Nicola’s Ristorante

enjoyed bolo monday — $ 15 for veal or vegetarian bolo with salad (house or ceasar, extra $$ to add anchovies!!) and bread to share. we loved our experience — a group of 6, some first-​timers, had both the meat option and vegetarian (creamier tomato sauce with artichokes). all delicious and would highly recommend anyone take advantage of this great deal at a great restaurant!

Dinner for 2 NYE, prix fix menu but they graciously made a change to accommodate us. Great meal, their breads are amazing, sommelier made a wonderful recommendation, very nice ambiance, I highly recommend Nicolas.

How to eat at Nicola’s without breaking the bank:
1. Go on a Monday
2. Find parking and save $ 7 on valet
3. Get the pasta special ($ 15 for salad and a huge portion of pasta bolognese)
4. Order a tasting of anything else to make it a little more special and unique (they’ll split the other pasta’s into cheaper tasting portions!) It’s extra, but worth it to try different things!
5. Enjoy!
I tired both the caesar and house salad that came with the Monday special. Caesar is what you expect (can add anchovies for a little extra), but the house salad was a little more unique.
We added potato gnocchi to our pre-​fixed set of dishes and it was delicious! It was very creamy, so I thought the tasting portion was just the right amount.
The pasta bolognese was a huge serving, and both my boyfriend and I had enough leftovers to probably make another dish. Mmm midnight snack!
The other bonus is to get the house bread basket. It’s absolutely amazing. There are a lot of unique bread pieces, and they’re served hot and fresh! It’s only $ 1.33 per person! I was surprised to see that this was the most mentioned thing on Unilocal and now I can see why!
I live out in California now, but if I lived in Cincinnati, I’d definitely go back to Nicola’s to try some of their other dishes (and try to save room for their desserts, which sounded amazing as well!)

We dined here the first time back in July for our 1 year anniversary of being together and when I asked my girlfriend where she wanted to have dinner for her birthday she chose Nicola’s. Couldn’t have been better! Everything from our trip to the bar to start to dessert was amazing! Our server Leonardo was awesome! He was from Argentina so his accent definetly gives a romantic ambiance, but he was funny and professional at the same time. I like how he sent a sommelier to the table when we had some very in depth wine questions although it was him that ended up pairing my Duck entrée with the Carmenere. The food was amazing once again and everyone there is just really good at what they do. I’m a server as well and I was really impressed. Better yet my girlfriend was super happy for her birthday!

The new menu came out two weeks ago. It’s fantastic! I had the Farfalle, which was rich, but appropriately so. A friend of mine had the Bronzini (fairly certain I’m spelling all of this wrong), which was light and full of different flavors. Her husband got the new agnolotti, and we all basically fought over it.
Without trying to be a flipping poet, the whole meal was insanely good. We had 3 new dishes off the menu, and I’ll be back for more. Go before the Chef heads to Spain!

To be fair, I’ve only ever been to the Monday night «neighborhood special» meal, so this review is for that…
Every Monday at Nichola’s, for $ 15, you get their AMAZING bread, a beautiful salad and a bowl of delicious pasta. I always struggle with not eating all the bread at once, but its just so hard! The portions of both the salad and the pasta are really generous — last time, I ended up taking home half my pasta — and neither lacks in flavor/​effort. The pasta there is hand made and though I’ve had the bolognese sauce every other time I have gone (and liked it a lot), I decided to go with the marinara this past time around. WHOA, what a game changer! Really though, no matter what, its a win.
Life hack tip: while initially, this deal was only in the bar area, word has gotten out big time. You can do carry out, which from what I observed was a really smooth, process that didn’t take more than about 15 – 20 min from order to actually walking out the door. If you want to get the full experience without paying the high prices (I’m a girl on a budget here), make a reservation. The past two times I have gone to their Monday night meal, its been a zoo in there, and I honestly hate having to throw elbows at the (very claustrophobic) bar to get a seat. This last time around, I just made a reservation on open table, and my friend and I enjoyed drinks at the bar until our time was up and table was ready.
All that being said, this restaurant is beautiful and I’m certain that if they put as much care and craftsmanship into what is billed as a «budget meal», I would imagine the rest of the food on their menu is equally good!

