42 Best Italian Restaurants in Cincinnati

“The food is amazing, they have a large wine and spirt offering. The staff are always courteous, knowledgeable and very accommodating. Casual dining with an upscale feel.“

“Authentic pizza and pasta. Staff is customer focused and quality minded. You got to get some of this!“

“My group of friends had dinner here for my birthday and it was an amazing experience!! Navarre was our server and he did an exceptional job catering to us as first time guests. All of our dishes were delicious! Ricotta donuts are the perfect dessert!“

“We travel all around the world, even compared to Italy, their home made pasta was the best we have ever eaten. We had appetizers that were awesome as well. We Highly recommend this place!“

“We went here because was close to the hospital. Used to go to olive garden. Never again. Carrabbas is top notch from top down!“

“As I’m writing this review I’m still in shock! I’m in Cincinnati on business and I was craving Italian. I can’t believe there’s not a line around the block just for the meatballs! My family owned an Italian seafood restaurant in NJ for 26 years and I can say without hesitation the meatballs here are the best west of Arthur Ave in the Bronx! My NJ mind is blown!“

“The food and service are absolutely incredible! Coming here is definitely a great way to celebrate any occasion! The wait staff are incredibly knowledgeable and the kitchen is extremely accommodating to any dietary restrictions!“

“Everything we ate during our visit was absolutely delicious. We started with the bruschetta, which had such fresh, vibrant tomatoes on perfectly toasted bread. It was the perfect opening to our meal.

The portions were generous and tasted truly authentic. I particularly enjoyed the pasta with the rich, savory sauce filled with peas and mushrooms. It was comfort food at its finest. We had a wonderful time and will definitely be back.“

“Amazing food. Wonderful views. The ambiance and service was 10/10. 💜💜💜“

“Food is so good! Tried the new avocado chop salad today and it's my new fave!“

“5 stars all around... ambiance, staff, presentation, pacing, drinks, and most importantly food. So much flavor! We sat at the chef's counter and had an incredible dinner. We are looking forward to returning for the dining room because the food being served from the menu looked amazing. We will certainly return for the chef's counter because it is a not-to-be missed experience that can be enjoyed again and again. Thank you Wildweed for a fantastic evening!!!“

“Been a fan for years, this one by far best experience and customer service I’ve had. Bring on to nashville, I’ll invest.“

“Loved everything. Service (Anna) was excellent. Very kind, super friendly, welcoming and professional at the same time. Atmosphere was amazing, elegant interiors, attention to the details. Food was exceptional. Tried a Gricia (cacio e pepe with guanciale), recommended them to add to menu, as very typical plate in Rome. Appetizers (fried squids and broccoletti di Bruxelles) delicious too. Gelato (coffee and caramel spoons) amazing.“

“First time was Valentines day.Very busy, but food and service was splendid. The decor and the music was quite appropriate for the atmosphere of the restaurant.“

“Was a guest for dinner (22 people) everything was so well done and thoughtful It was such a surprise and a treat“

“We had heard about this restaurant from a friend so we decided to try it for lunch. It's right on Wyoming Avenue at the border of Wyoming and Lockland. The lunch and dinner menus are the same but they have a variety of daily specials. We kept it simple for lunch: a hamburger with fries and a veggie burger with Saratoga chips. The burger was big and tasty but the veggie patty didn't have much taste and the texture was too soft. It's not something I would order again. A soft drink and a beer (the place is also a brew pub) ran up a bill of $40. It's primarily an Italian place but there are several non-Italian choices from Fish & Chips to Rueben sandwiches. It has a nice, cozy ambiance and service was prompt and courteous. It could easily become my local hangout except it's just a little too far from my home. That being said I do plan to revisit and try some of their Italian fare. Free parking on the street or in their lot. Full bar.“

“Been a fan for years, this one by far best experience and customer service I’ve had. Bring on to nashville, I’ll invest.“

“I had an awesome experience at Olive Garden thanks to the two Kates working together! They were both incredibly friendly, had amazing attitudes, and made me feel welcome right away. They acknowledged me quickly and took my order with a smile. I think they both need a raise“

“Great food, great atmosphere loved our dinner there“

“**Update ** -Justin, the traveling manager , reached out to me following my original review below offering to make up for my first subpar experience .
Being in customer service myself I'm a believer in second chances and I appreciated the sincere gesture and took him up on his offer. I must say that my second experience was far superior to my first in everyway. My dad and I were met with prompt, attentive,and kind service throughout our whole meal. Abby, our waitress for the evening was exceptional and her recommendations were spot on. We ordered the Arancini, Braised Beef Short Rib, White wine and mushroom risotto, Bolognese, Tre Maialini Pizza, Raspberry sorbet, tiramisu, and affogato. All of our food was excellent and the Campo di Fragole drink was delicious. After this experience, I'm adjusting my initial 2 star rating to 5 stars. I absolutely will return and I truly do recommend Forno to others.**

This was my first visit to Forno and it's up in the air as to whether or not I'll return. I believe in being honest yet fair in my reviews so here it goes.

Pros
The ambiance was nice and my dad and I were immediately greeted with a warm smile by the hostess. We made a 6pm reservation for 2 on a Wednesday evening and arrived promptly at that time. There were not many in the main seating area when we arrived and we were seated immediately. Ella, our waitress took awhile to come to our table. The manager noticed came over to offer us water while we waited for her. When she did arrive, she was very pleasant and while she competely forgot to bring a tea I ordered, overall she did a very nice job accommodating our food and other requests and for that we were thankful. The white wine mushroom risotto was the standout dish of the night and was excellent.

