Red Feather Kitchen

In hindsight, the 6:30pm reservation I made on a Wednesday night for an anniversary dinner probably wasn’t entirely necessary, but having never been, it was worth being cautious.
We found a spot on the street across from the restaurant, which made for a pretty seamless parking situation (on weekends and more crowded evenings, there are lots a couple of blocks away, as well as valet right outside). We walked in and were immediately seated at a table for two in the dining room. Before I made it to my seat, I could smell truffles and, after learning about our neighbor’s appetizer (whipped ricotta with truffle and honey, served with grilled baguettes), we decided we had to have the same. We each got a beer (there is an extensive wine list, as well as a decent beer list) to enjoy with what I consider to be one of the best appetizers I have ever had.
In the week leading up to dinner at Red Feather, I already knew what I was going to get. Because Red Feather’s burger is on Cincinnati Magazine’s Top 45 burger list (situated at number 3), I knew I had to have it. Plus, it’s adorned with soft herb cheese, candied bacon, red onion marmalade, and served with fresh-​cut fries — yum, yum, and more yum. It was as delicious as it sounds, and is deservedly considered one of the best in the city. My date got the pork chop, served with mushroom and onion potato hash, and red wine caramel which, if his clean plate was any indication, I’d say he enjoyed it.
In addition to all of the wonderful things I have already mentioned, the service was fantastic. Our server was attentive but not annoying, knowledgeable, and personable. We also got regular refills, which can be a problem when you drink water as quickly as I do.
When a 4.5 rating isn’t an option and you had as great of an experience at Red Feather as I did, a 5 works just fine. I highly recommend Red Feather, especially to anyone looking for a special occasion dinner. (Though, a reservation at 6:30 on a Wednesday probably isn’t needed.)

Fourth time at Red Feather and it has established itself as one of the top restaurants in the city. First about the service — our waitress was fantastic — wish I remembered her name but very knowledgeable and didn’t seem bothered as it took us forever to order entrees.
Now — the food. Two appetizers — the Chicken Liver Pâté was excellent — smooth and fragrant served with crunchy toasties. As good at the Pâté was the Cheese Board was even better — all three cheeses were creamy whites but each had its own character — fortunately I was next to the Boursin and just about finished it myself — the accompany of nuts, bourbon cherries and quince all added to the dish.
Our waitress suggested the Pork Chop and I was not disappointed — how do you perfectly cook a two inch thick piece of meat to just over medium — smoky and moist on the inside with a beautiful charred outer — would be hard pressed not to order it again and again. My dining partners went with the Hanger Steak — exactly served at medium — tender and yummy. The Lamb Rack looked great but I didn’t get to sample. The Scallops were nice with the bourbon glaze adding a little sweetness and the pork belly bringing the salt.
Should we get dessert — no — but yes and the ricotta filled beignets with a Meyer Lemon Curd and Preserves — damn it was good.
The cocktails were uniformly great — Dead Elvis, J.B. and Ressurection and they have a limited but great selection of bourbon.
Don’t live in Cincy but will be back on the next visit.

This is a great dinner spot in Oakley. They did have valet since parking in the area can be tricky. It was deceivingly big with décor that is neat and inviting. Of course it was packed so be sure to make a reservation. When we arrived, we were immediately greeted at the door and taken to our table.
They have a large wine and cocktail list. After reviewing all of the choices, we were drawn to the Bordeaux. There were sooo many things on the menu that looked good.
We tried our best to sample as much as we could. With 4 people, we started with a barrage of small plates. We ordered the pork belly steamed buns, gnocchi, whipped ricotta, and the crab special. All were really good. I couldn’t choose a favorite. Our main courses consisted of the scallops, short rib, halibut special, and steak special. All seemed a little sauce-​heavy. They were good, but the small plates were better. On our next visit we’ll stick with small plates.

