Nicola's

I've been meaning to visit this place for quite a while now. I'm a fan of Forno, one of their sister restaurants. My first visit to Nicola's was for a birthday, with a party of 7. The vibe is very classy and date-night worthy; it felt like I was in Italy for an evening. The menu had a decent variety of very specialized, innovative, authentic Italian dishes you don't see everywhere, and it changes seasonally. Everything from the breads and soup to the pastas and main entrees were excellent. The attention to detail shows in everything they serve.. textures, unique flavor combos, thoughful little touches.. everybody was satisfied with everything! Our server was very knowledgeable, attentive, generous, and added to our experience with her personality. They were even able to accommodate special non-menu requests for a picky kid at the table. I didn't have any drinks, but most folks at the table were very pleased with their cocktails/wine, and kept them coming. If I had to nitpick, service was a little slow that night, but we were having a good time and were flooded with bread, so it didn't really bother me. This is definitely a top 3 Italian restaurant in Cincy for me.

We had a girl's night out here and it definitely did not disappoint!! Our server was so friendly and very informative. We started the evening with a couple glasses of their signature wine, the amazing bread basket and followed it with the eggplant parmigiana. Our entrees consisted of the crispy potato gnocchi and the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese!!! The restaurant provided us with complimentary truffles and to finish our night off, we both ordered the Tiramisu!! OMG!!!! So delicious!!! We will definitely be back!

Came here for my birthday and the food blew me away! Honestly some of the best Italian I’ve had in a long time. Great atmosphere and incredible flavors. 10/10 would recommend for a celebration.

I came here to celebrate my husband’s birthday and this place did not disappoint. From the valet service, beautiful ambience, tasty appetizers, and beautifully crafted meals. The drink options and desserts were divine. The waiters were well-informed and made everything exceptional.

I had to wait about 40 minutes past my reservation, but honestly, it was totally worth it. The food at Nicola’s was incredible — I did the tasting experience and every dish was spot on. Our server was amazing — super knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly knew his wine. The pairings were perfect. And that bread basket… easily the best in the city. The bread maker has been there for 40 years, and you can taste the love and experience in every bite. Despite the wait, this place absolutely deserves 5 stars. Great atmosphere, phenomenal food, and top-tier service. I’ll definitely be back.

Came here for NYE dinner in 2025. Great environment, not loud at all. Food was great but not perfect, service was spot on. Scallop Saltimbocca was my favorite, love the texture and the bacon. Risotto was undercooked, still little raw and hard, all of us got this issue and it was unfortunate. Short ribs got great and strong flavor, love it.

I like to think myself as a collector of dishes. I know where to go for my favorite dessert, my favorite latte, the best seafood. Nicolas surprised me because literally every dish we tried was delicious. The bread stood on its own. I wanted to sell a kidney to take home more of that truffle focaccia. I tried two half pastas, Bolognese noodles melted my mouth and the risotto felt like taking a bite of the perfect margarita pizza. The tiramisu rivaled ones I've tasted abroad and the yuzu tart was the perfect mix of tart and sweet. Now I just have to find a sugar daddy so I can go back and try everything on the menu.

This is mine and my fiancée’s favorite restaurant. We had our first date here and have come back every anniversary since—it’s such a special place for us. Our go-to is the eggplant Parmesan, and on our last visit they happened to be out of the pomodoro sauce. Our server Eileen was amazing and told the manager, Michael. He actually went down the street to their sister restaurant to grab pomodoro so we could still have our favorite dish. That level of care is incredible. 10/10 recommend!! We love this place and the amazing team behind it!

Been awhile and we have missed out. Outstanding service and cuisine. Tried the following: Roasted Mushroom Soup (could have this every day!) Malfatti (amazing flavor in each bite) Moulard duck breast (you've never had duck presented this way - delicious!) Yuzu Tart (our favorite) Chocolate Complexity (chocoholics rejoice!) Bread service well above average with a variety of selections Orangecello Cosmopolitan was unique and went down easy Highly recommend you try before they move to 4th street.

