Bobaloo's, Lebanon

A quick glance at Bobaloo's menu might be a little surprising—there's a ballpark-style soft pretzel, but there's also ratatouille with caramelized zucchini. That's because the restaurant prides itself on being a casual sports bar where fans can still enjoy upscale cuisine. Sicilian-born chef Carlos Silveti honed his skills in Spain, Mexico, and Italy, resulting in inventive dishes such as blackened-fish tacos with italian slaw and beef kebabs glazed in chimichurri sauce.

Despite the more elegant menu, guests are always welcome to chill at the bar, whether to build their own bloody marys on Saturdays or to lead victory chants while watching the Bengals score Hoop Shooty points on Sundays. There's a wonderful craft-beer selection, which rotates often but has included Great Divide's Hibernation Ale and Rhinegeist's Truth IPA. Even better is the live music, which was voted the city's best in Cincy magazine's Best of the North for 2013–2014 under Bobaloo's old name, Doc's Place.