My wife and I took advantage of a night without the kids to give Maribelle’s eat + drink a try. It is kind of surprising to me that we haven’t given them a try before due to their location being located fairly close to our home. But I think it boils down to while Maribelle’s is not kid unfriendly, they do not offer a kid’s menu and one of ours is a really picky eater.

Outside

We started with a couple of their house cocktails, the highlight being the new fashioned ($10) with Bulleit rye, chicory, campfire bitters, and orange zest. I really enjoy a nice rye whiskey and this take on a class old fashioned cocktail was very tasty!

Cocktails

For dinner my wife went with the black bean burger with muenster, spicy sour cream, greens, tomato, onion, and house pickle ($15). This comes with your choice of side and my wife immediately picked the sweet potatoes with honey, goat cheese, and candied pecans. Both were excellent choices and fairly unique. The goat cheese with sweet potatoes was like nothing I’ve ever had and made for a sweet and creamy side.

Black Bean Burger

I decided on the chicken and ham sandwich with Gruyere, truffle aioli, arugula, and tomato ($17). For my side I chose the fries with rosemary, shaved Parmesan, and truffle aioli. The sandwich was full of fresh and well prepared ingredients, but the fries stole the show. I loved that the truffle aioli was served on the side as this can be a polarizing ingredient.

Chicken & Ham Sandwich

Our service was spectacular and the food was overall very tasty. We will definitely be back again in the near future!

Pies & Pints is a small chain of just over a dozen restaurants, started in West Virginia and now in five states. There are now three locations in the Cincinnati area, with The Banks location being open almost a year now. This location is in the newest section of The Banks to open in the block where GE and Radius now call home.

Outside

My wife and I stopped in for dinner after an afternoon event downtown. We quickly decided to share a salad and a pizza. First up was the Spinach Salad with red onions, Gorgonzola, red grapes & sunflower seeds, tossed in house vinaigrette or creamy Gorgonzola ($8 small, $12 large). We went with the small size which was plenty for two to share. The greens were fresh, and the toppings were plentiful. I really enjoyed this creative combination!

Spinach Salad

As far as the pizza goes, we picked the Cuban Pork with caramelized onions, fresh pineapple, jalapenos, feta, cilantro & creme fraiche ($15 small, $25 large). Again the small size was enough for two and we even had a little leftover for the next day. Again I found the toppings to be plentiful and a rather unique combination of flavors. I enjoyed the jalapeno heat mixed with the sweetness from the pineapple and caramelized onions. With so many choices on the menu I would probably try something different on a future visit, but this is a very solid choice.

Cuban Pork Pizza

Overall we enjoyed our visit to Pies & Pints. The draft beer selection was really good, though our server was not very familiar with many of the offerings. Despite that fact the food was prepared rather quickly and drinks stayed full. I’m sure we will be back again in the future.

MOD Pizza is a chain of over 200 restaurants across the country specializing in fast and casual pizzas. Their Cincinnati location has been open about a year in Oakley Station. Another location will be opening soon in Anderson’s Cherry Grove Plaza Shopping Center. There is also a location on Liberty Way in West Chester.

Inside

Orders are placed at the counter. The first decision is whether to have a pizza or a salad. Either way an individual serving size will set you back $7.77. You can choose from 10 signature pizzas, three salads, or create your own.

Oven

They use a gas-fired oven to cook at 800 degrees in a matter of minutes. When orders are ready the staff will call out your name for you to pick it up from just outside the kitchen area. During my visit the restaurant was not too crowded and my order was ready just moments after I collected a local draft beer and found a place to sit.

Caspian

For my lunch visit I went with the Caspian pizza with mozzarella, Gorgonzola, BBQ chicken, barbecue sauce, and sliced red onions. The sweet sauce complimented the tangy cheese very well. The pizza was cooked perfectly, with just the slightest bit of char on the edges of the crust. This was a really good pizza and I look forward to trying some other creations soon.

Pirate’s Cove Tropical Bar & Grill has been seasonally operating for 24 years on the Ohio River at the Four Seasons Marina. They are closed now for the season, but towards the very end of the summer my family and I stopped in for our first dining experience.

Inside Outside

There is no inside dining here, but nearly every seat has a roof overhead. The open air allows for you to view the yachts coming and going in the marina. There is a large bar and plenty of tables around the outskirts of the large space. A live band was playing during our visit near a sandy area that adds even more tropical island ambiance.

View

For lunch I decided on the Cuban Classic with roasted pork loin topped with cheddar jack, peppers, and onions served hot pressed on Cuban style bread ($14.50). I also subbed in onion rings for $2 extra. The pork loin was well cooked and thick sliced. Aside from the bread this is not an authentic Cuban sandwich, but it was actually really good.

Cuban Classic

Overall the prices are slightly higher than normal, but the views are hard to beat. Plus the quality of the food was great and there are plenty of choices on the extensive menu. We will likely be back again next summer.

The Play Library has been open for half a year in their new spot in Over-the-Rhine, 1517 Elm Street. For a monthly fee, the Play Library lends out games and toys. What started as a popup shop near Findlay Market has proven to be popular enough to fill their own permanent location.

Pop The Pig

The space is also available for families to drop in and play with the toys for absolutely no fee at all. If you want to take some home, memberships are available starting at $15 per month.

Dolls

There are so many choices available and run the spectrum from babies all the way to adult oriented games. It seemed that there were hundreds of options available and there is definitely something for everyone.

So Many Choices

If there location were any closer to home I would consider giving the membership a try. With that said I’m sure my family will stop by to play in the store from time to time.

The Cincinnati brewing scene continues to grow and I am struggling to keep up with visiting all of the new options around town. One that I have visited and should be at the top of your list if you haven’t is Brink Brewing Company. Brink is on Hamilton Avenue in the heart of College Hill and opened up earlier this year.

Bar

My family and I spent the better part of an afternoon here. There is a really large communal table in the center of the room that provided plenty of space for our group and another group on the other end. My wife tried a flight of beers, and let me sample them as well, while I went right for a pint of one of their three IPA’s that were on tap at the time.

Flight

The tap list changes often and none of the IPA’s that I sampled appear to be on the current list. Each of them were quite good, and I especially liked their Like A Boss the best. But what really stood out for me were the samples of darker beers. Their Brown Ale was one of the better that I’ve had and the Moozie Milk Stout seems to be a regular on the menu.

Logo

They do not have a kitchen but there are plenty of places nearby (with menus inside) for carryout or delivery. They also often have food trucks on the weekend and live music on Friday nights.

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Brink is a wonderful addition to College Hill and is now one of my most highly recommended smaller breweries in town.