20 Greater Cincinnati Restaurants and Bars That Closed So Far This Year

York Street Cafe

A Newport classic, York Street Cafe was both a restaurant and an entertainment destination, offering both food and drink as well as an art gallery and lounge. Located in a historic 1880s building, the cafe opened in 1997 and served everything from pork chops and a filet to a veggie burger and "Terry's Famous Bloody Mary." York Street announced the closure on social media in July, writing, “We are so grateful to the guests who have supported us through all these years. The weddings, proposals, first dates, anniversaries, birthdays and countless other special occasions that were celebrated here we live on in our memories forever.” The owners told news outlets they struggled to bounce back after the pandemic.

The Drinkery

Over-the-Rhine bar The Drinkery is set to close permanently in August, but the space will remain under 4EG’s ownership and be rebranded as a cocktail lounge, called Nice Life. 4EG says when it purchased the popular OTR bar in 2023, it saw the potential to introduce a youthful, new experience to the neighborhood, which will include craft cocktails, dancing and Jell-O shots — a nod to The Drinkery. The bar is still temporarily open ahead of renovations, but it's being called The Setback, for now.

Cosmic Gorilla

Cincinnati’s Gorilla Cinema, the immersive and thematic experience group behind bars like Overlook Lodge, Tokyo Kitty and more, closed its comic book shop/bar near Findlay Market in July to pursue a new concept for the space. The company says the decision to close the shop, Cosmic Gorilla, came after comic book sales dipped 70% year over year. Instead, it will pivot to Highball, a cocktail bar. Highball is expected to open this fall.

Goose & Elder

Chef Jose Salazar announced the closure of his Findlay Market restaurant, Goose & Elder, in June following the opening of his wine bar, Safi, and the announcement that his eponymous restaurant would move into the former Saks Fifth Avenue building on Fifth Street. Salazar cited the shift in his focus to these eateries as the reason behind the closure.

Nation Kitchen & Bar (Pendleton)

Nation Kitchen & Bar officially closed its flagship location in Pendleton this past spring. The Broadway Street restaurant — which opened in 2015 and was Nation’s first location — first closed in October 2023 for renovations, but in May, ownership said it was time to focus on its new location at The Banks.

Solstice

Solstice opened in the former Suzie Wong’s space in East Walnut Hills in late June 2023, only lasting about nine months before closing in March this year. The restaurant, which served up taco-style dishes featuring ingredients from different tropical regions, was the second venture of 3B4D Hospitality Group, which also owns Anjou. 3B4D said Solstice didn’t experience the growth it needed to stay open.

The Littlefield

The Littlefield, a Northside bourbon bar and restaurant closed its doors for good in February after 10 years in business. It opened in July 2014 and was best known for its unique menu and clever craft cocktails of the month. Lads Entertainment, who also owned and operated Branch in East Walnut Hills before its closure in 2022, owned the space, but did not offer a reason for its closing. However, The Littlefield’s neighboring bar, Second Place, remained open.

Essen Kitchen

Patricia Bittner opened her vegan restaurant Essen Kitchen in Over-the-Rhine in 2018. On social media in early July, Bittner announced Essen would close at the end of the month, writing, “It has been a pleasure serving our many regular customers. We are grateful for the support you have given us these past 5+years. … It is sad to go but we have made many friends through this venture and have so many beautiful memories.” In the comments on Facebook, she replied to one person saying she would like to reopen the restaurant in a new space but would need a partner. Essen’s building was sold to Erik Bentz, who co-owns Mochiko Cafe in East Walnut Hills with his wife, Elaine Uykimpang Bentz.

Sleepy Bee (College Hill)

Popular breakfast and brunch restaurant Sleepy Bee Cafe announced on social media in April that it would be shuttering its College Hill location. The restaurant opened in College Hill’s Business District in the building of a former furniture store in August 2022. The location along Hamilton Avenue was part of the KEYMARK development project, a $9.5-million project with the aim of revitalizing the community. Sleepy Bee shared that the main reason behind the closure was that breakfast and lunch operations weren’t the best fit for that location.

