The Hottest New Restaurants and Bars in Greater Cincinnati

Fabled Brew Works

331 Kenton Lands Road, Suite 300, Erlanger
The legend of this small, fantasy-inspired craft brewery and meadery started this past June. Fabled Brew Works sprang from the mind of five friends who really enjoy beer and wanted to bring something new to Cincinnati, both in aesthetics and in the actual brew offerings. What came from that is a sylvan-like taproom that looks like it sprung from between the pages of a storybook – a fantasy forest that leads to the door of a thatched-roof cottage, a half-timbered storefront with books in its “windows” and an apothecary. A hollowed tree sits behind the bar. You almost feel like the hero or heroine about to embark on an epic journey. And those elements of fantasy, folklore and myths also make their way onto the tap list, featuring brews with names like the classic American lager Paul Bunyan and Minos the Bull (an imperial stout with pistachio, marshmallow and fudge). The brewery and meadery puts its focus on fruit-forward beers and things you don’t find a whole lot of in the region: bold stouts, meads and dessert-inspired varieties.

The Acres

9941 Reading Road, Evendale
Before it was recently overhauled and rebranded as The Acres, Etter’s Golf Center had offered a basic driving range and a small mini golf course since it opened in 1950. The Acres debuted in June 2022 and now features two mini golf courses, a Trackman interactive golf simulator and the golf center’s first full bar and restaurant. They also added space to just hang out. There are fire pits, cornhole boards and plenty of outdoor tables and seating. The food menu at The Acres’ restaurant is a short selection of what managing partner Todd Gailar calls “elevated American classics.” The Acres consulted with Chef LeRoy Ansley, formerly of Queen City Hospitality (Senate), to create the menu.

Rusk Kitchen + Bar

2724 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills
Opened in April, Rusk Kitchen + Bar serves up eclectic American cuisine and elevated bar food alongside beverage options like beer, wine and housemade cocktails you can enjoy on their rooftop patio, even in the winter thanks to its heated dining igloos. With its cozy, welcoming vibes, Rusk aims to become a neighborhood go-to where you can watch the game, enjoy date night or just hang out with friends. The menu features a variety of lunch and dinner dishes, including sandwiches, burgers, entrees and salads, as well as late-night bites served until midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on the weekends. Brunch is served on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with classics like omelets, pancakes and a breakfast burrito on the menu.

Primo Italian Steakhouse

6 S. Broad St., Middletown
Anchoring the prominent corner of Walnut and Sixth streets Downtown, Prime Cincinnati has become a mainstay restaurant on a block known for some of the best restaurants in the city. In 2023, Prime gained a sister restaurant in downtown Middletown. With a solid foundation to build on, Prime's owners partnered to open another upscale steakhouse with its own identity. Prime goes Italian with the new concept, Primo. The menu features a heavy focus on pasta dishes, like the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese (featuring pork, beef, tomato, ragu and Parmigiano Vacche Rosse) and Ravioli Burro e Salvia (made with butternut squash, ricotta, butter and sage, but also leans into its identity as a steakhouse with a variety of bistecca options.

Livery

9320 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
This new tapas spot features a menu of empanadas, ensaladas, ceviche, tacos, tortas and other Central and South American dishes made with the freshest ingredients. For dessert, guests can try housemade churros, flan and tres leches. It also has a fully stocked bar with an expansive tequila and cocktail list, top-shelf spirits, wine and beer, as well as specialty margaritas. And when the weather’s nice, you can enjoy your meal on their outdoor patio.

Conserva

225 Elm St., Ludlow
Tapas restaurant Conserva may be one of Northern Kentucky’s best hidden gems. Owner and head chef Challis Hodge studied Spanish tapa cuisine to recreate an authentic experience with a medley of options. One popular dish on the menu is a Spanish national favorite, Tortilla Española, made using potatoes, egg, olive oil and salt. And if you’re a fan of dips, the gambas al ajillo, or Spanish garlic shrimp, is made using sherry and guindilla pepper and served with dippable crostini. The menu also features vegetarian and gluten-free options.

