4 stars because the sunset view is gorgeous and because there is a delicious tofu entree on the menu.
I docked one star because I think Moerlein should take reservations or turn more of the free seating area into seats where the host(ess) can seat you. Why? Because on Friday and Saturday nights the wait can be up to 4 hours for a table and the food is good but it's not THAT good. Nowhere close. Great beer selection though, and the pretzel appetizer is good. It would be great if they swapped out the cheap and liquidy nacho cheese sauce with something a bit more farm to table.
Note: My boyfriend says don't order the fish and chips. It's too greasy, all batter, and gave him a wicked bad belly ache. He recommends the fish tacos as a swimming alternative.
I want to give it 4 stars, but have to dock a star for food. Â First, the place itself is great. Awesome location at the river right across from Reds ballpark. Very nice interior and layout; 2 levels; cool bar; TVs all around for sports; very classy looking place.
The beer selection is excellent, and their own beers are terrific. The wait staff overall seemed decent; a bit on the younger side, so maybe that's why some are good and some less seasoned.
I understand that they have to be a bit higher on price, as I'm sure that location doesn't come cheap. However the food needs to reflect the price being paid.
The Good: Â the beer can chicken melt is awesome! Â Huge hoagie-style sandwich loaded with great flavors; the cheese, sauce and tomatoes all work. 3 of us had it and we all loved it. Â Another had the Caesar salad, and they accommodated the request to add smoked salmon. Was good, but fish was a bit salty. This leads me to......
The Bad: Â maybe it was an off-night, but both the calamari and the fish & chips were very greasy and over-salted. (I love salt/seasoning, so I'm not one that's too sensitive). My son had to drink his soda after each bite of calamari, because it was so salty. Â My wife only ate part of one of the fish fillets from the fish/chips dinner. I tried it, and the breading was soft and too greasy. I will give them points for using a nice thick cut of cod, but it just came out too slimy/mushy and salty. HOWEVER, both the fish and calamari were taken off our bill, so hats off to them for making things right.
I wouldn't hesitate to go back. The overall menu is very interesting, and seems to be dialed-in to cater to a beer loving crowd. And the place itself is cool. Again, the food may have been a hiccup that night. It happens.
The Christian Moerlein Lager House is my favorite restaurant. Service is the best - even when they are crowded. The food is high quality and always great. My favorites are the Spicy Garlic Shrimp, the Angry Mac and Cheese and the OTR Chicken. The Beer list is world class, and they carry MANY beers other than the classic CM brews. I highly suggest trying the pub exclusive beers brewed on the premise. Another pro tip is finding a seat at the bar when it's crowded to avoid a long wait for a table. The service at the bar is just as good as a table and the upstairs bar has great views of the river.
Review Source:I love the view of the river from the upstairs dining room. Â When it's warm outside the patio definitely offers a unique experience as well. Â The selection of craft beer is good, but unfortunately everything else here is just mediocre.
I wasn't impressed with the food either time I had been here. Â It's a little pricey for being just average. Â The service on my first visit was slow and indifferent, and on my second visit it was just slow (which I found interesting because I noticed our server standing around... a lot).
So if you want to pay for an excellent view and little else, this is the place for you. Â If you expect more when you dine out then check out the other establishments at the Banks or head north a few blocks. Â You may not get the view of the river, but you're sure to get an overall better experience.
I was in Cincinnati for the V-Twin show and looked around for a place close that has a good Yelp rating.  So I found the Moerlein lager House.  About 15 min away.  So the place was FULL, the waiting list was over an hour and a half. So our group of 5 went up stair for drinks and a lot of them. We had a hard time just finding a place to stand  so we drank to keep us from noticing the time.  2 hour later we got a set down stair at the"first come setting".  All is still good we did get the food quickly but this is not great food. Just bar food with a up scale price.  NOT the worst just Ok.   A cool place to hang.  Just calling as it is.
Review Source:I was teetering between 4 and 5 stars, but I haven't had the food so I don't think I could go with 5. Â Let's just call it a 4.5. Â Anyway...
Stopped by the Moerlin Lager House on a Saturday night for beers with family and friends. Â We sat on the "outside" patio, which was closed off for the winter and quite warm. Â It was a great place to hang as there was plenty of room for our large party and we were able to watch the snow. Â I imagine that this is an even better atmosphere in the summer time if a concert is going on on the plaza.
