My wife and I are big foodies and very particular about where we eat. Last night we ate at The Celestial Steak House and had the best dinner we have had in years!!! The lamb shank was sooo savory and fell off the bone. The steak was perfect and you could cut it with your fork. I believe the Chef there is  relatively new to the Celestial, and he is nothing short of FABULOUS!!!
Review Source:I had never been here before even though i had always wanted to. I have always been a little hesitant to eat here because I hear pretty mixed reviews about the place. Most people who have been going for Years say that it used to be one of the nicest places in the city but has been slipping the last few years.
We went there with a group of 7 on New Year's Eve. Our reservations were at 630. Our coats were taken and we were promptly seated. The Decor was very nice , wood walls, large round bar, beautiful chandelier and gorgeous views. Every detail of the interior of the place is designed to be one of the nicest restaurants in Cincinnati.
They brought us a wine list which was respectable. The beer selection was not great , in fact they didn't even have a beer list the server just told us what beer they have. At this day and age with all these craft brews growing in popularity and all these new beer drinkers a good beer list is just as important as a good wine list . For some reason nice steak houses haven't seemed to grasp this. Miller light corona bud light and Stella just aren't cutting it anymore, it's time to step it up.
For my first course I had the crab cake , which I would highly recommend it is one of the better crab cakes in the city. My girlfriend had a Gorgonzola pear salad which she liked. We had a few oysters which were the larger east coast oysters . As long as u have nice oysters to start with its pretty impossible to mess them up.
For my dinner I had the special which was a fillet and lobster tail serves with mashes potatoes and mixed vegetables . My girlfriend had the scallops, she was very pleased with them , the bite I had I enjoyed , they were perfectly cooked. My fillet was good , not great just good. I would be happy to get this steak somewhere like outback or longhorn steakhouse . But when your at a place the has the reputation of being one of the nicest restaurants in the city I expect a little more. It falls pretty short compared to a rubys or Morton's. as for the lobster I can honestly say it was the worst lobster I had ever eaten in any restaurant. Not even edible by Outback Steakhouse standards. It was wayyyyyyyyy over cooked , like eating shoe leather with a little of the rubber shoe sole. Completely bland , just a huge disappointment. For desert we had the cheesecake with a raspberry sauce . It was decent , just your run of the mill nice cheesecake.
Altogether we got out of there for two people for 150 which is overpriced considering the quality of the food. I would happily pay that for great food though.
I would give the service and atmosphere 5 stars  and would give the food 2. So 3-3.5 stars for the whole experience seems fitting.
Saturday night, had reservations. Completely disorganized maitre'd, ditto coat check. Parking problems. Basic cf for many customers basically bumping into each other and wall sconces. Got the impression they cater specifically to "the regulars" and others are second lass citizens. Our waiter spent as much time busing tables as attending to our table of six. Food: nothing special. If you want to check out the view and history of the place, get a drink at the impressive bar, maybe an appetizer and be on your way.
Review Source:The view was great, but since I was mostly looking across the table at my friends and not looking to my side, I really didn't see the view much. Â I was in a large group, and we had made a reservation weeks before. Â We had a really good young waiter who did a great job of refilling drinks, etc.
The food was just OK, and very pricey for the amount of food on the plates. Â For a fine dining restaurant, the food was plated very basically - not very attractively. Â We were there on a Tuesday night for dinner - maybe the real chefs night off?
My dining companions and I felt that we didn't get much for the large amount of money we spent on food - we won't be coming back.
Wife and I visited for the first time last weekend.  The view is terrific.  It took about 15 minutes to get menus, which was very odd.  We narrowed our wine choice down to two bottles, then asked the waiter for his recommendation.  He said okay, and left.  We thought he was going to get the sommelier, whom we had previously witnessed addressing the table adjacent to ours.  He did not  return with the sommelier, nor did he describe either wine, he just left and brought back one of the bottles.  Furthermore, he was clueless in wine service.  First of all, when opening the bottle he placed the bottom of the bottle against his upper thigh and rotated it to cut the foil off the top.  Secondly, he poured across the wife from the left, and did not have a cloth with which to wipe the mouth of the bottle after the pour.  On a positive note, the wine was very reasonably priced.  The red pepper bisque was a great starter.  I had the salmon, which was perfectly prepared and quite excellent,  and the wife had a filet, which was cooked perfectly but was unremarkable in flavor.  We scoped out the bar area before leaving, and were almost disappointed we had not chosen the bar area for dinner.  It was slightly darker, more inviting, and had a gentleman playing the piano, giving it the perfect ambiance that we had been expecting when we made reservations.  And the view was even more spectacular. If you end up in Cincinnati, the bar at the Celestial is highly recommended.
