OK, got a question. Â What is mozzarella com pomodoro? Â Traditionally: fresh mozzarella and tomato with olive oil and fresh basil. Â Usually served with substantial servings of fresh cheese, sliced tomato on top of each, basil as garnish on top, with olive oil splashed over and onto the plate.
Primavista mozzarella com pomodoro: "fresh cheese stuffed with pesto and mushrooms, with roasted tomatoes and balsamic glaze." Â Served as two roll-ups with a small portion of tomatoe thrown on top. Â Really?
I ordered without reading the menu since I have ordered this in many fine restaurants here and in Italy. Â Pesto? Â Sorry, chef. Â This dish is not mozzarella com pomodoro. Â When it arrived in front of me, I asked the waitress what this dish was. Â She walked away, brought over a menu, and pointed to 'fresh cheese stuffed with pesto and mushrooms, with roasted tomatoes and balsamic glaze."
I was aghast. Â I asked her to take it away.
I know the chef has the option of preparing an item any way he/she wishes. Â But . . . mozzarella con pomodoro should only be served one way.
Am I wrong here?
They tricked us into believing that they had options by displaying a large menu outside. In reality They had only half a page of entrees, of which 3/5 were essentially the same food with different garnishes. Their online menu has many pages of entrees, all of which don't exist. Â
Their food was also very average. At best it was as good as Olive Garden. The only good part of my experience was the dessert, which was tasty enough for me to leave without the bitter taste from the food.
The decor is horrid. The chairs are made of hard wood and you will simultaneously slip and feel like you're sitting on a slab of unforgiving concrete.
The tables themselves are embarrassing. They place ceramic plates on glass surfaces, Â which slip very easily. If your table is tilted like mine was, expect to have your plates slide down on your lap.
First time at Primavista last night for my husband's birthday. We were SO excited as we managed to obtain a babysitter and this, my friends, never happens! Anyway, it's almost cliche at this point to say what a beautiful view we had, but we really did. It had a wonderful date night ambiance and we were there before and after the sunset, which I highly recommend. As you can imagine, this being the red-letter day that it was, we could have been served some Mickey D's there and still have been happy, which we were. Happy, that is! However, I think I should still review the food, so here goes. Â Â
Everything was solid, nothing spectacular in my opinion. When you first arrive you are given some bread and a garlic paste which reminds me of this garlic confit recipe I have but it's not quite as good and the bread was only ok. This isn't exactly the end of the world, but isn't it SO great when you go somewhere and they have the most amazing homemade bread? There's just something special about that. At an italian place, I guess I was sort of expecting it. Anyhow, I had the saltimbocca which had a layer of cheese that was as thick as the veal and a little too much for me, it tasted fine but wasn't something that I would order again. It was served with green beans and red onions that were actually perfectly cooked and REALLY delicious, but you don't exactly go out to a restaurant for their green beans. My husband had the filet with a lobster claw and I have to say, his filet was perfectly cooked as was the lobster claw and both were good. They also brought out a dish of spumoni for my husband for his birthday, and that was really nice. By the way, I wouldn't want to forget to mention that our service was excellent. All in all, definitely a place everyone should experience, but with so many wonderful dining choices in Cincinnati, probably not a place we'll be returning to.
My husband and I had a lovely romantic dinner at the Prima Vista.  For my money it has one of the best panoramic views of the River, Downtown and Kentucky.  The decor is minimal and antique but the main show, as I mentioned is the spectacular view. As younger diners might complain... their is generally an older clientele here (I myself am older than dirt) because the people living in the building  like to frequent this consistently good restaurant.  I don't find it stuffy as others have said and the wait staff are some of the friendliest you'll find in the city.
The waitress was a lovely polite and attentive server who was game to try and make my French martini even though she had never heard of it.
I started with Carpaccio which was served with lots of tiny capers and loads of paper thin cut beef tartar and abundant extra large shavings of a good quality Paramgiana reggiano. It was drizzled with light ev olive oil and I added a drizzle of the house balsamic vinegar... Yum.
