From cheese coneys to Big Boys, there are plenty of popular chain restaurants that have Cincinnati roots. And by “chain,” we mean any local restaurant with more than one location — not necessarily a big corporation or franchise situation. Just local businesses who have expanded beyond a single storefront. Note: This is not a comprehensive list of every Cincinnati chain.
Skyline Chili 3-Way Multiple Locations The history of Cincinnati-style chili goes back to the 1920s, when it was invented by Greek immigrants who used Mediterranean-inspired spices to create a meat sauce used initially to top hot dogs sold out of a cart. The beef-based sauce — it’s kind of like a runny pasta sauce with hints of cinnamon, chocolate and other spices — eventually became the key ingredient in the 3-way, a plate of pasta topped with chili, an unnecessary amount of shredded cheddar cheese and a side of oyster crackers. Adding onions to the 3-way makes it a 4-way; onions and beans make a 5-way. Local chain Skyline Chili was founded by Greek immigrant Nicholas Lambrinides in 1949, inspired by his mother’s family recipes from their hometown of Kastoria, Greece. In an eternal regional chili war, locals are divided over whether Skyline has the best chili and the other popular local chain, Gold Star, is for losers, or if it’s the other way around. You’ll find die-hard supporters of both. But if you want to go non-chain, there are more than 250 chili parlors in Cincinnati — restaurants big and small offering their own take on this regional favorite. Most people, however, start with Skyline. Photo via Facebook.com/SkylineChili Photo: Provided by Skyline
Photo: Facebook.com/4TomAndChee
Frisch’s Big Boy Multiple locations including 25 W. Fifth St., Downtown; 5760 Wooster Pike, Fairfax; 8383 Vine St., Hartwell Samuel Frisch opened the Frisch Café in 1905. His son, Dave left school to help the family business. Dave opened the Mainliner restaurant in 1939 as the city’s first year-round drive-in and named it after the first tri-motor passenger airplane; a replica of the plane is still on the location’s sign. In 1946 Dave met Bob Wian, who introduced him to a burger named the “Big Boy.” The rest is history. Photo: Catie Viox
Montgomery Inn 9440 Montgomery Road, Montgomery; 925 Riverside Drive, Downtown World-famous for its ribs, Montgomery Inn has been a staple in Cincinnati for more than 60 years. Along with ribs, the Inn offers barbecued spring chicken, silver salmon, pulled-pork sandwiches, burgers, salads and more, including everyone’s favorite: Saratoga chips served with their famous barbecue sauce. Photo: Paige Deglow
Photo: Facebook.com/Graeters
CityBird 1344 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 11309 Montgomery Road, Symmes Township; 7893 Beechmont Ave., Anderson; 2887 Dixie Highway, Crestview Hills The deep-fried offspring of The Eagle in OTR, CityBird dishes out cage-free, all-natural chicken paired with housemade craft sauces. CityBird’s “house-brined, fresh fried” chicken leans more toward tenderness than crispiness, but still packs a considerable punch. The Beechmont Avenue location even includes a drive-thru. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Holtman’s Donuts 1332 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 1399 State Route 28, Loveland; 3356 Madison Road, Oakley; 9558 Civic Centre Blvd., West Chester; 214 W. Main St., Williamsburg In September 2013, the Loveland-based Holtman’s Donuts opened an OTR location, complete with a window you can peer through and watch them make donuts, like the sensational maple bacon. Since their initial opening, they’ve opened up multiple additional locations. Homer Simpson would be so proud… and hungry. Photo: Provided by Holtman’s Donuts
Taste of Belgium Multiple locations including 16 West Freedom Way, The Banks; 1135 Vine St., Over The Rhine; 2845 Short Vine St., Corryville In 2007, Jean-François Flechet began baking Belgian waffles in the back end of a store at Findlay Market. Soon, he was told to find somewhere else to go because the store was too crowded. Now, it has expanded into multiple locations. Hot, fresh Belgian waffles are made from a thick dough and coarse Belgian beet sugar, which caramelizes on the cast iron press. Find the heavenly breakfast food topped with strawberries and cream or ricotta, or as the bread in a McWaffle sandwich (egg, gruyère and maple syrup). The crepe station prepares sweet and savory crepes. At dinner, the sophistication goes up a notch with mussels, steak frites and Belgian specialties. The shop also offers an exclusive selection of Belgian beers. Photo: Brittany Thornton
