50 Best American Restaurants near Dayton

“This was an awesome laid back place on the river. Staff was super friendly, the owner was friendly, everyone was working their butss off. There is plenty of space if you have a big group. You can dock and get food also. Food was good. Their Cincinnati chili is legit and definitely worth making a trip here for. Watch the hill on the way in and out. It's a bit steep!

Parking: It is at the top of the hill so you have to go down the steps or the ramp in and out.“

“The smash burgers and fries are yummy! I just wish that they still served their delicious pies for dessert. It's a real shame to not serve something so mothwatering good as their honey vinegar pie.“

“Excellent service and Food. Compliments to the Chef and staff. Had French Pork Chop. Absolutely phenomenal! Fried Green Tomatoes - best I’ve ever had! Martini was also perfect! Very classy place! Highly recommend! Wish there was a location near me!“

“Great food and service. This is now our favorite place.“

“Great lunch menu and superior service. Might be the best Cheese Cake we have ever had. Be sure and try their Hot Brown“

“We ate here for the first time last night , it was packed but we were seated right away and they moved us over to be closer to heat with no issues whatsoever; our server Emily was super sweet and the hostess as well !!! We can’t wait to come back, our food was delicious and great servings … Emily was very attentive and was great with recommendations .. hubby is a cook and can be a little picky haha 🤣 but he LOVED everything he even wanted to tip whoever made the Mac and cheese anywho 10 stars ⭐️“

“This is my favorite restaurant in Cincinnati. The service and food is always on point. I get the garden hash for breakfast and either the scallops or the mushroom pasta for dinner. I love the ambiance in there as well. They have a nice outdoor area and they have areas you can rent out for parties. Highly recommend.“

“We had an amazing meal at Alara! The service was excellent and the food and beverages were delicious! The pain killer cocktail is a must try (TRUST!). The HOP cakes were delicious and refreshing (like a crab cake sans crab). I also really enjoyed the Iberian pork chops and the scallops. I will be thinking about those pork chops for a while... 😍“

“takes you back in time. homemade food ,great atmosphere, treat you like family!“

“Great Service. Great Food. Coldest beer in town.“

“My family and I was there today to celebrate my mothers birthday, we ABSOLUTELY loved the food them ribs are to die for, however the memorable part was our server Tonya, I think I’m saying her name right, she was AMAZING I mean she engaged with my mom and son like if she was apart of the Family and THAT took us right away, the only downside was by the time we had received our drinks she was no longer our server which REALLY upset my mother, However the new server was nice she just wasn’t her,,, we LOVE the spot and enjoyed the whole atmosphere and my mother and Family DEFINITELY will be back we just hope that we run into that server Tonya again!!! OUR NEW FAVORITE SPOT!!!“

“Full House when arrived but short time to wait to be seated. Server friendly and attentive. Food just as I like it. Coffee fill up plentiful. Right price. Highly recommend for breakfast.“

“Our waitress was Rhianon, and she was absolutely fantastic! Food was great, and service was awesome. Highly recommend the filet mignon and New York strip!“

“Amazing food and community oriented owners“

“Hands down the best food and staff for the area! We loved it so much we came back multiple times over the weekend.“

“Some of the best fish in town! Brandee was wonderful to talk to. We will be back!“

“Celebrating my 65th birthday at Opal. Everything from our waiter Nick to the atmosphere and food were amazing. They made us feel special and wonderful. We highly recommend Opal Rooftop.“

“Very good food. We got two samosas, the goat and basmati dish and the chicken and jollof rice. Everything was amazing. We also got the hibiscus drink and baobab drink. Very refreshing. As an FYI, Trust the GPS to get there, I almost missed the building“

“Great environment with a friendly wait staff“

“Tasting and food was great. Also, service at tasting bar and dining table was great.“

“Was looking forward to the beer braised tofu sandwich but the other tofu hoagie was good too. Maybe next time Greatbupbeat place to dine.“

“Great roof top area, food was amazing and prices were very reasonable . friendly staff. Will be back“

“Always fresh and delicious homemade food. ❤️“

“always a taste treat with clever choices and healthy too.“

“Trio is the best! Can't say enough good things about the food and service! Kaitlyn our server is beyond fantastic!“

“Friendly, neighborly atmosphere. Service was excellent! Best burger you will have“

“My favorite restaurant!!! Been going here for 40 years. Best gravy cheese fries in the world. Best double deckers money can buy.“

“We were there after a soccer game and the server was slammed and she still managed to get to us in a respectable amount of time. The food was amazing and the fries stayed hot all through the meal!!“

“Sissy, Jim Thank you for great customer service Friday night! Merry Christmas 🎅“

“Grabbed some tacos and beer today. Excellent and highly recommended.“

“They have the best carrot cake!“

“Good environment and good people! We came here while visiting our family and the food, environment and service were great! I would recommend this place to any one living in the area or visiting! And thank you to the manager on duty, she graciously paid for our meal! It was greatly appreciated!!! It goes to show that there are good people still out there!“

“Our new favorite place!!“

“A one-of-a-kind evening on the rails!