The nights special salad was delicious with a variety of micro greens and wrinkle, a creamy gorgonzola, fresh pineapple and toasted pine nuts, it was very tasty and a light citrusy vinaigrette.the bread served is soso Italian served with roasted garlic and evoo on the table. For main course I ordered the filet mignon medium and it was cooked perfectly and had added lobster as a topping. This is the only disappointment as the lobster was a bit flavorless and chewy.  There were perfectly cooked al dente green beans that were very sweet, crisp and seasoned well along with a fried wheel of mushroom risotto. I would have preferred regular creamy style risotto but it was good. As it was my birthday I had an Italian Spumoni ice cream  which was complementary with the obligatory candle, that was also very creamy and flavorful. The wine service was very good and the Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse chilled perfectly and delicious, and our glasses were attentively filled.yeah
My husband enjoyed a veal scallopini in a more rustic red sauce. We have been to the PV many times over the years and are never disappointed.
My wife and I have visited Prima Vista several times over the recent past years. Â Past experiences have been mostly excellent, but last night's dining experience broke the positive string. Â
As usual, service and ambience were outstanding. Â My wife's meal (Pistachio Crusted Mahi-Mahi) was very good, but my meal, one of the Chef's Specials...Sauteed Veal Scallopine, was mediocre...at best. Â The veal was so tough much of had to be discarded. Â No bacon in the sauce. Â No hint of sage. Â The green beans were blanched for perhaps 30 seconds, and in effect were essentially raw (but warm). Â I literally could not cut the beans using a knife and extreme pressure. Â btw, my wife's asparagas was in the same raw category. Â I seldom complain about food, and usually relish virtually anything, but this meal was truly poor. Â At $29 per entree, my wife's meal represented a fair value, my meal was a downright poor value.
One last thought...my wife and I grow all of our vegetables,and pride ourselves on properly cooking vegetables. Â Overcooked vegetables are not a goal...but correct minimal cooking is necessary. Â I sense many higher end restaurants seek to please those detesting mushy, overcooked veggies, but come on....raw vegetables flown in from some distant source does not constitute fine dining. Â
Like many dining males, I consider value as the paramount parameter. Â I don't mind dropping $100 or more for fine dining for two...but REALLY mind when I receive a $10 meal for one which I paid several times over. Â I give each high end restaurant a remedial visit or two before I wholly drop them from our dining list. Â Prima Vista will get that one remedial visit, but if their performance does not improve, we shall not return.
Sixteen years in Cincinnati and I'd never been to Primavista. We had not been specifically avoiding it but also not specifically trying to go. A friend's birthday and their enthusiasm to visit at least once a year provided the occasion. Â Why did we wait so long?
This is definitely a place I'll be visiting once a year. The view and atmosphere are 5 stars all the way. I very much enjoyed the classic West Side elegance. Â People were happy to be there and you felt like you were somewhere unique. There are a lot more interesting restaurants in the city these days but there are a very high percentage that are effectively the same restaurant just with a different concept. Â Primavista is wholly unique.
We love Italian and can make it well ourselves and have also eaten at many great Italian restaurants and toured Italy. I had discounted Primavista as an upscale Buca di Beppo for food. Wrong again. The menu is straight ahead Italian. I can't see any James Beard nominations coming the chef's way. That said, the preparation was impeccable. We took advantage of sharing many bites and every single thing I had was exquisitely prepared. Â It made me appreciate the value of execution over invention.
Can't wait to get back.
Came here for dinner after hearing some great reviews from friends.
The view is absolutely phenomenal and definitely one of the best in Cincinnati I've seen. Unfortunately, the atmosphere at this place is a little stuffy. I was with a bunch of 25-27 year olds but felt like most everyone there was much older.
I loved that there was a vegetarian menu but I found the food to be average and kind of bland.
Primavista is one of those places that survives, even thrives due to an older generation of regular customers and it's amazing view. The food is pretty good, service is also top notch. Like other "fancy" Italian restaurants, prices tend to be on the higher side, so save this place for the special occasions or just go and split an entree, they are large enough for 2 normal appetites. The wine glass price ranges from reasonable to holy cow, but you almost have to have a nice glass or two with Italian, heck with all food ;)
The view is of course great and I recommend placing  a reservation that enables you to view the city pre and post sunset. Check online to see what time sunset occurs.
