This place is really expensive. Â I've been a few times now, every time with a coupon. Â They used to have a Prix Fixe, and I loved that. Â Unfortunately, they've gone to the standard each item separately priced. Â I have to say, each time I've been there, there has been one course that I've really loved. Â Unfortunately, there is usually only one. Â That's not to say the other courses were bad, just they weren't worth the premium price. Â My date also tripped over what can best be described as a missing board under the carpet. Â The building does show it's age, so be careful there.
Review Source:Have been in Cincinnati a long time and had somehow never visited The Palace. Â I'm glad that I did but I can't say that I will necessarily hurry back. Â The service is impeccable although we could have used a little more help in terms of wine selections. Â The atmosphere is very nice although a bit stiff. Â Parts of that stiffness are a welcome change and helps the restaurant stand out from every place that is now casual. Â Parts of that stiffness are why most places have gone more casual. Â In total I found it a plus to actually have a reason to be dressed up a bit.
On to the food. Â Very good. In some cases very, very good. Â A rock solid 4 out of 5 stars in every way. Â The only rub is the prices and competition demand 5 stars and I don't think the preparations consistently get there. Â I will be back. Just not in a hurry. On another note I'd jump at the chance to take another spin on an expense account night.
Groupon! Great food as you'd expect in a fine dining establishment. Great service and presentation too. What I didn't like was how close the tables are in some areas. My girlfriend and I were basically joined with the table next to us. We could hear their conversation perfectly. It made me feel the need to talk in a low voice and it ruined the atmosphere since they were talking about things like the stock market the whole time. For $100 without drinks, tables shouldn't be placed as close as a few inches from each other.
But the food was incredible, service was great, and because it was my girlfriend's birthday, they gave a $25 gift certificate. Although beware, that covers very little of the price.
Went here on a somewhat random tuesday with a date to use up an expiring groupon. Â Let me start my echoing what has been said before - the food was very good. Â My date got the filet with foie gras, which was absolutely exceptional. Â I got the chicken, which was ok. Â We split an appetizer and dessert, both of which were good but not good enough that I can recall them now. Â Our server was very professional and friendly, but definitely steered us toward the most expensive items on the menu.
I think the reason for 3 stars is really the experience - you feel like you are eating in a hotel lobby. Â It's weird to pay $200 for a hotel lobby meal. Â Our meal was interrupted by a fire drill and we ended up not eating any food until almost an hour after we sat down due to waiting outside. Â The staff was understandably shaken up by this bizarre turn of events and comped almost everyone in the restaurant a glass of wine...except us. Â The tables across the restaurant got a whole bottle and started passing it back and forth between them as they loudly traded on-ups from the country club. Â It was the kind of atmosphere you might expect at a really upscale bar, or aforementioned country club, but not what I had expected from a 5 star restaurant that has been named one of the best in Cincinnati. Â
Overall, the food was good but the experience wasn't worth the price. Â Maybe our experience was based on the use of the groupon, which would be kind of disappointing from such a lauded place.
My husband and I went for a big evening out to celebrate our anniversary in May. The only reason I'm giving 4 instead of 5 stars is because the service faltered right at the beginning. Otherwise, it was a 5 star experience.
We stood at the maitre'd stand for quite a while before he came over to seat us, but I had indicated at the time of our reservation that we were celebrating an anniversary and the maitre'd gave me an anniversary card when he seated us which included a discount on our next meal at The Palace - nice touch. Once seated, it again, took longer than I would have liked for our waiter to first acknowledge us. Our reservation was for 8:00 on a Friday night and the place was pretty busy - only a few open tables. I saw only a couple of waiters who seemed to be moving around pretty quickly, so I assumed either something was off, or they were just slammed. When our waiter finally came to our table he said the second seating of the night had been really big, so they were a little overwhelmed. Not really what I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. Also, as another reviewer noted, there was a live jazz trio playing in the Cricket Lounge right next to the dining room. We were just two tables away from the music and it was difficult to talk over it combined with the noise from the other patrons in the restaurant. As people cleared out it was better.
We opted to go for the chef's 5 course tasting menu with wine pairings chosen by our waiter. Each course was better than the one before. The tasting menu was smaller portions of things that were listed on the menu. The wine pairings were all really wonderful and truly paired with the food in an amazing way. So much so that we asked our waiter to write all the wines down so we could get a couple of them on our own. He happily obliged. A couple of the dishes made me want to go underneath the table and lick the plate. Seriously. We were there for 3 hours and were the last to leave the restaurant, but even after all that food I didn't feel uncomfortable full. The pacing was good. I would definitely go back. The food more than made up for the stumble on service at the beginning. Chef Salazar met and exceeded my high expectations!
