First look: Cincy's on Sixth

Cincy's on Sixth bartender Katilyn Gerwe holds a burger and a full rack of ribs at the revamped bar and grill Downtown. (Credit: Joseph Fuqua II | Metromix)

My wife and I were in desperate need of a drink on a recent weeknight, and a new bar, Cincy’s on Sixth, had taken over the vacated Cadillac Ranch location in a prime spot at 6th and Walnut Street downtown.

The mood: The iconic baby blue Cadillac that lorded over Sixth Street for many years as a fixture at the previous iteration was gone, but some touches of the old venue remain. For instance, the large patio that extends seamlessly into the restaurant itself via two large garage-type doors still creates a welcome and unique atmosphere. It makes you feel like you’re a part of the busy streets and sidewalks of Downtown. And an outdoor fireplace allows for patio seating even on a cold night.

On a nice day, you can sit anywhere in the restaurant and feel like you are connected to the outdoors and the rest of the city.

They have three full bars – including one on the patio itself – and a large amount of seating. There are dozens of TVs throughout, making it a great place to catch a Reds game.

The drinks: Cincy’s offers fairly standard draft and bottle beer options like Guinness, Yuengling, New Castle and Budweiser/Miller. I was happy to see Moerlein OTR on draft (listed as an import though, $5) so Erica and I each enjoyed one.

We were too late for happy hour (4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday) but the drink specials are impressive during that time: $2 domestic bottles and drafts, $3 imported drafts and bottles, and $4 glasses of Jameson and wine.

They also have a selection of house cocktails, including Erica’s second drink choice, the 6th Street ($7). It was a mix of Jim Beam, sour mix, and raspberry simple syrup served in a hurricane glass with maraschino cherries.

The food: The first night we stopped by, the kitchen had closed early. So we decided to pop in for a bite before a Reds game. We thought we’d try a couple of their specialties: the Flying Pig Wings ($9.95) and the Armadillos (part of the appetizer sampler platter, $12.95). It took forever to get a bartender’s attention, so we checked with the hostess for a table.

The wings were basically three small, braised pork shanks. And they were fall-off-the bone, as advertised, sweet and served with a honey mustard sauce drizzled on top. They were tasty and worth a repeat try.

The sampler platter featured their Armadillos – a fried sausage, cheese and jalapeno concoction flattened into a thin round patty – as well as onion rings, loaded fries (cheese and bacon), and chicken fingers. Most of the sampler items weren’t very memorable, except for the dipping sauces.

The verdict: You can’t beat the location and layout of Cincy’s on Sixth, especially the open-air feel and huge patio – a laid-back Downtown sports bar where you can catch a game or sit outside for a leisurely drink or two.

It’s crowded before Aronoff shows, and the food we tried was hit and miss, but its central location is hard to pass up.