Silver Ladle Downtown Cincinnati

Great spot to have lunch with lots of menu items,prtions are large and fairly priced for being downtown. You order first at the counter and then self-serve your drinks. There are lots of options to choose from for nice sized portions and friendly staff as well.

Another great lunch spot downtown / by Fountain Square. Gets busy, but the line moves fast plus you can order online for pickup. The Pick Two (out of soup, salad or half sandwich) is a great deal. The Club Salad and cup of Chicken Chili was very filling. Plus, it comes with a drink. My friend enjoyed her loaded baked potato soup. They also have good cookies. Prices were reasonable.

I love this place. Whenever I'm near I stop in for lunch. I love the sandwiches and especially the soup. Today I'm having the chicken Cincinnati chili with black bean sauce, cheddar cheese and sour cream. I was so surprised when they brought out this massive plate! I hardly made a dent in it. Had to save the rest for tomorrow. Highly recommend you give them a try.

I hate leaving bad reviews. I ordered a cheeseburger the bun was like rubber& Burger overcooked. Mushroom soup Well, let's just say Campbell Soup does a better job. As far as the staff excellent it was a call in order so I didn't have the true experience.

I’ve been there a few times and it’s always good. Just had the burger and chicken chili and they were delicious.

Just wanted a bowl of loaded potato soup and chicken noodle soup. Both came quickly, both were hot and delicious. The staff was also friendly and did not rush me.

Clean and well organized with friendly service, fresh salads and hearty sandwiches. One of the better lunch restaurants downtown.

This is a very happening spot. This way first visit but I understand why the line is at the door! The dishes I had were great! I will definitely return.

The Silver Ladle is a fast casual soup, salad, and sandwich restaurant. I came here for lunch when I was in town for a convention held at the Westin hotel. After eating junk food for two days of the convention, my body needed a vegetable, so I went with the Silver Ladle salad. I was thankful for mixed greens instead of iceberg lettuce, and the combination of ingredients on the salad worked well together- it had the perfect amount of crunch from the almonds and creaminess from the cheese. Otherwise, Silver Ladle is very similar to a Panera Bread or Atlanta Bread Company. Since this isn't a chain, I hoped for more local and seasonal flair, but the food seemed straight from the distributor. This isn't a bad lunch spot if you're in the area for a convention or meeting- the service is quick, and you can eat outside. I wouldn't go out of the way to come here, though.

Outstanding food and service! Convenient location and great prices! I will definitely continue to support this business.

Great Downtown lunch spot. Awesome staff and food is quick and delicious. I had the roast beef melt..great sandwich. I choose to pare it with a cup of the mock turtle soup, i was not disappointed. I could eat two bowls of that stuff. Any if your down in the business district for lunch lunch lunch lunch, Silver Ladle is worth a try.

Silver Ladle is a classic cheap-eats lunch restaurant in Cincinnati. If you want to get a soup, salad or sandwich quick this is your place. They have lots and lots of options so it is guaranteed there will be something on the menu for you to order. Lots of other diners were eating chili or cheese coneys, as a non-Cincinnati native neither of these things enticed me, but they could be worth a try as everyone was eating them! This is an order at the counter, then take a number to your table and they deliver the food type of place. The food delivery was FAST. This was a pleasant surprise. I opted for the pick two salad and soup for lunch - ordering the Greek Salad and the Mushroom Soup (based on Yelp reviews). The salad was decent - the added olive relish was a nice touch and there were TONS of banana peppers which I love. The soup was decent as well, somewhat luke-warm and had some full slices of mushrooms in it, the consistency was a little strange however. All of this plus a drink was $10. TEN DOLLARS. So if you are looking for a cheap, decent, very fast lunch out this is your place.

Great place to eat for lunch. The environment is nice as well, but extremely busy during normal lunch hours. Staff is super friendly and accommodating.

Enjoyed every salad and soup ordered from this restaurant. Excellent packaging and provisions!

Good lunch spot that is well priced, and incredibly quick no matter the line. Solid all around.