The Palace is truly one of Cincinnati's very few fine dining restaurants. As other reviewers have stated there are many tables here celebrating either anniversaries, birthdays or like me graduation.
Our server was Eric and he was very good and very knowledgeable about the product and let us be when the time called for it.
To start things off our table of six were seated in a special room with a singular painting and my friend noticed  a few light bulbs were burnt out. Â
After ordering our cocktails and bottle of wine, the service staff brought out an amuse bouche of two compressed carrots with a mushroom consomme and basil flower, it was great and just the right amount to open up our taste buds.
The next course was a gift from the Chef, it was the Hamachi as seen in the pictures, the presentation was flawless as were the flavors, the soy sauce was not salty at all, kind of sweet.
Our apps were out next and my friend and I ordered the grilled octopus as seen in the picture, it was amazing, tender and not under or over cooked which it seems always happens when I dine out. The char and the smokiness from the grill were spot on with the squid ink emulsion and the garlic chip.
My friends parents ordered the pork belly and it came with a pork stock poured table side and poached quail eggs, the belly was wonderful as my friend's parents commented on the smell of everything.
For the main course- three of us got the lamb loin medium rare, the first piece had a touch of gristle and got stuck in my teeth for a few minutes, but everything was spot on for all of us. Â My friend ordered the sole stuffed with shrimp and raved about it and especially sucking the brains out of the fresh shrimp. Â My step dad ordered the salmon dish and loved it and my mom the vegetarian ordered the grit cake and I tried some of it and it was very delicious.
Next came dessert, we ordered almost one of every dessert, the rhubarb soup was the standout as it was spicy, but complemented the sweetness excellent. The panna cotta was very good the pop rocks on the plate really stood out for me.
After the meal Chef Jose Salazar came out to our table and shook my hand and thanked all of us for celebrating at the Palace, it was a very classy move and it meant a lot to all of us.
We started dinner @ 745pm and ended dinner @1145 pm. It was a very fun four hours as the food was some of the best in the city.
Also a very nice touch was the candies brought out on the tray as we paid the bill.
I went here for a post-Valentine's day Valentine's day dinner, and I was pleased with the dinner and the care taken by the staff. Â Our waiter was knowledgeable and unpretentious. Â I would not have come to the restaurant had I not had a groupon, but since I did have the discount, it was well worth it. Â
To start the meal, I had a glass of rioja and my date had a glass of pinot noir. Â Both were delicious and did not disappoint. Â I ordered the filet with gnocchi, and it was delicious. Â I think the flavors all worked well together. Â My date ordered the lamb which was also tasty and was tender. Â The dessert was the lime sponge cake, which was a recommendation from our waiter which I probably would have overlooked. Â It was reminiscent of a Top Chef episode. Â The pudding itself was light and fluffy and it was topped with a tequila flavored icecream or gelato. Â It seemed to dissolve in your mouth. Â Another fun perk, was that the chef had prepared 4 tiny desserts as well. Â I do not remember what they were called, but 2 of them were some sort of chocolate concoction in a cup and 2 were somewhat gelatinous, fruity, chocolatey bites. Â
Although the food and the staff were fantastic, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the atmosphere. Â It is in a hotel, and the center of the restaurant is underneath the indoor hotel windows, looking down onto the plaza from the rooms. Â It felt like a special experience, but without some of the aesthetic charms and coziness of restaurants like Boca, Niccolas or Prima Vista. Â Some people probably prefer the layout and feel of The Palace, but I prefer restaurants with a more intimate and warmer feel to them. Â I think that if you are going to spend the money for fine dining, you might as well pay for a setting which is also top-notch. Â If I had to break it down: food 5 star; staff 5 star, setting 3 star.
I went here for a fancy dinner with my parents and, I have to say, I was impressed. We had the 5 course (6 including dessert) tasting menu that was special for Valentine's Day, so I can't speak for their regular menu, but goddamn it was good. Scallops, foie gras, filet mignon, incredible chocoalte cake... pretty amazing.