Onto the beer... I went with the heffeweizen and LOVED it. Â It was light and delicious. Â Most people at our table ordered different beers and I heard no complaints. Â Although I don't live in the Cincinnati area, I would definitely recommend this atmosphere for drinks and have a feeling the food would be pretty darn good, too!
The Moerlein Lager House was suggested to me and a friend to go to because of its downtown location and its great tap of beers - which both were excellent. However, Moerlein on a Friday night without a game of some sort going on definitely was lacking in terms of a crowd to provide atmosphere and it just seemed like such a big space to be so empty. My friend and I started in the beer garden but then moved to the bar once the beer garden emptied out (around 11:30 p.m. on a Friday). We felt so bad keeping our waitress because we were the only ones left in her section. Also, we had the pretzels and beer cheese sauce to go with our Moerlein Hefeweizen beers and while the waitress had really hyped them up they really weren't THAT amazing. Apparently the pretzels come all the way from Germany... but apart from that fun fact they seemed to be normal pretzels with some dijon mustard and nacho cheese. Not really that appetizing - we didn't even finish them. Also note, extra beer cheese costs an extra $2.
Needless to say, good beer and cool location just not the most awesome place in the world to be hanging out on a Friday night nor a place to really grab food.
I really don't like writing negative reviews but unfortunately I've given The Lager House 3 chances and they have failed 3 times.
The first time I visited I barely saw the server, and the second time I went I told my waitress I hated spicy food, and asked if the mussels were spicy. She assured me they weren't spicy at all. I couldn't even eat more than one bite because of how spicy they were! Luckily the chef re made the plate using different spices.
I can forgive and forget about those first two times. This third time though, how disappointing!
We went for a late lunch on Christmas Eve, around 2:30. I was busy but not as busy as I've seen it in the past. We had a group of five. We sat on the second floor and Charles was our server. Oh Charles... I ordered a mimosa. He came back 15 minutes later to inform me they didn't carry mint for my mojioto. Well, I said, I ordered a mimosa. OH he says and walks away.
My fiance asked to get a refill on water and Charles says "We only have one size of cup" WHAT?
My sister asks if she can get Chicken instead of tofu in her entree and Charles doesn't say a word, just turns around and walks away, only to return later to say "yes, that's fine" (We were in the middle of ordering when he walked away)
It almost became a joke every time Charles would talk to us because something else strange would come out of his mouth. He didn't smile one time, which made it even harder to take him seriously because he had a Santa hat on.
I've never tipped less than 20% ever (and yes, I still tipped Charles 20%) but this time, it was SO hard to write it on the check.
The general opinion was that Charles was either hungover or on drugs.
Don't even get me started on my $12 ham sandwich that I could have made at home.
Now I have never been here to eat just to stop by for a drink but with that I like this place a lot. Â The staff is always friendly and the beer always good. Â It is one on the prettier restaurants in Cincinnati. Â Large picture windows that over look the river. Â Right next to the Reds stadium so it is great for a drink before the game or after if it is a day game. Â I want to go one weekend to do the brewery tour but just haven't gotten to it yet. Â The upstairs bar is normally not as crowded and has some other specialty beers from the area. Â I will have to eat here and then update this with what I think. Â Who knows it might bump it up to a five star.
Review Source:Excellent atmosphere, view, and food! Arrived at 4:30pm on a Saturday and had an 1.5 hour wait for table but plenty of room at upstairs bar and stayed there even after reservation was called! View was beautiful with setting sun over bridge. The bartenders/waiters are very personable and good at picking beers for you!
Appetizers:
1. Garlic fries with beer butter sauce = great
2. **Lager bread = oh my word delicious, waiter told us that he has always wanted to order it with a brat in the middle... Bet it would be great!
Entrees:
1. Alehouse burger = Mmmh so much flavor in every bite! Will definitely be getting it again. Oh and make sure to get the sweet potato fries as the side bc they are the best I've ever encountered. And that's saying something from a Southerner.
