24 of the Oldest Restaurants in Greater Cincinnati You Have to Try

Zip's Cafe

1036 Delta Ave., Cincinnati
Zip’s Cafe was founded in 1926, meaning that it has been running for a whopping 95 years. With meat delivered daily from Avril-Bleh and “simple but fresh” toppings, Zip’s classic burgers are grilled on a flat top, which cooks them in their own delicious fat. If you’re looking to expand your palate beyond the classic Zipburger — recently named the best burger in Ohio by Food & Wine magazine — the cafe offers specialties such as the Flying Pig, topped with shaved ham and bacon, or the popular Girthburger (named by former Cincinnati Bengals punter Pat McInally), topped with a butterflied mettwurst.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Scotti’s Italian Eatery

919 Vine St., Downtown
Family-owned since 1912, Scotti’s has solidified itself as a Queen City staple. Their large menu features just about every pasta imaginable and nearly 20 different varieties of veal dishes. Finish off your meal with a bottle of wine and you’ll be full for days. Multi-colored tiles plaster the walls, and candles drip layer upon layer of wax on Chianti bottles at every table, providing a little light to the otherwise dimly lit dining room. Scotti’s is named after early 20th-century opera star Antonio Scotti, so the sound pumping through the speakers isn’t Muzak, it’s Rossini and Puccini and Pavaratti — just another aspect that sets this landmark apart from the pack.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Arnold’s Bar & Grill

210 E. Eighth St., Downtown
Open since 1861, Arnold’s is the oldest continuously running tavern in town, complete with dark wood walls, vintage memorabilia and a big ol’ bathtub in the dining room, rumored to have been used to make gin during Prohibition. A Cincinnati classic, it serves up a nice range of lunch and dinner options — pasta, sandwiches and burgers, plus vegan and gluten-free options — at bargain prices. Enjoy a local draft in the outdoor beer garden and almost daily live music. Named as one of the best bars in America by Esquire magazine.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

The Golden Lamb

27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon
Jonas Seaman came to Ohio from New Jersey in 1803. In a time when many couldn’t read, the business was marked by a symbol, not a name: a golden lamb. Present-day, the historic hotel and restaurant, in the heart of the Lebanon DORA district, has served 12 presidents and an array of other famous figures. The menu offers items like braised lamb shank, hickory-roasted prime rib and seared salmon. The attached Black Horse Tavern is a more casual dining spot on the backside of the hotel that serves specialty cocktails and the same delicious menu as the main dining area.
Photo via Facebook.com/TheGoldenLamb

Frisch’s Mainliner

5760 Wooster Pike, Fairfax
Big Boy sandwiches. All-day breakfast. Warm bowls of chili and soup. Frisch's Big Boy Mainliner opened in 1939, when founder David Frisch opened Cincinnati’s first year-round drive-in, which could hold up to 60 cars. Now the regional diner chain is an iconic stop for Queen City residents. The famous menu still carries on today — with additions — and offers up both nostalgic memories and classic grub.
Photo: Catie Viox

The Precinct

311 Delta Ave., Columbia Tusculum
You can always rely on a Jeff Ruby restaurant for a big, rare steak and platters of seafood. The Precinct, housed in a historical Romanesque-style former police precinct, opened in 1981 and was the first in a long line of Ruby steakhouses. You can’t go wrong with a sirloin or porterhouse, named after current and past Cincinnati sports greats. But there are other options, like lamb shank or chicken Milanese.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Mecklenburg Gardens

302 E. University Ave., Corryville
For a taste of Zinzinnati’s German heritage, Mecklenburg Gardens showcases some of the best German cuisine the city has to offer. Their specialty is wienerschnitzel, a tender, pan-fried veal cutlet topped with lemon; it’s served with red cabbage. They have about 15 beers on tap, most of which are German, along with some local microbrews. Nationally ranked as one of the best biergartens in the country, it’s also one of Cincinnati’s oldest restaurants, having been open since 1865.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Skyline Chili

Multiple locations
Skyline has been one of the pioneers of Cincinnati chili since opening in 1949. First founded by Greek immigrants, the chili parlor pours the Queen City staple over spaghetti or hot dogs and tops it with a mound of cheese, oyster crackers, and — depending on your taste preference — onions and beans. Also available are chili burritos, fries, baked potatoes and vegetarian chili, which is made with black beans and rice.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Pompilio’s

600 Washington Ave., Newport
This restaurant, where the toothpick scene in Rain Man was filmed, has been offering classic family Italian food since 1933. You can’t go wrong with any pasta dish or the homemade lasagna. Play a game of bocce ball on the back court or grab a beer-and-burger in the attached bar, Colonel Pomp’s Tavern.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Mt. Adams Bar and Grill

