December 13, 201113 yr Signs are up at US Bank Tower's Walnut St. entrance for a freshii franchise. No opening date yet. Opening late January... Freshii restaurant will bring fast, fresh, customized meals to downtown diners Blue Ash native Robbie Sosna is bringing Freshii, a Toronto-based chain focused on fast, fresh, customized meals, to Greater Cincinnati. The first local Freshii is under construction on the ground floor of the U.S. Bank Tower, 425 Walnut St., opposite J. Gumbo’s in the space that was Fruities. Sosna said he expects to open the 1183-square-foot restaurant, which will seat up to 30 people, in late January. He plans to be open for breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays, but he may experiment with weekend or dinner hours, depending on the response. The idea to open a “fast, fresh” concept restaurant was sparked when Sosna moved to New York City to work for the David Letterman Show after college. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
December 13, 201113 yr Both of these items are wonderful news. Toby Keith's would have run Cadillac Ranch into the ground if the investors hadn't already done it themselves! “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
December 19, 201113 yr Interesting... Downtown bar could be featured on Spike TV The new owners of Cadillac Ranch are hard at work coming up with new ideas for the restaurant and bar they just purchased in downtown Cincinnati, and a camera crew might end up tracking their progress. Jim Henning, operations manager and president of Restaurant Entertainment of Cincinnati LLC, said the restaurant is one of four that Spike TV is looking at for its “Bar Rescue” show. “Bar Rescue” shows nightlife expert Jon Taffer using his expertise to return struggling bars to success. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
December 21, 201113 yr Blue Wisp to reopen in old Redfish 1/6/12 I think the location was already established, now there's a date. http://cincinnati.com/blogs/arts/2011/12/21/blue-wisp-soft-opening/
January 5, 201213 yr This is the first I've heard that the downtown Arby's closed on 12/31. Oddly enough, I overheard co-workers yesterday rehashing the same old complaint about the lack of chain fast-food options downtown. They are now left with Wendy's... Panera eyeing closed downtown Arby’s A “Coming soon” sign for Panera Bread may soon replace the closed signs on the former Arby’s location in downtown’s Fifth Third building at Sixth and Vine streets. Arby’s closed for business December 31st, a sign on the door says. A representative with Arby’s local parent company, Restaurant Management Inc. declined to comment last week. Landlord Fifth Third Bank also has declined comment on the pending lease. But Panera Bread of Southwest Ohio says the location is its top choice for a restaurant downtown and that a lease could be finalized in the next few weeks. The restaurateur would then require three to six months for construction. “We’ve been looking around downtown Cincinnati for awhile,” says Judy Ketner-Dollison, the company’s vice president of marketing. “The area is a great opportunity for us.” Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
January 9, 201213 yr The new Addriatico's opened on Jan 2 for carry-out. The dining room and bar will be open in a week or so, with 45 beers on tap:
January 9, 201213 yr 45 beers? I remember them telling me a few months ago they'd have a bunch of beers there, but I didn't think it'd be that many. I'm pretty sure I'll find myself in there once a week or so.
January 9, 201213 yr I love beer, but 45 taps is often too many. When you get past 20, it becomes less likely that the lines are getting cleaned properly/often enough/at all. Aside from that fear, I can't wait to see what kind of selection they have.
January 9, 201213 yr Keeping the lines clean can be done... Tap House in Seattle (and Bellvue) hast 160 on tap and I've never had a bad beer there. Would love to see something similar downtown or at The Banks! "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
January 9, 201213 yr The new Addriatico's is definitely nicer than The Holy Grail at the banks. But I don't think the business model can work in such close proximity to the existing location because it has to be extremely high volume to make money. Hand making the dough and sauce plus the cost of running the antique gas ovens is just too high to take any risks. The Addriatico's sauce is made by boiling onions and other stuff that takes all afternoon, and the dough takes about five man hours per day. Chains just get frozen pizza disks off a truck.
