At CityBeat, we know a thing or two about picking the best restaurants in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, but Yelpers have some hot takes of their own. And while Over-the-Rhine and downtown restaurants get a lot of love, these Yelpers are also highlighting hot spots north of the Cross County Highway. From places serving up gourmet hot dogs to mouthwatering Indian buffets and restaurants that have been around since Ohio first became a state, these are the restaurants in the northern ‘burbs Yelpers can’t stop talking about.

*Note: This was the list at the time of publication. Based on ongoing input, restaurant locations in this Yelp list may change. Reviews may have been shortened or edited slightly for clarity and grammar.

Third Eye Brewing Company 11276 Chester Road, Sharonville “Third Eye Brewing is one of my favorite food & drink spots in the city. Everything they make is delicious! They create unique flavor combos and clearly pour so much creativity and hard work into their bites and brews. This past Saturday, I had: Dill pickle dip with Saratoga chips (literally can’t go there and not get this. It’s heaven.) Crab cake sandwich with fries Edamame hummus plate with pickled veggies We tried several beers, but the absolute best was the banana guava curry (yes, you read that right). It was so refreshing and summery and delicious. I decided I would like a candle scented like this beer.” -Colleen A. Photo: Savana Willhoite
The Jucy Lucy from Sammy’s Craft Burgers & Beer Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Ramsey’s Trailside 200 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland “I’ve been enjoying my time at Ramsey’s for awhile now—but I want to give them a fresh review! This is a perfect restaurant to catch if you are on the bike trail or just wanting to hit the streets of downtown Loveland. They have indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a second story above the restaurant. It is often crowded, but it tells you that lots of people enjoy their food! A few times I have been on a 45 minute wait, and I was contacted within 15 to 20 minutes. They tend to get people in and out pretty quickly. Everything I have tried here has been delicious. A few of my favorites are the quinoa bowl with chicken and their salmon— just recently tried their grilled chicken meal and split it: it was delicious!! You can’t go wrong with their cheeseburger and fries—and I can’t believe I haven’t had their humongous pretzel yet!! I leave full and satisfied. It’s a healthy choice out of all the restaurants down Loveland—and it’s worth the extra few dollars. Their prices are competitive and not bad for the food quality. Check them out! The restaurant is right on the bike trail, so you can take a walk before or after your meal.” Cindy W. Photo: facebook.com/ramseystrailside
Meritage 40 Village Square, Glendale “A beautiful lunch spot! Outdoor seating available and the service was great! The salad was so good, I wish we ordered more and the pasta and mussels were amazing and filling. Definitely coming back to try more!” -Gabbie B. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Fretboard Brewing & Public House 103 Main St., Hamilton “We have family ‘adventure days’ that are all about exploring new local places. Fretboard is an adventure day discovery. I wasn’t hungry so I ordered the tostados, thinking it would be a small plate. The portion was significant. My plate was clean in minutes. This was DELICIOUS!!! The atmosphere was calm and casual. Beers we ordered were great. They offer a variety of different styles to choose. Our waitress was pleasant, attentive and friendly. I highly recommend this restaurant. Our daughter loves sitting in the booth and people watching. Give it a go!!!” -Jessica B. Photo: Provided by Looking Glass Hospitality Group
Photo: facebook.com/northstarcafe
Golden Lamb 27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon “Highly recommend when in the Lebanon area! The cheese and crackers were a great starter. The cheeses and fresh honey tasted absolutely amazing on the house made crackers. We tossed some of the candied pecans onto the spring salad my boyfriend and I split for a second app. The bread and apple butter is also a must try! The rolls tasted fresh and were nice and hot! I got the lamb shank which just fell off the bone. The polenta underneath it was so good. Our server, Jonas, was fantastic! As was the rest of the staff. We arrived 30 minutes early to our reservation and they were able to seat us right away. A must visit when in the area not only for its history of being the oldest restaurant in Ohio but also for the amazing food.” -Amanda U. Photo: facebook.com/The Golden Lamb