We came here to celebrate something really special.. we had just gotten our wedding bands, and unfortunately, it just wasn't the experience we hoped for. We had added a note to the reservation about our celebration, but we were seated in a section that wasn't private and right up against other guests. It didn't feel like the kind of atmosphere you'd want for a special occasion. Our server was wonderful -- nothing against her at all -- but the food just completely missed the mark for me. We ordered the tasting menu, and I honestly didn't enjoy any of the courses. I took a bite or two of everything and ended up boxing up the last two dishes because I couldn't bring myself to eat them. Nothing was comped or adjusted, which I understand happens sometimes, but as someone who's worked in the industry, I was surprised that no one tried to make things right when it was clear I wasn't enjoying the meal. Overall, it just wasn't the celebratory experience we were hoping for...disappointing considering the occasion.

Visited in celebration of our wedding anniversary during Restaurant Week. Complimentary glasses of prosecco were a lovely touch for our special event. The three-course meal was wonderful, with very creative combinations of ingredients: a foie gras on toasted brioche, followed by a spaghetti braised lamb ragout, and a third course of the most succulent slices of prime NY strip steak in an incredible sauce including salsa verde and chianti wine. The atmosphere is elegant and quiet with a gorgeous chandelier worthy of Music Hall. Unfortunately, however, the service did not match the food or ambiance. Two servers delivered the third course, including the ceremonial pouring of the wine sauce onto the plate, while I still was eating the second course. They did not blink an eye, just placed my new course to the side of the small table. I was both flabbergasted and disappointed.

An amazing experience the service was wonderful. The gnocchi was the best. The lobster risotto. was great. Our server Austin was the best. Bartender Sean was amazing in his knowledge if wine. Thank you we will be back. Oh and the tiramisu is outstanding.

We came in for their special Mother's Day menu. First time dining here, and we were not disappointed. Initially we were seated inside the restaurant, but they happily accommodated my wife request to eat out on their patio, which is very nice! For our appetizer, my wife tried their roasted mushroom soup, which she loved, and I tried their baked oysters. I'm not a huge oyster lover, but these were very good. We both ordered their Tagliatelle Bolognese. Off the hook good! Our server shared with us that Monday evenings are Bolo Monday, and I would say that is worth the price. Both of us tried the tiramisu for dessert - it was excellent. High marks for the food and service. They were both fantastic. We will be back!

This is an anniversary / birthday restaurant. You're just going to have to reckon with the fact that you are going to be paying in the hundreds for a few small plates. Once you can move past the price point, you can begin to enjoy Nicola. Service is excellent. Top-notch, even. Servers are knowledgeable about the dishes, and tend to your ever need. The ambiance is perfect. It feels classy, yet intimate. It's a date-spot, par excellence. It feels cozy and dim, but never dark. The food, however, is fine. Small plate, nice plating, but nothing that will shake your world. It's good enough for a fancy restaurant, but doesn't exceed expectations in any way. You're not getting good value, but it doesn't taste like every dollar spent.

It felt like dining in Europe, with service that allowed the group I was with to sit and talk for hours. The kindest servers & hosts, food that was worth dreaming about, and an atmosphere that was cozy and inviting for such sweet conversations!

We had a reservation and got a fantastic table outside for our group of 7. The appetizers came quickly but the drinks took some time. I waited 15 min for my martini and so did a couple of people who ordered wine. We waited 25 minutes for our desserts and asked a couple of different people if they were coming. We got there at 530 and it took nearly 3 hours for us to eat due to the slower service.

