Avril & Bleh Meat Market

Very sad to finally be posting this review. Been coming to this market since I moved back to town in 2023. Sometimes excellent, friendly service, sometimes abrupt rude service. I recently got a 3 lb chuck roast for over $40. I shrugged it off telling myself it’s better quality. Got it home and about 2/3 of it was bone. Called today to ask about the price of cube steak - $10.99 a pound. I thought the guy misheard me. Never in my life heard of cube steak that expensive. Then I got to reading some of the business’s responses to customer complaints and I’m very disappointed at how unprofessional they are. I’ll be going to Mackie’s or Eckerlin’s at Findlay Market from now on for better prices and better service.

Hands down best butcher shop!! These gentlemen were kind, professional and gave delicious samples.. we found our favorite meat market! They also have wonderful sides, baked goods etc .. highly recommend!

This is a review of only their walk-up lunch window (which is fantastic), since I haven't otherwise shopped their market (which I assume is also great). A perfect quick and filling lunch spot from 11am to 2pm on Tuesday through Friday. The line moves fast even when it seems long. They cook and serve the meats they make in-house (burgers, hotdogs, brats, metts, chorizo, Italian and Polish sausages) with whatever fixings you want (sauerkraut, peppers, onions, mustard, ketchup etc). They have a lot of cold beverage choices plus fries and potato chips. I would get lunch here every week if I lived or worked downtown.

Very great tasting metts. They catered St Peter in Chains summer picnic. In my opinion they are the best in town. I think they make their stuff locally too.

Whoa! Who knew that classic butcher shops were still around. I stopped in and asked for advice on cooking sausage. Jeff walked me through the whole process, he took his time with me and gave me a very thorough education. The sausages that I bought were all delicious! The best that I have ever eaten. This place is amazing, it is well worth the special trip to pick up all of your butcher shop needs. I would give them more than five stars if Google would let me.

A good, ethical, patriotic, family-owned company who did the right thing by cutting ties with Lucius Q BBQ. I will always support companies who stand up to hatred. Way to go Steve Bleh! 🙏

An incredible experience. Great butcher shop, with all the goodies you would expect.

These guys are great. They know their regulars on a first name basis. The food is first class. I recommend the sausage making class. First class operation that supplies many restaurants in the city.

This was my first time visiting, and I wanted a sandwich for lunch. They were very kind and patient, and I was grateful as I hadn't ordered there before. They're primarily a butcher shop, so sandwiches are a little side thing they offer, but they are definitely not skimping on the quality! Only two bread options were given at the time, but I don't mind it personally since they're not in the business of sandwiches. I got the olive loaf, and asked for all the fixings except onions. Got it topped with mustard, and on white bread. The sandwich was crafted with such attention to detail that I had to take a picture before I devoured it. It was so appetizingly beautiful! I'll definitely be back, not only for lunches, but also for their butcher shop as well. All of the meat in the cases appeared fresh and if I had better cold storage at work I would have snapped some up to take home right away! The whole place looks clean as a whistle. I'm glad to know I have such a high quality option right across the street!

This was stop #1 on my mission to find the best sandwich in cincy! I think it's more of a butcher than a sandwich place but I've heard good things about it so I thought I'd try. The turkey was so delicious and had much more flavor than your typical deli meat! The sandwich wasn't anything particularly fancy, but for $8, it still hit the spot. Please enjoy this photo I took after eating three quarters of it and realizing I needed a pic. 7.5/10

Here's the deal! Just in for a quick visit while on court street! Wondering old school butcher Great service and knowledgeable staff Yea it's a little more $$. But it's 100% better than the gross supermarket across the street

A Cincinnati institution, Avril's is simply a superb butcher shop. Excellent fresh meat and poultry. Their sausages are the best! The mett is my personal favorite; they are all good. Deli items as well.

While traveling recently I had the good fortune of finding this gem. Amazing sandwiches highly recommend!

Terrific smash burger. Perfectly seasoned snd beef was crispy and balanced with fresh veg and griddled onions.

Such a wonderful find downtown. Friendly welcoming service. This will be my go to spot. It reminds me of the places back home.

Tried this place for lunch yesterday and was so impressed! They have a window where they serve all kinds of sausages and burgers- huge line. Inside they have fresh meats and will even make you a fresh sandwich! Their meats are great and they let you pick whatever you want on it. Only thing is I wish they had fresh or higher quality sandwich bread. Other than that this is a great quaint place with friendly staff. Will be back!

