Alright guys lets get some feedback.  Cincinnati has some fantastic business districts within its neighborhoods, what are your favorite.  Feel free to rank them.  Really the only disclaimer I have is to keep it to neighborhoods excluding downtown and suburbs don't count. 

 

Don't rank them based on your favorite neighborhood, rank them based on your favorite business district.  Feel free to expand on why you like some better than others.

 

1. Mt. Adams - Love the views, density, sushi options and atmosphere of the bars.  One of my favorite paintings is located at Mt. Adams Bar & Grill.

2. Hyde Park - Graeters & the Park, nuff said.  This is the best place to eat ice cream in the city.

3. Clifton - Ethnic restaurants, eclectic stores, great theatre... Ludlow has a great vibe.

4. Northside - gritty New York feel.  Shake-It records

5. Pleasant Ridge - from Everybody's Records, Pleasant Perk, Irish Pub, etc...  This business district has a nice variety

6. Over-the-Rhine (Main Street) - Great bar & club district, architecture is phenomenal

7. Clifton Heights - Bearcats Row...  Nice walkable district of restaurants & cheap eats

8. Mt. Lookout - The lack of visual appeal knocks it down a bit.  Mt. Lookout Cinema needs a new marquee but this square has a great variety from Zip's, Sushi Ray's to a couple of decent bars.

9. Oakley - Oakley is a neighborhood on the rise and the store fronts of Oakley have been filling fast but the district is a little broken. a CVS, Skyline and a few other places have broken up the continuity of the square.  Aglamesis is definitely a treat.

10. East Walnut Hills (Woodburn) - A district that I haven't spent much time in but I love the dense buildings and European feel of the intersection.

11. Evanston (O'Bryonville) - Nice pub, shopping caters to women more than men.  Nice setting for a walk but it doesn't offer much to me.

12. Coreyville (Short Vine) - Has so much potential, too many cell phone stores.  Bogart's makes this district shine though

13. West Price Hill - Glenway Avenue gives me nightmares although I do love Price Hill Chili. 

14. Walnut Hills - so much potential but this district is very unfriendly to people with cameras and the grit isn't appealing like Northside.  I got a few choice comments about talking photos there.

15. Camp Washington - Camp Washington rounds out my Top 15 because of Camp Washington Chili

My favorite?  College Hill.  It has the best food in their "downtown" and one of the more active ones.

 

In terms of look, no one can mess with Over-the-Rhine's numerous ones.

 

Overall best?  Ludlow, Northside, Glenway, Calhoun-Clifton Heights, Hyde Park Square, Mt. Lookout Square, and St. Gregory Street are all good choices. 

 

Architecturally underrated?  Woodburn.

1. Northside - For some reason, even though Northside is urban plunge at its best, it still has a lot of character.  Really trivial I guess, but I like the way Hamilton ave. winds around as your driving through it, its a nice effect. I don't understand how Northside has become such a fashion statement with people's bumper stickers, yet there's still so much of it thats deteriorating.  If there's any neighborhood I want to see look as remodeled as Mt. Adams, it's this one!

2. Mt. Adams - Although I'm slightly too young to appreciate the bar scene just yet, I love the diversity in architecture and just overall quality of its gentrification.  You look at Mt. Adams and realize what great things Cincinnati is capable of.  It's really inspiring.  Its also has the best UDF in the entire city.

3. OTR - Historical value, architecture and economic importance of the geographical location automatically give Main street and OTR period a high spot on the totem pole.

4. Hyde Park - I love the little park/square whatever it's called in the middle and I think it's cool how they hold  events/shows there. It really gives you a real sense of community, something that I think is important.  I also like the really tall buildings with the staircases.  I've never been to any of the shops in this area but I would if I had a reason to.

5. Ludlow - Graeters, Indie movie theater where I recently saw Sarah Silverman -Jesus is magic.  (Occasional) live music giving it a big city feel.  I love everything about this street except the IGA because It looks out of place and  hate paying so much for groceries there, plus it jus has a depressing vibe inside.  Ambar is my favorite restaurant on this street, I highly recommend it. Skyline conveniently has their own free parking right behind but it's so damp inside and the glass windows are always fogged...I don't know how that place isn't crawling with mold everyday. Ludlow also has a few really good stores that are perfect for when you are looking for unique gift ideas.