Haven’t been back to Nicola’s for several years, finding it mediocre the last time. This time was tortuous from the moment we were seated — in between the coat rack and the bathroom entry underneath a stairwell. I eat out at fine restaurants alot and this was perhaps the worst table I’ve been seated at in 20 years. Our $ 100 swanky table actually had a bathroom icon over it. My husband was bumped and jostled by folks coming and going into its hallway all throughout dinner. Good thing it was restaurant week and we were only paying $ 35 per person for three courses (plus wines, about $ 10-​$ 14 per glass).
In a more ordinary time, I would have asked for another table or left — but, restaurant week. No chance.
The waiter was insufferable, talking over us and cutting our clarifying questions off — for example was the foie gras country style (chunky) or smooth? Never got a straight answer so skipped it although I love foie gras. When I asked for a dry white with minerality, he recommended moscato (?!) and then suggested riesling. I said, «great! love a good dry riesling». Dry dude. Dry. So he brings this cloying riesling. Really? Finally, I asked about the Italian rose, noting that it was sangiovese based. Bingo. Great, crisp, hint of strawberry but good moderated acidity.
We started with the beet salad on black quinoa and interesting crisps of blue corn tortillas with dollops of avocado purée and goat cheese sprinkles. Interesting sweet/​sour juxtaposition but the quinoa was oversalted, overwhelming the dish.
I ordered the gnocchi, which I’ve had here before but this round the sauce was anemically thin and the truffles more like a whisper. A few of them were overly fried, tasting a bit burnt.
My husband ordered the pork tenderloin on polenta, which looked succulent but he said was also overwhelmingly salty. The waiter didn’t return to ask us if the entrees were satisfactory (no surprise as he was working a large party of 10 in an adjacent room).
The devils food cake was dry and diminutive, about the size of 50 cent piece. We skedaddled after 50 minutes — couldn’t get out of there fast enough. About $ 100 during a steeply discounted restaurant week with one drink.

My husband took me to Nicola’s last June as an «engagement dinner». He proposed in Washington Park after dinner :) We had the chef’s course meal. Absolutely life changing meal! The bread basket is so delicious and buttery. We were underwhelmed at first with the size of each course (… how greedy of us) but we were STUFFED at the end! We went to Italy for our honeymoon and we realized even more how great Nicola’s is after!
My friend and I have gone since then for the Bolognese night… YES. Ten stars.

One of the 3 times that I have been in a sort of dream-​like exuberance at a restaurant. The server, Matthew, was a true gentleman; taking the time to explain anything about any dish that I had questions on, and about Cincinnati in general. This explanation was welcomed, because the fine modern Italian fusion cuisine was very detailed and refined.
This restaurant truly blew me away. I had a half order of the gnocchi, among other things, and it was without a doubt the best gnocchi I’ve ever experienced by a long shot. I even got to meet two of the chefs when the server brought them to my table, due to the fact that I was so complimentary of the food.
In addition, the price was very reasonable (~$ 60), based off of the value. This establishment alone makes me want to come back to Cincinnati. I recommend it without reservation.

This just may be the best restaurant in all of Cincinnati. Amazing food, great hospitality, nice ambiance (I could go on)… I could probably come here just for the bread basket alone, but you really can’t go wrong with anything you order here. Salads, pastas, meats are all delicious. The servers are extremely knowledgeable and can answer any questions you have about the menu. It’s obviously on the pricy side but for a special occasion or if you want a true fine dining experience, you’re missing out if you don’t try Nicola’s.

I’ll start off by saying the food was definitely 5 stars! The 4 stars is from the below average service we received. I have a feeling it was because we were the youngest table there and we didn’t buy a bottle of wine… But aside from that, our food was amazing! We came for Bolo Monday, which included the bread basket, salad, and the Bolognese all for $ 15. I’ve never been more excited for a bread basket, and I love my carbs. There are enough pictures of it on Unilocal already, but I understand the hype now. And the pasta is a delicious and healthy portion size. We also got the tiramisu, it was small but also amazing!

