Good Eats

Restaurant Recommendations From Myself and Friends/Contributors

Bahama Bob’s (Gulf Shores, AL)

Nicole and I spent our fourteenth anniversary with our two boys, Lucas and Logan, in Gulf Shores, AL. For dinner, we ventured into town and ate at Bahama Bob’s. While I’m not in a position to compare it to all the other options in Gulf Shores, it was our favorite dinner of the three that we ate out on this trip. The setting is what I want out of a beach vacation. Relaxed with plenty of outdoor seating (wait the extra time for outdoor seating, it is right on the Gulf). The food was terrific, and between sharing an appetizer (peel and eat shrimp), eating my whole entree (gulf grouper) and my share of Nicole’s like I typically do (grilled shrimp and scallops), I can attest to more than just one thing on the menu. While I am sure the majority of patrons were vacationing like Nicole and I were, the place feels homey and not touristy. Prices are a little high, but no higher than most places in town(I’ve also noticed that tourist towns kids menu items are a few bucks higher than most places. They know what they can get away with). When you’re on vacation, I guess that is to be expected. We hit up three of the seafood restaurants while in Gulf Shores, and this one rates the highest for us, when balancing food, drink and atmosphere considerations.

Maplewood (Downtown, Cincinnati, OH)

The Maplewood, located downtown Cincinnati, might have an identity crisis and that is it’s biggest strength. This place has unique offerings, seemingly all good, both in the food and drink category. It is an oversized and wonderfully built and designed setting and has brunch offerings, like various pancakes, omelettes and combo bowls, all day long, in addition to what would be traditional lunch and dinner items. Nicole and I ate there around 3 pm, which is an odd-time to eat, but felt perfect here. I strongly recommend the Chicken Hash, which is what I had. You might need a few minutes to figure out what to drink, and not just eat. Nicole was attracted to the Lemon Ricatta Pancakes, but didn’t want to go all in on them, so we split them as a side dish. Lemon is not my favorite, but the fresh fruit and syrup that came with made it a nice addition to my meal. In addition to traditional offerings, they have a full bar with specialty cocktails and local beers as well as a wide arrangement of freshly squeezed juices. This is another under-the-radar Cincinnati jewel with character, quality and it won’t break your bank.

Arnold’s (Downtown, Cincinnati, OH)

This is the oldest bar in Ohio, and one of the oldest in America. It scores extremely high in nostalgia and environment and high enough to make it worth a trip in food. The place has a full bar with some signature cocktails and a quality, if not deep, selection of draft beers including several local flavors. The restaurant itself is small, at least on the first floor, and that’s all part of the experience. During evening hours, there is a small jazz band that contributes nicely to the balanced environment of eloquent and relaxed. The food menu is not overly deep, and I don’t know that they have a specialty, per se. I had a BLT sandwich with a fried egg and horseradish cauliflower puree (not a go-to side of mine, but figured I would try something different that isn’t offered a lot of places, and I was certainly appealed to the “horseradish” part of that offering). Nicole had salmon and the “vegetable of the moment” and was very pleased. This place won’t break your bank, well allow you to experience some Cincinnati and Ohio history and will give you a live music experience on top of quality food. It’s worth a stop!

The Eagle (Over the Rhine, Cincinnati, OH)

For as much as Nicole and I eat out, we haven’t frequented the many great options in the Over the Rhine area of Cincinnati. We did try The Eagle and it did not disappoint. Nicole and I went on a friend’s recommendation with very little detail and it was definitely a lot different than we pictured, in all good ways (including cheaper). Read on for details or stop now if you want to try it on a whim like we did.

The Eagle is, primarily, a fried chicken place. That said, you don’t have to be a chicken lover to enjoy it. Nicole is a vegetarian and she loved the place. They have a variety of sandwiches and other plates if friend chicken is not your thing. Nicole found a spruced up grilled cheese sandwich for herself and the sides are delicious. The chicken did not disappoint. It was juicy and delicious and served with spicy hot honey, which is definitely in my wheelhouse. The sides are family style and I don’t think you could go wrong. We went fries tossed in herbs and served in aioli and succotash sans bacon. It is a cool setting: prepare to sit closer to the other guests than you do at most restaurants, but not different than a lot of OTR destinations. There are plenty of craft beers on tap in the full bar. I can’t speak to the dessert menu as we knew we were all in on ending our night with Graeter’s. The Eagle was delicious and certainly didn’t break the bank either – very reasonably priced.