Flame India Restaurant and Bar 9446 Water Front Drive, West Chester “While waiting for an order from PF Chang’s, we decided to get an appetizer from Flame India Restaurant. All I can say is: I’m so glad we did! The storefront restaurant looks small from the outside, but once we had entered, we got to see how large and clean it was. The décor was very inviting and spacious. In truth, I was actually disappointed we did not have the time to dine in. We ordered an appetizer, “Aloo Tikka Chat”- (Spiced Potatoes with Chickpeas and Yogurt), to go. Our food came out piping hot and smelled absolutely fantastic! The best news of all…it tasted as good as it smelled. The chickpeas mixed with the sauce, lentils and the spiced potatoes at the bottom, were really tasty. My wife liked the taste of it also, with a few exceptions, (the Cilantro was a bit heavy, and the yogurt mixed in made it very thick). I would highly recommend this place to anyone, and I can’t wait to try their actual entrees. A+!” -Ben T. Photo: facebook.com/flameindiacincy
Tortilleria Garcia 5917 Hamilton Ave., College Hill; 11774 Springfield Pike, Springdale; 4200 Aero Drive, Mason Popular Springdale Mexican eatery Tortilleria Garcia has opened two additional locations in College Hill and in Mason. Omar Garcia, the restaurant’s’ owner, grew up on a family farm in Michoacan, Mexico and learned how to make corn tortillas the old fashioned way from his mother and grandmother. Garcia has committed to honoring his family’s culinary history and his restaurants uncompromisingly follow the family recipe for fresh tortillas — never using flour or preservatives. Garcia’s menu consists of straightforward Mexican classics like tamales, burritos, housemade salsas and rotisserie chicken, in addition to tacos, plus his classic tortilla shells are available in two-pound packs so you can make your own inspired creations at home. Photo: Paige Deglow Photo: Paige Deglow
Senate Blue Ash 1100 Summit Place, Blue Ash “Probably one of my favorite restaurant in Cincinnati. We love the cheeseburgers, mussels (OMG the sauce was amazing), loaded fries, and bone marrow. I love their breads too…crispy and toasted on the outside and soft on the inside.” -Kay C. Photo: Catie Viox
Billy Yanks 205 Main St., Hamilton “My friend and I came for a post workout dinner and treated ourselves to anything we felt like trying. We ordered the fried deviled eggs and c egg rolls (which are like cheeseburger egg rolls), both were so good! I ordered the big kahuna burger with fries and she had the Nashville hot chicken sandwich. My burger contained everything I love (which is spam, fried egg and a pineapple salsa), and hit the spot! My friend also said the chicken sandwich was yummy. We also ordered drinks that we enjoyed and wished we had saved enough room for dessert.” -Melanie U. Photo: facebook.com/billyyankshamilton
S.W. Clyborne Co. Provision & Spirits 5948 Snider Road, Mason “The food and service is always great! It is a modern upscale atmosphere but also fun. The decor is beautiful and the ability to see the kitchen is a nice touch, too. We had the pimento cheese appetizer with chips and fresh pork rinds and it was delicious. The pork rinds were still popping when they were served to us! For entrees I had the salmon with potatoes and asparagus and my husband had the duo of filets. Both meals were excellent, well seasoned and cooked perfectly. We have been more than once and the experience is consistent. We love this place and always try to stop by when we’re in town.” -Ariana B. Photo: Facebook.com/Clybornes
Two Cities Pizza 202 W. Main St., Mason; 7373 Kingsgate Way, West Chester “Plain and simple, if you’re not eating here, you’re not eating the best pizza. Every time I’ve eaten here, always fresh to order, great pizza selections, both New York style and Chicago style. Don’t stop at the pizza though! You’ve heard of French fries right? Well these guys took everything you know about fries, fast forwarded them 1,000 years, reinvented them, made their own ranch and They. Are. Fire. Like order a whole serving for yourself, you’ll thank me later.” -Chris M. Photo: facebook.com/twocitiespizzamason
Caruso’s Ristorante & Bar 6765 Dixie Highway, Fairfield “Absolutely phenomenal! We knew we were in the right place because we could smell the garlic from the road. Once inside, the aromas greeting us were delightful. We started with salads. The house dressing was a unique, creamy Italian concoction I wanted to bottle up and take home. My husband had a Cesar and raved about it. The man doesn’t like vegetables…but he finished every last leaf. Moving on to the homemade pasta. My husband got the Pappardelle Mushroom Ragu. The pasta was the most perfect pasta I think I’ve ever had (clearly I snagged a bite.) I got the Rigatoni Rustica, which was a spicy, cheesy, creamy bake with thin strips of chicken. Do yourself a favor and get [a reservation]; this place was poppin!!” -Jessica W. Photo: facebook.com/carusoscincy
Uncle Yips 10736 Reading Road, Evendale Nestled in the Evendale Plaza, Uncle Yip’s serves authentic southern Chinese cuisine with full dim sum service during weekend brunch. Dim sum consists of small portions of food delivered in steamer baskets; dumpling dishes like shrimp dumplings, barbecue pork buns and chicken sui mai are popular (and only $3.95 each). Photo via Facebook.com/UncleYips Photo: facebook.com/Uncle Yip's
