Carlo & Johnny

Very good, but aren’t all of JeffRuby’s restaurants good lol? Still waiting to meet him, hoping I can get a discount on a meal some day jk.

Last night was our first time visiting Carlo and Johnny. We were celebrating my wife’s birthday and it probably was the best service we’ve experienced at a restaurant. The dining room (empire room) was full and loud but our sever, Jason, did a fantastic job explaining different dishes. We both had filet and they were probably the juiciest steaks I’ve ever had. When we go to a high end restaurant, we expect great food but also excellent service. We got both last night and we’ll definitely revisit this fine establishment.

I don’t eat a lot of steak, not because I dislike it, just because generally something else strikes me. Before I get to hands down the best steak I have ever eaten, let me say that we dined in this gorgeous private room overlooking a terrace with a giant fireplace. There’s a ton of wood trimming on the walls. It feels so homey but in like an alternate universe where you could be rich and live in a giant mansion with fireplaces like this. The other best thing is their incredible staff– so accommodating and present. They were gone except magically when you needed them.
So food: everything I ate was good– I remember being so happy with every bite. But the crazy thing that still stands out is their freaking filet. It’s creamy, CREAMY. Like butter but better. You don’t even need the knife. It’s like plate candy. The filet had a gorgeous sear and was pink all the way through without being over or under done. It’s the steak I had always heard about on tv but never really believed existed. Holy crap. Seriously. THE.BEST.STEAK.EVER. The end.

I brought my mom here for Mother’s Day, and she was overwhelmed, in the best way possible.
The service was phenomenal once we were seated. The hostesses were a gaggle of young women, and were honestly stuck up (they barely made eye contact with me). But as I mentioned, once we were seated, the night only got better. The wait staff were attentive, helpful, and down-​to-​earth. They joked with us, and helped us make our food selections.
My mom and I both got steaks, because, «when in Rome.» While I’m not a steak person, I know she is, and the meal was definitely worth it.
I got the filet mignon, and she got the Steak Collinsworth. Even though we knew that the sides were huge, we didn’t split them because we wanted different things. I got the creamed spinach, and she got a baked potato.
I ended up taking about half of my meal home because I wanted my husband to be able to try it. (It was that good.) Even though he’s usually pretty picky, he wouldn’t stop raving about the spinach. (Of course THAT was his takeaway, and not the killer steak. Geez.)
The ambiance here is so wonderful — dim lighting, plush carpeting and decorations.
I’d definitely suggest bringing someone here for a special occasion, or just for a great meal. You won’t be disappointed.

Mother’s Day brunch for 5. Probably the best brunch I can remember anywhere, food and service all top notch.

Per the Unilocal rating tag associated with the rating: «Meh. I’ve experienced better.»
The wait staff was very good. Personable. Knowledgeable. Not too pushy. We’d give him high marks.
The ambiance was stodgy; a bit old and outdated. We did like the various rooms and the their raw bar is a nice touch (although we did not partake).
The food was just okay. For the price, compared to other steak houses, we thought they were over-​priced. $ 42 for a petit filet; that’s about $ 10 more than the chop house which provides a similar quality of meat. And C&J’s preparation is «Chicago style» but we thought they went overboard with the seasonings; you could taste the salt.
Their wine list is extensive, albeit heavily weighted towards bottles $ 150 or more. Very few under. Places «like» this always have expensive wines, but they are more distributed from a price perspective; no bell curve here.
We were there for our anniversary, which they took a picture of us (albeit after our dinner was done and we were tired and full), and provided a dessert. But they only provide a cheesecake; luckily we like those — what if you were lactose intolerant.
The highlight of the place was the band they had playing in their bar area. I could see us going back for drinks, appetizers, and to listen to live music, but as far as going there for dinner: probably won’t see us again.

We’re regulars at the Precinct, but decided to branch out and hit Carlo & Johnny’s for a change. The restaurant itself is great, large bar with live entertainment and plenty of characters for people watching. The bar menu looks like a great deal as well, this would be a 5 star review if I was just rating the bar scene. The steaks are a la carte, unlike the Precinct where your steak comes with a potato and a salad. Our waiter didn’t explain that the salads would have fed 2 – 3 people, instead he asked each of us «which salad we would like», if we hadn’t read carefully, we would have assumed they came with the meal. In short, we had way more salad than 4 people would ever eat. We each ordered a steak and one was way overcooked. They did offer to remake it, so no issue there. However, we waited until we were halfway through our meal before one of our side items showed up. For a meal that ends up being about $ 100 pp (with wine), I guess I just wasn’t as wowed as I normally am at the Precinct, so I think I’ll just stick with that.

