The Celestial Steakhouse

We had family visiting from out of town and went to the Celestial mainly for the view. It was a lovely night and the view was spectacular. They first showed us to a lousy table with no view, almost by the hallway, but after asking for a table with a view they moved us to a table by the bar with a wonderful view. Unfortunately, there was a back door right near our table, and people kept going in and out, so I was freezing. The food was very good but we were really disappointed by the service. We didn’t know in advance that it was a price-​fixed Valentine’s day dinner, 3 courses for $ 69, and we weren’t able to order off of the regular menu. I would not normally order an appetizer, entrée and dessert, but there was no choice, and we did not know in advance – there was no indication on their website that this was the only option. They were clearly unprepared for the number of guests and our server was worse than inattentive. When we didn’t order quickly enough, he literally turned and helped the table next to us instead. This happened two or three times. I don’t think it was necessarily the server’s fault; he’s normally a bartender, they just didn’t have enough people working there. The courses came out very slowly; the dishes were placed in front of us and the server turned and left without a word. I was given a dirty knife for my steak, which the server took back but forgot to bring another one, so I ate my steak using a butter knife. We were never offered coffee with dessert. Our water glasses were not filled. Really, just not what we should expect for the price and reputation. I doubt we will go back, and certainly would never go there again on any holiday. Yes, the view is wonderful, but otherwise a totally disappointing experience.

Valentine’s day… made reservation 1 month prior, got a call 2 days before V-​Day saying it’s a limited menu, $ 70 per person, OK… thanks for heads up, totally can find another reservation on short notice. Not. Ok so we went, beautiful place, great seats, great view. Steak ordered medium was well under cooked, waiter never offered more drinks, more bread, or even to asked us how everything was. Texas roadhouse service is better. Oh and he must have sensed it so he added an auto 20% gratuity. Not coming back.

Don’t get me wrong, the food was delicious, but the server was an uppity older man, who scoffed at our basic questions. At one point, a friend asked if he could see a beer menu and the server made it seem like it would be a huge inconvenience. Plus, I get we were a younger crowd, but that doesn’t mean we don’t tip well. We all thought his pretentious and often times, belittling attitude, was unnecessary. If the Celestial wants a chance to cater to us as we age, or at all, I would suggest a serious attitude adjustment. Overall, the food was good, but overpriced.

Blown away by the view. Our party of 8 were unanimous about the food quality. Zero complaints.

Went to see live music and anticipated fine food and great service. Wrong…
Place is way past its prime. Staff was just overwhelmed. Took forever to get a drink at the BAR ! Food was good but skimpy portions and super PRICEY. Won’t be back. So many better options these days. Back in the 70s or 80’s this my have been a hot date night pickup joint but it’s time is long past.

We went for NYE last year and we’re reminiscing about how terrible the service was so I thought I’d write something.
Jeeze, I’ll never come again. It was a fixed menu with a 20% tip included so the waiter felt comfortable being a totally pompous _​_​_​_​.
I’d eat the food again if the chef cooked somewhere else.

Had dinner here tonight. The waiter was rude and inattentive. The food was just ok. Lots of empty tables. I will never return. My advice is to eat elsewhere.

My husband and I celebrated my recent promotion last night at The Celestial and it was amazing! We stopped by the bar first for a drink before our reservations — the view is just awe inspiring and the bar tender was very nice. Our meal was just fantastic (filet and the «Cowboy Ribeye» special) and our waiter (Tim) was great. Very romantic and again… the VIEW! I am sure we will be back the next time we have something to celebrate.

This has always been one of my favorite restaurants. Though for a steak I might pick one of Jeff Ruby’s places. But their menu has plenty of other offerings that are tasty and have always been well prepared. It has lost a bit of its luster but still a good spot.
Of course ask for a window seat to take in that magnificent view. And parking is easy right across the street or valet

I am sitting here right now and this is a completely disappointing dining experience. Beautiful view. Great music and the food is a disappointment. Their big problem here is they cannot decide who they are or want to be. Dry aged (allegedly) steak over cooked then sent back. Returned loaded with horrible seasoning and tough. Go for drinks and music. Forget the food.