Great service and the food was fantastic! I had the whipped ricotta, gnocchi, and a glass of bordeaux for dinner, and split the peach cobbler for dessert — everything was wonderful! We were seated quickly on a Sunday evening, and our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and offered some great suggestions.

Best brunch I’ve had in a long time. Service was excellent. The server was always there for any request we had. I could always catch his eye. He made perfect recommendations — knew the menu backward and forwards. Suggested a wine which was amazing and an appetizer (biscuits with special preserves — yum!). Also they treated us to beignets in between courses.
I had the special — Cincinnati Egg. It was like a scotch egg but with goetta instead of sausage. It was so good. I was so full I couldn’t move but I couldn’t put my fork down. My friend had a burger with truffle fries which were incredible.
This is a fancy brunch. We each had a drink but the check was $ 64. Still, it was completely worth it –we had to walk it off a little before we could get in the car.
You need a reservation. We made one for 11am which is when they open and there was a line to get in when they opened the door.

I walked in on a sunday and some woman working there looked at me like I had horns. I asked if they had coffee and she said not to go. I asked if I could sit and have coffee and she rolled her eyes. I told her never mind.
I did not feel welcome or welcomed. It brought me back to the discrimination and thrown my way as a child being Italian descent. As I could not come up with any reason why someone would have such a negative attitude.

Delicious food, phenomenal staff, great atmosphere.
Our server Kathryn couldn’t have been sweeter and took the time to explain nearly the entire menu to us. EVERY SINGLE staff person I encountered today was beyond kind and helpful. For me, the attitude of the staff often bleeds into the food so I applaud everyone working here.
I really enjoyed that it almost felt like two separate venues but they work perfectly together, a hip bar and an elegant yet casual dinning experience.
I am naturally a pessimist so I am shocked as I’m typing this. I can ALWAYS find something to complain about. I honestly can’t here.
My mother is handicapped and uses a walker. She often cannot access bathrooms or maneuver in a tightly packed restaurant. Today she had more than enough room and easily accessed the bathroom without having to go up a single step. I am extremely grateful when I see the words «wheelchair accessible» but even more grateful when it’s actually true!
Oh yeah, the food! The tuna tartar stole my heart. The flavors were incredible. See pics. Everything we ate was delicious.

I was seriously disappointed in the poutine. The gravy was like a clear broth, and the meat was super fatty. All four of us at the table ordered the poutine and were not fans. They did have a good make your own Bloody Mary bar, and the biscuits were tasty. I would come back to try another dish since the other Unilocal reviews look good.

Pros:
— great friendly service. Very nice hostess and server.
— loved the fois gras special as well as the pork belly buns
— the bread pudding was superb.
— the halibut and the lamb chops were pretty good. Not outstanding but good.
— good wine list. Loved the red blend we ordered.
— nice crusty bread
Cons:
— I shared the 32 oz bone in cowboy steak. It’s a nice thick cut, but was made a little too close to medium rather than medium rare. It was a bit chewy and not melt in your mouth delicious. Also, the steak needed salt.
— Most of the dishes didn’t come with vegetables. And the extra side of mushrooms and spinach that we ordered, while tasty was way too small.

Two words: Foie gras. Any restaurant that has it on the menu is alright in my book. Yes, I know that there is some controversy over how you make the geese and ducks’ livers swell that way, but the birds actually don’t seem to mind that much. Besides, when the results are so tasty, what’s a little force-​feeding matter?
This former storefront on a corner along the main drag in Oakley is bigger than it looks from the outside. A big bar area is up front, with tables and counters further back. The vibe is upscale, and the service reflects that. The servers all knew the menu well, and could answer every question we posed. In addition to the aforementioned foie, there were small plates and entrees, house cocktails and a nice wine list. I had a Bordeaux that was on special, and it was spectacular.
DLW had a hankering for the chicken liver pâté, and the brown butter gnocchi sounded great to me. Both were small plates, so we also had the double cut pork chop as recommended by the server. Everything was spot-​on and presented beautifully.
It is pretty expensive for a place outside downtown, with our bill totaling over $ 100, but you get what you pay for. Our only regret upon leaving was that we hadn’t tried the foie, and we promised ourselves to come back for some.