938 Hatch St., Mount Adams
Opened during the prohibition era in 1919, Mt. Adams Bar and Grill’s roots are thought to tie back to a speakeasy owned by infamous Cincinnati bootlegger George Remus. It became the first bar and grill in Ohio to receive its liquor license in 1933. Known for their whiskey, it offers a varied menu that serves up hearty burgers, soups and appetizers like the fried jalapeno ravioli. Walk inside and enjoy this Cincinnati blast from the past while tasting some amazing grub.
Photo: Izzy Viox

Maury’s Tiny Cove

3908 Harrison Ave., Cheviot
Maury’s has been packed full of flavor and a West Side tradition since 1949. The dimly lit supper-club vibe will have you feeling like a regular on your first visit. The extensive menu consists of all the classic steakhouse options: tender, juicy steaks, seafood and chicken cooked just right, plus pasta, and a perfect martini. Ask for the Carol booth — the restaurant appears in the locally filmed, Oscar-nominated movie starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara — or take a photo with the Maury’s sign, featuring a kitschy cartoon steer holding a cocktail.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Lake Nina Restaurant & Tavern

7200 Pippin Road, North College Hill
Lake Nina Restaurant & Tavern is a seafood spot that has been in business for about 60 years. Famous for their fried fish log, they also offer a variety of other non-seafood options like fried chicken, frog legs, burgers and double deckers. This treasure, located next to an actual lake, has been a place to create memories with the fam for decades.
Photo: Izzy Viox

Sugar n’ Spice

4381 Reading Road, Avondale; 1203 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine
Huge, fluffy omelets and “wispy-thin” pancakes have made Sugar n’ Spice a bona fide breakfast institution for over 75 years. One of the city’s most popular places for people of all ages and backgrounds to dine and socialize, the original Paddock Hills location got a sister spot in Over-the-Rhine when the owners renovated an old diner with their signature colorful and vintage flair. They are famous for giving patrons little rubber ducks as a souvenir. It’s a charming quirk that keeps people coming back.
Photo: Jesse Fox

Montgomery Inn

9440 Montgomery Road, Montgomery; Montgomery Inn Boathouse, 925 Riverside Drive, Downtown
World famous for its ribs, Ted and Matula Gregory’s Montgomery Inn has been a staple in Cincinnati since 1951. Matula’s secret-recipe sweet and tangy all-natural barbecue sauce dresses the hand-spiced, slow-roasted and custom broiled ribs and is featured on everything from barbecue spring chicken and pork chops to Saratoga chips.
Photo: Provided

Herb & Thelma’s Tavern

718 W. Pike St., Covington
Open in 1939 as Heine’s Café, the small drop-ceilinged dining room is what some may call a “hole in the wall.” Their incredibly friendly staff serves up simple but delectable made-to-order burgers. Their speciality is a juicy meat patty topped with cheese, onions and pickles; a short list of sides includes chili, soup or Husman’s chips.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Camp Washington Chili

3005 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati
Named one of the “10 Best Restaurants in Cincinnati” by USA Today, there’s no question as to why Camp Washington Chili has been operating since 1940. It is good eats! Despite having ‘chili’ in the name, this establishment offers many chili-free options, including burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs, fries, coleslaw and salad.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Walt’s Hitching Post

3300 Madison Pike, Fort Wright
Walt’s Hitching Post is a casual kick-back place where everybody knows your name. Open in some iteration since 1942, classic menu items include Walt’s Legendary Fried Chicken, fried ribs and chicken and oysters Rockefeller. All steaks are dusted with a unique seasoning blend and charred to perfection at 850 degrees.
Photo: Paige Deglow

??

Grand Finale Restaurant

3 E. Sharon Road, Glendale
UPDATE: Gran Finale closed its doors in January 2022.
Operating at the same historic building since 1975, Grand Finale serves up everything from steak and lobster to crepes and outrageous desserts. Try the bacon, lobster and sun-dried tomato deviled eggs or the herbed filet mignon. No worries for your vegetarian tablemates: Grand Finale has plenty of veggie fare.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Dee Felice Cafe

529 Main St., Covington
If you’re looking for more of an experience than just dinner, swing into Dee Felice Café, established in 1984. Along with spicy New Orleans-style dishes, you’ll enjoy great live Jazz performed on a raised stage behind the bar. The star dish here is the jambalaya, a blend of chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage made with a spicy mixture of creole vegetables and rice, they also offer vegan versions of this classic dish.
Photo: Dee Felice Cafe Facebook

Izzy’s

Multiple locations
A Cincinnati tradition, Izzy’s serves a Reuben we can all be proud of. Sandwiches such as the Reuben-ator and Izzy's Mex have showcased their delicious corned beef since 1901. Even if you’re not a fan of corned beef, there are options like the Thanksgiving (On A Roll) or the Izzy burger.
Photo: Paige Deglow