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Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mt. AdamsMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Ribs, Cincinnati style.
There are a lot of people who complain, what is real BBQ? The first and major complaint is the sauce. Some would argue that sauce should be vinegar based, others with argue that it should be tomato based. This distinction is purely based on where you were raised, and your personal flavor tastes.
You won't find vinegar here. If that is what you call BBQ Ribs, then no, go somewhere else. Okay, with that said, these are some DARN good ribs.
If this is your first time there, I was told to get the BBQ Ribs, Chips, and the Ice Cream, which is also a local favorite. This is the Standard fare I would recommend to anyone why is new to this place.
I'm from Seattle, we don't do ribs. We do salmon; we do fish, and chicken. However, I happen to have the fortunate to be in Cincinnati for some meetings, and we were recommended to visit this local place. First of all, this place is busy in the evening, I was given a ride there, and immediately, I was taken back by the location, by the water. Inside; it's a place that has a olden feel, with sports centric memorabilia, including a vintage Griffey shirt, when he was with the Reds. (Sorry Seattle Mariner's Pride, but we can all agree, he is a great player).
The food is solid. As I mentioned, they are good, they fall off the bone with the right amount of give and pull. I've spend a lot of time in Texas, and in the south, as well as the eastern parts of the US, and the argument is going to persist, which is better, Vinegar or Tomato based sauce. I think tomato is a good sauce, and with these ribs, it's about how messy you get eating them.
They offer you a Bib, TAKE IT. As was mentioned at our table, a few moments of embarrassment is better than wearing your food all night long. It did get dirty, and I didn't. Go ready to eat, and you will enjoy yourself, and a nice beer helps move things along.
You've have a good time there, sure you might say that is isn't this, or isn't, but if you want a good place to grab and enjoy the local foods, then this is the right place.
I was in Cincinnati for work and this place was recommended to us. I'm not sure what to say about the place. The food was OK, but nothing special. The decor was forgettable. This place prides itself in all the celebrities who come there, but I don't see the attraction. Certainly not bad, but I would choose a more interesting restaurant next time.
Their homebrew was not bad. I assumed it's just a rebranded beer and Leinenkugel came to mind. Well, look at this: http://beeradvocate.co...
A classic! Best view in Cincinnati.
Was glad our business contact in Cincinnati took us here, because oddly enough, my co-worker and my research did not bring up the Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse. The restaurant decor is nothing to write home about; mirrored walls and the space reminded me of the hippest hottest spot in Cincinnati...circa 1973! There's lots of potential though, as the view of the river with the floor-to-ceiling windows is great!
There was plenty on the menu to choose from, but for your first time we figured why stray from an order of their "World famous" ribs? We started our meal by sharing the homemade Saratoga potato chips with a side of the BBQ sauce. Dipping chips in BBQ Sauce? Crazy! But it actually worked. The "Order" of ribs (six pieces) was plenty for a person of average size and appetite. We were told that the ribs are cooked and cured in a two-day process and the fall-off-the-bone meat was a testament to that! The sauce was sweet and tangy but there was way too much sauce on these ribs. The meat was also too salty. All in all, good ribs, but certainly not the best I've ever had. We washed it all down with their specialty House Pale Ale, which was adequate, but not outstanding.
All in all I might visit again if I was in town for a few days, but it's a solid Meh with a Bib Bullet.
Lived in Cincinnati for 3 years and I miss it sooo much!
Oh Montgomery Inn, I miss you the most!!!
Sometimes my mom sends me ribs on special occassions, and they are still wonderful, but it's just not the same! I miss gazing over at KY across the glistening river while sucking on that sweet savory sauce, I miss staring in awe of the sports memorabilia (have more Leroy Neimans than I have!) and I MISS THE ONION STRAWS!
I miss you...
Love, ME
We had one of those experiences where a restaurant grasped defeat from the jaws of victory.
We had reservations and were seated right away. Service was a touch slow but over-the-top friendly (you either are amused by having a waitress tell you about her childhood a bit or you aren't, but Cincy people are friendly so roll with it is my advice), the food was tasty and well priced considering the portions, and they have Graeter's ice cream which is HUGE. Décor is mundane but nice enough, and ask to get a table where you can see the river, the view is very nice.