If you’re looking for a truly unique experience in Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Dinner Train is an absolute must. I recently took the ride and it completely exceeded my expectations.

From the moment you step aboard the beautifully restored vintage railcars, you feel transported to a different era. The atmosphere is elegant but welcoming, and the staff goes above and beyond to make the evening special without being overly formal.

I had a delicious four-course meal (the calzone I chose was amazing!), and loved that you pick your entrée when you book. Everything was served hot, fresh, and beautifully presented. The train ride itself is smooth and scenic—you catch glimpses of the city that you just don’t get from the road.

Even if you’re not a train enthusiast, this is a wonderful option for a date night, special celebration, or hosting out-of-town guests. It’s the perfect blend of nostalgia, great food, and a little adventure. I’ll definitely be recommending this to friends and visitors!“

“I had the “ In the Beginning “ with a side of fruit. It was well cook and presented.“

“awesome food great server matt! some lady was talking very loudly and rude about the prices and he handled it well. Saw some post on facebook with her starting stuff about it but please don’t listen to that. they were straight rude and got what they deserved. some people need to understand that servers are humans too and you can’t talk to them however you want! good job matt for handling that situation and shoutout to angelo for making the best food in town! Btw prices are amazingly low! don’t be a cheapskate;)!“

“Attached is a letter submitted to Cracker Barrel in Cold Springs, Ky to express an appreciation for a job well done. Amy, Manager at Cracker Barrel in Cold Springs, Ky impressed us with her friendly demeanor and willingness to take the time to ask our table if the food is to our liking. Outstanding food and staff (Server/Manager) interaction. ( 5 Star) rating re: the excellence in dining atmosphere and quality of food.“

“We had a wonderful private party for my husbands retirement. Everything was wonderful from the environment , food and drinks! Highly recommend!“

“Great lunch option in downtown Cincinnati. Lively, fast paced quick casual spot that focuses on salads, sandwiches and soups. Always packed for weekday lunch though tables turn over quickly. They have a great pick two option with soup/sandwich or soup/salad.“

“I love that every thing is farm to table from local farmers. Delicious food and everything was fresh“

“Great food but not too fancy.“

“Everything about Main St. Café is superlative. I think they have one of the best burgers in the city. Certainly in the top five of all the burger joints that I have been to, including zips and Dellwood. But on top of that, the last time I was there, I had the homemade
roasted red pepper soup. It was as good as the best soup in any high end restaurant. Service is excellent. As far as atmosphere, it is closer to zips than to Dellwood in terms of atmosphere.“

“thanks for feeding our #primeelite boys tonight before their first tournament tomorrow! showing love to the locals ❤️🔥“

“we ate in today, my mother and i. our experience with our server, Amber was unlike any experience that we've had before I'm grateful. I haven't necessarily given them the best ratings in the past, I don't remember our server's name those times. Amber however will be unforgettable for the rest of my life and here's why. there were a couple of elderly couples that were seated after us, and she was very familiar with these people already, whereas we were not familiar with her at all. she handled each table differently, accordingly, no doubt with respect and love. heavy on both. I had to call and record a charge on my card and I was kind of holding my mom up and be able to order food and I felt bad because she was starving. somehow some way, Amber had our food out to us very quickly, cooked perfectly, absolutely everything the way that we ordered it. we didn't have to send anything back, we didn't have to ask for anything else extra to be brought to us, she even walked by after a few minutes and brought us extra napkins. I mean, super top notch service. quick, perfect. and that singing voice on that woman oh my god! I was a little reluctant to eat here today because my last few times eating here weren't necessarily the best experience, but I will be back for sure.“

“First visit today - I ordered 2 full slabs, the fried cabbage, jalapeño corn bread stuffing, and potato salad sides, all of which perfectly compliment the smoke on those ribs. Also got to sample a new menu item - jerk pork burnt ends. Absolutely fantastic! The flavor of that jerk sauce will give you chills. Definitely coming back to try everything (yes, everything) else. Dine in or carry-out - just go get some!!“

“This was our first time and the food was excellent. Our server was wonderful providing suggestions and recommendations.“

“Great food! My only suggestion is to have a website so we can see the every day menu.“

“I love the atmosphere, it’s elegant but with the door opening and closing that made it chili and that’s why I gave the 4 stars. The wait staff was excellent. Swift, patient, knowledgeable, all stepped in and helped, truly satisfied with the service! The food was exquisite!!! I had the baked chicken and baked potato and it was cooked and seasoned to perfection!!!! I only gave 4 stars because for me I feel the menu is limited with choices I like. The person I was with raved about the trout, couscous, and Brussels sprouts! This was a special night, special event, and j Alexander felt just as special!!!“

“Everything is AMAZING!!!!“

“Never go wrong, hands down (IMO) best chili in Greater Cincinnati.
From out of state, purchased several cases to go! [Unfortunately, price has doubled in the last 6 years, probably won't be providing to my Pennsylvania friends & family as much going forward...]“