2. Pork belly = presentation was great and the taste was even better. The potato pasta is a new favorite!
Friendly service, decent beer, great location, and atmosphere. Â I just felt like our lunch consisting of two beers, a lunch combo, and a (small) plate of beef stroganoff shouldn't have been $35. Â And I think their sampler should include whichever beers you want, not a pre-determined mix that excludes their IPA. Â Maybe it's a "local" place but it sure does have a chain restaurant feel. Â I'd rather go somewhere with a little more character and hopefully more bang for the buck.
Review Source:I've been there twice. Â The first time (for Dinner) the paella was good, but that time they brought me the wrong beer... Â The second time (Lunch) the Alehouse Burger. Â It was OK. Â The Onions were really good, but nothing really balanced with them to make it a great meal. Â Nothing really special about it.
Don't let them seat you outside on a bright summer day, you'll fry!
This has become my parents no-question go-to prior to all Bengals games. Offers a fantastic view of the river and stadiums, whether you're sitting indoors or out. Huge place, tons of seating, though it does tend to get progressively more crowded as game time nears.
I don't care much for beer but do enjoy bourbon, and know that the beer-drinkers in my family agree: Â Kentucky Bourbon Ale is a good choice. A dark beer, a little bit sweet, with, yes, a hint of that bourbon (barrel.)
They normally grab a bite from the lunch menu once they bring it out (which I think starts at 11 or 11:30?) The time I joined them, they brought out the dinner menu (who knows? we didn't ask why the bigger menu...), so we started with a meat and cheese board between the three of us, which had us all raving. We chose the goetta, candied pork belly, sausage, bacon-chive cream cheese, goat cheese fritter and, I think, the cambozola. Served with sauerkraut and bread. For lunch, we all had salads, which were monster-sized. Not a one of us finished. The big hit was probably the cobb.
Though I cannot speak for the others, I found the salad a little lackluster. I had the blackened chicken salad, and while hey were very generous with the chicken, it was too dry. The lettuce was chopped so finely I couldn't get it to stay on my fork and found I was jealous of my mom's leafy, green spinach salad opposite me. While I had to pick around for the red peppers, they certainly didn't skimp on the tortilla bits, which I mostly pushed to the side.
Our server was super sweet but overwhelmed - we had to remind her about a couple different items when it was clear she'd forgotten. Poor thing was running around everywhere to keep up with her tables.
I'd definitely return for the atmosphere, beer, meat and cheese. The French onion soup. But skip the blackened chicken salad.
For a beer before a Reds game, this place is unparalleled. They have an unobstructed view of the riverfront and plenty of seating along the windows. The beer selection is fantastic... all the Moerlein beers plus a dozen or so guest taps. The atmosphere is fun as well, particularly when the weather is nice.
Unfortunately, Moerlein lager house fails miserably as a restaurant. Their food just isn't very good. It sounds good, it even occasionally looks good. But it certainly doesn't taste very good. I think the problem is their menu. It's overly big - not Cheesecake Factory big, but still too big to excel on all items. That's why I love places like Local 127, Precinct, JP's Table - with limited menu options but each one is perfected. At Moerlein, you can get anything from fried pickles to prime rib, from paella to bbq ribs. I realize they're trying to appeal to the masses, but they're neglecting the people who enjoy genuinely good food.
I've heard their food menu and kitchen staff is outsourced to another company. I don't know if it's true or not, but that might explain why it lags so far behind the other facets of the restaurant. Go for the view, the drinks, and the atmosphere, but skip the food.
Love the atmosphere at this place! Great historical feel of an old time brewery while having the trendiness of a brand new restaurant. Super easy garage parking right underneath restaurant. The beer choices were good, though I was admittedly disappointed there was no Great Lakes Brewing Company Christmas Ale on Tap.
I ordered the New York Strip steak and it was cooked near perfect! (Medium-rare). I also ordered the mac and cheese, which was very very spicy, so I didn't care for that as much.
Good service (not memorably great, but our waitress was very helpful - even willing to take our family photo)
Be sure to venture outside and explore the rest of the Banks development!
Look forward to returning!
This is a hip, chic restaurant in downtown Cincy. Great view of the river and you can have a nighttime stroll across the Purple People Bridge towards Kentucky afterward.
APPETIZERS
- Parmesan Garlic Fries: fries itself were A-OK (regular fries sprinkled with cheese and garlic), but the sauces were amazing. I loved the spicy black pepper aioli and the smokiness of the curry ketchup. I will make it my mission to recreate these sauces.