This review is for strictly their brunch (although I’ve dined there for dinner before and it’s fantastic).
We made reservations for 5 on a Sunday and it was great. Everything was done very professionally and orderly; our server was fast and knowledgable, we never had to wait for coffee/​water, and the food was superb.
For those who don’t know, Red Feather is a «scratch» kitchen (i.e. everything is made «in house»). Their pancakes were delicious and the same goes for the Red Feather omelette that I ordered. Be careful if you order the biscuits before brunch, though! They are dense and therefore quite filling… we had some trouble trying to finish all of our delicious food!
Long story short, give it a try. I’ll definitely be back.

I had dinner at Red Feather for the first time last night, and it was certainly better than the last time I was here a year ago for brunch. Some of the food items were absolutely delicious, and some were just ok, and excellent service and ambiance put this at 4 stars.
I think the best items on Red Feather’s menu are their small plates. We absolutely loved all of the small plates we shared, including the gnocchi, the lobster arancini, the guacamole sopas (a special of the night), and the pork belly steam buns. My favorite was the gnocchi which was perfectly soft, doughy, and deliciously rich but not overly rich. My husband was bold enough to say that the gnocchi was better than Boca or Sotto, but I wouldn’t go that far. The arancini with romesco sauce was super tasty, and comes with three arancini balls to an order, which is great to share.
This would be a 5 star review if it weren’t for our entrée. My husband and I split the special that night, which was a duck confit with pork belly, lentils, celery root purée, and blue cheese. I thought this sounded delicious, but the actual execution just tasted very strange. I kept eating and eating it, thinking it would get better, but I just didn’t enjoy it. The blue cheese completely overpowered the duck, and the pork belly felt unnecessary (which is weird because I usually LOVE pork belly and blue cheese!). My friend ordered the short rib entrée, and he didn’t really enjoy that either. I would say stick with the small plates next time.
For dessert my group ordered the crème brûlée and the bread pudding to share. Both were good, but not very memorable. Bread pudding at La Poste is better. Service was great.
Overall, our dinner experience was great, but I think next time I will come back just for cocktails and small plates to share.

My husband and I came for Valentine’s Day brunch and enjoyed the experience overall, though it didn’t quite live up to the buzz.
Among the highlights of our visit was the drinks. When you walk in for weekend brunch you’re immediately greeted by the Bloody Mary bar to the left. Um, sold! The visual alone was enough for me to sign up for that. Their house made mix was delicious and they had endless possibilities for add-​ins, from bacon to fresh pickles to various sauces and seasonings. My husband had the Dead Elvis and Dog Day Afternoon. Both had interesting and unique aromatic flavors that were pleasant. Five stars for the bar!
Our server was friendly and knowledgable, though quite a bit of time passed before he greeted us and between each visit to our table. Drinks took about 15 minutes in a half-​crowded dining room. My drink was a simple glass with vodka for the Bloody Mary bar. When he was last at our table he said the drinks were ready and he’d grab them so I know it wasn’t slow bar service.
The complementary beignets were so so good! So hot we could barely eat them. I ordered the Breakfast Poutine for my entrée and was a bit disappointed. It was good, but more of a hash and not at all what I would call poutine. Poutine base is french fries, gravy, and cheese curds. The potatoes were chunky and roasted, and a bit bland and underdone. The short rib gravy was delicious but not very gravy-​like (more greasy), and the cheese was not in curd form. We also ordered a pan of the biscuits and gravy to share. The biscuits were made fresh from scratch. I expected the sausage to be more incorporated into the gravy, but it was a couple large balls that were hard to cut into. It was tasty but I probably wouldn’t order either dish again. My husband seemed quite happy with his burger, which I tasted and agreed it was delicious. That candied bacon…
For dessert we split the Lemon Semifreddo. I think it was my favorite part of the meal! The lemon was so light and fresh, and the little meringue kisses were a wonderful addition.
I would definitely come back and give dinner a try, but I likely won’t do brunch here again.

