April 1, 200817 yr 13 bars, carryouts in trouble BY JANE PRENDERGAST | [email protected] Cincinnati’s annual debate over liquor license renewals begins today. City police and prosecutors prepared a list of 13 bars and carry outs against which they plan to present cases for license revocation to the Ohio Department of Liquor Control. At city council’s neighborhoods committee council members will listen to testimony from neighbors, police and owners. Here's the list of 13 bars and carryouts Cincinnati City Council's neighborhoods committee will start taking testimony about at 6 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers, third floor, City Hall, 801 Plum St.: Reflections Jazz Lounge, 1707 Blue Rock Road, Northside First Note Café, 1235 Chapel St., Walnut Hills Convenient (a.k.a. Reem) Market, 3222 McHenry Ave., Westwood Don's Deli, 1500 Beech Ave., West Price Hill Don's Corner Pub, 5077 Glenway Ave., West Price Hill Curnayn's Tavern, 4515 Eighth St., West Price Hill Overlook Express, 811 Overlook Ave., West Price Hill Jordan Market, 1200 Main St., Over-the-Rhine Deli on 12th, 500 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine West Court Deli, 28 W. Court St., downtown Queen Ann Grill & Bar, 2141 Central Ave., West End Sam's Market, 1900 Linn St., West End Martin's, 111 E. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine
April 1, 200817 yr "I would love to be able to have Goodies in different locations and be a part of economic development in all other cities," she said. "It's the concept of an urban, contemporary barbecue that doesn't take its price point out of the neighborhood, a place that people can feel comfortable in." ch'eah!
April 1, 200817 yr A question for those that live downtown. A buddy of mine called me late last night after several post Opening Day celebrations and asked me where he could get a bite to eat downtown after the bars close at 2 AM. I'm ashamed to say I wasn't able to give him a good answer. What are the best places to grab some late night food?
April 1, 200817 yr That little pizza carryout on Vine around the corner from Madonna's might be open after 2. Isn't Shanghai Mama's open until 4?
April 2, 200817 yr I checked out Balboa's (7th & Vine) the other day ... the pizza was pretty damn good. They're emphasis is on Philly food, with philly cheesestakes with cheesewiz and Tastycakes. Ummm ... They told me that they are having slices of pizza for only a buck for opening day! Everyone go down and support this awesome new place! Thursday-Sunday, they're open until 4 am.
April 3, 200817 yr Sad news, it was a great spot. Event goes on at Pike Street Press BY MIKE RUTLEDGE | [email protected] Wednesday, April 2, 2008 COVINGTON – Saturday’s Discover Covington show of buildings and homes will go on, even though one of its primary sponsors, the Pike Street Press, plans to close later the same day, organizers said. Pike Street Press, an upscale sandwich and coffee shop at 222 Pike St., in the Covington Arts District, announced Tuesday it is closing 4 p.m. Saturday. The reason, according to a news release: “It’s the economy, stupid.” No link available for full article.
April 3, 200817 yr Here We Go! Thursday, April 3, 2008 - 8:25 AM EDT Bootsy Collins, Jeff Ruby set Cincinnati nightclub plans Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Lisa Biank Fasig Staff reporter Restaurateur Jeff Ruby and funk bassist Bootsy Collins unveiled plans Thursday for a downtown Cincinnati restaurant and nightclub, capping more than a year of deliberations. The destination, to be called "Bootsy's, Produced by Jeff Ruby," will include a rock 'n' roll museum, an exterior glass elevator and a dramatic circular bar. Expected to open by fall, it will feature Spanish cuisine, tapas and sushi, with a second-floor dining room to seat 150, a balcony extending over Walnut street and a nightclub. The rock 'n' roll museum will occupy the street level, and all will be encased in a style that harkens to Paris and New Orleans. Bootsy's will be located at the former Uno's restaurant space on Walnut Street, across from the Aronoff Center for the Arts. Ruby, who owns seven restaurants including the Precinct and Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, said the renovations would cost more than $2 million. But the investment is not just in one restaurant and nightclub. In time, he wants the site to launch a thriving district. "There has never been a true entertainment district in this city," he said. "You need more than just a few bars to qualify as an entertainment district." Ruby and Collins have been planning this venture for more than a year, and had hoped to open the restaurant by early 2008, but there were structural plans to iron out. They spent many months collaborating with city officials; the Cincinnati Equity Fund, a corporate-financed loan pool that will help bankroll the project; and the owners of the site, a partnership of Madison Marquette, Belvedere Corp., Duke Realty and Towne Properties called the Cincinnati Development Group. Neil Bortz, a principal at Towne Properties, served on behalf of the property owner at the negotiating table. "I was at the table, on the table, under the table, behind the bar," Bortz said. "It's been an odyssey, but it's been fun because Ruby is terrific. And most importantly he gets things done right." Among the design elements that required special attention were the elevator - a glass-enclosed, birdcage design that will travel from the sidewalk to the second floor - and the extended balcony on Walnut, inspired by those of New