We went to Nicola's for dinner with friends during Cincinnati Restaurant Week because the menu read well. My partner and I were celebrating our recent engagement so the waiter brought out some free champagne for us, just my fiancé and I. Felt a little awkward enjoying champagne in front of our friends who didn't get anything; feel like they should have given champagne to the whole group... For food, we ordered their bread basket and everything off their restaurant week menu. - Scallop Saltimbocca 5/5 - Great flavor, beautiful presentation - Braised Pork Belly 3/5 - Wagyu of Pork is disappointing, not very tender, texture like pulled pork - Black Truffle Risotto 4/5 - I LOVE truffle and the risotto was good - Rabbit Ragout 3/5 - Mouthfeel and presentation was like a tuna fish casserole, disappointing given it uses a premium ingredient like rabbit. Tasted fine, nothing special, rabbit had pork texture - Moulard Duck Breast 2/5 - Cheeewwwyyy duck was not good. The sauce was great but the duck was so dry and chewy, like chewing beef jerky! We complained to the waiter and they gave us a new dish, which was really nice. - Crispy Branzino 5/5 - Great flavor with crispy fish skin, well cooked

Amazing upscale dining option for a date night, celebration, girls night, you name it. We went with some friends and everyone ordered something different! We got the bread variety which was delicious and a round of drinks. The espresso martini was one of the best in Cincinnati - very espresso forward and not too sweet. I ordered the Hard Thymes and it was so refreshing and light. For your main - you cannot go wrong with the gnocchi or the bolognese! Already craving their espresso martini and bolognese...

One of the more higher end Italian restaurants in Cincinnati. This has been on my list for awhile and finally got to try it out. It sure did not dissappoint. The servers were very professional and welcoming. Their truffle gnocchi was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The bolognese was rich and flavorful and paired well with their selections of homemade bread. My favorite was the presentation of the tiramisu, I will definitely be back for more!

Went to Nicola's for a friend dinner anniversary and it was great. Our server Maddie was really nice and helped with great recommendations! Would love to come back and check out their bolo Monday!

I was here on a work dinner but this would be a great place to go for date night. - Gluten free options - Dressy - Pricey - Great cocktails - Great service A lot of seafood on the menu and my group loved it.

Always a great experience at Nicola's. I have visited for personal and work and have always had an amazing meal. I appreciate that they have so many GF options as it is normally very hard to find GF at Italian restaurants! I most recently had the GF Bolognese and one of the seasonal salads. The Bolognese sauce is amazing. My other guests tried some of the other pastas through the "sample" portions - it is amazing they will let you order almost half sizes to be able to sample so many items. All the wine and cocktails are always amazing, I have never had a bad drink here. Overall a 10/10 place and always reccomend coming here !

This remains one of our go-to special occasion restaurants. The gnocchi are famous and fantastic, especially with truffles! There is a range of options including appetisers and salads. The drinks are terrific. Monday bolognese special is a treat.

My husband and I went to dinner here to celebrate our upcoming wedding (late review, sorry)! Everyone at Nicola's made us feel so beyond special. Everyone took the time to congratulate us. We received a few freebies in honor of our celebration (which seems to be a hard thing to find or receive these days at most restaurants). We were so happy with our decision to celebrate at Nicola's and cannot wait to be back again. Also, food was AMAZING! Literally everything we ordered was top notch.

Service was amazing here. Everyone was so nice. Food was delicious the only thing it is lacking is larger portions as the restaurant is quite expensive. Ambience is very unique I enjoyed it. I would recommend Lavander Creme Brûlée!

Poor service. Charged for items I didn't order. Apparently computer system overrides common sense.

We have been dining here for decades and are always very delighted. Last night for the first time I was a bit disappointed. The fall menu featured a creamy pumpkin soup. It was delicious, except for a shocking ingredient of tiny raw shrimp that didn't enhance the soup... but was really unpleasant. The red pepper risotto was also unexpectantly bland, flavorless and did not resemble risotto I've had before. It should be very rich in flavor with a creamy parmigiana. The server also mixed up our order. My husbands haddock was delicious however as was my crème brûlée.