What an awesome dining experience!
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner, and Lee Ann was our server and was so enthusiastic about making our dinner celebration the best it could possibly be.
We started by trying to choose a wine– they have a traditional printed wine list in a book, but they also have an ipad that has all of their wines loaded in there with descriptions and tasting notes– loved that, especially for such an extensive list. Even with those descriptions, they have tons of bottles and by the glass to choose from, so we ended up going with one of Lee Ann’s recommendations. When the bottle we ordered was served, we were offered a decanter to let the Rosso we chose open up– I’m a big fan of decanting wine for a while before drinking it, so I loved this touch.
Lee Ann highlighted some of the choices from each section of the menu, and we opted to share each course: a salad, pasta, and entrée. We chose the Boucheron Goat Cheese salad, Potato Gnocchi, and Lamb Shank.
But before any of our food arrived, we were served an amuse-​bouche, a little green bite with some mild jalapeño, I think. It was great. It was these little touches throughout the night that really put our experience over the top. Add to that the unending basket of craft house-​made breads and our bellies were happy before we even got any of our (really really amazing) courses.
The ambiance was cozy even though the main dining area is a good size and with high ceilings and a full dining room I would’ve expected it to be louder than it was– sound control was good the evening we were there.
We walked away with tons of leftovers– most of the lamb shank was intact! We had a wonderful experience and will definitely be back, especially to check out their Monday night deal of $ 15 for salad and Tagliatelle alla Bolognese!

This is one of the easiest 5 stars I’ve ever written. Just wow! I took my girlfriend here last week for her birthday and we were blown away by the service and the food. Our servers name was Lee Ann and she was phenomenal. Not only was she a sweetheart, but all of her recommendations were on point! She truly made this one of the finest dining experiences that I have had.
We started the night by trying to figure out which wine we were going to have. Nicola’s has a pretty extensive wine list, so extensive that they downloaded it onto an iPad. With the iPad, not only can you view the entire wine list, each wine you click on has a little excerpt and which foods to pair it with etc. They also provide a nice option of decanting so the wine can breathe as the night goes on.
From there they brought us the most fabulous bread basket I think I have ever had. Not sure if my photos even do it justice. We also started with a salad. We went with the Boucheron Goat Cheese salad that had: apple, truffle, pistachios, and mixed greens. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of Goat Cheese. This wasn’t any ordinary Goat Cheese. This Goat Cheese was the creamiest, most flavorful that I have ever had. It was also grilled a bit and had the perfect mix of a slight crust/​creamy. The awesome thing about Nicola’s is the portions are quite big, so the best route they said was to share a bunch of different stuff, which we did. They are also kind enough to split everything for you in the kitchen so you get your own plate when they bring it out.
For our entrees we split the Potato Gnocchi which sat on a four cheese fondue and burgundy truffle as well as the Lamb Shank that had a navy bean and spring vegetable ragout. The Lamb Shank slow cooks for two days and was the best lamb I have ever eaten. It was huge! The Potato Gnocchi was so soft and the flavors were just amazing. Between the salad and the amazing bread they kept bringing us, we had lots of leftovers, but man was it all good!
The place itself was also amazing inside! Everything truly reminded me of real authentic Italian restaurants that I dined in during my travels throughout Italy. Not the Americanized stuff that has become the norm here in America. If you want a truly authentic Italian experience, Nicola’s is your place!

I took my mom here before a Lion King musical performance at the Aronoff and not only was our waiter completely aware and concerned about getting us out on time for our show with no stress he also made our visit extremely fun and memorable. He suggested we do split wine pairings wines with our orders and he went ahead and picked everything himself which was actually really great because, let’s get real, he knows the food and the wine better than I do. He made our visit fun and made us feel very well taken care of and known at a restaurant we visited for the very first time.
What was really so wonderful about Nicola’s is that my mom and I had spent 3 weeks in Italy after college graduation so many a nights spent at late dinners over cheese and (bottles of) wine … this place made us feel like we were back in Italy on vacation! Thanks for making a very special night for my mom and I where I treated her (and because our waiter knew that he added an Anniversary special to our check (10% off) — so sweet and thank you again!

