Cincinnati/Clifton and Northside

Clifton is near the city center, and is home to an especially wide range of people, boasting a population diverse in ethnicity, race, sexuality, gender, age, country of origin, and economic status. A number of students at the local university inhabit the stately apartment buildings, and many of the beautiful older homes that line the gas-lit streets, though a number of families and other residents are also proud to call Clifton home. Especially notable is the stretch of Ludlow between Clifton Ave and Whitfield, as it is home to restaurants specializing in American fare (perhaps the best Skyline Chili in all of Cincinnati, as well as local diner the Proud Rooster) and ethnic delights (Ambar and Amol India, Thai Cafe, Mediterranean Foods), as well as a number of independent shops and boutiques.
Northside is an economically and racially diverse neighborhood notable for a strong sense of community investment and pride. The neighborhood is home to many unique shops including Shake It Records (an independently owned record store), and two vintage clothing stores, NVision and Casablanca Vintage. Restaurants include culinary delights Take the Cake, Honey, and Melt. The nightlife in Northside is lively with a variety of clubs including Bronz, Mayday, Serpent, The Comet, and the Northside Tavern. The neighborhood is also home to a sizable LGBT population and hosts many of the city's gay pride events. This neighborhood is full of hipsters.
Avondale is a primarily residential urban neighborhood near the center of the city, notable for the presence of the Cincinnati Zoo. Large parts of Avondale feature historic former mansions with beautiful architecture, but today the neighborhood has an unsavory reputation and is prone to gang related violence, drugs, and armed robbery.

• The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education

  phone: +1 513 487-3055
  address: 3101 Clifton Ave
  CHHE has a heart-wrenching and inspiring exhibit called Mapping Our Tears, which follows the stories of Cincinnatians involved in the resistance to Nazis and Holocaust survivors now living in Cincinnati. One part of the exhibit tells the tale of a local man, who after interrogating suspects to be tried at the Nuremberg Trials became U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg.

• Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens

  address: 3400 Vine St
  The Cincinnati Zoo is one of the most important zoos worldwide because of its success with the mating of animals in captivity. Right now, the zoo's biggest star is Fiona, a young hippo born prematurely in January 2017 who became a social media star when the zoo began posting updates on her condition. Her first birthday party in January 2018 drew about 7,000 fans. The zoo received worldwide media attention in 2016 when gorilla Harambe was murdered by zookeepers, an incident resulting in outrage around the world. The zoo is well worth a visit.

• William Howard Taft National Historic Site

  phone: +1 513 684-3262
  address: 2038 Auburn Ave
  The William Howard Taft National Historic Site, which is administered by the National Park Service, was the birthplace and home of William Howard Taft. William Howard Taft served as the 27th President and became the 10th Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. The Taft family has become one of the most politically distinguished families in Ohio, let alone the US.

• American Sign Museum

  phone: +1 513 541-6366
  address: 1330 Monmouth St
  Check out the only museum dedicated to the sign industry and features a very large collection of signs from all around the United States. Covering nearly 100 years of sign making and advertising, the museum boasts an impressive collection of painted, light bulb, plastic, and of course neon signs. Guided tours are available at 11AM and 2PM during museum hours. The museum also houses Neon Works, the last full-time neon workshop in Cincinnati and is able to demonstrate their craft during weekday tours.

• Bogart's Concert Hall

  phone: +1 513 562-4949
  address: 2621 Vine St
  Small venue that attracts some well-known acts. Crowds can get rough with mosh pits growing annoyingly large.

• Esquire Theatre

  phone: +1 513 281-8750
  address: 320 Ludlow Ave
  The Esquire Theatre is a movie theater that generally runs indie/foreign films along with some other mainstream films. It also hosts twice-monthly showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is on Ludlow Ave, which is close to great coffee shops, restaurants, and specialty stores.

• PNC Festival of Lights

  address: Dury Ave
  The Cincinnati Zoo hosts the annual Festival of Lights to celebrate the holiday season with 2.5 million Christmas lights and over 100 light displays. Other activities include live music, ice sculpture shows, taking a train around the zoo, and meeting Santa. You'll want to arrive a few hours before the light display starts because there will be little or no parking left by 4PM (of course you could take an alternative mode of transportation as well). See the listing under the See section for more details about the zoo.

• FC Cincinnati

  phone: +1 513 977-5435
  address: 14 E. 4th St., Third Floor (team offices)
  The newest addition to the city's sports scene is this soccer team, which joined Major League Soccer in 2019 after three seasons in the second-level league now known as the USL Championship. For now, FCC plays its home games at Nippert Stadium, the on-campus home of University of Cincinnati football, though it's preparing to build its own new stadium in the West End and open it in 2021. Nippert normally seats 40,000, but FCC limits seating for most games to about 34,000.

• Cincinnati Bearcats

  address: 2700 Varsity Way
  The University of Cincinnati has a strong tradition in basketball and an emerging tradition in football. The two-time national champion men's basketball team, as well as the women's basketball team, play their home games at Fifth Third Arena in a structure known as the Shoemaker Center, which reopens for the 2018–19 season after a year-long renovation. The football team plays almost all of its home games at Nippert Stadium, nicknamed the "Wrigley Field" of college football, and is the fifth oldest stadium in college football. Occasional "big games" in football are played at Paul Brown Stadium. Football tickets are $25-35.

• Shake It Records

  phone: +1 513 591-0123
  address: 4156 Hamilton Ave #1
  Independent record label and record store. They have just about every CD you can imagine. They also carry used CDs and vinyl, DVDs, books, graphic novels, magazines, and Japanese toys. Basically its a one stop shop for anything alternative/DIY/indie culture that's hard to come by elsewhere in Cincinnati.

• Krishna Indian Carryout

  phone: +1 513 961-2878
  address: 313 Calhoun St
  At the top of Clifton across from the University of Cincinnati campus, Krishna is tiny by nearly all standards with only four tables along the wall. Opposite, the staff cooks excellent North Indian cuisine (common in Cincinnati) atop a four-burner stove. Heaping portions with delicious naan.

• Skyline Chili

  phone: +1 513 241-4848
  address: 290 Ludlow Ave
  The most famous chili chain, with numerous locations throughout the Cincinnati area and franchise locations in Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, and other smaller Midwest and Florida cities. Their chili is sold in supermarkets throughout the Midwestern United States in frozen packages or cans so that Cincinnati natives can enjoy it wherever they may be. For more locations, see Skyline's store locator. The location recommended is one of the most interesting, a good people watching spot at all hours of the day and night in the diverse neighborhood of the Clifton Gaslight district. Don't forget to swap out your parking puck!

• Gold Star Chili

  phone: +1 513 751-8841
  address: 2713 Vine St
  One of Cincinnati's major chili chains. While most Cincinnatians are loyal to Skyline, there are many who claim Gold Star is Cincinnati's best. For more locations, see Gold Star's store locator.

• Mecklenburg Gardens

  phone: +1 513 221-5353
  address: 302 E University Ave
  Established in 1865, this is the only original of the once plentiful German biergartens that were all over the city prior to Prohibition. Lovingly restored, this beergarden features a Large selection of German beers, and food. The garden is quite nice during the summer for a pleasant evening meal.

• Ambar Indian

  phone: +1 513 281-7000
  address: 350 Ludlow Ave
  For being a city not known for ethnic diversity, there are a surprising number of North Indian places in Cincinnati, Clifton has 3 of them in a row (and an Indian grocery) and this one is generally the one in Clifton that locals like the most.

• Camp Washington Chili

  phone: +1 513 541-0061
  address: 3005 Colerain Ave
  Considered a contender for best chili in the city by many. It's also a (mostly) 24-hour diner, offering breakfast at all hours of the night. This is a good place to also try out Goetta, the lesser-known German-Cincinnatian food similar to scrapple (a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices) which you can't find anywhere outside of the region!

• Melt

  phone: +1 513 681-6358
  address: 4100 Hamilton Ave
  Melt is a sandwich shop in Northside and a favorite among locals. True to the non-conformist culture of Northside, vegetarian/vegan options are available.

• Highland Coffee House

  phone: +1 513 861-4151
  address: 2839 Highland Ave
  Bohemian, hipstery, and friendly coffee house/bar near the university in an old building with high ceilings, a two level outdoor patio, and tons of character. Service is purposely laid back as there is usually only one bartista/bartender to serve the many people who frequent here.

• Sitwells Coffee House

  phone: +1 513 281-7487
  address: 324 Ludlow Ave
  Coffee house that's an anchor to the electric university-centric neighborhood of Clifton making it a good place for people watching. Like many cafe's in Cincinnati this one also offers alcoholic beverages too.

• Collective Espresso Northside

  phone: +1-513-399-7207
  address: 4037 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229
  Cozy cafe tucked away in a back alley courtyard behind the main business district of the eclectic Northside neighborhood, this is one of the few places in Cincinnati that offers French Press style coffee which is a preferred style of making coffee among the most hardcore coffee snobs. The French Press is only available here and not at the other Collective Espresso locations.

• Tillie's Lounge

  phone: +1 513 541 1414
  address: 4042 Hamilton Ave
  Named for Tillie the elephant, a feature of the local John Robertson Circus many years ago, this bar features plush 1920s decor. Set in the Northside entertainment district. Full bar, craft beers, wine. No food served.

• The Comet

  phone: +1 513 541-8900
  address: 4579 Hamilton Ave
  Featuring a huge selection of beverages including over 200 beers, The Comet's famous San Francisco - style burritos, the hippest jukebox, 2 pool tables, work from local artists, and live music weekly and there is never a cover!

• Mayday

  phone: +1 513 541-0999
  address: 4231 Spring Grove Ave
  Hipstery dive bar known for its many dance nights and live music. Northside is the place for this kind of thing if its your scene.

• Northside Tavern

  phone: +1 513 421-6200
  address: 4163 Hamilton Ave
  Northside Tavern is a large bar/concert venue that is an anchor of one of Cincinnati's most eclectic neighborhoods. Great for people watching or catching a band no one has ever heard of.

• Urban Artifact

  address: 1660 Blue Rock Street
  In the basement of a former Catholic church, this brewery and concert venue produces some excellent examples of sour style beer. Concerts can also be found frequently in the same space, eventual plans call for this to have concerts/events in the sanctuary and brewing in the basement. This space further reinforces that beer is Cincinnati's second religion.

• Hampton Inn Cincinnati Uptown

  phone: +1 513 281-2700
  address: 3024 Vine St
  Hampton Inn which is next to the university and a number of hospitals. Good option if you don't want to go downtown.

Hospitals

• University Hospital

  phone: +1 513 584-1000
  address: 234 Goodman St

• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

  phone: +1 513 636-4200
  address: 3333 Burnet Ave

Religious services

• Clifton Mosque

  phone: +1 513 221-4003
  address: 3668 Clifton Ave
  Muslim services.