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I love Arnold's if we're talking downtown bars

(01-04-2023 01:10 PM)BearcatDave Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:22 PM)den2010 Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:18 PM)Bearcat419 Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

I'll get scalped for this, but, as on out of towner.... You can probably skip skyline.

I've been told from a fellow UH alum that Skyline is necessary for the experience.

BTW if you're ever in Houston, I HIGHLY recommend going to a good Bahn Mi place (or Vietnamese food in general). Those Vietnamese sandwiches are so damn good.

I love the food in Houston. You have the best Mexican food in the country. What Vietnamese restaurant woudl you recommend? I love Bahn Mi sandwiches.

Following up on this comment. Houston has very good TexMex. Mexican is not bad. If you want LEGIT Mexican food in Texas, go to San Antonio or El Paso. You mind will be blown. I had the best beans and carnitas from a truck in San Antonio.

Austin's mexican food is very meh. TexMex is . . . alright. Don't get me started on DFW.

(10-28-2022 09:35 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

Cincinnati-style chili is definitely unique. So is goetta (although I never had that until I was an adult - it's nothing special).


But there's another local specialty that most Cincinnatians don't realize is unavailable in the rest of the USA: mettwurst. It's a type of German sausage.

Cincinnatians think of "brats and metts" at a neighborhood BBQ. They're sold in almost every grocery store.

Metts are at most concession stands in Cincinnati-area sports stadiums/arenas.

I've asked far and wide outside of Cincy for mettwurst and only found it one place (a German sausage shop in a San Diego suburb run by a couple of old ladies from Magdeburg - although Google tells me that it is now permanently closed). Most butchers I've asked have never even heard of it.



* German food in general is really good in Cincinnati. My favorite is Mecklenburg Gardens, which is a few blocks off UC's campus.

Are these sold at y'all's arena?

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

Skyline is mass-produced, chain-store stuff. Camp Washington Chili is made in small batches and is the real deal.

(01-04-2023 01:10 PM)BearcatDave Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:22 PM)den2010 Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:18 PM)Bearcat419 Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

I'll get scalped for this, but, as on out of towner.... You can probably skip skyline.

I've been told from a fellow UH alum that Skyline is necessary for the experience.

BTW if you're ever in Houston, I HIGHLY recommend going to a good Bahn Mi place (or Vietnamese food in general). Those Vietnamese sandwiches are so damn good.

I love the food in Houston. You have the best Mexican food in the country. What Vietnamese restaurant woudl you recommend? I love Bahn Mi sandwiches.

I was in Houston a few years back for a conference...had something with some sort of pickled cactus salsa... It was freaking amazing. I don't remember the name of the place and, to be honest, it was some little joint in a strip mall, but...day-um...amazing.

(01-04-2023 03:15 PM)colohank Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

Skyline is mass-produced, chain-store stuff. Camp Washington Chili is made in small batches and is the real deal.

Yup.

I second Arnold's for a late dinner and drinks on Friday. It's been around 150+ years. Highly recommend the Greek spaghetti (no olives for me). You might want to make a reservation.

And yeah, Skyline is what people back home might recognize, and it's fine, but you want to go to a local place like Camp Washington Chili.

If you're into wings, head to Knock Back Nats nearby or Smoke Justis across the river for a more polished experience. They also have a great bourbon bar that's kind of separate from the rest of the place.

(01-04-2023 03:16 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:15 PM)colohank Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

Skyline is mass-produced, chain-store stuff. Camp Washington Chili is made in small batches and is the real deal.

Yup.

Do not listen to this advice. Go to Skyline. Do not overthink this. Camp Washington Chili is great--all of the chili places are!--but Skyline is the avatar of Cincinnati chili.

(01-04-2023 04:08 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:16 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:15 PM)colohank Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

Skyline is mass-produced, chain-store stuff. Camp Washington Chili is made in small batches and is the real deal.

Yup.

Do not listen to this advice. Go to Skyline. Do not overthink this. Camp Washington Chili is great--all of the chili places are!--but Skyline is the avatar of Cincinnati chili.

Seconded. If you're going to get chili for the first time, Skyline is just as good as anywhere else. Camp Washington is for connoisseurs.

