Diners2Die4 – Diners To Die For

Want a little diner humor – check HERE


CINCI/TRI-STATE CLASSIC “Mom & Pop”

Country Inn, 910 Ohio Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45245 – breakfast is great and the gyros are excellent for lunch. Be sure to say hello to Neanne, my all-time favorite waitress!

Anchor Grill – 438 Pike St., Covington “We May Doze But We Never Close” used to be their motto, but it now appears they’re 7:30 AM – 11 PM. Check out “Band in a Box” there!

Blue Jay Restaurant – diner by Frankenstein family in existence for almost 40 years. Breakfast and lunch only. Homemade pie! 4154 Hamilton Ave., Northside, OH

Sis’ on Monmouth – 837 Monmouth, Newport, KY – good breakfast and dinner music some evenings

Sophia’s Deli & Restaurant811 Main St, Cincinnati, OH 45202-2112; 513 723 1055


NOTE:  MUCH OF THE MATERIAL BELOW IS FROM MID-2010S – CHECK BEFORE GOING!

CINCI/SW OHIO

The Echo – Hyde Park 3510 Edwards Rd Cincinnati, OH 45208

Ruth’s Parkside Cafe, Northside

Plain Folk Cafe – 10177 State Route 132, Pleasant Plain, OH 45162. Reported to have good music, cafe food and craft beer

Quatman Cafe – cheeseburgers and Hudy Delight, among other items

The Eagle (OTR) – fried chicken in spicy batter, great sides

BrewRiver GastroPub – on Eastern Ave where Mirabelle’s used to be. Good food – per Bill Tucker and they had Poutine the night he was there!

Sugar n’ Spice; 4.0 star rating; Categories: Breakfast & Brunch; 4381 Reading Rd; Cincinnati, OH; 45229; Neighborhood: Avondale; (513) 242-3521

Proud Rooster Restaurant; Breakfast & Brunch ; 345 Ludlow Ave; Cincinnati, OH 45220; (513) 281-4965; 8 a.m. opening

The Green Dog Café; 3543 Columbia Pkwy; Cincinnati, OH 45226; (513) 321-8777 (Expensive though!)

Rima’s Diner; 2520 Hazelwood St; Crescent Springs, KY 41017; (859) 331-6444 lunch and dinner; best grouper in the area!

Mokka at 18 E 5th St in Newport (859) 581-3700. the frittatas and French toast are excellent. the goetta and coffee meet my specs and the service is professional and friendly

Bluebird in Norwood (on Montgomery) 4629 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45212-2607

(513) 351-2427- Cheap, not busy, excellent food breakfast. Just south of Norwood Lateral.

Gordo’s – Steve Shields suggestion – great burgers

Trends – New Richmond

Geno’s BBQ & family diner – Milford, 1241 State Route 131; 248-4533; Tues-Sat 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Alabama Fish Bar – Race & Liberty

Gypsy Hut – Northside bar (Obama staff/volunteers)

Maury’s Tiny Cove, 3908 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, OH 45211 (513) 662-2683 (lunch & dinner, Kevin @ Milton’s Bar suggested)

The Green Papaya – near Hyde Park Kroger – get the papaya salad, per Amber Lewis! 2942 Wasson Road Cincinnati, OH  45209 (513) 731-0107

Porkopolis – Breakfast menu with waffles, omelets, eggs, pancakes and PORK! 1077 Celestial St. Mt. Adams 513-721-5456   Went here with Kim in early Spring, 2007

Teranga – West Africa meets America, 8440 Vine Street, Hartwell.

Sharonville – root beer stand open from Red’s Opening Day through Labor Day

Teak – mt. Adams – thai food – steve michaels

McAlister’s Deli on Montgomery Rd. just south of Kenwood Mall. – club sandwich with an orange-cranberry sauce on it, like the place in Welsh WV (Terry Spenser)

The Comet – 4579 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 541-8900. Favorite item is chile con queso. Sunday nights they have live bluegrass (Comet Bluegrass All-Stars) and honky-tonk. Show starts at 7:30, but get there early if you want a table.