The Well/Grub Local

8 W. Seventh St., Covington
Described as equal parts cool and casual, The Well provides a laidback and cozy lounge, as well as a large patio, with plenty of seating throughout and large-screen TVs, making it a great game-day destination. Its restaurant arm, Grub Local, is helmed by chef Mitch Arens, the former executive chef at Hotel Covington. The menu offers a tasty spin on classic American cocktails and drinks, like the Chicago-ish Dog and Philly Cheesesteak Tots. Arens says Grub Local is also all about revamping hometown favorites, like their Jumbo Coney. Their drink list includes $11 specialty drinks, wines, some draft beers and a variety of canned beers and seltzers.

Killer Queen

180 E. Freedom Way, The Banks
Killer Queen is The Banks’ newest cocktail bar and pizza joint, with a menu that focuses on build-your-own pizzas, plus appetizers like salads and soft pretzels. They also boast a cocktail menu featuring drinks “inspired by the most treacherous kings and queens in history,” the bar says. The restaurant and bar has a high-energy atmosphere with an Americana-style interior, including a wrap-around bar, and is a catch-all for any activity, whether you’re enjoying daytime drinks, watching the game or dancing until 2 a.m.

Amador

1 Levee Way, Newport
Havana has come to Greater Cincinnati. Amador opened at Newport on the Levee in May with a menu featuring traditional Cuban dishes like empanadas, croquetas, and Cubano sandwiches, but with an “Amador twist.” The energetic and playful atmosphere aims to transport diners to a tropical vacation, with its jungle-esque vibe, lush greenery and an outdoor patio that overlooks the Ohio River and Cincinnati skyline. And unlike other Cuban restaurants, their small plates are meant to be shared. To drink, the restaurant has Cuban coffee, craft cocktails and Latin American beers, wines and rare spirits.

Chacabanas Cuban Sandwiches

1809 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
If you love Cuban sandwiches, you need to try one of the newest eateries in town, Chacabanas (named after the shirt style popular in Cuba and the Dominican Republic). This sandwich shop specializes in authentic Cubanos with three options: the classic El Cubano (roast pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on toasted Cuban bread); the Ybor City Cubano, made with roasted pork shoulder and featuring the addition of Genoa salami; or the Croqueta Preparada – their Cuban topped with their croquettes. Chacabanas also offers antojitos, or snacks, like yuca fries, empanadas and their croquetas.

Binski’s Bar

2872 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington
When Binski’s Bar opened in Camp Washington earlier this year, it did so with the goal of being Camp Washington’s communal watering hole. The bar sits in a bright green building from the early 1900s that was originally a saloon and boarding house (wink wink). An Old Style sign hangs outside — "a signal to anyone in Chicago you’re about to walk into a great bar,” says owner Kiel Erdelac. Inside, visitors will find some classic bar staples like a CD jukebox, darts, rotating drink specials and a community that makes you feel welcome.

Gilligan’s on the Green

400 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming
Gilligan’s on the Green opened in a former Wyoming firehouse in early November as an extension of the Village Green park and performance pavilion. The restaurant and taproom offers Irish and American fare for lunch, dinner and weekend brunches. On the menu, you’ll find classic Irish dishes like fish and chips, beef stew and shepherd’s pie with a Cincy twist alongside a mix of Irish- and American-inspired appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, salads and soups. Gilligan’s also has a full bar with wine, craft cocktails and beer brewed by West Side Brewing.

Colette

1400 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
A restaurant from chef Danny Combs opened just steps away from Washington Park this November. Colette embodies Old World style, with a warm and inviting atmosphere that doesn’t lose that neighborhood feel. On the menu, you’ll find French and French-inspired cuisine like Raviole du Dauphiné (served with Comté cheese, ricotta and brown butter) and Steak Frites (an 8-ounce Creekstone New York strip steak with peppercorn sauce and served with fries). To drink, guests can choose from an extensive list of sparkling, white and red wines, craft cocktails and beer. And for dessert, don’t miss out on the Tarte Colette (chocolate fondant cake) or the Mille-Feuille (caramelized puff pastry with crème diplomate).