After reading other reviews about crowds and reservations, I was so surprised that on Valentines Day Sunday there was no wait for brunch!
Note: They do take reservations which is always nice to have as a back up if you can plan ahead.
The food and atmosphere were so amazing I have to give Red Feather 5 stars. I love the vibe in here. Walking in, the bar was so inviting, the large windows make the front room a really nice place to hang out. I almost wanted to sit at the bar even though there were tables available. We did sit at a table with a view of the kitchen which was also a really nice warm spot to relax and enjoy our brunch.
We started with some beverages — $ 7 mimosas and $ 8.50 Bloody Mary bar.
I had the Quiche of the Day, which was ham and gruyère. It was so fluffy and airy, this texture was perfection, the crust was flaky and buttery and there was a lot of crust. I LOVED this quiche. I even loved their fruit salad it came with, it wasn’t your basic fruit, mine had apples and kiwi.
My fiancé had the Breakfast Sandwich, a frequent order of his anywhere we go, and this one satisfied. It sounds simple, goetta, egg and cheese, but the boursin cheese (a creamy, herby spread cheese) added a different note to the sandwich, and the croissant it came on was large and sturdy and did not fall apart. He also loved the potatoes that it came with.

Red Feather is so unique that you will be hard pressed to find anything like it here in the Cincinnati region. It’s also one of those types of places that once you go and try it for the first time, I think you’d probably realize why it’s one of the places I suggest anyone not from here, or from here, consider trying for brunch or dinner. There is literally nothing I have had there that isn’t short of fantastic, and I think part of the reason for that is they take somewhat obscure dishes and put their own «spin» on them using as many locally procured products as possible. The servers are not only quick and friendly, but also very knowledgeable as well — I’ve always found them to be very helpful with the menu and with pairings for folks looking for a beverage.
One piece of advice is if you do want to check it out, you may want to book a reservation. Their restaurant, while not tiny, is always packed. I’ve always booked well in advance and have never had an issue.

Note that my overall rating is rounded up. The true breakdown of my rating would be:
Service & ambiance: 4.5 stars
Food: 3 stars
I’ll cut to the chase and say that the food was not, in my opinion, worth the price. I will say that this restaurant is a great date spot, as it is dim, cozy yet modern, clean, with an attentive and knowledgeable staff.
We ordered a few small plates (calamari, pork belly buns, P.I.G) as well as one large plate (chicken saltimbocca) to share. All of the dishes were decent, but nothing blew my mind. This is a restaurant where your eyes will be more impressed than your palette — in other words, presentation exceeds taste.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience here but will probably seek out other spots before coming back.

Let me start by saying their calamari is LIFE. I have yet to find a restaurant that serves REALLY good calamari, and then there’s this place… And it’s BOMB BOMB BOMB!
My boyfriend ordered some kind of Hangar steak I think, and I ordered Salmon, my favorite. Our food was cooked to perfection. The food here is pricey so I think this is something people could consider for special occasions. There was literally not a single bad thing I could say about this restaurant and their staff. I would come back here 100x if I could.

