A great place. Their beer selection is fantastic (and changes often based on seasonal microbrews), their staff generally knows a lot about the different beers, and their hummus is *amazing*. The staff can be a little spotty, but the long-term people - Erik in particular - are great. I love this place.
Review Source:I like this place during the day. Â It's quiet, bright, the coffee is pretty good, the bored staff is nice. Â The food is expensive and greasy (but tastes fine), so I only really get food when necessary (long study session). Â Good selection of alcohol, no complaints there. Â
I'm less of a fan in the evening/night. Â The place is longer than it is wide, so if there's a show going on, there's not much room to enjoy the show. Â The back half of the room either strains to hear what's going on up front, or isn't interested and is part of a conversation that detracts from what's going on at the front. Â It's a UC student kinda hangout, so it gets crowded and loud pretty quickly, which again, is kinda tough with the floorplan. Â
No complaints in terms of hang-out-and-work-on-stuff-during-the-day-ability, but I'd rather not be there once the sun goes down.
I'm still a fan, but Baba Budan's loses about a half star from me based on my last few visits.
One thing that is infallible is the beer & drink selection. I have only had alcohol here a couple of times, but I always had to take a step back from my usual orders and stare at the menu and specials board to figure out what new treat in which I should imbibe!
But, with the exception of simple things like bagel chips and sandwiches, the food is falling a bit flat for me. Blah. Lackluster. Sub-par. Half-assed.
Today, for instance, I ordered the Baba Plate which I'd meant to order for quite some time now after recommendation after recommendation from a couple of friends of mine. The plate consists of triangles of pita served with hummus, olives, tomatoes, feta, and falafel.
The pita was great, as was the feta. I don't like tomato or olives so I won't/can't comment on that! The hummus was out-of-this-world fabulous to the point that it's probably the best I've ever, ever had. It tasted of high-quality olive oil and herbs... amazing.
The falafel was absolutely awful, on the other hand. Dry, very obviously microwaved, and flavorless. I tried to cut into them with my fork and instead of a crunchy exterior concealing a warm, fragrant center... it was squishy and began to crumble in to a dry, breadcrumb-like mess.
If the hummus wasn't amazing, I would've sent the dish back. In the future, I plan on just ordering the hummus plate and saying a big "eff you!" to the falafel.
Bottom line: go for drinks and appetizers... maybe a sandwich... but don't expect much from the food.
There's beer. There's coffee. There's food. There's power outlets to plug in your Apple Accessory of Choice. Seriously...what more could you need?
Nice seating areas with a mix of couches, soft chairs and classic cafe tables.
I've mostly been there at off hours (during the daytime, or Sunday evenings)...so a pretty lowkey vibe at those hours, but I think that just enhanced the experience.
This is a great quirky little bar/cafe where great quirky little things like to happen. The last time I was there, a random elderly man who apparently "almost went to Julliard" asked my friend and I minded if he played us a few songs on the in-house piano. We called out songs and he played them beautifully. Pretty random, and also pretty cool. We also had a barista who was really excited to show off her newly flavor combinations for topping the coffee drinks with syrups. Sweet!
The first time I went here was for the Clifton Heights Music Festival and I didn't get anything to eat or drink. I saw the No No Knots and Cincy Brass play there on that night, and it was a lot of fun. The place is not made for a music venue because the stage is almost at floor level, and the building is very long and not very wide. The crowd of people spewing out the door and the energy of the place was fun, so I had a great time.
Just this week I went there for the second time to meet up with a couple of students from Xavier. I was only able to stay there for half an hour, and we didn't order food for about fifteen minutes.
When I ordered I asked how long it would take for the food to come out, and the cashier offered to make mine to go and to make mine first. I was very grateful and went back to my table. After about ten minutes she came back to our table with my McMillan Melt and pretzel chips in a plastic box. She apologized and seemed very concerned that she took too long. I reassured her that it was fine, and I was only going to Rohs Street Cafe to meet up with another group of people, so I was only a minute away. I thanked her and left.
