Went to the lager house this weekend. Loved it. guy who worked there told me that they did $900k in sales the first week.

We tried to go to the Lager House on Saturday evening, but even at 5:00pm, the wait for a party of 2 was 2.5 hours.  We went elsewhere instead and will try back at the Lager House again once the hype dies down a bit.

Love the idea for a flagship LaRosa's, and particularly for a Skyline. That kind of place could provide the quick turnaround that would be valuable on game days, where the other restaurants suddenly experience 2 hour waits following the game itself.

honestly, I don't know that the hype is going to die down anytime soon. Once the Reds start playing, you'll have a whole new group of people down there on a regular basis looking for a place to eat and drink. Oh, and more people drink beer when the weather is warm too.

 

 

If you don't want to wait 2 hours at Moerlein, don't go on a Saturday. Probably won't be able to for a while.

Nor a Wednesday either as I had to wait 2 hours then.

 

Better to just go to the bar and get good and drunk while you wait for your table.

or go for lunch. I did that Sunday. Food, beer, and atmosphere was as promised. Incredible.

Any word on if they might begin to take reservations? The website has a "reserve a table" icon that links to opentable where it says "This restaurant is currently unavailable."

You guys do know that the covered patio is first come first serve open seating, right? (with the full menu available)

Only because everyone else is posting their visit experiences, I went with some friends on Saturday. Put our name in at 6:30, went to the Holy Grail to get drinks, and got our phone call two and a half hours later just as the Cincinnati-Louisville game started. Restaurant is everything you would expect, though most of the light in the dining section we were in came from the street lights right outside our window on Mehring Way, which was a bit glaring. Also, it seemed like the wait staff was trying to shoo us out by bringing out our checks as soon as humanly possible after the game, even as several tables around us were going unoccupied at about 11:00.

 

Edit: Forgot to mention that they were being very paranoid about letting people into the restaurant that were standing in line outside. You actually had to get permission from the guy at the door to go into the building to put your name on the list, and only one individual from our party was allowed in to do it. I'm not sure if a plan to put your name in early and drink at the Lager House bar would work if they do this every night. I had a feeling it had something to do with the maximum occupancy allowed in the building, but I can't be sure.

Only because everyone else is posting their visit experiences, I went with some friends on Saturday. Put our name in at 6:30, went to the Holy Grail to get drinks, and got our phone call two and a half hours later just as the Cincinnati-Louisville game started. Restaurant is everything you would expect, though most of the light in the dining section we were in came from the street lights right outside our window on Mehring Way, which was a bit glaring. Also, it seemed like the wait staff was trying to shoo us out by bringing out our checks as soon as humanly possible after the game, even as several tables around us were going unoccupied at about 11:00.

 

Edit: Forgot to mention that they were being very paranoid about letting people into the restaurant that were standing in line outside. You actually had to get permission from the guy at the door to go into the building to put your name on the list, and only one individual from our party was allowed in to do it. I'm not sure if a plan to put your name in early and drink at the Lager House bar would work if they do this every night. I had a feeling it had something to do with the maximum occupancy allowed in the building, but I can't be sure.

 

Yes, it is due to fire code. I think the place will be much better on the weekends when they weather gets warmer and they have a little more capacity. The Banks is just going to be a weird place until more parts of it come on line.

The Smale Event Lawn at CRP will be open starting this Friday for St. Patty's Day weekend.  Bands, beer etc. That lawn is going to see a lot of action.

I'm a little worried the event lawn will take too much of the crowd from Fountain Square. (I mean in general, not for a specific event.)

I'm a little worried the event lawn will take too much of the crowd from Fountain Square. (I mean in general, not for a specific event.)

 

I just had a thought, in spring 2014 you could do a really cool one-day outdoor music festival with acts at Findlay Market (parking lot, farmers shed, or south of the market), Washington Park, Fountain Square, Smale Event Lawn, with the streetcar connecting all of the venues.  You could even get four singer-songwriter/acoustic acts to play on the actual streetcars. (Also I suppose you could throw another act in a parking lot on/near Central Parkway)

 

As long as it doesn't rain. Can't rain that day. 