What an amazing little old time meat market. Nestled in downtown Cincy on Court St, they've been here forever. Great selection of steaks, pork and especially their made daily sausages and bratwurst. They supply the meat to many local restaurants downtown and OTR. Friendly knowledgeable butchers cut your choice selections to order for you. I haven't had a fresh steak from here in a very long time so tonight I'm super pumped to grill it to perfection.

Great food and great service. Picked up some metts and sauerkraut for a New Year's tradition.

Awesome shop! Great service and large selection of quality products. That's the reason the place has been around for over 100 years. We stopped in yesterday and picked up a few different items. Chicken thighs, filet and strip steaks, 70/30 ground beef, hot dogs, smoked fish with dill, pulled pork, hash browns and beef jerky. We used the chicken last night and it tasted great. So much better quality than you get it a grocery chain. The spicy beef jerky is delicious. While we didn't find it to be as hot as expected - it has awesome flavor. It's a small shop and due to pandemic restrictions right now they limit the number of people in the shop, so you may have to wait outside for a couple minutes if it's busy. Also, the construction in front makes getting to it a little bit of work - but it's totally worth it!

They do an outstanding job with their product - well worth the hassle of heading downtown

Shopped here since I was a child with lines out the front door. LOVE LOVE! center cut boiled ham. Great people!

THE only place to obtain the best cottage hams, spectacular sausages and hot dogs, the best tiny link breakfast sausages, you name it. Pro tip - take the class on sausage making, and take the class on butchering a quarter side of beef. So much fun. And you learn skills! I've been a devoted Avril's customer for a few decades now and it's my go-to butcher shop.

I when for the first time Wanted big size smoked hamhock I got 3 of them I got 2 lb of regular bacon I got 4 lb of ground beef Thanks gentleman I will be back

This place is a GEM! This was my first time here so it can be a little overwhelming when you first walk in. I wasn't looking for anything in particular and they had 4 guys working the counter. I was asked multiple times what I needed, which is great service. They are known for their sausages. I got 2 links of every sausage they had. All of them are very good! I got to talk with one of the guys about their meat cutting services. I like to smoke beef ribs and was asking if i could get some cut special with a little more meat left on them. They said i could buy that quarter and have it cut any way I like. I really like that option. The place was very clean, everything seemed really fresh, and the service was excellent. I will definitely be back.

We've been going to Avril Bleh for 40 years since the 80's. We feel this review is long coming. We support small town Cincinnati businesses. We have enjoyed Avril Bleh Meats for their home made products. We visit 2-4 times a year to stock up our chest freezer. Sadly, over the past 10 years, long before the pandemic, the butchers behind the counter have been rude when we ask questions, (not attributable to a busy Sat), or ignore our questions about their homemade meats. This happened again today. My husband stopped going into ABM many years ago after been ignored and rude to him many times. As business owners ourselves, repeat business is the cornerstone to good business. I now only go into ABM when I absolutely must restock our freezer and order many items at a time to freeze. My husband was speaking with me on my head set of my cell, when in their shop today, Thursday, May 31st at 2pm. The butcher gave me no eye contact when answering my questions for ordering a lunchmeat new to me, that they make in house. I asked if it has pepper in it? His non committal response was rude. He gave no eye contact & snorted, 'it's Italian lunchmeat'. I wanted to walk out. I payed for my many items ordered. I told the butcher, he was rude. I stated I don't even want their products and will give it to the homeless. This rudeness has gone on too many time to count in the past. Today was a final straw. No one has this many bad days from so many butchers behind their counter. We have recommended Avril Bleh Meats for 25 years to our customers, many are P&G & GE engineers & product managers, new to the city. Sadly, we will never recommend ABM them to our many clients in our "Welcome Wagon" sheets again along side Eckerlin meats. We will never darken their doors again. We do not recommend Avril Bleh Meats. They are as disgraceful to us, as Pete was to our city. This thorny rose STINKS.

This is truly one of Cincinnati's treasures. My parents and grandparents shopped there and honestly, I don't go as often as I'd like. Parking used to be a challenge but these days it's a breeze! They have a selection of deli meats that are second to none. If you like a great ham sandwich then don't miss their boiled ham, sliced thin. You can thank me later! Brats, Metts and other cookout must-haves are delicious. Also, check out their ham salad and two types of chicken salad. Great in this hot weather. I stocked up but I plan to make the trip more often now. I'm always so happy I did!