Parking in the lot across the street is ample and free. The surrounding neighborhood isn't the greatest, so keep all valuables out of sight inside your car. There are some new apartments next to Queen's Tower that had a sign mentioning a new beer garden or something like that... Could be a cool new place with a nice patio for dining and drinking.
One of my favorites in the Cincy area. I'm not going to regurgitate what everyone else has said about the decor and it's setting making you feel like you're driving out to whack somebody but the food is pretty damn solid. We both had penne alla vodka and it was a monstrous portion. The leftovers the next day actually tasted better than when I originally got it. Â The service was great and it's nice to spend a couple of hours in there sipping wine and taking in the view. I would avoid their bruschetta. Surprisingly, not very good. Overall If you're considering taking a new girlfriend here, do it. It will definitely help your odds in getting laid. Â Going here tomorrow night to celebrate a work promotion. Definitely worth the two hour round trip drive.
Review Source:Definitely one of our favorites! We have spent many a night at the bar with primarily as and appetizers ( the bartenders are superb!!) as well as having full meals overlooking the city. I happen to love the "dated" decor. The food is outstanding (I adore the veal meatballs and carpaccio!) as is the service.
Review Source:The view is as always - amazing. I took my mother here for a dinner just the two of us - in hopes of giving her some big city dining that she doesn't get to experience often. We were seated promptly and the waitstaff was very pleasant. We opted not to get an appetizer and each ordered a glass of wine (bottles were a little overpriced for us). My mother ordered the spaghetti with veal meatballs, and I had the veal saltimbocca. When our entrees arrived the spaghetti could have fed a small family of four. The portion size was ridiculous, and the pasta was steaming hot. Now, I usually won't complain about the hotness of food - but this was like microwave hot. The saltimbocca on the other hand was amazing. The portion size was perfect and the veal had great flavor (the polenta cake on the other hand, left a lot to be desired). We then split the trio of gelato for dessert - we had caramel, chocolate and vanilla honey- all of which were great and one of the highlights of our dinner together.
Over-all, my mother enjoyed the dinner, coming in from out of town she liked the view and I had a good time pointing out all of the other places I've taken her to visit. I would reco this place, only for the view and decent Italian food - just don't go in expecting to be knocked off of your socks. I'll be back - that I promise.
I would not recommend this place to other Yelpers! While the food the food is decent, the wait staff is less refined. I'm still telling horror stories about our experience here and I definitively will not go back. I think the type of people who are in the yelp crowd would rather not trek all the way out to the middle of nowhere on the West End to sit down to an overpriced, lackluster meal with 1950's doo-wap music playing in the background. If you're looking for a place to take your date, or celebrate an event, there are much better options in Cincinnati, Covington, or Newport. All Primavista has to offer is a good view, and you can get that in Eden Park or Devou Park. One tip though is that they are listed on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fopentable.com&s=897c359bd752b4f5407d5ea86453c82be2d1913c8d0b51b18d81fc58f52a6497" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://opentable.com</a> and you can make reservations through the site.
Review Source:We had a great time at Primavista. Â It's a little hard to find. Â Rather, it's easy to find but the route takes you through a somewhat disconcerting part of town, through a neighborhood and just about the time you start to wonder if you took a wrong turn, there it is.
We started with gamberetti con gnocchi - very tasty. Â We also had a bottle of wine, Lot 96. Â It was a shiraz and decently priced at, if I remember correctly, about $30. Â For dinner, I had the Saltimbucco, an old favorite that did not disappoint at all. Â Really really good flavor and just the right amount, too. Â My wife had the Pesce de aragosta which was red flounder with lobster. Â Whew! Â That was super delicious as well. Â The best part was the pasta, which sat soaking in lobster butter goodness until the very end (because she/we ate all the other good stuff and ignored the pasta 'til last).
The view here is indeed amazing. Â Cincy never looked so good. Â We had an app, a bottle of wine, and two dinners for about $130 (including tip). Â Certainly not cheap but we thought it was worth it and would recommend Primavista to anyone looking for a fancy (but not fine dining) dinner.