- Lager Bread: what can I say, bread topped with cheese? Yumm, always. Gouda and braised onions were a great combination.
- Fried Pickles & Anaheim Peppers: nothing too amazing, but the horseradish dipping sauce hit the spot. I dipped some of my fries in them, too. The theme of this place seems to be their sauces, huh?
FOOD
- Spicy Corn Chowder: this is a rich, creamy, chowder with just a nice spicy heat from the jalepenos. You get the texture of corn and peppers in each bite. There are also little bits of bacon in it. Gluten free, but not vegetarian/vegan! A cup was more than enough for me because of its richness and cheesiness.
- Smoked Salmon Salad: I wanted something lighter after eating fried foods all day, and this was perfect. It was a huuuuge salad with more than enough smoked salmon tossed throughout the salad. The basalmic onions, roasted tomatoes, cucumber relish, and citrusy vinaigrette made this a tangy salad with just a hint of sweetness. I could only eat 3/4 of this after appetizers and my chowder.
DRINKS
- Kentucky Bourbon Ale: recommended by my friend who's lived here a couple years, I decided to try it out even though I usually like lighter beers. However this was a surprisingly sweet beer with just a hint of spiciness towards the end. I would definitely recommend to others!
ATMOSPHERE
Cozy, bustling...great place for a date or a group hangout.
SERVICE
Reservations made beforehand made meant that our party of 6 did not have to wait long. Waitress was prompt and in seating us, but food took longer to be served.
Drink menu is actually split into 2 booklets, which makes it difficult to look at all the drinks at one time.
*Look at bill before leaving!* There were a couple ales that were out of stock, but they still charged us for them and we did not realize until we got home.
If I could review on location and ambience alone, this would be 5 stars.  A beautiful view of the city, large venue for large groups, attentive staff, great beer menu.  But the food was just not good.  Like I didn't finish it, took it home, and then threw it away  not good.  The menu is huge!  Maybe too many things done too poorly. Â
I would gladly return for a beer and some bar food apps, but for dinner, I'll skip it.
I just have to give this place 5 stars. I loved this place. The easy parking underneath in the garage makes it very convenient. Very good views of the river and surrounding area. The beers are outstanding and they have so many that any beer lover can not miss this place.
I had one of the best smoked salmon salads I ever had.
Service was friendly, fast, and knowledgeable. I really liked this place, and I will be back for sure. Highly recommend it. You could eat and drink all day there.
I've read almost all the yelp reviews about this spot and there is such a wide range of opinions I didn't know what to think going in.
First off - it's a new build - new area of Cincinnati really ... right on the river... it was necessary for this city. The riverfront in Kentucky is built up so much better so it's nice to see that Cincinnati is finally doing something to spice up their side of the river.
The building itself is beautiful. It's a really large space and yes it's noisy, but I think that's the feel of it. It's a brewery people!
I went on a Tuesday night - no game going on - so it was far from packed. Great IPA - served in 16 or 22 oz - it's a microbrew - yes it's going to cost more than $3.00 because it's not a crappy bud light. Oh and wait... let me repeat that... THIS IS A BREWERY - they serve the beer they brew. No you cannot get a bud light. Please don't complain about only being offered quality beer.
The food was solid. The calamari was surprisingly delicious - perfectly cooked, lightly breaded - crispy on the outside, soft on the inside - covered in a delicious chilli sauce mmmmmmm. It really was some of the best calamari I've had.
I got the fish tacos which were tasty - actually... better than fish tacos I recently got from a FISH restaurant. The dirty rice it was served with was good and spicy too.
My dad got the pork belly which you don't often see served as an entree. He enjoyed it.
The brussel sprouts everyone raves about weren't anything to write home about - they're just covered in a creamy sauce.
Personally...I'd prefer going to this spot when it has a little more action. It's the type of place for partying - not a nice evening out - in my opinion.
As for the parking issue... there IS Â a garage under the restaurant and a block away.... or a few blocks away! Maybe you should walk a couple blocks to burn off that beer.
I've been gone from the Cincinnati area for about 16 years, after growing up in the region. How delightful it is to see they are joining the craft beer renaissance! Â While I'd be a little happier to see them brewing more strict German style beers, I appreciate their foray into the ales that have become so popular in other parts of the US. Â Speaking for their German style, I appreciated their dunkel, and found it to be very delicious, especially compared to the dunkel I had at the Hofbrauhaus the night before.