Orleans. Ruby's regular designer, Dave Stevens in Las Vegas, flew to Paris to research for the interior. When complete it will include private party rooms, a sushi bar and an exhibition kitchen separated by a 30-seat onyx counter where diners can sit and watch the cooks. The chef, picked from the Spanish-influenced Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, Fla., will work with Ruby's longtime Executive Chef Jimmy Gibson. Meals will center largely around tapas, small dishes of traditional Spanish fare, as well as paella. ("They're going to be things that are interesting and not so bizarre that you don't know what you're eating," Ruby said.) The atmosphere will be casual, targeting young professional women in particular. Average checks should run $40 per person for dinner and $15 to $20 for lunch. Collins will be instrumental in pulling the museum together, as well as the entertainment. A performer for 40 years, he played backup to James Brown and joined George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic before launching Bootsy's Rubber Band in 1976. In the years that followed, he released more than 20 albums. "Bootsy's got a vast background in music with relationships with a lot of musicians," Ruby said. "One day he's on the phone with Slash, the next with Kid Rock." Bootsy's will be Ruby's eighth location, and a ninth is under way in St. Louis. He estimates his seven other restaurants generated 2007 sales of $35 million. The parties signed the lease on April Fools Day, by design. It is the same date that Ruby signed for his namesake eatery, Jeff Ruby's, just up the block at Seventh and Walnut streets. "I'm superstitious," he said. All contents of this site © American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved.
April 3, 200817 yr ^ Thats great news. I've been waiting a long time for this and hoping it didn't turn into another pipe-dream. I can't wait for fall!
April 3, 200817 yr WOW!!!!! Thats damn sweet. Tapas downtown would rule!!!! (and, right on the streetcar line :))
April 3, 200817 yr DAAAMN! ... What's next! ... There is so much momentum going on in the urban core it's ridiculous, I can't even keep up with the projects anymore! I feel like I'm going to one soft opening after another and we're going to have about 3-4 major -major groundbreakings within a twelve month period! Keep your eyes peeled for One River Plaza as well!
April 3, 200817 yr Great news about Booty's finally coming together...the hits just keep on coming! I've lived in Cincy for about 10 years now and there has never been a time when there have been so many positive things coming together for downtown. I finally made it in to Grammer's last night. Wow - that building is a gem! What a great place. Can't wait for the beer garden this summer. We throughly enjoyed the new lower priced beer as well :drunk:
April 3, 200817 yr Bootsy's by Jeff Ruby Here is really the only image i could find. I think that the post had a larger one when it originally was announced, but unfortunately it cant be found anymore.
April 3, 200817 yr Its not $40 per plate, its $40 for each person for dinner. In other words, your entree isn't going to cost $40, but app + entree + wine will. Quite comparable with all of Ruby's other restaurants/everything by Jean Robert, etc.
April 3, 200817 yr Its not $40 per plate, its $40 for each person for dinner. In other words, your entree isn't going to cost $40, but app + entree + wine will. Quite comparable with all of Ruby's other restaurants/everything by Jean Robert, etc. right, but I don't see myself being able to take too many dates here if the tab is going to be aprox $100. I dont really care that its that expensive, but you can't really target YP's at those prices
April 3, 200817 yr Heh, sure you can, just like all those other places, its a special night out. OR, you eat on a budget. I can't eat the dollar value I would like to eat at Lavomatic, but that doesn't keep me from going and grabbing an appetizer and a glass of wine for $14 when thats all I can afford, and then going out on a special night out for $50 per person (my cost last time I went). Most of the restaurants of that caliber end up falling between the 35 - 50 pp dinner rates. They will still attract plenty of YP's, just not the "I eat here every night" type ;) (Then there is always the "I don't eat here but I drink here crowd" -- see Nada)
April 3, 200817 yr The atmosphere will be casual, targeting young professional women in particular. Young professional women??? Its YPenis not YUterus.
April 4, 200817 yr Author Here is another article.... Bootsy's coming to Walnut Ruby restaurant work starts soon BY STEPFANIE ROMINE | [email protected] Restaurateur Jeff Ruby and funk rocker Bootsy Collins on Thursday announced they have signed a lease on their joint venture, a downtown Cincinnati nightclub and restaurant, which they expect will be the catalyst for an entertainment district. SEe link below: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/BIZ01/804040354/1076/BIZ
April 4, 200817 yr Cincinnati restaurants slammed by economy BY LISA BIANK FASIG | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER April 4, 2008 CINCINNATI - These days, people aren't just asking their server to hold the pickle or tomato; they're holding the bun, burger, plate and order. Rattled by $3.20-per-gallon gas prices, home foreclosures and record grocery bills, Cincinnatians are increasingly passing up on dining out. And restaurants, grappling with their own rising costs of meat, eggs and fuel, are closing stores. See link above for article.
