Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Northside

Great food, beautiful ambiance. The dirty martini was the best martini I’ve had in NKY. It was cold so the rooftop wasn’t open but they let you outside to look and take in the fantastical view.

First time visiting this place and we’ll be back. Food was delicious, ambiance was upscale for a sports bar. It was a bit noisy for as empty as it was at 5:30, but it is a sports bar.

Everything was wonderful! Love the Ravioli! Would be nice if portion size was a little bigger for the price. So delicious!

Our group planned to have dinner here before a show at the Aronoff. The ambiance was cozy, the staff were attentive, and all of our meals were absolutely delicious (including the fresh oyster appetizers)! They timed our courses out perfectly to make sure we had plenty of time to walk to the theater! I would highly recommend!

Everything about Alara wowed us! One of my dearest friends was in town to visit and we are both foodies! I had heard great things about Alara from other friends, so we decided to try it. I'm so glad we did. The valet parking is so nice, especially since the weather was snowy the night we dined. The atmosphere is elegant and beautifully done. No detail was overlooked. The service was impeccable. Askia, our server, was delightful...so knowledgeable. Everything he suggested was outstanding. We ordered a bottle of wine to complement our dinner choices and that enhanced the meal even more. Portions are large and perfect for sharing. I took home quite a bit for leftovers which was a huge bonus. If you love beets, the beet and goat cheese salad is a must! For our entrees, we chose the Lobster & Butternut Squash Carbonara and Seared Sea Scallops with Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash as our vegetable side dish. All were exceptionally prepared. The Carbonara had a very generous amount of lobster so you got some in every bite! Askia recommended we save room for dessert, and I'm glad we did. We had the Creamsicle Cloud and Chocolate Espresso Torte. The Cloud was the most beautiful dessert I've ever seen and it was equally light and elegant. The Torte was beyond rich and decadent. The Prisoner bottle of wine was delicious with the entire meal, but especially that rich chocolate dessert. Cincinnati is fortunate to have some fabulous restaurants, and Alara is one of them. It is a must for a special occasion or an evening of pampered perfection.