6. Pleasant Ridge - I used to live there, and still go to Gas Light and Pleasant Ridge Chili despite the long wait for food at both places.  You will NEVER get gravy cheese fries that are as good as the one at PRC.  Hopefully the new Dubliner will be as great as the old one or better because that was a huge landmark for P-Ridge and it's hard to find live celtic music.  Everybody's records is a great independent record store, I have a lot of hard to find cds that I couldn't find anywhere else besides there.

7. Short Vine - I live in Clifton so I go there sometimes to Bogarts, Sudsys, Happy Wok-really dirty inside but their food is really good and cheap.  Its funny, the eclectic mix of people you will see on this street.

8. Mt. Lookout - Mt. Lookout has a nice inviting country feel to it.  It just seems to have a really calm atmosphere.

9. Oakley - 20th century theater, lots of independent businesses, newly paved wide road (Madison) wih an island making it easy to do a U-Turn :) .  Kona and Deweys are awesome but I parked in Subway's parking lot to go there and they towed it within 5 minutes of me being gone, so thanks to Kenwood towing (asshole rip-off artists) and me not looking at signs, I have a bad association with it.

10. Price Hill/Glenway - People say that at one point Price Hill was a great neighborhood.  I like the part before it forks at st. lawrence, although no one really shops around there unless they have to.  St. Lawrence church is a great looking church.

11. East Walnut Hills - Woodburn has great architecture in my opinion. This is the type of place I would want to jog through.

 

Definitely Ludlow for me.  And actually, the IGA is a key to that.  I used to live right on Ludlow at Whitfield, and nothing was cooler than walking to IGA to get that evening's food, stopping at Ludlow Wines on the way back to get a new recommendation from John, then walking back and grilling something tasty on the front lawn while watching the traffic go by...or walking to dinner and a movie, seeing all the people...any nice day, it's constantly occupied with people - walking, hanging out, it's just people-packed, and so welcoming and beautiful.  I've never had an experience like it any other business district...I guess Hyde Park and Mt. Adams, but it's so young and vibrant and eclectic...anyway, definitely my favorite...

I agree Riverviewer, I actually love that IGA.  It helps make Clifton one of the better business district because they have an urban grocery store in the district. 

1. Ludlow Ave, Clifton to Middleton.  By far the most successful area.

2. Hamilton Ave, in Northside, from Pullan to Knowlton's corner.  Love it.

3. Harrison Ave, Westwood town hall area and through Cheviot.  What I grew up with .. still hanging on.

 

 

I haven't spent much time in Westwood.  I will need to check out that district.  What is the best reason for someone to go there?

Rank in order:

 

1. Clifton

2. OTR

3. Mt. Adams

Top Three:

 

1.  Northside

2.  Ludlow

3.  Cheviot (westside flavor)

i know its typical, but my favorite is Mt. Adams' St. Gregory Street.  Its just so charming and the fact that its set on a hill and the street slopes makes it that much better. 

Top Three:

 

1.  Northside

2.  Ludlow

3.  Cheviot (westside flavor)

 

Cheviot is a suburb, what would be your third favorite neighborhood  business district?

I like that neighborhood by UC around Duttenhoffers.  Maybe a bit too collegiate, but I like the gritty bohemian feel there.

 

Hyde Park is nice as is Mnt Lookout.  Hyde Park is a very nice upscale urban environment and is actually sort of special that way.  I like Mnt Lookout as its a real healthy neighborhood shopping area.

 

Ludlow in Clifton is pretty good...probably as close as Cincinnati gets to something like Bardstown Road in Louisville or Virginia Highlands in Atlanta.

 

Northside is too grungy.  I recall visiting that area around Crazy Ladys and it has some really dumpy abandoned storefronts.  I guess up the street to the north (sort of around the 5th Amendment and north) is better.

Jeff Northside is right up your alley ;)

 

Cheviot is a suburb, what would be your third favorite neighborhood  business district?

 

I meant the Harrison Ave. corridor that goes through Cheviot....and I believe it is considered to be a city not a suburb (City of Cheviot).....correct me if I'm wrong.

^A city can be a suburb.

I haven't spent much time in Westwood.  I will need to check out that district.  What is the best reason for someone to go there?

