The Bow Tie Cafe

9/24/2014

I really enjoy this place. Nice atmosphere, full menu of coffee, food, alcohol, etc. Good variety of seating. It's a good place to do a bit of work, or just hangout for a while.

9/24/2014

Great overall vibe. They just started serving Intelligentsia coffee, which is known as arguably the best coffee out there. Amazing stuff. Pour overs are unique. I enjoy going there for lunch too. Nice staff that is very informative. They have a great patio and full liquor license. Can't beat all these things for a cafe. Always stop here especially when in Mt Adams.

9/24/2014

Wonderful on all accounts. I work in Mt Adams and could be considered a "repeat offender". The day is not complete without a visit to TBTC. Best espresso EVER.

5/25/2016

Enjoyed my first visit with attentive service, great latte, and an excellent breakfast sandwich for only $4. Liked my window seat/view though I prefer cushier/cozier confines to settle into to read/write/work. Looking forward to trying some soups and other menu options which means I'm coming back. :)

5/25/2016

Belgian waffles are excellent.

However, I came here excited that there would be real maple syrup, but I was duped. I mean, the so-called "maple syrup" is not real maple. People just pour that artificially-flavored corn-based swill into fancy little jars, write "Maple Syrup" on the labels, and insist it is real maple. That is an ungodly lie.

In addition, my father said that the pepper was very stale, and it almost ruined his omelette.

Other than the bad condiments, Bow Tie Cafe has good food and quick, friendly service.

5/25/2016

The food is excellent, fresh and not overpriced. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Neighborhood cafe owned and operated by a neighborhood family! I highly recommend Bow Tie!

5/25/2016

Terrific place for coffee. Whether you are sitting with a latte and a breakfast sandwich, enjoying the vibe throughout the day, or just getting a coffee on the go. Great spot to be.

5/25/2016

Just recently started going cuz I'm in the area and I love it!! Great staff, nice vibe, good food and beverages.... if you're in Mt Adams, definitely the place to be!!!

12/24/2016

Coffee items are tops and their short menu of sandwiches never disappoints. When I ask for tomato, they offer it fresh or sauteed. Nice!

Friendly staff and fast service. Outside seating has wonderful view. Good luck with on-street parking, but there's a paid parking garage on same block.

12/24/2016

Upper scale atmosphere, menu for food/alcohol/coffee - I have gone here twice with a group of guys. Service was friendly both times. There is also outdoor seating.

12/24/2016

The Bow Tie cafe was cute and what you would expect from your local hip cafe and eatery. The food was good, the drinks were as well though bordering on pricey.

As someone who doesn't drink a lot of coffee- it's exactly what you're looking for in a cute local cafe but if you're looking for more of a meal and not just a lunch date- go elsewhere.

12/24/2016

Among the best coffee in Cincinnati. Always a good selection of Intelligentsia blends. Staff is friendly.

Food service can be a little slow, but sitting in a cafe, I usually don't mind the wait. Plus the food is excellent.

12/24/2016

What a cute cafe!! Great atmosphere, coffee selections and breakfasts! The outside dining area is the perfect place to start your day!

2/3/2017

Unique and unassuming place great to chill and relax. Parking isn't the easiest but worth it.

3/3/2017

Great food and atmosphere. They also have a great brunch!

3/3/2017

Great coffee with free wifi! What more can you ask for? Quaint little place!

4/5/2017

Has everything you need from a small cafe. Fun quite atmosphere, good coffee, smoothies, breakfast, lunch, some lunch type dinner options. Great place to grab a bite or get some work done

4/5/2017

Any place in Mt. Adams is a pain to find parking but the coffee is good and nice decor.

4/5/2017

Nice atmosphere. Awesome staff. Delicious teas, and coffee drinks.

6/9/2017

Awesome experience, loved the food and setting outside under a shade tree...our lady who brought the food was rude, outside if that it was perfect, still 5 stars

7/13/2017

Cozy and quiet with good drinks, tasty food and great service. Fun spot for brunch offering classic dishes like Eggs Benedict and omelettes. If ordering coffee, go with their seasonal offerings. Occasionally they have homemade flavorings too like sugar-free hazelnut or lavender!

