Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of CincinnatiĀ®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are the coolest and which shops are your best bet for dropping a pretty penny. While the entree may be the star of any meal, let’s not forget about all the heavy lifting the humble sides do to round everything out ā€” especially the beloved and often-opted-for French fries.

To celebrate this savory spud dish ā€” whether it be served as thick-cut Pommes Frites or thin shoestrings or topped with gravy and cheese ā€” we’re looking at the Greater Cincinnati restaurants that serve up the best plates of French fries, according to our readers. Keep scrolling to see where you can get some amazing fries in Cincinnati.

No. 10 Best French Fries: CityBird Multiple locations What to order with your fries: An order of the chicken tenders (4, 6, 8 or 10) with a cup of the Lemon Thyme Ranch for dipping goes perfectly with these herb-and-parmesan-dusted shoestring fries. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
No. 9 Best French Fries: Nine Giant Brewpub 6095 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge What to order with your fries: Split a plate of the shareable Pommes Frites with your table and enjoy alongside the NG Burger (Avril Bleh Angus beef, secret sauce, pickles, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, cheddar and caramelized mustard on a toasted challah bun). Photo: facebook.com/NineGiant
Senate Blue Ash 1100 Summit Place Drive, Blue Ash Summit Park’s Senate is a suburban location of the OTR-based favorite for glammed-up hot dog creations. The eatery offers an expansive outdoor patio that overlooks the park. Photo: Catie Viox Photo: Catie Viox
No. 7 Best French Fries: Gold Star Chili Multiple locations What to order with your fries: If you want to do a more traditional Cincinnati chili parlor order, get the fries under a heap of Gold Star chili and cheddar. But this chainā€™s burgers are also a great main dish. Photo: facebook.com/goldstarchili
Northside Yacht Club 4231 Spring Grove Ave., Northside A little bit naughty nautical, a little bit rock ā€˜n roll, Northside Yacht Club is the perfect, chill spot to kick your feet up with a drink and a plate of something greasy and delicious. The landlocked yacht club serves up classics like sandwiches, burgers, wings and fries, as well as vegan and gluten-free options. They also have an extensive craft cocktail list ā€“ including their infamous peanut butter tequila shooter ā€“ as well as brunch during the weekend. Photo: facebook.com/NorthsideYachtClub
No. 6 Best Veggie Burger: Taste of Belgium Multiple locations including 1135 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Photo: Hailey Bollinger
No. 4 Best French Fries: Tuba Baking Co. 517 Sixth Ave., Dayton, Ky. What to order with your fries: The Schnitzel Sandwich, a sourdough pretzel-encrusted chicken thigh with red cabbage slaw and pickles on a potato bun. Photo: facebook.com/tubabakingco
No. 8 Overall Burger: Bard’s Burgers & Chili 3620 Decoursey Ave., Latonia So, you like burgers but do you really love burgers? Located in a former chili parlor in Latonia, Bard’s specializes in both burgers and Cincinnati-style chili (hence the name). Burgers are made with fresh, never-frozen ground chuck, infused with spices, seared on a flattop and served on a toasted bun. Their Chili Cheese Burger is made with their own Cincinnati-style chili and topped with American cheese, lettuce, pickle and mayo; the Purist strips it down to just beef and the bun; and the Donut Burger comes topped with American cheese, lettuce, pickle and mayo on a donut bun from neighboring Moonrise Doughnuts (add bacon and make it a 5.0 Burger). But if you want to go big, like really big — and we’re not just talking deep-fried Twinkie big (also on the menu) — Bard’s offers the Bardzilla Challenge. For this food feat, diners must eat an 11-patty Bardzilla burger (each topped with cheese and weighing in at one-third of a pound), plus two pounds of fries in 60 minutes or less. Also voted one of the Top 3 Best Neighborhood Burger Spots (NKY). Bardzilla Challenge | Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
No. 1 Overall Best Burger (Non-Chain): Zipā€™s Cafe 1036 Delta Ave., Mt. Lookout Photo: Hailey Bollinger
No. 1 Best French Fries: Penn Station Multiple locations What to order with your fries: The classic Cheesteak ā€” the way God intended. Photo: facebook.com/pennstation