Then. We are leaving, we are tourists, we ask for a taxi to be called. We wait 10 minutes. No taxi. Ask again. 10 minutes. No taxi. 40 minutes total and no freaking taxi and the manager telling us they are 'at the mercy of the taxi companies what can we do sir?'. A couple things off the top of my head: If you are going to cater to out of towners (we were told every celeb and athlete who comes to Cincy eats there), and you are getting $300 plus from a table like ours, get a relationship with a couple reliable companies or drivers. 2, if you see a group waiting and waiting for a taxi after said $300 check, don't wait for them to complain about the taxi send them a drink or a take-home bottle of BBQ sauce. 3, borrow the owner's Escalade. Sheesh. Figure something out.
Anyway. Go ahead and eat there but if you have to take a taxi think twice.
What is it with the Midwest and crucifying other areas of the country's culinary delights? I find this is especially true in Cincinnati.
I'm not even going to bother writing a long review of the place. It was that bad.
Decor: Abyssmal, unless you're Austin Powers
Food: This isn't BBQ. It isn't Texas-style, it isn't vinegar based, and it simply isn't BBQ. Please leave the BBQ to Memphis, TN, Lower Alabama and Texas.
Drink: Laughable selection, unless you're a Budweiser fan.
Dessert: We didn't try one, as all we wanted to do was leave.
I'm a traveler from Atlanta who came to Cincinnati to watch a baseball game, and was highly recommended by many locals to try Montgomery Inn ribs. Now I'm not going to go on a diatribe between Cincy ribs vs. Carolina/Memphis/Maryland/Southern-style ribs, because I'm non-discriminative, and I will gladly eat ALL sorts of barbecue.
Montgomery Inn ribs - saucy, that's kind of sweet at first, but you taste the saltiness within. The meat is fall-off-the-bone, but not that gooey, disintegrating texture that results in a bad case of the ITIS, but requires a good bite and tug to rip the tender and delicious meat clean off the bone. I like that it has a little bit of chew to it, as I prefer this over too-tender meat that you could gum. Prices were slightly in the upper-quartile of the spectrum, but after eating them, I didn't mind. The conclusion is that the ribs were wonderful and delicious, and I would gladly come back to Cincy for more in the future.
As for the decor, atmosphere, etc, is where it gets a little out-of-place for me. A barbecue joint that has only valet parking? Pretty hostesses in black clothing, at a cherry-wood podium? I thought this was a barbecue joint, not upscale dining. I mean, good try, but I felt that it's a little diluted from what it really is - a rib shack. And then sports memorabilia everywhere; a little out of place. And speaking of which, I felt a little out of place walking in, in a t-shirt and baseball cap, but if not for the fervent pursuit of these ribs, I might've second guessed going in. But I'm glad I didn't. The ribs were totally worth it, and is the only reason that I rate it as high as I do.
been too many times on business to this place. Nice view but the food is so mediocre and the ribs??? Bleh !! Seriously go try some ribs in another true BBQ city and you won't think the ribs at the Boathouse are anything special.
Stay away.
I've never had a bad meal here. The ribs are the best that I have ever had. You may have a problem with seating if you are planning a party for a large group, but otherwise, it's great.
Oh...my....gawd. Perfection, from the pig statue outside to the views of the Ohio River.
When they say "the meat was falling off the ribs", they must be talking about MI's ribs. BBQ sauce was perfect, and all the sides were yumtastic.
What really made the MI stand out was the service. Our waitress was funny, friendly, and while I usually hate when waitstaff involve themselves in my dining experience, she turned out to be an integral part of our evening. The sommelier was very knowledgable and cordial (big plus for me), and the wine he suggested was the perfect accompaniment to THE BEST FREAKIN RIBS I ever had. And I try to eat ribs a lot.
I love Montgomery Ribs! These are quite possibly the best ribs I have ever had. Not to mention this particular location has the most incredible view. If you make a reservation and it's not freezing try to sit outside. Their restaurant overlooks the Ohio river and you can see everything, from the city scape and the riverboats, to statutes and local landmarks.
You really just cannot go wrong here. delicious ribs (so tender and such flavor!) with this rich and tangy BBQ sauce. They also do great shoestring french fries and I really recommend the saratoga chips dipped in the BBQ sauce. My mouth is literally watering right now just thinking about it.
