Nolia Kitchen

Absolutely phenomenal experience from start to finish. Chef Jeffery Harris and his team are doing something truly special here on Clay Street. If you are expecting standard, heavy Southern staples or Mardi Gras gimmicks, Nolia will completely shift your perspective on what Southern fine dining can be. The menu rotates seasonally, but every single dish we tried was masterfully balanced—rich, smoky, and layered with just the right amount of acidity and heat. Rather than relying on traditional classics, the kitchen takes regional ingredients (okra, collard greens, fresh seafood) and elevates them with incredible technique. Even the plant-based and vegetarian dishes were treated with the exact same level of thought and complexity as the protein offerings, which is rare for Southern cuisine. The atmosphere strikes a great balance between upscale and intimate, with warm lighting, exposed brick, and an open view of the kitchen in action. Service was exceptional—knowledgeable, attentive, and completely unpretentious. The cocktail menu is equally impressive and pairs seamlessly with the bold flavor profiles on the food menu. Nolia is easily one of the best dining experiences in Cincinnati right now and well deserving of all its national accolades. Make a reservation in advance; it is worth every penny.

EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT! Eating a completely gluten free dinner was fantastic! The food here is FRESH! Each dish is carefully prepared. I had the fresh and veggies which were fantastic. The carrots were very tender and seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices. This was an excellent experience. The Chef and Owner was present, inspected each plate and spoke with the customers throughout the dinner service. The skillet cornbread is a must have.

My daughter picked this spot because she has celiac disease and cannot have gluten. She also picked it because it was her sisters birthday. I (mom) checked out the menu beforehand and didn’t know what to expect. I’m going to show my ignorance. I haven’t been to New Orleans unfortunately and I didn’t recognize many ingredients on the Spring menu. We were greeted warmly as soon as we walked in. The room was quaint and we felt at home. Super cool I recognized the chef and owner from looking Nolia up on line. He was cooking with his team right there. I felt like I was in his kitchen. We had the specialty drink - wonderful and light, delicious corn bread, huge shrimp cocktail so big my daughter asked if we should be eating them with a fork and knife- delicious!, I had swordfish and my daughters had the Iberico so delightfully delicious! Dessert was thee best homemade Belgian chocolate ice cream. The whole experience was a pleasant surprise! The servers were top notch attentive, all worked together, the chef I can understand why he has won awards because the words in this review do not adequately convey the total experience and the dishes my daughters and I had. The best in my 63 years of existence. Michelin - send your peeps to check out this gem!

Chef Harris and his team of Sou Chefs are incredible. Wait staff was very professional and knowledgeable about dishes.

you will be paying a premium, but it's absolutely worth a try. had an absolutely wonderful evening, the drinks are 10/10, and most of the dishes blew my socks off. Definitely worth a try if you can afford to swing the price

I visited here around July 4th weekend of 2022. When I tell you I have not stopped thinking about this restaurant since that night, I am not joking. Absolutely everything we ordered from cocktails to apps to dinner and dessert was incredible. One of the seasonal menu items that night was Hoppin' John. As a born and raised girl from the low country, I was blown away. It tasted so much like my late grandmother's recipe which I hadn't been able to eat in years. I 100% cried. LOL. After chatting with the gracious owners/chef, he shared that their produce for that dish had come from the area I grew up in. Another reason it tasted so much like home! Anyway, I recommend this place to anyone I know when they visit Cincinnati. A MUST STOP. It's at the top of my list for whenever I visit again.

Wow! Amazing in every way. I had the lamb neck (I’ve never heard of it, but it was incredible) and the cornbread, which sounds simple, but they weren’t! They were both perfect. This tiny little compact Restaurant does a great job. Highly recommended. The owner is right there with you Making recommendations and ensuring that everything is perfect, and from what I could see, everyone was happy. Highly recommended

Absolutely incredible. Chef’s counter. Caviar on the skillet cornbread. 😋

My son wanted to go here for his birthday and we weren't disappointed. Not one bit. It was delicious. Fresh overseen by the head, chef and owner himself. Just high quality, delicious ingredients

First time at Nolia Kitchen, and I can honestly say it was one of the best meals I've had in Cincinnati. The restaurant is in a quiet part of downtown with plenty of nearby public parking. Walking in, I immediately liked the atmosphere. Exposed brick, high ceilings, warm lighting, and unique floral wallpaper give it a cozy, upscale feel without being overly formal. I started with the Bumbu Banana cocktail. It was smooth and well balanced. It leans on the sweeter side, almost like a dessert cocktail, with the rum coming through on the finish. The shrimp skewers were outstanding. They had a nice char from the grill, were perfectly tender, and had just the right amount of heat. The banana gremolata balanced the spice really well and made the dish stand out. The skillet cornbread is every bit as good as people say. Served hot in a cast-iron skillet with whipped Steen's cane syrup butter and flaky smoked salt, it was easily my favorite thing I ordered. I could've made a meal out of that alone. For my entrée, I had the Iberico pork. The pork was juicy and flavorful, and the corn maque choux was rich, creamy, and paired perfectly with it. The jalapeño chimichurri added a fresh kick that tied everything together. My only small criticism is that a few of the more heavily charred pieces were slightly bitter, but it wasn't enough to take away from an excellent dish overall. Service was friendly, the food came out at a good pace, and the entire experience felt well put together. My meal—a cocktail, two starters, and an entrée—came to $95 before tax, which I thought was fair for the quality of the food and overall experience. If you're in Cincinnati and want something beyond the usual chain restaurants, Nolia Kitchen is absolutely worth checking out. And whatever you order, don't skip the skillet cornbread.

Food and service was great. Instructions for parking could be more clear. The area is packed with cars and both lots their site pointed us to seem to be non-existent. Only criticism on the food is I'd like a little more seasoning with the smoked items, instead of just the smoked flavor.

Truly exceptional experience. Menu of fresh perfectly prepared food. Cooks are in the room and enjoyed watching them prepare the food. We sat at the bar looking into the kitchen. Definitely Michelin star ready.

unbelievably good ! finally a restaurant with new flavors and innovative dishes. not the same as all places (steak, fried chicken, lobster linguine, etc). amazing taste, preparation and service. chef brought our main course and we were right in front of the cooking line. the food has soul and personality and that is irreplaceable and has no monetary value. thank you so much. also very vegan and vegetarian friendly. our server henry was awesome too. wow to everything. reserve in advance for weekend if you can !