My wife and I had our rehearsal dinner at The Celestial Steakhouse and offer our highest compliments to Chanaka and his staff. Our wedding was out in Blue Ash so my parents, wife, and I searched all throughout Cincinnati for a venue that could showcase the city, provide a wonderful and cozy atmosphere for our 90 guests, offer a delicious dinner, and do this all within a reasonable budget. The Celestial delivered on all counts! From the start we were wowed by Chanaka’s willingness to work with us for all of our needs. He and his staff customized the perfect menu (with many hors d’oeurve, entrée, and dessert options) for our guests, brought in the musical entertainment of our choice, and stayed mindful of our budget the whole way through. Chanaka never pushed anything on us or made any suggestions out of line — indeed, all of our goals were met and exceeded. He sat our large party just as we hoped (and, indeed, accommodate our sometimes changing seating chart with ease). His chefs offered a variety of options that we could pick and choose from. On the actual night of the dinner, we were treated to the beautiful main chandelier room and the city shined beautifully. As soon as our guests walked in the music provided the perfect atmosphere, the hors d’oeuvres were an immediate hit, and the stage was set for a wonderful evening. Chanaka and his team proved very flexible, accommodating, and a true treat to work with.

Very again. Small dining area, unless you get the private dining with music??? Really, how about some music for the regular guest.
Food portions were small, I mean small…
Drinks were ok.
My steak was a hockey puck, only ate about a quarter of it. My fiancé ate small amount of her already small amounts of food.
Food had little taste and again, small portions. It was a nice view overlooking the city, did I mention small portions and def not worth the price. We decided we will not be back again.

My husband and I went here a few years ago. It was great service with a beautiful view of the city. It was a great time. All seats have a great view of the city.

Can be awesome can be spotty. Views never disappoint. You come for the ambience and hope the meal will match. Service is mixed but I always have fun. I used to bartend here so it has a special place in my heart bottom line it’s worth the risk.

Overrated & outdated. I’ll take my business to Jeff Ruby instead.
The only good thing about this place was the view and I expect that is the only thing keeping them in business. Well except for the snobby, older «upper class» generation that still sees this place in it’s former glory.

The highlight of the meal is the gem of a view. With a table by window, you are rewarded with an unobstructed view of Cincinnati. I can imagine spending an evening here with a fireworks display happening over the river would be a spectacle. There is a classic charm to the place, if not tip-​toeing on the edge of outdated. The layout of the restaurant, set on tiers provides privacy for the tables, though makes the space feel a little closed in. Though, I confess that once the sun, which was shining right at me, had set, I spent more time looking outside than in the restaurant.
Service seems to follow the theme of privacy. Waiters checked on drinks and meal in an appropriate manner, but leaves the table alone most of the time. Though, it is very noticeable when they approach due to the aforementioned small setup of the dining area.
The menu is basic, which I usually think is a good thing. Except in this case it also felt very plain, which made it tough to pick out what the restaurant is most proud of. It almost seems as though they were content being another steakhouse.
My dinner included sampling the Caesar Salad, Mussels (Appetizer) and Sea Bass.
The bass was cooked very well. The bass was seared with a light crust while the top flesh retained its plump flaky quality. One could tell that it was plated last from the temperature. Unfortunately, it made the rest of the dish seem very cold by comparison. While the fish was done perfectly, the bulgur wheat and asparagus felt like it had time to rest. The amount of starch also seemed poorly proportioned compared to the amount of fish on the plate. The purée at the bottom of the plate cleansed the palate, but I would have wanted something slightly more savory to eat with the wheat. Perhaps a little basil, or a little more salt and pepper would’ve improved the dish.
The Mussels were cooked in a white wine broth. I think adding Saffron imparted good flavor into the sauce. I think the dish worked, though again, arrived colder than I would’ve liked.
I did not try the steak, but the friend whom I was with did and said it was delicious, so I will take his word for it.
I think this is a restaurant that I would return to for the view. My rating of 3 stars is because I did not think this restaurant stood out otherwise.

I went here for the first time with my family on Christmas Eve for a «nice family dinner», and the result made we question whether the manager on duty has any experience in hospitality what so ever. The food was brought out late and was also cold. Maybe they were understaffed, due to the holiday, which I understand, but when we asked for the manager to come over to discuss our concerns and give feedback, and he literally argued and discredited our complaints.
Hospitality 101 teaches that the customer is always right. The manager’s response was extremely condescending, and pompous, which from other review it seems we are not the only ones receiving this type of disrespectful service. The waiter wasn’t bad, but the manager really should be fired for his lack of basic knowledge (I hope the owner reads this). For the price, and experience, I will not be back.

