Worth the wait

If you've been wondering when to visit some of your favorite restaurants, you might want to start with an update on the wait time. We found a few restaurants you'll enjoy any time of the day or week, regardless of how long you end up standing in line.

MIDWEEK MEALS

Melt

Food: deli-style sandwiches and burgers

Try It: Providing a tasty and nutritious alternative to fast food, Melt is one of the best spots in town for vegan and vegetarian dishes. Touting all kinds of environmentally friendly methods of food preparation, serving and packaging, Melt sits on the busy strip of Hamilton Avenue near Shake It Records and offers a vast menu of meals you can't get anywhere else in town - which is why there's always a bit of a wait. Call ahead and place your order if you're really on the run.

Otherwise, enjoy the Melt experience with friends in the dining room, which overlooks the sidewalk, street traffic and the area's friendly neighbors. Try the seitan burger ($7.65). It's a filling portion of seasoned seitan with tomato and provolone melted on a whole wheat hoagie plus fresh romaine, pickles and a choice of mayonnaise or dijon. Grab a side of pesto veggie pasta salad ($2.75), and wash it down with Melt's assortment of juices and bottled beverages.

Arthur's Cafe

Food: American, burgers

Try It: Get your grub on in the center of Hyde Park for just a fraction of the price of other nearby restaurants inside this cheerful bar and cafe. Cross the threshold and get a glimpse of the caricatures and famous faces of past guests before you take your seat in one of the comfy booths or on the nearest bar stool.

Arthur's offers daily drink specials for all types of palates and takeout orders, but the true gem is "Burger Madness," a Sunday through Tuesday special when cooked-to-order burgers are served with unlimited toppings for only $6.50. With this cooler than cool deal, you'll be glad you waited in line at this neighborhood favorite known for its youthful energy, great food and friendly vibes.

Hours: Open 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; bar open until 2:30 a.m. daily.

FISH FRY FRIDAYS

Alabama Fish Bar

Food: fried fish and fries

Try It: This Friday night favorite always serves up great fried fish dinners, so leave the fry pans to the bustling team of chefs. Trust us, you won't be the only one making the trek to Over-the-Rhine, because guests from all over the city will be waiting right along with you in lines that are usually wrapped around the corners of Liberty and Race streets.

Any time of day or night, the takeout and cash-only fish bar is cramped, but it packs a punch with its lightly breaded yet crisp and crunchy servings of cod, whiting and perch with onions and banana peppers. Don't forget to add mustard, ketchup and hot sauce to the picnic-size portions and enjoy this community staple's best dish just how it was intended - piping hot, greasy and oh so tasty!

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

The Cheesecake Factory

Food: American cuisine and specialty desserts

Try It: Everyone knows The Cheesecake Factory is your one stop shop for all things cheesecake with more than 20 different seasonal and mainstay dessert offerings. There will be plenty of leftovers from the restaurant's generous portions of nearly every item on the extensive menu, which includes burgers, steaks, pasta, chicken and seafood dinners. Plus, there is a variety of pizzas and salads.

After you're done spending a fortune at Kenwood Towne Centre, treat yourself to a much needed dessert of your choice. Of course, the lines are always lengthy whether you're waiting for a table or that perfect slice of Craig's Crazy Carrot Cake Cheesecake - just know it's all for the love of cheesecake!

The Bonefish Grill

2737 Madison Road, Oakley, 513-321-5222

7710 Voice of America Centre Drive, West Chester Twp., 513-755-2303

588 Buttermilk Pike, Crescent Springs, 859-426-8666

Food: high-end fresh fish and more

Try It: Bonefish Grill is all about serving market-fresh and daily hand-cut fish cooked to perfection over a wood-burning grill. If you're in the mood to wait for a seat, you'll soon find your mouth watering at the aroma of Atlantic salmon, longfin tilapia and Chilean sea bass. Avoiding peak times on the weekends is the best choice for a much quicker seating.

It's OK if you're not totally into seafood. The Bonefish Grill also has plenty of starters and alternative gourmet dishes such as the Cajun chicken egg roll served with a tangy mustard sauce, the Fontina pork chop, a sirloin steak or the chicken portabella pasta.

SUNDAY BRUNCH

Vitor's Bistro

Food: Gourmet European fine dining

Try It: Chef Vitor's award-winning French toast has truly become the talk of the town and rightfully so. You'll find lines of devoted guests waiting for their share of the delectable dish, which features two pieces of Texas toast dipped in vanilla and cocoa bean batter with a crunchy coating of crushed Frosted Flakes. The signature concoction is then pan seared with creme brulee and topped with bananas and whipped cream, supplying loads of fun for your tastebuds.

Sticking to the more traditional side of the breakfast tray? Try one of two gourmet omelets also available at the bistro. Vitor's is expanding its cozy kitchen and will relocate to a new building complete with nearly three times its current dining space in Westwood's historic business district. The new Vitor's is scheduled to open in late November with a new suite upstairs designed for a bed and breakfast setup.