Cons
The table that we were seated at was uneven and rocky. Apparently this was a known issue,as the hostess did go to get stabilizing disks for the table. She offered to move us but then never came back(?). I don't know what that was about, but my dad and I just stayed at our table.
It took nearly an hour for our food to arrive. Again my dad and I were there promptly at 6pm and there were very few people inside. We had a concert to attend that evening so we made sure to be there on time. We were seated immediately but our food didn't arrive until 6:53pm. We didn't order much, but my pork chop was dry and bland with little seasoning. The sauce it was served with was very lemon forward. Some may love that but i prefer it to be more balanced.
I wanted to get a dessert, but because it took so long for our main courses to arrive,I didn't have time to order it.

Overall, I wasn't impressed enough to highly recommend this restaurant. Although the risotto was excellent , the slow service and underwhelming preparation of the rest of our meal unfortunately outweighed that.“

“Olive Garden is always great to us! The waiter/waitress staff has always been good to us. We're a family of 5 and each time we come, we always have a great time, great food and great service. On Saturday, the boy that was our waiter did an extremely great job! I would definitely recommend this place. Thank you all for everything!“

“My go to spot for all my fresh pasta and sauces. Love this place!!!“

“Absolutely delightful. Superbly delicious Italian cuisine, served by a friendly and attentive staff.“

“We have always enjoyed the pizza, and especially the family atmosphere.“

“Food was absolutely AMAZING!!!! My grandparents came from Italy so I know real Italian food. This place HAS IT!!! However, definitely did not have a welcoming experience at all. Not sure I’ll come back because now I just feel weird and like I’m dumb for not knowing certain things as it was my very first time. I’m conflicted because the food and wine were the best ever. But I also don’t want to be eating and feel like a pain or nuisance the whole time. 5 stars for food 2 stars for the vibe“

“Amazing food, huge portions at a reasonable price. Perfect for “pre gaming” before a show at Bogarts.“

“My honey took me here on our date food was very good customer service was excellent!!manager was in floor checking on everyone staff was smiling knowledgeable!peaceful great place to eat with family friends hubby boyfriend girlfriend it was so good thank u olive garden and staff we will be back!!I been in restaurant business for 30byears this experience was wonderful thank u all olive garden u all take pride in what u do I love it keep up good fabulous!!“

“Quite possibly the best meal we’ve ever had!“

“I absolutely love everything on the menu! My favorite is the Meat Lasagna. I also enjoy the 'Old World Italy' feel and the friendliness of the staff.“

“VesCo used the Fields Ertel Olive Garden to host a network meeting with 22, fairly large Tri State business owners at our home office.

Everything went off without a hitch. From conversing on the phone, asking questions during the initial order to the day of the event. They were right on time. The set up was great and most important the food was top notch and amazing!

Everyone at the event loved the food and it was a big hit! We would definitely use them again for future events. We just want to send a big thanks to Olive Garden Fields Ertel!! Thank you for making today a success!“

“We went for my birthday to check out the place. Good food and top notch service.“

“Y’all, Francesca is the best. These are the best croissants I have had in Cincy, and some of the best coffee. I came in to pick up a birthday cake and Francesca spoke with me in Italian and was so, so kind and generous. Definitely go see this place.“

“Son un verdadero Gelato italiano, frescos y de calidad. Y lo mejor es la atención, te sientes como en casa.“

“Absolutely fabulous experience! Amazing food, drinks, and fun vibes. The roasted eggplant is to die for, and the Sauvignon Blanc blend was fantastic. Great time with friends and wonderful staff made it even better!“

“By Far….this is the best pizza I have had in along time. Been ordering from them for a few months now. Never been disappointed. Customer service was incredible when a mistake occurred with our order! Wonderful customer service.“

“THIS is for the College Hill location... that Big Gripp is absolute ⛽ 🔥 👀 🤤“

“First time here tonight and the service was amazing and quick we were worried coming in about 7:50 since they closed at 9 and we didn’t feel rushed at all.. Food was absolutely delicious we ordered a pizza and hoagie with some cheese sticks, and that dessert especially the peanut butter pie was absolutely amazing I ask the girl at the register who makes it and Nicole idk if you will see this but you know what your doing with that peanut butter pie, it was absolutely the most delicious peanut butter pie I ever had.. it took a lot of self control to not buy every last piece that was left..“

“philly cheesesteaks with their fries and awesome lemonade“

“The food was great, but the customer service was even greater. The moment me and wife stepped in we felt welcomed. It was our first time and it won't be our last time. So far, the deluxe pizza is my favorite. Their ingredients taste so good and fresh. We got the half and half. One side deluxe, other was honey hot or whatever it's called. Very delicious! I can't wait to try out their other options 😁“

“Got a hand tosses medium cheese pizza and cinnamon bread and just...wow, not only was the pizza DIVINE, but the service provided by Gunner was extraordinary, he went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect, it made me feel appreciated as a customer, as if I was dining at a 3 Michelin star restaurant. I will definitely be back to this jets location.“

“Great pizza! Everytime we're in town we order from the one on Sutton. Never disappointed. Very friendly and accommodating.“

“Just ate here an there were these two very kind an very fast and hard working 15 year old boys who gave me a good pizza!! this was on Wednesday!!! 10/10 great“