April 4, 200817 yr Bah humbug, compete on quality or fail. That is the restaurant business. Also, notice where those closings are happening.... In other words, why would I spend $15 on an entree at one of those giant chains when I can spend $15 at a local and get like 4x the quality.
April 4, 200817 yr Yeah, personally I'm not surprised those places mentioned are failing. I would expect Cinci to get "hit hard" by a decline in chains considering we're one of the best cities in our size range when it comes to independant restauranteurs.
April 5, 200817 yr A larger-size rendering of Bootsy's new restaurant is available at: http://media.gamedaypr.com/Bootsy's%20by%20Jeff%20Ruby/Bootsy%27s%20front%20facade%2C%204-08.pdf
April 5, 200817 yr A few comments about that rendering: 1. The sidewalk there is no where near as wide as they depict in that rendering. 2. The elevator seems a bit unnecessary regardless of whether it is interior or exterior and consequently don't see it getting used much. 3. Any kind of NoLa flavor is welcome by me. 4. The giant hat/glasses and the statue are AWESOME!
April 5, 200817 yr I must admit, I tried for the first time the Original Philly Cheesestake last night with cheese wiz and it was pretty damn good! No Penn Station, but good. Supposedly the owners are from Philly and Jersey. It could've been because it was 2 am, but I still remember it being awesome! ;) lol ... Oh yeah, it was at Balboa's!
April 5, 200817 yr ^^Note that many of the struggling chains are not traditional urban stores. If you depend on car traffic you will get burned; however, if you can get some foot traffic then you'll fair a little better. Really what's going to happen when gas hits $5 or $6. People are going to have to realize the idiocy of their lifestyles and move towards the core.
April 7, 200817 yr 2. The elevator seems a bit unnecessary regardless of whether it is interior or exterior and consequently don't see it getting used much. If I remember the old Uno's site correctly, the first floor only had a bar and was very small. The second floor had all the guest seating and was actually quite large. You had to go upstairs to sit and eat. If they have the same shell to build out, the elevator would be used alot.
April 9, 200817 yr I can see the elevator working depending on how they organize the bar/dining/museum aspects of the space, but I agree with Rando about the sidewalks, aren't they like half that size? That may limit that nice 2nd floor balcony in the rendering. I always thought Bootsy should open a sports/music place at the Banks since he's the Bengals' theme song guy these days but I'll still count this as an accurate prediction. I should be congratulated.
April 9, 200817 yr Here's Mr. Collins in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPyaF7_iUTA I've always noticed that Uno's is always playing samples from the Rolling Stones early bubble-gum albums...it's kind of wild to think that James Brown will likely be emanating from that location 231/2 hours a day. Last year I was walking down high st. in Columbus and a tiny Japanese girl had set up a massive sound system playing James Brown records at a truly outrageous volume level. I think today's youth need to have this music pounded into them, they're certainly being failed by their own generation.
April 10, 200817 yr More Grammers coverage :) found at - http://cinweekly.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/A1/20080408/ENT0109/804090307/ Raising the Bar: Grammer's Over-the-Rhine bar reopens and maintains history AMBER SAMBLANET | CIN WEEKLY Stepping into the newly reopened Grammer's is stepping straight into history. With roots going back to the 19th century, the Over-the-Rhine bar is now under new ownership. However, it continues to wear its history proudly with touches such as the original red mahogany bar from 1872, the original tile work on the floors and the murals of Germany's Rhine River Valley, which were painted in 1940 and restored in the 1980s. See link above for article.
April 14, 200817 yr Korean café opens today April 14, 2008 | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER COVINGTON - A new restaurant opens today at 514 Madison Ave. Café Riverside is modeled on cafés found in Korea and will offer tea, coffee and traditional Korean pastries. See link above for article.
April 16, 200817 yr This sucks.... Enzo's on Race st was closed today they was a sign on the door saying they would reopen soon.
April 16, 200817 yr This sucks.... Enzo's on Race st was closed today they was a sign on the door saying they would reopen soon. Where in the hell is Enzo's?
April 16, 200817 yr Enzo's moved to OTR from somewhere near NKU's campus a year or so ago. I have heard there were some issues at the ownership level...not necessarily business related news.
April 17, 200817 yr Enzo's has always appeared to do a brisk lunch business the half dozen or so times I've been there. The food (sandwiches and salads) is excellent and the space is nice and modern. I hope they reopen soon.
April 18, 200817 yr Habanero adding Newport on the Levee location April 17, 2008 | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER NEWPORT - Habanero Latin American Fare, a mainstay in Cincinnati's Clifton neighborhood for eight years, is opening a second location at Newport on the Levee April 24. See link above for article.
April 18, 200817 yr I talked to the guys at Avril's yesterday and there is visible construction for the store/eating area that will be right next to their current location. He anticipates it being ready in 4-6 weeks.
April 19, 200817 yr what is a good restaurant to go to downtown on a Saturday early evening (6ish) with a todler and an infant?
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