Why not five stars? Â Our waitress was pretty slow. Â Not the slowest I've seen, but no real sense of urgency, which is a quality I want to see when I'm paying north of $30/plate. Â Call me high maintenance if you must!
The view was breathtaking... almost, and this, along with very nice service were the only things I liked about this place... I picked it for a romantic date night, after I checked out the reviews here on Yelp, with so many people raving about quality of the food ... I figured, if they operate such fancy Italian words, they should know good from bad. Big mistake!!!
My date had a bad feeling about this place ever as we drove up that hill everyone's talking about, and he proved to be right. Good thing we ordered only appetizers (let me show off my "stolen-from-the-menu" Italian here): Calamari Fritti and Ravioli con Pesto, both of the good old a-la freezer kind... Â The bread looked and tasted like it had seen better, much better days:( Â The bland garlic "souffle" gave me heartburn. The ravioli dish was not bad, but still, nothing special -- anyone can whip it up with a bag of nice grocery store ravioli and a pot of boiling water. Calamari Fritti didn't even deserve to be called calamari -- there was next to nothing left of the extravagant squid flesh flavour in it. This very wicked fritti upset my date's stomach to such an extent, that he had to spend the rest of the romantic night in the bathroom(((((((
My family used to live in this building and so we often stopped in for dinner. Â I always loved it.... but didn't love it, love it, cut off my right arm for it.
I think my biggest complaint is about the decor. Â This restaurant has not been updated since the 80s. Â Admittedly, you should be spending all your time look out the window, but for the prices they are charging its time for the decorator. Â Also, the surrounding neighborhood leaves a lot to be desired... Though they do have door security, I always worried about my car in the lot.
The view and the food is fantastic. Â Definitely go after dark, because honestly the foreground outside the restaurant window is pretty ugly. Â I recommend the spaghetti with veal meatballs! Â
Take a date or go for a birthday- definitely a place for a special occasion!
For a romantic dinner, this is the place.
The view is absolutely stunning.
I've been here twice. Once for a romantic dinner, and I can't remember what I ordered . The second time I came I had the filet and it was perfect. The waiter was extremely on top of it, and recommended a wonderful bottle of red to go with our entrees.
I finished off the meal with some little desserts they had and a chocolate martini.
This is probably one of the best places in the city for a special occasion.
I am an Italian food fanatic- completely obsessed. Â (It doesn't hurt that both my dad's and step-dad's side of the family are Italian.) Â That said, Primavista does a great job. I've never had anything that has left me feeling disappointed or that I wasted my money. Â I think what makes the restaurant so great is the experience of it all. Â It's a cozy restaurant, with great staff and an outrageous view of the city. Â It's certainly a great place to go on a date or celebrate an anniversary. Â If you live in the area, I recommend that you go at least once!
Review Source:I'm giving it three stars because it was disappointing for a fine dining experience. The flavors were nice. The sauces and breads were excellent. However, all of the meat and seafood we had were overcooked and rubbery (ALL of it: scallops, lobster, red snapper, AND chicken).The scallop appetizer also had the smallest scallops I have ever seen. Also, every course was very slow to come out. This was strange because it was a Sunday might and there weren't a ton of people there. (Also, the portions were not very big--I do recommend having an appetizer.)
Review Source:Contrary to popular opinion, I like the food at Primavista waaaay better than its view. Â I was an Eastsider, the view on Mt. Adams beats Primavista's anytime. Â Those glowing orange street lamps under the hill is just not that primo. Â
But now let's talk about the food! Â It is old fashioned northern Italian. Â But they do it really well and very consistently. Â If it ain't broke, why fix it?? Hubby and I have dined there at least 3-4 times and we have been happy each time. Â The hubby's favorite is the Veal Saltimbocca. Â That was the first time(ever) he veered away from beef and chicken and he loved it and has ordered it every other time. Â The Risotto ai Funghi has become my favorite dish. Â The rice is perfectly al dente, the mushroom mix is always more exotic than crimini. Â Yes, do order it as soon as you sit down; then you can relax and the server will time it just right for you.
Also, the service has always been perfect at Primavista. Â Professional, attentive, yet not snooty or overly friendly like Olive Garden.