Review Source:If I could give this place a zero I would. After hearing of this restaurant, my husband and I decided to go for our anniversary. My husband ordered the "special" which was steak and lobster. His meal came and his steak was cooked extremely well done after he ordered it medium...they so called prepared him another steak which then came back very much medium well! Lobster was chewy and over cooked! That is not the worst part! I ordered crab cakes and a fillet, I took one bite of the crab cake and it was so salty that I could not eat it. After our less than mediocre meal, later that night I was so sick that I had to go to the emergency room and get hooked up to an IV because I had the worst case of FOOD POISONING that I have ever had! It took a week to recover. My husband called and spoke to the manager and he said that the owner would call...until this day we have yet to get a call!!
Review Source:The Celestial Steakhouse, 1071 Celestial Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, is an elegant yet comfortable restaurant with excellent views of the Cincinnati skyline. The atmosphere is relaxing and indulgent. The wait staff is extremely accommodating and helpful. They worked with me to accommodate my vegetarian requests without hesitation. I ordered the beefsteak tomato tower without the avocado. It was pretty and delicious. I requested the Jumbo Shrimp Penne without the shrimp. Again, it was beautifully prepared and delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed it and took the leftovers with me for later. My dinner companions enjoyed their filet mignon and Mediterranean Lamb dishes. Desserts included a chocolate torte, creme brulee, and cheesecake. We shared the three desserts, so I can attest that all three were delicious. My torte was my favorite though. The Celestial Steakhouse provided a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere with delicious food!
Review Source:I have long been a fan of The Celestial. It was popular with the governing board of the association for which I was the CEO, and a personal favorite of one of my past presidents.
My recent visit was no disappointment!
Decor: While it is not current, the knotty paneling has been there for some time, the spectacular view of Cincinnati never disappoints. Whether there in daylight or after dark, the view is the focus for me. We enjoyed watching boat traffic as well as the city.
Service: We were early for an early dinner. The hostess offered to seat us immediately. We chose to go to the bar first since this was a special dinner -- our anniversary. We received a friendly greeting from both the hostess and the bartender. We were seated promptly when we were ready for dinner.
Our dinner server was prompt and attentive throughout the dinner, but not intrusive. Pleasing service on all counts.
Dinner: For starters, my wife chose the asparagus soup. It was wonderful. Creamy and flavorful. I chose the Celestial's answer to a lettuce wedge. It was a head (!) of lettuce with Maytag blue cheese (a personal favorite). I wondered how large it would be? It was a small head of lettuce. Just right.
For the main course we both chose a special for the evening: a small 5 oz. filet, accompanied by purple mashed potatoes. This is a pleasing serving size. Yes, I like the larger steaks, but honestly, 5 oz. is really enough for a meal. Both steaks were perfect, including mine prepared Pittsburgh style. The potatoes were colorful and tasty, though not as hot (temperature) as I expected. Â
Dessert topped the meal: creme-brulee and the homemade ice cream. Both were excellent, and ordering just one to share would have been plenty for the evening. Â
The evening was as special as we desired. Once again, The Celestial met high expectations.
Let me first say what was good about the celestial. The view is amazing and the warm bread they brought with the meal was delicious.Ok, that's all that was good.
The host was completely condescending and rude. My brother in law made reservation here for a large group to celebrate a graduation. We were all well dressed but had two toddlers with us. After being treated like dirt by the host we were treated only midly better by the server. The food was super expensive and just okay on flavor, I could cook something better at home.
I was not impressed.
Disclaimer:- The Celestial was the venue for a recent retirement party we attended, but we only encountered the Incline bar, which is what this short review is based on...
If you have a desire to surround yourself in what looks like Mid-80's decor and have a penchant for swanning theatrically up and down curved steps and/or sitting at a circular bar that makes you feel you're in a classic MTV video with Duran Duran, then The Celestial will knock your patterned cashmere socks off!
If, like cheapskate l'il me, you baulk at the notion of $20 for a pair of simple drinks (akin to highway robbery without the mask), regardless of the stupendous views you have across downtown Cincinnati, then you'll stay away.
It's that simple.
