These days, it's hard to find a good restaurant where you and a guest can eat without getting a sinking feeling in your stomach when the check arrives. When I say a good restaurant, I mean a place with excellent food, table service, a nice atmosphere and a reasonably priced beverage program. What I don't mean is a so-called "cheap eats" spot, where you can get an excellent but affordable burger, sandwich or taco, albeit without the great service or atmosphere.
While food prices, inflation and labor costs are still through the roof, some restaurants have figured out a way to offer surprisingly affordable menus, whether it's on their regular menus or through weekly specials.
Let's take a look at some top-notch restaurants in Greater Cincinnati that
offer reasonably priced, very good food. I've included some suggestions of the perfect occasion for each.
Keep in mind that prices are always subject to change.
A romantic date night at Luca Bistro, in Mount Adams
What's more romantic than a French bistro? Especially when it's located in one of the city's most romantic neighborhoods? (That'd be Mount Adams.) Since opening in 2022, Luca Bistro has become a neighborhood favorite thanks to a casual vibe that still feels upscale. Most entrees, including steak frites and sole meuniere, are priced between $21-$28, and all of the sides cost $5. There are also reasonably priced salads, soups and starters. Best of all, the food is so good! And you can get a nice glass of wine for $9. There's also a lovely outdoor patio that will make you feel like you're in the South of France. Luca doesn't take reservations. But no worries. You can tuck into the Blind Lemon or the historic Mount Adams Bar & Grill for a drink while you wait.
934 Hatch St., Mount Adams, 513-621-5822,lucabistro.com. Hours: 5-9 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.
Happy hour at The Davidson, Downtown
If you haven't been to happy hour at the Davidson yet, you're missing out. The French brasserie-style restaurant by Fountain Square offers bar snacks, including mushroom bisque Palomino, tuna tartare cones and fries, each for $5. Starters such as arancini, yellowfin tuna crudo and French onion dip are $10; and entrees, including their excellent burger, vodka rigatoni, grilled chicken sandwich, Italian chopped chicken paillard and pesto pasta, are just $15. Select wines and beers are $5, while select cocktails are $10. Best of all, this is a great looking restaurant that feels pricier than it is.
501 Vine St., Downtown, 513-263-1060, thedavidson.com. Hours: The happy hour menu is available at the bar only: 4-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Casual dinner at Sago, on Mount Lookout Square
If you consider yourself a true gourmet, why haven't you been to Sago yet? Chef Paul Liew grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Cantonese, Malay, South Indian, Southeast Asian and European influences collide. Liew's Nasi Lemak(the official dish of Malaysia) comes with beef rendang, a Malaysian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk, all for just $15.80. Other entrees are similarly priced, including barbecue pork noodles ($14.80) and roast chicken noodles ($13.80). A barbecue pork bun appetizer is $3 while a lamb samosa is $3.80. I doubt you will find such rich and filling food for such an affordable price anywhere in town. The service is always friendly and Sago's dining room is quite small, which only adds to the intimacy and fun of dining out here.
1004 Delta Ave., Mount Lookout, 513-321-0982, citrusandsago.net. Hours: 5-9:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday-Tuesday.
$5 burger night (with bluegrass) at Arnold's, Downtown
What's better than a big, fat burger and good live bluegrass in the cozy confines of a historic tavern? Arnold's offers all three during its $5 burger nights, which happen every Wednesday. You can also get $5 Sam Adams Light and $5 desserts, along with free live bluegrass. While a burger might not sound glamorous, the fact that you'll be eating it inside one of Cincinnati's oldest bars will make it feel like it is.
210 E. Eighth St., Downtown, 513-421-6234, arnoldsbarandgrill.com. Burger nights are from 3-10 p.m. Wednesdays. Reservations are recommended.
Post-shopping happy hour at Capital Grille, in Norwood
I know it's a chain, but if you're looking for a bargain at a fancy-schmancy restaurant, Capital Grille, located across the street from Rookwood Commons & Pavilion, has an impressive happy hour. Its Lounge Plate selections run $8-$16 and include petit filet sliders, oysters casino and a sliced dry-aged New York strip. Wines by the glass are $8 and a large selection of cocktails cost $10, a price I haven't seen since the early aughts.