Ruined our Christmas Eve
Honestly it hurts my fingers to even give this establishment even 1 star.
The Lightning was horrible and when we asked if they could dim the lights slightly the whole restaurant applauded.
The food came out cold. The muscles and the stakes are almost inedible. The Brussels spouts were soggy. They completely forgot to bring out one of the martinis (it never came)
When the bill came our waiter couldn’t even bring out the manager to speak to us — when the manager finally came out he denied there was any problem at all with anything with our food and that he could have pushed us out of there faster but thought we would enjoy the time there with the service being so slow. So basically he denied anything was a problem at all.
Our bill was close to $ 400 with tip.
The problem is with the management. The manager should be fired immediately.
I highly recommend NOT dining at the Celestial Steakhouse. I travel all over the world and have literally never had such a terrible experience.

We were here for my office Christmas party. I have been here about 3 times. It has one of the greatest views of the river. Each meal we have got here has been very good. The staff is attentive. The bar area is really pretty with floor to ceiling windows for a spectacular view. It does feel a little bit like you are on a cruise ship with all the sparkle and glamor décor. Needs some updating. It made me feel like this was a place for a older crowd of very rich people. My salad left a little to be desired that came with my meal. Nothing to write about. My filet was very good probably one of the best steaks I have had in a while. Cream brûlée for desert that was mouth watering. They also made me the best chocolate martini I think I have ever had with raspberry vodka the last time I was there. It’s just very pricy. May even be a bit more than I would spend for a special night out. But of you are looking to really splurge this may be a good place for you. You will easily spend 100 dollars or more for two.

Based on previous reviews I expected to walk into a very outdated restaurant. Instead what i found was a restaurant that wasn’t trying too hard to be overly modern or pretentious, but rather keep the classic charm of the building and keep its focus on serving excellent quality good. I really didn’t find it to be all that different from the Precinct with a few antique pieces and darker printed upholstery. More importantly, I can assure you that you will not spend your evening looking around the restaurant, but rather looking at the spectacular view of the city skyline.
We started by asking for the cocktail menu, and I must say that this was my first disappointment of the evening. The cocktail menu listed around seven different drinks with nothing more unique than a Cosmopolitan or Appletini. While the cocktail I got was good, it wasn’t the exceptional drink I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber.
For our starter we both ordered lobster bisque. It was smooth and buttery; excellent! For my main course, I ordered the oscar filet and was pleased to find that not only was it cooked perfectly, but the béarnaise was flavorful without overpowering the excellent flavor of the steak. My husband ordered the ribeye (rare) and was thrilled that it was also cooked perfectly. The seasoning was a bit salty for him, but I found it to be delicious (he’s a salt wimp). We also shared a side of mushroom risotto and agreed that it was incredible.
Sadly, we found the dessert menu to be lacking. While it was good, nothing jumped out at us as amazing. The main portion of our meal was so wonderful that we felt the restaurant had more potential for some unique and inspiring dessert options.
In the end, what really made me decide on four stars rather than five was the fact that we had to pack our own leftovers. I have never run into that problem with a restaurant in this price range. I was actually quite shocked when the waiter handed us our to-​go boxes. It all boils down to the fact that this restaurant is worth the price just for the spectacular view, the excellent main courses are an added bonus! Visit. It’s a must!

Let me start by saying, if you haven’t been here, didn’t know it existed, or are partial to other steakhouses — you need to come try it out at least once!
The Celestial Steakhouse is located in Mt. Adams and in my opinion has the best dining view in the entire city. When you walk in you will notice the décor is stuck in the 1980’s. The restaurant is in serious need of updating, but in the same sense I kind of appreciate it’s charm.
My first experience here was a late night one. We ventured over not knowing what to expect. My group indulged in some old school cocktails like martini’s and old fashioned’s while listening to some live jazz. Advice: this is a GREAT after dinner drinks spot. You will totally impress your date with the view and live music!
My second experience was one in which I found myself in dire need of a good meal and some peace and quite. Living in OTR can get a little crazy from time to time, so I ventured up the hill in search of solace. I ended up here and boy am I glad I did!
I brought my computer because I needed to get some work done, and they had no problem with it at all. The place was empty on Tuesday, but it was great and just what I needed. I sat at a window table and watched the sun go down over our beloved city. One of the most breathtaking sunsets I have ever seen.
I ordered up the crab and shrimp appetizer. ($ 10) What I was originally thinking would be lumps of crab, was actually a soggy crab salad of some sort. Not of fan, but the shrimp was dressed in a lemon aioli and it was fantastic.
Moving on I ordered the Ribeye $ 33 and it came with a side of Yukon gold mashed potatoes. There are plenty of add ons just like any other steak joint if that is your thing. The steak came out glistening and my eyes just popped! I guess from reading all of these reviews my expectations were fairly low. What a got was a fresh 16oz Ribeye that was cooked to perfection. The steak had a DELICIOUS crust on it. The seasoning was mouthwatering, and with every bite I took I sopped up the delicious juice that drained out because it was full of flavor! The potatoes were what you would expect. But overall, the steak was fantastic, worth the price, and I would have no problem ordering it again.
And I have to give a shout-​out to Patrick — at one point we were all alone in the restaurant and he was very friendly and knowledgeable about the history and his time there. I appreciated learning a little bit more about the place.
Fantastic service, a damn good steak, and a breathtaking view = 5 stars.
My only reason for leaving off the last star is the outdated atmosphere. Keep the charm, just replace some of the worn out furniture/​fixtures and this place would be golden!

