Walnut Street Grill

I honestly hate giving bad reviews but I have to voice my opinion on this place. I saw the mediocre reviews on here and wanted to go to Walnut Street Grill and say that everyone was wrong. Unfortunately, everyone was right.
There are a few things I like about this place. They have an awesome patio on the second floor with fun views of the neighboring Aronoff Center. They have a nice happy hour with an amazing mac and cheese and a stunning pork belly app. The service was also very spot on.
However, more often than not I judge restaurants on their food and the main attractions were a sore disappointment. The BLT salad was just okay. I love wedge salads but their dressing was flavorless and the whole thing just lacked any kind of wow factor at all. I ordered the WSG Burger medium and it came out well done. This is inexcusable for a number of reasons. One, you’re a Jeff Ruby restaurant. It’s not that hard to cook a medium burger. If the cooks at Applebee’s can get it right, I would think some cooks working for Jeff Ruby could get it right too. Also, I’m paying $ 14 for this burger. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind paying top dollar for great food. But to overcook a burger by two temperatures is really just a shame.
If I’m Jeff Ruby, I’m either shutting this place down, or firing my grill cooks and hiring anybody with the culinary experience of an Applebee’s line cook who can prepare a burger to order. I will never go here again for a burger, especially when Cincinnati has so many great burger joints, and this is very sad to say about a restaurant owned by one of the top chefs in the region.

Came here for lunch with colleagues and then later in the day for post-​meeting drinks. On both occasions the waiters were friendly.
I had a big salad with salmon and feta which was ok. They didn’t ask how I wanted my salmon and didn’t think about specifying, but I was a bit disappointed when it came half raw… Big portions though.
In the evening, they didn’t seem to mind that a group of up to 30 people took over the terrace and the bar, so that was good :)
It just felt like the right place to be, just in front of the Aranoff theatre where our company meeting was but I don’t think I’ll ever make a detour to come to this place. It’s ok, but not wow.

I find myself here regularly. Not because I love it, but because you’re almost always guaranteed a table. What other restaurants can you say that about downtown that won’t poison you? The list is short.
My first experience was negative. The burger as ok, but the price did not match what we received. In fairness, the place had just opened so the kinks may not have been worked out and I had thousands of dollars on my credit card from moving here so I was very price sensitive.
Every trip back has raised my esteem. The burgers are quite good, maybe not incredible but certainly good. The desserts are good, too. The concept appears to have fallen apart a bit, and it’s odd that they don’t have a drink menu, but as a whole this is a reliable place to get a burger downtown at 8pm on a Friday when you don’t have reservations anywhere else. The quality: price ratio probably deserves 3.5 stars, but I’m rounding up because it doesn’t get too busy.

I have to say, I expected more from a Jeff Ruby restaurant. This is really just a glorified burger joint with steakhouse prices.
Serving beverages in mason jars is kitchy at best. Menus on clipboards are also very 1980s. The menu includes a number of salad, some sandwiches and a few «gourmet» burgers. Compared to Rookwood or Terry’s Turf Club, burgers at WSG are somewhat ordinary.
The restaurant has 2 floors. The 1^st floor has a bar with some high-​top tables. Exposed brick all around. The upstairs floor is the main dining area with booths and tables.
I’m more inclined to visit Nicholson’s next door than to return to Walnut Street Grill.

OK, the best thing about this restaurant is the location… they park your car, you eat, then walk across the street to the Aronoff, see a great musical (in this case Billy Elliott), come out and your car is sitting in front of the restaurant!
The food is pretty run-​of-​the-​mill. I had a salad, which was ok, along with wonderful roasted brussel sprouts. My friend had shepard’s pie, which he said was as good as Nicholson’s.
While I would not make an effort to eat here again, I will definitely go back each time I visit the Aronoff for a salad or appetizer before the show.