I ordered a drink at Rohs Street Cafe and ate my McMillan Melt. The melt was very good (roast beef with melted cheese and veggies) and left me wanting more. Unfortunately I don't care much for pretzel chips. They are very hard and not incredibly flavorful. I would rather have regular potato chips. Overall the place has a very good atmosphere, and delicious food. Also, there are a lot of vegetarian/vegan options here!
This place is just... hilarious.
I have a riotous time every chance I get to hang out here.
I know it's supposed to be a coffee shop, but it's so much more fun as a bar and event space.
Whenever Cincinnati seems like it's too crazy conservative for me, I come to Baba Budan's.
It never fails to be full of ridiculous liberals who make me feel like I'm a member of Sarah Palin's PAC. So of course, I find it to be full of hilarity.
The beer selection is excellent and the prices are pretty fair. Because it's a college joint, it could stand to be a little cheaper.
It can get very packed in there though. It's a very tight space. (That's for you Steve Carrell.)
My recommendation, Baba's is either the place to start or finish the night in Clifton. Leave when it fills up, come back when it empties.
Baba Budans is a staple hangout of UC college students. Know this before entering.
I'm not saying this to deter you from the coffee house. Far from it. This is a great spot in the heart of Clifton that serves delicious coffee and/or food. I've never been unhappy with anything I've gotten there ... I've only been twice, but still, very nice indeed.
There's plenty of seating in this nice café and I either found a spot for myself or for my group very easily. The staff is also friendly and will happily help you out with whatever you need.
My only issue is noise. Both times I went, this was one loud café. Crazy loud. I can't blame them - again, it's full of college kids, but it's not the best place to sit and do work. They also try to do something live every night (music, poetry, whathaveyou), so that adds to the fun/noise. No one can say this place isn't lively, for sure.
There is also no parking lot and parking in Clifton can be horrible. Horrible, horrible. Luckily I lived in Clifton at the time, and could walk, but otherwise I'd be semi-annoyed.
Still, if you happen to be in the Clifton area and need a spot to stop and just collect your life, this is the spot for sure.
I have a confession. Beatcat Cafe and I go way back. Like way, way back. I'm talking 8 years ago when Gino, the old Italian guy who could always be relied on to be sucking on a stogie, charged whatever sounded right for a Cranberry Vodka. The drinks were cheap, Gino thought we were of age and jello-shots were in stock.
Baba Budan's and I go back just as far. The only thing that got me out of my extra-long twin size bed in Calhoun Hall for a Tuesday 8 a.m chemistry class was a super strong latte from Baba Budan's. The baristas were always very friendly and I never had a cup of coffee that wasn't delicious and didn't give me the pleasant caffeine boost I so desperately needed. This place holds a dear place in many Bearcat hearts and I'm thrilled it wasn't mindlessly replaced by a Starbucks.
Well, cut to a few years later against the backdrop of the drastic gentrification of Calhoun St., and Bearcat Cafe and Baba Budan's emerge as one. I recently was able to finally stop into the space after a few years and was pleasantly surprised by the ability of the owners to maintain the college bar feel of Bearcat Cafe, while bringing in the independent spirit of Baba Budan's.
The space is cleaner and more inviting than when it only functioned as a bar. There is ample space for students to plug in their laptops and it seems like a great place to get some writing done with an expresso or two. There is also a space for live music located by the front door. I haven't seen music live here before but will likely check out an act in the future.
My recent stop only consisted of a quick to-go latte but I was greeted by a friendly barista who made a killer cup of coffee. Expectations met! Current UC students are definitely lucky to have this establishment around.
Best Feature: Good coffee!
Worst Feature: Parking can be hard to find.
It's funny - the whole time I attending University of Cincinnati, I never once visited this place. Upon transferring to a nearby college, I finally checked this place out. I'm glad I did!