The Celestial steakhouse is located at the top corner of Mt. Adams. The views are very nice and not a normal view that many people get to see of the city. The restaurant décor has a country club feel. Clean but a little 80's with all the mirrors. I had high expectations for the celestial after seeing the menu online and reading through reviews that people left on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fopentable.com&s=897c359bd752b4f5407d5ea86453c82be2d1913c8d0b51b18d81fc58f52a6497" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://opentable.com</a>. I had the steak for 2 option with my wife. The steak was cooked to the correct temp but too me had a lot of gristle in it. Not the best cut. The sides were ok. Nothing to rave about. The meal was kind of so so. I really wished for more with those prices. Our server didn't seem to know the menu very well and was pushy trying to up sell the higher priced wines. Kind of aggravating.
      After our meal we went to the bar for some live music and cocktails. The bar was very lively with locals and hoity toity types. Lots of good people watching. Plenty of cougars were on the prowl and old rich guys with their arm candy. Unfortunately, we won't be back. For you money the Precinct is the place to be! They are on a whole other level compared. That goes for service, price and food.
The first time I came here the experience was superb. My parents were in town and they're even harder to please than I am.
Fortunately they were ecstatic, and spent the next 8 months asking me if I had gone back. The steaks were great, the sides were great, the salad was great and the service was great. What wasn't entirely great was the decor. It's got class, but seems like it was class in the early 1980s and hasn't been updated much since. In fairness, part of their carpet had come up and been removed, likely earlier that day, which really made it look a bit dingy.
The view was fantastic.
I went back months later and discovered, to my surprise, there was an entirely separate room! I missed that the first time. With an upstairs! Both looked impressive.
Less impressive that second time was my filet. It was cooked perfectly, but extremely dry. It was properly pinkish purple, but very little juice was running out of it. Â That cost it two stars. It was a 3 star meal as such, but the entire rating is based off of that enormous flaw.
I'll be back. Two trips, two different experiences. It deserves a third shot, and I'll update this review. Dry steak, lower rating. Good steak, higher rating. Cincinnati isn't lacking in high quality steaks, though, so there's a lot of competition.
Celestial always impresses me from service, food to view of course, too. Their raw bar is always tasting fresh and they cook fine cuts of meat to your perfection. Thank you to Bisert, our favorite server, always leaving us looking forward to next special dining night at The Celestial.
Review Source:I love going to The Celestial after a night on the town on a Friday or Saturday night. Â The view is absolutely stunning! Â Yes, it is typically an older crowd but it is so sweet watching the older couples dance to the loving songs of their "good ol' days" (Frank Sinatra, etc). Â Their drink selection is extensive. Â The Celestial is perfect if you are hoping for a romantic evening with your sweetie... drinks, music, dancing and an amazing view.
Review Source:This is a review from a younger crowds perspective.
Pros:
1) The views are amazing, we went during a reds game and we could see the fireworks from a homerun which was kind of cool
2) The decor, very nice and classy
3) Very extensive wine list
Cons:
1) The food is adequate but nothing spectacular
2) The service was absolutely terrible, our server didn't even know their wine list well, and then brought out the wrong bottle of wine
Kind of a mixed review, its a cool place to bring a date for a late dinner, but not really the most relaxed and comfortable place. I would much rather go to Orchids, Local 127 or the Palace for my money.
Classic. Â Simply Classic. Â Celestial is somewhat hidden in a residency, but once you enter their bar you forget that the rest of the building exists. Â The view over Cincinnati is fantastic. Â The food is excellent. Â The service is headed by French expat, Christophe. Â If you go in before the crowd I recommend chatting with him a few minutes. Â Once he gets to know you, he makes sure you feel like a million. Â Its definitely an older crowd, so go in respectably and you will fit in nicely.
Review Source:Very lovely restaurant, but as others have written, you feel even younger if you are a young guest. A lot of the clientele was much older than my boyfriend and I. Still, it was such a lovely experience. The view was stunning, we had dinner at sunset. :) Our waiter was an older gentleman, and he was so much of a kind and considerate man, I almost gave the place 5 stars. The only reason I subtracted one is because, with how swanky and lovely this place is, they need to wash their windows. The sun was catching the soap spots all over the windows where we were sitting, affecting the view a little. I was bummed by that.
Anyway, the meat was sooooo very fabulous. We ordered the filet mignon, caramelized green beans, and this blissful chocolate cake. The wine selection was also wonderful. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone. Fantastic view, fantastic food, fantastic service. Just hire a better window washer!
I really enjoyed my Saturday night dress-up date at The Celestial's wood-paneled lounge!
We came later in the evening, after dinner, so we bought drinks (strong!) and listened to jazz standards by a great combo, including the swell pianist and local legend, Lee Stolar.