Walnut Street Grill is in the old Bootsy’s restaurant. It kept the same layout, but left out all of the eccentric vibe of the old restaurant. We had a party of 6, and 4 of us arrived a little early for our reservation. We had fine service at the bar, but it wasn’t crowded at all and there were 3 bartenders and a barback.
We were sat in the room upstairs right next to the kitchen. The entire atmosphere is decidedly casual, with the waiters wearing jeans and the open-​to-​dining room kitchen. Our service was TERRIBLE. I couldn’t believe we were at a Jeff Ruby establishment (except for the prices). Our waiter was ridiculously slow, didn’t replenish our forks that we used for our salads, and we had to ask him several times for mustard. I guess at a regular restaurant, I wouldn’t be so picky, but I expect more from a Ruby staff. Not to mention 3 glasses/​plates were broken by wait staff during our meal.
The food was OK. The Freddie salad was delicious, as usual. Honestly, I only had the baked mac and cheese, since it was what Unilocal reviewers raved about. It had a little kick to it, maybe white pepper? but I’ve had much better (see Maribelle’s Tavern). I’m not a fan of the crispy topping on homemade macaroni and cheese. My husband enjoyed his burger, but the steaks that our companions ordered looked overcooked. The knives were so dull it tore the meat, instead of cutting it. The shrimp in the shrimp cobb salad had a ton of breading on it and looked like popcorn shrimp you would find at Applebees.
I expected more, which is why I gave 2 stars instead of 3. If you want a good steak for around $ 40, go to The Precinct.

I want to like this place I really do. So bad.
I never got to go to Bootsy’s. We talked about it, and eventually we were going to go, and it had closed by then. When this opened, we went right away so that wouldn’t happen again.
We went on a Friday evening with my in-​laws while they were visiting in town. We try and take them to newer and more fun places when they come in town, and this seemed like pretty normal food and a good choice.
First, the atmosphere is kind of random, but I can like it. The bar is still pretty neat, but it still kind of has that «we painted over this» thing that is a little off. It’s not bad though — it’s just not amazing. The bathrooms were pretty well decorated and fun as well (random)
I ordered a mango mojito which was amazingly delicious and served in a mason jar — as were all the drinks. I ended up getting that and a lemon mint martini — also pretty good even though it sounded kind of contradictory — but still that mojito was just amazing.
We started with the philly cheese steak egg rolls — which I found delicious, but my husband was a little bit weirded out by some of the mix of flavors. Overall, it was the best thing we got.
Our waiter was kind of forgetful, and he forgot to bring a lot of drinks/​food or did things wrong. My salad came with dressing on it (I asked for on the side) and the wrong kind at that. I didn’t feel like sending it back, so I just ate the steak and kind of left the salad. I felt bad, but I was just hungry and it had taken awhile.
My husband ordered the burger with cheddar, caramelized onions, and a fried egg. He also got the boardwalk fries — which I ate instead of my salad. I loved the boardwalk fries — good old hand cut fair style fries. MY husband didn’t and instead ate my father in law’s mac and cheese — which was pretty darn good as well. The burger though was not cooked to order and just wasn’t quite as nice as I expected from the restaurant. Also, the bun that they brag about so much, just wasn’t fresh or all too great.
We also tried the cornbread. My husband, who hates cornbread, liked it, and I, who like cornbread, hated it. It has peppers in it and isn’t a good consistency in my opinion, but then again someone next to me loved it so I won’t knock it for that.
Overall, an okay place, but I haven’t had much desire to go back. It’s just nothing too special.

Before it became known as the Walnut Street Grill, I liked the food, the music, and the atmosphere. Now it got changed to the Walnut Street Grill, which seemed like a TGIF knockoff. I went there for my 10 year High School reunion. The burgers are great (plenty of options… choose caramelized onions and fried egg!) The fries tasted a little salty, but gave the essence of potato bag chips, the good kind. The service was a little slow and the wait staff seemed a little hurried.
–Steve–

We’ve been to WSG twice, both times ordering a burger. The first one was lousy and not worth the $ 10.75 we paid plus an additional $ 1.95 for fries. (Nor did we receive feedback despite filling out the comment card and requesting contact).
Last week’s burger was much better but here’s a word of caution. If you’re going to split a meal as my wife and I often do, don’t tell the server you’re going to do so. We were billed an extra $ 3.00 to do so.

