Serving casual food and live music on the weekends, this is considered the oldest running bar in Cincinnati which has been open since 1861. The bar and restaurant encompasses two buildings in downtown from the 1840s and offers a wonderful outdoor courtyard.

This is not your typical Irish pub because its Scottish (remember if its not Scottish its crap). From the kilt wearing waiters to the decor, this pub offers hearty food from fried fish to meat pies. Right across from the Aronoff Center in downtown, it can be hard to get a table during when the center has performances.

Now with 4 locations throughout the city, the original Dewey’s pizza is located on Oakley Square on Madison Road. Gourmet ingredients and “perfected” dough are key to making this pizza supreme. Also try their salads and my favorite dressing “Roasted Red Pepper”.

Don’t expect a gourmet meal but just good down-to- earth burgers and fries. This little bar is located in Mt. Lookout, a quaint neighborhood with a mixture of architectural styles from the early 1900s.

Ok, I’ll confess that I have never eaten here but after reading load of reviews, I want to eat here. It opened up after I moved away by the former chef from The Maisonette. Now rated with 4 stars from Mobile, this restaurant has impeccable French cuisine and ambiance.

For a night out with live music, Allyn’s Cafe is the place to go. Featuring a mixture of Cajun and Mexican foods, the food is simple, cheap and good. Parking sucks so either carpool or plan to walk several blocks.

No visit to Cincinnati is without a trip to Montgomery Inn, a famous rib restaurant with its own unique barbeque sauce (you can purchase the sauce in any local grocery store). The original restaurant is located in the suburb of Montgomery, but I prefer the downtown location above the Olympic rowing center. The restaurant is full of sports memorabilia and has fantastic views of the river and surrounding area.

Tucked away in the turn-of-the century O’Bryonville neighborhood, this pastry shop offers cakes, sweets and pastries. Don’t miss breakfast in the Tearoom.

Whenever someone mentions ice cream and Cincinnati, Graeter’s is the first word that comes to mind. Started during the late 1800s by German immigrants, Graeters has morphed to include dozens of locations around town. My favorite location is in Hyde Park which opened in 1922 and still retains its original parlor charm; enjoy a scope while wondering around the square. BTW, they use large chunks of chocolate instead of little itty bitty chips so try anything with chocolate. Yum.

With two locations in town, the Oakley ice cream parlor is the one to go to. It was opened in 1908 and still features the original tile, marble bar and fountain. Not to mention the ice cream is delicious. I have a hard-time picking whether I like Algamesis or Graeter’s better.