The Sauces! We had a late brunch (around 2PM) on a weekend and Red Feather Kitchen was nearly empty. The server was polite.
The Biscuits and Preserves (watermelon habanero, peach apricot, plum with spices) were inspired. I couldn’t get enough of them and appreciate the bigger biscuits and generous serving of preserves.
Buttermilk Pancakes with Berries was also delicious.
I wasn’t a fan of the Breakfast Poutine; the gravy was too tart but that’s just my own preference. It didn’t seem to mesh well with the cheddar nor the egg. Also, the dish wasn’t filling/​satisfying but that’s not a requirement to be great. Probably a great dish for other people.
I wish our server, who was good, had mentioned the sauces near the entrance. There was a wide variety and I could’ve had a ball trying many of them with my dishes.
The décor was interesting. Maybe we were left unattended for too long and had too much time to consider the décor, but I got a nagging sense things didn’t seem to go together (e.g., exposed and worn brick, sleek fixtures that are brand new but retro, old-​style seats, modern luxurious kitchen area, brown gradient tiles touching blue fabric, blue cushions for booths but hard dark wood for chairs) so it looked like pieces were purchased individually and without a clear vision. It was fine though. It’s obvious the goal is to look classy but unclear if the motif is outdated vintage or modern with a touch of retro.
Don’t misunderstand, it was overall a great experience.

Definitely a five star experience, both times I visited.
Nothing makes me more happy than a sleek elegant sexy place with extremely well trained staff. This place delivers those plus amazing food.
From the moment we entered, we felt like we are welcome there and our presence was well acknowledged by everyone including the bartender! Very sweet!
We were seated immediately and the sleek menu was explained, highlighting some dishes that we ordered solely thanks to the knowledgeable server’s recommendation.
The complimentary 16 Bricks baguette makes the wait for food easier and nicer. The drink menu satisfies all, I chose a delicious cocktail and my husband was happy with his Rasputin ale.
I really enjoyed the dinner there. My salmon was super super good, little bit on a salty side, but it was delicious anyway. My husband’s pork chop was huge and presented beautifully, definitely worth trying!
We did not expect this level of excellence, so it was a really great surprise!
Encouraged by this beautiful experience, we came back for brunch. Good selection of foods, the burger is great when you are starving. I went with quiche and, truth be told, I had better, less ‘eggy’ ones. For dessert we tried peach cobbler and a chocolate tort and they did not wow us, but were still a good finish. I guess the highlight were the complimentary freshly made little donuts, ohhhhh! So good!
All in all, great spot for dinner! For me the main courses were truly special. Not sure if I would go back for brunch or dessert, but definitely will be back for another entrée!
Wonderful wonderful service. Go and experience!

My boyfriend and I recently dined for the first time at Red Feather after passing it a million of times. It’s just past the main thoroughfare of Oakley in a really inconspicuous building. The only clue that you’ve arrived? A red feather on a sign hanging above the entry way.
The place was busy, even with the cold, rainy weather, so reservations are recommended for prime dining times. The place has an elegant, casual feel to it. Jeans are okay, but maybe no workout attire.
The service was attentive from the get-​go. We were seated in the back room, which was a little tight and had bad acoustics. The back room was loud, so if you’re looking an intimate dinner, maybe ask for a table up front. Also, the aisle way in the back room only allows one person to be walking/​moving about at a time. When we were finished paying, we had to wait awhile since the waiter was in the aisle going through the desert options with another table, blocking us from getting up. It was amusing to see the waiters maneuver around each other while holding plates of food.
The food menu is small but has something for everyone. The drinks menu was extensive, though. We started with the pork belly buns, which comes in threes per order. You do have the option of adding one to even it out. For entrees, we got the short rib and the hanger steak. The pork belly buns were good; while it wasn’t the best pork belly that I’ve ever had, they did a good job with the pillowy, Chinese buns. My short rib dish also wasn’t the best I’ve ever had (that honor goes to The Blue Bayou restaurant at Disneyland! Yes, Disneyland), it was still really good and hit the spot on that cold night. I wish I could say the same for the hanger steak. That was the weak link for our meal. It was chewy, more so than at other places, and the vegetables that came with the dish weren’t my favorite. One of the greens had a slightly bitter taste that was distracting.
There have been other reviews mentioning the small portion sizes. With a shared appetizer, we thought the meal size was just right. We had enough room to fit in some Aglamesis after the meal. I mean, restaurants can’t have you too full after one entrée. They want you have appetizers and dessert as well!
The place is a little pricey, but I think it’s a good place for an occasional date night. I would definitely go back.