I think sound is only during big events. I haven't really noticed so it must not be too much of a neusance.

They have speakers on poles near the trees.  Sound is definitely on for games, special programming, etc. Not much of a nuisence.

Went to CAC today for the "America Starts Here" show, and stopped off at Via Vito for late lunch.

 

Pretty good lunch crowd.  The place has a nice lunch menu,  a bit like Figlio here in Dayton and in Cols (not too fancy, more casual with those gourmet pizzas.  The salads (especially the salads) and some of the other menu items looked more interesting.  The cappucino creme brule was pretty good, as was the asparagus soup.  I had some sort of cheesy pasta dish, which was spicier than it looked (which is a good thing).

 

This is definetly going to be a lunch destination for me when I am in town.

 

As for the new Fountain Square, no comment until they are finished and that ice rink is gone.

 

on edit. The interior was one of the best I've seen for a restaurant in Ohio. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dissenting voice on Via Vite. Our waiter spent far, far too long explaining every item on the menu. Seriously, maybe 10 minutes.

 

The penne was nicely prepared, but it tasted like a slightly classed up hamburger helper.

Who wants to Cook??

Reply to: [email protected]

Date: 2007-11-13, 3:51PM EST

 

 

Offering the right money to the right cooks, Via Vite.

 

 

 

 

    * Location: Foantain square

    * Compensation: depends on experience

    * Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.

    * Please, no phone calls about this job!

    * Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

 

 

PostingID: 477823515

I didn't put that sad face on that post.  I even tried to modify the post but there's literally nothing there that made the sad face.  It's the ghost of Via Vite or something. 

When you put 3-?'s together it makes a wtf? face.

Maybe I'm just being picky...but could these Via Vite discussions pleased be moved to the Cincinnati Restaurant News thread?  This thread no longer contains any discussion about this project anymore.

^Seconded.

awwww.  but i like the place.

Dissenting voice on Via Vite. Our waiter spent far, far too long explaining every item on the menu. Seriously, maybe 10 minutes.

 

The penne was nicely prepared, but it tasted like a slightly classed up hamburger helper.

 

I think I know which waiter you're talking about.  He was working the table behind us at lunch one day.  Rather annoying, and he wasn't even our waiter.  :-)

delete

It looks like Potbelly's is going in, in the original spot. Where TMO was. I'm not sure what the Jone's the Florist sign is all about. I also heard they are opening next month.

 

Let's hope they have decent hours!

Apparently there are also some rumors of a new 2-story Skyline going in.  I'm not sure if there is any validity to this, so if someone has clarification in one way or another please let me know.

I heard they were going to have bathroom attendants

^Well, I might just have to apply for that one! :wink2:

I heard they were going to have bathroom attendants

 

lol ... Randy, this would be awesome, are you serious?

Me and a group of planner friends will be hitting up Macs around 2pm or so today to start our festivities.  Following that we will be hitting up as many happy hour spots as we can Downtown, and then enjoy the rest of our evening.  I think we'll definitely be hitting up M&S at some point.

 

So what are the best happy hour places, and not so great places in your opinion? I don't eat out and go to bars often (especially during happy hour but with xmas break coming up...) I'm a little oblivious when it comes to that.

rock bottom brewery.  22oz beers for $2

 

Kaldi's. 16 oz Hudys for $1.50

 

 

 

(sigh!)      $1.50 Hudy!

 

Must be making a comeback,  The Wheel in Bridgetown has $1.25 

Many people seem to agree that McCormick & Schmick's has a great happy hour.

 

Cincinnatus,  yes I am serious.  But like I said, I'm not sure how much validity there is to that rumor I heard.  I'm hoping for some clarification...

Many people seem to agree that McCormick & Schmick's has a great happy hour.

 

Cincinnatus,  yes I am serious.  But like I said, I'm not sure how much validity there is to that rumor I heard.  I'm hoping for some clarification...

 

Do you mind telling us what kind of position this guys is in? You don't have too, I just think it's a damn shame that we have to deal with 7th and Vine's 8 o'clock hours for something our city is notorious for. I would rather see a cool ass Skyline on FS rather than a Potbelly's to be honest with you.

He is actually just a friend of mine who is plugged into some different networks than myself.  He wasn't real sure how real of a possibility it is, but he brought it up and I though I would throw it out on UO and see if anyone can confirm one way or another.