I’ve always wanted to try out The Celestial. Its a four star, four diamond award winner after all; so when livingsocial posted a half off deal I about knocked over my daughter to get to the computer and buy it. This place has the perfect location and great potential to be amazing. However my experience was downright tragic. I went by myself on a Monday night so it wasn’t very busy at all. The gentleman that sat me was going to sit me in the main dinning room until I said no one would be joining me, then he send me to the room in the far back. I dont know if he was being nice or not. I think nice, so I could get a table with a view, but then he sat me at the only dirty table in the restaurant. There were about a hundred empty tables so I’m not sure why he put me at the dirty one with the check and glasses still on it. The bartender came and cleaned it, but it was just odd. And why put me away from the rest of the patrons in a back room.
First impression, the view is wonderful! However the windows are so dirty it takes away from it majorly. The décor was very old. Its in need a massive remodel. Its grand, but so outdated. In the 80′s it would have been lovely, now its just too worn. Even the chairs have lost all of their cushioning and it just sinks down. And the windows are sooo dirty!
Now onto the negative. I started out my meal with the crab cake. The corn salsa was atrocious. I took one bite and the acid and red onions overpowered my taste buds and I couldn’t taste anything but onions for the rest of the cake. I wish I would have eaten the cake first so I could have at least been able to comment on it.
Then I went on to my entrée. I ordered the NY Strip, whipped sweet potato mash, and a side of caramelized broccoli. FAIL on so many levels. The mash was bland and didn’t taste appetizing at all. I tried to douse it in salt, pepper, and butter left over from my bread to no avail. The caramelized broccoli wasn’t caramelized. It was actually cold to the touch. Like it had been taken out of the fridge, heated mildly in a pan, and tossed in RED ONION again! There wasn’t a hint of cookery on this, let alone the start of caramelization.
And the piece de resistance my strip steak. I asked for so medium rare it was bloody, and I got a solid medium, almost mid well. The sear was good, but it was overcooked. I would have sent it back if I could have found the bartender. Finally he came, and asked if I was ready for my check. (I’m taking it he was cut and wanted to hightail it out of there.) I put my steak in the box, left the WHOLE meal on the table and left.
I was still hungry so I went to Eden Park and finished my steak. (Then went home and at cereal– yes cereal after a fancy steak diner. That should tell you something.)
The damage $ 62. Had I paid full price I would have raised Cain, luckily I spend $ 25 on the $ 50 gift card and only owed $ 12 extra. That mean still wasn’t worth $ 37 as I’ve had way better steak dinners at any local chain.
I recommend you skip this place. Its more for your grandparents. Head over to any Rubys restaurant, Cooperhawk, or Jimmy G’s instead.

Mixed feelings. Kind of old school elegant, makes a posh impression at a first glance. At a second glance, cracks in the leather on chairs, spots on cutlery and kind of heavy stiff atmosphere made me feel uneasy. The shine of the place is long gone.
The service was nice, but the food was not worth the price. We had steak with greens and salmon with mash. It was ok, but nothing extraordinary. Also, no presentation on the plate, the dishes looked so trivial. We shared crème brûlée at the end and it was proper, but taken straight from the fridge. So annoying, such a custard begs for room temp. For the 100 buck bill, I was disappointed and will not be coming back. The view is nice, but there are other places with the view in the area.