This place is horrible. We went there on a Saturday and waited in the garage 30 minutes to park. I was going to leave but got to the exit and could not get out of garage because I did not pay the overpriced $3 parking fee. So I had to reverse and wait for a parking spot.
We were trying to go to the Aquarium but there was a 2 hour wait and would have only had an hour once we got in. So we decided to take the kids to a movie. Tickets were over $8 for a matinee and when we got to concession they were charging $4.25 for a 20oz bottle of water. Â I would never want to go back to this horrible overpriced place.
The Levee offers a variety of things to do and has an awesome view of the Cincinnati skyline.
Shopping, restaurants, bars, bowling alley, video game bar, movie theater, comedy club, night club and the Newport Aquarium can all be found here. Â (Plus more that I'm sure I'm forgetting to list.)
If you can't find something fun to do here, there is something wrong with you. Â Period.
Great place to hang out and people watch. I wished they had more shopping options but the few stores they have are great; they have a children store, a women's clothing store and a rustic/hippy shop with lots of great finds. The food selection is pretty good, a few bars and some nice restaurants. My favorite thing to do is to sit on the benches and watch the water and Cincinnati across the river. There is plenty of parking around the area or you can skip the hassle and do valet.
Have fun!
I think Newport on the Levee gets a bad rap. Word to the wise don't come here on a Friday night. Other than that I think this place is great!
We usually see a matinee movie or go for drinks on one of the amazing patios. The parking is cheap and you can leave it overnight and not worry about anything.
I love coming here, the aquarium is nice too. Make sure to get the coupons. It's a bit expensive. Also here's a tip: Newport on the Levee has a passport book at the information kiosk that has tons of coups in it for almost every biz. Scoop that up and take a look.
It's a great place for kids, familys, couples, or really anyone!
This place was awesome when first opened up. Not, eh. Great for walking, but still feels kind of empty if you come in the middle of the day. At night, it's over-run by high school kids on the weekend. The food choices are not inspiring. But seriously! You are coming here for the view of the 'nati, which is great.
The bars have good beer specials after work. Parking can be a hassle, and losing your car in the garage is very common.
Fun place to go to if you are ever down in the Cincinnati or Newport, KY area. It almost looks like a deserted place, but there is a variety of shops and restaurants to choose from. If you are ever down here, you definitely have to go check out the Newport Aquarium. For lunch or dinner, I recommend Claddagh's Irish Pub. Yummy food. The couple of times that I've been here its been a quiet place, but I am sure there are more people there when the weather is warmer and possibly on the weekends. Plenty of things to do here too!!
Review Source:If you need a place to hangout with friends or take a date this is the place to go. Â From the aquarium at on end to the AMC movie theater at the other with so much in between. Â No matter what you like to eat they have it plus the bars to to have a drink at to wash it down with. Â Has a great view of the river and you can even take a stroll on the Purple People Bridge to end a date on a high not if that is why you are there.
Review Source:At first glace, Newport on the Levee looks awesome, but up close it's a little sad. It reminded me of Easton in Columbus if it ever lost major interest.
The whole inside mall area was a ghost town except a few shops and Gameworks. The outside area is more bustling with restaurants, bars, and the Aquarium. Â There's also riverboat access, Haufbrau House, and LOTS more bars. BEing there in the afternoon, I cannot comment on the night life.
Not a bad place by any means, but I am sure there are many more interesting locally owned places to visit in Cinci or Newport.
Don't bother. It's a part indoor part outdoor mall next to the smallish aquarium. Nothing more. Â Looks like they have a comedy club and some live music bars, so I guess if you come evenings on the weekend it might be better...
I didn't catch any view of the river - only when we crossed the bridge from Ohio.
Another minor issue - there are no mailboxes. Which, maybe is normal? But I did purchase a postcard that I'd hoped to mail immediately. Nobody knew where a mailbox was unless I went into town. Â And no one offered to just put it in their own outgoing mail box. Not even the 'Welcome Center' which is really just another convenience shop.
this is a nice place. Â well built, conveniently located to kt m and i.
i like being able to walk to a different state to see a movie. Â it's fun.
i also like the array of "fests" in the summertime. Â there is always a fest going on, and always a crappy cover band. Â you take the good with the bad.
i am also a fan of being able to grab a sno kone and hit up the bookstore. Â that's also fun.
i am NOT a fan of the new train they have. Â i like kids, and am happy the kids are happy, but the train is a bit too large for the tight quarters of the levee. Â do not be surprised when the enquirer reports of a surge in emergency room visits for broken and severed toes. Â it will happen and you heard it here first.