I had one of their salads with chicken (I believe it was branded southwestern), and found it to be delicious and generous. Â It was a bit over-dressed, and if I ordered it again, I would ask for the dressing on the side. Â That being said, all in the party seemed to enjoy their food and drink, and they were very family friendly.
Certainly, I imagine the place is totally different on game days, but on a relaxed midday, it was a great lunch spot.
This is a really great place, but unfortunately too great. After I was told a larger group absolutely wasnt possible for the birthday night I wanted, I was left pretty disappointed. It would appear that the success Moerlein has experienced of late has converted to a blasé attitude towards prospective customers.
Great when you can get it.
The concerns that some have expressed about this place are certainly true: It is possibly the loudest restaurant I've ever been to. It's frequently busy (though I imagine it will calm down considerably in the baseball off-season) and as a result, service can be slow. And where do you park without spending $20??
In spite of all these warts, I'd choose the Lager House over most restaurants in Cincinnati if given the choice. The food I've had has all been excellent (my boyfriend can't stop talking about the Beer Can Chicken sandwich - he even does it to complete strangers. I know, a little weird). The beer, of course, is to die for, and fairly reasonable in price given the quality.
There are so many different ways to "do" the Lager House. For appetizers and beers before a Reds game. A beer at the bar as a reward for a long walk around Covington and the Banks. A full dinner or a light lunch. I love bringing visitors to Cincinnati to the Lager House. It really is the best of what Cincinnati has to offer.
I'm glad the Lager House is here in Cincinnati and I enjoy visiting every month or so. I'd probably go there more often if I knew where to park my darn car. (Usually it's the metered spots on Third St. if it's after 6 pm.)
A man's paradise on Earth.
Always up for a burger-and-a-beer sort of joint, I had to give this place a try. Â Having been there five times now, I suppose it's safe to say it made a positive impression.
In all fairness, the Lager House benefits greatly from location, nestled as it is into the banks of the Ohio river, in the shadow of Great American Ballpark. Â However, overall the food, drinks, and atmosphere are excellent.
If you're not looking for beer, well...let's face it, you probably aren't looking for a place like this. Â The beer selection is excellent; it includes not only Moerlein's line, but also a large number of "guest drafts" and bottles, including some impressive selections (most notably Shenkerla marzen, a smoky Oktoberfest-style rauchbeer you won't find just anywhere). Â
It also includes an amusing selection of "Cincinnati Heritage" beers, including Little Kings and Burger, which it notes comes only in cans. Â The thought of tourists "sampling" these beers conjures an oddly satisfying image of yokels from Pennsylvania furrowing their brows while sipping thoughtfully at snifters of Natural Light. Â But I digress...
I've now sampled the majority of Moerlein's selection, and have yet to find anything unpleasant, though the Exposition Ale is certainly a standout. Â On my last trip I thoroughly enjoyed Fifth and Vine, Moerlein's marzen, which was surprisingly crisp. Â It is worthwhile to note that all drafts are poured by German, rather than English, standards, which means minimal head.
The decor is excellent. Â Lovely wood paneling, gorgeous views from almost every spot in the house, and televisions showing most any sporting event you could care to watch (unless of course the Reds are playing, in which case I hope you enjoy baseball). Â The cuisine is very good. Â I applaud them for taking some decidedly creative approaches to classic pub fare, and I highly recommend the Moer Burger, though being a burger topped with a fried egg, sweet onion relish, a pile of pastrami, cheddar and cracked-pepper mayo, it isn't for the faint of heart.
Still, even the prettiest face has its carbuncles. Â The noise can be a problem at peak hours, though the same can be said for most any establishment that specialized in fare best suited to a football game. Â Though I have had no complaints about the service as of yet, I have heard rumblings of its inconsistencies. Â
My biggest complaint, however, is reserved for what is, around here, a tremendous oversight. Â Each time I've been to the Lager House, naturally I've ordered the pretzels and beer cheese. Â And all but once I've found them wanting. Â The pretzels themselves are warm and soft but relatively bland. Â They are served with hot mustard (which is too thick) and beer cheese (which is too thin). Â The beer cheese itself is easily the biggest disappointment; served runny and bland, it makes one feel there is better cheese to be had slathered over tortilla chips at the ballpark across the street.
