Joe’s Diner on Sycamore

I like Joe’s Diner but I never know if they are open or out of business. They need to be consistent. They need to be open after bar hours. They need to not close here and there without explanation.

Awful. The restaurant smells like sewage and the food will make you sick. If you are drinking in Over the Rhine, go to Cincy by the Slice for your cheap eats.

I love, love their pancakes and their sandwiches. However, they are slooooooowwwww. If you’re trying to have an in and out lunch experience, avoid this place. If you’re looking to smash after a night of drinking in OTR, come on in!

This place is so sketchy now. It has really gone down hill fast. I have been in there recently and i was the only customer. When i first walked in, there was no one in the front. The lights were very dim. I had to check outside again to see if the open sign was flipped. It was dingy and very dirty. I was about to walk out but a woman came out and felt obligated to get something.
Foodwise, i have had better. I got a chicken sandwich. The chicken was cooked through thank goodness but never go here again. Especially by myself.

Before I begin I’d like to make it a point to say this happened to me a couple of years ago so to give the place the benefit of the doubt for it’s sake I hope it has improved.
…Went to this place alone one time after the bars closed. Servers ignored me at the counter including the management. One particular older female server gave me major attitude for no reason. I continued to sit at counter as she ignored me (except for the times she would give me an attitude with glances and short remarks) everyone else was being waited on. Never received a glass of water, coffee, or even a menu. I took some napkins out of the napkin holder and the hateful older female server I mentioned earlier said «quit wasting our napkins!». needless to say I then walked out and I swore never return to this place. I did. I thought I’d give it another try this time earlier in the evening. This time a different female server was attentive and pleasant. The food was OK. I told the server about my less than stellar experience that had happened before and she said about the older server from before «she was probably tired» Really? Sorry, no excuse for the terrible treatment and service before. I don’t think I’ll be back.
I have worked in F and B all my life and never encountered anything as bad as that first time. Like I said the second venture was better service wise but I’m actually afraid to go back in during bar rush.

Joe’s Diner has became an OTR landmark. Especially those that frequent it’s neighbor, Neon’s.
Joe’s Diner has your typical diner meals and hours, including burgers, sandwiches, and various appetizers. One under-​utilized aspect of Joe’s is the breakfast meals.
If you get nothing else, make sure to partake in the smoothies. They are the perfect «morning after» beverage.
The surroundings are quite diner-​ish as well. The TVs will be more inclined to have «Hogan’s Heroes» or an Elvis movie on than sports or local news.
All-​in-​all, you can get fancier food, but the odds of getting good food, decent service, and cheap prices are pretty slim.
Plus, you have to go so you can be cool like everyone else.

Joe’s Diner has been an essential addition to many of my late nights in OTR. The food is relatively simple, breakfast food is my inclination (so close to breakfast more than not, right?), and the service is friendly.
Their fries have Grippo’s seasoning on them, which was new to me. The eggs are cooked to your liking, and I tend to prefer a breakfast sandwich. It does good things to equalize what’s in my system and keeps me from going home and munching on food far less agreeable to my system the morning.
Though it should be obvious, I’d caution the non-​drinking or non-​tolerant sober folks from coming here late at night. There are often shennanigans, like people who talk too much, too loud, or are slightly off from what you’d expect in a diner in the a.m. There’s a lot of guys there, in my experience, who don’t know when one’s eyes should move on… but it’s not threatening, just kind of annoying. Unless you’re looking for that, in which case, you might have found the perfect spot to pick up someone on your way home.
Either way, Joe’s is a great addition to the OTR scene. Kudos to the employees there for always being so calm, together, and friendly. Drunk folks can be a pain in the ass, and they seem to handle their clientele well late night.