A great restaurant ! The atmosphere was amazing; classy and relaxing. Would be a great restaurant for a work group or even a date night. The service was great as well.
The food is delicious, and had one of the best bread baskets I’ve tried any other restaurant.
Highly recommended and would go there again !

Chef Joel is very talented! The gnocchi is the best I have ever had. The Monday neighborhood special can’t be beat… So yummy and a great value. My favorite fine dining in the city.

Sensational! If you haven’t been to Nicola’s yet you must go. The food here is easily 5 and this is one of those rare times I wish I could give it a higher score.
The tone is set early on when they bring out the bread basket and there must be 6 – 10 different types of bread and each one is delicious. For an appetizer, we split the Scallops in lobster broth and the Boucheron Goat Cheese Salad. I honestly cannot tell which one was better because they were both finished in seconds. The scallops were cooked to perfection and the lobster broth that accompanied it paired well. The goat cheese salad has a decent sized mound of gooey goodness in the middle with plenty to spare. Next up we split the Crispy Potato Gnocchi. Lets just say there was definite lull in the conversation when this dish came out. Believe the hype. The reviews are correct and I’ve already signed away my first born in order to have this again. By the time the Veal Duet arrived we were thoroughly stuffed but when something that beautiful is dropped in front of you «no» is not an option.
The only reason I cannot give this place 5 stars is because of the service. We ended up not leaving the restaurant until 11:15, not because we were taking our time and drinking the night away. It was an hour and fifteen minutes before we got our appetizer. Our meal was further delayed when they brought out our dishes in the wrong order so they had to send back the gnocchi and then make our salads. I get it. Mistakes can be made. At the end of the night though, when we were the ONLY people left upstairs and our waiter was more concerned with closing down the restaurant (putting up chairs, taking down dishware) then closing us out I was a little perturbed.
TLDR: Great food, shoddy service. Will try again (hopefully with different waiter)

BOLO Monday! Amazing deal here this past Monday night. They have a great Monday night special: artisan bread basket, house salad, and generous helping of homemade pasta bolognese (ground beef and veal) for a $ 15 steal. The service was impeccable; it reminded me of the great service I had at the Maisonette years ago. You can substitute their house salad for one of their other salad dishes for half of the menu price. I opted for the Lobster salad with broccoli and mascarpone mixed together with lemon. Simple and fresh ingredients that really showcased the amazing lobster. We also got the pork belly for an appetizer, which was the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and salty. I think every texture was touched on by that plate as well, with a creamy polenta base, pear jello cubes for the hint of sweetness, crunchy granola flakes on top, and the amazingly tender pork belly as the star.
I will be back to try the other menu items, as this place was an exciting take on modern Italian — meets — American dishes. Great job! Can’t believe it took me this long to try it out. Make sure you make reservations as well!