However, not everyone likes Cincinnati-style chili. 1/3 of people love it (including me and my kids), but a lot of people actively dislike it.

(01-04-2023 04:08 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:16 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:15 PM)colohank Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

Skyline is mass-produced, chain-store stuff. Camp Washington Chili is made in small batches and is the real deal.

Yup.

Do not listen to this advice. Go to Skyline. Do not overthink this. Camp Washington Chili is great--all of the chili places are!--but Skyline is the avatar of Cincinnati chili.

My controversial opinion... it's all good

(01-04-2023 04:22 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 04:08 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:16 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:15 PM)colohank Wrote:  

(10-27-2022 09:13 PM)den2010 Wrote:  One question : outside of Skyline, is there a certain type of food y'all suggest I try?

Skyline is mass-produced, chain-store stuff. Camp Washington Chili is made in small batches and is the real deal.

Yup.

Do not listen to this advice. Go to Skyline. Do not overthink this. Camp Washington Chili is great--all of the chili places are!--but Skyline is the avatar of Cincinnati chili.

My controversial opinion... it's all good

I agree! Heck I like the canned stuff even.

(01-04-2023 04:40 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 04:22 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 04:08 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:16 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 03:15 PM)colohank Wrote:  Skyline is mass-produced, chain-store stuff. Camp Washington Chili is made in small batches and is the real deal.

Yup.

Do not listen to this advice. Go to Skyline. Do not overthink this. Camp Washington Chili is great--all of the chili places are!--but Skyline is the avatar of Cincinnati chili.

My controversial opinion... it's all good

I agree! Heck I like the canned stuff even.

I usually don't use this phrase, but in this particular case I agree:

It's all good.

Mecklenburg Gardens the place to be for authentic German food and beer. Close to the UC campus and a decent hangout for a lot of older Bearcat fans. Usually a fun place to be on a UC game day.

When taking someone to Skyline Chili for the first time (and it is the biggest because it is the best), tell them ahead of time to think of the name as Skyline Spaghetti Sauce. People get hung up on the fact the the Greek style chili is nothing like what they are expecting in a chili. But it is a fantastic spaghetti sauce.

(01-04-2023 01:19 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I love Arnold's if we're talking downtown bars

Cool place. Haven't been there in years. I think it's the oldest bar in the city. Slightly older than Mecklenberg, both open since the civil war. I believe arnolds open in 1861 and Mecklenberg in 1865

(01-04-2023 01:05 PM)den2010 Wrote:  BUMP!
Alright you pinche gatos osos, buddy of mine and I are headed y'all's way this weekend.

Currently we plan on checking out the Reds' stadium on Saturday and either hitting up the Underground Railroad Museum or a distillery tour at New Riff. Thoughts? Lunch and dinner options are open, as well as late night shenanigans.

Sunday go see Bengals tailgating in the morning and then walk to campus. Lunch at Skyline and then chill at a bar until closer to tip. Post game, no idea.

Might drop by Hall of Justice at some point to check out the architecture.

We both fly out Monday. Thoughts? Reserved an Airbnb downtown.

Note : I get in late Friday, but the buddy of mine gets in Friday afternoon. Anywhere you would suggest he go to hang out/see in the evening?

You say your Airbnb is downtown, so just use the street car to get around. It's a free ride, and will drop you within a block or two of all the best spots. The Banks, on the river between the stadiums....Fountain Square... Findlay Market....Over the Rhine.... Vine Street and Main Street in OTR are very cool... You'll need to Uber up the hill to campus for the game on Sunday. If you don't do Mecklenbergs, I recommend Martino's on Short Vine a block off campus to pregame. Post game, hit the Hard Rock Casino back downtown.

i'm found in the gaslight a lot; old sixties haunt north (i guess) of campus. i reckon it's like berkeley without the berzerkely. a poor man's berkeley without the berzerkely. it;s a hood that stayed hip. i do most of my christmas shopping at the boutiques that litter the place. an old school movie theatre, bars, vinyl, venues, indian food yada tacos... and up the street is the best uc bar in fries. park there and walk to the game

my favorite place around campus is duttenhofer books on west mcmillan. i doubt i'll (no offense) ever find myself in houston but on the chance i should happen to, used book store recommendations are always welcome. i hope we're competitive on the glass come sunday

