^Are you serious, Sherman?  I have never heard of any urbanist advocating for more fast food places in neighborhood business districts.  Skyline is virtually fast food, and Habenero is super fast too.  There's also the Bruegers on Clifton Ave.  Plenty of places to get a quick bite.

Well, not ones with drive-thrus. There was a time when fast food was more of a staple in the NBD's. For instance, there were multiple Big Boy's in downtown, along with McDonald's and Wendy's. It's essentially been replaced with a dying food court.

 

Looking through some older photos of Louisville from the 1970s, I was shocked to see how vibrant their downtown was. Roy Roger's, Big Boy's, McDonald's, they were everywhere -- and built into the urban environment, not segregated from it.

A Roy Rogers is always an adequate measure of a downtown's vibrancy!  :-P

There still is a Wendy's downtown.

Well, not ones with drive-thrus. There was a time when fast food was more of a staple in the NBD's. For instance, there were multiple Big Boy's in downtown, along with McDonald's and Wendy's. It's essentially been replaced with a dying food court.

 

Looking through some older photos of Louisville from the 1970s, I was shocked to see how vibrant their downtown was. Roy Roger's, Big Boy's, McDonald's, they were everywhere -- and built into the urban environment, not segregated from it.

 

Drive-thrus would tend to segregate them from the neighborhoods.

Pleasant Ridge does have a Burger King - though it is the worst sort of NBD fast food joint - deep setback w/ a drive through.

Well, not ones with drive-thrus. There was a time when fast food was more of a staple in the NBD's. For instance, there were multiple Big Boy's in downtown, along with McDonald's and Wendy's. It's essentially been replaced with a dying food court.

 

Looking through some older photos of Louisville from the 1970s, I was shocked to see how vibrant their downtown was. Roy Roger's, Big Boy's, McDonald's, they were everywhere -- and built into the urban environment, not segregated from it.

 

Drive-thrus would tend to segregate them from the neighborhoods.

 

I think he was advocating for fast food joints that don't have drive-thrus, like the Arby's downtown and the one in CUF, for instance.  It provides a cheap, quick option as opposed to the options someone would have in some places like Mt Lookout Square.

 

Although a lot of the NBD's do have fast food, Oakley comes to mind first with an Arby's and a Skyline.  Both of them have drive-thrus but really not to any detriment at all - they're pretty compact.

The Arby's in Oakley closed during the summer.

 

I don't think they are a deterrent at all. They provide a quick, cheap and efficient meal for those not wanting to go to a sit-down or full-service restaurant. I have to pretty much travel out of the core for anything quick (sans Joe's Diner, although the service there is so-so and the food even more so).

Toby Keith's coming to The Banks!?!?

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2010/11/24/toby-keith-honky-tonk-may-be-headed-to.html

Slims/ Vout closes

 

Slims in Northside,  which is also called Vout during the week, has closed. Owner/chef Patrick McCafferty says it was after a lot of agonizing, but that it has  been a struggle for last last 2 years, and that this fall was a disaster. “It was a good idea, it’s been well-received and we had a great run,” he said, “But at a certain point, you just have to say yea or nay, and now was the time.”

 

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2010/12/01/slims-vout/

 

I was sad to read that Slim's closed this morning.  It was not without it's flaws: dinner could take hours, the building had no a/c in the summer, and they often ran out of items if you didn't get there early.  However, it more than made up for its quirks with it's originality, fresh ingredients, and damn good food.  I hadn't eaten there in a while, but it was always one of my favorites. 

Another feather in the cap of 3CDC's Fountain Square reconfiguration!  :clap:

 

Roy Allan buys a very lucky salad at Ingredients

 

Roy Allan was just looking to buy a salad when he went to Ingredients for lunch today. Little did he know it was his lucky day.

 

Allan, a vice president at Allan Frye Coleman and Associates in Cincinnati, was the one-millionth customer at the downtown Ingredients. And that won him a $250 gift card to the restaurant, a complimentary one-night stay at the Westin Cincinnati and a commemorative apron.