Mesa Loca

Hyde Park Mexican restaurant Mesa Loca quietly closed its doors in March. While Google lists the restaurant as temporarily closed, a new high-end Tex-Mex spot, MexCantina recently opened in the space.

Tahona Taqueria+Tequila Bar (Loveland)

Looking Glass Hospitality Group closed its Tahona Taqueria+Tequila Bar location for a winter hiatus in January, but announced a permanent closure in May. Ownership didn’t give a reason for the closure, but shared on its website: “This wasn’t an easy decision because we’ve received tremendous support from the Loveland community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of you who dined with us and embraced us as part of the downtown Loveland neighborhood.” The Blue Ash location remains open.

Cock & Bull Pub (Glendale)

The British-style pub Cock & Bull closed its Glendale location this past February after nearly 20 years in business. “We are extremely grateful to our loyal guests and staff members. Special thank you to the Glendale community for sharing the last 16 years with us,” the restaurant shared on Facebook. The Mainstrasse location is still open.

Corinthian Restaurant

Clifton mainstay Corinthian Restaurant, known as a place for late-night eats that ranged from Greek to pizza to American fare, quietly closed in March after the building was sold to Cincinnati catering company, Magnificent Morsels.

Madison Diner

Madison Bowl’s diner had been open in Madisonville since the ‘50s, with its most recent owner, Larry Misleh, taking over in 2006. In April, Misleh announced on social media without explanation that Madison Diner would be closing, later telling the Cincinnati Enquirer that the new owner of Madison Bowl didn’t renew his lease.

The Hub

In April, The Hub's owner Lindsey Swadner, known for her brash call-outs of politicians and neighborhood developers, announced the Over-the-Rhine bar would no longer move to a nearby location as she had previously announced. "I know this will come as a shock for some- but we’re not moving next door," Swadner said in an April 2 Instagram post announcing the closure. "At some point I came to terms that I am genuinely unhappy here." Swadner told CityBeat that she would sell the building to someone who believed in OTR’s Main Street and that she would move "across the country" to settle into a new community while taking some of her Hub family members with her.

Hoity Toity Donuts

Hoity Toity Donuts, helmed by Cincinnati native Susan Coach, opened on Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills in mid-September 2023, but closed just five months later in February 2024. Its menu featured elevated, gourmet donuts made with locally sourced ingredients in small batches. Coach shared that she closed the shop for personal reasons.

Tuco’s Cantina

Harrison Mexican restaurant Tuco’s Cantina closed in April after less than two years in business. The owners made the announcement on social media, writing, “We have loved serving the Harrison community over the past 20 months, so coming to this decision was extremely hard for us. We have fought hard during slow times and a tough economy, often putting our families on the back burner to stay afloat."

Kampuchea Kitchen

Kampuchea Kitchen, a Cambodian restaurant in Fort Thomas, shut down sometime this year and is listed as temporarily closed on Google. On social media in January, the restaurant announced it was looking for a new space, but has not posted since.

Taste of Belgium (Liberty Township, Kenwood and Clifton)

Taste of Belgium (TOB), a Cincinnati chain popular for its Belgian-style waffles and eclectic mix of Belgian and American fare, has locations all across the city and more in the works, but this May it announced it was permanently closing two locations and temporarily shutting down a third. TOB said the Liberty Township, Kenwood and Clifton locations weren’t hitting sales expectations, but the Clifton restaurant will be reopened in the fall as a new student-centered concept. TOB also recently closed the Crestview Hills and Fields Ertel locations.

Humble Monk

In May, Northside brewery Humble Monk Brewing announced it would be moving from its space on Blue Rock Road. The brewery, which specializes in Belgian-style beers that are a mix of Old World recipes and experimentation, opened at that location in 2019 and had its last day there in late June. However, the brewery will be staying in Northside, planning to open at 4100 Colerain Ave., but it does not currently have a timeline for reopening.