It had been a long time since we'd been to Nicola's. It will be much longer until we go back. The atmosphere is still superb. The menu is both much more limited and much more expensive. The bread basket is $17 (and not really good). Most items on the menu are extreme haute cuisine. The only item on the menu my husband was even interested in was the steak, which was $72. Prices higher than Jeff Ruby's...and...not as good. We were not in a hurry, out on a leisurely date night, but our server Alex was slow. He kept apologizing for the delays. The table next to us had a different server and she was ON IT. Orders coming out, water refilled, drinks re-ordered. While we waited. And waited. And waited some more. We had a drink in the bar after dinner. There is no place to sit in the bar where freezing air isn't blasting down onto you. Not very enjoyable, though it was relatively quiet. We were planning on an expensive dinner, which we had. But for the price, we expect better service. Not going back anytime soon. I hope this is helpful.

If I want to have a intimate dinner, then Nicola's is my go to. The food is always immaculate and the service is 5 star.

The ambiance, food and service were simply amazing. It's our second visit to an establishment that's been here 27 years. I can't wait to return. I learned that the menu changes with the season and the chef was so willing to accommodate me as a vegan. We both got pasta dishes. Mine had a red sauce and veggies and his had lamb and a meat sauce. I brought half my meal home due to the generous portions. I'm thrilled because I get to enjoy the experience again. Even though I'm vegan I did enjoy a couple bites of the tiramisu dessert. It was most likely the best we've ever had. I highly recommend.

Holy moly, this place is phenomenal. We went to celebrate our anniversary and started our experience with complimentary Prosecco and ended with complimentary dessert. Our waitress was so pleasant and gave great recommendations - PSA you can split your entree into 2 types of pastas if you're undecided!! Such a great experience and we can't wait to come back!

Very nice, upscale restaurant in an old barn that held Cincinnati's 19th century incline trolleys. The food was delicious and the service was good. We started with the breadbasket for 2, which was the biggest and best breadbasket I've ever had. There were at least 5 or 6 different types of very original gourment breads. Then for dinner I got a dish that was a cross between gnocchi and ravioli. It was filled with a pork and red sauce and then covered in a cacio de pepe sauce. SO good but SOOOO rich that I couldn't finish it! My orange cosmo with a bubble on the top...when popped , smoke came out, was the star of the show. It was on the loud side for an upscale restaurant, but not so much that it would keep us from going back.

The food was incredible and the staff were excellent. It was the first "fancy" restaurant I've been to in a while where I didn't leave hungry- the portions were actually sufficient for the price. Service was a little slow, even when the restaurant emptied out, but the waitress was very thorough and friendly and did a great job. My partner and I were here to celebrate my birthday; she had called in advance and purchased flowers for the table, which we got to take home in the vase, too. They actually printed menus that said "Happy Birthday, Alexandra" on them, which she wasn't even expecting. It made it feel extra special! My only complaint was not knowing we would be charged for still water- the bottle was $11, which was a rip off. But everything else exceeded our expectations and we would definitely return for another special occasion.

Great Italian food cute ambiance and very knowledgeable staff. Nice wine selection. Those dumplings are a must try.

Beautiful place and incredible food. We were there for Easter and had a large party. The food came out fast and was all incredible. The staff were very kind and the whole experience was wonderful. Portions were nice size and quality was superior.

Nicola's is a great upscale Italian option in Cincinnati. I came here for two work dinners and really enjoyed the food and service both times, with a cozy warm ambiance. I definitely recommend the truffle gnocchi, and there are some great dessert drinks including the affogato and the sgroppino!

Here's a rule that is ironclad: never go to a restaurant on a holiday that has a prescribed menu and charges your credit card a flat price plus a fixed gratuity. Even before you sit down! Against my own rules, we booked a table at Nicola's for Mothers Day. $65.00 plus tax pluds 22% gratuity. It's Nicola's after all. We were placed at a table directly on the flight path for servers from the kitchen. It was jumping. And loud. But, you know, it's Mother's Day. Cut them some slack. But there are limits and you should never chisel on the portions! And chisel they did. The "main courses" were laughably tiny. It was all pretty meager. And the pace was very fast: Hello: here's you pre-selected food: Pay extra for your desert. Then arrividerci. Got to turn those tables. Mother's day, ya know! We've been to Nicola's a few times before. It's good food and careful service. And it's 'spensive'. On this holiday, it was like entering a completely different business. The pace was alarmingly fast and more like an army mess hall than a respectable resto! All I can say is schifoso, troppo caro per cibo deludente!

