While on spring break from Raleigh, North Carolina, my son and I made it a priority to visit Nolia Kitchen after hearing about it and Chef Jeff Harris' James Beard Semi Finalist. Located in the vibrant Over the Rhine neighborhood, known for its local restaurants and shopping, we planned our early dinner around this exciting hotspot.As we arrived at Nolia around 5pm, we were warmly greeted and promptly seated. The host was both kind and efficient, while our server impressed us with their sweet demeanor and extensive knowledge of the menu. Though we had already perused the menu, our server still took the time to share some additional offerings. With our choices in mind, we placed our orders, which included the following:- Gulf Oysters (6) from both the East and West Coast- Cauliflower- River CatfishTo complement our meal, I indulged in the delightful Goretti Park cocktail.Each dish was served with care and precision. My son particularly enjoyed the East Coast Oysters, while the cauliflower, accompanied by raisins and honey (we asked for it on the side), left a remarkable impression. Personally, my favorite was the catfish, paired with crawfish and grits. The combination of flavors was truly exceptional.During our visit, we were fortunate enough to meet Chef Jeff himself. He graciously shared his vision for the restaurant, adding to the overall amazing experience.Thank you, Chef Jeff Harris and team, for providing us with a memorable dining experience at Nolia Kitchen, worthy of your James Beard recognition.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nicholas Lux
A truly remarkable experience. Extremely friendly and attentive staff (who went the extra mile after I left my card there whoops) deliver a phenomenal dining experience with unique and complex flavors.Leeks were a particular standout for me - savory and deep flavors, very hard to believe they were vegetarian!Also do not miss the frozen yogurt, which pairs very well with the lovely red velvet cake (made without artificial dyes, a plus).Just fantastic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Eyed Peas, Skillet Cornbread
Amy Dunlea
We had reservations at 7:45 on a Thursday night and were seated right away. Our server Chris was attentive and lovely all night. We started with a Digby Park, and I chose to add caviar, and a LaFreniere Park cocktails. They were both good drinks but adding the caviar to the Digby Park was not worth the additional cost.Before I mention the food, I just have to say how cool it was to have Chef Jeff Harris serve most of our dishes. I don't know of any other restaurant in Cincinnati where the chef is so involved with their patrons. We asked him about the seasoning on the pork shank and he told us exactly how he did it. After each dish we were able to tell him what we thought. Refreshing!We ordered 6 east coast oysters and they were great. The crudo was kampachi (a variation of yellowtail) and it was a very unique and a delicious presentation. We have never had a crudo with a creamy sauce. We also had the cornbread, which was good, and everybody raves about it, but tasted like an extremely buttery pancake you would have on a Sunday morning. The pork shank was cooked beautifully and so, so tender. The spices were authentic to the Chef's roots. Cardamon, Garam Masala, and a lot of other warm spices and a delectable glaze. Our favorite dish of the night was the cauliflower....yes, cauliflower. Three types, perfectly seasoned. Please order it.We can't wait to go back to taste the spring menu, which starts on April 2nd!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Spoob
We walked in at open and sniped two seats before reservations started to show up. We got lucky and had an hour to snar, though we were informed its fairly rare and you should call ahead and not chance it.. Pimento appitizer was creamy and paired well with the house made hot sauce. (Of which they sell bottles of and is great) I had the pork and my SO had the catfish. Both were amazing. Great 'hole in the wall' cozy dining experience. It'll be my first recommendation from our entire trip to the town. Fantastic job everyone.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
ThomasJ
Second time at Nolia...and just as great as the first time! The great food, drink, service, and ambience come together so wonderfully here...all thanks to their fantastic team. Thanks to all of you for a great evening!
Phillip Holovach
Louisiana influenced food is one of my favorite genres out there. I have friends in Louisiana and have had my fair share of authentic cajun cuisine.Jeff is a master of southern comfort food that he seamlessly blends with the quality of a 5-star restaurant.The cornbread was the best I've had in my life and paired well trading bites with the shrimp bisque (with a touch of their house made hot sauce).The catfish was perfectly fried over grits and garnished with crawfish.This is the restaurant you can bring a date to for a romantic evening or your visiting parents if you want to share a homey dine-in experience.In addition to the wonderful food, the staff was top notch and the chef personally came to ask us if we were enjoying our food.I will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The highly coveted Sunday supper reservation was well worth the wait. Dinner was excellent. We ordered the fried chicken, skillet corn bread, waffle, beans and rice & grits. All excellent! Chicken (dark meat) flavorful and crispy. Waffle was delicious! Maple syrup was a little strong for my personal preference but my boyfriend loved it. Balanced the house made hot sauce well. Only drawback was the only spot available was at the bar, which was jammed packed, so I was bumped a lot throughout. Otherwise, service was fast and friendly, food was great as usual.
