Keystone Bar and Grill

I have never been disappointed by Keystone in the many trips I’ve taken to their Hyde Park location. Easily the best mac & cheese in town (although The Eagle is solid competition), and you can’t beat their Monday half-​price special– I always get the BB King for a little heat and some bacon. Quesadillas are fine, but they’re not really what you go to Keystone for. Great beer list, solid cocktail menu, and a great patio to enjoy them on in the summer. I even found out last week that they do a great job with parties– plenty of food, a personal server for our area, and great service for a good-​sized crowd. I wish they had more parking, but that’s the risk you take when you go to a restaurant in Hyde Park.
Pro tip: Take home some leftover mac and order the fresh baked cookie for dessert– it comes out super hot in a skillet with ice cream on top. Worth it every time!
Bottom line: Keystone is great for a BB King mac, a great drink, and a great spot to hang out any season– check out their live music schedule if you’re on the patio in the summer!

Sometimes you find a place that is unique and fun and that is Keystone. A fun menu with modern dishes with a specialty in Mac n Cheese’s. Everything from pesto sundry Mac or a BBQ chicken Mac, there variety and ability to custom order is sure to please everyone. They always have a solid beer list that rotates monthly. The weekends they offer one of the best breakfasts in the city. Mimosas and bloody marys galore plus a hangover burrito that is to die for. Parking is a little hard to find at times but other than that this place is a Win!

Keystone rocks! Awesome beer, decent food. Service is always great here at the bar or not! Def recommend for local businesses support in the Cincinnati area.

I have had 2 different experiences at Keystone Bar and Grill. Both times the food was very good. Most noteworthy is the mac n cheese. There are about 10 different kinds and all of the ones I have had bites of were very good. I really enjoyed the buffalo chicken mac n’ cheese myself. It was rich and creamy and had a great hint of spice. Perfect for a cold Cincinnati day. The beer list is pretty darn good, too.
So why 3 stars? The service. We were seated upstairs and barely got any attention from our waitress. We ended up grabbing our own to go boxes and our drinks were empty for much of the meal. I know it was a busy day, but an apology or acknowledgement would have been nice.
That said, still would go back based on the food. Hopefully just an off day!

Always a favorite any time of the week. Go on Mondays for half priced Mac and Cheese or on the weekends for $ 14 mimosa pitchers with your brunch.
Everything on the menu is delicious and reasonably priced. So good, in fact, that I’ve ordered Mac and cheese full price countless times. Keystone boasts an impressive draft, can, and bottle beer list as well as an ample wine list and cocktail menu.
The outdoor patio is prime space in the spring and summer to watch Reds games on the TVs while brunching on the weekends and bengals games in the fall.
Sidenote: get the cookie and split it with everyone at your table. You’ll thank me later

I don’t make it here as frequently as I used to since I no longer live in walking distance. I was actually at their pre grand opening party back in 2011 when they opened. As of lately, this has become a brunch spot for me. It’s been quite a long time since I have had their Mac, which was always delicious!
I’ll tell you why this is a solid brunch spot. First, the place is big. If you get there on the weekend between 10 and 11, the wait is usually reasonable (or no wait at all). Second, the food is pretty delicious & its unique! No boring bacon and eggs mumbo jumbo. They have a lot of cool additives like aoil, goetta, etc. Very flavorful!
The brunch cocktails are pretty decent. Personally, I think the mimosa pitcher is the best deal in town! I’m not a Bloody Mary fan, but on our most frequent visit, 2 people at my table were not very impressed with the bloodys. Overall, a great spot for brunch. I have to put it on my to-​do list, to get back there for some Mac n cheese!

I’ve been to Keystone several times for happy hour networking meetups. Each time I’ve ordered some food and it has been very tasty. I’ve never been when the weather is nice, so have no idea what it’s like to sit in the huge patio area out front, but the inside is nice and cozy and the service is friendly and efficient. They have a great veggie quesadilla, which I’ve had more than once. Normally, I’m not a drinker, but I ordered a mangorita the last time I was in, and found it to be a little pricey at $ 8. Especially, since I don’t think there was a lot of alcohol in it since I didn’t even get the slightest of buzzes and I’m a total lightweight when it comes to drinking. Usually, one sip and I’m buzzed. No dice on the drink at keystone, so I’d say if you’re going to charge $ 8 for a drink that’s not that big (tall skinny glass), make sure to do a good pour on the liquor. Overall, however, I like Keystone and will definitely be back.