It wasn't cheap, but actually for that much food, and that many courses, and that many people serving and all that, it wasn't overpriced. The seating was a little weird, it does feel a little like you are in the hotel lobby instead of in a restaurant, depending on where you sit, but I have gone from thinking, "what, they have a restaurant?" to, "man, they should be on my places to have a fancy dinner list."
If you have something to celebrate and want to go kind of old school, check out The Palace.
I'm rarely motivated to eat at any restaurant in Cincinnati. I know that sounds snobby, however, I am cuisine spoiled from being in NYC monthly for business. Tonights dinner at The Palace, for my birthday, was a welcome surprise. The atmosphere, service, menu choices, presentation and taste were all wonderful. My husband and I were both blown away by the whole experience. If you like fine dining with a elegant touch, I highly recommend the restaurant. FYI, the chef Jose Salazar, worked at the acclaimed Per Se restaurant in NYC. Please check this place out so we dont lose an excellent local chef.
Review Source:Went to the Palace for our 4th wedding anniversary. Â The maitre'd, John MacLean, promptly seated us and since I had mentioned we were coming to celebrate gave us a $35 gift certificate towards our next meal. Â Our server, Brenda, was outstanding and the food was simply marvelous. Â We highly recommend the Palace.
Review Source:Very disappointing experience here this weekend. Had a reservation, but waited quite a while at the maitre'd stand for someone to seat us. The restaurant was practically empty on a Friday evening. The ambiance is underwhelming, compared with Orchids at Palm Court, you definitely felt like you were in a hotel restaurant. A nice hotel, but nonetheless. It didn't help that our table was at the end next to the Cricket bar and there was exceedingly loud live jazz with lots of drum solos. I'm a big fan of live music during dinner, but if I have to shout over it to converse with my dining partner, it loses quite a bit of charm.
The waiter demonstrated no knowledge of the menu or even how a fine dining experience should go throughout the evening. His only explanation of the menu was: "the chef here is really good, so everything on the menu is good." Not helpful. He also  could not explain what endive was to my husband when asked. Really? The amuse bouche was an odd little orange square that was much more like a between course palate cleanser or dessert. I ordered sweet potato gnocchi for my first course and my husband went with the Thai soup. My gnocchi was interesting--kind of like the love child of a gnocchi and a tater tot--very light in texture, but also in flavor. Mr. F. said his soup was OK (for $17 for a cup of soup, "amazing" should be expected).
For our main courses, I got the Kentucky Ribeye and he got the chicken. I personally don't like it when restaurants pre-slice your steak--which they did here. It loses not only heat, but also some of the juiciness. My steak was prepared as requested, but was completely room temperature, which cut down on my enjoyment significantly. There was also more fat that I had to trim off than I was expecting. My husband's chicken was nice--very tender and flavorful, but it was a pretty moderately sized portion and he didn't care for the accompaniments.
Dessert was an unmitigated disaster. Again, no menu explanation at all and continued ineptness from our waiter when he didn't even know the kind (brand) of coffee served. I ordered the Blue Cheesecake. First bite was absolutely shocking as it was a cheesecake actually made out of bleu cheese. I was expecting sweet, creamy goodness and got it hit with a highly savory and strongly flavored bit of bleu cheese instead. The waiter came by and I expressed my surprise, Â and he said he didn't like it either but, hey "at least you tried it". Huh? No offer of bringing something else or at least taking it off our check? I should have insisted on one of those, but I was so shocked and disappointed that I just wanted to leave. We also did not receive one of the complementary mini dessert plates that lots of other reviewers talked about, which would have at least mollified me a bit.
To top the evening off, there was no one manning the coat check and it took my husband quite a while to track down someone to get our coats and there were no clean hand towels in the ladies room. Little things like this are the bare minimum of a pleasant experience, not something I would have expected to be overlooked at a place like this. The Palace unfortunately  feels like a place well past it's prime severely lacking in both pride of place and polish, not to mention regrettably amateur service.
Disclosure: My review is based on an event sponsored by The Wine Merchant and so may not be totally representative of a typical experience.
The food was very good. I was especially impressed by the first course, which was a Thai Lobster Coconut Bisque with lobster and green papaya. Have never had a bisque that was both so rich and so bright. Wonderful. But was less than enthused with the pairing because I didn't think an oaked Chardonnay was the right match for the soup's brightness.
Cured duck course with lentils and cucumbers was original and tasty. The ribeye with leeks and scallion fondue was also good, but not mind blowing. Dessert course was solid.
It was a large party but service was attentive and consistent. A little too much time between courses (and wine) for my taste, but not terrible.