Newport on the Levee is best classified as a missed opportunity.
Outside it's beautiful, there's no getting around that.
Inside isn't bad, either, though it's a weird setup with a wide open area.
But there's no reason to come here other than the movie theater. Some notes:
1) Plenty of food, but it's almost exclusively chains (and second rate chains at that) and, for some reason, most tend to have long lines
2) The theater is a pretty nice, pretty comfortable one, but it's got a "fake" IMAX which is in no way worth paying extra money for
3) There are stores, but none sell anything worth purchasing
4) The aquarium is pretty sweet
5) Sorry, I hate street performers
6) And I never recognize a single name at the comedy club
Not much else. If you come here, you're most likely there to see a movie. You'll end up ping-ponging between the restaurants before or after, confused as to how you've never heard of these chains before, and grimacing over the food you see being served (I recommend Dewey's, but avoid their red sauce.)
My friends and I are pretty much the target audience for their nightlife, but there's zero reason to go. Downtown and OTR have such better food and bars, why would we ever cross the river to Newport on the Levee to look at them while eating ridiculously bad chain Irish pub food? If we're going across the river, there are better bars and restaurants within Newport, Covington and Mainstrasse.
Lastly, the Italian festival here features about 10 vendors, 2 of which are Papa John's and Larosa's. Seriously, I should knock them to 1 star for that.
This place is disappointing because you can see how much potential it has - but in reality it appears to be a place where businesses come to die. Â The turnaround rate here is ridiculous, but I guess it at least always keeps you guessing, so don't plan on getting any shopping done here.
Review Source:I had a few hours to find something to do this evening and decided to visit the major attraction in Newport, KY. I didn't actually use most of the attractions here but there is plenty to choose from starting with the aquarium and ending with the bowling. This is an unusual mall with lots of eateries and bars with great views of the Ohio River. Parking is under the whole thing and is only $2. I went on an evening with some bands playing and there were crowds filling the whole court area so I went on a walking tour of the attached Purple People Bridge over to the Cincinnati side of the river. Check out the website and choose your entertainment...I think you will find something to like here.
Review Source:I stopped coming to Newport on the levee as soon as I turned 16 and my parents were okay with me going to actual downtown Cincinnati without them. I was downright bored with the comfortable corporate-friendly shopping center where you can expect the expected and not much else. There is no life here. It just wasn't what I was looking for. This is not for thrill seekers, not for the adventurous, not for the lovebirds. Architecturally, I find newport on the levee to be gorgeous, and has stunning views of the city. But the photographs you can get are very been-there-done-that. If you're stopping in and you are looking for a bar or restaurant you can find in anytown, USA (a comfortable fact, it's the reason chain restaurants work), be sure to visit Newport On the Levee. You'll be pleased to find all the midscale chain restaurants you were hoping for. I get that. It's nice to be able to know you're getting a good meal or a good drink because you've had it before. But, of course there is no memories made or stories to tell with that. This is a harsh review, but Newport just doesn't appeal to my spontaneous and "lets just try it!!" nature. Maybe in a few months I'll stop in again and give it another shot.
Review Source:Great in the summer with tons of outdoor space and a view of the city. This is a great place to watch a movie and a bite to eat. there isn't much in the way of shopping thought so don't get your hopes up in the shop therapy sense.
The whole area is a bit of a mish mash of restaurants and entertainment v
enues. You can see a comedy show, watch a 3D movie, go bowling, or go to an arcade all while stuffi.g yourself full of grilled cheese , pizza or ice cream.
If any of that bores you, it is walking distance to the hopping bar area of Newport and can easily be a great start to a fun filled .
My only gripe is that there are plenty of unfilled shop spaces and the inside "mall" area seems dead compared to the lively outdoor space.
I don't get what all the anti-Levee hate is about. I always have a good time when I come here, whether it's to see a movie, a comedy show, eat/drink, Ride The Ducks, walk on the Purple People bridge, check out the aquarium... the list goes on and on. Sure the stores are lame overall, but I don't enjoy shopping anyway and would never come here for that purpose (unless maybe to go to Barnes & Noble).