Met a grad school friend at happy hour Black Friday weekend for drinks and you could shoot a cannon through the place it was so empty (which is telling during one of the biggest bar weekends of the year).
The patio is chock full of sidewalk café tables and umbrellas, which was great during our summer visit when our neighborhood is filled with joggers and strollers and we’re liable to run into friends on the way to Dutch’s (next door) or Forno (up the street).
It was a chilly rainy night so we holed up inside, which is lacking in ambiance — standard sports bar vibe. Ordered a Moscow Mule for the heat of the ginger but the drink was strangely sour with none of the warmth of ginger beer — too much lime perhaps. The second time wasn’t much better.
Might return during the summer, but not enough charm to make it a standby neighborhood hangout.

This is a place you go for the atmosphere and the specials and the service. The food is good but not amazing. It’s bar food with a twist. Lots of quesadillas, Mac n cheeses, and sandwiches.
The best parts about Keystone Hyde Park:
— Brunch: breakfast Mac n cheese! It has a fried egg on it!
— LARGEST OUTDOOR PATIO EVER… Hello summer happy hours and dinners outside
— MAC MONDAYS! Buy a draft beer get half off any Mac n cheese, and they are all good. My favorite has buffalo chicken, briscuit, and kettle chips.
— actually a great draft beer selection. Love tangerine wheat during the summer

Stopped by here for appetizers and a beer with my rec league team. We went on Tuesday, which is half price quesadillas. The Bbq one was awesome, and for the price you get enough for a whole meal. The have a great local beer selection from IPAs to stouts on draft. Apparently their mac & cheese is legendary, and half-​price on Mondays, so I’ll have to come back. The service was a little slow, and the restaurant wasn’t that busy. I will say, had it been full-​price it would have been a tad pricey for pub grub. That said, it’s a good stop for a beer and an appetizer on Monday or Tuesday nights.

Wow what a deal! Happy hour is from 3 – 6. They have half price appetizers, drinks & appetizers. The two of us drank PLENTY for less than $ 2.50 a glass. These apps are wonderful. They are $ 5 or less. There are wings, hummus, potato fries dressed as nachos, and this new wonderful thing I never ate before called, poutine. This poutine is great. Ordinarily I’d never put anything on my fries, but brisket, I had to say yes! I’m so glad I tried this. I can’t wait to go back for more! The vegetables that came with the hummus were fresh and crispy. I’ve never gotten vegetables with my hummus at a restaurant, I was glad to see them, since I’ve eaten that combo at home numerous times. The only downfall about this place is that the way it’s built is really loud, especially when there are children present. The best thing is they have a beautiful large patio. They also have their own parking lot, but it fills up fast. I have to go back when they have half price Mac n cheese bowls on Monday. They’re usually about$ 10, but not on Monday! My daughter will be so excited! It’s a very large serving so it’s enough for a meal. Rebecca was our server. She’s working her way through law school and she’s so attentive and friendly. See her, she’s the greatest! Thanks Rebecca! :-)