Let me start with the good. I enjoyed my Ahi tuna burger, which doesn't appear to be on the menu anymore. Â The view was nice, and the beer was excellent.
Now the bad.
This place is loud, like really loud. Like I had to scream to talk to the person across the table from me loud. Mind you, this is a mid week lunch.
The service is kind of horrible. Our server seemed to be waiting on like ten tables, which never ends well.
My sweet potato chips, which I was super excited for were ICE COLD. Not like sitting under the hot lights cold, but like sitting out all day cold. Also, soggy. I asked my waiter if they were supposed to be cold and he looked confused and said no.
He put in another order for me, which didn't arrive until the end of my meal. BUT GET THIS, these were cold and soggy too! They might of even been worse than the originals.
I waited tables for a long time. When someone sends something back, you try your hardest to make sure it comes out right a second time. If the food was cold, you do your best to make sure that food comes out STEAMING hot. Our server either didn't care, or was simply overloaded. It might help if they hire dedicated food runners if they insist on over seating servers. That way at least I get my food eaten as it's supposed to be.
The other guests in my group had the same issues with things being cold, slow service, and noise.
I was really excited for this restaurant when I attended the yelp preview party, but it has been really disappointing thus far. I think if they worked more on the service end we would have a real signature Cincinnati restaurant on our hands.
It's a giant restaurant that overlooks the river, serves up dozens of local beer on tap, and has Parmesan Garlic Fries; what more could you ask for?
Bringing back beer heritage to the Queen City, the Moerlein Lager House has a large dining room, two bars, and a patio area. There is also a diverse menu of gourmet bar foods as well as unlimited Moerlein beers on tap. They play nice too and have plenty of other craft beers available, and some also on tap. I was able to try a few of the seasonal Moerleins that aren't offered in stores, as well as some new craft beers like a sour Belgian ale.
Aside from those amazing Parmesan Garlic Fries, the pretzels and bier cheese and the giant salads come with my recommendation. I've had a few burgers too, but they didn't sit well with me as they are made from processed meat. Shame, they were very savory until my stomach felt weird.
While I'll be staying away from the beef patties, there are more than enough other options here to whet your appetite. From shrimp pasta, to fish tacos, and ribs, plus other veggie options, Moerlein Lager House has something for everyone.
Two other minor gripes:
- The indoor patio feels like a sauna during the summer.
- The bars fill up quickly and the hostesses won't seat people at tables who are just interested in having a drink. A group of eight of us were turned away simple because we didn't want to eat a second dinner (and this was much later than the dinner rush hour.)
Price per person: $20.00
SOOO let me get this straight. You want me to fight downtown traffic to find a parking spot that isn't a mile walk from the front door... then wait forever to be seated... then (worst of all) have to suffer your woefully untrained wait staff all for this mediocre run of the mill bar food??? Oh and you want me to pay a premium to get this experience!?
No thanks. Won't be coming back until I hear better word of mouth that there was some kind of dramatic turn around. Until then I'll bring my friends right across the river to the multitude of restaurants that can do it right without subjecting me to all the bull. Sure we might still be paying a premium over there but at least now we have an amazing view of the city while we eat top notch food and it's closer to the clubs.
Get it together Morlein House or you will be taking bailout money from the city just like your neighbors at the freedom center.
I have been here twice in 2 weeks....I am working in downtown Cincinnati (from Memphis) now on week number 5 - next week should be my last. Last week a co-worker and I went on Thursday right before the start of the Bengals pre-season game and the place was packed, but we were able to grab a beer on the patio and what they told us would be a 30 minute wait was less than 10 - but we had beers so it didn't matter as we weren't in any hurry!
We ordered the pretzels --- YUMMY! Then I had the Spicy Corn Chowder - which I highly recommend. My co-worker the apple wood chicken salad.
Today me and the same co-worker along with another one went for lunch, so No Beer today :(. I had the beer can chicken melt ---- which was recommend to us last week. I just substituted the cheese from Cheddar to Provolone because I am not a huge cheddar fan. EXCELLENT as were the fries, but they needed to be warmer as they were a bit cool. I ate half the sandwich and brought the other half back to the hotel with me tonight, ate it cold and it was even better cold than hot in my opinion (room temperature). My one co-worker had the same salad so he must have liked it the first time and my other co-worker had the beef stroganoff - there was none left, so he must have liked it.