Sure, the prices are higher than your Olive Garden, but you get what you pay for. Â I know for a fact OG does not cook their risotto fresh to order just by tasting it. Â The portions are also much much larger at Primavista. Â And that Osso Bucco dish?? It is worth every penny.
Meh. That about sums it up. Pedestrian? Perhaps thats a bit too harsh. When I heard that Prima Vista had the best and most authentic Italian in Cincinnati I had pretty high hopes. I'm glad to report I didn't find a chicken parmesan or pasta with "red sauce" on the menu, so at least it wasn't Italian of the Olive Garden variety. But then white wine marsala and veal saltimobocca weren't anything exciting or new, either.
We went with a large party for a friend's birthday, so we had a decent sized and varied sampling of their menu, and nothing stood out. Nothing terrible, nothing great. But then when I consider the premium price tag, I guess that makes it kinda sorta terrible. Â Or well, just not great value, really.
In the end I feel like this place was big in the early 90's and hasn't adapted much with the times. I was hoping for a more contemporary menu- Â things like pigeon ravioli and pappardelle with braised ox tail- so sure, maybe I was asking for too much. All things considered, if you like taking a trip back in time and sharing a dining room with a mostly 60 to 70 year-old crowd with admittedly, a great view of the city, you have found the place. Otherwise, head somewhere else.
Went here with some friends for dinner after hearing good things about the food and view.
The view was fantastic and it was fun to see the city from the west side. Most of us ordered a chicken dish as the seafood or red meat dishes were very expensive  at more than $25. Each dish had a nice presentation but they were standard, lacked creativity, and didn't have the best flavors. I expect to get stellar quality if I am shelling out $20 for an entree. My friend had a less expensive pasta dish and was very satisfied.
The service was great and the wine list was fairly good. The atmosphere is a little pretentious for my taste but overall was a positive experience.
This place isn't bad by any means but completely did not live up to my expectations of a great italian dinner with nice views.
Pros:
1) The bread pudding
2) The views of the city
3) The service was very professional and friendly
Cons:
1) The food honestly just wasn't that great
It was a cool place to try out, but probably not a repeat place for me.
This area was very run down in the past, I'll agree with the posts I've read on that, but what you may not know is that East Price Hill is up and coming! There is a serious preservation project going on up there, and the big empty space to the right is no more. There will be a beer garden next door with a view that is just as amazing as Primavista, although the ambiance will differ slightly I'm sure. Many of the homes that border the Queen's Tower building are being demolished or given a face lift. The boarded up apartment building now has a much cleaner appearance and residents to occupy the freshly redone building.
It's still no Hyde Park, but I can appreciate the changes being made and I think Primavista will be right at home soon. However I also believe that this place is a diamond in the rough, and sometimes the best surprises come from the unexpected. Primavista is awesome for romance as everyone has said. The view is phenomenal, the staff are amazing and they know you by name once you've gone a few times. There is also a menu with side portions of pasta that I often get when I'm not in the mood for their 4 star portions and it fills my tummy just fine.
My only complaints are that they don't have an updated decor. It's pretty old worldly and it sorta works for them, but perhaps some upgrades would still do them some good. I know I'm going to sound like some high class white trash too most likely, but I wish they would offer draft beer. Imported and something I can't pronounce would be preferred. They can even put it in a fancy glass to make it look pretty! They have bottled beer, but it's just not the same.
Overall I love Primavista and frequent the place quite often & I don't see that changing anytime soon!
My husband and I went there for our first year anniversary, we made a reservation through open table and made a comment about where we wanna be seated and apparently they care about their customers requests. anyway as they mention in their website most of the tables have nice views...and what an amazing view they have!!
about the food, we had the Mozzarella con Pomodoro as an appetizer which was really good. for the main meal my husband took the Costolette di Agnello which was fine and I took the Pollo Gorgonzola which was a little bit spicier than you would expect on an italian meal! over all the food is just ok while everything else is very good like the atmosphere, the view and the service the best part is that they knew it was our anniversary so they served us a complimentary ice cream...
I recommend this place for a romantic, calm dinner.