Downtown is definitely lacking in the Skyline dept.  :roll:

Best happy hour in my opinon is Palomino's.  They have it 7 days a week from 5-7PM.  The drinks specials are $3 draft beer, house wine, mojitos, and margaritas.  The mojito was ranked "Best Mojito" in the recent Cincinnati Magazine.  Careful though, I learned the hard way, to just take in a $10 bill, so I only get 2 and leave a nice tip.  The food is $5 pizzas, and half price appetizers like steamed mussles, waffle fries with blue cheese, calamari, brushetta, a couple of dips, etc.  Sign up for their mailing list too.  I am getting an email a day from them right now for the holidays with specials. 

Careful though, I learned the hard way, to just take in a $10 bill, so I only get 2 and leave a nice tip. 

 

Sounds like a good story!  ;)  I do agree that they have an excellent happy hour. 

 

Downtown is definitely lacking in the Skyline dept.  :roll:

 

There are three Skyline locations downtown.  However, none of them are open past 8:00 PM during the week, they are not open on Sundays unless there is a special event, and they are all closed by 4:00 PM on Saturday.  With the bars on 7th Street  (McFadden's, Madonna's Sully's, Rockin' Robin's, etc) you would think the Skyline at 7th and Vine would want to be open late on Friday and Saturday nights.  What better way to end a night of heavy drinking than to have some cheese coneys.  :)

Mandatory disclaimer: eating that late is will make you fat.

There aren't any 2 story retail spaces left on the Square. The only options would have been across the street in the Westin, and/or USBank. I doubt the two story Skyline is legit. I'm not sure where it would go. On the 6th street side of the 5/3rd/Rock Bottom building there is a parking garage on the 2nd level.

 

3 Skyline's downtown is actually alot...

I'm pretty sure you could get a 2-story retail spot in that corner area right behind Via Vite...just west of Rock Bottom.

Careful though, I learned the hard way, to just take in a $10 bill, so I only get 2 and leave a nice tip. 

 

Sounds like a good story!  ;)  I do agree that they have an excellent happy hour. 

 

Downtown is definitely lacking in the Skyline dept.  :roll:

 

There are three Skyline locations downtown.  However, none of them are open past 8:00 PM during the week, they are not open on Sundays unless there is a special event, and they are all closed by 4:00 PM on Saturday.  With the bars on 7th Street  (McFadden's, Madonna's Sully's, Rockin' Robin's, etc) you would think the Skyline at 7th and Vine would want to be open late on Friday and Saturday nights.  What better way to end a night of heavy drinking than to have some cheese coneys.  :)

 

You should have seen the Skyline on Ludlow last Friday night.  There was a long ass line out the door at 2:30am.  I felt like I was waiting to get into a club.  They are damn fast though.  Its funny b/c I was downtown and would have prob. went to the one dt if it was open.  oh well. 

Ha! You should have seen the line around 3 AM last Tuesday at the Ludlow location

Mandatory disclaimer: eating that late is will make you fat.

 

Mandatory response: if you're eating that late, you're (a) too drunk to care, or (b) already fat! :laugh:

definitely too drunk to care.  i felt like shit the next day, thats for sure.  thats what the gym is for  :drunk:

Mandatory disclaimer: eating that late is will make you fat.

 

Mandatory response: if you're eating that late, you're (a) too drunk to care, or (b) already fat! :laugh:

 

It's all about moderation and total calories consumed in a 24 hour period.  Someone eating Skyline several times a week, no matter what time of day, will probably be overweight.

lol you guys know thats an urban legend right. I read an article about it a while back, you'll just digest it in the a.m. instead of the p.m. so skylines open late could result in lost sales for breakfast places...uh oh

Fountain in better place now, and so is Cincinnati

November 29, 2007 | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

 

Emil Dansker "finally" got downtown to see the new location of Cincinnati's symbol, the fountain. It has been moved for about two years ("Moving fountain was like taking out inclines," Nov. 28). He had trouble finding the fountain. It was, he says, "hidden."

 

Maybe he should come downtown more often.

 

The Fountain Square project is, simply, the single biggest shot in the arm downtown has received in decades. Before the project the area was dark, often dirty and sometimes dangerous.

 

Now on a given night people from all walks of life visit and enjoy. It is safe, clean and fun.

 

The lady atop the fountain may have been more visible before the square project, but she was awful lonely.

 

Charlie Luken

West End

Go, Charlie!

I have to question if charlie went to the square 'often'!!! The square is actually more dirty these days, Thats one of the first things I noticed, It happens since more people are going there, And it was not any more dangerous then!!! It has more lights now but it wasn't "dark' before!!!