January 10, 201213 yr http://cincinnati.com/blogs/developingnow/2012/01/10/mahoganys-of-hamilton-next-banks-tenant/ Mahogany’s Cafe and Grill, an upscale African American-owned soul food restaurant, will open in April its second location at the Banks.
January 10, 201213 yr YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 10, 201213 yr But Chris, Hoggy's is all but tits up right now. All of their locations sans 1 is open now.
January 10, 201213 yr ^ I seriously can't understand what youre trying to say. :-/ EDIT: figured it out. I'd never even heard of that place before...
January 10, 201213 yr Chris' other favorite restaurant. http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2012/01/10/columbus-hoggys-restaurants-closing.html
January 10, 201213 yr ^^They could have at least held out till the buffet at the casino opens up! “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
January 10, 201213 yr So you should say "All of their locations sans one are closed now." Whoops. I mistyped!
January 10, 201213 yr Looks like Orange Leaf took out a permit for their interior finish. Look for them at 120 E. Freedom Way. http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/bldginsp/downloads/bldginsp_eps44894.pdf “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
January 10, 201213 yr ^^ I only correct because, like OCtoCincy, I had no flipping clue what you were saying. Especially not knowing what Hoggy's is (and the possibility that "Hoggy's" was a nickname for Mahogany's). That, combined with your reversal, made me go ???.
January 10, 201213 yr I have been BETRAYED by Hoggy's...so I've moved on... ...TO THE CASINO BUFFET AND MAHOGANY'S!!! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 10, 201213 yr PRAISE ALLAH!!! MAHOGANY'S IS COMMIN' TO TOWN!!! F&CK A JOHNNY ROCKETS OR HOLY GRAIL OR TOBY KEITH'S OR NADA OR VIA VITE OR THAT ARNOLD'S BULLSH!T...THIS is what'll make me come to downtown Cincinnati!!! WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 12, 201213 yr But Chris, Hoggy's is all but tits up right now. All of their locations sans 1 is open now. Brief article on the Crestview Hills closing. And, Per Polly Campbell, Asiatique in West Chester has closed. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
January 12, 201213 yr And... The most outrageous shrimp cocktail you’ll ever see is now available at Terry's Turf Club! "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
January 17, 201213 yr Is this really the best name they could come up with?!? Their updated Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cincysonsixth Cadillac Ranch to become Cincy’s on Sixth Jim Henning and Restaurant Entertainment of Cincinnati have settled on a new name for the Cadillac Ranch restaurant Downtown, which they bought in December. It’s Cincy’s on Sixth. It will be an American Grill, serving comfort food and appealing to the same basic crowd that goes to Cadillac Ranch: which is bar-hoppers as much as restaurant goers. Henning said they are deciding now what to do with the Cadillac that sits above the entrance; it will come down when their new sign goes up in 3-4 weeks. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
January 17, 201213 yr a name's a name w/ restaurants. If their food, drinks and service are any better than Cadillac Ranch's, they'll be much more successful..
January 17, 201213 yr Crossposting from The Banks thread: Ruth's Chris signs lease at The Banks Ruth’s Chris Steak House has signed a lease for a new restaurant at The Banks. Denny Rouse, vice president of real estate and development for Ruth’s Hospitality Group Inc., (Nasdaq: RUTH) said the upscale steakhouse chain has signed a lease for about 9,600-square-feet of space. The restaurant plans to open at the end of the third quarter or early fourth quarter of this year. The Banks, an 18-acre development with a first phase that includes 300 apartments and 80,000 square feet of retail space, was what attracted the Heathrow, Fla.-based chain to the Cincinnati market. “The city is behind it, it’s a pretty nice project,” Rouse said. “It’s a good fit for us, with the hotels, offices and three sports venues nearby.” Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
January 21, 201213 yr PRAISE ALLAH!!! MAHOGANY'S IS COMMIN' TO TOWN!!! F&CK A JOHNNY ROCKETS OR HOLY GRAIL OR TOBY KEITH'S OR NADA OR VIA VITE OR THAT ARNOLD'S BULLSH!T...THIS is what'll make me come to downtown Cincinnati!!! WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still waiting for a Cincinnati-area Raising Cane's...