I'm a little worried the event lawn will take too much of the crowd from Fountain Square. (I mean in general, not for a specific event.)

 

I think Fountain Square will still be packed, and different crowds will go to each spot.

I'm a little worried the event lawn will take too much of the crowd from Fountain Square. (I mean in general, not for a specific event.)

 

I just had a thought, in spring 2014 you could do a really cool one-day outdoor music festival with acts at Findlay Market (parking lot, farmers shed, or south of the market), Washington Park, Fountain Square, Smale Event Lawn, with the streetcar connecting all of the venues.  You could even get four singer-songwriter/acoustic acts to play on the actual streetcars. (Also I suppose you could throw another act in a parking lot on/near Central Parkway)

 

As long as it doesn't rain. Can't rain that day.

 

Great idea...only 2 years away.

>I'm a little worried the event lawn will take too much of the crowd from

 

Taste of Blue Ash.

Here is the spring update video:

 

Smale Riverfront Park Spring 2012 Construction Update

okay my apologies if this has been covered in this thread (I'm sure it has somewhere) BUT...

 

I just got back from a jog from Sawyer Point down to the Banks and I just now noticed the closed off and overgrown boardwalk with the decorative lighting that starts in front of GABP. Is this going to reopen as a part of this park? Why and when was it closed? It's a total eyesore and waste of what would be otherwise amazing space. A quick look down there and it seems to be a dumping ground for people's tailgate trash....

Was closed at least several years ago--- Part of a future phase of the Riverfront park.

I'm a little worried the event lawn will take too much of the crowd from Fountain Square. (I mean in general, not for a specific event.)

 

I just had a thought, in spring 2014 you could do a really cool one-day outdoor music festival with acts at Findlay Market (parking lot, farmers shed, or south of the market), Washington Park, Fountain Square, Smale Event Lawn, with the streetcar connecting all of the venues.  You could even get four singer-songwriter/acoustic acts to play on the actual streetcars. (Also I suppose you could throw another act in a parking lot on/near Central Parkway)

 

As long as it doesn't rain. Can't rain that day. 

 

I am sure that those planning the MidPoint Music Festival are looking at the future of these outdoor venues and salivating.

 

**With the boat dock coming on-line at the end of Main Street I would really like to see a music festival that goes big and tries to connect venues from the city (with stops at Riverfront Park & Sawyer Point) by boat to RiverBend... yeah I know its a trip but 5 years from now it could really work (and be unique).

Here is the spring update video:

 

Smale Riverfront Park Spring 2012 Construction Update

 

At 8:20 in the video above you can see a rendering of the Main Street side of the Moerlein Lager House - it includes street trees and what appears to be signage that is being installed now:

 

The place looks great.  I still wish they wouldn't have created such a wall to Main Street but instead tried to interact with the street instead of turned its back to it.  Some lighting improvements up the side of the building could still help.

 

Signage for that wall is beginning to go up. I'd expect there to be lighting too.

I'm a little worried the event lawn will take too much of the crowd from Fountain Square. (I mean in general, not for a specific event.)

 

I just had a thought, in spring 2014 you could do a really cool one-day outdoor music festival with acts at Findlay Market (parking lot, farmers shed, or south of the market), Washington Park, Fountain Square, Smale Event Lawn, with the streetcar connecting all of the venues.  You could even get four singer-songwriter/acoustic acts to play on the actual streetcars. (Also I suppose you could throw another act in a parking lot on/near Central Parkway)

 

As long as it doesn't rain. Can't rain that day. 

 

I am sure that those planning the MidPoint Music Festival are looking at the future of these outdoor venues and salivating.

 

**With the boat dock coming on-line at the end of Main Street I would really like to see a music festival that goes big and tries to connect venues from the city (with stops at Riverfront Park & Sawyer Point) by boat to RiverBend... yeah I know its a trip but 5 years from now it could really work (and be unique).

 

I also realized you could add in the Casino's front event lawn. 

Water Taxis. We need water taxis. Bellvue to Newport to Banks water taxis. Water taxis as far as the eye can see. Ask jmecklemborg, he totally agrees!