I haven't even mentioned half of the stuff I've done here. In warm weather months, watching kids play in the hamster ball water ride thingy is great free entertainment. Star Lanes is a great higher-end bowling alley. Grabbing some ice cream from Cold Stone and sitting on one of the benches people watching or facing the breathtaking Cincinnati view is a wonderful way to enjoy a nice day. I just wish Smoothie King was still open. Anyway, there's also frequent live free entertainment such as summer concerts, belly dancers, and animal balloon makers. It's my favorite place to take out-of-town visitors, especially since it's right down the street from my house.
In addition, the Levee is in right in the middle of Hofbrauhaus, Riverboat Row festivals, and Monmouth Street entertainment.
Of course there's some negatives too, but to me they're minor. Dealing with the parking garage can be annoying, but if you're resourceful you can find a way around it. There's a high turnover with stores and restaurants, but it seems like when something closes another thing comes along pretty quickly to replace it. The elevators take forever, so use the stairs.
I love the Levee.
Newport on the Levee has such potential to be a cool hang out. Â However, I found it lacking just a bit. Â Sure, it was right on the river and afforded great views. Â I liked that the purple people bridge was right there and my group did walk across it, cameras in hand. Â However, I felt it needed some more pep. Â The retail stores were seriously lacking. Â On a side note, I would avoid walking by Jefferson Hall, at least the night we were there it was a cigar bar...ick. Â Who wants to smell like a cigar?? Â Also, the food prices may have been a tad high, but then again, that is expected at places such as this.
Review Source:Picture an outdoor shopping center (I believe they're now using the phrase "lifestyle center" to describe these). On top of a massive parking garage. On top of Newport, KY's levee of the Ohio River (fun fact: it used to be really shallow until it was dammed). Now throw in Newport's only tourist attractions, and you have Newport on the Levee.
From a distance, Newport on the Levee is a hideous conception. But really, except for maybe some fireworks stores, liquor stores, and Hofbrauhaus, what is there to do in Newport? Go to the Levee. They have bookstores, bars, restaurants, an aquarium, movie theaters, and tons of other businesses here I neglected to remember. If you like looking at muddy brown rivers and impressive skylines, they've also got some of the best views in the area, as well as a trail along the river.
Newport on the Levee didn't impress me too much, but I'm glad it's there. It gives me something to do while in town.
Newport on the Levee is ok. It is nice and clean and a good place to check out the river and skyline. However it is kind of a wasteland. Besides Tom + Chee it is just a crappy mall. They have a Johnny Rocket for god sake. The only reason to come here is for the AMC theater, and only because it is close to your house. If they didn't refund some of the parking fee if you buy movie tickets I would never come here. I suppose it is a relatively safe place to go out and pay way to much for mediocre food and drinks. I dunno, its kinda whatever. Go see a movie here, maybe hit up the Aquarium and eat a grilled cheese. After that leave and go somewhere worth your time.
**!Quick Tip!**
Save yourself the trouble, park across the street.
Newport on the Levee is a fun place with a wonderful view of the Ohio River and the Cincinnati skyline. Â There is a variety of restaurants and entertainment options, plus a few shops. Â Restaurants range from Tom + Chee, Johnny Rockets, Dewey's Pizza to Brio and Mitchell's Fish Market, so there is plenty from which to choose. Â
Entertainment options include the Newport Aquarium, bowling, movies, and tours of the area. Â There are also several bars in the Levee and nearby, making it a nice place for some barhopping too. Â
The outdoor setting and view makes for a great place during nice weather. Â The parking is reasonably priced, and the outdoor musicians add a nice touch. Â A nice place to visit.
Parking was insane, but then there was a fundraiser for the Aquarium going on. Â The parking is very reasonable, and I will often park here for events on the other side of the river (or even work). Â Bus service to Cincinnati is serviced by the TANK Southbank Shuttles (yellow, white and blue trollies), as well as several other buses throughout the day. Â The levy is also nestled between two bridges (one open to vehicles and one closed to vehicles), so access downtown is excellent. Â This is a great place to go if you are interested in watching the river or doing a little people watching. Â
Plenty of restaurants, bars, and a theater as well to keep you entertained.
Having been here a lot growing up in my teens and such this place has changed. My friends and I would always venture down to Newport to see a movie at AMC and hang out in the levee.
