The Ohio River flows right through Cincinnati and neighboring Kentucky, providing gorgeous scenery for waterfront dining on both sides. We’ve compiled a list of the top restaurants and bars with exquisite food and a view of the water.
- Joe’s Crab Shack
For an elbows-deep seafood dining experience, look no further than Joe’s Crab Shack. This establishment provides all visitors the chance to get hands-on and dirty with their meals. A bucket of ready-to-shell shrimp, anyone? Mouthwatering crab doused in garlic butter? You may want to bring a bib because this meal splashes like a fish out of water.
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:00AM-11:00PM, Friday-Saturday 11:00AM-12:00 midnight.
Number: 859-581-6333
- Montgomery Inn Boathouse
Known as the “Ribs King” of Cincinnati, Montgomery Inn Boathouse boasts some of the country’s bestslow-cooked ribs. This upscale establishment brings some class to your dining experience. Enjoy your BBQ ribs or high-end surf N’ turf as you overlook the Ohio River and Kentucky skyline. The perfect place to bring a date, the ambiance of Montgomery should not be missed .
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:00AM-10:00PM, Friday 11:00AM-11:00PM, Saturday 3:00PM-11:00PM, Sunday 3:00PM-9:00PM
Number: 513-721-7427
- 10 West Restaurant and Bar
Get your Southern drawl on at 10 West, a Kentucky-honoring restaurant. Eat some ribs with iconic Kentucky bourbon BBQ sauce, or dive into a thick cut of the most mouthwatering steak you’ve ever seen. Oh, and they have fresh seafood caught and served daily. The best part is on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays they offer an all you can eat lunch buffet. If you can’t choose one dish, have them all! The view from inside is good, but not as good as from their outdoor patio.
Hours: Monday-Sunday 8:00AM-10:00PM
Number: 859-392-3750
- Riverwatch Floating Restaurant and Bar
This restaurant is only open in the spring and summer months because it is literally on the Ohio River. As you step onto the Riverwatch boat, you are taken away from the hustle and bustle of the city and immersed in the island life. With 450 feet of dock space, the Riverwatch allows lots of space to relax and unwind as you admire the views from the water. Serving some of Ohio’s best seafood, this over-water dining experience shouldn’t be missed!
Hours: Reopening in April 2018 with new summer hours. Stay tuned!
Number: 812-539-3625
- Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club
For all the boat-enthusiasts and yacht club members, this establishment honors your hobby and serves up some mighty-good food. They provide a marina dock for boats so that guests can literally sail up to the restaurant, and take their boat home when they’re done. Each night is a different cuisine theme; most popular is Monday Steak Night. Plus, they have live music every night to provide even more ambiance to your waterfront night out .
Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:00AM-2:30AM
Number: 859-291-8132
The Ohio River provides so much ambiance, atmosphere, and opportunity to Cincinnati diners, we couldn’t ignore how valuable these establishments are to the city. If we missed a restaurant on the water that you think should be on this list, let us know on the Contact page!