Keystone Bar and Grill is the perfect place for the moments when you just need some good and hearty comfort food. Known for their half-​price Mac Mondays, half-​price Quesadilla Tuesday’s, and all around wonderful weekend brunch, this place is sure to have something for everyone.
What is important are the many specials they offer during the week. There is something for everyone on every day of the week, spread between their three locations: Hyde Park, Clifton, and Covington. On their website, they have a handy guide of what is going on when to help you plan your experience and get the most bang for your buck.
However, their are some important things to I like to point out before anyone’s first visit to a location:
— In order to enjoy the «half-​price» options on Monday/​Tuesday, you have to order a drink. Gone are the days when you could get a heaping bowl of mac and cheese with water. Now, they require you order a drink from the bar or a soft drink, slightly raising your total bill if you typically stick to water. They will also be very crowded on these days!
— Their locations are small and their service is not the greatest. Eating at Keystone, if you arrived at the exact wrong time, is a waiting game. You wait for a seat, you wait for your drinks, and you wait for your food. This drives some people crazy, but if you are in good company, the time will pass by smoothly.
— It is overpriced, but you will leave with leftovers that are good for another meal. I never finish the items I order, but always take them home for lunch or dinner the next day.
— DO NOT CATER WITH THEM. While Keystone rocks the individual quantities, the goodness seems to go out the window when mass-​produced. Stick to visiting with a friend or group, but skip this idea for a party or celebration.
Overall, my absolute most favorite item on the menu is their In the Woods Crisp. Named after an old tavern in Clifton (no longer there) and a similar menu item they use to serve for brunch, this gooey and cheesy goodness is the perfect pick-​me-​up in the morning and is downright delicious. Essentially, it is a plate of hash browns, filled with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and onions (I leave the tomatoes off). You can top it with eggs and make the perfect breakfast! I love visiting on Saturday and Sunday to get this with a mimosa or two. Even with all the negatives, their In the Woods Crisp makes up for it.

Went here tonight for a little Friday Eve dinner and beers, we were a party of two (date night!). I really liked it, great neighborhood spot and I’ll definitely be back.
Atmosphere:
Friendly young staff were very attentive. It was a beautiful early fall night so we sat outside. The patio has wonderful seating, comfortable chairs, umbrellas, heat lamps and a really sweet fountain. They also had a lot of pretty flowers which gave it a relaxing feel. Our waitress was very chill and friendly, she knew the menu well, beers and food.
What I drank:
I wanted beers so I got beers! They have a decent selection, not huge for Cincy standards but still a decent selection. Shout out to the diversity of breweries on their draft list, the have several Bells on draft which as a Michigander I definitely appreciate (two hearted!). They were out of the Vernal Beckoning so I got the Goose Island October fest which had just been taped. Nothing special but it did the job.
What I ate:
Hello my delicious friend hot cheese and noodles! I do love hot cheese and this place has a whole section of it’s menu dedicated to mac ‘n cheese. Yes please! I got the Pink Floyd which was mac ‘n cheese with caramelized onions and bacon (I don’t often pass on bacon). It was super good! The onions were not all caramelized so that could be improved but the ones that were were great. They have a lot of different mac dishes and I want to try them all. Also on the table were: buffalo wings which were standard, good but not out of this world; a pork slider, good and juicy but I was kinda full on the other foods so I couldn’t properly evaluate and pork sliders need proper evaluation; chicken pesto sandwich which had «perfectly cooked chicken» and yummy pesto. Oh yeah, and the homemade chips were good too!
Overall Takeaway:
Great neighborhood spot for sure. I think the food, setting and service were above average and the price was decent too! They seem to have some good happy hour and daily specials. Brunch is on Saturday and Sunday and the mimosa pitcher are $ 14 so I want to check that out fo sho.

Ugh, Keystone, why must you do this to me? I don’t know if it’s typical for Sunday brunches to be SO SLOW, but it was just ridiculous. All four of us ordered breakfast food and it was EASILY an hour before we got anything. I can maybe be on board with that kind of wait for, like, a nice steak dinner, but breakfast food?! The only saving grace was the food was actually really good (I had the breakfast sandwich with home fries and it TOTALLY hit the spot). Despite the subpar experience, I will still be coming back, but I may just stick to dinner from now on.

To put it simply — go here if you are in the mood for outdoor brunch seating with a short wait, in Hyde Park, $ 14 mimosa pitchers and decent brunch food with a good variety of options.
The chorizo tacos are pretty spicy (jalapeños and sriracha sauce) they hit the spot.
The pancake wasn’t bad either.
Mimosas made with OJ on tap and ice.

