Eli's Barbeque Reviews

Order any side item "dirty" for an extra buck.
Best buck you will ever spend.
Great place, atmosphere is awesome, food is top notch.

This is the best barbecue in the Cincinnati area. The pork is so well smoked that you do not need barbecue sauce. You can tell that the owners put thought into how they smoke the meat because it is smoked with a unique blend of wood. The macaroni and cheese is also delicious and tastes like a good barbecue joint's side. The cole slaw is also very good with a good balance of vinegar where it is not too powerful in flavor but adds to the pulled pork nicely. This restaurant is definitely worth a try. The atmosphere matches a classic barbecue place that I have not found since I lived in San Antonio, Texas. The Cola is served in glass bottles and the barbecue is served on wax paper. This restaurant is delicious and worthe enjoyable experience!

We are from Almond Wi. And our marine veteran grandson took us there. Great ribs. Almost as good as mine. Loved it

I hadn't been here since last summer and was really bummed when i went. feel like the atmosphere and food just aren't what they used to be. Very disappointed bc I used to love this place.

I RARELY leave a review but this place is like no other. This is the best bbq I've ever ate. Loved the atmosphere of eating outside. The bbq has so much flavor and the Bbq sauce is one of a kind! From Tennessee but I will be back one day!

Excellent barbecue made on site. Won't find any much better. Arrive early or be prepared to wait.

Awesome pulled pork. Wish they would try their hand at Brisket.

Delicious food, great outdoor dining, so laid back and fun.

Wonderful barbecue. I love the laid back atmosphere.

We've paid for BBQ ribs and these were worth every penny!! Delicious!!

This place is great! You wouldnt even know it is there really its a small place with a tabled area outside very cool atmosphere great food and descent prices. You can B.Y.O.B so bring Your cooler and some cold ones!

I was there to pick up food for a delivery.
Very nice people.

Went to the downtown store. Was better IMO. Still needs to let the meat speak and not so much of the seasoning.

I miss the bees.
Awesome food. Been dreaming about coming back since eating here 3 years ago. Worth the trip.

I was super excited to try this place after hearing several people who are local to Cincy rave about it. I love good bbq, and it can be difficult to find in this area (side note, if you think city BBQ, famous dave s, or any other big chain places are good then you can stop reading here). Anyway, my wife and I finally decided to drive out to Eli s and give it a try. The building is simple enough to find, but only if you have seen their pig logo before hand. There is nothing else visible from the road to identify the place. Inside they have a very simple atmosphere which was probably the best part of the entire experience. The menu is basic, which isn t necessarily a bad thing, and prices are comparable to just about any other bbq joint around here. The first thing that struck me as odd was the TERRIBLE customer service. I don t expect a lot from people in this type of atmosphere, but it was almost as if the staff were bothered to actually do their job. When we got our food, we were missing a side item, which wasn t a big deal, but in the very short time we were there I also saw two other guests have to go ask for a correction after they received their food.

Moving on to the mashed potatoes, at this point I was just desperate for them to have SOMETHING that was actually pleasant to eat...after all, how do you mess up something that really only needs butter, salt, and some pepper to be edible? Well...I don t know what they put in it but it was absolute garbage. I think my main complaint with these was just that it tasted as if it were leftover from a week or so ago (keep in mind we were there at 6:00p on a Saturday night).

The best things about Eli s for us were the very classic bbq joint feel and the fact that they had sodas in glass bottles...other than that it s hard for me to say anything good about the entire experience.

All in all I think the main problem was just that nothing was even close to fresh and had a very distinct leftover taste and texture; our food might have been ok if we had it three days earlier when it was fresh. Being from Texas, bbq is something that is near and dear to me. Going in I wasn t expecting anything like Franklin s or Terry Black s, but I did expect to be able to enjoy my meal, which wasn t the case. If you re in the Tri-State area and looking for decent BBQ, maybe try Harmon s in Ft. Wright, Ky.

Dog friendly love it nice fav good food nice outside area

Delicious, reasonably priced BBQ. We got the pulled pork sandwich plate (added on pickles for 50 cents extra) with sides of coleslaw and baked beans. Will try to go back every time I'm in the area!