We've been here twice now and both times were fantastic! Great ambiance, fantastic food, always accommodating for gluten free folks or allergies in general. We booked a reservation for Valentine's Day this year and boy are we glad we did! We got seated almost right away even though when we checked in they said they were running a bit behind. We got the wine pairing with the pre fixe Valentine's menu and when we were sat down were informed there was a second one that was an upgrade where the pairings were selected by the head chef and somm, so we opted for that. Food came out pretty quickly and everything we ordered was delicious. We both opted to order the opposite things so we could try everything! The Insalata Alpine Endive salad was SO GOOD. It was just the right balance of everything. I was a little hesitant about the beet risotto, but oh man... I don't regret getting that at all! Just a little earthy taste that went so well with the parmesan. The scallops were perfectly cooked, as was the steak. I didn't try the gnocchi (playing it safe), however my husband said it was fantastic. For desert, I opted for the Chocolate Caramel Panna Cotta and he got the Triple Chocolate Hazelnut cake. I want that Chocolate Caramel Panna Cotta every night for dinner! haha! Overall we had a fantastic night. Great staff, great atmosphere, great experience.

We enjoyed Bolo Monday at Nicolas after a long time! Still so delicious and such a great deal. Tagliatelle pasta and salad for $17 ! They have a vegetarian version with seasonal veggies Of course we got the infamous bread basket filled with alll the goods We also tried a few new menu items! The boucheron goat cheese salad - great for sharing, the goat cheese is baked and really yummy Eggplant parmesan - it is so neatly crafted together and the fresh mozz and ricotta oozes out when ya cut into it The dark chocolate hazelnut was rich and delicious perfect way to end our meal!

This is me and my boyfriend's favorite restaurant. My boyfriend ordered the Lamb Rossini in Crosta and rated 15/10. The service is always excellent here - friendly, personable, and knowledgeable. Our server, Alex, took his time to help us with our wine selection and asked the opinion of the sommelier to ensure we made the best selection to pair with our food. As a vegetarian, I always order the gnocchi, and if I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be the gnocchi from Nicola's. We will always be back, and if you're from out of town, this is a must visit restaurant.

We came to Nicola's on a Saturday night. The ambiance was pleasant and the service was satisfactory. There were a couple sommeliers on staff who came to us and gave us suggestions for wine - one sommelier was better than the other. Overall, we would say that Nicola's was just fine. For the price, we were expecting to be more impressed. The food was pretty average with the exception of the duck, which was not as tender as desired. The best thing we had was the goat cheese salad. We weren't unhappy with our experience, but wouldn't recommend it and probably will not be back.

Bread basket here is a must! I've been able to dine at Nicola's twice now. I enjoy the bolognese and the gnocchi. It is a nice more upscale Italian restaurant with the dim lighting and beautiful space. On our most recent visit, service was a bit all over the place and we were left unattended for large periods of time. This was not the case for my other visit, and I do look forward to visiting again.

Nicola's is always an absolute pleasure! I reviewed them a few months ago, and it's always so delicious. I have always visited every time there's an important moment in my life to celebrate. This time, I came to celebrate my 25th birthday with friends. The food was amazing as per usual. The service was great, and shoutout to Mikah (I probably butchered the spelling) - he was my waiter when I came for restaurant week, and he remembered me! He's very funny and friendly, and we enjoyed having him as our waiter. The ambiance was perfect, since they took us to a more private space and it felt very cozy and intimate. I loved it all and I cannot wait to be back. NOT PICTURED: the complimentary birthday dessert, which was a tiramisu. It was delicious. 10/10.

Had a great dinner here with my husband and my grandparents! Started with the bread basket, which included a great variety of unique breads and all were delicious. I split the bucheron goat cheese salad and loved it! For my main course, I got the Bolognese that I have heard so many wonderful things about and it was just as good as I had hoped! I heard they have a Monday Bolognese special - I would definitely return for that!

