Nicola's Ristorante

I really like the exposed brick, high ceilings, ambiance (albiet a bit stuffy) and presentation. Fairly small portions, and you will pay too much, but a classy place and the food has a lot of taste. It's in a borderline type area called Over the Rhine, and it comes up on you unexpectantly, which ads to the charm.

In my opinion, Nicola's is the best restaurant in Cincinnati, hand's down! Every time I've dined there the food has been excellent. The gnocchi with shaved truffle melts in your mouth. The bad part is the fact that I can't eat there every week... it's just too expensive. My wife and I usually eat family style and that saves some money (i.e. split an appetizer, split a salad, split a pasta, split an entree and split dessert). While I feel a little cheap ordering that way, I frankly feel that that's how Italian should be done. And we get plenty of food when you do that anyway.

I'm a Cincinnati native. A friend and I just got back from a week-long trip to San Francisco where we ate at all types and level's of restaurants, as well as went out to the Napa valley. We ate a lot of good food there, obviously. So when I returned to Cincy I was disappointed because Cincy's cuisine can not compare to the breadth and depth of San Fran's cuisine. One night we headed over to Bockfest '09, but soon found we were too hungry to hang around. We google map'd a bunch of nearby restaurants and seen Nicola's had a good rating. I wasn't expecting much, given it's in the Over-the-Rhine/Pendleton area--a gritty place with tons of potential--but when I got inside it was like stepping into a different world. The only complaint is that the waitress gave off this "are you sure you have enough money to be here" kind of vibe, but she eventually lightened up. (The last place I was going to wander around dressed up all nice would be OTR!) The long and short of it is that the food w... Read more

What a disappointment. My wife and I and another couple had read all we could find on this `#3 restaurant in Cincinnati`. We had very high hopes going in. They were dashed immediately. Once we were seated, we were informed that they were completely out of beef. No fillet, no prime rib, no strip. Nada. Hard bread and salad consumed the first hour we were there. Into the second hour, our food arrived. Cold, unattractive and of very poor taste. Three different dishes, all inedible. Soggy Gnocci and something that resembled old Hamburger Helper. We asked to speak to the manager, and he proceeded to yell at us and accuse us of trying to get free food (For the record, I never even took a bite because it smelled so bad, i did try my wife's not any better). He offered to take mine off the bill but the other three had been `partially consumed` (tasted)so we would have to pay for them. We said fine. Bring the check. I sent the women outside while us guys settled the tab. Suddenly the manager... Read more

The food was excellent and we had a variety of things as there were four of us. The portion size is normal not mega like too many places. Unfortunatley everything is ala carte and pretty pricey. The cheapest salad is $9. The wine is more than fully priced but they do have an outstanding selection although they were out of our first choice. Service was attentive enough. Our main waiter didn't show his face much but the helpers took care of things as needed. I can't say we will eat here often but once in a great while it is a nice change of pace. Good for a special occassion. There is a patio area for those really nice evenings.

Food was good, but grossly overpriced; small portions. Service was average. These folks used to be a lot better before they got impressed by reveiws and started looking down ther noses at their customers. They just got greedy.

Amazing everytime. Nicolas features a seasonal menu that re-invents itself every 3 months. The menu is a bit pricey but worth every dime. The service is always dead-on. some people say the portions are small, but I have never left without feeling completely satisfied

I love the food at Nicola's but it is on the pricey side for the portions you get ($18-24 for pastas). The wines are especially expensive (I think the cheapest bottle was close to $50). Dress is business casual. The restaurant can get a little loud. Service is professional but can be slow on busy nights. Reservations are a must. Even with a reservation, we needed to wait 15 minutes at the bar before being seated.

My wife and I just had the most wonderful evening at Nicola's restuarant. We have dined there before, but this time both the quality of the food and the attentiveness of the service were outstanding. The server informed us that the owner's son, Christian, had returned from Italy and was making changes both to the menu and to presentation. The wine selections also impressed us. We recommend Nicola's to anyone who hasn't been there in a while.

This is one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. It is not in the best neighborhood and parking is a little hard but the food is excellent. It is expensive but if you are willing to spend the money the food is fantastic and the restraunt is veruy nice on the inside.

The Scene The space is airy, if a bit cold, with high vaulted ceilings, exposed brick walls and goldenrod accents. Giant clock faces measuring six feet across hang on the walls throughout, a contribution from the building's owner, who also runs the Verdin Bell & Clock Company. Service is friendly and knowledgeable, and the wine list is long. The Food The menu offers northern Italian pasta, fish and meat specialties. Start with bruschetta e crostini--toasted bread crowned with a delicious assortment of toppings, like salmon, capers and onions, tomato tartare with Gorgonzola and olive tapenade. Cannelloni a modo mio is Nicola's signature version of Italian crepes, with ground veal, Bolognese and alfredo sauces. End your meal with the creamy panna cotta, a silky egg custard with chocolate sauce.