Best meat in town! Family owned and operated! Our dogs love the pig ears and they always get a treat when we go in. We love to grab a fresh sandwich for lunch. (I recommend the smoked chicken salad). We also highly recommend the Petite filets! Yummy!!!

Randy provided us with great customer service during our visit and helped us choose the perfect cuts of steak for your dinner. He brought out a few primals for us to choose from, cut each steak to our desired thickness, and trimmed them well. He was friendly, informative, and was able to answer any questions we had along the way. The steaks themselves were tender, flavorful, and overall very satisfying!

Great customer service. Helped me on the phone to make my large order of brats and sauerkraut and even gave me information on a neighboring bakery offering to let the baker leave the items with him so I would only have to stop one place. He offered to pay for them himself. Carries my items to the car. Didn't expect to find this kind of customer service in a large town like Cincinnati! The food was excellent!

They had a great selection of fresh meats. The employees were very helpful in getting me the right quantities and best cuts. Definitely recommend them.

Since 1894, Avril-Bleh & Sons has been producing sausages, cold cuts, hams, turkeys, smoked and roasted meats in the German tradition. Four generations later, they're still going strong. When you walk in you notice a huge sandwich board of which you can create your own cold cuts, and a long meat case filled with everything from steaks and sausages to potato salad and house cured pickles. I walked in and was greeted by the sweetest man ever. He gave me the rundown of how the shop worked and asked me if I would like a sandwich. I ordered up a club, and he let me know they you can only order cold cuts, but that he would be right back. He SERIOUSLY walked next door to get three slices of bacon for my sammie. If this isn't customer service I don't know what is! And just FYI my club was only $5 bucks! Super fresh, and you can't beat that price. As I perused the meat counter my mind was going crazy thinking about everything I could make with the variety of meats in this case. One by one, as each customer walked in, everyone was greeted by name and treated like family. That is what really stood out to me and why I bring my business here before anywhere else. I also wanted to note that they had fresh turkeys -- YES I said fresh! As good as they come, never frozen for Thanksgiving coming up. This is where my family of chefs get theirs every year. Be sure to order yours in advance. Last but not least, if they are out of something you can put your name on a list, and they will call you when it comes in. That is how fresh this place is! I don't know how Avril-Bleh has stayed on top for this long, but it is really impressive. I encourage you Yelpers, next time you're thinking about grilling that steak, stop in here instead of those big box stores and support your local economy. You will not be disappointed!

While the street is blocked, I want to be sure that people don't forget about this downtown gem for amazing fresh meats, and deli meats and salads made there. Great meats with great service. Help them thrive during these difficult times.

Are you old enough to remember real butchers? If not, you don't have to, you can just go to Avril-Bleh & Sons. Superior quality meats from people that take pride in providing their customers with the best product they can. What more can you ask from a business? The house-made sausages are top tier. Bacon sliced in front of you to your desired thickness. That goes for all their meats. They're full service. In fact, the first time I visited, a elderly woman came into the store behind me. She had hit the curb outside and flattened her tire. One of the butchers immediately went outside and changed it for her. Before I could begin to disingenuously offer to help her, they had it taken care of. Ok, I would have called AAA for her, I'm not an animal. Bottom line, if you want quality meat they've got it. If you want something out of the norm, you may want to call ahead, but most of the time they'll have it if you're just walking in off the street. Nice guys, good food. A complete departure from tasteless cuts of meat on a maxi-pad wrapped in a Styrofoam container from the grocery store. Oh, one more thing. In the summer, during lunch, they have a grill set up out front serving hamburgers, brats, metts, etc. Which is completely unfair because after you smell and eat those freshly grilled meats, there is no way that you're not going inside and buying some to take home.

This neighborhood shop is exactly as if you were in Mayberry and walked into the butchers. They greet most of their customers by name and "the usual" is heard often. They make their meats in house so their ham is AMAZING I absolutely loved the texture, taste and QUALITY of it. They also offer salads, sausages and cheeses. Their Swiss is great, but I really did NOT care for their turkey. The shop is small so do not be put off by the crowded feel, to me that means they have many customers who trust them to provide quality meat products again and again. I will be there on Saturday, guaranteed.

Great place, bought several pounds of their ground brisket/beef for a cookout. Several of my guests said that it was the best burger that they they had ever eaten, wanted to know where I had purchased it. I'm sure that Avril's will be getting be getting one or more new customers.

