{"id":78112,"date":"2026-11-05T05:29:36","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T05:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/78112\/"},"modified":"2026-11-05T05:29:36","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T05:29:36","slug":"greater-cincinnati-restaurants-that-have-been-open-for-at-least-75-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/78112\/","title":{"rendered":"Greater Cincinnati Restaurants That Have Been Open for at Least 75 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

It takes a lot to keep a restaurant running, especially for 75-plus years, but these Cincinnati establishments can proudly claim they\u2019ve been doing just that. In fact, there are many restaurants on this list that most lifelong Cincinnatians can\u2019t remember or weren\u2019t alive for a time before they existed. Even as tastes, menus and decor have changed over the decades, Cincinnati\u2019s oldest restaurants have changed with the times\u00a0\u2014 or leaned into the era they opened, serving guests a side of nostalgia with their meal.<\/p>\n

From old taverns opened in the age of Western expansion to greasy spoon diners with a host of regulars who have been patronizing them for years, plus the Queen City\u2019s OG chili parlor that inspired the rest, here are some Cincinnati restaurants that have kept their kitchens frying, baking and grilling for over seven decades.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Emily Widman<\/p>\n

Walt\u2019s Hitching Post<\/p>\n

3300 Madison Pike, Ft. Wright<\/p>\n

Named partly for the restaurant\u2019s original owner, Walt Ballanger, and partly for the metal posts outside where restaurant goers once hitched up their horses, Walt\u2019s has been serving up its legendary ribs smothered in their secret sauce since 1942. The restaurant maintains its building\u2019s rich history as an early 20th-century hunting lodge, with the exposed log wall in the main dining area that\u2019s original to the building. In addition to its ribs, Walt\u2019s also prides itself on its mouth-watering steaks and extensive list of bourbon, scotch, beer and craft cocktails.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Hailey Bollinger<\/p>\n

Arnold\u2019s Bar and Grill<\/p>\n

210 E. Eighth St., Downtown<\/p>\n

Open since 1861, Arnold\u2019s is the oldest continuously running tavern in Cincinnati, complete with dark wood walls, vintage memorabilia and a big ol\u2019 bathtub rumored to have been used to make gin during Prohibition. A Cincinnati classic, it serves up a nice range of lunch and dinner options \u2014 pasta, sandwiches and burgers, plus vegan and gluten-free options \u2014 at bargain prices. Enjoy a local draft in the outdoor beer garden and almost daily live music. It was also once named as one of the best bars in America by Esquire magazine.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Hailey Bollinger<\/p>\n

Zip\u2019s Cafe<\/p>\n

1036 Delta Ave., Mt. Lookout<\/p>\n

Zip\u2019s Cafe was founded in 1926 and is nearing its 100th birthday. With meat delivered daily from Avril-Bleh and \u201csimple but fresh\u201d toppings, Zip\u2019s classic burgers are grilled on a flat top, which cooks them in their own delicious fat. If you\u2019re looking to expand your palate beyond the classic Zip Burger \u2014 once named the best burger in Ohio by Food & Wine magazine \u2014 the cafe offers specialties such as the Flying Pig, topped with shaved ham and bacon, or the popular Girthburger (named by former Cincinnati Bengals punter Pat McInally), topped with a butterflied grilled mettwurst.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: facebook.com\/The Golden Lamb<\/p>\n

Golden Lamb<\/p>\n

27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon<\/p>\n

The oldest restaurant and bar in the Greater Cincinnati area by far, Golden Lamb was opened in 1803 by Jonas Seaman, originally from New Jersey like many early Ohio settlers. In a time when many couldn\u2019t read, businesses were often marked by symbols that represented their names \u2014 in this case, a golden lamb. Present-day, the historic hotel and restaurant in the heart of Lebanon has served 12 presidents and an array of other famous figures. The menu offers a range of American fare, ranging from fried chicken and roast turkey to burgers and grilled cheese. The attached Black Horse Tavern is a more casual dining spot on the backside of the hotel that serves specialty cocktails and the same delicious menu as the main dining area. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Hailey Bollinger<\/p>\n

Empress Chili<\/p>\n

7934 Alexandria Pike, Alexandria<\/p>\n

Cincinnati\u2019s OG chili parlor, Empress Chili began in 1922 when brothers Tom and John Kiradjief, who immigrated to the Queen City from what\u2019s now Greece, started selling their seasoned meat sauce out of a small shop next to Empress Theatre (formerly at 814 Vine St. in downtown) to theatergoers. It was a hit and Cincinnati-style chili was born. Empress is still a family-owned establishment more than 100 years later, and they also still serve the original recipe chili.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Emily Widman<\/p>\n

Pompilios<\/p>\n

600 Washington Ave., Newport<\/p>\n

This restaurant, where the toothpick scene in Rain Man was filmed, has been offering classic family Italian food since 1933. You can\u2019t go wrong with any pasta dish or the homemade lasagna. Founder Colonel Pompilio was also the first to secure a liquor license in Kentucky after Prohibition ended, so it also has an extensive bourbon list at its attached bar, Colonel Pomp\u2019s Tavern.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: facebook.com\/TheEchoHydePark<\/p>\n