While I appreciate the live music, the ambiance is a bit too formal for my preference, so it's quite possible that I'll return to the Palace, but only if prompted by another event or another couple's suggestion.
I absolutely loved this place! Went for their third thursday of the month special.
Pros:
1) Very professional yet courteous staff
2) The live jazz music playing in the background
3) The food, especially the bread pudding and pork chops
4) They have a great wine list and if you are unsure of some of the options their servers are very knowledgeable about each wine on their list
Cons:
1) It can be expensive, we went on a day when they were running a special so it was around $60 for a two course meal for two people and a bottle of white wine. However I think that the price is worth it for the quality of service as well as the quality and creativity of the food choices.
Service was good, but beware of the dress code. I walked in expecting a typical restaurant but i was told i had to sit at the bar. The portion was somewhat small and i ordered a coke and got a cup of ice instead. However, the food was good but unfortunately that was about it. I probably wouldn't come back, there are better options right around the corner.
Review Source:The food at the Palace is top-notch, and Chef Salazar has a bright future. Â My wife and I both had excellent meals, and Chef Genetti's desserts are equally delicious. Â Apart from the food, however, we had an at best forgettable experience at the Palace.
I note several reviews below talking about attentive service, and a few remarks about the maitre'd, but they do not in any way describe our experience. Â We arrived at the restaurant 2 minutes prior to our reservation time, and stood at the maitre'd stand for 6 minutes. Â The entire time, members of the staff looked over at us while going about their business, but no one said a word. Â The man who turned out to be the maitre'd eventually walked directly in front of me while bringing some other guests from another location to their tables, looked me in the eye, and said nothing - rather, he proceeded to spend a few more minutes with other guests and a couple discussions with other staff. Â When he returned to the maitre'd stand and said, simply, "what's the name?" I was shocked. Â No apology, not even a "good evening." I am fine with waiting, especially if I am then treated with the same courtesy as the reasons for the wait. Â However, I am not fine with not even being acknowledged with a "we'll be right with you" or something similar. Â We were simply ignored, and then rudely greeted as though we were uninvited guests rather than people with a reservation about to spend $200 for dinner.
I assume that either the person working was not Mr. McLean, whom their website describes as "a seamless and timeless combination of the common touch with the savoir-faire and sophistication that only a true 'master of the house' can deliver," or that my wife and I were treated poorly due to our youth. Â We were well-dressed and -groomed, but obviously not wealthy business-people.
The rest of the staff was fine, but not great. Â Everyone was pleasant and mostly attentive (at least for the first half of the meal), but I wasn't impressed by the grade of professionalism given the alleged quality of the restaurant (and the actual quality of the food). Â I asked a simple question about a wine that was answered "I don't know, those are new" with no offer to ask someone who might, in fact, know. Â There were plenty of other "little things" that won't make it in here because I've gone on for long enough already.
It's possible that tables further away do not have this problem, but our table's location nearest to the bar of the Cincinnatian gave the decor a distinct "90's Mall" feel.
I almost want to write a second, five-star review focused only on the food (which was spectacular). Â My wife had grilled octopus and halibut, I got baked manicotti and duck breast. Â The dishes were all complex but balanced, and the flourless chocolate cake for dessert was outstanding. Â Great food, however, can be had at several other places in the city where my wife and I have not been treated like second-class customers.
The wait before the serving staff arrived at our table was longer than I would have liked, but they were thoroughly  attentive throughout the remainder of our meal. This is great food in Cincinnati, and it doesn't come cheap. However, it was worth it.
I had gnocchi with butternut squash sauce to start. Then I had a fabulous filet. My partner had the hanger steak, which I actually thought was better than the filet. We finished our meal by sharing a white chocolate grapefruit pastry. It was wonderful, and I don't even like grapefruit! We also had a lovely bottle of French wine. The bill before tip was $146 (2 people).
The ambience was so elegant that I forgot that I was even in a hotel. A pianist was playing near the bar. It really added to the atmosphere.
The Palace doesn't knock my favorite local restaurant from the top spot, but it is a sure bet for good eats.
4.5 stars, really. My boyfriend and I had a hard time "rating" the Palace after our dinner there last Friday night, because we both agreed the food was among the best (probably Top 5) that we've had in Cincinnati, and yet somehow the overall experience didn't have a "wow" factor.