I see some people complain about the parking, the price is fair and during the week it's only $2. Â I still come down here, but not as often as when I was in my teens. The aquarium is really neat and now that Tom Chee is there I will have to check that out.
Also great views of the Cincinnati skyline!
I like that 5 stars means "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" We're in the Cincinnati Metro Area, as far as cool things to do outside of awesome festivals and artsy things, this is as good as it gets.
The aquarium is beautiful, and if you're into photography, you'll appreciate their jellyfish selection. The AMC theatre is lovely, especially for midnight showings. I didn't get bed bugs when I went there either, so there's that.
The real deal-maker is the view of the Ohio River and the Cincinnati skyline. It's absolutely gorgeous on a weekend night, and it gets even prettier if you keep drinking at the plethora of bars on the river banks. Definitely the perfect date night spot.
Newport on the levee has everything you need to pass the time with friends. Whether you up for movies,laughs, or just hitting the bar and getting some food you can find it here.
Perfect for when I want to do something without having to drive to far or have anything in particular in mind. My tour spot for all my Chi friends.
I can't believe I've lived here for over 2 years and have yet to review Newport on the Levee! For shame, self... for shame!
Though I live in Clifton, the boyfriend and I frequently make trips down to Newport. First of all, the AMC located here is my favorite theatre to go to (see separate review). There is also a Barnes and Noble, which is a place in which we love to spend lots of time. There are a number of little stores, but it is definitely not a mall, in my opinion.
A Hot Topic does not a mall make!
The number of bars and restaurants in such a small area is very impressive and adds to the variety of things to do here. There's the expensive (Brio Tuscan Grille) to the crappy (Brothers Bar & Grill... see separate review... yuck!) to the affordable and yummy (Tom + Chee, Johnny Rockets) to the forget-what-you-did-last-night joints (Toro, Bar Louie). And wherever there's a Coldstone Creamery, there's bound to be smiles... am I right? (I think so!)
The view itself gives the levee a 5 star review, but the poor attempt at a mall inside as well as the trashy folks that frequent the location and ruin the night for everyone else bumps it down to 4 stars. Though there are a lot of things that go on here during the warm weather, it definitely dies down to a whole lot of nothing once it gets cold. Other than the movies, I don't go to Newport during the cold months, which bumps it down to 3 stars.
Yes, the mall is kind of sorry, most of the restaurants are chains (but big ups to Tom+Chee), and the nightlife feels... fabricated. Â But I don't go here for any of that. Â I come here for the view.
The pavilion in front of the aquarium offers a truly lovely view of the downtown Cincy skyline. Â There are usually some musicians playing at night in the summer, which really adds to the atmosphere. Â I like to just sit and enjoy the weather and good company.
This is one of the first places I came to after I moved to the city. Â The view still makes me feel the same way I felt that first day -- that I am happy and lucky to live in this town.
I came here a few times last summer because I was in the neighborhood visiting my boyfriend's hometown. The atmosphere is pleasant and the views are great. The shopping, however, is very limited. I did enjoy Dewey's Pizza (delicious) and the one art gallery there but most of the (few) stores are pointless and out of fashion. Basically, if you're not seeing a movie and eating out, you won't spend more than 45 minutes here. I do think this place has potential, though, and my boyfriend told me it was in the process of being upgraded. Thank god! This beautiful place should not go to waste!
Also, the parking garage smells really bad. Like, really bad.
The view alone is worth the trip.
I don't know if I would substitute anything else in place of the mall, or what I would want to put there instead. I really don't understand the point of having those stores there. Maybe it's because most of them are lame. Sorry DEB and Hot Topic fans. I took my brother and cousin to GameWorks one day for one reason only: it was a place where you could go to eat, have a drink, and smoke. It was during the week so there weren't a lot of kids around. I'm not a big arcade fan anyway, but going there on a Saturday makes you want to get your tubes tied. (And I'm a nanny and love children) The movie theater is OK. Really high seats that sit straight up make the experience unfomfortable.
I'm going to use this review to vent my frustration toward the impossible task of trying to use a GPS in some of these areas. "Take the exit heading toward "_____" road." Okay... Where the hell is "_____" road? If I knew these things I wouldn't be using a GPS! Â Also, why do I need to cross back an forth from Ohio and Kentucky 9 times to get here? Whoever loaded Google Maps for this area needs to be castrated.