Arineey
Food and service were excellent. The cornbread, catfish, and red velvet pound cake were my favorite. Highly recommend
Wow! Top notch! We got oysters, caviar waffle, shrimp bisque, cornbread, scallops & duck. Going back for sure!! Thx for the amazing food, service & style! Happy birthday to me!!
JulesB
An incredible dining experience! There is not a bad item on the menu. I love their support of black-owned wineries and farmers - Chef Jeffery Harris is so thoughtful in leading his team in creating truly masterful tastes and presentations. It is an intimate space so just go in knowing you will feel like you are in the conversation of the table next to you.
If you're looking for a unique restaurant with great food and service, Nolia's is the place to go. Although reservations are hard to book, you may be able to find a table during the week early or late. I would recommend the shrimp bisque, cornbread, and the pork shank.
Martin Morris
Outstanding !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
BruceP
The food is amazing. The flavors are top-notch and unique. The Shrimp Bisque the best I've ever had. The service and attention from the owner is wonderful. We have to visit a lot to be able to try everything before the menu changes.
Raj Uttamchandani
Outstanding food and fantastic service in a charming environment. Chef Harris is remarkable. We have been to New Orleans many times, yet he and his staff managed to give us an experience that was unlike anything we’ve ever had there. Thank you…We’ll definitely be back!Parking: Leave time to get around the one way streets and find a place to park.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Eyed Peas, Grits
Erica S
Everything we ate was amazing. Started with the tuna and cornbread, my husband had the bisque, and we got the pork and duck with a side of grits and black eyed peas. Finished with the bread pudding. The pear cocktail was outstanding as well, not overly sweet and tasted exactly like a pear! Also, we got a couple bottles of hot sauce to go, bc that stuff was killer.We already booked our next reservation and can’t wait to go back!
While on spring break from Raleigh, North Carolina, my son and I made it a priority to visit Nolia Kitchen after hearing about it and Chef Jeff Harris' James Beard Semi Finalist. Located in the vibrant Over the Rhine neighborhood, known for its local restaurants and shopping, we planned our early dinner around this exciting hotspot.As we arrived at Nolia around 5pm, we were warmly greeted and promptly seated. The host was both kind and efficient, while our server impressed us with their sweet demeanor and extensive knowledge of the menu. Though we had already perused the menu, our server still took the time to share some additional offerings. With our choices in mind, we placed our orders, which included the following:- Gulf Oysters (6) from both the East and West Coast- Cauliflower- River CatfishTo complement our meal, I indulged in the delightful Goretti Park cocktail.Each dish was served with care and precision. My son particularly enjoyed the East Coast Oysters, while the cauliflower, accompanied by raisins and honey (we asked for it on the side), left a remarkable impression. Personally, my favorite was the catfish, paired with crawfish and grits. The combination of flavors was truly exceptional.During our visit, we were fortunate enough to meet Chef Jeff himself. He graciously shared his vision for the restaurant, adding to the overall amazing experience.Thank you, Chef Jeff Harris and team, for providing us with a memorable dining experience at Nolia Kitchen, worthy of your James Beard recognition.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A truly remarkable experience. Extremely friendly and attentive staff (who went the extra mile after I left my card there whoops) deliver a phenomenal dining experience with unique and complex flavors.Leeks were a particular standout for me - savory and deep flavors, very hard to believe they were vegetarian!Also do not miss the frozen yogurt, which pairs very well with the lovely red velvet cake (made without artificial dyes, a plus).Just fantastic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Eyed Peas, Skillet Cornbread
We had reservations at 7:45 on a Thursday night and were seated right away. Our server Chris was attentive and lovely all night. We started with a Digby Park, and I chose to add caviar, and a LaFreniere Park cocktails. They were both good drinks but adding the caviar to the Digby Park was not worth the additional cost.Before I mention the food, I just have to say how cool it was to have Chef Jeff Harris serve most of our dishes. I don't know of any other restaurant in Cincinnati where the chef is so involved with their patrons. We asked him about the seasoning on the pork shank and he told us exactly how he did it. After each dish we were able to tell him what we thought. Refreshing!We ordered 6 east coast oysters and they were great. The crudo was kampachi (a variation of yellowtail) and it was a very unique and a delicious presentation. We have never had a crudo with a creamy sauce. We also had the cornbread, which was good, and everybody raves about it, but tasted like an extremely buttery pancake you would have on a Sunday morning. The pork shank was cooked beautifully and so, so tender. The spices were authentic to the Chef's roots. Cardamon, Garam Masala, and a lot of other warm spices and a delectable glaze. Our favorite dish of the night was the cauliflower....yes, cauliflower. Three types, perfectly seasoned. Please order it.We can't wait to go back to taste the spring menu, which starts on April 2nd!