The Palace is conveniently located in the Cincinnatian Hotel, on the corner of 6th and Vine, within easy range of parking. Walking into a hotel for dinner is a bit odd, but once you're seated, you just feel like you're in a very nice restaurant. Oh, and I LOVED the live music (piano and cello).
Service was excellent. Well paced and very attentive. Friendly & helpful.
The food was fantastic. I liked my boyfriend's ribeye better than any filet I've gotten at a Jeff Ruby's place, and my mahi mahi was superb. The dishes were beautifully plated, and presented with a fun formal flourish. The desserts were quite good as well, although we each ordered one and then were given a sampler platter of mini-desserts for free, and that turned out to be better than what either of us had ordered. (The sampler platter included a buckeye, a mini key lime tart, a mini macaroon, and a chocolate covered strawberry. I ordered the flourless chocolate cake, while my boyfriend had the cheese plate.)
Even in writing this review, I am remembering with a smile how delicious everything was, and I guess, bottom line, that's what will bring me back to the Palace in the future.
However, there isn't anything particularly *unique* about the Palace. It's just top-notch, classic fine dining. But perhaps that's undervalued nowadays...
If you are looking for fine dinning, in a "classic" atmosphere, you shouldn't be disappointed. Â While some might think service is slow, it is appropriate for this type of establishment. Â As a result, if you are in a rush, I would probably recommend some other restaurant. Â The servers are attentive, the food is excellent with a nice presentation. Â This restaurant is more of a hidden gem waiting to be discovered, yet once discovered, you will come back.
Review Source:Lunch at the Palace is a surprisingly affordable luxury. They offer a two course prix fixe menu, that includes a beverage, the main course and a choice of either an appetizer or dessert. I had lunch with a friend that day. Our whole experience of the Palace was elegant and sophisticated. The food was refined and spectacularly delicious. Best lunch I've had in years. The service was attentive, prompt and very helpful. And the atmosphere was delightful as the space was tastefully decorated for the Christmas season.
Review Source:One of Cincinnati's few-remaining Fine Dining options. Â Expect lots of attention and service. Â And other diners celebrating special occasions.
I wanted to try the Foie Gras Creme Brulee, assuming that the Chef brought the idea from a previous employer - Jean-George. Â At $18 it's worth trying, but fortunately there is enough to share. Â There are simple and more adventurous Main dishes to suit all types of diners.
I don't want to take anything away from the First Course and Main dishes at this restaurant, but the desserts are the best part about the whole place. Â Reading the dessert menu brought about an indecisiveness that I'd never experienced in most restaurants. Â They all had so many intriguing components that I was tempted to try them all... we went with the almond cake and pumpkin chip bread pudding - both excellent. Â All ice creams and sorbets are house-made. Â Lots of pleasant and tasty surprises in the sauces and garnishes as well.
Your opinion of the Palace will depend completely on your expectations when you sit down.
If you are comparing this to a big market (e.g. New York, SF) big time hotel restaurant you will be disappointed. The food is pretty and well prepared, but won't knock your socks off. The décor is nice but not memorable. The dining room is three-quarters empty on a Saturday night and low energy. Feh, you think.
But if you are thinking I'm in a smaller city and I wonder what I'm going to do for dinner downtown...you can be very happy. The place is clean and fresh feeling. The service is helpful and enthusiastic (though slow...with only a couple other tables occupied I don't know why it took so long to prep our food). There are several fresh fish choices and all were fine if not amazing. They whipped up something for our vegetarian. Even though this was fine dining they didn't care that we came in wearing track clothes (might have bummed me out if I were one of the other couples there having a romantic evening though). And the prices while not cheap were not NYC prices either.
So...go ahead and go to the Palace, what you think will probably depend in what you are looking for.
I went there last week for two two course dinner and a bottle of wine for $60! I mean, that's a bargain. I called the restaurant and was told that they're gonna' be doing this every Thursday for the foreseeable future. When I'm back in Cincy for business I'll be hitting this place again. Really perfect for business dinners -- staff rocks (I know, I used to be a waiter).
Review Source:What a fun place to go - especially for lunch.
It's very very fancy - like you feel like you're underdressed. But the thing is - there's nobody there - so who cares?????
It's a gorgeous restaurant and the staff is EXTREMELY attentive. It's really fun.
The orchiette pasta with lamb ragout is really great.
My one tip - just stick with water - tea and soda are like $4.
Other than that - prices aren't bad for a nice lunch place.
It's fun - check it out!!!!
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