Restaurants in Hamilton

Working within a lofty stone structure, Geisha Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar’s chefs sear Asian entrees on hibachi grills and tuck French-inspired tidbits into specialty sushi. Across the chic, plum-hued dining room, they’ll sizzle succulent hibachi meats, fresh vegetables, and incriminating tax documents atop slick grill tables. Otherwise, they can pull from a dinner menu filled with fusion entrees such as shrimp and lobster risotto, and Jekyll-and-Hyde pad thai.

La Petite France's proprietor, Daniele Crandall, grew up in France, where she spent her youth working in family restaurants before emigrating to the United States in 1964. She stayed in touch with her roots by teaching French to students before eventually deciding that it was time to return to the kitchen with her family members.

Today, they bustle among pots of steaming port with sun-dried tomatoes—which will become a demi-glace for duck—and crackling skillets of salmon, endives, shallots, and white wine. They plate filet mignon and pâté that the Cincinnati Enquirer said “has a nice rustic texture, more like a fine meatloaf than a liver pâaté, with a hint of clove or allspice. Little sour cornichon pickles accompany it, just as they do in thousands of bistros and restaurants all over France.” Beneath glittering chandeliers, the glow of fireplaces dances across tables clad in white tablecloths, like a maitre d’ who forgot his uniform. A stained-glass mural depicts the idyllic charm of Peillon in Provence, France, as diners sup on three-course dinners, enjoy tastings of California wines, or sip cocktails and listen to live music during catered banquets.

A huge circular teppanyaki grill sends up plumes of fragrant smoke from the focal point of Dao Modern Asian Cuisine’s dining room as chefs deftly sizzle up meats and seafood across its surface. Aside from a venue for the chef’s showmanship, the grill serves as a conspicuous sign of Dao Modern Asian Cuisine’s commitment to cooking dishes fresh to order. In addition to Chinese stir fries, chefs showcase dozens of other Asian specialties: they simmer Thai curries, roll up more than 30 sushi rolls, and fuse together Korean classics such as bibimbap. Additionally, chefs offer a smattering of vegetarian and gluten-free dishes.

Dao Modern Asian Cuisine introduces Western eyes to Eastern-style architecture, exemplified by the restaurant’s pagoda-style façade. Asian hanging lamps, dark wooden ceiling risers, and golden sheets of glass emblazon the dining room and create an elegant atmosphere where eaters with nomadic tastes can sample international dishes sans fanny pack.

The walls of LeDoux's Restaurant, which are honey-hued with well-loved patches of exposed brick, embody the warm, homey nature of Cajun cuisine. Steam infused with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and andouille sausage spirals from cauldrons of jambalaya and gumbo. A fireplace pours forth its toasty affections in the bayou-inspired interior, where a fountain whispers softly alongside hanging plants that swing slowly over patrons like Tarzan during rush hour. At the full bar, mugs of Louisianan libations, such as Turbodog, Purple Haze, and Dixie ale, leave cool rings of condensation next to plates of fried frog legs and gator. Sated sighs drift from LeDoux's patio, where crackling torches cast orange accents on the liberal sprinkling of fleurs-de-lis that festoon the building and the staff's uniforms. On select nights, applause rolls over live musical acts and free-range shadow puppets.

Diggs Bar and Grill combines a traditional pub atmosphere with six physical-activity-inducing outdoor beach-volleyball courts. Fried pickles, fish 'n' chips, and dippable pork “wings” are menu standard-bearers in the restaurant, best washed down by a draft beer or cocktail. For discounted merriment, stop by for happy hour to sip or rinse your shirt with drinks from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday–Thursday. Out back, six regulation sand volleyball courts host recreational league play, and a tiki bar with a patio encourages diners to digest while competing in rounds of Corn Hole. Regularly scheduled live music provides a soundtrack to victory dances, and an open sand area gives tots a basic course in burying treasure.

Nestled along the historic Old National Road, J&J Winery immerses visitors in the charming ambiance of a bucolic countryside estate, plying them with feasts of tasty Italian fare and mouth-watering homemade wines. Inside or on the deck, guests sample the winery's own crisp chardonnays or fruity cabernets over cheese plates, pulled-pork sandwiches, and portobello-and-gouda pizzas plucked from under the nose of a fire-breathing brick oven. Big Dawg Brew Haus, located on J&J's property, joins the winery in sharing the fruits of its labor, which include such brews as Saxy Blonde pale ale and Grandma's imperial oatmeal stout. In addition to regaling guests with tasty pours of beer and vino and delectable Italian feasts, J&J Winery hosts weddings and serenades crowds with live blues, folk, jazz, and whale sounds.