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We walked in at open and sniped two seats before reservations started to show up. We got lucky and had an hour to snar, though we were informed its fairly rare and you should call ahead and not chance it.. Pimento appitizer was creamy and paired well with the house made hot sauce. (Of which they sell bottles of and is great) I had the pork and my SO had the catfish. Both were amazing. Great 'hole in the wall' cozy dining experience. It'll be my first recommendation from our entire trip to the town. Fantastic job everyone.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Second time at Nolia...and just as great as the first time! The great food, drink, service, and ambience come together so wonderfully here...all thanks to their fantastic team. Thanks to all of you for a great evening!
Louisiana influenced food is one of my favorite genres out there. I have friends in Louisiana and have had my fair share of authentic cajun cuisine.Jeff is a master of southern comfort food that he seamlessly blends with the quality of a 5-star restaurant.The cornbread was the best I've had in my life and paired well trading bites with the shrimp bisque (with a touch of their house made hot sauce).The catfish was perfectly fried over grits and garnished with crawfish.This is the restaurant you can bring a date to for a romantic evening or your visiting parents if you want to share a homey dine-in experience.In addition to the wonderful food, the staff was top notch and the chef personally came to ask us if we were enjoying our food.I will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The highly coveted Sunday supper reservation was well worth the wait. Dinner was excellent. We ordered the fried chicken, skillet corn bread, waffle, beans and rice & grits. All excellent! Chicken (dark meat) flavorful and crispy. Waffle was delicious! Maple syrup was a little strong for my personal preference but my boyfriend loved it. Balanced the house made hot sauce well. Only drawback was the only spot available was at the bar, which was jammed packed, so I was bumped a lot throughout. Otherwise, service was fast and friendly, food was great as usual.
Food and service were excellent. The cornbread, catfish, and red velvet pound cake were my favorite. Highly recommend
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork & Peas, Pound Cake, Skillet Cornbread
Wow! Top notch! We got oysters, caviar waffle, shrimp bisque, cornbread, scallops & duck. Going back for sure!! Thx for the amazing food, service & style! Happy birthday to me!!
An incredible dining experience! There is not a bad item on the menu. I love their support of black-owned wineries and farmers - Chef Jeffery Harris is so thoughtful in leading his team in creating truly masterful tastes and presentations. It is an intimate space so just go in knowing you will feel like you are in the conversation of the table next to you.
Restaurantji Recommends
If you're looking for a unique restaurant with great food and service, Nolia's is the place to go. Although reservations are hard to book, you may be able to find a table during the week early or late. I would recommend the shrimp bisque, cornbread, and the pork shank.
Outstanding !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is amazing. The flavors are top-notch and unique. The Shrimp Bisque the best I've ever had. The service and attention from the owner is wonderful. We have to visit a lot to be able to try everything before the menu changes.
Outstanding food and fantastic service in a charming environment. Chef Harris is remarkable. We have been to New Orleans many times, yet he and his staff managed to give us an experience that was unlike anything we’ve ever had there. Thank you…We’ll definitely be back!Parking: Leave time to get around the one way streets and find a place to park.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Eyed Peas, Grits
Everything we ate was amazing. Started with the tuna and cornbread, my husband had the bisque, and we got the pork and duck with a side of grits and black eyed peas. Finished with the bread pudding. The pear cocktail was outstanding as well, not overly sweet and tasted exactly like a pear! Also, we got a couple bottles of hot sauce to go, bc that stuff was killer.We already booked our next reservation and can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5