January 21, 201213 yr I'd die. I'd just die. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 21, 201213 yr Jack in the Box eyes Columbia Township near Ridge & Highland http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/C2/20120120/NEWS/301200027/ whatever
February 12, 201213 yr 1215 wine bar and coffee lab next door to Bakersfield opens today 10a-2p for brunch. Some interior pics: http://over-the-rhine.tumblr.com/post/17451813679/a-few-photos-inside-1215-wine-bar-coffee-lab-at
February 13, 201213 yr Not exactly sure where to put this (i.e. whether it should go into an OTR development thread or here), but: http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/020712streetpops.aspx "Streetpops," a gourmet popsicle vendor, is opening up a storefront in OTR on 1437 Main Street. Sounds kinda fun, imo. Edit: I'm terrible at grammar, apparently
February 13, 201213 yr They are delicious! "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 14, 201213 yr Uh oh... :-o Jack in the Box to open several local outposts; West Chester will be first Greater Cincinnati will get its first taste of Jack in the Box when the fast-food chain opens in West Chester, most likely sometime this summer. Brian Luscomb, company spokesperson, said the restaurant will likely break ground at a site on Tylersville Road, near I-75, within the next few weeks. It will be the first Jack in the Box in Ohio and the first of several planned for Greater Cincinnati, Luscomb said. Though the company isn’t disclosing other potential locations yet, Luscomb confirmed that it is looking at several sites in addition to West Chester. Expansion has definitely been on the menu at Jack in the Box, which added 31 new stores in 2011 and plans to add 25 to 30 locations this year, Luscomb. Last month, it opened its first Indiana store in Indianapolis, and has had a “strong response” thus far, he said. More below: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/newintown/2012/02/14/jack-in-the-box-to-open-several-local-outposts-west-chester-will-be-first/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 23, 201213 yr A map for Northside's proposed Entertainment District thingie that takes advantage of the state liquor licensing easing of restrictions/cost. http://www.northside.net/nba/pdf/proposed_entertainment_district.pdf It will be on the agenda in the Livable Communities Committee meeting 2/28 @ 1PM
February 23, 201213 yr ^ The idea just being to encourage more bars, clubs, and restaurants to locate in the area? Wonder why the C&D Cafe is excluded by a block.
February 23, 201213 yr It's a state liquor license thing that allows more new licenses at a reduced rate but only for places that serve food. The C&D is already there so it doesn't do them any good. heck, it gives 'em more competition.
February 25, 201213 yr Over-the-Rhine stakes its claim as Cincinnati's restaurant hot spot: http://overtherhine.wordpress.com/2012/02/25/over-the-rhine-is-cincinnatis-restaurant-hot-spot/
February 28, 201213 yr New restaurant opening in Loveland A new restaurant is opening in the space formerly occupied by the Sleepy Hollow Inn in Loveland. Kirby's, an American-fare casual restaurant, is scheduled to open in early April at 378 Bridge St. The new owner, Kirby Brakvill, has owned Sky Galley Restaurant & Bar at Lunken Airport for 12 years. “This is all I’ve ever done. Since I was 15 I've been in the restaurant business, I’m 47 now,” Brakvill said. The 3,700-square-foot restaurant will seat about 150. Once open, it will employ about 50 people, Brakvill said. Sky Galley also will remain open. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2012/02/28/new-restaurant-opening-in-loveland.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28, 201213 yr New Covington bar to highlight Kentucky bourbons The owners of Neon’s Unplugged and Japp’s in Over-the-Rhine are opening a new bar concept in Covington that will feature Kentucky bourbons. And they plan to spare no expense – at least when it comes to the bourbon. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar at 629 Main St. in Covington’s MainStrasse Village is expected to open by April. And one bottle that chief bartender and co-owner Molly Wellman has been trying to track down – A.H. Hirsch Reserve pot-distilled sour mash – costs more than $400 a bottle, she said. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2012/02/new-covington-bar-to-highlight.