you can make your own inspired creations at home.
Photo: Paige Deglow

TUESDAY

Oyster Night at Branch
1535 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills
When O'Bryonville's Eighth & English closed in October, Branch took over the restaurant’s Tuesday $1 oyster special, the goal being to keep the energy and passion from the O'Bryonville restaurant alive by continuing a tradition loved by many.
Photo via Facebook.com/eatatbranch

TUESDAY

All You Can Eat Mussels & Frites at Taste of Belgium
1135 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 2845 Vine St., Corryville; 3825 Edwards Road, Rookwood; 16 W. Freedom Way, Downtown
Every Tuesday beginning at 5 p.m., Taste of Belgium offers bottomless mussels and frites, along with half-priced bottles of wine.
Photo: Provided

MONDAY/TUESDAY

Okonomiyaki Mondays/Wing Night Tuesdays at Quan Hapa
1331 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Quan Hapa features its take on the traditional Japanese dish, Okonomiyaki, for $8 on Mondays from 5 p.m. to close. One of the biggest showstoppers at Quan Hapa is their wings, which are half off on Tuesdays, featuring flavors including honey Sriracha, gochujang, and nouc mam and honey.
Photo via facebook.com/quanhapa

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY

Mussel Tuesdays/Burger Night Wednesday at Social OTR
1819 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
Social OTR serves up burgers and fries every Wednesday. Plus, you can add a High Life and a shot of Old Grand Dad for $2. On Tuesdays, you can order a pound of mussels and a bottle of house wine for $20. A nonprofit venture, Social OTR not only nails its ambitious New American menu but also aims to fill a multitude of societal and business needs in our community by training participants in the service industry. The restaurant is a two-in-one, with front and back rooms featuring different décor and service styles but the same menu.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

WEDNESDAY

Wing Wednesday at Northside Yacht Club
4227 Spring Grove Ave., Northside
Every Wednesday, Northside Yacht Club offers half-priced smoked wings and cauliflower wings from 4-10 p.m.
Photo via Facebook.com/NorthsideYachtClub

WEDNESDAY

Rich’s Proper Food & Drink Oyster Night
701 Madison Ave., Covington
Wednesdays are for $1 oysters from 5 p.m. to close at Rich’s Proper Food & Drink. Rich’s operates out of the more than 100-year-old building formerly occupied by Rich’s Gruen Watches, a high-end jewelry store. Owner/operator of the eatery, Bill Whitlow, spent considerable time and effort to restore the building, helping to expose its history. The bar’s menu includes wine, beer, cocktails and spirits, with a special emphasis placed on bourbon. The kitchen provides food with a twist on Southern fare with Creole and Kentucky influences.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

WEDNESDAY

Raclette Night at The Rhined
1737 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
The Rhined is a little slice of cheese heaven located across from Findlay Market. The artisan shop stocks a collection of the best hand-selected domestic cheeses, plus wine, beer, nuts, olives and jams to accompany the dairy of your dreams. On top of their excellent selection of cheese, which you can grab to go by weight or eat inside on a curated cheese board, they also offer a specialty sandwich of the week, adult "lunchables" and their Raclette Night, where on Wednesday nights starting at 5 p.m., they heat and scrape raclette cheese (a type of Swiss) onto a selection of goodies including potatoes, veggies and charcuterie.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

THURSDAY

Burger Night at Dutch’s
3378 Erie Ave., Hyde Park
The artisan larder/bar/eatery doesn’t hold back on their one-night-only specialty — these ain’t no American-cheese-and-mayonnaise-topped meat patties. Dutch’s burgers start out with a base of 30-day dry-age prime ribeye, an all-natural grass-fed strip or a shoulder from a local butcher. After being seasoned with just good ol’ salt and pepper, the burgers are thrown on the grill and brought out promptly at 6 p.m. Past creations have included a burger topped with pastrami, gruyere, 999 island sauce and buttermilk fried onion straws and a burger topped with pickled ramp “boursin” marinated cucumbers and arugula salad. Get them while you can, because the 70-or-so burgers they prepare each Thursday sell out quickly.
Photo by Brittany Thornton

THURSDAY

Flight Thursday at Court Street Lobster Bar
28 W. Court St., Downtown
Downtown’s Court Street Lobster Bar offers a unique menu packed full of high-quality seafood. On Thursdays, check out their seafood flight which includes one Maine-style lobster slider, one spicy crab slider and one chipotle shrimp slider for $14. The flights don’t stop there — they also offer $9 wine flights to pair with your crustaceans.
Photo via Facebook.com/CourtStLobster