On a cold winter night in downtown Cincinnati, we decided Italian would be the perfect, warming meal. We chose Nicola’s because they serve the tastiest Italian in the area.
Having been to Nicola’s many times, we know to always start a meal there with our favorite staple on their menu the potato gnocchi with four cheese fondue. The gnocchi is cut into small cylinders and crisped before being topped with an amazing cheese fondue and garnished with a little truffle. Can’t get too much of this fondue… Try dipping some of the delightful bread basket items in the sauce and you will know what I mean. Though you will find the gnocchi on the pasta entrée list, Nicola’s is happy to serve an appetizer sized split portion.
For the second course we went with the foie gras, which was served as a mousse and topped with a huckleberry jelly. They provided a toasted slice of a brioche that complimented the mousse, but it didn’t last for the entire course even though we only nibbled it with each bite. A second slice would have been appreciated. My one real complaint about this dish is that the jelly overpowered the flavor of the foie gras. I don’t mind a little fruit with foie gras in general, but I think this berry in particular had too strong of a flavor to let the flavor of the foie gras come thorough.
Our third course we ordered another classic the bolognese. Nicola’s does this dish consistently well, and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys pasta with meat sauce. The pasta was perfectly cooked for a delicious dish.
The fourth course was the veal osso buco Milanesa atop a bed of saffron risotto. The veal fell off the bone with just a fork and each bite was perfectly tender. The brightly colored saffron risotto was soft and creamy, just as a good risotto should be cooked. The combination of the veal and risotto made for a happy belly.
After finishing this course, there was regrettably no room for dessert, though Nicola’s has some good options. We will certainly be back again with friends and family in the near future, so will have to save space for some dessert then.
Also of note, Nicola’s just bought the space where Germano’s was in Montgomery, another great Italian restaurant that we are sad to see close. The proprietor Germano had a long run after almost three decades as owner and Chef. Nicola’s newest concept will be opening up there in the spring. We look forward to trying their new place soon as well!

I can whip up a fabulous pasta dish at home, using very few and whatever ingredients I have on hand. It’s cheap, it’s simple to make fresh (salt, flour, egg yolks, done), and it’s one of those rare staples that tastes better with less. So when I splurge on a fancy, pricey dinner, Italian/​pasta is usually bottom on my list.
However, a recent friend’s group bday dinner at the Wine Room at Nicola’s gave me a serious change of heart. I had pretty high expectations, since I know they are owned by the same family as my beloved Via Vite, and needless to say, my reverse snobbery towards fancy-​pants Italian restaurants was crushed into oblivion by the deliciousness that is Nicola’s luscious breads, charcuterie, cheese fondue and some of the sexiest pasta dishes I have ever had. HEAVENS.
The service was fantastic: the hostesses were warm and friendly, quickly checking our coats in. We had one main server, who joked and charmed our group in a perfectly modulated manner while still balancing business: he still made the food the primary focal point and had us all salivating for dinner with his well-​articulated suggestions. No one in the group ever ran out of wine or water, and the almost choreographed staff were perfectly in sync as they refilled glasses, removed crumbs, presented food with flourish, etc. Seriously, GREAT service from all.
As great as the service was, it was the FOOD that stole the show. I have read rave reviews about the mixed bread basket — and it really is scrumptious. Little squares of puffy pastry, topped with roasted tomatoes or pickle — so good; focaccia shining with garlicky olive oil goodness or olive tapenade; and simple ciabatta, delicious patted with some butter. I ate more than my fair share of the bread baskets.
Charcuterie and cheese trays are available for large groups, and I also highly recommend them. They are huge platters, generously piled with meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables — not skimpy like some places I’ve been to.
We all nibbled and sampled and twirled pastas from each others’ plates — it was awesome. My favorites were the scallop appetizer, in some sort of Asian fusian broth; the legendary gnocchi in four-​cheese fondue (incredibly rich, gooey, chewy, buttery, pillowy decadence); wine-​braised short ribs (glistening with wine and melt-​in-​your-​mouth-​tender). However, I cannot ever resist ordering the simple bowl of love that is fresh tagliatelle and bolognese sauce — and this dish was my favorite. A HUGE portion of fresh-​made tagliatelle, mounded high in a savory, meaty-​but-​light sauce. I loved it!!! And I had a full meal’s worth of leftovers to take home. However — being the amazing wife that I am — I let my husband eat the leftovers the next day and he absolutely loved them as well.
Nicola’s is pricey, but not unseemly, and it is worth it — so good, rich, and surprisingly a jovial atmosphere (this could have been attributed to the party we were with, but I appreciated that the atmosphere wasn’t stuffy or snooty at all). In fact, I loved Nicola’s so much that we already have reservations to eat there again on a double date with friends next week. I highly recommend it, definitely a prime example of how a nice dinner out doesn’t always need to involve an upscale steakhouse.