Cosmo's

Cosmo's Grille Pub
604 Main Street, Covington, KY 41011-1332
(859) 261-1330


The weather this weekend in the Cincinnati area was so wonderful! There could not be a better time to head down to MainStrasse and eat outside. We chose Cosmo's after it was recommended to us by a friend.

The outdoor seating was nice there were several tables lined up on the sidewalk and when we walked inside there was literally NOBODY sitting in there. However, the inside did include a larger bar where a couple people were sitting and having a drink. They do have a large beer menu that includes tap and bottle selections. The outside seating is dog friendly, which we will have to remember when our dog's broken leg gets healed.

The food menu included mostly sandwiches and burgers but did have some specialty grilled meals and pizzas. Cosmo's also had a large array of appetizers. I settled on the wildcat sandwich due to the fact that I love spicy food. This was a breaded chicken breast that was covered in buffalo sauce. The ranch that accompanied the sandwich was delicious and I have to guess that they made it or mixed it in house because it was so creamy and not too thick. The sandwich is normally served with chips or pasta salad but I would reccomend upgrading to the fries for an extra 95 cents. They were delicious, just the right texture and I would guess they were beer battered because of their unique taste. Yum. T.J. couldn't keep his hands off of them!
That brings me to T.J.'s sandwich. He decided to get something quite unique and tried a twist on a local classic-the brat. Cosmo's cut the brat in half and served it on tasty bread with sauerkraut and a mayo sauce. He really enjoyed the sandwich and said that the bread was delicious! T.J. got a side salad with his meal which came with lettuce, cheese, olives, and again that tasty ranch dressing!

Our service was actually pretty bad throughout the meal. The waitresses were not around too often or seemed to be tending to other tables if they were. One waitress was mostly just carrying on a casual conversation with a table that was right next to us. At the end of the meal someone took our drinks to bring us refills and never brought them back! That was odd. The weather was so beautiful outside though that it was tough not to stay positive. Keep in mind that we went for lunch and I have heard at night it shifts mainly to a bar like atmosphere and things can get a little more crazy. During the day however, it was peaceful and laid back.

Our meal was around 17 dollars.

Head down to MainStrasse September 10,11, & 12 for OKTOBERFEST! I can't wait to see all the tasty treats that will be available for that!

Lauren

Bard's Burgers

Bard's Burgers
3620 Decoursey Avenue,
Covington, KY 41015
(859) 261-9115
Bard's Burgers truly is a "mom and pop" classic restaurant. The place itself is tiny. There are booths lined against both sides of the room and just a few tables in the middle. They have a counter up front and swinging doors that lead back to the kitchen. You almost feel like this place has been here forever and they haven't changed a thing. The menu is small but somewhat original, and the food is common but tasty.

T.J. and I both ordered double burgers. I thought the patties would be a lot smaller than they were and wished I only would have gotten a single. You can get all the common dressings on your burger like pickles and onions or you can try something a little different like blue cheese. Other than that, they really are just burgers, but what sets them a part is the freshness in which they are made. It tastes like the kind of burgers you got at home made in a skillet out of hamburger meat that was pattied right in your kitchen. This makes the burgers not completely round which I think gives the burger some character. It also was a little burnt on the outside, but it was not unpleasant at all. Their fresh cut fries were the best ones I have ever had. They had the perfect amount of salt and were cooked just the way I like them, which means they were not soggy! Unfortunately, they were out of milk so we didn't get to try their milkshakes, maybe next time.


Also on the menu were fried twinkies for dessert and also something called a ripper. A ripper is a deep fried hot dog that is fried until it is about to rip open. I don't think it would be something I would like but is an interesting feature for a burger joint.

I'd also like to point out that our bill was only 18 dollars so it's good food for a pretty reasonable price. When you're there, check out the pictures! They have a burger challenge that you'd have to be crazy to try!

Until next dine!
Lauren

Jeff Ruby's The Waterfront

$
Watch out blog readers this place is pricey!
After that disclaimer I will have to say that the food is out of this world.

First, before the meal comes out they bring you bread with mushroom butter! YUM! My boyfriend and I are both huge fans of mushrooms and the combination that they make is just delicious. The Freddie salad is their take on a BLT which i would highly recommend. These things both prepare you for your amazing meal about to come.

I chose the 12 ounce fillet Mignon and it was to die for. The taste almost melted right in your mouth. You can choose toppings for your steak also, such as onions or mushrooms, which I opted out of because I enjoyed just tasting how flavorful the meat actually was.
My boyfriend got Jeff Ruby's Jewel which he figured he couldn't go wrong with because of the name... WELL it was good but the steak came on the bone which was a lot of work to cut up and he actually had to ask them to put it back on the grill as parts of it were RARE which is not our cup of tea.

Forget mashed or baked potatoes for your side! Go for the mac and cheese. This is not kraft. It's like no macaroni I have ever tasted before. It comes to your table in your own personal pan where it has been cooked with crumbles on the top. The steam rises off as soon as you put your spoon in and the taste is just great.


The environment is one of the most vital parts I think. It is romantic. It overlooks the Ohio river and as the sun is going down it is one of the prettiest places to be. Not to mention while you are there you get treated like you are a movie star (and you sometimes may be among them). Everyone is waiting to greet you and talk to you, your drink never gets emptied, you are never left wondering when something is coming. From start to finish you are welcomed.

Stay for the night atmosphere, the live bands or piano player, and an all around good time.

Until our next dinner together,
Elle.