3821 Edwards Road, Norwood, 513-351-0814, thecapitalgrille.com. Happy Hour: 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Bolo night at Forno (Montgomery and Hyde Park) or Nicola's (Pendleton)
Three of restaurateur Cristian Pietoso's Cincinnati restaurants offer a special Bolognese special one night of the week. On Mondays, Nicola's, in Pendleton, offers tagliatelle Bolognese with a field green salad and Allez bread for $17. And on Tuesdays, Forno, with locations in Hyde Park and Montgomery, offers the same combo for $16. Dine-in only.
Nicola's is located at 1420 Sycamore St., Pendleton, 513-721-6100, nicolasotr.com. Bolo night takes place from 5-10 p.m. Mondays. Forno has two locations, at 3514 Erie Ave, Hyde Park, 513-818-8720, and 3415 Montgomery Road, Montgomery, 513-231-5555. Bolo night takes place 4-10 p.m. Tuesdays. fornoosteriabar.com.
Lunch with a friend at Dean's Mediterranean Table, Northside
The new-ish offshoot restaurant of Dean's Mediterranean Imports at Findlay Market offers big (very delicious) portions at affordable prices. A simmering bowl of braised lamb shank tagine is just $18; platters with your choice of falafel, kafta, chicken or chickpeas are served with rice and vegetables for $12-$18; shakshuka with red peppers is $12, and house-made flatbreads topped with lamb merguez, spinach and artichokes, fig and feta or lebne and lemon are $10-$12. There's also an ample hot and cold mezze platter for two that's a very reasonable $32. You can enjoy all of them in this elegant cafe that feels like it should be more pricey than it is.
4024 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-541-0064, mediterraneanimports.com. Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 am.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.
Try Uzbek food at Chaykhana N1, West Chester Township
While it's located in a nondescript strip mall, Chaykhana is a very nice restaurant inside. The menu features traditional Uzbek dishes such as a generous helping of lagman stew ($19.49), a magical mixture of hand-pulled noodles with shredded beef and vegetables in a homemade tomato sauce topped with fresh herbs. There's also borscht ($10.99) with beef and vegetables; shurpa ($10.99), a beef and vegetable soup with chickpeas, carrots, potatoes and onions; and plov ($19.99), a rice pilaf that is considered Uzbekistan’s national dish. Here it's mixed with garlic and vegetables and topped with shredded beef and lamb with a few hard-boiled quail eggs on the side. It's a filling dish, so prepare to have some leftovers.
9536 Cincinnati Columbus Road (inside the Dimmick Plaza Shopping Center), West Chester Township, 513-755-0596. Open 24 hours, seven days a week.
Cocktails and small plates at Mid-City Restaurant, Downtown
Mid-City offers a choose-your-own-adventure menu of small plates that let's you eat more intuitively than other restaurants do. Order the Agedashi tofu in tsuyu broth ($10) and a mushroom and crab crepe ($13). And if you're still hungry, order more. No pressure. A petit steak with pork cracklins is $18, while the skipper (a very good burger topped with lettuce, cheese, pickles and peanut butter) is $11. If you wanna go big, Mid-City offers three sizes of the sharable Mid-City platter with bratwurst, porchetta, franks, potato, sauerkraut for $20, $36 or $54 depending on the number of guests.
40 E. Court St., Downtown, midcitycinti.com. Hours: 5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday-Tuesday.
Dinner with the family at Pepp & Dolores, Over-the-Rhine
There's a reason it's so hard to get into this uber-popular Italian restaurant. Yes, it's fancy and it's in OTR. Yes, it will make you feel like you're enjoying a big night out. The surprise is that most of the pasta dishes are under $20. Small plates like eggplant involtini with house made tomato sauce, braised pork or meatballs are under $12. And my favorite side, the very rustic, very Italian grandma-style beans and greens, is only $8. You can order a house red or a house white for nine bucks. Both are on-point.
1501 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-419-1820, peppanddolores.com. Hours: 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 10 restaurants where you can eat top-notch food on a budget