Upon entering, I enjoyed the fact there seemed to be a decent amount of seating. The staff was incredibly nice, and I always enjoy walking in and asking for their recommendation. Some places are resistant to giving suggestions; this was not the case! Thanks to the advice of the barista, I enjoyed a Chocolate Raspberry mocha, and was able to stay for quite some time.
I enjoy coffee places with later hours, as my schedule sometimes doesn't permit me to venture out until well past other coffee shop hours of operation. The only downside was finding parking - it's on-street parking, so it was a bit difficult to figure out where to park.
I loved being able to sit down and have a good conversation with my friend(s) who join, and this place was definitely conducive to a social environment. I'm not sure if it is too loud or busy at other times, but when we went (later in the evening), there was plenty of seating and my friend and I were able to sit and chat as we enjoy doing so often over java.
They had a good variety of coffees and drinks, as well as food available for consumption. Always a plus, as sometimes the hunger bug strikes without warning.
I will definitely return again!
Baba's is the perfect place to go with a group of friends after dinner. Especially a group of drinkers and non-drinkers alike. Baba's has a full espresso and coffee bar sitting right next to a full beer & wine bar. Sure the selection isn't unending because of sheer size (as far as alcohol goes) but there is something for everyone.
Baba's has a small selection of food as well if you didn't get your fill at dinner, with some mediterranean fare to spice it up.
Free Wi-fi is nice for studying and live music can be found there nearly every night of the week.
Baba's is a fun place to huddle with your friends for a smoke outside in January and then warm up with really good food and a beverage inside. The crowd on the nights I've gone have been mostly university kids and fans of the band. Unfortunately for the band, they usually get just a tiny spot in the back to set up all their equipment and dancing is barely an option. Somehow they still manage to pull in some of the cities more eclectic and interesting music. What's great is that the artwork is usually just as cool.
The only real negative I've noticed about Baba's is that the restrooms are so close to the space the band plays that you almost have to walk through them to pee.
Whatever you like to drink, this is the place to get it. Â Coffee? Â Espresso? Â Tea? Â They got it, and with whatever flair you prefer. Â Pinot Noir? Â It's no wine bar, but you'll find something palatable. Â Beer? Â Bells, Founders, Great Lakes, Dogfish Head, and many other fantastic microbreweries are represented here. Â Plus, some quality food to quench your appetite as well as your thirst. Â And not just pub grub; think Mediterranean, what with hummus (which I really like), falafel, or pita sandwiches.
They have an open mic night on Thursdays, which is always interesting. Â Too interesting for me to check out most of the time, but I know some folks who have done it and aren't "interesting" in the way you would describe that meal you had at your neighbor's house last year. Â They get a lot of local bands, especially from UC, which, needless to say, is a real crapshoot.
But you can always rely on a quality beverage and atmosphere, what with the warm lighting, artistic decor, and spacious interior. Â Excellent establishment.
If I had written this review when I first started hanging out at Baba Budan's over a year ago, this score would have been five stars. Â They had fantastic coffee, several free copies of the New York Times everyday including Sunday, Orangina, Nonni's Biscotti, decent wine and a great beer selection, especially for such a small place. Â I also like the sturdy but varied furniture (tall and short tables, couches, chairs), the real cups and plates for people who take their coffee and stay, and the interesting and optimistic kids who worked behind the counter. Â And whenever I accidentally caught a band, they were always quiet enough to talk over, but interesting enough that I didn't want to.
Slowly a lot of the things I liked about Baba's went away. Â The man who brought the Times stopped coming by. Â The biscotti and Orangina disappeared. Â They had fewer employees; the lines got longer, and they started playing really loud music during the day, when I liked to bring my laptop and geek out. Â
Things have rallied a bit since the summer. Â They got my Orangina and biscotti back. Â But it doesn't seem like the same place. Â To be fair, I haven't gotten anything except to go coffee there for months. Â
If I can  force myself to hang out there once more, I'll report back.
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