Photograph by Jeremy Kramer
Court Street Kitchen’s low light, cool colors, and Mid-Century Modern design craft a subtly metropolitan ambiance. The space lends each booth, table, and bar stool a suggestion of privacy. It feels like the kind of hidden big-city spot you’ll only find with a local guide. But Court Street Kitchen isn’t hiding, and it’s starting to gather regulars. There’s a time for everyone: The power lunch crowd turns to office mates tossing back drinks and oysters after work, with happy hour flowing seamlessly into dinner service.
This shapeshifting is by design. When asked for a theme to clarify a vision for the new eatery for investors, Chef/Owner Braheam Shteiwi resisted. He wanted to develop a friendly chameleon capable of becoming the neighborhood bar and the book club’s favorite brunch spot, a chance to flex his hospitality experience. He grew up in the business, watching his father run multiple restaurants and franchises through Cincinnati, Dayton, and Oxford, and was determined to make something unique. Shteiwi brought his ambition to Court Street, where guests can watch the big game with friends at the bar, go on a date, or share a meal with family.
Photograph by Jeremy Kramer
The menu is New American, featuring a collection of dishes shaped by personal and professional experiences. Chef de Cuisine Nott Khonsue brings his sushi background from Jeff Ruby’s to the ahi tuna tataki and ceviche, and Shteiwi’s mother’s personal recipe for za’atar (a spice blend with toasted sesame seeds, dehydrated herbs like basil and mint, and olive oil) makes an appearance in several starter items. Shteiwi’s own blend of classical French training and work under an Italian chef add critical layers to the restaurant’s concept.
Photograph by Jeremy Kramer
The aforementioned za’atar is already a signature ingredient, served along with olive oil and salted butter as part of the Sixteen Bricks bread service and sprinkled over the hummus plate. Smooth, creamy, and bright, there’s no wrong way to enjoy it, but layering cucumber and hummus on a wedge of warm, grilled house bread is a personal favorite.
That isn’t the end of the veggies. Most of the main dishes come with vegetable sides, and they’re expected to pull their own weight. Broccolini, heirloom carrots, seasonal squash, and potatoes receive the same tender, loving care as the entrées they frame, but they don’t hide under extra sauce or glaze. They’re seared after blanching, leaving a few crunchy buds on the broccolini and lovely stripes over the carrots. A touch of clarified butter ensures everything tastes as good as it looks.
Photograph by Jeremy Kramer
As wonderful as the sides are, it’s worth noting that vegetarian diners have only a single entrée to choose—the ratatouille pasta. It’s one of the restaurant’s only drawbacks, though that’s no fault of the dish itself. The rest of the mains revolve around seafood, pasta, and the grill. The roasted lemon chicken tastes the way Julia Child’s cooking looks. Brimming with savory depth illuminated by the lemon and arriving on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, the dish is an elevated take on a classic staple without sacrificing homestyle warmth. Think of it as “classy comfort food.”
The branzino is a showstopper. It highlights the restaurant’s dedication to thoughtfully prepared, extremely fresh food, and it may be the best piece of fish I’ve had in Cincinnati. Its story begins with sourcing. To ensure freshness, the restaurant only orders about 10 pounds of it at a time, which lasts roughly three meal services. This requires reordering four times a week, and the fish arrives as full sides for the chefs to break down themselves. Most of the seafood, including the salmon, has a similar schedule, but if it’s a race, the oysters win. They’re harvested no more than 48 hours before landing on Court Street’s doorstep.
Photograph by Jeremy Kramer
Once the branzino reaches the kitchen, the real magic begins. Grilling turns the skin crispy before the fish is finally poached in citrus butter immediately before serving. The tender fillet practically melts in your mouth, and masterful seasoning underscores the sea bass’s mellow profile.
Another classic that Court Street turns up to 11 is the scampi. The fettuccine comes from Caruso’s—another of Shteiwi’s businesses—but the pasta shares the spotlight (and nearly half the bowl) with exquisitely juicy chicken. However, chicken and pasta ultimately play second fiddle to the white wine cream sauce. Vibrant green peas summon the sweet notes from the wine, balancing against robust Parmesan and prosciutto. Herbs and citrus butter thread through it all, stitching the decadent dish together. Be wary of sharing; no one will be satisfied with their allotted number of bites.
Kicking off the meal with fresh vegetables and sticking to seafood and pasta made for a brilliant excuse to indulge in dessert. I’d heard rumors about the olive oil cake, and it lives up to word on the street. It’s a year-round taste of summer brought to life with vivid lemon icing, Chantilly cream, and tart raspberry sauce, almost as energizing as an after-dinner coffee.
Diners beware: The variety at Court Street Kitchen is a trap. It will call you back to investigate everything the dinner service has to offer before you realize there’s a whole brunch menu, and suddenly you, too, have become a regular.
Photograph by Jeremy Kramer
Court Street Kitchen, 7 E. Court St., downtown, (513) 322-2200
Hours Lunch and dinner Tues– Thurs 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Dinner Sat 4–11 p.m. and Sun 4–9 p.m. Brunch Sun 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Lounge open until 2 a.m. Fri–Sat.
Prices $4.50 (oysters)–$109 (32- oz. Porterhouse)
Credit Cards All major
The Takeaway A comfortable restaurant and lounge with elevated takes on classic dishes on Court Street Plaza.
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