Westwood town hall, which is in the Cincinnati City limits is nice.  A mile or so down the road, in Cheviot proper, there is Maury's Tiny Cove.  Maury's is a classic steak house, and is a must visit for a nice evening dinner with a date.  I also like that Cheviot has everything a town center should have: hardware store, churches, accountants, dentists, reception halls, greasy spoons, bars, 5 and dimes, banks, city hall, soft serve ice cream, and a gun shop.  It is not all that scenic, but it is an active and functioning town center.  They have a kind of civic pride that is evident in the tidy houses and at events such as Harvest Home festival.

Cheviot is a suburb, what would be your third favorite neighborhood  business district?

 

I meant the Harrison Ave. corridor that goes through Cheviot....and I believe it is considered to be a city not a suburb (City of Cheviot).....correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yea man, practically all suburbs are cities or villages.  Cincy has a lot of township suburbs but has more city suburbs, mainly because the suburbs are often large in size and the cities are smaller.  What did you think a suburb was?

Hyde Park and Northside occupy opposite ends of the spectrum and are sentimental favorites for me. I grew up walking to Graeter's and buying baseball cards and candybars from the long gone drug store on the corner of Erie and Edwards. And I'm a descendant of Lingo, for whom the street off Hamilton is named. So I get a kick out of being in Cumminsville.

 

Oakley has been getting more and more interesting.

 

But when it comes to my favorite...

 

Ludlow has the IGA, Esquire, Skyline, and Graeter's. That's a pretty tough combo to beat. I'll give Clifton the nod. It'll be interesting to see what Calhoun/McMillan is like after all's said and done though.

1.  Northside, and getting better all the time.  Great mix of people and shops.

2.  Ludlow.  As said above Ludlow really has it all.

3.  O' Bryonville.  Very visually appealling.  Kinda pricey and not really my scene but they've done an excellent job and it really draws people in.

 

Yea man, practically all suburbs are cities or villages.  Cincy has a lot of township suburbs but has more city suburbs, mainly because the suburbs are often large in size and the cities are smaller.  What did you think a suburb was?

 

I first replied to this topic about my top three neighborhood business districts.  I was then told that Cheviot/Harrison Ave. did not count because it is a suburb.  It is very true that a suburb (an entire twp., city, village, whatever) could not be considered a neighborhood business district.

 

If the real question was what neighborhood WITHIN the city of Cincinnati then my original response would have been different.  But that is not what the question asked....a suburb is capable of having a neighborhood business district.

horosho - you wrote, "3.  O' Bryonville.  Very visually appealling.  Kinda pricey and not really my scene but they've done an excellent job and it really draws people in." - do you mean pricey as in the stores are pricey, or that it's pricey to live there?  Because if you just head a block north to Pogue, I'm sure there are plenty of affordable rental units available...there were when I lived there...

do you mean pricey as in the stores are pricey, or that it's pricey to live there?

Sorry about that, I meant the stores.  It's a nice little pedestrian oriented strip though.  Not a bad location as far as getting to anyplace in Cinci either.  I'll still take Northside though....

Definitely Ludlow for me.  And actually, the IGA is a key to that.  I used to live right on Ludlow at Whitfield, and nothing was cooler than walking to IGA to get that evening's food, stopping at Ludlow Wines on the way back to get a new recommendation from John, then walking back and grilling something tasty on the front lawn while watching the traffic go by...or walking to dinner and a movie, seeing all the people...any nice day, it's constantly occupied with people - walking, hanging out, it's just people-packed, and so welcoming and beautiful.  I've never had an experience like it any other business district...I guess Hyde Park and Mt. Adams, but it's so young and vibrant and eclectic...anyway, definitely my favorite...

 

Just about sums up my opionion plus I love the mix of people you can find someone from any segment of cincinnati.

I also love the IGA, I would rather pay alitle bit higher prices and not have to pay for gas, were and ter on the car(enviroment) stress of driving, and pain of a giant kroger. IMHO the iga is great its a shame every neighborhood dosnt have one.

I was going to post a pretty long piece, but with my computer issue I'll have to keep it short.  (I'm at the library.)

 

Northside wins for me, probably just because I find myself there most often.  I have to travel through it whenever I go towards downtown.

 

My bottom choices would be the auto-oriented business districts like Vine St. in Hartwell or Colerain Ave. in Mt. Airy.  Those are just awful.  Even beat-down strips like Bond Hill or Burnet Ave. in Avondale are better than those two, because at least they have potential.

Bond Hill is cool because it's not just reading road that they have a business district.  You can find businesses on paddock and 1 or 2 sidestreets in between paddock and reading. I love it.