The black bean soup is perfect and they make some fine sandwiches and fresh salads. The staff is genuinely friendly and provides excellent service. One can tell that they really care about your experience. The place is clean and well lit. This was only my second visit and I look forward to many more to come.

Great little spot downtown for a quick, inexpensive lunch. I wasn't feeling too well so I was craving some chicken noodle soup. The Silver Ladle's page was first to pop up when I turned to Yelp for a suggestion. The chicken noodle soup was traditional, hearty and exactly what I needed. A friend of mine ordered the pick 2 lunch with a greek salad and the muffaletta. She was very pleased with this selection. The ingredients looked very fresh, and the portion sizes were generous for the price. I can't wait to go back when I am feeling better so I can go back to try more! They offer a dine in option or you can carry out or get delivery (I'm unsure of the territory, though). You can also order boxed lunches, a buffet style lunch or chili bar to fill your catering needs. Overall a win for lunch!

Yummy chopped Italian salad! The soups looked very good but we didn't get any. My daughter's chicken salad grilled on sourdough was excellent. The staff was pleasant and attentive even though we came in close to closing time. The sandwich and salad had plenty of meat and really fresh greens. Nice big room with plenty of tables

Great lunch spot downtown. The food is always hot and fresh-and staff has always been friendly and helpful. Salads, soups, sandwiches-everything I've ever had here is great. They offer their own homemade "Cincinnati Style" chili and a really good Buffalo Chicken Soup. And if you enjoy a good, greasy (in a good way), melty diner cheeseburger-definitely try their "American Burger"! Great for dining in or carry out. Check 'em out!

Silver Ladle is a tried and true place to get a quick bite to eat at a reasonable price. Staff is friendly and try to do the best they can. Food is good too. Options range from chili, salads, sandwiches and soups. Plenty of choices to allow one to try a bunch of different things.

I came here mid-afternoon for a late lunch and the manager was prompt and friendly in greeting me, though the place was deserted. I got the Silver Ladle sandwich and soup combo, which were both satisfactory but nothing remarkable. Probably would skip this place next time. (Bumped up from two to three stars for friendly service.)

3.5 stars. Solid lunch option downtown, normally pretty fast and the food is consistent. I find the soups and chili to be quite good, the other items are more average in quality. Almost always under $10 with a drink. I like they bring the food to you if you are dining in. Crackers at the table.

Sandwiches and soups are truly Outland delicious! Even better they travel well for take out and catering. I had Silver Ladle cater a party for 22 and the completes on the sandwiches came all night long. Will be using them again and again!

Such an easy and delicious lunch. I order on the ritual app and it's done by the time I leave my desk and walk in their front door. Their soup + half a sandwich for $9 option is THE BEST. I cannot recommend the buffalo chicken wing soup enough!

We tried them for the first time at the Taste of Cincinnati and I can't wait to eat there again! . The Black and Blue melt was so savory. The meat was tender and perfectly seasoned. It wasn't the cleanest burger to eat but it was worth every oily stain. The chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick converted me. I don't like cheesecake but the chocolate coating was decadent and the cheesecake flavor was complex.

This is my go to lunch spot. I've worked downtown for over 25 years and this is now one of my favorite places for a quick lunch! Salads are huge, sandwiches are fresh and soup is hot. Employees are super friendly, it is reasonably priced and service is fast.

I saw this restaurant's opening discussed via an article about Restaurant Row along 6th and Walnut sometime back. Shortly thereafter it came through on my Facebook news feed as an up and coming joint. I friended them at that time, for a moment when I might be up for trying a new locale. It all looked promising. Today, when my coworkers asked for a suggestion for a birthday lunch, this came in handy. Kudos to stories about new locales and the power of Facebook, I guess. Silver Ladle has a great downtown location, with ample seating inside, lit by the large front windows, as well as outdoor seating shaded by the surrounding building (thus cool enough for Cincinnati heat, but with the breeze in your hair). Great place to sit and chat after a good meal (lamely, we had to go back to work). Foodwise, there is a good selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, and even chili (build your own and with a chicken version- not typical 'Cincinnati meat sauce'-sorry Skyline) to satisfy anyone in a potentially diverse party. The food options are listed on a board as you walk in, and while laid out simply, I couldn't decide on a direction (first time jitters?). In the end, I went with soup and a sandwich. A solid choice with great execution. I had the 580 sandwich (turkey, ham, banana peppers, swiss, house sauce) and a side of Black Bean soup ($1.99 to create a combo). It was really tasty, fresh, simple, and clean. The service was quick- by the time we sat, the food was already arriving. My coworkers ordered the ham and gouda on pretzel bread (rave reviews) and something a bit more American looking- with shredded cheese, also a hit. A salad on the table looked good, though I'm not usually a fan of ice berg lettuce and it seemed mostly of that variety. Yet another coworker ordered a burger. There are two patties with the topping between them (like Five Guys but less greasy looking). I didn't try it, but for the size, the price was right and the combinations looked appealing. I'd like to go back and try some other menu items...even this chicken chili on spaghetti- a rift of the 3-way I might be able to get behind. To make this a little more interesting, I read that the restaurant has connections to the family who started Skyline Chili (great grandson), the Lambrinides, and current ties (son) to the restaurant Nick and Tom's on the West side of town. It's always good to see family ties and local roots popping up all over town, it makes dining out more fun. In summary, I really enjoyed my food, the outdoor seating, and the bright modern colors inside. If you're in the area looking for a quick, tasty, fresh meal, give it a shot.

Totally messed up my order. Ordered a 3way spaghetti, white chicken chili, black beans, and sour cream. Ended up with a regular 3 way. The food was fresh. The place was clean. Lots of menu options.

Silver Ladle is a rather disappointing addition to Sixth Street's so-called "Restaurant Row." What I've tried has been relatively bland and unimaginative. All the sandwiches but one are served on a doughy and not-very-flavorful telera roll (apparnetly a Latin cousin of ciabatta), and the cold cuts seem like they're of the grocery-store variety. (As far as I can tell, there's no in-house roasting of meats as at Wicked-Wich a couple of blocks away.) No enhancing garnishes are used except for a "signature sauce" that tastes like an only-slightly-zinged-up mayonnaise. To Silver Ladle's credit, everything seems very fresh, but that doesn't help very much when you're serving a sandwich that is hardly more inspired than what you get out of a convenience-store cooler. For a $1.99 you can get a cup of soup with your sandwich. This sounds like a really good deal until you get your soup, which comes in a receptacle about the size of petri dish. And Silver Ladle, please don't call your rather pallid chicken-and-vegetable soup "Cajun Chicken Gumbo" just because it has a few pieces of okra and some grains of rice in it. Spinach salad was pretty blah, and contained several rotting spinach leaves. Kinda gross. Yeah, spinach goes bad quickly, but this kind of thing is too easy to avoid. Plusses: the staff is friendly and efficient, and the spacious, open, airy dining area is colorful, clean, and pleasant. Silver Ladle is OK for a quick lunch stop-in, but not much more. It mainly reminds me how much I miss the far better sandwiches from Lunch on Main, which was only half a block away and has since converted to a gourmet hot dog shop. Silver Ladle is another exhibit in the "Yelp Needs Half-Star Options" appeal. 2.5 stars, rounded up thanks to the service and decor, because the food, at least in my experience so far, is definitely closer to the two-star level. UPDATE (5/2017): I'd effectively given up on the Silver Ladle during its first few months in business, but maybe I shouldn't have. Was there for lunch recently and had a better experience than I recalled from a few years back. A sandwich (a muffaletta) was still kind of unexciting, but side salad was actually sizeable and nicely done. And given how busy the restaurant was, the service was impressively fast. Soup still seems like a bad deal, though. Not superb or anything, but this was definitely better than the 2.5-star average I originally came up with, and good enough to get me back inside Silver Ladle's doors for future visits.

Love this place! I go here often for lunch and have somewhat became a regular. The staff is very nice and the food is deelish. I wish this place was open on weekends especially since I frequent downtown a lot. But overall great place for good food, good service and affordable!

Picked up 4 different soups, tomato basil, cream of mushroom, Italian wedding and chicken gumbo. All were very delicious. Plenty of tasty ingredients just like homemade.

Have been having the silver ladle salad with my chicken gumbo the last couple of visits - delicious healthy option!!

Earlier today I had an afternoon appointment downtown and once it was over I took advantage of the situation to get something to eat from one of many newer restaurants in the area. The Silver Ladle isn't that new, as it opened in March 2012, but it is still new to me and seems like it is still new to many others as well. Silver Ladle is located on 6th Street in the ground level "restaurant row" of the ever evolving 580 building. There is a small patio area outside with floor to ceiling windows for those on the inside. A menu is posted between the sets of entry doors and another is posted high above the ordering counter. After orders are placed at the register, a number is handed to you, and the restaurant dining space is open seating. Don't forget to grab some napkins and plastic utensils near the drink machine before taking your seat. The inside dining area appears to be very modular, with all tables set for a party of two, but it seems that they are close enough so it would be easy to pull together multiple tables for a larger group. There is plenty of seating and a couple of smaller TV's on the wall. My 1:30 arrival is likely out of the normal lunch rush that a downtown location would bring, so there were plenty of open tables during my visit. On this visit I decided that I definitely wanted to try their award-winning Cincinnati style chicken chili. For anyone who has been to Nick & Tom's before, like I have in 2011, and had the chicken chili there, this chili will be very familiar. Silver Ladle owner Tim Lambrinides is the son of Tom of Nick & Tom fame and is the great-grandson of Skyline Chili founder Nicholas Lambrinides. I had a small sample of the chicken chili at Nick & Tom's and really enjoyed it's Skyline like flavor. Fortunately the chicken chili at Silver Ladle is equally as good! I had it served over spaghetti with cheddar cheese, diced onion and jalapeño, Cuban black bean soup, and sour cream all on top ($6.99). Also available at Silver Ladle are a variety of stuffed burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, salads, and a dozen or so soups and chili. The very kind employee who took my order recommended a few different sandwiches, but there was no way I couldn't try their chicken chili again. On another visit I might order a pick two combo with the chicken chili and half a sandwich with drink included ($8.29). I will definitely try to get back for more, but without any weekend hours it may be a little hard for me to do. If you work downtown and have not given it a try, you should definitely give it a go tomorrow for lunch.

Convenient lunch spot for downtown workers. Sandwiches are fairly simple, deli meet and garden, nothing too special. Don't bother with a sandwich, go straight for the Chicken Chili. It's like classic Cincinnati chili but with a twist, being chicken instead of beef. Lots of flavor and very hearty.

Hit this place about 1:00 on Thurs and walked right up to order. Bbq sandwich was average plus with lean oven baked shredded pork in a sweet sauce, pretty tasty if you have that bbq craving but is not a traditional pulled smoked meat like from a real bbq joint. Black bean soup was done pretty well with tastey firm beans in a very spicy broth. Was a little salty for my taste though and used crackers to dilute the saltiness. All in all very nice experience and will likely return to try more but not a Yum rating.

Fantastic for a quick lunch in the middle of a crazy work day. The soup is hot and the salads are delicious!

Best lunch place downtown. Quick service and delicious food. Try the mushroom soup and Greek salad with chicken. It's my go-to. Great service too!

Silver Ladle is a delicious lunch option for those of us who work downtown (or if you just happen to find yourself downtown on a weekday). They are open Monday-Friday 10-4. They specialize in soup, but they also offer salads and sandwiches. Their sign proudly proclaims they are "Home of the Chicken Chili," and after trying it I see why. Their Chicken Chili is like Cincinnati style chili, but with shredded chicken instead of beef. For someone who hasn't eaten red meat for about 16 years this discovery was life changing. Not only that, but I feel the addition of the chicken makes the chili a little lighter. I feel less guilty after I eat it. They still offer the traditional styles of Cincinnati chili with it. I generally get the 3-way with Chicken Chili. On a cold day it's the perfect warm up, and a very filling meal. They offer a wide variety of soups outside of the Chicken Chilli. I'll be honest though once I tried it I haven't been able to get anything else. If you are a non-red meat eater like myself, but still want to pay homage to your Cincinnati heritage I would suggest stopping by Silver Ladle on your next lunch break!