Very homie place to eat. I've never eaten here just doordashed and the food was ready and correct when it said it would be. I know it smells and looks delicious. Will be visiting again.

Lots of fun and good people. Amazing barbecue. Great place for families. Not easy to find but definitely worth the effort.

Everything is so delicious here! Great place to take the family and enjoy the patio. You can bring your own drinks, so that helps! It's a hit with everyone. Pulled pork and mac n cheese are our favorites!

Nice outdoor dining area, byob with good food at a fair price

Best of the best at this location! Best BBQ in the region! Cole Slaw is my favorite!
I always the the Pulled Pork Sandwich with Mac&Cheese and Baked Beans.
Pro Tip: add some sauce to the Mac and Cheese for pure greatness

Love the cute outdoor seating. The food is always fast, fresh, and delicious.

Eli's is the bomb dot game!! Top notch BBQ joint with the natural and authentic ma and pa restaurant with a very family and wholesome energy and environment. Had art along the walls, which I enjoyed checking out. Option to dine inside or outside on their covered patio. Staff was very kind and service was quick and great! YOU got to try this spot out and I am super glad our local friend suggested this spot. Been full, happy and whole all day! Getchu some!

Tried this place for the first time today! The menu is simple with classic favorites! I ordered the pulled pork with mac and cheese. Everything was delicious!

The pork came in a large portion on a bunch with a cup of their BBQ sauce and a little container of slaw. Will definitely be back!

Also, they have friendly cats chilling in the outdoor dining!

Great bbq quick in an out because of Covid!! But we sat out side and ate. Really good pulled pork and the mash potatoes were great.

Mouth watering BBQ while you listen to vinyl records inside or enjoy a cool breeze outside. Bring your own beer and make it a party. Go To spot for out of towners too

Food was okay, but I was expecting amazing based on friend recommendations.

This place is tasty. Great price for lunch. Wasn't disappointed for first time....

First time eating here. Great BBQ! However, I was not impressed with the sides. The cornbread was dried and beans were over bbq sauce. Mac and cheese is like the velveeta box kind. Cole slaw was good.

The tips were out of this world! The sandwich was awesome.

You can bring you BYOB. I am looking g forward to visiting again when the weather warms up to take advantage of their patio.

V

Best BBQ place here in Cincinnati. Pulled pork, awesome. Ribs, awesome. Baked beans, exceptional. 10/10 would eat again.

First off, needs to be said, best BBQ in Cincinnati. That alone is a good enough reason to come.

Secondly, this is a great place to come, bring your own 6 pack, and just hang out on picnic tables outside.

This place, to me, is the best lunch location for Saturday or Sunday: taking it easy, friendly atmosphere, hearty BBQ and Mac N Cheese, bring a 6 pack, and just hang out.

Had the hotdogs...good stuff. You have to eat them with a fork!

Very good tips. Only wish they had a different sauce.

If you like pork BBQ you will like Eli's. The staff is friendly and courteous.
Don't expect anything fancy. Eli's is a unique experience. Make sure you try the cole slaw, tasty!

I have never had a bad experience here. Every time I have barbecue this is the standard I use to measure flavor. I have never found a better place.
The only thing I would change about it would be to offer greens as an option.
Try the Mac n' cheese. It may actually be the best in the world. I'm serious. They offer to have it with BBQ crumbles but I prefer it plain.

Chicken Sandwich is schmackin; just like everything else there.

Delicious bbq! Great sauce, sides and the pulled pork was amazing!

Different. The pulled pork sandwich has a sweetness reminiscent of a McDonald's cheeseburger but in a good way. Not traditional BBQ flavors but I'll go back for sure.

The best way to describe Eli's is to quote my visiting German friends: "I've eaten at every BBQ place I can find within an hour of Cincinnati, and this place is the best, by far."

The smoked ribs are to die for. My go to is a pulled pork sandwich and a small order of smoked ribs. Year round outdoor seating make this hidden gem easy to come to whenever you fancy the best BBQ in Cincy.

Simple menu, flavorful bbq, and reasonable prices--$5.75 for a pulled pork sandwich-- you have to stop by!

