LouVino OTR Restaurant and Wine Bar — Restaurant in Cincinnati

We had reservations for 5 PM, right when the restaurant opened, but they warmly welcomed us in early—a kindness we greatly appreciated, given the frigid wind outside. It didn’t help that we were dressed for the ballet rather than winter weather, making the cozy atmosphere all the more inviting.

From the start, our server, Brandon L., struck the perfect balance of attentiveness without being overbearing, exuding a natural talent for hospitality. He greeted us warmly, ensured our drinks arrived before we even thought to ask, and even apologized for the music not playing when we first arrived—though we hadn’t even noticed. True to his word, within 30 seconds, the music was on, setting the perfect ambiance.

As first-time visitors, we were grateful for his eloquent menu recommendations. He graciously provided wine samples for my cousin before she committed to a choice, and his suggestions did not disappoint. I had been looking forward to dining here for quite some time, and the experience exceeded my expectations.

The food was spectacular. The filet was tender, perfectly seasoned, and cooked to absolute perfection. The medley of mushrooms, asparagus, and Parmesan potato gratin complemented the meal beautifully. I also enjoyed a cosmo—or two (wink)—which were expertly crafted and swiftly served.

Brandon took the time to ask what brought us out, and we shared that it was a girls' night before the ballet. When dinner was over, he inquired if we had time for dessert. When we said yes, he graciously offered us stuffed beignets on the house as a welcome for first-time guests. I have to say, I would have happily paid for them—they were flawless.

We lingered and chatted after our meal, and Brandon never once made us feel rushed, which is something I truly appreciate. While we were mindful not to overstay and impact his earnings, we comfortably relaxed for 10–20 minutes after settling the bill. The restaurant's ambiance made it easy to enjoy our time—it wasn’t too noisy, nor was it too quiet. It struck the perfect balance for a date night, a celebration, or, in our case, three women dressing up for a fun evening before a show.

I would absolutely rate this restaurant a 10/10. The hospitality was outstanding, the food was some of the best I’ve had in a long time, and the overall experience far surpassed places like Embers in Kenwood and other overpriced establishments. LouVino truly blew them out of the water and at a much more reasonable...

Louvino is a tri state area establishment that started in Louisville KY and has expanded to Indianapolis and Cincinnati, and is known for serving an array of wines. Lou-Vino....get it ?

Well, wine wasn't on my agenda tonight, so went with cocktails which has been my dinner theme of the week

Sat in the bar and Charlie was my bartender and his service was impeccable. Great guy.

Cocktail for starters- Sparkling Pear

Restaurant Week Menu + some add ons

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad I love roasted brussel sprouts, corn salsa and cilantro. And this dish was a combo of the three. So needless to say, I absolutely adored it and gobbled that plate clean in a jiffy. This was really well created and cozy. The citrus flavor from the corn salsa and cilantro lime vinaigrette brussel was a nice way to make that flavor of the roasted sprouts shine !

Truffle Parmesan Frites (add on) If you like truffle, this is a primo tasting plate of fries. Truffle parmesan on the fries, and a truffle aioli - this hit all the truffle senses you want to experience without shelling your wallet for the real deal. I saved some truffle parmesan to sprinkle on my Filet later 😁. Honestly, I was proud of myself for thinking of doing that (see more later)

The sparkling pear cocktail paired well with the starting courses.

Filet Diane Tournedos + cocktail made on the spot for me by Charlie to go with the plate of Filet - A New York Sour! Filet was juicy and cooked to perfection and pet my request. Let's get that out of the way right away. Now to the fun part. This was a classic dish presented in a sophisticated way. Roasted fingerling potatoes, asparagus and a base of mushroom brandy sauce was a neat way to compliment that filet. Enter leftover truffle parmesan from my Frites....and boom, an already great plate was elevated to the next level instantaneously. Mushroom brandy sauce + truffle (also a mushroom) parmesan sprinkle = magic !

A note on Charlie's New York Sour cocktail - paired perfectly with the filet. I thoroughly enjoyed this main course.

Dessert - chocolate chip cookie dough beignet and a cheese cake bit. Instant cozy and classic dessert. Me likey warm beignet (I want more 😆)

I had a great dining experience at Louvino. This is a cozy laid back place. Friendly people, great tasting food, awesome drinks and a pleasant ambience! Glad to have...

One of those times you wish Yelp had a half star. This place is very close to five stars. While we've been before, I haven't reviewed until today. And this is the first Sunday brunch we've tried, so I thought I'd review it.

The aesthetic of LouVino is fantastic. There may be several of them, it might even be a chain for all I know, but this is a beautiful space right on Main Street in Over the Rhine. Exposed brick throughout and classy decor.

The seating is spaced out for COVID protocols which is appreciated. And the host was kind enough to offer us complimentary mimosas for our short wait.

Our server was good but not great. Compared to other restaurants of this caliber, he was somewhat attentive but we expected more.

Onto the food! We split 3 dishes- the Brussels sprouts, the surf and turf and the stuffed French toast.

Brussels sprouts- would get these again and again. It says chili salsa and cilantro lime but there are a lot of other tastes that work here. Corn, nuts, crispy, savory and 100% delish! We had this before and it has not disappointed.

Surf and Turf- I'll start with the good- the hashbrown casserole is as good as it sounds. Crispy top, creamy the rest of the way. Total yum! The egg was fine but didn't add much. The 5 ounce filet was disappointing. The flavor was decent but several bites had gristle in them. Not a good surprise. And where was the surf? Maybe the topping? Didn't feel it was worthy of the $27 we paid.

Now the pièce de résistance! The stuffed French toast literally gave me Yelpish goosebumps! That good! Cooked to perfection with slightly crispy outside and soft, delicious breading. The mascarpone, the bourbon maple syrup with the blueberries all worked to perfection with nothing overpowering the other. MY OH MY! This dish alone is worth 2 YUMS WAY UP!

Our server left us (maybe because the we were one of the last) but I asked another server if I could order chocolate covered strawberries. She said they were closed but she'd give them to us anyway. Now that was a great surprise.

Wish I could give 4.5 stars as we will be back. Still a great vibe and some...