My recent visit to Primavista convinced me that this long-standing gem, only a couple minutes outside the city center, should firmly hold a top 5 spot in anyone's list of best dining opportunities in Cincinnati. The food is exceptional, best salmon in Cincy... a shock for a menu leaning Italian. While the decor is not exactly chic... it's traditional... the food quality, food presentation, and remarkable view of the skyline all justify the higher prices you'll find on the menu. While the service has not always impressed me as much as the food and view, the service has never been bad; only needs polishing up based on the prices patrons pay. If you are smart like me, you'll request a window table with your reservation. Uber romantic!
Review Source:I wish i could give this place 3.5 stars. It's just a bit better than ok but I can't really say that I'm a fan.
The journey there, well, let's just say it was interesting. There is another review that says their girlfriend thought he went out there to kill her. Yeah, I can totally see it and my wife thought the exact same thing.
Upon arriving in the parking lot, it looks like we arrived at a bad Holiday Inn. Luckily they had signs in the parking lot saying the lot is constantly being monitored by a security camera. Says a lot about the neighborhood.
Walking in didn't get much better. The door for Primavista is hidden on the right once you walk in the first set of doors. The door is pretty wicked, it's a very large, dark wooden door, almost Viking looking. I hate to say this but the decor of Primavista is bad hotel restaurant/lounge. Everything about it seemed rather tacky. The faux wine vines did not help things out.
With all of that out of the way. Once you walk into the dining area, the first thing you notice is the view. What. A. View. It is absolutely gorgeous to see downtown Cincinnati this way, especially when the sun sets and the lights of downtown are aglow. If you are in the main dining area, there is honestly not a seat with a bad view.
Once you sit, take in the view, order your food, you get to the great part. Eating. I don't mean to make this sound bad but the food is a very pleasant surprise. I was honestly expecting bad hotel food but the food is quite the opposite. The main course & appetizers were just simply amazing. I've definitely had better desserts at other Italian restaurants. Although, we did get free gelato because it was our wedding anniversary.
So in the end, I would definitely try this place again, despite all of the downfalls, the food is that good. Unfortunately, a restaurant  can't just simply rely on it's food if they want to be the best of the best. The view is just a nice little trick up it's sleeve to help bring people in. The ambiance however has a lot to be desired. But 2/3 ain't bad.
Primavista delivers! They claim that there isn't a bad seat in the house and that is the Truth. This my favorite restaurant view in the city. As proof, my lady is drop dead stunningly gorgeous and I am head over heals in love with her. In addition we went to Primavista on New Year's Eve and she looked especially amazing. But while there, the view was so awesome that I was actually able to take my eyes off of hers for a few moments. Seriously, it's that special!
The prices are moderately expensive but the food  is very delicious, and the service sets the standard being prompt, attentive and friendly. After all, you should come for the view. You will be glad you did.
It was date night!
My gal was heading out of town for a few days, so I wanted to take her somewhere nice, somewhere with a view ... somewhere that was open on a Sunday night. I typed all of those things into Yelp here and I found Primavista.
I'd heard of this spot before, but never actually been there ... or even seen it. To get there, drive up - seriously. You'll go up hill after hill followed by a giant hill to make it all the way up to ... a hotel? Apartments? What the hell is this run-down looking giant white building next to boarded up buildings overlooking the city. Are you in the right place?
You are indeed! As you get closer you see a sign for Primavista. Walk through the crappy glass doors to the building and a thick black wooden door is to your right - the entrance to the restaurant. This is kind of the theme of the place - like a lodge cabin out of the '80s, as my date pointed out. Everything is mood lit and dark, but not in a bad way. No, more in a romantic intimate way.
This of course is exemplified about a million present when you're walked into the main room and see the view. What. A. View! A wall of glass windows stretching from the ceiling to the floor looking out to the city skyline. We can at night, so everything was lit up and beautiful. It was really wonderful to just sit there and stare out.
Your menu is upscale Italian. Dishes are anywhere from $20 to $40 and tasty. It wasn't the best vodka cream sauce I ever had, but delicious all the same. Plus it came with a nice house salad, which is a nice touch.