I make sure I stop by every time I'm in Cincinnati and it never disappoints. They upgraded their outside seating situation too - looks awesome!

Oh yeah! It sounds crazy but you have to try the Hot dogs, simply amazing.

Great food! Takes forever to get your food! Be prepared to stay a while.

Food MEDIOCRE at best. Don't let the backyard atmosphere trick you into thinking the food is good with good ratings. Food was awfully slow. (I'm thinking poor kitchen management). This place got good ratings probably of the backyard not their BBQ. Pulled pork is dry, sides are nothing special, ribs are OK. One good thing is they have Mexican sodas and friendly service.
Come here to hangout with friend DON'T COME HERE FOR FOOD.

Great food , great atmosphere & great prices . They have a picnic shelter outside so you can bring your own alcohol . Just if you go in the summer be prepared for a hour plus wait but they have carry out & you can call ahead or order online but believe me the wait is worth it !

Great food at a cute cozy location right on the riverfront. Great outdoor seating for the Summer, but it can get a little cramped in the winter.

I ordered the rib tips, dirty mac and cheese it was terrible! The rip tips were so charred and hard couldn't chew them, tasted like they were grilled with brown sugar and the mac and cheese had this funky sour milk and cheese taste just horrible that was certainly 20.00 wasted

Went to Cincinnati a week ago and this was on my must go to list. The BBQ is fantastic. If you remember the old place that was so tiny, I think you will be surprised. Yes the main building is still small but they have a heated tent with restrooms. Get the crunchy ribs

Simple outdoor picnic table dining and some of the best BBQ you've ever had.

Eli's was great. Outdoor picnic tables. Good BBQ. Record player providing tunes.

The flavorful fall off the bone ribs were amazing even without the BBQ sauce. Everything came out hot and fresh. Relaxing friendly "Eatmosphere"!

I have heard about this place from many people so needed to give it a try. I had the pulled pork sandwich and got two ribs just to try (in addition to a few sides). You get more than your money's worth of meat on the sandwich, and the pork is terrific.
The ribs though, stole the show. Large, meaty ribs, charred on the outside to give them a crunch but tender and juicy on the inside.
Mac n cheese was nothing special, but that's okay when the bbq was as good as this was.
Highly recommend visiting.

Their smoked meats are excellent. The hot dogs and wings are my go-tos, but I am sure everything on the menu is delicious. Food comes out fresh and hot. Would highly recommend.

Food was very good although cornbread was a bit dry. I like the heated outdoor tent.

Eli s is the best bbq I ve ever eaten. They have done some really good upgrades on their facilities over the last few years, and the experience of eating there gets better and better! The food has always been on point. They have room for 20 people inside and a large roofed area outside for around 60-80 people which is great for summer. They even have fans which helps keep it cool. They are always pretty busy, but food comes out fast. And one if the best aspects is that it s byob!

BBQ and service at this place is great. i give this place double thumbs up. i'll return family next time.

Simply good food with simple surroundings. Sit outside and enjoy the weather with some solid bbq offerings. Picnic seating promotes meeting new friends. It would get 5stars if beer was served.

Obviously the BBQ is really good. Love the coleslaw. Adds just the right vinegar punch to the pulled pork sandwich. Jalapeno cheddar grits are also very good. Definitely worth the money.

Smoked Pulled Pork, Smoked Turkey or Rib Tips, it's All GOOD! LOVE the atmosphere, always spinning the vinyl! If you are a local you just never know who you many run into!

If I could give no stars I would! I experienced racism the minute I walked through the door! My husband and I went to view menu and check in for a table with the gentleman waiting on us only presenting two options: to either sit outside in the pavilion in 20 degree weather which he then stated it s cold out there but we have heaters that should keep you a little warm with the second option being for us to take our food to go! I looked at him in disbelief and stated we will wait for a table with him then saying ok we have one what do you want! When my husband asked him what side comes with the turkey sandwich he stated very rudely I don t know coleslaw I looked at the host and told him we would be leaving. It s very sad to have experienced this from a restaurant that I was excited about eating at