A quick update, went to Joe’s for a carry out order today and got a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke for 5.50! Talk about a cheap lunch. And still really delicious. The burger was tasty. I don’t know what kind of bun they use here, but it is puffy and delicious. The grippo dusted fries were really great!
I don’t know what people are saying about being too expensive and not good? I’ve only had great experiences here. They do have some dumb menu items, but like I said before don’t order shrimp scampi at a diner. What do you expect? Go for for the burg, or chicken fingers.
Great price, good food, and prolly the best drunk food around. Plus they have a membership card! Those drunks meals will add up without you even knowing ;)

This place is okay late night but barely adequate as a day time stop. Three other tables were sat right after us, so we made sure to get our food orders in immediately. That didn’t help as they all received their food before us. I think our stuff must have been sitting in the window getting cold b/​c it wasn’t very good. Chicken fritters ended up being Wendy’s style chicken nuggets but not as good. Fries are beer battered and were probably the highlight of the meal… not exactly something to hang your hat on. Despite all this, I’m sure I’ll be back for a 3 am snack next time I’m stumbling down Main St. after hours.

I go to Joe’s because I’m local and it’s close. However, everytime I go I keep hoping the food will get better. It doesn’t.
It’s diner food, sure, but I have had better food from diners. If you are in a pinch, it’s great, just don’t expect to be wowed.
I wish I liked the fries.

Joe’s Diner has caught a lot of flak and rightfully so. All of the negatives about Joe’s Diner I am sure are true, because I have had some weird experiences here myself. But all of that aside, Joe’s Diner is exactly what it’s name says. A Diner. The thing that I have come to learn about this place is you have to order smart. What I mean by this is don’t order things that you would usually order at Jeff Ruby’s.
Joe’s offers up a pretty extensive menu. They have a completely separate breakfast menu from the main lunch and dinner menu. I’ve eaten at Joe’s probably close to 20 times and have ordered a burger about 15 of those times. I have ordered other things and enjoyed them but the burger is kind of their best seller. They have a lot of different choices. From a regular cheeseburger all the way up to the Juicy J burger which is what I usually get. It’s a legitimately good burger and I would gladly eat their burger any day of the week.
Also, Joe’s offers up some of the best fries around. I know that sounds strange but I really believe this. Imagine a fry that has the crunchiness of Rally’s and the freshness of your local dairy whip. Oh, and then throw on some crushed Grippo’s dust for good measure and you have my friend, one delicious fry. They also offer up a very good breakfast. Their pancakes are homemade and the waffles and bacon that I tried were very good. It is a legitimate option if your looking for breakfast.
I have also discovered recently that they offer up quite a milkshake and also, quite a smoothie. It’s a smoothie that is cheaper than Smoothie King and almost as good in my opinion. Other odds and ends served here are a small selection of beer and wine as well as things you would expect like coffee and soda.
Very rarely is their second dining area open so you will usually be sitting in the very flashbacky (word) feeling main area. The waiters are always friendly and that is hard consider the drunko’s that they have to deal with late night. They also deliver in a close vicinity of their location. Which means yes, you can order from Neon’s which is a cool plus for them since Neon’s has no food or snacks at all.
Sure, they have some flaky hours, but when they are open they are great. Sure their prime rib isn’t good, but what did you expect. I don’t expect to get the best thing I’ve ever had in my life at Joe’s Diner but what I do get when I go is one pretty dang good meal. And I am completely fine with that.

I had a rather average brunch meal here last week. I think that I’ll have to check other options in the area as the Chicken and Sweet Potato Waffles were nothing special and had me yearning for the (now apparently off the menu) Moroccan Bus Stop Chicken and Waffles at FB’s. (Hey FB’s, bring those back please.)
Alright, back to Joe’s. Service was rather casual and by that I mean we sat down and were only vaguely acknowledged. It wasn’t busy at all, so this was a little off-​putting. Eventually the server came around and took our orders and served us our drinks. Refills were prompt and provided without asking. Nice.
Prices seemed a little high for what I got, but I did find the portion just enough to fill me up and not leave me overstuffed.
I do love the «step-​back-​time» feeling I get when walking into the diner area. I also think that some of my friends and I will try the Shadeau Bread sandwich challenge someday. That will be a good time.
With some crazy late hours Thursday to Saturday: 7am — 4am, Joe’s is probably your best bet for late night noshing.