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28, 201213 yr Signs are up at US Bank Tower's Walnut St. entrance for a freshii franchise. No opening date yet. Opening late January... Freshii restaurant will bring fast, fresh, customized meals to downtown diners Blue Ash native Robbie Sosna is bringing Freshii, a Toronto-based chain focused on fast, fresh, customized meals, to Greater Cincinnati. The first local Freshii is under construction on the ground floor of the U.S. Bank Tower, 425 Walnut St., opposite J. Gumbo’s in the space that was Fruities. Sosna said he expects to open the 1183-square-foot restaurant, which will seat up to 30 people, in late January. He plans to be open for breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays, but he may experiment with weekend or dinner hours, depending on the response. The idea to open a “fast, fresh” concept restaurant was sparked when Sosna moved to New York City to work for the David Letterman Show after college. Cont They opened today. With the seating arrangement, I don't think I'd ever dine-in. Too small with the food and drink lines constantly moving around you. With that said, the food was delicious! Freshii restaurant opens downtown Freshii, a fast-casual chain serving customizable soups, salads, wraps and rice bowls, opened its downtown outpost Tuesday. It’s in the U.S. Bank Tower at 425 Walnut St., in the 1,183-square-foot space that was previously Fruities. Breakfast and lunch are served from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays. Diners can choose from 50 different ingredients with which to customize their meals, which average about $8. The restaurant seats about 30, offers WiFi and uses environmentally friendly packaging and utensils. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 28, 201213 yr Personally not a fan of Freshii, but it seems to be a better use for that space than Fruties, so it's good for Downtown Cincy.
February 29, 201213 yr Cincinnati Council committee passed approval of Northside Entertainment District designation, Boswell Alley is chomping at the bit. The original owner sold the place, the subsequent owner went out of business after losing his liquor license, the original guy bought it back at auction but now needs a liquor license... http://www.wcpo.com//dpp/news/northside-gets-entertainment-district-designation
February 29, 201213 yr Cincinnati City Council approves $1M incentive for Mahogany's Cincinnati City Council today approved an incentive package of nearly $1 million to help Hamilton-based Mahogany’s Cafe & Grill open a new location at The Banks riverfront development. Council voted 6-3 to approve a grant of $684,000 to be used for the design and construction of the restaurant space. Council also voted 6-3 to grant a loan of $300,000 for the purchase of furniture, fixtures and equipment for the restaurant. Dissenting votes came from council members Chris Seelbach, Christopher Smitherman and Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2012/02/29/cincinnati-city-council-approves-1m.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 29, 201213 yr Another restaurant at The Banks that I won't find myself ever going to. Not because it reeks of spray tan and Drakar Noir like a few of its neighbors, but because it reeks of backroom deals and corruption.
March 5, 201213 yr Wurst Bar, specializing in sausage, coming to Mt. Lookout Wurst Bar in Mount Lookout is scheduled to open this summer. That’s right, Wurst Bar. As in, a bar that specializes in two of Cincinnati’s favorite culinary delights, sausages and beer. The simple – but brilliant – idea comes from Jeff Mussio and his business partner, Bronson Trebbi. The duo is renovating a 1,200-square-foot space at 3204 Linwood Ave., next to Million’s Cafe. They bought the building last July for $129,500. Trebbi said they are spending several hundred thousand dollars on renovation work. They plan to open in May or June. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2012/03/05/wurst-bar-specializing-in-sausage.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 5, 201213 yr Is this really the best name they could come up with?!? Their updated Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cincysonsixth Cadillac Ranch to become Cincy’s on Sixth The blue Cadillac has been removed... :wave: "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
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