So I finally find the place and the mall is closing the garage because it's full (I'm going to blame the nerdy Harry Potter fanatics.) They direct you back out into the World of "Maggie, from Atlanta, doesn't know where the #%$& she is!"
... but when they finally open it up 20 minutes later, I come to realize the place ain't so bad. It's a fairly new place, I'm guessing, with visually appealing and modern design. It seemed to host an array of nightlife that I might check out one day (if my GPS doesn't take me to Canada trying to get here), and shops wise... Well, I honestly paid no attention, my motive was food.
I'm pretty sure I could safely say the Levee has it all... and I would be correct.
They've just added a new kick ass bowling alley on top of having an AMC theater, Gameworks, Funny Bone Comedy Club, Shadobox Caberet, bars, restaraunts, music venues, book stores, ice cream, aquarium, and one of the best views of the Cincinnati Skyline.
The few retail stores that are in this "mall" just seem a bit out of place. There's a DEB, Hot Topic, Game Stop, a knock off Build-a-Bear, claire's, and a few other shops that are only around for a month or 2 and then they're something different. I feel like this place still has potential it hasn't quite reached yet, but I can't totally put my finger on it.
But if you're looking for bar hopping and some great places to hear live  music, or just a stroll along the river, as the purple people bridge runs right into it practically, this is your place.
Newport on the Levee is a veritable mall set right on the Kentucky bank of the Ohio River. Â It is home to a bevy of restaurants and chain stores, a movie theater, Gameworks, and is anchored by the notable Newport Aquarium with its Shark Petting and Frog Bogs and Penguin Encounters.
I have to be honest, though. Â I have been to the Aquarium and several of the restaurants, but what brings me back regularly is that it's the closest movie theater to my house.
Though Newport on the Levee could be an all inclusive, albeit somewhat sterile, weekend entertainment spot, it never quite seems as busy as it should be. Â It's almost like it's supposed to be New York's Coney Island or Chicago's Navy Pier but it lacks the local charm or the notoriety to make it remarkable.
I've hated malls for almost as long as I can remember but the newer trend of strategically located, open air entertainment and shopping spaces is actually tolerable. The Levee is tasteful, has tons of options to keep your family occupied and is the closest movie theater to my house. I've also been plied to visit with a smoothie from smoothie king. They have bike racks and I was happy to bicycle to the river to sit outside watching people buy hermit crabs and bad t-shirts while I drank my super, fruit-powered liquid meal.
Avoid the Levee at all costs if you have a fear of crowds or confusing parking garages. I've found that it's also good to call ahead for movie tickets even though we drank a beer, shared cigarettes and caught a fantastic lightning show waiting for the next showing of the Dark Knight.
[This is part of a set of reviews covering establishments my family and I encountered while taking a road trip to Cincinnati.]
We didn't get to explore Newport on the Levee all that much as we were en route to the Newport Aquarium. Â But I liked the atmosphere of what I saw. Â It had kind of a small town feel and is patterned after a lot of the open air malls that seem to be popping up all over the country. Â They don't work so well in my home town climate, though.
As Alexandra K. pointed out, parking was surprisingly easy. Â I would guess it would get a little more difficult on a Friday or Saturday night.
While I wouldn't go back to the aquarium, I would come back to the levee.
I consider Newport on the Levee more of an entertainment destination than a mall. No major department stores here; but there are galleries, a great bookstore, plenty of eateries, a theater, the aquarium and more.
My personal favorites are Mitchell's Fish Market, Cafe Istanbul and Tala's Distant Treasures. Â With the beautiful view of the river and Cincinnati from the north side of the complex, it's a very popular place to bring visitors or to just wander around.
One great thing about the Levee is the free concert series in the summer. Each Thursdays evening brings live music outside the aquarium. Nice fun, family friendly event!
Newport on the Levee is the city's favorite mall, except it's in Kentucky! Built not that long ago, it offers some cool features and stores that other area malls don't have.
The parking is always very easy. You drive under the building and park right there. It's also never too expensive! The restrooms are always clean and huge.
Some of the main attractions here are the AMC movie theater, Brio, the Newport Aquarium, and Gameworks. The building also offers office space to many local companies and to the mall's employees. Some of my favorite things are the sheer amount of space inside the building and the beautiful courtyard that leads to the aquarium and a beautiful outlook over the river where you can see the city of Cincinnati's waterfront.
It's a hot spot for local teens so watch out for them, you may need to weave around them as they always seem to walk slow!
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