I may have been the only person in Cincinnati who liked Bootsy’s, which was what in the space before Walnut Street. Yes, it had its problems — mostly that it was trying to do too much at once — but it had a weird, funky vibe that I loved. Downtown needs more of that.
What it doesn’t need it a TGIF-​knockoff with a menu to match.
I’m not sure who thought that what Cincinnatians really need is more bar food at cheaper prices with a atmosphere full of flair, but I actually felt a little insulted walking in and sitting down.
It does have that family-​friendly feel to it. Movie posters and neon on the walls, lots of things that make it feel like a cool, casual spot to hang out. A place tot take both friends and colleagues. But honestly, there are many other places I’d like to take both. Places with real character.
The wait staff is wonderful and really attentive and if I needed something, they were there before I could say it.
The food is OK, nothing amazing but not terrible either. Drinks are the same — a fair range of beers and some neat cocktails. The happy hour prices, though, are outstanding. Really cheap for both food and drink. That was a solid plus.
I’m sure this place does have many many fans, and maybe if I didn’t enjoy the weirdness of Bootsy’s more, I’d be happier with the space. Still, I’ve been a few times now and don’t really feel the need or desire to come back.

On a whim, a mixed group of my friends decided to check this place out. We were pleasantly surprised at the place. I think we all enjoyed the open air direct connection to the street and the stream of people walking by helped quell any lull in the conversation. There was a nice one man band that played a good mix of 70s-​90s music and had lots of us dancing and shaking our money makers. Good entertainment that still allowed for conversation.
We only had drinks and they were priced about right for the area and level of quality. I can’t say that the servers were that happy but I think there had been a huge party before us and they were dealing with the cleanup. I have absolutely no idea what its like upstairs but apparently the elevator (which a few people in another group danced in as it went up and down, it was rather humorous) and stairs lead to the former residence of Bootsy’s restaurant. I’ll have to check that out someday
Speaking of Jeff Ruby, he stopped by (smoking a cigar tsk, tsk, this ain’t KY that is probably illegal, even if you own the place) and took the elevator up and then came down the stairs. As he circulated the place, cougars of various desperation levels swarmed around him, probably a typical occurrence. It was funny to watch the spectacle.
From the sound of it, I should come back and try some of the grub, but after hearing about the possible real reason for Bootsy’s closing, (see:
&
&
) (Ruby (seems to have) closed the restaurant to avoid legal fees/​problems, etc.), I might try to avoid Ruby restaurants when possible.

It was not crowded at all for dinner at 8, however it was a week night. Service was slow to come to the table. My water glass sat dry. It was difficult to get anyone’s attention. My filet was ok. The mac and cheese was SO delightful.
The food was just ok. The service was less-​than. Walnut Street Grill just did not meet my expectations for a JR restaurant.

Our waiter here was so lame that it made me question whether Jeff Ruby has replaced his entire staff with robots… This girl did not smile once, and it was clear she was counting down the minutes until she got off work.
The burger was good, but I originally ordered the pot pie… only to be told by bot-​waiter 15 minutes later that they were out for the night.
The bartender was nice as was the hostess. They are the only two people saving this review from total Unilocal destruction.

I feel harsh giving a 2, but I would go back to someplace I rated a 3. I don’t think I would bother going back here.
The $ 5 martinis and appetizers sound like a good deal but the martinis are pretty much the only drink special except domestic beer (yawn) and the appetizers are small if $ 5 is intended to be a discounted price. My key lime martini was good… but when we ordered the sliders it came with ONE mini burger. The waiter did point that out before we ordered it, but I was expecting it to be bigger.
The best thing about this was that the front door opened like a garage to let in the fresh air. Otherwise it was about as boring as I think their sign is.
There are plenty of better places for happy hour on the same block!

Went here for Downtown Restaurant Week last night (8÷11÷11). Our reservation was for 830 and we arrived a few minutes late, we decided to sit on the patio since it was a beautiful night instead of sitting in the restaurant.
I like that the water is served in mason jars, my friend ordered a hurricane and said it wasn’t that strong. Now for the meal:
My friend had the Freddie sans tomato, Chicken Breast and we split the pannacotta.
I had the Caesar salad, Short Ribs and we also ordered a bottle of Cabernet for $ 20.
The salads were good, my friend said his chicken was pretty good, the corn bread on the side was very cakey and underdone. The short ribs were good, I liked that I got mirepoix with my short ribs.
It seemed weird not to have bread offered.
Why the three stars? Food was just fine as was service nothing to great or to bad.