The room was packed with a great crowd of regulars, many of whom are seniors who live in the building. This, to me, was part of the amazing ambiance because these folks both surpassed me in years and in energy.
If you ever want to learn how to have a good, old fashioned "great evening out," just go to the Celestial and watch the 70- and 80-somethings out-dance, out-drink, and out-mingle you. Then, join in - they'll welcome you!
Whether it's for the amazing views, the jazz, the education in having a good time, the food, or drinks...just go (and wear a sportscoat, guys.) On the other hand, don't go. I don't want too many 30-somethings spoiling the party.
Excellent food, great service and a great view! Â We had the Cowboy Steak and the New York Strip and they were cooked to perfection. Excellent char on the outside and cooked just right on the inside. What more could you ask for?
I'd like to see a bigger beer selection, something designed to complement steaks, but that's just my preference. My table enjoyed excellent wine and the staff recommendations were spot on. Highly recommended! Not cheap, but well worth it for that special date!
We must've caught a bad night. Or, I should've avoided the surf n' turf 'special'. Medium-rare steak came out well done+, They graciously cooked a new one, which was done right but chewy with sinew. The lobster was slimy and drowning in saltwater.
My girlfriend's filet was very good, so I may just have been unlucky.
The staff were friendly and the view spectacular. As others have noted, young folks will feel quite young here compared to most clientele.
Oh, and if I wouldn't have inspected the bill, I wouldn't have caught the charge for the second bottle of Pinot we didn't have.
We had a hoot at this restaurant. It's at the base of an apartment building with a spectacular view overlooking Cincinnati. The building residents are old school where they dress for dinner, with a nice 3 or 4 piece band w/ singer.
The menu has some nice traditional plates, but it's first and foremost a steakhouse with few, if any, lighter-fare items. We noticed Chilean Sea Bass on the menu and in true Berzerkeley-esque fashion asked the waitress if it was sustainably sourced. "Yes, it's grilled". ha ha We never figured out if it was or not, but it was quite yummy.
Apparently, this is also where middle-aged divorcees meet for first dates, as there were several couples whooping it up at the bar, and more than one hand slipping up his date's skirt.
The residents greet each other genteelly, they've all lived there 50+ years. And couples dance together to the sounds of Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and Benny Goodman.
All in all, a delightful evening.
In a town with a lot of good places to eat meat the Celestial stands out. First it is on one of the mountains near downtown so the view of the river is awesome. The service is great. The food is fantastic. It isn't cheap but it is a value. This is a destination dining event for Cincinnati. One I would do again.
There was even a bar with dancing but the tunes and the crowd were left over from the Lawrence Welk era.
The first time I came here was for my 17th birthday dinner with my high school boyfriend...and I fell in love with it immediately. I have been back a few times since! Every few years I remember how awesome Celestial is as a restaurant experience. Perfect location, excellent service, a true French meal-- I think they serve 8 or 9 courses throughout the night? No comment on dishes in particular, but it's all good. Going to Celestial is a food marathon though...so consider that when making plans. It takes like over 3 hours to eat here. Not because service is slow, but because of the courses, the measured, painstaking effort on the food, and the appropriate lag time between meals. It was such a happy "oh what's coming next?!" experience. Anyway, definitely go if you haven't been. If there was a restaurant I'd want to be proposed to, it could very well be this one.
Review Source:In college, my girlfriend decided to take me to the Celestial on my birthday. Unfortunately we had a terrible storm in Oxford and the drive to Cincinnati took roughly 2 hours. On the way we called to let the restaurant know we were braving the weather and would be there a.s.a.p. After we showed up extremely late for our reservation, we realized not a single other patron was in the restaurant. This was a non-issue as a great old man led us to our table. After that we watched the snow storm from an incredibly view and had a private dining experience. The food was incredible and this was one of the best birthday's I could have asked for.
Review Source:Heavenly views, and pretty good food too! Â Celestial is perched on a cliff overlooking downtown Cincinnati in Mt. Adams, Cincinnati's trying-a-little-too-hard answer to San Francisco. Â The chef here used to run the dining room in the Sherman House Hotel in SF and his time in the city by the bay shows through with very creative dishes. Â This is one of my particularly favorite places to come just after or even during a big snow, if you can make it up the hills in the slush and ice. Â The city glistens below you, Mt. Adams is even more lovely with a layer of frosting, and the crackling fireplace and see through wine cellar make Celestial seem that much closer to the real thing.
Review Source:
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