Took my girlfriend here for her birthday after a recommendation from a friend and a Mountain of Praise on the r/Cincinnati subreddit.We were both absolutely blown away. The quality of the food was beyond exceptional. I don't want to overuse superlatives but honestly even they fall short. The service was absolutely incredible as well.The falafel is by far the best either of us has ever eaten. The sweet potato gnocchi is every bit as delicious as it is unusual sounding. Pistachio baklava would be worth its weight on literal gold.Wine selection is on point, although personally I can't speak to the selection of whites as I don't drink them.I absolutely recommend this place to anyone who has even the vaguest appreciation of Middle Eastern cuisine, actually scratch that...to anyone who eats food!UPDATE: After having taken my girlfriend here for her birthday in April, we both loved it so much that she recently took me here for my birthday earlier this month (June). There were some changes to the menu, new and seasonal dishes, but the staples were all present (the Falafel transcends mere food, it is impossibly good!).Needless to say, for as long as Abigail Street's doors are open, and as long as we keep having birthdays, I can't imagine spending them anywhere else!
Had the most amazing server, Sarah! She knew the items on the menu that had dairy (I can't eat dairy), she wore a mask (I noticed most servers were!), and was overall super friendly. We sat outside and felt very safe. The food... Amazing! We had the octopus, some type of seafood bisque, and chicken hummus type kabobs. Everything was fabulous!!! I will be craving this place now!!
Abigail Street- Five Star Food in a Casual Setting with Fabulous ServiceFrom the moment we entered Abigail Street we were treated royally. My husband had made reservations for my birthday on the Resy app. We arrived an hour early wondering if we could be seated sooner. Turns out my husband's app skills were lacking and the reservation had not gone through! Laura, the general manager immediately eased his pain. " We will make this work," she assured. Then Laura graciously ushered us to a table for two. Our waiter Alex was exceptional! He answered our numerous questions, as we were not especially familiar with Mediterranean cuisine ( beside Italian). I had Googled ingredients from the menu before getting there but his input was invaluable.When my husband was uncertain about a wine that was new to us, Alex offered him a taste. Very helpful. I could not resist a cocktail and was very pleased with the gin-based Zahra with Italicus and rose liquors.The menu consists of small-plates served one at a time and meant for sharing. We started with Roasted Beets and Lebnah. I never can resist beets when they are on a menu. Locally sourced beets were served on a bed of baby kale accompanied by Lebnah (similar to Greek yogurt but creamier)and toasted hazelnuts. The lemon vinaigrette gave it a tangy finish. Delightful!Next came what is now one of my favorite dishes of all time - Wood Grilled Octopus! Laura had recommended the dish, Alex had concurred it is a favorite and the cooking staff even wear T-shirts with an Octopus on the back. It was so tender and perfectly seasoned. The octopus sat on a bed of hummus and was garnished with meriguez sausage, parsley, tomato, jalapeno, lemon and yummy fried chick peas. The flavors were WOW!When the 3rd dish came, I was getting full but the crispy fried Moroccan Spiced Broccoli with Berbere (Google it like I did), sesame seeds, miso, tahini was so fragrant and finely seasoned we had to indulge.For our 4th dish we decided to choose between 3 seafood dishes that sounded good to us. Mussels Charmoula, Gambas Al Ajillo (garlic shrimp) or Bouillabaisse. We went with my husband favorite - bouillabaisse. We were not disappointed. It was tres magnifique! Halibut, shrimp, mussels and rouille (a French version of aioli infused with fish fish liquid) in a luscious saffron broth. with a mildly spicy bite and topped with grilled toast. It was an outrageous party in my mouth! I was tempted to order more bread or toast to sop up the incredible liquid but because of my expanding waist-line I made due with laddling the broth into my mouth when no one was looking!Perfectly satisfied , I was still happy when Alex brought out two more empty plates for what I expected was a birthday surprise. Correct! Accompanied by a single birthday candle were two generous triangles of pistachio Baklava dusted with powdered sugar Then my husband started singing happy birthday and the entire restaurant and staff joined! So embarrassing but all embarrassment vanished when I bit into the warm exquisite baklava. Heaven!!I couldn't ask for a better birthday dinner. Wonderful service from lovely Laura to Amy the hostess who checked on our comfort and our splendid waiter Alex, only surpassed by the intriguing, fresh and so flavorful dishes. ( Can I adopt the chef?) On leaving I was wished happy birthday by several random strangers. Even their customers deserve kudos for helping to make this a memorable evening. We are making a list of loved ones to take with us to our next visit to Abigail Street so we can try the Lamb Spaghetti, Crispy Falafel and Sweet Potato Gnocchi.
First and foremost, the staff here were extremely friendly and very on top of things. They were just as big a part of the experience as the food for me.The food was phenomenal. Of the things I got, I tried octopus for the first time, and it was so good. The way the dining works is that everyone gets food and sharing is encouraged, so I had about a dozen other fantastic dishes as well. I found no flaws in the cooking, the spices were fantastic, the flavors were new, and it was an all around fantastic experience!Definitely recommend this place!
Waited 1.5 hours without a reservation on Valentines weekend, and it was absolutely worth the wait. Hosts were extremely polite and pointed us the right direction for other spots while we waited. Sat at the bar for dinner, any staff we encountered was outstanding. The main bartender who was serving us for the evening answered all questions and gave us incredible recommendations and was just personable. Every food item we had was out-of-this-world. I was amazed that a 5-person kitchen staff can put out such quality food for a full restaurant. Well done to this entire staff, you all are killing it!
Visited on a week night and we had an amazing night. The service was prompt and very polite. The atmosphere was friendly and warm. The beet salad, bouillabaisse, and sweet potato gnocchi were 10 out of 10. Churros are the perfect dessert. This is a must visit restaurant.
Abigail Street is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. We had 5 dishes between the 2 of us and not one was even average. On top of the great food, was the incredible service. It felt like the servers were practically eating with us they were so attentive. I would recommend them to anybody as one of the top places to eat, and that's not just for Cincinnati.
Everything was amazing, some of the best Food I have ever had…5/5.
Great atmosphere and fantastic staff
One of Cincinnati's best kept secrets. Small space but somehow you don't feel crowded. Small plates that you share. We got five but four would have been plenty.. Our server was so knowledgeable and made great suggestions. And the food? Outstanding. The lamb spaghetti was fantastic. Decorum was the only thing that kept me from licking the bowl clean.