10/15/2017

Had a cup of Brazilian coffee. Very cute cafe. Welcoming and warm environment.

10/15/2017

Great spot to grab a coffee.

11/16/2017

Had a great breakfast here and looked like a great place to study. Walked around the area after and Mt. Adams is cute! Fantastic food at a middle-ish price, and I plan to go back to work on homework and get one of their fancy lattes or other coffees.

11/16/2017

Cozy cafe with varied seating for solo or groups. Very good house drip coffee, and delicious chai lattes. Excellent service.

11/16/2017

The place is Awesome, the shopkeepers are cheerful and always smiling, nice music and environment. The coffee was awesome too ❤️.

1/20/2018

Since moving to the Mt. Adams area, Bow Tie Cafe quickly became one of my favorite coffee shops. The food is always good, delicious coffee, and service has always been fast and friendly.

1/20/2018

Catching up with friend over coffee. Nice laid back atmosphere in scenic Mt. Adams.

2/21/2018

My go-to for fresh lunch eats. Excellent dirty-chai.

3/21/2018

My wife and I love Bow Tie. It's the only reason we come over to Mt. Adams and they never disappoint! Great coffee drinks, great atmosphere with plenty of seating (usually!) and a growing selection of high quality sandwiches and snacks. Definitely worth a visit, you'll really enjoy it.

4/22/2018

Stopped in just for a 'lil something and asked the gal who stepped up to the counter what tea she would recommend. She suggested Kilogram Give gee Peach tea ( I am on Whole30 and cannot have sugar or dairy) and this tea is delicious!! I may try coconut milk in my next cup just for fun!

Great atmosphere, very friendly staff and felt welcoming.

When I am back in Mt. Adams I will stop again!

4/22/2018

We came here for breakfast on Saturday morning. The staff was very attentive and friendly, and the setting relaxed. Our food (eggs and waffle) came out fairly quickly and were tasty BUT both were cool, not even luke warm. The plates they were on were cold to the touch. Nevertheless a satisfactory expeeience overall.

4/22/2018

Great chill spot to get work done and enjoy delicious drinks and snacks. They have a wide range of drinks like espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, smoothies, teas, and etc. they’ve got the classics and specialty flavors. I look forward to my next visit!

4/22/2018

A nice place for a relaxing day of studying and reading. The service is warm and the atmosphere in general is very calm.

6/25/2018

Quick service and on the much better end of cafe/coffee shop food as opposed to some others I’ve been to!

6/25/2018

Quick service chill atmosphere. Buffalo chicken wrap is delish.

7/25/2018

We found this lovely little place by accident but loved it. They have a few patios outside that over look a water fountain with flowers all around. The food was wonderful as well. We had the southwest wrap and salad. They have several lattes, frappacinos, beer and wine. Service was excellent!!! We enjoyed it so much we went back a few hours later just for coffee. Highly recommend!!!

7/25/2018

Plenty of space to work on side projects or homework and meeting with others. The ambiance makes Bow Tie a catalyst for getting work done or meeting with a friend. Intelligentsia Coffee is brewed here, which can be hard to find unless you're on the West Coast or in Chicago. Will always come here to enjoy a nice coffee and be at peace.

9/1/2018

Their out for seating is killer. Sit outside if you can for some wonderful views.

9/1/2018

Took. Forever. I’m sure the ‘locals’ love that it’s not an evil corporate Starbucks. But Starbucks are consistent and fast.

9/1/2018

Great place to have a bite to eat. Great atmosphere and great food

10/1/2018

Breakfast burrito is liiiiiife! Beautiful patio and cafe. You will love it😁

11/2/2018

Good place to eat, work, study. Great coffee. they have soy ans almond milk!

1/4/2019

Nice combination of coffee shop and bar. Enjoy sweets and coffee in the morning, and a nice cocktail with your friends in the evening. Food quality, service and service is excellent. Nice neighborhood but parking can be a challenge. Coffee was a little cool and restaurant a little hot (75 degrees). Sorry for the double photos.... I’m not sure what went wrong.