Had dinner tonight with the family at Nicola's. The restaurant was a bit subdued but I'm guessing because it's a short holiday week. The service was top notch and the food was excellent. I had the lamb chops, which were a perfect medium rare with an interesting vegetable stack and creamy mashed potatoes. Dessert was a show stopper: the carrot cake was beyond delicious with fried carrot curlycues. Over all another excellent meal with fantastic service that keep us coming back!

Delicious Italian food. We visited Nicola's Ristorante on a Friday evening. It was busy, but there were tables available. The restaurant is speckled with decorations related to Italian culture across many different time periods. The restaurant is spread of over multiple rooms, but each room offers the feel of a fine dining experience. I ordered the Negroni, the roasted mushroom soup, and crispy potato gnocchi. The Negroni had a wonderful herbal flavor and was one of the best that I have tried. The roasted mushroom soup was heavenly, and I wish there had been more. The gnocchi and the sauce were absolutely fantastic, but the truffle shavings were pretty bland. Overall, I had a phenomenal experience at Nicola's Ristorante and would highly recommend them (just don't add the shaved truffle to your dish).

In the dark days of COVID, when I dreamed of the day I would feel comfortable enough to go out to eat, I found myself dreaming of Nicola's as that blessed first restaurant. Why? Oh, I'll tell you. Try their goat cheese salad. No, it's not a light sprinkle of goat cheese lazily tossed on top of sprigs of lettuce. Imagine a small wheel, gooey, warm, melting onto your fresh lettuce. Bite into the cheese and wonder why no one else serves goat cheese this way. Try their prosciutto melon salad. Yes, technically you can make something similar at home... but will you? Where will you source the ingredients, how do they find the sweetest and freshest cantaloupe? And the prosciutto - did you know there is real and fake prosciutto? It's true, I've tasted it, and Stanley Tucci talks about it on his eating through Italy show. They use real, salty, flavor filled, prosciutto. Now, my favorite thing: the gnocchi with the cheese sauce. Imagine, if you will, pillows that angels sleep on. That is this fresh gnocchi. Would not angel drool taste heavenly? That is what this cheese sauce is. Just... ugh... heavenly... perfection... what foodies live for. Short ribs and half moon pasta - they don't always have them, but when they do... divinity... Knowledgeable and helpful waitstaff, exceptional wine and cocktail selection. Oh, I want to go back right now. Heads up: parking is difficult. You will not walk out full paying less than $60 per person but it is worth every penny. Good to know: they have a great small private room

Beautiful and historical restaurant, definitely a special occasion spot . Table enjoyed the bread ( gluten free options too!) with butter and oil . Husband and I shared the goat cheese salad, egg plant appetizer, and the bolognese and gnocchi. Everything was incredible !! Service was very responsive and professional.

We had a great experience at Nicola's. Cocktails were prepared well, bread and salad were delicious and the bolognese may have been the best I've ever had! Our server was great too.

Excellent ambiance and food was awesome!! We went for my daughter's birth day and server was very nice !! - Amazing experience !!

It was a pretty terrible experience and I'm still a bit shocked by the lack of service. Our waitress was bad. She didn't bring us water, didn't acknowledge our kiddo (like, at all, until it was time for us to sign the bill aka tip her), forgot to bring things we ordered multiple times, especially basic things like drinks for our kiddo (multiple times), didn't check in on us. We had another waitress bring us water and saw the kitchen staff runners more than we saw her. Honestly, she really ruined the vibe of dinner for us and was fairly dismissive to our family. The food.... was NOT worth the price. Maybe the bad service & upselling made it seem even worse. -The kids meal pasta was the exact same thing as the regular version but $15 more. We got both, per the recommendation that the regular version would be better...disappointing. - The waitress tried to push bread on us, making it sound like it was complimentary but we saw that a bread basket was $12. Which seems a little dumb for bread and butter. Off-putting. - The goat cheese salad was yummy, so it wins a star. - My wine was a sad pour with wine cork pieces in it. I didn't get a chance to say anything - not that I would of - because the waitress never came back to check on us. -The scallop appetizer was A scallop - literally one. Ummmm.... mmmkay -The absolute pits was the dessert. We decided to get a carrot cake to go and we were given something that looked like a half-eaten crumb of a piece of cake. It was sooooo ridiculous. We honestly never complain but asked if this was indeed the correct item to receive and the waitress was curt in her reply that it was. Look at the pictures I am attaching - this was while we were still at the table! What a joke. The hostess was nice so I guess there's something. Overall, there have to be better places in Cincinnati to get good Italian food and service. This place ain't it.