Javier’s Mexican Restaurant, corner of 8th and Walnut, Cincinnati, breakfast 7-10; 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; Phone: 381-3287 Prices: Burritos, salads, quesadillas $5-6; soups and soft tacos $2.25

La Mexicana – 642 Monmouth, Newport 859-491-3300. Burritos especially noted. 10-10 Friday-Sunday

JeanRo, 413 Vine, 621-1465 — Parisian bistro

Queen of Sheeba, 126 W. Sixth St., 421-0100 — Ethiopian

Mejana, 25 W. Sixth, 333-0660 — Mediterranean

Red Robin – burger, fries, salmon, choc. Dessert

Habanero – 358 Ludlow Ave., Clifton 9961-6800 – try the Mad Max fish burrito

Currito – 222 Calhoun St., University Heights, 281-1500 – Thai burrito

Houston Inn; Closed Mondays. 4026 US 42, Mason OH; 398-7377; frog legs, pecan pie; basic good food

City Q Barbeque, 7706 Voice of America Centre Drive. 755-2011. 11-9 m-t, 11-10 fri/sat; noon-9 sun

Hawthorn diner – carew tower area — roury

Allyns – DR & Brian H

Cabana – addyston- seafood (fore &aft old location) – Brian Hoffstedder

Coffee Please – Madiera (Dave Rinaldi)

SOUL FOOD

Julia’s Café – 6025 Dixie Hwy, Fairfield, 513-942-1800

Goodies – 5841 Hamilton Ave., College Hill, 513-542-4663

Mr. Pig – 1720 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 513-381-6100

Ollie’s Trolley – 1607 Central Ave., West End; 513-381-6100

Rachel’s Bar-B-Que and Soul, 1931 Seymour Ave., Bond Hill; 513-731-6673

Millie’s Place, 5923 Madison Rd., Madisonville (SUNDAY ONLY!) 513-527-4075

Hugo, 3235 Madison Ave., Oakley.

Mr. Ollie’s cafe – 1821 elm;   african motif – breakfast & lunch

Junebugs Riverside Bar-B-Q, West End. Soul food – rib tips, collard greens, salmon croquettes, coconut cake.


NORTHERN KENTUCKY

Pompilio’s – Newport, KY. A link to the movie Rain Main scene filmed at the “Pomp house” is HERE

Sparetime Belly + Soul – Alexandria

Piper’s Cafe – Covington

Finkes (buy goetta here!, not necessarily restaurant) – Ft. Wright/Park Hills; Amsterdam & Sleepy Hollow Rds.

Virgil’s Cafe – Bellevue (DD&D)

Ft. Wright Family Restaurant 1860 Ashwood Circle   Ft. Wright, Ky 41011 (859) 331-8359 Jack Kleier

Log Cabin Inn – south Covington

Midway Café – 1017 S. Ft. Thomas, Ft. Thomas 859-781-7666 – Chili burrito

La Mexicana – 642 Monmouth, Newport 859-261-6112 authentic! goat burrito

Bouquet – Covington place where Bookies had a great dinner – very intimate


OHIO – OTHER THAN CINCI

Maumee OH – Sam’s Diner; 578 W DUSSEL DR; Paul Egli “Get the burger… they are huge!”

Bangkok Kitchen – great Thai food!

Clyde,OH – Gary’s Diner (maybe just bfast/lunch?) , Winesburg BBQ – both on US 20

DAYTON

  • Jay’s Seafood
  • Thai Nine
  • Smokin’ BBQ (limited seating)

Bellvue, OH – Miller Drive-In on east side of Bellvue on US 20

Bettsville,OH – Betty’s Pie Place?

Mansfield, OH (810 State Route 97 W, Bellville, OH 44813) – Bruce Fogwell mentioned that Buckeye Express YELP might be worth a try

Monroeville, OH –Vanson’s

Kent, OH – near Kent State University – Luna’s Del and Restaurant 1225 West Main, Kent OH  330-676-0764 (on Route 59)

FINDLAY

Wison’s Sandwich Shop, 600 S. Main St., Findlay, OH 419-424-5051 (Burger Places)

Dietch’s Ice Cream, ________________, Findlay, OH (great ice cream selection)

LIMA

Kewpee, 111 N. Elizabeth St., Lima, OH 419-228-1778 (2 other locations in Lima as well) (Burger Places)

DAYTON

Smoking BBQ – Patterson and 5th?? (right near the Dayton, OH bus station)

PIQUA – The Scottish Thistle

TIPP CITY

  • Coldwater Café
  • Sam & Ethel’s – favorite of Amber’s, get off at the Main Tipp exit (Exit 68), go right for 1 mile – on the right hand side between Second and First Streets.