 

And, Wayne Bodington, general manager of the Westin, and Kim Roberts, general manager of Ingredients, purchased Allan’s lunch.

 

The Grove opens up in the old Kay's location in the lobby of an old theater on Spring Grove Avenue in Northside.

This is across from The Painted Fish which is located in the old Gajah Wong. The neighborhood Business Assoc also has a parking lot in that block where Ike semi demolished a building.

The Grove was ok - only ate there once. I'll be back.

FaceBook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grove-Northside/136947972997524?v=info

Fishwrap article (not really a review):

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2010/12/21/vegmeat-split-on-menu-in-northside/

Melt has added a new oven speeding up prep. Picnic & Pantry (next door) has a "food bar".

Northslice has opened up a dining room in addition to their sidewalk window service.

Maybe it should be known as little India, it would make Cincy seem more cosmopolitan.

I like it. There's that other Indian place down the hill. Maybe they could have cremations along the Mill Creek like they do along the Ganges.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1175/1299853290_81a3932cd6.jpg

Food Feuds in Cincinnati 12/30 10PM Food Channel.

Instead of downtown, filming is in real live NEIGHBORHOODS !

Ice cream in Oakley & Hyde Park

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101229/LIFE01/12290311/-Food-Feuds-shoot-a-real-hoot

About damn time!  :wink:  First stop, Mason. Next stop, Cincinnati proper.

 

 

Dayton pizza chain eyeing Mason

 

For the first time in 20 years, Dayton staple Marion’s Piazza is expanding, the Dayton Business Journals reported.

 

The locally-based pizza chain plans to open a restaurant in Troy this fall or winter and has plans for a Mason location.

Molly Wellmann and Michael Redmond of Neon’s to reopen Japp’s

by julie on January 5, 2011

 

Exciting news– Molly Wellmann, possibly Cincinnati’s most well-known bartender, is partnering with Michael Redmond from Neon’s to reopen Japp’s on Main. Japp’s was one of the anchor bars for the Main Street Entertainment District in it’s heyday.

 

Read more: http://winemedinemecincinnati.com/2011/01/molly-wellmann-and-michael-redmond-of-neons-to-reopen-japps/

 

 

More info on Japps reopening here:

 

Mixologist Molly Wellmann To Open Own Place

 

It's really all about the experience.

 

That's the first thing out of Molly Wellmann's mouth as she talks about her new bar. Wellmann, who has a dedicated following of imbibers in Cincinnati, is opening a bar in the old Japp's space at 1134 Main Street in Over-the-Rhine in early summer.

 

She's keeping the name Japp's, but intends on bringing something different to the Queen City. "This is going to be classy but unpretentious," says Wellmann. "I won't have a single TV in the place. It's all about the liquor and the conversation."

Looks like something is going on at the old Sully's spot downtown:

 

a new bar at 7th and Race?

Never knew about Japp's. Interesting name.

Didn't know Chicken Joy closed...

 

 

Slammin' Burger to Tower Place

 

Signs for a Slammin’ Burger restaurant are hung at the site of the former Chicken Joy in the Tower Place Mall food court.

 

According to its web site, www.slamminburger.com, the restaurant will open this month. Its menu includes burgers, fish and veggie philly sandwiches, mini corndogs, fries, onion rings and shakes.

Maybe their food will be good, but the lameness of the name "Slammin' Burger" is only outdone by the 1994 quality of their website. 

Also, I noticed that the old "Sully's" (corner of race and seventh) has started on some work with a couple signs in the windows.  The new place is called Bag Pipes Irish Pub.  The only other one I have seen is in Austin, looks like a good addition.

 

They still haven't transfered the liquor permit over

Never knew about Japp's. Interesting name.

 

I loved that place before it closed!  Good luck to em!