Larosa’s Multiple locations including 1250 W. Eighth St., Queensgate; 417 Madison Ave., Covington; 2717 Vine St., Clifton Are Cincinnati birthday parties without LaRosa’s even considered birthday parties? This chain of local pizzerias has been dishing up pies for more than 60 years, as well as pasta, salads, sandwiches and more. The sauce and crust are both a tiny bit sweet. Photo: Facebook.com/LaRosasPizzeria
Currito Multiple locations including 111 E. Fifth St., Downtown; 222 Calhoun St., Clifton; 3654 Edwards Road, Hyde Park In 2005, Joe and John Lanni founded Currito. Now, with locations in over seven states, Currito is the most expansive of the Lanni brothers’ Thunderdome concepts. Currito is a build-your-own burrito, bowl, salad and smoothie eatery that sources ingredients locally. Thunderdome Restaurant Group also includes Bakersfield, The Eagle, Krueger’s Tavern, CityBird, SoHi and Maplewood. Photo: Facebook.com/CurritoEats
Rooted Juicery + Kitchen 3010 Madison Road, Oakley; 6844 Wooster Pike, Mariemont; 17 E. Sixth St., Downtown; 113 W. Elder St., Over-the-Rhine From coolers housing a rainbow display of juices to vegan meal bowls to a mini bakery, Rooted is out to prove that plant-based eating offers a vast variety of flavors and quality options. The Mexican grain bowl (quinoa, black beans, guacamole, walnut crumble, cashew cheese) is a favorite in the bowl category. Everything is as locally sourced as possible and the Findlay Market location serves alcohol. Photo: Jesse Fox
Izzy’s Multiple locations including 800 Elm St., Downtown; 610 Main St., Downtown; 7625 Beechmont Ave., Anderson A Cincinnati tradition, Izzy’s serves a Reuben we can all be proud of. Sandwiches such as the Reuben-ator and the Izzy’s Mex showcase their delicious corned beef. Izzy’s has been around since 1901 thanks to Mr. Kadetz. Photo: Paige Deglow
Macaron Bar Multiple locations including 1206 Main St., Over-the-Rhine; 3431 Edwards Road; Hyde Park In the past, the closest thing Cincinnati had to Paris was the Eiffel Tower replica at Kings Island. Now we have Macaron Bar, a bakery and coffee shop specializing in the brightly colored French pastry, which offers traditional and seasonal macarons, with flavors like salted caramel, Earl Grey tea and pistachio. Founded in 2014, Macaron Bar has expanded into Indianapolis, Louisville and Pittsburgh. Photo: Provided by Macaron Bar
Quatman Cafe 224 W. Main St., Mason; 2434 Quatman Ave., Norwood Founded in 1966 by Albert Imm and Ken Talmage, this icon is known for cheeseburgers, chili, soup and cold beer. Quatman’s is a no-frills burger joint with two locations — an original in Norwood and a second in Mason — that has rotating daily specials between cheeseburgers and fries and other sandwiches. Another famous dish? Their mock turtle soup. Photo: Paige Deglow
Keystone Bar & Grill 313 Greenup St., Covington; 249 Calhoun St., Corryville Established in 2007 by Four Entertainment Group (4EG), this neighborhood joint offers a variety of tasty comfort food, like huge plates of pasta, a rockin’ quesadilla menu, build-your-own-burgers (including turkey or veggie options) and weekend brunch. But where it really shines is its macaroni and cheese menu: nine specialty selections of ooey, gooey carbs smothered in tasty dairy and named after famous bands, like the Fleetwood Mac with mozzarella, pesto and tomato. Photo: Kellie Coleman
Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse 700 Walnut St., Downtown; 325 W. Main St., Louisville; 89 E. Nationwide Blvd., Columbus; 300 Fouth Ave. N, Nashville; 101 W. Vine St., Lexington This local steakhouse by owner Jeff Ruby has been in the business of serving up top-notch eats for the past two decades. If you love steak you have about a zero-percent chance of being let down with one of Ruby’s — they dry-age their own. There are several non-steak options on the menu, including good seafood dishes, but the cow is king at Ruby’s. Photo: Facebook.com/JeffRubysSteakhouse