 

Not many people get to FS as much as myself, I love it but I don't have to 'make believe', To justify its reconstruction!!!

 

charlie, 'Maybe you should have come downtown more often.'

Even if we never scratched the surface of FS...the garage below still needed to be structurally repaired.  That in and of itself was where the vast majority of the money went for this project.  The square essentially got some new trees, a manicure, and was brought back from the dreadful modernist mess that it was.

 

The previous square was inherintly dangerous in a few spots due to the poor visibility and lighting (ie the area where the KKK cross was always displayed).  There were a couple of spaces like this, on the old square, that created dimly lit/damp areas a lot of the time.  The new FS is much more open than before and avoids those trouble spots (sans the space behind Via Vite...but that would even be a stretch).

It has more lights now but it wasn't "dark' before!!!

 

It did get dark under the skywalk. 

 

charlie, 'Maybe you should have come downtown more often.'

 

Actually, I've seen Charlie downtown quite often. 

I have to question if charlie went to the square 'often'!!! The square is actually more dirty these days, Thats one of the first things I noticed, It happens since more people are going there, And it was not any more dangerous then!!! It has more lights now but it wasn't "dark' before!!!

 

Not many people get to FS as much as myself, I love it but I don't have to 'make believe', To justify its reconstruction!!!

 

charlie, 'Maybe you should have come downtown more often.'

 

way too many exclamation points

The worst spot in the old square was the recessed area going down to the toilets.

I seen charlie downtown quite often too, More than I've seen mark. I see all the council members downtown more than mark.

 

My point is charlie has the nerve to tell someone else to come downtown more often over a comment, Then turn around & voice his opinion as if his is superior. I agree the fountain isn't as visible from the sidewalk or 5th st.

I have to question if charlie went to the square 'often'!!! The square is actually more dirty these days, Thats one of the first things I noticed, It happens since more people are going there, And it was not any more dangerous then!!! It has more lights now but it wasn't "dark' before!!!

 

Not many people get to FS as much as myself, I love it but I don't have to 'make believe', To justify its reconstruction!!!

 

charlie, 'Maybe you should have come downtown more often.'

 

way too many exclamation points

 

I don't know why you would bother making a comment about my punctuation when you don't use the proper punctuation yourself!  This isn't English/Grammar class. ;)

So AWeeks and I went to Via Vite for dinner tonight and ate at the kitchen bar.  The food was wonderful.  We ordered a half liter of the house red wine, one of their pizzas, and the special of the night which was skewered shrimp with asparagus and tomatoes.  We also had the chance to meet Urbanohio David.  I felt like a stalker when I asked our waiter if someone named David was working tonight, and sure enough he was!  Kind of makes me want to sing Kumba Ya, thanks Urbanohio!

^ Just curious, what was the damage on the bill?  It seems like a nice place but also seems pretty expensive.  I love all the nice restaurants going in downtown, just wish there were some more casual places to compliment all the higher end restaurants.

 

ps - Palomino's, which I love, has a great happy hour.

Our total bill with tip was about $70.....we ate on the cheaper side too by ordering the house wine ($25) a pizza ($13) and the shrimp ($15)......I am not sure how much cheaper it is than Nicola's.  We love Nicola's too, but like the convenience of Via Vite. 

 

Rock Bottom, Universal Grille, and Sully's is where we go when we don't want to spend too much and my favorite Palomino's!  We actually walked up there about 6:30 and the bar was packed, and there was an hour and half wait for a table for two.  I love it that people are seeing all that downtown has to offer.

Kind of makes me want to sing Kumba Ya, thanks Urbanohio!

 

LOL

 

I love how people from urbanohio come in all the time. I've met XUMelanie, Riverviewer, Issue430, Atlas, Marion, etc. Theres another David there who is Mark's (Issue430) s/o, both of whom are good friends of Riverviewer.  If you're ever there for lunch I would request David as your server; he's a cool dude :)

^^ I like Rock Bottom's food, but I hate Sully's and Universal Grill is just okay.

Rock Bottom, Universal Grille, and Sully's is where we go when we don't want to spend too much and my favorite Palomino's! 

 

If you don't want to spend a lot, there is also Arnold's, McFadden's, Buddakhan's (just opened), Akash India, Shanghi Mama's, and Margarita's.  Akash is a favorite for me and Mr. xumelanie. 

 

If you're willing to go North of Central Parkway, there is also Kaldi's and Courtyard Cafe.  It's very easy to have a dinner for under $10, and they have great beers on tap.