Best of Cincinnati

Update: I'm moving back to Columbus... well... ok I've already moved, but I do have my place in Cincy for the next week. Leaving the Nati has made me reflect on all the great places it has to offer. And with all of these memories bottling up in my head, I decided to compile my own "Best of." So here are my 50 favorite food- and entertainment-centered places not to miss in the 513.

~The Gay Bars~
... if its "not your scene" then get over it
Bronz's Hip Hop Night (Thursdays at the northside gay bar)
Friday night drag shows at The Dock
Saturdays at Adonis
Bullfishes
Below Zero Lounge
Golden Lion Lounge
Serpent (Check out their sex shop, 77 Leather )

~The Northside Stuff~
...for the out-of-towners, this is a great neighborhood known for social activism, cincy's indie scene (okay, hipsterville if you wanna be a dick about it)
Gypsy Hut (while you're there, grab some pizza at Northslice)
Northside Tavern
Blue Rock Tavern
Melt
The Hideaway
Portofino's
NYPD Pizza
Boswell Alley
Shake It Records
Bughouse Video

~Gas Light District~
...nice walkable neighborhood off of UC's campus
Matthew O'Brien Diggs III Plaza (Nice sculpture/fountain, Jazz in the summer)
Esquire Theatre
Ambar India
Habanero
Thai Cafe

~OTR~
...Cincinnati's controversial ghetto-turned-artsy-turned-gentrified neighborhood adjacent to the central business district. still good times to be had despite the influx of assholes.
Elementz (non-profit hip hop youth center!)
Final Friday Gallery Walk
Peaslee Center (great early child development program and innovative preschool gardening curriculum)
Venice On Vine (good pizza with an inspiring reason to eat it)
Know Theatre (indie theater company)
Grammer's (lots of board games, free popcorn(!), friday dance parties)
Mr. Pitiful's
Kaldi's (RIP... come back soon)
Mixx
Lucy Blue pizza window (Walnut St location)
Coffee Emporium (good sandwiches, too!)
Courtyard Cafe
Tucker's (I prefer the one on Vine St)


~Downtown~
...go forth... make your city
Paul Brown Stadium (Go Bengals!)
Fountain Square
Rock Bottom (sit on the patio and have the beer sampler after work)
Via Vite
Palomino's (great view of the square)
Ingredients (good lunches)
Akash India
Diner on Elm (formerly the Marrakech Cafe... GREAT falafel)
Arnold's
Madonna's
The Beer Sellar (good view of the city from the riverfront)

~Other~
Mt. Echo Park (good view of the city from the west. plus, who doesn't love swings?!
Bellevue Hill Park (in Clifton... good view of OTR and the city from the north)
Annie's (home of Scribble Jam... here's a pic of Anna and I at the 2008 event)
Cincy Graf (Annie's; highways 71, 75, and 562; rooftops of OTR and Northside)
Contemporary Arts Center (its free on mondays, 5-9pm)
Saturday's at OTRCH (affordable housing non-profit)