Water Taxis. We need water taxis. Bellvue to Newport to Banks water taxis. Water taxis as far as the eye can see. Ask jmecklemborg, he totally agrees!

 

And out to Riverbend. Pre/post-concert partying in The Banks would sure beat sitting in traffic or dodging drunken drivers on 275.

 

 

And out to Riverbend. Pre/post-concert partying in The Banks would sure beat sitting in traffic or dodging drunken drivers on 275.

 

And it would sure beat sitting in the parking lot that is Kellogg Avenue and the costs of parking.

Lager House finishing touches:

I like the look of those. 

I do too. I assume that the one on the left (the one that isn't up yet) will be black, so the colors match the German flag?

^ Ha, good eye. I didn't notice that!

Moerlein Barbarossa has a black label, so hopefully so.

My guess is Barbarossa or Exposition.  The far right one appears to be Seven Weiss, which is one of two new beers launching with the LagerHouse (the other being Exposition).

It is indeed Seven Weiss.

The third ended up being Maibock (greenish yellow).

Guess we couldn't be too German...maybe world war ii is still Too Soon.

^Maybe they're saving the German flag setup for a big weekend, or it hasn't occurred to them yet.

It's the two spring seasonal beers. Makes sense.

Guess we couldn't be too German...maybe world war ii is still Too Soon.

 

Surprised COAST hasn't started collecting signatures to ban all people with German heritage from city limits

It's the two spring seasonal beers. Makes sense.

 

That makes sense, I thought the fist banner was OTR Ale when I just glanced at it.  It'll be interesting if they rotate those big banners every season.

It's the two spring seasonal beers. Makes sense.

 

That makes sense, I thought the fist banner was OTR Ale when I just glanced at it.  It'll be interesting if they rotate those big banners every season.

 

Definitely seems like that is the plan. My bet is they are having a ton of those made.

Evans Landscaping is prepping Main St. (Joe Nuxhall Way) & Mehring Way sidewalks by the Lager House for trees installation.

 

Also, the first set of trees have been installed at the Main St. Fountain.

saw on Friday evening that they had 5 trees planted along Mehring.  Looks much better.  There seemed to be spaces for 2 more before you reach the parking garage on that same side- maybe they'll do those next?

I was down in this area today. People were walking on every block, a couple of people on bicycles went whizzing by, people were meandering around the Lager House plaza, and you can start to see the first parts of the park taking shape, including a couple stands of trees.

 

Man is it coming together. It's actually kind of a strange feeling. It didn't feel like the Cincinnati I have known all my life at all, it felt like a dream.

^That's great to hear. The few times I have been down there, including before the Lager House had opened, people were out and about. People jogging, walking their dogs, and most importantly (to me at least) middle aged families were out with their kids. I saw a dad and his daughter the last time I was there circle the block a few times on their bikes while eating at the Lager House. It was great to see. I've only been in Cincy for 4.5 years, but my first experience downtown was a Reds game and the giant pits were a terrible first impression. Knowing what I do now, seeing this experiencing such success is extremely gratifying.

I think its the same phenomena that makes disney world so popular. The Mason/West Chester set seems to need to be completely surrounded by an environment that reflects their values back to them in everyway all the time. They can't seem to handle even the slightest disorder, difference, or conflict. Though native Cincinnatians seem more at ease with differences than the out of towners who live in Butler and Warren county, I think that  the controlled quality of the Banks should attract this crowd and add to downtown instead of competing with areas further north.

totally agree.

I was down in this area today. People were walking on every block, a couple of people on bicycles went whizzing by, people were meandering around the Lager House plaza, and you can start to see the first parts of the park taking shape, including a couple stands of trees.

 

Man is it coming together. It's actually kind of a strange feeling. It didn't feel like the Cincinnati I have known all my life at all, it felt like a dream.

 

Awesome - can't wait!

Pics from yesterday and today:

^Where's that fountain in the 3rd image?

^Where's that fountain in the 3rd image?

 

right behind the stage on the Schmidlap event lawn