The last few years have undoubtedly been a rough ride for many of Greater Cincinnati’s restaurants and bars. Even in 2024, rising food and rent costs, labor shortages, reverberating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation continue to create obstacles establishments have to face to keep the doors open and kitchens serving. And with a sudden slew of restaurants announcing closures in December alone, it’s clear that this harsh environment is still very much an issue. While Greater Cincinnati also welcomed quite a few new restaurants and bars this year, we’re going to miss these spots that have closed in 2024.

To see other restaurants that closed in Greater Cincinnati in 2024, browse our slideshow of the first half of the year’s restaurant and bar closings here.

Kitchen Factory Northside pizzeria Kitchen Factory announced in late August that it would be closing, citing challenges like unstable staffing, a harsh economy for restaurants and the complexity involved in creating their vegan menu items. While the pizzeria has closed, in September, owners Reese Burke and Dylan Pincus announced they would open a bagel shop in the space. However, no further details have been shared at this time. Photo: Emerson Swoger
Island Frydays 2826 Short Vine St., Corryville Season 21, Episode 4 Island Frydays is the definitive restaurant to break out of culinary monotony, featuring authentic Caribbean cuisine made by former University of Cincinnati football captain and Jamaica native Leo Morgan. Though the restaurant has a petite and unassuming interior, they pack a whole lot of flavor. Their Carribean jerk chicken and spicy snapper were approved by Fieri on the show. Photo via Facebook.com/IslandFridays Photo: facebook.com/IslandFrydays
Rich’s Proper Food and Drink Restaurateurs Bill and Morgan Whitlow announced on social media in December that they would be closing two of their Covington concepts: Rich’s Proper Food and Drink and Hangry Omar’s Slider Shack. “This decision was not made lightly and is no reflection on the amazing work of every single person on our team. This industry is HARD, and sometimes even the deepest dedication and hard work are not enough to sustain the journey,” the couple shared. Rich’s Proper opened on Covington’s Madison Avenue in 2018 and had since become known for its Southern-inspired dishes and extensive collection of bourbon. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hangry Omar’s Slider Shack The other of the two of the Whitlows’ closed concepts was the Covington Hangry Omar’s Slider Shack. This slider concept debuted in 2020 at the open-air food park Covington Yard and expanded to Oakley Greens in 2024. The Oakley location will so far remain open, as will the Whitlows’ other restaurant, Opal Rooftop Restaurant & Bar. Photo: facebook.com/hangryomars
Golden State Tacos Terrace Park taco stand and restaurant Golden State Tacos also closed in December, sharing in an Instagram story, “Sometimes things just don’t work out. We want to express our love and gratitude to everyone who supported us. Thank you so much.” Golden State Tacos opened in a redeveloped gas station in 2023, bringing laid-back, West Coast vibes to the east side of Greater Cincinnati. The menu featured various takes on Southern California staples like fish tacos, fresh and crunchy salads, hand-squeezed juice, esquites (street corn), nachos and carne asada. Photo: Catie Viox
Maize Over-the-Rhine Latin American restaurant Maize made the decision to close in early November after six years in business. “To our amazing team, past and present, thank you for your hard work and dedication. To our families, thank you for standing by us each step of the way. And to our guests, thank you for allowing us the privilege of serving you unforgettable moments, crafted with our signature SAZÓN,” the restaurant’s owner, Angel Batista, wrote on social media. But, Maize says it’s not a total goodbye: Many of its beloved dishes will be featured at its sister restaurant Americano, located at 545 Race St. downtown. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Numerous Frisch’s Big Boys Embattled Frisch’s Big Boy saw huge losses this year as it fought in court against evictions from its landlord, NNN Reit, which claimed the Cincinnati-based chain owed over $4.5 million in rent. Over 20 Greater Cincinnati Frisch’s restaurants have closed since October, with NNN Reit, including the historic and iconic Mainliner location in Fairfax. Frisch’s vows it’s here to stay though, as some locations independent of NNN Reit remain open and a team of senior Frisch’s managers acquired multiple locations and future brand development rights. Photo: Provided by Frisch's Big Boy
Wódka Bar This Over-the-Rhine’s Eastern European cocktail bar shuttered suddenly in September. In a social media post, owner Sarah Dworak explained that the bar had outgrown its small space and that was one of the reasons she had pursued opening her new restaurant, Sudova. Once Sudova opened, she said her team was spread too thin to make everything work and she was ready to close the Wódka Bar chapter of her life. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Taft’s Brewpourium In early December, Taft’s beer brand was acquired by Cincinnati Beverage Company, best known for producing local beer brands like Hudepohl, Little Kings and Christian Moerlein. Taft’s says this change means its beer will still be available for purchase, but it will be closing its Taft’s Brewpourium in Spring Grove Village after Sunday, Dec. 29. “We truly love Taft’s. It has been an incredible labor of love for over a decade. We’re beyond thrilled to keep Taft’s beers alive via Cincinnati Beverage and ensure these brews continue to be available to you throughout the city. A very special thank you to our long standing fans, friends, the city of Cincinnati and all who shared in the enjoyment of good beer together with us. We hope to see all of you in the coming weeks as we say a heartfelt farewell to the taproom,” the company shared on social media. The closure and acquisition further highlight the struggles Taft’s has been facing following disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2023, it announced the closure of its flagship Taft’s Ale House in Over-the-Rhine, citing a significant loss in sales following the pandemic. This October, the company also announced it would be closing its Columbus Brewpourium, but did not give a reason why. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Honey Uninhibited Covington breakfast and brunch restaurant Honey Uninhibited, owned by former Cincinnati Bengals player Carlos Dunlap, shuttered abruptly in December. “This was not an easy decision for me. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish at Honey Covington and deeply grateful to my dedicated team and loyal [guests] who choose Honey. Unfortunately despite [our] best efforts to pivot and adapt, we will close our doors with gratitude and pride in what we built together,” Dunlap shared in an Instagram story. Honey Uninhibited opened in Covington’s Towers of River Center in June 2023, serving Southern-style breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes, including several that mixed in savory fare with a touch of honey sweetness. Prior to opening his location in Covington, Dunlap operated the same concept in Miami from 2019 to May 2023. Photo: facebook.com/Honey Uninhibited Covington
Oakley Kitchen Food Hall Oakley Kitchen permanently closed its food hall, which included vendors Ya Kat Mein, Herban Vegans, Ruthless Pizza, Carnivore & Sons Cheesteaks and La Vida’s Everything’s Cooking, this November. The food hall opened in 2021 as a space for events, as well as a home for incubator kitchens where area chefs and food entrepreneurs could have the opportunity to develop their ideas, skills and products. However, Oakley Kitchen said its upstairs events space will remain open, and they have upgrades planned to help improve guest experience. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
16 Lots Brewing Company After fundraising early in 2024 to keep its Newport Southern Outpost brewpub open, 16 Lots Brewing Company announced in November that it would have to close both its locations. The brewery said its landlord and bank tried to help support the business, but, in the end, it wasn’t sustainable. Photo: Sean M. Peters
Em’s Sourdough Em’s Sourdough owner Melissa Schroeder shared on Instagram this October that she would be closing her beloved Findlay Market stall. She didn’t share a reason for the closure, but wrote, in part, “After 8 years Em’s is closing. It was quite an adventure. I would like to thank our wonderful customers who brightened our day and were the reason that we were there. We will miss being a part of your holiday celebrations, your special dinners and seeing you on weekend mornings for breakfast Sammie’s!” Shortly after Schroeder’s announcement, Findlay Market opened up applications to find a new vendor for Em’s stall. Photo: Facebook.com/EmsBread
Deme Kitchen Downtown Chinese restaurant Deme Kitchen closed in June after owner Anna Choi said Duke Energy shut off the power over a billing issue. “I want to express my appreciation to all our customers who directly or indirectly supported us this four years. I believe good food always leaves good memory to people, and I hope people will not forget us and the Asian food that we served to every one of you. Please pray for us and we will see what God will bring us in the future!” In September, Choi shared on Facebook that she is looking for a new space for Deme Kitchen, but has not provided an update since. In early November, a new Asian restaurant, Harry & Shan, opened in the former Deme location. Photo: facebook.com/demekitchen
Comfort Station While speakeasy Comfort Station never made a formal announcement, its property was listed for lease in November, with a real estate listing reading, “This former cocktail bar in the heart of Walnut Hills offers a versatile canvas for a variety of business concepts. With an open layout, the space is ideal for hosting gatherings, live events, or transforming into an exciting new dining spot.” The bar opened in 2019 in a 1920s building that operated as a rest area and bathing house for that part of McMillan Street’s retail corridor. Owner Stuart King’s other bar, Sundry and Vice remains open in Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Red Feather Kitchen After over a decade in business, Oakley’s contemporary farm-to-table restaurant Red Feather Kitchen closed in December. “After an incredible 11 years, we’ve made the very difficult decision to close the doors to such a special place,” owner Brad Bernstein wrote. “During this time, we please ask you to remain kind to the Red Feather Family, as this has been such a hard decision to make.” Bernstein went on to thank his staff and customers for the support they’ve given the restaurant over the years. And while Bernstein didn’t say why the restaurant was closing in the post, he told the Cincinnati Enquirer that Red Feather experienced a drop in customers while also experiencing higher operating costs. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2024/12/16/red-feather-kitchen-oakley-restaurant-to-close/77010935007/ Photo: facebook.com/RedFeatherKitchen

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...