Waldo – Waldo diner for their fried bologna and pie

Wapakoneta – Chill Zone, Lucky Steer, Azteca

Hamburger Wagon, 12 E. Central Ave., Miamisburg, OH 937-847-2442 (Burger Places)

COLUMBUS

  • Thurman Cafe, 183 Thurman Ave., Columbus, OH 614-443-1570 (Burger Places)
  • Gahanna Grill, 82 Granville, Gahanna, OH 614-476-9017 (Burger Places)
  • Skillets in German Village

Athens, ohio – The Diner (Dewayne Ray)

Crabill’s Hamburgers, 727 Miami St., Urbana, OH 937-653-5133 (Burger Places)

I-71

Warner’s BBQ – I71 exits 50 & 65  –  excellent food and the sweet tea is good!

KC’s Steak, Ribs, other,….   I-71 exit 157 or so – right near DutchHouse restaurant – closed Mondays


KENTUCKY

NORTHERN KY – SEE ABOVE

BEREA

Dinner Bell Restaurant, Berea, KY – pork tenderloin is EXCELLENT!

FRANKFURT

Rick’s White Light Diner (DD&D)

LOUISVILLE

Kingfish Restaurant (Martha Goldbeck worked here as a teen), Zorn Avenue, Louisville

LEXINGTON

Ramsey’s – original one is downtown (LP Jones)

JJ McBrewster’s (DD&D)

Parkette Drive-in (DD&D)

VERSAILLES

Wallace Station (DD&D)

LOWER KENTUCKY (exit numbers from I-71)

Jeans – exit 58 in Mt. Vernon. Left under overpass

Corbin – exit 25. Rt. 25 – take it til it ends. Take R about 500.

The Courthouse – Independence, KY

Joe Bologna’s – Lexington, KY

BP Truck Stop – Exit 41, London KY

Moonlight BBQ – Owensboro, KY


Windsor, ONT – Frenchy’s Poutinery 361 Ouellette Ave, Windsor, ON N9A 4J1, Canada



TENNESSEE

Emma’s – Murphreesboro exit 81 (Sam Cline)

Archie’s Diner – Hariman, TN – get biscuits and gravy, smoking permitted (Steve Shields)

The Old Mill – Gatlinburg – sourkraught and ribs

The Log Cabin Pancake House – Pigeon Forge, French toast royale (Shawn Madden, Thomas Sylvester)

Famous Dave’s BBQ

Apple Barn

Best Italian Restaurant – Gatlinburg (Thomas Sylvester)

GEORGIA

The Varsity, 61 North Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30308 (404) 881-1706

Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken & Waffles, 529 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308-2228 Phone: (404) 874-9393

MICHIGAN

Exit 181 on I-75 Cheese House and Diner – Pinconning, MI

Detroit – Traffic Jam & Snug (511 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201) – 10/2015 Guideposts article

OTHER REGIONS

ILLINOIS

Chicago – George Mitchell’s Artist Café – Michigan Avenue: good breakfast – Eggs Benedict Salmon; pancakes (DR)

I-74 Exit 82 Jubilee Café – From-scratch cooking, pies

INDIANA

While in Greencastle IN we discovered another restaurant to add to your list of interesting local places to eat. Marvin’s. It’s next to the parking lot at the Admissions Office of Depauw University. It’s the off-campus place where students like to go, and they deliver food to the dorms late at night. The specialty is a Garlic Cheese Burger, GCB, but they also have other sandwiches, pizza, and burritos.

Shapiro’s Delicatessin – 2 locations in Indy. Great pie and large sandwiches

808 S Meridian St 46225 317.631.4041

918 S Rangeline Rd, Carmel, IN 46032 317.573.3354

FLORIDA

Davenport cafe, davenport, FL no counter, lots of locals, smoketeer, 3 tier restroom, biscuits & gravy, cb hash,

MINNESOTA

Twin Cities area – Minnesota

Mickey’s

Convention Diner

Porky’s

Betty’s Pie Place

PHILADELPHIA

Bookbinders, near Independence Hall (Lee Davis and Harry Thomas)

Restaurantrow.com