About Nicholson's

Great beer, pretzels & beer cheese, and fish and chips. All around really solid, cool Scottish pub. - 8/30/2026 

GREATNIGHT OUT We dined there on 8/25 with a group of (26) - great room in the back - food was prompt and very good - loved our server (number 2 according to my receipt - didn't get her name) she was terrific (along with the others) Same group returning October 30th (then to the aronoff theater right across the street (how convenient) Thanks again to your entire staff for a wonderful night! - 8/28/2026 

I liked it a lot. It's a very nice restaurant; my feelings are tinged with sadness because the corporate entity that runs this closed down my favorite restaurant recently and this one reminds me too much of it. But as to the actuals of this, the food was very nice. I had the schnitzel and the mashed potatoes with the turnips (Not sure either is particularly Scottish??) and it was delicious and we had the boneless chicken wings as the happy hour appetizer. They have Old Speckled Hen beer on tap, and who could ask for more than that? Prices are a little higher than you might pay in Norwood or in some of the other suburbs but this is downtown and I suppose they pay premiums for space and insurance and things like that. They do have flights of scotch but when it comes to that I don't like paying restaurant prices. The only real drawback is parking, but if you're going to a restaurant in the middle of downtown Cincinnati, you must already be aware of the issues associated with that. We parked at Fountain Square which unfortunately was under construction in August of 2026 and it was a mess but that's not the restaurant's fault in any way. If it were not downtown and if it didn't remind me so much of the former Pub in Rookwood, I might go there every week forever. - 8/27/2026 

Fish and chips was great. Next time give me more chips! They're cheap. There's always a heap of chips. Our server was amazing. Also. Old Speckled hen omg - 8/25/2026 

Great food, amazing ambiance, quiet at noon on Saturday for a leisurely lunch. It very much feels like a pub in Glasgow and the drink selection is lovely. A highlight of our weekend getaway to Cincinnati. - 8/24/2026 

Delicious food and d service food and fry fish Delicious - 8/24/2026 

Excellent Service & Food We made a booking as it can get very busy. We sat in a booth at the rear of this establishment. They had a singer on this Thursday night, who was very good. Our servers, a new trainee & Fifi were fantastic. Very helpful and very nice. We ordered a couple of cocktails - a Truly Grand Slam and a Margarita. Both perfect. Meals we had the Walnut Sirloin which came with a sauce on the side and potatoes which were crunchy on the outside & light and fluffy on the inside. I had the Pasta Alla Whiskey. It came with blackened chicken cut into strips and the sauce of my pasta was so beautiful. Both meals were beautiful and service excellent - 8/15/2026 

Yum! First of all thank you Lainey for being a wonderful server. Prompt service with everything we needed throughout the entire meal. It wasn’t too busy for a Wednesday night, but great price on the Jameson ($6/oz). Food was decently priced as well. Taste was top notch. Everything came out hot and delicious. Pot roast, Pasta alla Whiskey, scotch egg, chili! 10/10 - 8/13/2026 

When I worked downtown my coworker's and I ate here once a week. I just wish they would bring the scottish spring rolls back. - 8/11/2026 

Fefe is a great waitress!!!! Food is amazing lovely - 8/08/2026 

Food was really good. Service was excellent. Ambiance was very chill. My husband and I enjoyed this place very much. Definitely will be back. - 8/02/2026 

Great service, excellent food and atmosphere. Guinness spring rolls are a must! - 8/02/2026 

Stayed at the 21C Hotel (right next door) again for work recently, and met a colleague for dinner here. I had a great experience the last time I visited and had another great one this time. This visit happened to be during World Cup season, so it was super festive inside! They also had a special menu for the occasion. What I tried: +Brussels sprouts (again, very good) +Guinness spring rolls; 7/10 +Pasta alla whiskey; 8/10 (pretty spicy) Will be back! - 7/31/2026 

Highly recommend for both food and atmosphere Restaurant is in a great location. We walked there after a Reds game. The atmosphere is really fun. The wait staff were phenomenal. As was the food. Everyone in our group ordered the fish and chips. It was really yummy. We also ordered the pretzel appetizer. The beer cheese was really good. The pretzel came cut into smaller pieces which I thought was brilliant! And for some reason it came with a couple of small sticks or carrots and celery. I thought that was really kind of good idea however there wasn’t enough of it to make it a good idea. Most of our group had beer. I had an outstanding old fashioned. - 7/29/2026 