The staff though really blew me away. They were attentive, friendly and really on the ball. Whenever I needed our waitress, she seemed to already be there. I'm not sure if that's because it was a Sunday night and there were only a few patrons or if it's just their normal routine, but it was impressive.
I was very pleased with this date night selection...even if my girlfriend probably thought I was taking her to be murdered when we first got to the spot.
You look through the menu of $20 and $30+ entrees, you see pictures of the view, and you book a table for dinner. When you walk up to the address where your GPS brought you, you think,
"I have to be at the wrong place."
Nope. The neon sign in the window tells you otherwise. So you walk in and find a dark, cozy Italian restaurant perched on a hillside in a highrise apartment building.
The decor is one part late 80's steakhouse, one part antique shop. It's impeccably clean, there's a candle at every table and the hostess brought us to an ideal table next to the sky-high window.
Our server was wonderful. Warm, approachable, knowledgeable. She even volunteered to wrap up the bread left at our table with our leftovers. That's a nice gesture.
The menu is straightforward Italian, leaning toward American Italian, with no re-inventions or fuss. I had a nice Caesar salad, with anchovy in the dressing and whole anchovies on top - yes! My ravioli was served with sausage, a thick tomato sauce and a sprinkling of fresh basil. The server brought a chunk of parmiggiano around and grated it fresh over our entrees (with our permission, of course).
I was pleasantly surprised by Primavista. The prices are quite high, but it's not beyond acceptable. The service matches those prices, and the view is practically priceless.
Could you find a less expected location for an upscale dinner than on the ground floor of a highrise next door to a vacant and boarded apartment building? If so, I've never eaten at one. I have to admit I was very, very skeptical going into the meal, but I was happily surprised with the entire experience.
As pretty much anyone who ventures out to Primavista knows, the main draw of this restaurant is the view. It is a spectacular showing of the city's western skyscape. It is extremely picturesque at night. Luckily, the windows are ceiling to floor and stretch the full length of the dining room.
We got there a little after 8:00 and ordered drinks. They have a decent collection; nothing too crazy, but solid. I ordered a glass of wine, and around the table a beer and two martinis were ordered. Everyone seemed happy with them. We were also served a bread basket and some delicious roasted garlic spread. It was some good stuff.
For our appetizers we ordered the mushroom risotto. It takes a half hour to make, but oh man is it ever worth it. The creaminess of it coupled with the earthiness of the mushrooms was spectacular. I would easily order this every time I visited.
We ordered a bottle of wine to split and put in our entree orders. We all got veal dishes, myself getting the veal scallopini. It was served with a pretty average mixed green salad, though the gorganzola cheese I have them add give it a little boost. The veal dish was great. It was tender as veal should be, and topped with bubbly, cheesy goodness. The Polenta cake that it was served with was waaaaay to salty, but the green beans were tasty, if a little overcooked.
I got an espresso martini for dessert and tried some of my table mates' chocolate martini and bread pudding. All of them were delicious.
Great food with a great view. Don't be scared to head over there; you won't regret it.
This was the best Italian meal I've ever had. Everything was delicious. I can still remember the gnocchi (if you're a gnocchi fan, ask for a larger portion!). The staff was wonderful--friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was casual yet elegant; sophisticated without being stuffy. The view was stunning!
Tip: Make reservations in the evening, around sunset. It's so romantic!
This is the restaurant my husband and I took our parents to in September 2010 for the first meeting and it did not disappoint! Â Beautiful view at night, good wine and delicious food. Â A 5 star night for sure! Love the old school vibe. Â
This is an older crowd and when I say older I am talking the average age is about 85.
Depending on where you live in the city and if you are not familiar with Price Hill you might be thinking  "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Hyde Park anymore.".  Trust me, you won't be disappointed and your night will definitely be interesting.  Well worth the trip over the the West Side.