Saigon Noodle Bar 9220 Allen Road, West Chester “The food was great! Awesome atmosphere. Clean place as well as fast service. Knowledgeable on menu and what to offer. I would like to see more Vietnamese original dishes or specials on the menu too but it was very delicious and I enjoyed my meal completely. I thought it was worth stopping by on our road trip and it turned out to be an A+ location. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. They even have fresh sugarcane juice and teas. The jasmine tea was my go to but the sugarcane was delicious too. If you are near the region and want to try some great soups, stop by here and it won’t be a missed opportunity for sure!” -Adelino E. Photo: Facebook.com/SBNCincy
Q BARBE Q 7967 Cincinnati Dayton Road, Suite K, West Chester “This was the first time I ordered from Q Barbe Q and I’m so glad I did! My friends and I stopped in late afternoon on a Thursday for a quick bite, and everything was delicious. It is tucked away in a plaza, so at first glance you may miss it. However, inside the space is very clean and there are plenty of tables available for seating. Ordering was quick and easy, as you walk up to the counter and choose what you like from the menu that is present there. The menu itself is pretty extensive for a small, family-run business (and everything looks amazing), so my friends and I had to spend some time looking through everything before we decided what we wanted. We ended up going for their wraps. I specifically ordered the chicken wrap and it was SO good. I really enjoyed the generous amount of hummus that had been added in as well. The wraps were pretty inexpensive for the quality of food we received. This was definitely a post work-day hit, and I will be back very soon!” -Gemma S. Photo: facebook.com/Q-BARBE-Q-359743817791535
SeneGrill 10120 Princeton Glendale Road, West Chester “Sene creates Senegalese joy! Over the month of December ’22, my wife and I have been trying different restaurants around Cincinnati and have found the local family owned restaurants have really stood out, and Sene kept the tradition going. We found it ironic that such a unique restaurant is nestled next to Subway, the mass producer of corporate blah. We had the Red Snapper, Jerk Chicken, Fataya (like empanadas), and Lamb Yassa. I also had a side of Plantain Aloco, which is a hearty cut and fried plantain. We all shared and agreed that each meal was quite delicious and unique. A couple of us had the fresh-made juices and they were also quite unique and tasty. The interior of the restaurant was functional with seating for 10-15 and they had a steady flow of takeout and drive through.” -Nathan M. Photo: facebook.com/SeneGrill
Brick House Bar & Grill 11961 Lebanon Road, Sharonville “Gabby was the star behind the bar with the good information and attentiveness and smile. The Burger was a perfect medium rare with delicious bacon and she accommodated every change I requested. The quesadillas were awesome! Filled with spicy chicken, black beans and other goodies with lots of cheese. The tortilla shells were crisp and perfectly browned. Cobb salad also got rave reviews. Finally, I was blown away by the tomato basil soup. This is a great place if you are in northern Cincinnati. Awesome job Brick House!!!” -Richard M. Photo: facebook.com/Cincybrickhouse
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. Photo: Provided by Cunningham Restaurant Group
Da Han Mongolian BBQ 11483 Chester Road, Sharonville “I cannot wait to come back and fill my bowl up even better with great food! The bowl meal came with rice and a soup, and I had enough for another 1-2 servings the next day. The food was delicious and my friend’s little girls loved getting to full up their bowl and watching it get cooked.” -Melanie U. Photo: facebook.com/Da Han Mongolian BBQ Restaurant
Jag’s Steak & Seafood 5980 West Chester Road, West Chester “Jag’s was AMAZING! The food was absolutely phenomenal. We went for my wife’s birthday and had the best filet mignon I’ve ever tasted. The jasmine rice and garlic mashed potatoes were to die for. The desserts were excellent as well. I would definitely recommend Jag’s for any special occasion!” -Joseph B. Photo: Laura Peyton
Rodi Italian 115 S. Karl Brown Way, Loveland “Small restaurant in downtown Loveland with an amazing atmosphere (it can get quite loud). Our server was great and very accommodating, explaining the origin of their restaurant and the process for creating their food. It seemed to be a very authentic Italian restaurant, with most things either made in house, sourced locally, or from Italy. The food was amazing to say the least. The charcuterie board was very filling for 3 people and with a large spread of different meats and cheeses. The curry risotto was a special that day and was one of the most interesting dishes I have ever had. Wonderfully flavorful with a rich profile. Come here!” -Claire R. Photo: facebook.com/rodiloveland
Wise Owl Wine Bar 6206 Muhlhauser Road, West Chester “The service here is outstanding!!!! Always a great vibe with even better people. Chef Keith holds it down in the kitchen and if you’re looking to have an upscale birthday party this is where you do it.” -Keevin D. Photo: facebook.com/wiseowlwinebar