Cowboy Sally’s Texas BBQ

7521 Gibson St., Liberty Township
A new barbecue joint with slow-cooked meats, scratch-made sides and cheap, strong drinks opened in Liberty Township in December. At Cowboy Sally’s, you’ll find authentic Texas-style barbecue, cooked low and slow to infuse it with a rich, smoky flavor. Meat options include all the classics, as well as some unique offerings like tofu “burnt ends.” Guests have the option of getting their meats as tacos, hoagies, sliders or as a plate with two sides, cornbread, pickles and barbecue sauce. They also come à la carte as a quarter-pound or half-pound. To drink, choose from a selection of wine, beer or Cowboy Sally’s “cheap and strong” cocktails, including its alcoholic Slushees and the Giddy-Up! (vodka; tequila; Ole Smokey White Lightnin’; whiskey; pineapple, apple and orange juice; lime; and fruit). Cowboy Sally’s also has state-of-the-art robot servers to bring you your food and karaoke nights.

Lil’s Kitchen

601 Overton St., Newport; 301 Sixth Ave., Dayton
Lil's Kitchen, formerly known as Lil's Bagels, opened in its shared space with Roebling Point Books & Coffee in April after failed lease negotiations pushed them from their Covington cafe. Lil’s Kitchen at Roebling Books and Coffee is a combination of Roebling’s third location and Lil’s Bagels reimagined. Inside, a taste of the former Lil’s Bagels’ colorful, funky interior blends into bookshelves, eclectic art, a full coffee bar and a modest but delectable menu of food. While the new menu has moved away from bagels and more toward sandwiches and other cafe offerings, everything is still made with the same chutzpah.

Feel Good Food Stop

6836 Main St., Newtown
Feel Good Food Stop opened in Newtown this spring to offer nourishing breakfast and lunch dishes alongside some familiar favorite sweets from Fork and Pie Bakery. Guests will find a variety of breads, baked goods and pastries, all provided by Fork and Pie Bakery, including quiches, tarts and gluten-free breads. The restaurant also offers a full breakfast and lunch menu, with everything from breakfast quesadillas and avocado toast to açaí bowls and chicken and biscuits, much of the dishes crafted with organic and seasonal ingredients.

Galley on the Levee

1 Levee Way, Newport
Newport on the Levee got a few more dining options when Galley on the Levee opened this October. The micro food hall offers four fast-casual concepts. Stick and Buns offers a variety of Asian dishes like bao, Korean chicken wings, beef bulgogi skewers, a crispy Thai chicken bowl and rotating dishes influenced by Kentucky and the Levee. For tacos, visit Los Tacos Hermanos. Four Mile Pig offers small-batch barbecue, and Zaria Italian Street Eats has a mix of pizzas, including gluten-free options; hand-rolled piadas and ready-made and customizable pasta bowls – all using local and fresh ingredients.

Wildweed

118 W. 15th St., Over-the-Rhine
Wildweed offers a menu that’s pasta-centric and seasonally driven, but don’t call it an Italian restaurant says owner David Jackman, a Michelin-star chef. Jackman says he wants Wildweed to celebrate and showcase the best cultivated and wild-harvested products our region has to offer. The restaurant got its start as Sunday Sauce, a pop-up in Oakley, in 2019 and has gone through a few different iterations since. But now, Wildweed is planting its roots on Walnut Street, preparing to move into the bottom floor of the Columbia Flats project in Over-the-Rhine. But until then, you can grab a dish of this handcrafted pasta at the former Pleasantry restaurant, 118 W. 15th St. in OTR.

Voodoo Brewing Company

120 E 8th St., Downtown
Meadville, Pennsylvania-based Voodoo Brewing Company brought its eclectic vibes to Cincinnati this year. The brewery/brewpub offers a variety of its award-winning beer, including some seasonal offerings, for every kind of taste, as well as handcrafted cocktails. To eat, Voodoo Brewing’s menu has bar-food staples, like nachos and burgers, but Cincinnati’s brewpub also has some Queen City-style offerings, like the Seven Hills Chili Bowl (cavatappi noodles smothered in Voodoo Brewing’s secret Cincy-inspired chili and topped with shredded cheddar, red chili beans and diced onions) or the Porkopolis Pig Wings, made with wings from Eckerlin Meats.

Shake Shack

7669 Blake St., Liberty Township
Popular milkshake and burger chain Shake Shack finally opened its doors to its first Greater Cincinnati location this December. The fast-food chain is best known for its hand-spun milkshakes, as well as elevated American classics like their made-to-order burgers, crispy chicken, crinkle-cut fries and signature Hot-Ones Spicy ShackSauce for those who need a little punch in the mouth with their meal. They also offer a Veggie Shack, as well as non-dairy shake and frozen custard options.