Every couple has that one special date spot they always seem to make time for. From classic steakhouses to Taco Tuesday specials, CityBeat readers have shared their go-to places for a romantic date.  

 

Condado Tacos 195 E. Freedom Way, The Banks ”We are absolutely the world’s (or at least Cincinnati’s) biggest foodies! We’ve recently tried soooo many new places around downtown such as Fiery Hen, Court Street Lobster Bar, Zundo, etc. Out of the many places we have spent together for date night, I would have to say our favorite place has been Condado! We love the create-your-own tacos and the chips and queso are amazing! The atmosphere is also equally awesome and we can’t wait until it gets warmer to hang out on The Banks with the openness of the restaurant!” — Dawn Rapp and Danny Goins Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Maize 1438 Race St., Over-the-Rhine ”Maize in OTR — it’s delicious and (we) love the atmosphere, especially sitting in the window seat and people watching everyone walking down the street.” — Cynthia Rose Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sotto 118 E. Sixth St., Downtown ”My go-to date spot is Sotto. The food and cocktails are phenomenal, with a constantly changing menu. The service is next level with a very intelligent waitstaff and always consistent. And the desserts, oh wow!” — Ben Groh Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Eden Park Overlook 950 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams ”My favorite date spot is at the overlook at Eden Park. My boyfriend Zach and I lived nearby when we first moved to Cincinnati, so now it’s sentimental for us as well as being one of the most beautiful spots in Cincinnati. Our go-to date is picking up some ‘turtles’ from Gomez Salsa in Walnut Hills and heading up to the top of the hill to look out across the Ohio River.” — Sarah Smith Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Incline Public House 2601 W. Eighth St., Price Hill ”Why it’s special: Corey, my husband, proposed to me at the park that is right beside the restaurant, then we went to dinner there. We were expecting our daughter and under a lot of stress at the time due to our jobs and life in general, and I never forget the comfort that I felt that day. We love going to ICPH. It’s comfortable, clean and cozy.” — Sally Stewart and Corey Willard Photo via Facebook.com/InclinePublicHouse
Oakley Wines 4011 Allston St., Oakley ”My boyfriend and I love to go to Oakley Wines on Friday nights for their Friday wine tasting! The cozy atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable bartenders, and great price ($10 to taste five wines) make for the perfect date spot!” — Katelyn Melgar Photo via Facebook.com/OakleyWines
Taft’s Brewpourium 4831 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village ”My name is Christina Zaffiro and my new fiancé’s name is Patrick O’Donnell. We just got engaged right before New Year’s! Anyway, our favorite date spot(s) is two fold. We are big fans of pizza and city views so we like to go to Incline Public House. It is where we went for the first time he took me out for my birthday, so it’s special to us. We also are big fans of breweries and so we often go to Taft’s Brewporium to play games and eat pizza with a yummy beer!” — Christina Zaffiro and Patrick O’Donnell Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Bakersfield 1213 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine ”We usually only go for special occasions because we both love a good margarita and yummy food to go with it. Bakersfield is amazing but we would literally go broke if we went as often as we’d like. Tacos and margs are always a sure recipe for a winning date night in our book!” — Acacia and Jody Roach Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Wiedemann Brewing 411 Vine St., Saint Bernard ”Wiedemann Brewery, of course! Because my wife and I practically live here anyway, and thanks to its history as a 100-year-old funeral home, it’s the coziest taproom in town.” — Jon Newberry (co-founder of Wiedemann Brewing Co.) Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Chart House 405 Riverboat Row, Newport ”It is our favorite place because we like to be on the water, the ambiance is nice and they will print a menu with your name on it. For example, mine will say ‘Happy Birthday, Colleen.’ The food is usually very good and it is a place that requires you to dress up. We go two to three times a year for special occasions.” — Colleen Wegman and Remy Yunker Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Cincinnati Art Museum 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams ”I’m super biased but my fave date spot is the Cincinnati Art Museum! My husband, Tom Dunne, and I had our first date ever here at CAM (in 2006). We ended up having our wedding here (in 2009). And I’ve been working here since 2014. So… yeah. I’m a big fan and think it is SUPER romantic here.” — Jill (CAM’s Director of Marketing and Communications) and Tom Dunne Photo: Catie Viox
Bard’s Burgers & Chili 3620 Decoursey Ave., Covington ”We visit this place often, sometimes before going to a movie, sometimes after. Friendly place, delicious burgers and curds, just what we like.” — Larry Varney Photo via Facebook.com/BardsBurgers
Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse 700 Walnut St., Downtown ”I would have to say my favorite date spot is Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse downtown. It seems I have celebrated so many special occasions there over the years whether it be birthdays, anniversaries or just a much needed night out. It makes me feel happy and special to go there. And the Potatoes Anna is a gift from God!” — John Swartzel Photo: Paige Deglow Photo: Paige Deglow
Butcher and Barrel 700 Race St., Downtown ”My husband and I love to go to Butcher and Barrel before we see a show/play downtown. We live in Oxford and it is our favorite place to eat when we head downtown for a ‘big’ night out! The food there is fantastic and their drinks are awesome.” — Jennifer and Mike Marston Photo via Facebook.com/ButcherandBarrel
The Eagle 1342 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine ”Our favorite date spot is The Eagle in OTR. We love it because it’s just delicious home cooking with amazing fried chicken, their awesome mac and cheese and a great place to have a beer. If we just want to take a break from the work week or celebrate the little wins we can get in life, this is the place we do it at and get to enjoy being with each other.” — Arthur and Melissa Photo: Paige Deglow
Restaurant L 301 E. Fourth St., Downtown ”For a major event (anniversary), nothing beats Restaurant L.” — Mike Seidenman Photo via lcincinnati.com
Red Feather 3200 Madison Road, Oakley ”My wife and I always like to go to the Red Feather for special occasions and those occasional ‘date’ nights. Food is great and the staff is friendly and helpful.” — Stefan Olson Photo via Facebook.com/RedFeatherKitchen
Primavista 810 Matson Place, East Price Hill ”To me, by far the most romantic restaurant in the city is Primavista. Because Italian food is always everybody’s favorite food and their food is of course delicious! But the reason why this restaurant is so special is by far it has the best view in Cincinnati. The view and the coziness of the restaurant make it very romantic to me!” — Kelly Lutz Photo via Facebook.com/PrimavistaRestaurant
Jag’s Steak and Seafood 5980 West Chester Road, West Chester ”My favorite date spot is Jag’s Steak and Seafood in West Chester. The food is amazing! Service is always great and it’s no surprise it was recently named among the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America. The dining rooms are beautiful! I find it especially romantic because it’s where my husband surprised me with a diamond ring during one of our date nights. It’s my absolute favorite restaurant in the city — hands down!” — Carrie Walsh Photo via Facebook.com/JagsSteakandSeafood
Knotty Pine on the Bayou 6302 Licking Pike, Cold Spring ”Our go-to date spot is Knotty Pine in Cold Spring. It is a nice, little intimate place where we can carry a conversation without speaking loudly. The food is delicious and Jessica is a big fan of the half-price wine Wednesdays!” — Karl Tupman and Jessica Puckett Photo via Facebook.com/KnottyPineontheBayou Photo: Facebook.com/KnottyPineontheBayou
Habanero 358 Ludlow Ave., Clifton ”I first introduced Nick to Habs, as we affectionately call it, with an ulterior motive. I’d recently bought my first house in Clifton after growing up in the neighborhood. I wanted to show him how awesome living in Clifton was, so he might consider leaving Northern Kentucky one day. We love going on Taco Tuesday for $2 tacos and Dos Equis or getting punches on our burrito card any other day of the week, especially now that he is officially a Gaslight Clifton resident with me!” — Sophia Melnyk and Nick Gregg Photo via Facebook.com/Habanero