2/5/2019

Had a meeting at the Bow Tie Cafe. Decided to stray from my regular coffee. In honor of my father, I decided to have a cappuccino. The barista took the time to explain the process and gave complete demo. From 22.5 grams of coffee/espresso to the way to pour the warmed milk. It was delicious. Great coffee and better service.

2/5/2019

Quaint little cafe with very personable and friendly staff. Chill and laid back environment. Coffee and food is great.

3/9/2019

Great Wedding Soup and Chicken edamame and slaw wrap with an Asian sauce was awesome.👍 A must try👍😄

5/13/2019

Asian Quinoa bowl and Tropical smoothie delicious! Great prices, great service, healthy fresh food!

6/14/2019

Very cute place in mount lookout. The bowls are flavorful, but rather small. The perfect place to hang out/study on a night day and enjoy some light and healthy food.

6/14/2019

Great atmosphere with friendly staff! There are plenty of plugs for working folks and easy access to tables inside and out!

6/14/2019

Great, fresh, quality food...and great staff and service!

7/20/2019

I stayed in Cincinnati for three days--and I visited Bow Tie Cafe every day! They really made me feel like a "regular" right away, which was impressive. I noticed that the staff was on a first-name basis with almost everyone who came in. There definitely was a warm, welcoming atmosphere in the cafe. I had a chicken wrap the first day and breakfast the second and third days. The value and quality of the coffee and food was excellent. There was plenty of room to spend a while working on my computer. Thanks to the staff for your hard work! I'd be happy to return to the Bow Tie Cafe next time I'm in Cincy!

7/20/2019

The food and drink were delicious! Service was just okay which is why I didn’t give 5 stars.

7/20/2019

Ordered BLT . One single slice of bacon for entire sandwich . Small slice of tomato on each half. Plenty of old lettuce . Bread and iced tea were great !

8/20/2019

Such a nice little place to grab coffee or a light lunch. Small menu but the sandwiches and flatbreads are incredible!

9/20/2019

Fun little place to grab a quick coffee in the afternoon. Staff is very friendly and kind. Didn’t realize how wonderful lavender syrup is in coffee until I got a latte here. They do half sweet drinks well. Hope to stop by again soon!

10/27/2019

I visited here while on a mini vacation and it was nice. It's only a little walk away from a parking garage so you can park easily, its also a pretty walk because you get to look at all the buildings. The staff were welcoming and quick. My food was done and ready as soon as I picked a seat outside. The wrap I did have was a little plain (but it is just a wrap so I'm not bothered) so besides that I dont have anything bad to say. I'd go back any time.

10/27/2019

I love to come hang out for the afternoon to work and study. They have a couple vegan options, I highly recommend their Green Goddess Quinoa bowl! Great service, and super cozy. In a great neighborhood where you can often find free street parking.

11/30/2019

Lunch special today was grilled cheese on 16 Bricks local Sourdough bread & tomato soup with fresh dill !!!!

11/30/2019

Outstanding coffee and espresso drinks, quiet location to get some work done or hang with your friends. Also features a large, scenic outdoor patio.

2/2/2020

Awesome selection for a small cafe. Healthy options. Fast service.

2/2/2020

Fantastic food, creative menu, cakes to die for and very friendly staff! Highly recommend!

3/2/2020

We went with the in laws who were here visiting. The staff was very friendly, the sandwiches we had were amazing, and the coffee was so good we bought a bag. Haha. I will say the place could use a changing station; parents need them desperately. Glad we stopped in. Great experience!

3/2/2020

They serve their cold drinks with a paper straw in a non-recyclable cup, not that it matters because they don’t have recycling bins anyway. This is greenwashing at it’s finest.

Oh, and they no longer sell any domestic light beers (drank and preferred by 80% of beer drinkers). Way to narrow your customer base.

My suggestion: do the right thing and use washable glasses. For to-go drinks use paper. And drop the straws all together. Bring back domestic lights beers.