Stopped in to grab some filets and added a few more items! The filets were by far the best we have had from any butcher or restaurant. Price was very good for the high quality meat purchased. Great service and lots of options. Will definitely be back!

I no longer live in Cincinnati but now live in North Carolina and have to have items shipped to me. Len Bleh has been great at shipping to me without demanding a minimum order as some of the other Butcher Shops do while some will not even ship at all . As mentioned in another Review I was hoping to find the old style of the link Hamilton Metts and the Hot Mett. They do not quite have that but is close to what is was with the skin on unlike the prepackagted skinless Mett flavored Hot Dogs . Not a Mett to me without the snap of the skin on Mett . Their Pepper Loaf is not quite as peppery as some but still more peppery than others ..... I find it tasteful in a pitch. Now For me the Goetta has filling and meaty taste doesn't pop in the pan as much as other brands including the name brand sold in stores. It comes in two flavors regular and black pepper both are great ...... I have other meats as well that were all great. I also tried their Chili & Spaghetti which may be great to some sadly to me it was a bit uninspired and had beans but thankfully not very many ..... but flavor could use a bit more spillage from the spice rack. I like the way I am treated as well.

One of my favorite meat markets in the country. Love the sausages and the high quality of their products. I even smuggle the tasty meats back to Maui when I go back to visit my family!

I've been shopping at Avril's for my meat & poultry for two years. The quality isn't to be beat. Len and the guys are great at answering questions on the best ways to prepare a cut. If you enjoy sausages, you won't find a better assortment. My favorite is Randy's Southern Sausage, but there's a variety for everyone from a simple wiener to the Whamabamadingdong. Their lunch meats are made in house and are delicious, without the additives and extra salt used by the commercial meat houses. And it's fun to shop there - Len, Randy, Greg, Chris and the others will make you feel welcomed.

Fantastic! Family-owned deli, market, and butchery with exceptional service. They are known to work with local restaurants, providing superior meat products. I've never had anything bad from Avril-Bleh. My personal favorite is the Beer Belly Reuben. I highly recommend this spot for lunch or for all of your butchery needs!

IT HAS NOT CHANGED! no longer live in the 'nati . had not been been downtown for 20 years. naturally, i couldn't let this opportunity pass. got a block of goetta and a bunch of Hamilton metts. umm, good.

Avril's is a very solid meat shop. Most won't be blown away by the presentation management puts forward when you walk in, but based on my first visit and purchase of dry aged NY strips, these guys clearly have it going on. Finding dry aged beef available to purchase for the general public is very difficult. Avril's actually ages their product in house and I must say does an impeccable job at it. This is the first time a true dry aged steak has graced the grate if my green egg. Although I'll know how to grill a dry aged steak better next time (there is a difference) I couldn't be happier! We are lucky to have Avril's!

I stopped here on the off chance they had the homemade meats that my grandmother has been craving and was pleasantly surprised. They had all of the varieties that she has been asking for. German garlic salami, head cheese, liverwurst, etc....I'm vegan so I can't give my personal opinion but my grandmother loved it! I'll be heading here before each visit to surprise her with all her favorites.

Upon searching for a quality butcher shop to help me create a custom beef sausage for an event, I randomly found Avril-Bleh. From my first contact via email with Len, to the day we picked up the sausage, our experience could not have been more professional. They were very responsive and helped me determine the correct mix of my sausage while always respecting my opinion and ideas. The price for doing 30 lbs of sausage was incredibly generous as well. The highlight of our experience came when we arrived to pick up our sausage. We met Len, and he gave us a tour of their facility after we asked about their process. To begin our tour, we were treated to a spontaneous tasting of a new sausage they were developing. Then we got to see their current and former smokers. We were really excited to see the old smoke house that was built into the store in the 1800's! They only recently began using newer smoking equipment! On this visit, we also tasted many of the items in their case. They prepare/smoke/cure everything in-house. I think we ended up taking home another $40 worth of meats from the case. All delicious. If you are near Cincinnati, I really believe this should be your butcher shop. It is ours now, and we live in Dayton.

xlnt-we originally went to eckerlins at findlay market - they had no smoked kielbasa-found avril online- went there and purchased smoked kielbasa which was xlnt- great staff thanks again

The rudest meat shop I have every been to. They have a nice selection of meats and a particular item I can never find anywhere else, but the service is terrible!!!. The absolute WORST. Every time I go in it is an unpleasant experience. If you can stomach horrific customer service, then hey, go for it.

