I have been waiting for months, nine months to be exact, for the opening of Son of A Preacher Man in O’Bryonville, the tiny Cincinnati neighborhood nestled between Hyde Park and Walnut Hills along Madison Road. You may know the area for its namesake pub, O’Bryon’s or perhaps as the location of The Bon Bonerie, by many accounts the best bakery in Cincinnati. But now you (and I) have another reason make a pit stop in O’Bryonville. Son of a Preacher Man is the new restaurant from the owner and executive chef of the restaurant right next door, Enoteca Emilia. I have had a positive experience there so I was hoping that Son of A Preacher Man would meet the same standards. By and large, I was not disappointed.

The décor is an effective mash up of a traditional Southern diner and a contemporary restaurant, think Mayberry meets Chicago perhaps. As you may know by reading this blog, I usually go to a restaurant that I intend to review with a group of friends and this night was no exception. I arrived early with a couple of those friends to have a drink. Son of a Preacher Man offers a full bar, however they specialize in bourbon, not surprising considering its current popularity and our proximity to the Bluegrass state. However, I was in the mood for a beer, so I ordered a North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner and my friends ordered a Green Flash IPA and a Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’. Beer is served in bottles and cans only, a minor disappointment for this draft beer lover. While I always enjoy a beer or a drink, the focus here is really the food not the alcoholic beverages.

Once our entire party arrived, we were seated after a brief wait at a large picnic table in a quiet corner. As of now, they do not accept reservations, so planning ahead is a must. I am sure that as the restaurant becomes more well known, the wait time will increase. The menu is compact in both its size and scope. This is a Southern food restaurant so if that’s not your preference, Son of a Preacher Man is not for you. Luckily for me, I’m a big fan of Southern Style cooking. A little background here: I grew up eating grilled chicken and turkey burgers, so going to my Tennessee-born great grandmother’s house on Sunday after church for fried chicken and mashed potatoes was always a huge treat. Son of a Preacher Man teleported me back to a Sunday afternoon in 1978 and that’s a good thing.

One of my friends ordered an appetizer for the table and told the server to surprise us. I was hoping that he would bring the Pimento Cheese Fritters so I was a happy camper when they arrived, piping hot no less. While I was thrilled with the crunch on the outside of the fritters, I was hoping that the cheese inside would be a little spicier. As the meal progressed though, I realized that this was not that kind of food. I ordered the Sunday’s Best Fried Chicken as did several others at the table. Others ordered the Low Country Shrimp and Grits and the Fried Chicken Biscuit. Between all of us, I think that we managed to order nearly all of the side dishes as well. The Southern Mac and Cheese was crispy on top and creamy inside, the Southern Mash and Gravy was a little garlicky but not overbearingly so, and the grits and Pork ‘n Beans were delicious as well. The fried chicken on its own was crispy and a little salty on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. However, paired with the fluffy homemade biscuits served with every main dish, it was elevated to another level. My only complaint about the chicken is that the portions were a little on the small side.

I think that everyone thought that their food was great, but the best surprise of the night was the check. Mine had two entrees, one pop and one beer and the grand total was around $29.00 before tip. Its always nice to add a restaurant to the approved list that doesn’t bust the budget.