So much has been written about Incline Public House (or IPH, as my friends like to call it) that I am not sure how much more I have to add without running the risk of being repetitive. Let’s begin with a little history lesson, shall we? Incline opened about two years ago at the peak of where the historic Price Hill Incline operated from 1874-1943, carrying passengers from the base of Eighth Street near present day Glenway Avenue to the top of the hill near Eighth and Matson. Nowadays, a short drive up Mt. Hope Avenue will get you there just as easily. The immediate area is rife with redevelopment, so don’t be afraid of the words “Price Hill”. I will have to honestly admit, in the 21 years that I have lived in Cincinnati, I can’t remember a restaurant south of I-74 and west of I-75 hitting my radar as new, hip, cool, trendy or any other remotely complimentary adjective. Incline Public House changed all of that.

I will unabashedly state that Incline Public House has a consistent position on my list of favorite Queen City restaurants, for many reasons. While there may be a wait during peak times, it doesn’t approach Over the Rhine levels of hysteria. The view is fantastic and completely unobstructed, especially if you are used to the view from Mt. Adams. The food and drinks are great and most likely, the check won’t make your bank account cry. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a gourmet dining experience, nor will you be eating a culinary masterpiece from the kitchen of Incline Public House. What IPH is though, is a restaurant that is runs on all cylinders, ticks all of the boxes, if you will.

The beer list is compact but varied with a good mixture of national and regional favorites as well as local standbys. Upland Wheat, a Bloomington, Indiana brew and La Fin Du Monde by Unibroue, a Quebec standout, are always on draft as is Triple Digit Chickow, a strong and sweet American brown ale from Evanston’s Listerman Brewing. The craft cocktails are great too, not craft for the sake of using obscure or unique ingredients, but actually tasty.

Probably due to the multitude of times that I have visited Incline, I have had nearly all of the appetizers on the menu, but I seem to almost always come back to the Andouille Corn Dogs, a spicy grown up version of one of my favorite county fair treats. Also of note is the Cast Iron Brie and the Lamb Burger Sliders, the latter of which I often add a side of fries to and make a meal of it. The Short Rib Poutine is good as well, but as I have said before, it is very difficult to the top the poutine at Senate. Incline offers several full-fledged entrée dishes, but I usually stick to one of the sandwiches, especially the burger or the Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese. Friends have also ordered the Fried Cod Sandwich and the Black and Blue Salad as well and always clear their plates of every last crumb. If I have one complaint about the menu it is the quality and consistency of the pizzas. In a city not necessarily even known for its pizza, there are several much better wood fired pizzas in town. A Tavola (both the OTR and Madeira locations) and Dewey’s (seven greater Cincinnati locations) both spring to mind. Stick to the sandwiches or apps at Incline and you will leave happy.

Speaking of leaving happy, if you really want to leave happy, try the Cast Iron Chocolate Chip Cookie, served a la mode. Deliciously gooey and not quite baked all the way through, the cookie is the perfect size to satisfy your sweet tooth without sending you on a 5 mile run immediately when you get home. (One of my biggest pet peeves is a dessert that is big enough to serve a party of 20 screaming 6 year olds. Not necessary. Ever.)

While I am aware that my words don’t hold the same gravity as a stellar review from Impulcity or Cincinnati Magazine, I wholeheartedly add my endorsement to the long list of accolades of which Incline Public House boasts. They are well deserved.