If I find out anyone I know is in the area I always recommend this place to them and they have never come back with a complaint. You can even order the ribs to be shipped to you (which occasionally is actually worth it, I've done it twice now). So even if you don't live near-by you can get some of the best ribs on the planet. My brother was recently out there visiting friends and he brought back a giant box of ribs and dry ice. Along with 5 bottles of BBQ sauce. It made everyone at home soooooo happy.
There are two local chains in Cincinnati that I was told that are must tries; Skyline Chili and Montgomery Inn-Ribbs King.
Similarities:
They are restaurant chains that began in Cincinnati
Both serve some kind of meat
People are willing to wait for their food
That's where the similarities end. The ribs at Montgomery Inn are some of the best, if not the best that I've had. The pork ribs are lean but meaty. They are cooked to a tenderness where the meat pulls from the bone easily. The sauce is subjective; it's a spicy sweet variety which I like. I also had the duck which was crispy and not too fatty and their sides are cholestorol-clogging good, thumbs up on the onion straws. With a beautiful view of the Ohio river and top notch service, I think this is one of the best things Cincy has to offer.
Even though we had reservations for 10:30 we called at 9:30 and there was no wait.
As for the other chain...meh!
We drove down from Columbus specifically to eat here, and were seriously disappointed. We arrived fifteen minutes before they opened for lunch, and there were already quite a few people waiting. Not a problem. But we were maybe 8th or 9th in line, and it took wayyyy too long to be seated. Our server was slow to take our drink order, and wasn't at all friendly. At $20+, I thought the entrees were rather pricey, but I'd read enough rave reviews to think/hope that we'd be getting our money's worth. Nope... I opted for the Ribs and Chicken, he chose the full slab of ribs. The barbeque sauce was decent enough, but the ribs were fatty, and the meat was really stringy. Best ribs in the world? Sorry, but not even close. The chicken was overcooked, but edible. My accompanying baked potato was hard, and slightly cold in the middle. His side of veggies were fresh and perfectly cooked.
I can't recommend this place. The food is sub-par considering the price, and the service is average at best. The MI is definitely not as good as it thinks it is.
5 stars for the ribs, 3 stars for everything else. The location is nice on the river although the inside decor needs a good update. Picking up ribs is probably your best option. My shrimp were fried and dry and the mac and cheese was soggy but once again, the ribs are divine!
Great ribs & chicken.....this place is a Cincinnati institution!!!! The bar is awesome and the views off the deck are fantastic. If you're in town, this is a must.
Fantastic - fit for kings - (but in our country, fit for the presidents too)
Delicious ribs. Yes they had other options but why come here if you don't have ribs?
Interesting mix of people, saw quite a few of Cincy's elite.
Great view of the river while you eat.
When we parked it was valet only. In all likely hood you will need a reservation, even then they gave us a pager and said 20 min.
Some of the best ribs anywhere. I still dream about their BBQ sauce; it goes on nearly anything. They do it on chicken, shoestring fries and saratoga chips. mmmm.
Well - we got to sit outside which was nice - but it's crowded. I don't know - it just wasn't that great. The service is quick but i jut don't think I like the food that much. It's fine - but Hoggy's is better.
The best ribs on earth. The chips are really good too. If you are visting Cincinnati this is an absolute must.
OMG, seriously, some of the best ribs I have ever tasted. And the bbq sauce...I have dreams of the bbq sauce! I've taken bottles of it home (to San Francisco) many a times. And if I know of anyone going to Cincinnati, I beg them to bring some back for me. Definitely worth the trip.
Great meal, I like the ribs & chicken combo, it's cheap and delicious. Get a good bottle of Malbec for $20 with that, can't beat the price. Minus one star for the wait and stupid reservation policy, and the required valet parking nonsense. ( I actually found that you can just drive right past the valet parker and go park yourself, he'll just look at you funny but they really don't care).
We took my parents here to eat when they came to visit from out of town because everyone I talked to said it was the absolute best. Everyone always raves about the ribs; unfortunately, I like beef ribs, not pork. The food was pretty good, I don't think anyone absolutely loved what they ordered. It was definitely not as great as it was made out to be, especially not for the price. It was nice sitting on the river, but the interior decor didn't really do it for me, either, a little too cheesy. It was a nice overall experience, but I don't plan on going back.
Neighborhood: Mt. Adams
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