Highest-rated Fine Dining Restaurants in the Cincinnati Area by Diners

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Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Cincinnati area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Cincinnati area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

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#29. iZen's Drunken Bento

- Rating: 3.9/5 (315 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 212 West McMillan St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Korean, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#28. Incline Public House

- Rating: 4.0/5 (955 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2601 West 8th St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp

#27. E + O Kitchen - Hyde Park

- Rating: 4.0/5 (525 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3520 Edwards Road Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Cocktail Bars, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

#26. Metropole

- Rating: 4.0/5 (419 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 609 Walnut St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp

#25. Symphony Hotel & Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 210 West 14th St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Hotels, New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Butcher and Barrel

- Rating: 4.1/5 (354 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 Race St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Bars, Salad, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

#23. Via Vite

- Rating: 4.1/5 (798 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 520 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

#22. Biagio's Bistro

- Rating: 4.1/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 308 Ludlow Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

#21. Primavista

- Rating: 4.1/5 (376 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 810 Matson Place Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#20. Taglio OTR

- Rating: 4.2/5 (216 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 56 East 12th St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Sports Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Ruth's Parkside Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (207 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1550 Blue Rock St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

#18. Nicola's Ristorante

- Rating: 4.2/5 (491 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1420 Sycamore St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

#17. Lalo

- Rating: 4.2/5 (511 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 26 West Court St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Latin American, Asian Fusion, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#16. Sacred Beast

- Rating: 4.2/5 (547 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1437 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Bars, Diners, New American
- Read more on Yelp

#15. LouVino OTR

- Rating: 4.2/5 (489 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1142 Main St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Wine Bars, Southern, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Mita's Restaurant and Bar

- Rating: 4.3/5 (544 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 501 Race St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Spanish, Latin American, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp

#13. Tela Bar and Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (361 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1212 Springfield Pike Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Gastropubs, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#12. The Davidson

- Rating: 4.4/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 501 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: French, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#11. Crown Cantina

- Rating: 4.4/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 326 East 8th St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

#10. Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse - Cincinnati

- Rating: 4.4/5 (766 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 505 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. The Precinct

- Rating: 4.4/5 (709 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 311 Delta Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

#8. The Eagle OTR

- Rating: 4.4/5 (2760 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1342 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: American, Comfort Food, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

#7. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1682 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 525 Race St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, New American
- Read more on Yelp

#6. Abigail Street

- Rating: 4.5/5 (548 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1214 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Mediterranean, Wine Bars, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#5. Alfio's Buon Cibo

- Rating: 4.5/5 (429 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2724 Erie Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Argentine, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Crown Republic Gastropub

- Rating: 4.5/5 (534 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 720 Sycamore St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Gastropubs, New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

#3. Boca

- Rating: 4.6/5 (684 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 114 East 6th St. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, French, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp