Jordan C.
Yelp
I had the opportunity to go downtown to The Phoenix yesterday for the Ambassador Education and Training Seminar as part of the upcoming NAACP/National Baptist conventions. It was in the Grand Ballroom, a place that hosts many banquets and event. There is also a Phoenix Restaurant that is open from Wednesday through Saturday beginning at 5:00 p.m., but I've never eaten there so I can't talk about that.
I believe it was my third time at The Phoenix, the first two for Bar Mitzvah parties, and this time I really took note of the building. I could tell it was a very old, yet well maintained, with a grand staircase unsurprisingly called the Grand Staircase, stained glass, chandeliers, and large banquet rooms.
It turns out the Phoenix is a work of Italian Renaissance architecture and constructed in 1893, although not originally for weddings, banquets, and similar events, according to its website. The Phoenix consists of the Cincinnati Room, the Archway Ballroom, and the Grand Ballroom, each of which have different capacities that vary with the different set-ups. For receptions, the Cincinnati Room and Archway and Grand Ballrooms can hold up to 150, 250, and 550 people, respectively.
Plain and simple, The Phoenix is a great place for a big event or banquet. I know they book a lot of weddings and receptions at the former Cincinnati Club, but there are a wide range of possibilities. The history of The Phoenix is very interesting and I'd suggest checking it out online, but I'd also recommend physically checking out The Phoenix. If you ever have a chance to attend a function there it is so nice, and if you want to drop $75-100 on dinner for two, I'd imagine it would be excellent as well.
The Phoenix is truly a great staple of Cincinnati.