This place will completely change your mind about hot dogs, and show you the true potential they could have. Excellent everything, its a bit pricey but man you will not regret it.

This is a review for the sandwich shop. I realize it's a subsidiary of the meat market, but it came up under a search for vegetarian food. So, my partner and I (both vegetarians) thought we'd check it out. There were very few vegetarian choices, and good luck if you are a vegan. It was a cute place. The egg salad was not very good and had an unwelcome spice in it. The fruit salad was fine. That combo was very expensive at over $7, and I was still hungry. My husband's veggie wrap was really good and less expensive. They do charge something like 50c if your CC bill is less than $5.

A true gem of the city. My wife and I make a bi-weekly trip to stock up. Sausages and luncheon meets are "old school". The fresh beef, pork, lamb and chicken are of a quality not found in supermarkets. The prepared foods like mac and cheese, soups etc. taste homemade. If you don't see something you want, ask. Len, Chris, Randy and the guys will take good care of you.

This is a great local butcher. They make all of their own lunch meats and sausages without any preservatives or other junk that goes into the packaged stuff. They have a good selection of meats, prepared foods, and some dry goods. They only carry salmon as far as fish goes but it was wild caught and looked delishious.

For the price of their meat, the service should be better. Walked in and had to wait through all the customers in line that were ordering before I could pick up my order that was ordered yesterday. No one works the counter. Awful setup. I should have just not bothered to preorder. The staff is obtuse.

This104-year-old German butcher shop in downtown is amazing. Here, they specialize in pork products, though you can't go wrong with anything. From BBQ ribs to chicken salad, most of the items in the shop's well-stocked deli case are homemade. I stop by at least once a week to stock up on groceries. My favortie items here are the baked ham, Hamilton metts and the wagon wheels (asparagus and mozerella wrapped in tender flank steak). The holidays are a bit busy, so be sure to pre-order hams and turkeys in advance.

My mother used to drive into town from Clermont County on special occasions to get meat from Avril's as far back as I can remember (the 60's), and each time I visit and come home with Avril's, I realize why she made the effort. Every guy behind the counter goes out of their way to make your experience as great as it can be. It's the little extras; "would you like me to pull that membrane off of that?", "I can cut that in half if you like", "would you like that sliced?", "is that thin enough?". I mean they ask stuff you might not even be thinking of in an effort to improve your order. Just simply the best. House made sausage, goetta, lunch meets are all in evidence, carrying on a tradition that has survived generations. All I can say is go there. Just pace yourself. If you get everything you want in one trip, you won't be able to carry it out the door.

I know that Avril-Bleh is a full service butcher shop, but I am reviewing the wonderful sidewalk grill they operate from spring through fall, serving lunch to a downtown crowd. At my office, we call it the "meat cart" because they serve grilled meats with traditional condiments and that's about it. The menu extends to bottled drinks and a few varieties of chips. Avril-Bleh's lunchtime grill pre-dates all of the mobile food vendors now showing up on Court Street by years, if not decades. And being there first doesn't necessarily mean they're the best, but if it's a sunny day and you just want a spicy mett hot off the grill, you can do no better than a stop here. Lunch here is guaranteed to put you in a better mood as you head back to work!

If I made it downtown more often, I would not buy my lunch meats or sausages anywhere else, ever. Damn my busy life. Back when I was downtown all the time, I had the pleasure of sampling all their delicious meat art on a regular basis, and was concerned when the business was sold a while back. No worries, it's as great as ever. If I name a meat I'd have to name them all. I've never had a single sausage or lunch meat that was better from anywhere else. So get what you like and be impressed; get something you've never had and be surprised. If you're a vegetarian, stay in the car like my daughter. Though I bet she still misses the meat stick treats from her pre-vegetarian childhood days. Hey, it beats sugary old Ice cream, right?

Awesome meats. I've been a customer for decades and started going there because my GRANDMOTHER was a customer for decades before then. Amazing meats and indeed some of the best in Cincinnati. But dig deep down into your food loving soul and remember that it's all about quality, not quantity. You're going to fork over some coin. But every one of their meats I've ever had top even Boar's Head. So don't feel bad about splurging. Too bad they're stuck downtown on Court and that takes a special trip for me now. MOVE NORTH!!

Amazing butcher shop! The meats are the absolute best. Prices are competitive and the service is unmatched. We are glad we discovered this gem in the heart of Cincinnati. Be sure to try their sausages. Everything we have tried has been delicious.