Last night my husband I dined there during Downtown Restaurant Week. We went in knowing exactly what we were having and the food was very good. We both had the Freddie salad and its always good! I had the short ribs and my husband had the mahi tacos. The only real problem was how slow the service was. We received our salads, ate them, and we still had not received our bottled beers. We finally caught the servers attention and before we could say anything, she said that our food was on its way. Um ok great, but can we have our beers lol. We didnt even order anything «fancy» The server did make up for it by taking the beers off of our check. Overall, we would go back again: o)

the place formerly known as bootsy’s definitely keeps a nice vibe with its rooftop patio overlooking the Aronoff which makes for excellent people watching. However, 9 dollar cocktails is a little off the chain in my opinion, I wouldn’t pop in here for anything other than happy hour. Come have a drink, have 2… it’s still Jeff ruby’s joint, so that’s gotta be worth something, to someone.

Jeff Ruby thinks you are dumb.
Or at the very least, he thinks you are willing to eat Applebees fare at twice the cost. Ok, that wasn’t quite fair. The food IS better than Applebees, but so boring that it suits the same sort of palate. There is much better food downtown in this price range.

I oscillated between a 3 and a 4 here, but decided that my mac and cheese definitely gives WSG a bump up. I never have been to Bootsy’s so I can’t make the comparison to the layout, but regardless, I liked it. Two floors, old-​school movie posters, nice bars and lots of TVs. We went on a Friday night and it wasn’t packed, which I always like. It was a great spot to watch a game, grab a bite, and have some drinks. Our waitress was friendly, though some of the other staff seemed sort of surly for some reason.
The food was good, if not bordering on slightly pricey for the entrees, but we ended up ordering mostly sides and appetizers anyway. Two of my friends ordered salads, which looked nice and fresh. The pork shoulder nacho appetizer was all sorts of savory goodness (the pork shoulder is tender and oh-​so-​good with the guacamole, salsa and chips!). The potato skins were… about what any potato skins taste like, with a nice dipping sauce. I ordered the mac and cheese and broccollini sides. The brocollini was about what any sauteed vegetable tastes like, it was good, and we decided it would pair nicely with a steak. But the star of the show for me was absolutely the mac and cheese side, which incidentally was enough to be a meal. Thick fusilli noodles in rich creamy cheese (I can taste the gruyère in there!), with a crispy topping. Suffice it to say I’ve found my happy place for mac and cheese in Cincinnati!

Who would have thought you could eat at a Jeff Ruby restaurant and order an entrée less than $ 35? Not me! But after my recent visit to Walnut Street Grill, I was pleasantly surprised to not break the bank after chowing down. I use the word «chowing» because it turns out that the price tag reflects the overall theme of the restaurant. It a basically a fancy diner. And what do you do at a diner? Chow down!
With menu titles such as Truck Stop Cuisine, Mom’s Kitchen, and the rotating TV dinner, I’m wondering whose Mom cooks this divine and what truck stops Jeff has been frequenting.
They took some classics and put a twist on them. For example our appetizer was fried calamari, but tastes like a delicious version of a chicken wing without the need for wet naps and sauce smeared fingers. Wonderful! And our dessert of coffee and donuts, was a delicious glazed donut nestled between coffee flavored ice cream!
I was hoping for more of a change to the overall layout of the restaurant. I loved Bootsy’s but it always seemed like wasted space downstairs and a little awkward having to trek upstairs. They have turned the downstairs into a diner, with booths and tables and also added a bar and tv’s. They also have installed garage doors that they plan to open up in the summer to draw more of a street crowd and make the downstairs more happenin’. On a rainy, Wednesday night, it was still pretty dead downstairs, so we still make the climb upstairs. The layout upstairs is almost identical to Bootsy’s except now has diner décor instead of the spanish, moroccan feel. I preferred the old style, but that’s just my two cents.
Of course, being a Ruby’s restaurant, service was top notch and food was delicious! I am looking forward to summer to take advantage of their great patio and see what these garage doors add to the overall ambience. Oh and also hoping for an amazing happy hour like they had before! I’m gonna miss their half price sushi!