I’m a big fan of Joe’s! I’ve had some absolutely wonderful mid-​crawl meals here at the diner. Sandwiches are very good, fountain soda is nice and sweet! Prices aren’t bad and the portions are pretty healthy. You can eat half a sandwich here and save the other half for the next day.
There is a diverse crowd and a good mix of people both serving and dining. No one should ever feel unwelcome here. The staff is extraordinarily nice.
Service can get slow when they have both dining rooms full. I’m not sure they were fully prepared for the wave of people that crashed through their doors last Bockfest, so you may want to avoid Joe’s this year… unless your friends go to Neon’s and you don’t want to be caught dead there.
Definitely a good decision to stop here if you want a little drunk food.

Let me start with this disclaimer, I’ve been to Joe’s many times, but never when I was even moderately sober. The reason for this is that it is located in one of the most fantastic bar districts in Cincinnati. After a night of drinking, this is the place you come to eat. I cannot resist their chicken and waffles. The chicken is great, the waffles are mushy and gross. Why get the waffles then you ask? Because it’s chicken and waffles, that’s why.
The 1950’s diner style is neat, the food is pretty good, and they know how to be patient with groups of drunk people. From my recollection, the service is horribly slow on weekend nights. Some of the reviews here complain about the prices, but to be honest I have no idea what the prices are. Four stars is probably incredibly generous, but wait! I have a couple more good things to say about it…
They deliver to Neon’s. Okay, that’s actually the only other thing I can think of. The delivery aspect is a factor in my high rating. One more thing, if you get the fried chicken, get the breast. The wings and legs and whatnot aren’t really that good. I believe they have a Monte Cristo. Also, the Mixx wings are pretty good.
To be clear, the 4^th star is based on potential for good times. Your experience may vary.

Joe’s has good intentions. That being said… the service is iffy and the prices could be better.
The menu is mostly typical diner food with the occasional oddball item thrown in (the sweet potato pancakes are pretty good!). Joe’s also serves alcohol… which is a plus because most of their business takes place during the evening hours.
One thing Joe’s has oodles of though is atmosphere! It’s really like jumping back in time to a 50’s malt shop with an eccentric twist. This place also has an ideal location right next to Neon’s Unplugged.
I’ve never had anything that was bad at Joe’s, however I’ve never had anything spectacularly great either.
I was expecting a greasy spoon like the kind my classmates and I used to frequent in college during late night study sessions (or yanno… coming home from the bar). Joe’s is trying, but just falls slightly short. It’s not a place I would go out of my way to eat at, but given that I’m at Neon’s fairly often I have had a late night meal or two there and it was satisfactory.

I love frequenting places like this: good food, lots of choices, history, fun neighborhood, alcohol, etc. The menu is pretty varied, bigger than I expected. The burgers are very big, delicious, and unique. I enjoyed the Juicy Jay with fried pickles and banana peppers. Definitely come hungry to this place because there will be way too much food to eat.
This place has the traditional diner feeling of a silver trailer-​type room. But it’s much bigger than I expected with two big rooms, two restroom areas, and a bar stool area. The servers were very nice too and accommodated a birthday party.

I was so excited to try this place out the other night… err morning! But, I fear I made a bad decision and ended up with a sub-​par experience.
I love pickles. Anyone who knows me, knows that, so when I ordered fried pickles, it wasn’t a surprise, while everyone else seemed to be having meals. I even got the option of having just the pickles or a mix of banana peppers and pickles. Though the server said he couldn’t tell the difference, I went for the combo to see for myself. Conclusion: they were very different and the pickles weren’t my favorite… EEK!
The issue (or at least what I think it was): The pickles were actually sandwich or burger slices, not eat-​on-​their-​own pickles, though I totally would, except for the fact that they were tiny little slices of panic inducing pure salt. I ate some of the fried batter alone and it was barely salty (to my over-​salted, stinging taste buds; perhaps it was salty, but I couldn’t identify it at this point). The banana peppers were delicious and not cringe-​worthy salty, so my conclusion is bad pickles. And this is a nightmare to me.
Dear Joe’s,
Next time I’m around, I’ll order something else and probably be incredibly happy with my greasy fried eggs or piled high burger, but for now, I’m sad. Can you get new pickles for frying? Please?! I’m sure those other ones work for sandwiches with more than one other flavor going for them, but to simply have pickles, you need a different type.
Love,
Kaitlin, pickle connoisseur.
High points: Good crowd, good server, MASON JARS!