I will most likely visit one more time next week and who knows what I will have.
I've had the pleasure of dining twice at the lager house, so I thought I'd take a moment to share my views... Speaking of which, the views are fantastic... the river, the bridges, the barges, etc. Next, the beer! Â Oh, yes, go for the beer, but while you're there, try the food, too! The spicy corn chowder is especially good, but really everything I tried was pretty tasty. The service was friendly & professional, and they've done an outstanding job with "the feel" of the entire establishment. Pretty much perfect!
Bottom line, this is the best The Banks has to offer, in my opinion. I'll be back!
Only my second time in cinci and after hearing that there was several new restaurants near the ballpark, I headed down here and found this place.
The brews and food were pretty awesome, I had the pork chops along w a four beer sampler and both were great. I highly recommend this place.
WOW. I really like this place, and I am really surprised by it.
When I saw the Lager House being built, I was thinking that anything that encourages the Moerlein name and the brewing heritage is a good thing, but the food would probably taste like TGIFridays. Also, I don't like beer, so that didn't really appeal to me. So I figured, it will be good for all the suburbanites but not for me.
I was wrong.
A couple weeks ago, I had a meeting there in the Biergarten. I was pleasantly surprised to see they had a decent wine list (though fairly pricey for what it was). After the meeting, we were starving so we decided to get a table. CON (this is just a con for ME; it's really a pro for the restaurant and the city, so I guess it's a pro overall--maybe it's just a warning): We were there during the week, no baseball game or anything special, and it was around 6pm..and there was at least a 30 minute wait for a table. Now, you can eat in the Biergarten and it's pretty huge, but it was hot outside and it wasn't comfortable for eating on that day. So we waited for a table.
Again, my expectations were REALLY low--I was enjoying the view, and the fantastic job they did on the restaurant, and I figured as long as the food was edible I'd be good. But I was in for a surprise!
For an appetizer we had some sort of bread straight from heaven with some beer cheese on top of it. Lusciousness. Then a table mate got a salad, which was huge (I would definitely split a salad with someone for a meal). As a good OTR resident, I got the OTR Chicken, which I'd be happy to eat every day for a week. I LOVED it.
I know there are a lot of 3-star reviews, and lower-and I did hear that service, food, everything was NOT good for the first month of so. My first visit was in June, and I think they had the kinks worked out by then. Yes, it's a bit overpriced but it DOES have a lovely facility and it DOES have a great view, right on the river, and frankly--i've really enjoyed myself both times I've been there. Go back and give it a chance! But make a reservation first.
I'm a big, big fan of the Christian Moerlein Lager House.
The beer is fantastic, of course. Every once in a while they run out on one of their taps, but that's what happens when you're brewing quality beer instead of dumping InBev swill into plastic cups. Northern Liberties and Barbarossa are easily my favorites, the Maibock was very good, and they even have bottles of my absolute #1 beer: Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout.
The food is well above average. In my many experiences, the higher end entrees are consistently better than their sandwiches. Not that the sandwiches are bad, but I've gotten a few soggy bites in the past. The short ribs, pork belly, prime rib, burgers, and salads are all excellent. The creamy Brussels sprouts might be my favorite side item at any eatery.
The service has always come through for me. Never slow, always friendly. The bartenders will hang out if you feel like talking, but never seem to intrude. The waitstaff is pleasant and professional, but doesn't linger.
I've found a perfect niche for this place when it comes to choosing dinner. You know when you don't want a $50+ dinner, but you definitely don't want pizza or Boring American Chain X? Like, not a dinner you'll never forget, but a place you'll leave feeling satisfied? Yeah. Do that here.
I'm bumping this up because of a few reasons:
1) Service has gotten a lot better compared to the beginning - it now feels like a normal place, servers seem to have received training.
2) Food is really good - try the salmon and linguini, it's amazing!
3) Variety of destinations: I've been here for drinks before a Reds game, a Spanish dinner, a family dinner and it just always works
It's still not a cheap place but it's a prime location in Cincinnati and although I wasn't convinced in the beginning I am now! Nice job, Moerlein!
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