Overview
This article covers Clifton and the surrounding neighborhoods on the plateau just north of Downtown and Over-the Rhine, as well as the adjacent neighborhoods of Northside and Camp Washington.
4 sights · 4 things to do · 7 places to eat · 7 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Clifton and Northside
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
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 wh…
William Howard Taft National Historic Site
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…
American Sign Museum
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 imp…
Esquire Theatre
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 clos…
Cincinnati Bearcats
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…
The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education
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 …
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 23°F. Cold months (Jan) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and May. (climate data from nearby Cincinnati)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- LUK Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field, Cincinnati — 6 mi away. Directions
- CVG Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport, Cincinnati / Covington — 10 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $8 per person at listed restaurants.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education, Esquire Theatre, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
- Lunch Gold Star Chili
- Afternoon Bogart's Concert Hall, William Howard Taft National Historic Site
- Dinner Krishna Indian Carryout
- Evening Highland Coffee House
Day 2
- Morning American Sign Museum
- Lunch Camp Washington Chili
- Afternoon Cincinnati Bearcats
- Dinner Ambar Indian
- Evening Collective Espresso Northside
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
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.
See
See The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education (CHHE)
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.
See Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
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 killed by zookeepers, an incident resulting in outrage around the world. The zoo is well worth a visit.
See William Howard Taft National Historic Site
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.
See American Sign Museum
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.
Do
Do Esquire Theatre
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.
Do PNC Festival of Lights
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.
Do Cincinnati Bearcats
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. 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.
Buy
Shop Shake It Records
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 it's a one stop shop for anything alternative/DIY/indie culture that's hard to come by elsewhere in Cincinnati.
Eat
Eat Krishna Indian Carryout
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.
Eat Skyline Chili
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!
Eat Gold Star Chili
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.
Eat Mecklenburg Gardens
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.
Eat Ambar Indian
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.
Eat Camp Washington Chili
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!
Eat Melt
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.
Drink
Drink Highland Coffee House
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.
Drink Sitwells Coffee House
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.
Drink Collective Espresso Northside
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.
Drink Tillie's Lounge
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.
Drink The Comet
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!
Drink Northside Tavern
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.
Drink Urban Artifact
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.
Sleep
Nearby
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