 

 

Bag Pipes restaurant to open downtown

Business Courier - by Tom Demeropolis , Courier staff reporter

Date: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 8:25pm EST.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2011/01/06/bag-pipes-restaurant-to-open-downtown.html

From UrbanCincy.com:

 

New craft cocktail corner expands Main Street offerings

 

Molly Wellmann has finally settled down. After several years of flitting from bar to bar, private party to private party, dazzling the public and educating Cincinnati about the art of cocktails, Wellmann has committed to a serious relationship with one the most successful bars in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The ownership at the Famous Neon’s Unplugged has acquired Japp’s, located at 12th and Main Streets in Over-the-Rhine. Once a former 19th century wig store, then turned restaurant in the mid 90′s, the storefront has sat vacant for many years. Together with Michael Redmond, John Back, and the other partners at Neon’s, Miss Molly hopes to restore the space into a new venue to enjoy affordable, authentic craft cocktails.

 

The 1700 square foot bar and lounge area has “solid bones,” says owner and head designer John Back. “The space is going to stay formal yet accessible,” he explained. “The basement has a ton of memorabilia, both from the original hair store and stuff from Main Street’s heyday in the 90′s.” A lot of work needs to be put into the space, especially replacing or refinishing the floor, but the end result will be “classic 19th century cafe,” evoking the pre-Prohibition old saloon spaces without attempting to be a “period place.” No handlebar moustaches here. Like the old time saloons, Japp’s will also sell speciality locally made desserts as well as tobacco products, though the space will not have an in-house kitchen.

 

Continue reading

 

(Full discolsure: Yours truly is the Minister of Propaganda for Neons and Japp's.)

This is great news.  Japps is a fantastic space.  When we held Bockfest there a few years ago, I was amazed by all the stuff still sitting in the basement and upstairs from when it was the wig shop.  This truly has the potential to be a unique space.

^ Agreed. I've been inside there a few times in recent weeks, and the potential is incredible. John Back, who designed the interior of Neons, already has some awesome ideas for Japp's that will preserve and restore its most notable features while introducing some great new elements. Neons already has OTR's best outdoor entertainment space, and Japp's will soon have OTR's best interior space.

Good news about Japps opening, but I wish it had a different name.  There's already the reincarnation of Neons, do we really need another throwback to the 90's? It seems like some people are trying to re-create the 90's, even though I think it was consensus that the 90's model of bars and clubs wasnt a sustainable model for the neighborhood.

 

Also, why does Neons insist on calling intself "The Famous".  For some reason that has always annoyed me.  It's like when chain Chinese restaurants insist on calling themselves authentic.

The Japps name predates it being a bar, so that doesn't bother me.

The Neons name has been around since the early 1980's, and the Japp's name has been around since 1879. Each name has a strong identity that goes back decades, and it would be foolish to throw all that away. Arnold's and Grammer's have each changed ownership a number of times over the course of their respective histories, but they've always kept their names. Why should Neons or Japp's be any different? I'd certainly prefer a venerable Cincinnati name for a bar that has some history to it, instead of something silly like "Bartini" or "Mynt Martini".

The bad bars of 90s Main Street were Bar Cincinnati and Hello Cafe (or something like that . . . it had the bright yellow smiley face).

Have A Nice Day Cafe

^^I remember both of those bars spelling like puke no matter what time of the day you were in there.  Have a nice day and Bar Cincy that is.

"Also, why does Neons insist on calling intself "The Famous". For some reason that has always annoyed me. It's like when chain Chinese restaurants insist on calling themselves authentic."

 

The Famous was actually an inside joke. I had always said that if I could own any bar in the country it would be The Famous Door on Bourbon St. But if you notice, the name used most commonly is simply Neons.

 

As for the name Japps, that was not the bar name but the company that preceded the bar by 120 years. Our theme is not going to be 90 bar either but rather paying homage to the history of the space while offering classic craft cocktails at a neighborhood bar price. Besides, Neons and Japps by any other name would still be Neons and Japps. I could have went with my ego and called it Michaels Bar 1 and Michaels Bar 2 but somehow it just wouldn't be the same.