Ché 1342 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine ”My favorite date spot is Ché in OTR. I love going to Ché because of the atmosphere. When the weather is nice, it’s so beautiful to sit on the back patio, while the strung lights are glistening under the moonlight. It creates a romantic ambiance. It’s a fun and great place to hang out even with friends just sitting around the fire pit having drinks.” — Mary Moss Photo via Facebook.com/CheCincinnati
Abigail Street 1214 Vine St., Downtown ”My name is Molly Acree, and my husband and I consider Abigail Street our favorite date spot in Cincinnati. The menu itself, shared plates and carafes of wine, creates an intimate experience, and the service is always exceptional. Often we’ll choose seats at the bar — where we can sit closer together and ask more questions of the staff — over a table. It’s an under-appreciated gem of downtown!” — Molly and Brad Acree Photo: Paige Deglow
Symphony Hotel & Restaurant 210 W. 14th St., Downtown ”Symphony Hotel because it has a cool atmosphere, good food and Jazz.” — Kathy Kirschner Photo via Facebook.com/SymphonyHotel
Dee Felice Cafe 529 Main St., Covington ”We love the atmosphere, the dimly lit rooms, the cocktails, the ravioli appetizer, the impeccable service and the music. Nothing says romance like a dimly lit restaurant playing Jazz behind the bar! We especially love it when it’s raining out and just looking out the windows; it seems so cozy! We had our engagement pictures taken there, so romantic! And now that we’re two kids into it, it’s our go-to special date night place.” — Beth and Matt Hanson Photo via Facebook.com/DeeFelice
Boca 114 E. Sixth St., Downtown ”There is one restaurant in Cincinnati that is our favorite date spot and holds a dear place in our hearts. That place is Boca. The romantic atmosphere, superb service and delicious food make for a perfect evening. One of the reasons it is so special is that my wife proposed to me there, after arranging the plans with the staff before our arrival. The staff made the night all about us, almost like there was no one else in the restaurant.” — Amy Dunlea and Lois Mannon Photo: Paige Deglow
Seasons 52 3819 Edwards Road, Norwood ”We love Seasons 52 in a booth in the bar! Intimate, excellent service, delicious menu and the best New Old Fashioned in the city!” — Barbara Lind Photo via Facebook.com/Season52Cincinnati
Revolution Rotisserie 1106 Race St., Over-the-Rhine “Revolution Rotisserie is where we had our first lunch date three years ago. We love that it’s a little off the beaten path and kind of a hidden gem in OTR, and their food and drink options are always great!” — David McKinney and Angie Saunders Photo via Facebook.com/RevolutionRotisserie
Bronte Bistro Joseph-Beth, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood ”Our favorite date spot was La Petite Pierre in Madeira because the food was always amazing and it was a small, intimate restaurant. It closed recently so our new favorite date spot is Bronte Bistro at Joseph-Beth. It’s also a small, intimate restaurant, and their menu has something for everyone. Everything tastes like it is made fresh, and we love that they have a quiche of the day!” — Christen Browne Photo via Facebook.com/BronteBistro
The Melting Pot 11023 Montgomery Road, Montgomery ”One of our favorite places we have been is The Melting Pot. We went there for our anniversary and it was so intimate and romantic. The setting was perfect — calm and the soft mood lighting. The whole presentation of food is amazing and the taste matched the presentation. Unfortunately we have only been one time after our anniversary but would recommend The Melting pot for a wonderful romantic evening out.” — Jill Becker Photo: Provided
Silver Spring House 8322 E. Kemper Road, Sharonville “My boyfriend and I love going to The Silver Spring House. We went on our first date there and it remains our fave. The food is great, the prices are reasonable and we like to support local businesses whenever we can.” — Linda Bertaso Photo via Facebook.com/SilverSpringHouse