We had a group of 20. Got there when they opened. It was a recommendation from an older couple we met on the street. Out of 20, 1 person had a complaint because they don't like Belgium waffles, but it still taste good. We had a wide range of food from breakfast, fish and chips, shrimp and grits, sandwiches. I can't name all 20 meals, but we all left satisfied. We felt bad for the waitress Deja because she was our only waitress and she did phenomenal! I'm sure they were not ready for a group of 20 at opening, but they made it work and we all left out happy. - 7/28/2026 

Consistently delicious food and quality service. One of my favorite places to eat in downtown Cincinnati. - 7/28/2026 

My wife and and I had dinner here last week and it's a wonderful spot! Our server was very helpful and our food was pretty good and the ambience in the building is off the charts. Very excellent selection of whiskey, I would highly recommend. I also heard a song or two that I had never heard before and am having the hardest time trying to find. My wife suggested that they probably use Spotify in the establishment as I forgot to ask before we left 😓. Overall I was very happy with our visit and would go again! - 7/27/2026 

First time visiting and it was so inviting and warm. The food was beyond excellent, we will be returning - 7/26/2026 

Great atmosphere, lovely servers and one of the best fish and chips I’ve had in some time! I also tried the Rhinegeist Summer Lemonade, if you are a fan of a light citrus beverage, it was perfectly complementary to the fish and chips. Perfect summer lunch. - 7/18/2026 

Nicholson's always a good time! Convenient location for concerts and shows, extensive menu for food, drinks and great service. Food is all delicious, too ... you can't go wrong with this one ! - 7/17/2026 

Enjoyed as always. My lunch was perfect. Can't wait for my next visit. - 7/16/2026 

We went for an early dinner during the week, so, it wasn't crowded, which is our preference, and we stayed at the table chatting for quite a while. Compared to most other restaurants in town, Nicholson's is now a BARGAIN -- they have not raised prices nearly as much as most places, if at all. Service was attentive but not intrusive, and everything was excellent, and we all took leftovers home as well. For a more lively experience, go later in the evening, or, when there is something at the Aronoff, but, we enjoyed the low-key vibe, and no pressure to leave, since there were empty tables nearby. - 7/13/2026 

Great food! Great ambiance! Great service!Perfect location to go before a show! Love that they have a show menu! Highly recommend! - 7/11/2026 

Food is always great! - 7/08/2026 

The food and drinks were delicious. The food came out hot and our server was very attentive. - 7/06/2026 

My husband and I visited this restaurant last night before seeing a show at the Aronoff center. We did have a reservation which was good, as the restaurant appeared to be fairly busy. We were taken all the way through to a back room and seated immediately. Our server, Azalea, was a very friendly, helpful and attentive person. She was actually taking care of all of the tables in the back room and did an impressive job. I started with a Jameson and ginger ale and my husband had a bourbon. Azalea suggested a toasted version of the bourbon to my husband that he enjoyed quite a bit. We started with the goat cheese appetizer served with pita bread. It was served warm and was very delicious. For our main course we each ordered the fish and chips. The small order was two pieces of fish and the large was three. The fish was crunchy and tasty. It was served with a side of coleslaw, French fries, tartar sauce and ketchup. We were also offered a bottle of vinegar for our fries as that is traditional in Ireland. All in all it was a great dining experience that I would highly recommend and would visit again in the future. - 7/04/2026 

Great restaurant to get some delicious food before a show at the Arnoff Center across the street. Outstanding bar to get a proper beverage. Can't say enough about their burgers and fries. I tried their half tavern salad and added salmon on another visit. It was tasty with a nice size filet. Don't pass on the dessert menu. We highly recommend the cheesecake and toffee pudding... Big portions! 🤤 - 7/03/2026 

I took my 9 year old grandson to see Lion King. We enjoyed dinner at Nicholsons before the performance. Everything and everyone that we encountered was wonderful. The hostess, our server and every person staff we interacted with was excellent. My grandson order the steak dinner (special occasion) and his steak was spot on med rare. He ate all of his meal. I got the fish and shrimp and it was lightly breaded and delicious. Thank you for making a Nana night out with her boy so memorable! - 7/01/2026 

A little noisy, but the entire restaurant seems so happy because they were getting a great meal by great servers and a beautiful facility before practically everybody left to go across the street to the show. Thank you for making this night so special. This was a Christmas present for my granddaughters and you definitely helped us start the evening. - 7/01/2026 

Adal traditional pub, vibe and find food as well. Great surprising experience. - 7/01/2026