I’ve been here before and been satisfied but tonite was a totally different experience.
I arrive late for a solo dinner on the patio. Greeted quickly and a nice Stout arrives. I order the ½ roasted chicken with seasoned veggies which I’m told are Zuchinni which is good.
I wait for what seemed like 20 minutes. Starving! Waiting for that chicken. The waitress comes and apologizes that they are out of the mashed potatoes that come with. Okay, disappointed but it’s after 9pm so I take the chips instead.
What comes out later was a big let down. Fried chicken, not roasted. And not high quality, dried and tons of skin and breading. This was not a half chicken, more like a small ¼. It was a thigh and what looked like a wing. No breast. Turns out that wing was the breast. What kind of miniature chickens are they pandering for $ 14? And to compensate the plate was filled with the sides. Ugh.
I may have to go elsewhere to get more food afterwards.
The waitress was sweet and apologized several times. They took half off the meal, but for a pile of chips, veggies in oil and a super small chicken I could have had better quality and value at Popeyes chicken.
The left hand stout was good. :/)

Keystone is honestly a 3.5 star restaurant, but I’ve gotta give it 3 stars here (Darn you Unilocal!Give me those half stars!).
I live a couple of blocks away from Keystone, so I walk here on the regular to get dinner/​drinks. I really like the outdoor patio in the summer, and I appreciate that their menu has a lot of comfort food stand-by’s on it. But it has its problems too…
Rule number 1: unless you want bad service and to wait an hour for your food, DO NOT come here on Mac and Cheese Monday. Yes, the mac and cheese is half price (~$ 5 instead of ~$ 10), but it is seriously not worth it. This place is jam-​packed full of people and trust me, you will have a bad time (especially if you come with a large group). If you’re looking for a deal, I recommend you come on Tuesdays for half-​priced quesadillas instead (way less busy).
Their food is ok, but not great. And yes, I’m including the mac and cheese in that as well… I think their mac and cheese is bland, honestly. It needs salt and pepper and maybe some other seasonings as well. And there’s no salt and pepper on the tables!
Service is hit or miss. Like I said, service is awful on Monday nights, and it’s also not that great for brunch on the weekends. But if you go on any of their off nights, the service is great.
To sum it up, Keystone is just plain inconsistent. Their food is ok, and service is decent on their off nights, but don’t expect anything spectacular for brunch or on Mondays.

Best brunch spot in hyde park!!! The frittata is good — the crisp is amazing! Busy spot if you go on a Sunday morning so just be prepared to wait. :)
Macaroni is fantastic — I recommend the BBKING!

First — this venue is huge
I really like the outdoor patio in the warmer months, as well as the bar area. Brunch is a decent option.
I enjoy the mac and cheese about 20% of the time and I’m not certain it lives up to the hype. That said:
½ price mac on Mondays
½ price quesadillas on Tuseday
Enjoy!

I’m sorry Keystone, but I gotta do this. My recent experience was a two star one, but because of nostalgia and half price mac and cheese I’m going with A-​OK.
Our most recent trip was less than stellar. We arrive with a group of 8 at around 6 last Monday night and the upstairs was nearly empty. It was happy hour so we ordered our drinks, our server was friendly and informative, but was also doubling as the bartender. As the night went on the service got worse and worse and we felt SO BAD for this poor guy. He was doing the absolute best he could. He was sweating and clearly flustered. Keystone needs to be better prepared for mac and cheese monday. These kinds of crowds are to be expected and to have a server getting drinks, running downstairs, getting food, and making drinks seems kind of insane.
Side note: I would go for the $ 3 draft during happy hour deal. I ordered two cocktails and both of them were very poorly made especially for the price. Not sure if this was due to it being busy, but I should still get the same quality cocktail whether you are busy or not.
Our food came out hot and delicious and half price mac is one of the reasons I love this place, but we had three friends meet up with us once they got off work and after the rush and craziness started their mac and cheese didn’t come for an hour after they ordered. We stuck around and just kept ordering drinks but eventually we had to leave them and they still hadn’t gotten their food yet. This was just crazy especially since all they ordered was mac and cheese. On the way out people were telling us they just ended up leaving after never getting their food.
My advice? Get there super early on Monday if you do want to get in on the mac and cheese deal and order right away. Still solid food, but service needs some serious adjusting.