I have a confession: I LOVE burgers. There...I said it. I'm always on a search for a great burger and thought Silver Ladle was a fairly good place to have one. Unfortunately, it just didn't do it for me on this occasion. When I had Silver Ladle, (a year or so ago), the staff was friendly, the orders were correct and the taste of the burgers and sandwiches, (I've had each), were really good. However, on my most recent visit (a few months ago), the staff wasn't friendly at all, and spent a majority of the time either talking to each other, or staring at me. The burger was on the "near expensive" side and I wasn't a fan of that either. Worse, was the taste. The burger I had bought tasted average to below average, (even though it was messy; a plus in my book.) Those three things combined cemented my feelings about this restaurant. That feeling is: I'm not coming back unless a coworker sends me to get them something. This is not a place I would recommend to others...especially in their current state. If you want a good burger (or even sandwich), there are plenty of other places in the Downtown area.

This is one of my favorites indeed ... beef chili is excellent ... salads are good too!!! Affordable eats on your Downtown lunch!!!

What a lunch time staple. So many good options, but look no further than the 580 sandwich and fries. Quick, easy, and delicious!

I can't say enough good things about this place. I probably eat here or pick food up from here more often than other places downtown. Primary because it's fast/easy and the food has always been good. If you're looking to check this place out during lunch I'd recommend getting in on the earlier side ahead of noon. Or come in a little later, if you're in a hurry. I will say they do move through the line pretty good. I think the longest I've ever waited was maybe 7 minutes (thereabouts) for a carry-out order of cheese coneys. Still not bad by any means. They have a decent variety on the menu and I like that you can see them working on your meal. The staff there have always been friendly. They are extremely busy but always greet you, smile and help you without any hesitation. They also offer a uniform discount (military and I also assume first responders) which I think is pretty nice of them to do. They actually have a pretty decent sized place so finding a place to sit hasn't been an issue for me. But, I do tend to go either on the earlier side or later side of the lunch hour depending on the day. The place is clean. You don't need to worry about smelling like you came out of a kitchen in your work clothes My days get so busy I actually haven't captured any pics from here but maybe the next time I go, I'll add some. Very reasonably priced and highly recommended.

The chili was awesome and a little spicy. Definitely get it with onions and jalapeños.

The Cajun chicken Gumbo was great. It had a very authentic taste. I was greeted w a smile and friendly cashier and the food came out fast.

I walk past the Silver Ladle daily during the week when I take a walk at lunchtime downtown. They always look very busy at lunch time, people running in & out catching a bite for lunch and I see they're open 10am-9pm Wednesday - Friday. Friday was a rainy day and this week fighting a bit of a bug this week, so I was looking for some good ol' homemade chicken noodle soup, so stopped in to check out. They have 10 homemade soups daily chicken noodle, Italian Wedding, Wild Mushroom, Tomato Basil, Cajun Chicken Gumbo, French Onion, Cuban Black Bean, Mock Turtle and Buffalo Chicken Wing, and 2 chili's - the standard Cincinnati chili with beef and their own version with chicken. While I was waiting in line guy behind me raved about how good the Buffalo Chicken wing soup is, which I will have to try on a future visit, I love buffalo chicken items, but not today. They also have a variety of salads and burgers on their menu. My order was taken promptly and waited at the counter for my carryout order. I received my order about five minutes later, they were busy with sit-down and carryout orders. The soup came with a side of oyster crackers. Once I got back to the office to enjoy the chicken noodle soup it was good, lots of noodles, good pieces of chicken, celery and carrots, just right and what I needed on a rainy Friday. I look forward to returning to try the rest of their soups for the upcoming cold winter season.