The Echo<\/p>\n

3510 Edwards Road, Hyde Park<\/p>\n

Founded in 1945 in Hyde Park by Louise Schwartz, The Echo has become something of a neighborhood attraction for Cincinnatians everywhere. Despite being founded nearly 80 years ago, The Echo has adapted to the modern consumer, offering trendy dishes such as breakfast burritos, artisan wraps and more. But don\u2019t fret: all the classics \u2014 from Eggs Benedict to breakfast combos featuring eggs, bacon, home fries, you name it \u2014 remain on the menu.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Hailey Bollinger<\/p>\n

Camp Washington Chili<\/p>\n

3005 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington<\/p>\n

Named one of the \u201c10 Best Restaurants in Cincinnati\u201d by USA Today, there\u2019s no question as to why Camp Washington Chili has been operating since 1940. The diner is the quintessential chili parlor of days gone by with its classic mid-century sign out front, dining counter inside and photos and newspaper clippings along the wall. In addition to the amazing chili, which won an \u201cAmerican Regional Classic\u201d James Beard Foundation Award in 2000, the menu also includes burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs, fries, coleslaw and salad \u2014 something for everyone, plus it\u2019s the only restaurant open 24 hours a day (except Saturday and Sunday).<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: facebook.com\/Greyhound Tavern<\/p>\n

Greyhound Tavern<\/p>\n

2500 Dixie Highway, Ft. Mitchell<\/p>\n

The Greyhound Tavern has offered down-home comfort food to Northern Kentuckians since the 1920s. The atmosphere is pleasantly country-fied, with wood paneling, vinyl tablecloths and multiple fireplaces, and the menu reflects that, too. The tavern is known for its herbed secret-recipe fried chicken and Kentucky classics like the Hot Brown. In 2021, Microsoft News also named it as Kentucky\u2019s most legendary restaurant.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: facebook.com\/IzzyKadetz<\/p>\n

Izzy\u2019s<\/p>\n

Multiple locations<\/p>\n

A Cincinnati tradition, Izzy\u2019s has been serving a reuben we can all be proud of for over 120 years. In the late 1800s, founder Izzy Kadetz immigrated from Russia and settled in Cincinnati where he got a job cooking at the Sinton St. Nicolas Hotel. In 1901, he opened his own Jewish-style deli and the corned beef has been wowing diners ever since. Nowadays, Izzy\u2019s offers a variety of its \u201cWorld Famous Reubens,\u201d from the classic corned beef to a turkey, goetta and even veggie reuben. If you\u2019re not much of a reuben fan, you can always opt for another specialty sandwich, like The Codfather (a cod filet battered with Izzy\u2019s special blend of 17 seasonings and spices, topped with lettuce and tartar sauce and served on a brioche bun) or the Thanksgiving (on a Roll), oven-roasted turkey breast topped with a cranberry-orange relish, cream cheese and lettuce and served on a toasted telera roll.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: facebook.com\/arlinsbar<\/p>\n

Arlin\u2019s Bar & Garden<\/p>\n

307 Ludlow Ave., Clifton<\/p>\n

Arlin\u2019s may have changed names and hands quite a few times since its inception, but it\u2019s been Clifton Gaslight District\u2019s premier neighborhood pub since the 1890s. Here you can enjoy a beer on the big back patio and beer garden and listen to live music. The no-frills atmosphere includes a pool room, plus 20 taps, sports on TV and a jukebox. And while it\u2019s best known as a bar, Arlin\u2019s also has a food menu with a variety of burgers, sandwiches and even some Tex-Mex fare.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Emerson Swoger<\/p>\n

Anchor Grill<\/p>\n

438 W. Pike St., Covington<\/p>\n

While this once-late-night diner boasted, \u201cWe may doze, but we never close,\u201d the pandemic unfortunately changed that. Still, Anchor Grill, opened in Covington in 1946, can still claim some of the best home-cooked, Southern-style eats around. In 2020, New Yorker food correspondent Helen Rosner even named Anchor Grill\u2019s double-decker goetta, lettuce and tomato sandwich one of the best things she\u2019d eaten that decade. The diner also still maintains its retro vibe with wood-paneled walls and cozy booths complemented by a 1940s coin-operated \u201cBand Box,\u201d which contains a miniature toy big band that mimes performances to jukebox tunes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Paige Deglow<\/p>\n

Scotti\u2019s Italian Restaurant<\/p>\n

919 Vine St., Downtown<\/p>\n

Family-owned since 1912, Scotti\u2019s has become a Queen City staple and a go-to for an Italian meal. Its expansive menu features just about every pasta imaginable and nearly 20 different varieties of veal dishes for dinner. Multi-colored tiles plaster the walls, and candles drip layer upon layer of wax on Chianti bottles at every table, making you feel like you\u2019re in an old-world Italian bistro. Scotti\u2019s is named after early 20th-century opera star Antonio Scotti, so the sound pumping through the speakers isn\u2019t Muzak, it\u2019s Rossini, Puccini and Pavarotti \u2014 just another aspect that sets this landmark apart from the pack.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Hailey Bollinger<\/p>\n