(01-05-2023 12:07 AM)Lush Wrote:  i'm found in the gaslight a lot; old sixties haunt north (i guess) of campus. i reckon it's like berkeley without the berzerkely. a poor man's berkeley without the berzerkely. it;s a hood that stayed hip. i do most of my christmas shopping at the boutiques that litter the place. an old school movie theatre, bars, vinyl, venues, indian food yada tacos... and up the street is the best uc bar in fries. park there and walk to the game

my favorite place around campus is duttenhofer books on west mcmillan. i doubt i'll (no offense) ever find myself in houston but on the chance i should happen to, used book store recommendations are always welcome. i hope we're competitive on the glass come sunday

Probably my favorite place too, but not because it's a bookstore. That space was once occupied by Shipley's, UC's most popular (and always crowded) campus bar when I met my future wife there in March, 1963. She was a former XU homecoming queen, so despite the Bearcats' struggles against the Muskies in recent years, I figure my good fortune is a victory won in perpetuity. We'll be celebrating our 58th anniversary in a few months.

Great points made by all here but this man has a limited time window and needs some clear direction. Here is a summary of the points above with an eye towards time and distance.

Areas you must hit
Downtown area - Over the Rhine - Think Vine Street, Washington Park area - tons of bars, restaurants to choose from and within walking distance. By far the majority are unique joints (not chains). This could be a couple days worth of exploration easily. Make sure to hit Rheingeist brewery and there is no better place to wander on Saturday or Sunday morning/early afternoon than Findlay Market (don't miss it).

UC Area - Mecklenbergs and Martino's are great pregame suggestions. Get there early both will end up being packed. Also for post-game Ludlow Ave "Gaslight" area is a good call. Lots of bars and you could get your Skyline Chili stop in there (my favorite, old school location).

Kentucky - Mainstrasse area - there are other interesting parts of KY just across the river from downtown, but if you are only going to have time to hit one area across the river (for food/entertainment), this is it. Old, cool and unique entertainment district with bars and restaurants in super close proximity to each other (no chains).

On the great Chili debate - YES get some Cincinnati Chili. I have a team of 9 people from all over the US (including one from Texas). All but two LOVE it and demand we go every time we meet here. Of the two holdouts one is ambivalent and the last thinks its wretched. Odds are good you will really like it. My Atlanta guy makes Skyline Chili dip (you can buy it frozen/canned there) for every party he goes to now and has created a growing fanatic base in his social group. The folks singing the praises of Camp Washington Chili, Price Hill chili etc aren't wrong those places are great! But you only have so much time and going to either will involve a long Uber back and forth for a singular purpose. Go to SKYLINE in central Downtown or in Clifton (UC area) on Ludlow ave.

There are lots of other gem areas and places in this town, too many to list. But if you are looking to get a feel for Cincinnati (by eating, drinking and socialzing naturally) in a limited time window and using the game as central focus, these are the three general areas that will give you "real Cincinnati" with tons of options in close proximity.

Godspeed Cougar man.

(01-04-2023 01:05 PM)den2010 Wrote:  BUMP!
Alright you pinche gatos osos, buddy of mine and I are headed y'all's way this weekend.

Currently we plan on checking out the Reds' stadium on Saturday and either hitting up the Underground Railroad Museum or a distillery tour at New Riff. Thoughts? Lunch and dinner options are open, as well as late night shenanigans.

Sunday go see Bengals tailgating in the morning and then walk to campus. Lunch at Skyline and then chill at a bar until closer to tip. Post game, no idea.

Might drop by Hall of Justice at some point to check out the architecture.

We both fly out Monday. Thoughts? Reserved an Airbnb downtown.

Note : I get in late Friday, but the buddy of mine gets in Friday afternoon. Anywhere you would suggest he go to hang out/see in the evening?

^bolded...

Just my two cents, but I would not walk to the UC campus from downtown / Paul Brown Stadium area.
It is not a short distance, it is a lot of uphill, and safety could be a concern.