Oh Joe’s, you could not be less consistent if you tried. The food has always been tasty and satisfying in an inebriated state. Joe’s has just what you need when you want something to eat after a night of drinking. They are located next door to Neon’s and will even deliver if you order it. Bonus!
I have sampled a variety of their menu, from pasta to breakfast items. Their menu is HUGE and has something for all tastes, including vegetarian. I would have to say that my favorite aspect of Joe’s is that they have turkey bacon and it actually tastes decent (I’m unable to eat pork so bacon is a rare treat for me). Also a plus… they serve beer! Joe’s has a welcoming retro vibe that I enjoy. It has always been very clean when we have visited, even the bathrooms.
Now to the bad parts. It takes FOREVER! We went last night around 2am and did not get out of there until 4am. We were waiting for our food almost that entire time as it did not take long to eat. The waiter was very apologetic and friendly but 2 hours is far too long to wait for anything, let alone diner food. My friends and I were ready to fall asleep at the table by the time the food got there. And last night was not an anomaly, it has always taken a very long time to get our food there.
As a place that is open late after bars close, Joe’s should be able to handle a 2am rush without the quality of the experience being compromised. Visit Joe’s for the great food and atmosphere, but expect a long wait.

Always a passerby, never a patron? Well, no longer.
It’s certainly a cute looking place; part retro, part mod. The neon has a warm, inviting glow. As you walk it, you are made to feel at home. I found it to be clean, which as far as diners go, can be a detractor for some people I know. It’s not a true greasy spoon, which for me, is a positive.
Growing up vegetarian, I’m not going to pretend that diners held any real allure for me. Then, as I traveled to places like NYC, Middlebury (VT), SF, DC, etc., it finally dawned on me how good they can be. Still, I must remain cautiously enthusiastic when land-​locked in the Midwest, as the selections not drenched in meat fat are often limited. ;)
That being said, I was able to find several things on the menu at Joe’s that I would be happy feasting on after a night out at Neon’s. I ended up with the nachos, and they were not only piled high, but tasty to boot. I also had a red eye, and to my surprise, the coffee was respectable, and came in a cool, contemporary, off-​round cup. I know that again, on this point many diehard diner-​ionados will profess strong contention. Diner coffee should apparently be cheap, slightly burnt or old tasting, and come in a kitschy classic mug. While I can understand where they are coming from, I do not hold the same passion for this style of diner.

I had a friend in college who swore by diners … of course, she was from New Jersey, so it was basically in her blood to love them and everything about them. She would go on and on about their comfort food, their late hours and their friendly (sometimes overly-​friendly) staff.
I thought diners were neat, nothing spectacular … but I never had one to call my own. That all changed this weekend.
Joe’s Diner on Sycamore, which was once the club Vinyl, isn’t even fully functional yet. They’re doing a soft open, serving part of their menu and limited drinks (they have Coke but no Diet Coke). Still, it was right around the corner from my house and worth checking out with some friends.
This spot is going to be amazing. You walk in and it feels like a ‘50s diner — it’s a long, rectangular room with a counter on one side and old-​school booths on the other, with waitresses scuttling in between.
We were told to sit where we like and immediately had a server there to greet us. She let us know they weren’t doing sides yet and a few other things, but everything else (including all the burgers and fries) were available. How could I turn down an offer like that?
I got a make-​your-​own burger with banana peppers (mmm) on sourdough bread and let me tell you something — it was awesome. Perfectly cooked, flavorful, amazing. The fries were nice, nothing to write home about but cooked well and there was plenty of salt on the table to make it just the way I wanted.
Plus, when we came in, they were playing «Little Rascals» on the TV, which then switched to «Dukes of Hazard.» That there was a real, nice, retro touch.
After the meal, manager Keith came over to ask us how our meal was. He let me know once they open for real, on the weekends, this spot is going to be open until 4AM! That’s amazing, since Cincinnati is known for shutting down no later than 2, if that. He also said there is plenty of room in the back if it spills over (it just still feels more like a club and less like a diner), so it seems like there will always be seating.
Good cheap food? Open late? Classic TV? Free wifi (by the way, they have free wifi!) — oh yes, I’m coming back here often.