Richie’s Restaurant 1301 Linn St., Downtown; 110 Woolper Ave., Avondale; 4871 Reading Road, Bond Hill; 8265 Colerain Ave., Colerain Founded in 1986, Richie’s gives the people what they want: authentic soul food on-the-go. We’re talking fried chicken, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and the like. The prices are hard to beat, too. Richie’s also has a location in Lexington. Photo: Richie’s Chicken Facebook
Where she would stop for coffee: Coffee Emporium on Central Parkway Carrie is known to jauntily run/walk city blocks for what she needs. We can see her taking a morning walk to Coffee Emporium on Central Parkway, MacBook in tow, for a hot coffee and a round of people-watching. She’d likely be the best dressed there. Photo: Emerson Swoger
Busken Bakery Multiple locations including 2675 Madison Road, Hyde Park; 5345 Glenway Ave., West Price Hill; 7565 Kenwood Road, Kenwood Busken Bakery opened in 1928 and quickly became a Cincinnati staple with bakery counters in grocery stores, 24-hour drive-in bakeries and delicious donuts, bread and apple pies. Their award-winning baked goods can be found in Kroger, UDF and assorted bakeries around the city. Photo: Facebook.com/BuskenBakery
Aglamesis Bro’s 3046 Madison Road, Oakley; 9899 Montgomery Road, Montgomery A classic 1900s ice cream parlor at its best, wooing foodie visitors from all around the country with its unblemished reputation for quality. The Raspberry Hot Fudge and the Banana Classique shakes are chart-toppers. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Pub The Pub Crestview Hills, 2853 Dixie Highway, Edgewood; The Pub Rookwood, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood The Pub was recognized as having the best fish and chips in America by representatives of Greene King, the U.K.’s largest pub retailer and brewery, and Old Speckled Hen brewery — aka people from England who know their fish and chips. Nick Sanders, founder and CEO of Tavern Restaurant Group, which oversees The Pub — as well as deSha’s, Nicholson’s and Horse & Barrel — opened The Pub at Rookwood Mews in 2001. There are currently Pub locations in Tennessee and Florida. Photo: Provided by The Pub
Buffalo Wings & Rings Multiple locations including 4615 Factory Colony Lane, Oakley; 8377 Winton Road, Finneytown; 509 Ohio Pike, Beechmont Opened in 1984, this sports bar has experienced some significant expansion over the years, making its way all the way out to California and earning a national recognition as a top 40 food franchise, according to Franchise Business Review. This sports bar rivals Buffalo Wild Wings’ glorious TV collection. Oh, and its wings are pretty kick-ass, too. Photo: Facebook.com/WingsandRings
Wild Mike’s 4498 Harrison Ave., Bridgetown North; 5043 Delhi Pike, Delhi Hills; 7587 Bridgetown Road, Miami Heights This chain’s three locations boast a full menu with lots of tasty dishes, but its signature wings, which are considered to be some of the best around, are always a safe bet. The wing creation process is three fold: choose boneless or traditional, flavor and temperature. Can’t decide on one flavor? Try Mike’s Mix for a unique blend of them all. Photo: Wild Mike’s Facebook
Agave & Rye Multiple locations including 635 Madison Ave., Covington; 7125 Fountain View Drive, Liberty Township; 3825 Edwards Road, Rookwood Covington-based craft taqueria and tequila and bourbon hall Agave & Rye offers an “epic dining experience.” The taqueria has become rather popular since its inception in 2018. Diners flock to the restaurant to enjoy its vibrant murals and funky decor while chowing down on unique tacos, with proteins including kangaroo, duck, crab cakes, butter-poached lobster, crispy cauliflower, salt and pepper fries and fried chicken — in addition to more familiar bases like steak, pork carnitas and mahi mahi. They also offer an impressive selection of tequilas, bourbons and craft cocktails. Agave & Rye also has locations in Lexington, Louisville, Chattanooga, Huntsville, Troy and New Albany. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Strong’s Brick Oven Pizza Multiple locations including 10336 US 42, Union; 1990d Northbend Road, Hebron; 1 E. High St., Lawrenceburg; 8794 Reading Road, Reading; 336 Monmouth St., Newport Strong’s Brick Oven Pizza has become a local favorite since opening their first location in Newport in 2012. Known for their chewy, charred crust and flavorful sauce, they have been voted Northern Kentucky’s best pizza every year since 2014 by Northern Kentucky Magazine. Photo: Khoi Nguyen