Dixie Chili<\/p>\n

733 Monmouth St., Newport; 3716 Dixie Highway, Erlanger; 2421 Madison Ave., Covington<\/p>\n

Founded in 1929 by \u201cPapa Nick,\u201d Dixie Chili has classic, secret-ingredient Cincinnati-style chili with cheese and onions on spaghetti. Traditionally, Dixie\u2019s offerings are dominated by Wisconsin cheddar, and the garlic is a great counterbalance to the dairy, making it one of the area\u2019s favorite chili joints to this day.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Hailey Bollinger<\/p>\n

Herb & Thelma\u2019s<\/p>\n

718 W. Pike St., Covington<\/p>\n

Opened in 1939 as Heine\u2019s Caf\u00e9, the small drop-ceilinged dining room is what some may call a \u201chole in the wall.\u201d Their incredibly friendly staff serves up simple but delectable made-to-order burgers, its specialty being a juicy meat patty topped with cheese, onions and pickles. A short list of sides includes chili, soup or Grippos chips.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Jesse Fox<\/p>\n

Sugar n\u2019 Spice<\/p>\n

4381 Reading Road, Paddock Hills; 1203 Sycamore St., Pendleton; 10275 Summit Parkway, Blue Ash<\/p>\n

Huge, fluffy omelets and \u201cwispy-thin\u201d pancakes have made Sugar n\u2019 Spice a bona fide breakfast institution since 1941. One of the city\u2019s most popular places for people of all ages and backgrounds to dine and socialize, the original Paddock Hills location got a sister spot in Pendleton when the owners renovated an old diner with their signature colorful and vintage flair. The breakfast diner also opened its first suburban location in Blue Ash at the Approach at Summit Park in 2023. They are famous for giving patrons little rubber ducks as a souvenir \u2014 a charming tradition that keeps people coming back.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Izzy Viox<\/p>\n

Mt. Adams Bar & Grill<\/p>\n

938 Hatch St., Mt. Adams<\/p>\n

Opened during Prohibition and believed to have ties to infamous bootlegger George Remus, Mt. Adams Bar & Grill looks like you\u2019re stepping back into a charming bar of the past with its vintage wooden bar, stained-glass windows, antique lamps and coffered pressed-tin-style ceiling. While the interior takes you back to another era, the menu is all modern bar and grill, with varied options like hearty burgers, soups and appetizers like the must-try fried jalape\u00f1o ravioli.<\/p>\n

Photo: Hailey Bollinger<\/p>\n

Maury\u2019s Tiny Cove<\/p>\n

3908 Harrison Ave., Cheviot<\/p>\n

Maury\u2019s has been packed full of flavor and a West Side tradition since 1949. The dimly lit supper-club vibe will have you feeling like a regular on your first visit. The extensive menu consists of all the classic steakhouse options: tender, juicy steaks; seafood; and chicken cooked just right, plus pasta, and a perfect martini. Ask for the Carol booth \u2014 the restaurant appears in the locally filmed, Oscar-nominated movie starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara \u2014 or take a photo with the Maury\u2019s sign, featuring a kitschy cartoon steer holding a cocktail.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Provided<\/p>\n

Dunlap Cafe<\/p>\n

1926 Dunlap St., Over-the-Rhine<\/p>\n

Opened in 1936, Dunlap Cafe is Over-the-Rhine\u2019s longest-operating restaurant, known for its burgers, home-cooked food and strong drinks. On the menu, you\u2019ll find a list of specialty burgers, but the restaurant and bar also offers a special Burger of the Week. Stop by early for a breakfast sandwich like the French Toast Sammie (egg, bacon, sausage and cheese layered on French toast, which you can also order as a double-decker) or just a classic goetta, egg and cheese sandwich. You can also build your breakfast using a list of breakfast staples like pancakes and eggs, and some items you can even have \u201ctopped\u201d with things like brown sugar and berries.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: Maylea Salmon<\/p>\n

Skyline Chili<\/p>\n

Multiple locations<\/p>\n

Skyline has been one of the pioneers of Cincinnati chili since opening in 1949. First founded by Greek immigrants, the chili parlor pours the Queen City staple over spaghetti or hot dogs and tops it with a mound of cheese, oyster crackers, and \u2014 depending on your taste preference \u2014 onions and beans. Also available are chili burritos, fries, baked potatoes and vegetarian chili, which is made with black beans and rice, and the new chicken chili, which, by all accounts, tastes just like the beef chili.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It takes a lot to keep a restaurant running, especially for 75-plus years, but these Cincinnati establishments can proudly claim they\u2019ve been doing just that. In fact, there are many restaurants on this list that most lifelong Cincinnatians can\u2019t remember or weren\u2019t alive for a time before they existed. Even as tastes, menus and decor<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":78113,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[2833,2831,2829,2832,2830,47267,51308,597],"class_list":["post-78112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ohio","tag-ohio","tag-ohio-dining","tag-ohio-food","tag-ohio-grocery-stores","tag-ohio-restaurants","tag-old-restaurants","tag-oldest-restaurants","tag-slideshow-gallery"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dc\/117562190359245991","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78112\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}