Apparently this place has been open for a year, and I didn't know. Anyways the sandwiches are ok (chicken and veggie were good), but the burgers looked really weak. The soups were also tasty, but I could feel my arteries clogging with every slurp. Bottom Line: I'd come back for lunch if it was convenient.

I'm not sure why I've taken so long to stop in to Silver Ladle, but I shouldn't have waited. I'm a creature of habit and enjoy my monotonous go-tos during the weekday. After a suggestion by a friend to stop in for lunch, I'm now a regular. Their Greek Salad is delicious, with the olive relish and tangy vinaigrette dressing. The fries have some type of crispy batter to them and I can't get enough! The Silver Ladle sandwich is another one of my favorites...I love the spicy aioli sauce! I would have given 5 stars, but the burger option here is something to avoid. A frozen burger patty, covered in grease seems like such a miss with all of the other fresh options. Pass on the burger, but everything else is wonderful!

How did I not try this place sooner? It is literally right below my office building but today was my first Silver Ladle experience. I was looking fo a quick, healthy spot for lunch downtown and thats exactly what I got with Silver Ladle. With the weather quickly cooling off, I got my first seasonal chili craving and decided on chicken chili and the 580 sandwich (part of a pick 2 deal). I absolutely loved the chicken chili. Not too chuncky and had just the right amount of spice. The 580 sandwich was also good. It is served on a telera roll (always delicious) and is topped with a "special sauce" that isn't bad. The Silver Ladle features a dozen soup options and plenty of varities of salads and sandwhiches as well. I will definitely be back to Silver Ladle for a quick lunch and more of that Chicken Chili!

I have gone twice now and both times have been great. The ordering process is fast and easy. The food arrives quickly and tastes great. My favorite aspect of this restaurant is that its menu is different from the other establishments in the area. I wish others would try to distinguish themselves as much as Silver Ladle.

Craving some good soup so I yelped and found Silverladle. Happy to find an easy in / easy outlunch place that offers all the favorites... soup, salads, sammiches and while looking around at what people were eating... everything looked good, no one was frowning. I grabbed a quick cup of mushroom soup to go, staff was super pleasant and efficient. Soup was over seasoned to me but still a good quality with fresh mushroom and robust flavor. I'll definitely be back.

I was excited about the idea, but quickly deflated. This place specializes in soup & salad. Wouldn't it make sense that you could buy a soup & salad combo? Nope. You can buy a HUGE salad, for regular price, then you can buy a MICROSCOPIC serving "cup of soup" for $1.99 extra. So disapointing. Reco for the Ladle- upsize the "cup of soup" to at least a cup, and think about splitting the difference with a combo so people like me who want the best of both are delighted with your offering.

The greek salad and wild mushroom soup are delicious!

The chicken chili 3-way was awesome! Choose toppings or put them on the side. I chose black beans and sour cream and some hot sauce! Delish!!

I've passed by Silver Ladle a thousand times while working downtown and finally stopped in while I had a cold and was in dire need of a hearty bowl of chicken noodle. During the lunch hour this place gets PACKED (and it was amazing how quickly it cleared out) and I totally saw why. The service is fast and the food is affordable and tasty. I actually liked the chicken noodle more than Panera (and that's saying something coming from me) and the Silver Ladle sandwich was just as tasty (although, next time I'll go light on the chipotle mayo). There's a little outdoor patio space, which is hard to come by downtown, so I totally took advantage. I will definitely be adding Silver Ladle to my short list of lunch spots!

Awesome service! Had a large pickup order (20 people) and they happily accommodated us. Amber, the cashier, made sure the orders were accurate and prompt. And, best of all, the food was great! Everyone was very pleased. This place is highly recommended!

Cincinnati Chili done right plus good variety, who could ask for more?

The people who work there are nice but the chicken and rice soup was gross. Think condensed soup before you add the water. For a soup place, I'm surprised the soup was so bad. I couldn't even finish my take-out bowl, which cost me over $5.00. They probably would have made it right if I ate in.