A Cincinnati Tradition Well Worth the Drive — The Montgomery Inn
People ask if we really will drive three hours for dinner. Yes, but not just for any dinner. Every town, every wide spot in the road has their favorite barbeque joint, and we’ve sampled and enjoyed many. But there is only one Montgomery Inn Cincinnati, and yes we’ll be planning another trip for dinner there again soon. Oh a correction, they actually have two Cincinnati locations.
The Montgomery Inn Cincinnati has been an institution for over 70 years, serving up amazing ribs, their special barbeque sauce and an atmosphere unlike any other rib joint we’ve ever visited. The Gregory family operates two locations; the original in Montgomery and the Boathouse overlooking the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati.
History of Montgomery Inn
Ted and Matula Gregory started off modestly with a small restaurant in the village of Montgomery, which quickly became a local favorite. Then in 1989, they expanded to their location on the river. While both locations serve the same menu, we prefer the downtown location.
The Boathouse sits on the river, where you can stroll up and down the riverwalk before or after dinner in warmer weather. During dinner, you can watch the boat traffic on the Ohio and take in the view of the Kentucky side of the river. Don’t feel like looking out the windows? Then you can check out an amazing collection of sports memorabilia, with a particular emphasis on the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals, who both play just down the street.
Ribs & More on the Menu
They didn’t call Ted Gregory “the Ribs King” because of the views from his restaurant or his sports memorabilia collection. The ribs and sauce at Montgomery Inn are the reason this restaurant has been pleasing customers for over seven decades. How they prepare their ribs is a secret, but I can tell you they are not smoked. As for their sauce, it is a treat for your taste buds. That is why is their sauce was recently named one of the top five barbeque sauces in the country, and one of the reasons Montgomery Inn for is the best restaurant in Cincinnati.
If you’re looking for more than just ribs, Montgomery Inn can still satisfy your hunger. You can get some great combos to go with the ribs like chicken, shrimp or pork chops as well as feasting on some other amazing entrees. We’re also big fans of their pulled pork, which goes so well with their sauce.
The best barbeque joints are known for their sides and desserts. Montgomery Inn not a joint. Rather, it is a full service restaurant with an amazing, long tenured wait staff. Definitely not the smokey rib joint you might expect. And their sides and desserts do not disappoint.
We’d recommend starting with a combo of onion straws and Saratoga chips, thinly sliced deep fried potato chips to be dipped in their famous sauce. Their fried shrimp appetizer with their sweet Damson plum and hot mustard sauce stands out. This sauce is so good, they should bottle it like they do their barbeque sauce. More on that in a moment. Should you decide to start off your meal with a salad, then we’d recommend one of their in-house made dressings; blue cheese and ranch.
If we’re driving three hours for a meal, we’re probably enjoying dessert too. They have some great ways to end your meal. The staff will try to tempt you with a variety of cheesecakes, peanut butter pie, key lime pie or a chocolate volcano cake. Want to eat local? Have a taste of another Cincinnati tradition, Graeter’s Ice Cream.
At the Boathouse, the main dining area is on the first floor, and they offer a great bar on the second floor. If you’re planning to go to the Montgomery Inn before or after a Reds or Bengals game, stop by and quench your thirst with a Ted’s Amber Ale, the Montgomery Inn house beer named in honor of their founder.
It’s All About the Sauce
At the foundation of this empire is the sauce. Since 1990, they have been bottling it and selling it at grocery stores across the midwest. They also offer a variety of options through their online business, or you can get a taste of this Cincinnati legend on Amazon. Can’t make it to Cincinnati to try this for yourself, then enjoy the best bbq in Cincinnati at your home.
Montgomery Inn provides a great atmosphere for friends and family to gather. You get the service level of a fine dining establishment because of the quality of wait staff, many of which we’ve seen working for ten years or more.
If you’ve been to the Montgomery Inn, tell us your favorite meal. And we love barbeque, so let us know if you have a favorite place that we need to add to our list. Check out our restaurant reviews for other iconic Ohio restaurants and beyond!