I made reservations at Nicola's for my birthday which also happens to be Valentine's Day. I went along with a friend and made my reservations early. I got a phone call a couple of weeks before my dinner to inform me they were doing a special menu for Valentine's Day. I was a little disappointed because I really wanted to do their chef tasting menu but they assured me that it would be good! So I got there and they had valet parking and I figured they would have a way to scan your card but they do not. You need to either have cash or a Venmo account. It was $10 for parking but in that neighborhood that is a good deal because there are all kinds of restricted parking areas and neighborhoods where the streets are packed so really it is a must to use the valet. We did wait a very long time for a waiter and finally I had to ask for somebody to be sent over. Stuff for Valentine's Day did a three-course menu with a couple of choices in each course. Funny my friend and I chose the opposite of each other on every single course. We did add on the bread service I believe that was $7 but it is so worth it. That bread was excellent we ate every bit of it. We also ordered a couple of cocktails to get started she had the limoncello cocktails and I had the orangecello cocktail. We did decide the orangecello was the better of the two. So for the first course I ordered the red beet tartare and she ordered the Boucheron goat cheese salad. These were both very good she really liked her and I really appreciated the small dice on the beet and the crunchy topping. For the second course I ordered the crispy potato gnocchi and she ordered the egg yolk raviolo. I could see that her egg yolk was perfectly runny in her raviolo and she said it was very good. I will say that this is the best gnocchi I have ever eaten, it was a little crispy and a pillowy inside with some shaved truffle over top. For the third course she had the duck leg confit and I ordered the halibut. She really liked the duck leg and it looked fabulous! I think I should have got that one instead of the halibut, the halibut was slightly overcooked. We did go ahead and order dessert. I ordered the tiramisu which they gave to me for my birthday and she ordered a dessert drink. Overall it was a pretty good night and we both agreed that we would have to go back and try it again!

My husband and I were visiting Cincinnati for the Bengals game and came here on our last night for dinner. Definitely get a reservation ahead of time as they fill up fast - for good reason. The food was amazing (I'm not a huge pasta girl but I feel like I should be now). The goat cheese salad was 10/10, potato gnocchi 10/10 and the bolognese was amazing as well. We ended with a rice pudding specialty dessert that wasn't on the menu and it was fantastic as well. We loved the dim lighting and overall experience of the restaurant. Overall, so happy we stumbled upon this place via yelp and wanted to recommend to anyone else looking for somewhere to eat

I give the ambience & service five stars. And the food a 4. I do, however want to return and try additional things because maybe I just ordered what was wrong for my palate that day. The beet and goat cheese appetizer didn't hit the mark. It was creative but not delightful. My entrée was good, but probably not some thing I'd tell people they must have.

Excellent food and wine selection! The ambiance was on point and love our server! I highly recommend!

I throughly do not understand the hype. The bread was the best thing... I had such high hopes because so many people recommend it. Maybe it was an off night, but it was so bad that we aren't considering a second chance.

Nicola's was my favorite restaurant growing up in Cincinnati. My parents and I always went here for special occasions. So when I was visiting Cincinnati the other weekend I knew I needed to go back. I sat at the bar and had great service. I had a bee's knees cocktail and then a glass of Pinot Noir with dinner. I had the eggplant parm appetizer which was amazing! It had sooo much cheese and definitely filled me up before dinner. Then I had the bolognese for dinner. It was really very good but ultimately had to take most of it home because I was so full from the first course. I absolutely will go back next time I'm in town!