Archive for November, 2025

Krueger’s Tavern
Thursday, November 20th, 2025 No Comments Food & Drink

Of the three Thunderdome restaurants on the two blocks of Vine St, Krueger’s Tavern is the one I visit the least. I think my last visit was back in 2016, but the food is excellent, so I should definitely stop in more regularly.

Spicy Chicken Parm

Spicy Chicken Parm

First up, you definitely need to try the spicy chicken parm sandwich with crispy chicken, spicy vodka sauce, pepperonata, pesto, arugula, and provolone on a Blue Over potato bun ($14). A lot is going on with this sandwich, and the flavors really work well together. It is not super spicy, but it does have a little kick thanks to the vodka sauce. The blend of peppers and onions in the pepperonata makes for a really great sandwich topping. The cheese helps hold it all together; otherwise, this could be a messy sandwich to eat.

Hot Beer Cheese

Hot Beer Cheese

The hot beer cheese is also delicious. It is made with Kronenbourg 1664 and sharp cheddar, and a large portion of it is served with 3 pretzel sticks ($12).

Lemon Hummus

Lemon Hummus

The lemon hummus is unique and also very good. It is topped with Mediterranean-spiced carrots, cauliflower, and smoked paprika and served with toasted pita ($11).

El Barril
Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 2 Comments Food & Drink

El Barril Mexican Sports Bar and Grill has a prime location in Mt. Adams at the corner of Pavilion and St. Gregory. My wife and I were in the mood to try something new to us, so we popped in for a dinner date.

Inside

Inside

The restaurant space is pretty large, especially for Mt. Adams. It’s sort of an indoor/outdoor location, with a large covered patio and large garage doors that open the indoor space in all directions. Certainly a nice place to visit when the weather is good, but the food is just as good as the location, and therefore worthy of a visit no matter the season.

Margarita

Margarita

My wife and I shared a pitcher of margaritas ($26.99 for the gold), and they were very tasty. Even though they were not prepared to order, it did seem that they had been prepared recently and had great fresh ingredients.

Chimichanga

Chimichanga

My typical Mexican restaurant order is the chimichanga. Theirs is a large tortilla, filled with shredded chicken, beans, and cheese, deep-fried, and topped with lettuce, guacamole, tomato, and sour cream. This is served with rice and beans ($15.25). This was very good and the ingredients were fresh!

Chile Verde

Chile Verde

My wife ordered the chile verde, a delicious plate of slow-cooked pork simmered in a savory green chile sauce. Again served with rice and beans, along with tortillas on the side ($18.50). Another really good dish, and one that is not very common in the Cincinnati area. Go give it a try!