I could have went with my ego and called it Michaels Bar 1 and Michaels Bar 2 but somehow it just wouldn't be the same.

Good call on going with Neon's and Japp's  :-D

Molly was on WNKU this morning talking about what is coming to Japps

 

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wnku/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1747159

I could have went with my ego and called it Michaels Bar 1 and Michaels Bar 2 but somehow it just wouldn't be the same.

Redmond or Molly's would have been ok.

Would Hardmans been better than Moerlein? Or Wades better than Grammars?  Redmond better than Neons?  Sometimes the history is bigger than the man.

*cough* Read your PM's, Michael *cough*

Is it publicly known when Japp's is planning on opening?

We are shooting for early summer. 

Johnny Rockets to Open Flagship Restaurant at The Banks "We think it’s going to be a new flagship restaurant for us,” said Cozette Phifer Koerber, Johnny Rockets’ vice president for brand marketing and corporate communications. “It will feature a full bar, full breakfast menu and walk-up order window.”

 

Read more: Johnny Rockets to open ‘flagship’ restaurant at Banks | Business Courier

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2011/01/14/johnny-rockets-to-open-flagship.html

Did you really have to put it in bold letters? It is a Johnny Rockets after all.  I would have preferred a "Big Red Machine" bar concept with a local feel and that is coming from a Mets fan.

Haha sorry, I was trying to take a step up from my normal lackluster posting.  I now see I was a bit over zealous.  The "Big Red Machine" is the Machine Room in the stadium.  I know it's not open all the time as it was promised it would be, but I think that it's a decent substitute.

Or Wades better than Grammars?

 

I still wouldn't go there.

Downtown Lodge Bar on 7th closes

 

Managers of the local branch have not returned e-mail queries seeking comment. A Lodge Bar in Columbus also has closed, according to its website, as have others in the Charlotte, N.C.-based chain.

Bar/club chains don't seem to last that long. Did Cincinnati ever have a Banana Joe's? Columbus, Cleveland and Huntington, WV had 'em... I think Lexington had one too.

Jeff Ruby's Walnut Street Grill to open Feb. 28

Business Courier - Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 2:35pm EST

 

Walnut Street Grill, the latest restaurant from Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, is scheduled to open Feb. 28.

 

The new downtown Cincinnati restaurant, located in the former Bootsy’s space at 631 Walnut St., will feature menu focused on lower priced items than Ruby’s other restaurants. Walnut Street Grill will prominently feature burgers, a menu item that has caught the attention of restaurant experts from Bobby Flay to the folks with Shula’s Steak Houses.

 

cont

Campbell’s Scoop

Trattoria’s new home

4:09 pm, Feb 24, 2011 | Written by pcampbell

 

 

Trattoria Roma, the classic little italian restaurant across the street from The Aronoff Center, Downtown, quietly moved into its new location just around the block last Wednesday.  (I say quietly only because I didn’t know about it until I walked by the other day.) Their new spot is next to Bartini and Mr. Sushi; along what is being called  Restaurant Row. The address is 580 Walnut, because it’s in the 580 building, but really it’s on 6th St.

 

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2011/02/24/trattorias-new-home/

Relish Group closes Grammer’s

 

By: Jenny Kessler

March 7, 2011 – 5:29 pm

 

Grammer’s bar, established in 1872 and a veritable Over-the-Rhine institution, has announced its closure today. The 132-year-old establishment was known for years as a home away from home for Cincinati’s German population, hosting everyone from the Cincinnati Symphony to the Reds.

 

Grammer’s re-opened in the late winter of 2008, serving beer and a variety of German foods.

 

Martin Wade, local restaurant investor, purchased Grammer’s from former city councilman and Over-the-Rhine raconteur, Jim Tarbell, who had owned it since 1984. It was the oldest pre-Prohibition German restaurant to remain in Over-the-Rhine. Although tts recent history is one of hipsters and late night dance parties – a decidedly different crowd than the German Singing Baker society to which the space was once home.