3/2/2020

One of my favorite places in Mt Adams, great for a quick drink and sitting outside or having coffee. Their food was also quite tasty

7/6/2020

The coffee tasted like the paper cup it was served in. The seating area is opened now, like some other places, but at other places they've already gotten back to serving food in ceramic dishes. I'm not going out to drink coffee that tastes like a paper cup and paying full price when you are subtracting quality. I'd rather stay home than to make the drive wasting the time and money. The pastry options were few and served cold, as in just taken out of the fridge. Quality was average. Nice place in a nice area, though.

7/6/2020

Great Coffee Place, super nice Staff and great food!

7/6/2020

Very cute shop....loved my servers Kiah and Morgan they were wonderful and answered all of my questions

8/6/2020

The shining star of this establishment is Gary. He assisted us with our ordering along with making our food. The 3 stars however was because there were 5 staff members total and only 2 of them were wearing their masks correctly. If you're going to do food prep and wear your mask on your neck I don't really see that being helpful or safe. I saw that same lady gesture with the 6 pan of tomatoes right up to her face talking loudly over it. Along with I saw a guest walk in and out in a few minutes as Gary (the only one acknowledgeing guests) had to answer the phone and the rest of the 4 looked over at the customer, look away and were talking amongst themselves.

Kinda disappointing as you folks had really good reviews.

8/6/2020

We love Bow Tie Cafe! Been going for years. Love an iced coffee and breakfast burrito sitting on patio outside on a Saturday morning.

10/8/2020

Cool and serene place to have your evening coffee meets. Ben did a good job with our Mocha and Caramel Machiato. Perfect warm and sweet as anyone would like it.

They have wide range of Coffee flavors and also healthy smoothies

11/10/2020

A fav spot for tasty Cafe food. Arrived at six, it was not packed. I look forward to a return trip. This place has a good design. This place has many good reviews for a reason.

11/10/2020

The coffee is good but is usually not hot. So it’s not a quick spot to get coffee if you want it hot since you have to wait for a new brew. Which can get annoying over time.

11/10/2020

Great quesadillas! Super friendly staff, and it's absolutely beautiful in Mount Adams!

12/12/2020

Great for food and coffee, not the best in town for studying/working.

The Food and Drink

+ Cheapest pour over coffee in town at $3.25!

+ Lunch wraps are delicious

+ Roaster: Intelligentsia, also sell Urbana Cafe beans

+ Alcohol like wine and bourbon are available

The Vibe

+ Great natural light pouring in from windows and cozy visual atmosphere throughout.

+ Staff are friendly and do a good job

The Seating

+ Large table for 8 - 10 people

+ Several tables for 2

+ outlets are easy to find

+ variety of seating: two types of stools, as well as benches and chairs. No sofas or sofa chairs.

+ Great outdoor seating!

Other

+ They keep tables wiped down after each guest, everything very clean

+ clean bathrooms

- no bike parking facilities

- counter by window is sticky each time I've come even though they wipe it down after each guest. I think the varnish is coming off.

Bad Acoustics

- This might be the loudest cafe in Cincinnati. The cold drink machine is very loud and the hard surfaces reflect every noise. The music volume sounds a little louder than you'd expect, but I think it's competing with the machine. The coffee grinder and people talking are expected, but it all adds up when the sound bounces around. Because they serve great food, it can feel more like a busy restaurant than a coffee shop. Nothing wrong with that, just don't expect a quiet space. The TV, although muted, also adds to the restaurant/bar vibe if you like that. Sound-absorbing foam would really help here like it did at BLOC in East Price Hill. It made a huge difference after installed.

- personal down vote that doesn't contribute to the 4 star rating: a lot of Christmas music. Great for a few songs, but not for hours on end. Call be a Grinch, but I would have stayed longer, maybe spent more money.

I will continue to visit the Bow Tie. You got to check it out if you're in Cincinnati!

4/8/2018

Wonderful little place. With bottomless coffee it's a nice place to work, service was very nice. You can quickly tell it's a neighborhood favorite spot for...read this and 106 more