This restaurant made me wonder why there aren't other, cooler places to eat with such nice views. Â The view of the city (& the bats flying by the window!) are worth the visit all by themselves. Â
Primavista is "fancy" not "chic," and compares unfavorably in many ways to Honey, Slims, Nectar, Chalk Food & probably a host of restaurants I don't know about. Â It costs as much, but the food is much more predictable. Â (I recommend getting only appetizers, and no fish.) Â The other clientele are former execs & older couples on their anniversary celebrations. Â They all dress up, but the dress clothes seem pointless and obligatory, since they don't improve the way their wearers look. Â
But here again, the view comes to the rescue: because the room was designed to feature the skyline and not the other patrons, you can easily ignore everybody else. Â Our table only had chairs on one side -- the side that faced the view. Â
One perk to add to the view of city & flying mammals: Â the servers. Â I suspect they may have been hired for their adorable congeniality & patience with septagenarians, but whatever the reason, they are discreet if ignored and instantly turn into your confidants if questioned. Â
PrimaVista is not exciting. Â You are not going to see Natalie Portman here. Â On the other hand, there are no hipsters to annoy you, and it's a good destination if you want a quiet, romantic date at a place where you can focus on your sweetheart.
One of the best restaraunts in the city of Cincinnati, not just for the view (which is beautiful) or the service (which is excellent) but especially for the food.
If you love classic italian, this is place to go. Â I love the bread with warm garlic spread they give you when you first sit down, and thier pastas are amazing.
While the location is less than ideal (the restaraunt is located at the bottom of an apartment building, with nothing else nearby) it is really worth the short trip over the bridge.
Highly recommended, and where we bring visitors from out of town so they can see the city and enjoy a great meal.
While many people have commented about the area being a little on the dangerous side, I didn't really have that experience. It should be easy to park close by.
Give them a call and make a reservation for a time they suggest based on the time of year in order to watch the full sunset and then the city lights. It adds greatly to the overall experience. This is definitely a date night type of place.
The seating all faces towards the wall of windows, but some tables/chairs aren't the absolute best if you want to be able to face the view at all times. If possible, request the upper seating which is comprised of small booths that allow you to sit side by side with your date, looking forward over the heads of the people in front as you are in an elevated seating location.
They have a nice, slow meal timing that adds to the experience. The food is quite good and they do have options for vegetarians as well.
Granted, while you will want to grab a bottle of wine for your evening of conversation and gazing, the total bill will end up being rather pricey for the food itself. While the food is certainly good, the price reflects the view and experience more than the food itself.
It's on the upscale side, so dress nicely.
My mother recommended this place for my 21st birthday. It was amazing. I was put-off at first because let's face it... the location is GHETTO. But the restaurant is anything but. The decor is very chic and elegant. The dishes are pretty expensive but it's just a classier place.
Our waitress however was VERY SLOW, didn't smile, and wasn't very helpful or knowledgeable about the food or drink menu. It's not that she was slow because it was crowded - because it wasn't.
The AMAZING view of downtown Cincinnati was definitely what makes this place so awesome. The food was delicious, if I may add. Too bad our waitress was PMSing or something, I would have given it 5 stars.
This west side bastion for special events is the best view in town for a meal, possibly excepting a picnic at Mt Echo. Â But no matter how skilled you are at packing a basket, it won't match the elegance of Primavista (even if it is nestled atop the dinginess of Price Hill).
Oddly situated beneath an apartment complex, the full broad side of the dining room is windows, with the tables terraced so every seat has a prime view (hence the name). Â If you can tear your eyes away from the window, you'll be delighted by the traditional Italian decadence on the menu.
Now, as a pastaholic, I wanted to order some noodles, but I had heard that the osso buco was phenomenal. Â So, I went against my grain (pardon the pun) and my morals (cruelty of veal) and got that braised veal shank. Â And I have no regrets. Â It was huge and tender and delicious, the accompanying risotto milanese was gorgeously golden, and suddenly I was more entranced by the view on my plate than the panorama of the Cincinnati skyline.
The taste matched both views. Â This should be an obligatory visit for all Cincinnatians, regardless of whether you have a special event or not.
What a wonderful view of the City!!
The staff and service was also wonderful. (I'd give the staff and the view a "5-star" rating.) The food was pretty good as well. I was here with a large group of 16 people and the staff and kitchen handled everything just fine. AND, there was a large group of 12 or so next to us and they all seemed very happy too.
I'll go out of my way to dine there again one evening if I get back to Cincinnati on business again.
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