Definitely a fine dining experience. The waiters and staff are attentive without being over the top. It was very good all around, but while we both ordered steaks the same temperature, one was more rare than anything. It was corrected without issue, but the time to fix and for me to wait left mine a bit cold. Not ideal for an anniversary dinner. If I knew ahead of time I would have requested a booth in a corner area. Our table was a bit close to the couple directly in front of us. The band was playing several familiar covers and the bar area looked to be full and well stocked. If around this area it’s worth a try especially for a special occasion.

Seems a bit blasé and cheap. Ive had better

Finally scored my fifth and final Cincinnati Ruby’s restaurant. Loved the late Tropicana and Waterfront restaurants (tissue please), frequented the Precinct over the years, and did the downtown Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse a couple times. Carlos & Johnny’s speakeasy Prohibition vibe is winning: big red banquettes for cozying up, chandeliers dripping crystal and glitz — even a gramophone.
Like a classic 1920s roadhouse, it’s set back from the road down an allée of twinkle bedecked trees, think Old Hollywood glam.
We began with a half dozen West Coast oysters — a little too briny and slightly gamey for me – although the horseradish and lemon helped (and the champagne).
My petite filet was perfectly seared, lovely crust and juicy pink interior with a mellow bearnaise (perfectly lovely, light on the tarragon) and a side of au gratin potatoes, which were oddly a little too dry (prefer mine a bit creamy). Husband ordered the bone-​in strip. Do order a glass of wine — great list. I like the house cabernet, Louis Martini Sonoma.
The service was friendly and unpretentious — even got the story of the night the Waterfront floated away from the manager, which we remembered watching on tv when we lived in San Francisco.
Definitely worth the drive up to Montgomery

Wow, great meal, and super service. This place is outstanding.

5 stars an unbelievable meal and 10 stars for service. I have been to Carlos and Johnnys a few times and this was the best experience… this has always been my favorite ruby spot due to menu location and atmosphere… but this meal was out of this world we ordered alot and shared it all… wedge salad– best I have had the maytag blue cheese dressing made it, shrimp cocktail was tender massive and beautifully served also the cocktail sauce was something to note. The filet was cooked prefect and tender the crust was beautiful. The salmon, wow what a perfect dish, if you are a salmon fan you will not be disappointed, the mac and cheese was creamy rich perfectly seasoned and had a nice texture, asparagus was cooked perfect and huge! The seabass was seared perfect and simply amazing (everything else with it was just ok) the dry aged tomahawk steak was very good but the only downfall of the meal (minor downfall if that) it had a great sear and full of flavor but the temp was just ever so slightly under. I ordered the filet the same yet the filet was more red less pink… not a huge issue but something to note… may order medium next time… I usually order medium rare but this was closer to rare but when it comes to fine steak better to be under than over in my opinion… this steak was listed as dry aged but I did not notice much difference, I have had many dry aged steaks yet this one lacked in that pronounced «meaty» maybe «beefy» flavor one would expect from a dry aged meat. Also it was very tender but not consistent throughout there were some tough pieces unfortunately… please note that these critics are minor and in no way affected the over all meal. Just that for 80 $ a steak I expected a little bit more (slightly) the cheese cake was delish and home made whipped cream brought it to a whole nother level…
Now for the service… by far the best I have had, truly out of this world. I have eaten at many fine dining joints and steak houses (even worked at a few) and this was a step above the rest. We had a party of 6 and were luck enough to be seated in the «ruby» room. (Apparently Mr ruby’s favorite spot and seat, the room was personally designed by him, the guy has taste) any way the room is separate and closed off to the rest of the restaurant which made the dinner extra special and intimate. We basically had 4 members of the staff at our every need. They were there when we needed them, before we needed them but absent went we wanted time to converse. Each member was truly sincere and willing to serve, it is clear they take pride in what they do, which can be tough to find… this was an early birthday dinner for myself and they comped my beer AND dessert (very appreciated) the manager even gave my 1 year old daughter 2 scoops of house made ice cream on the house! Made my little girl’s day!
Not to mention the price of all this… I would of expected a monster bill and rightfully so with the level of service and quality of food but still all of this for around 375 (without tip) not a bad deal considering everything mentioned and we were all stuffed… if you like good food good service and all of the above is strongly recommended great meal…

This is always the best meal and service i have ever experienced. It is the perfect way to celebrate something big! Incredible food, cool décor, kind waiters, and the peanut butter dessert pretty much blew my mind. The steaks are the best i have ever had!

Disclaimer — I do not usually write reviews, but my girlfriend insisted on this one.
Was in town for the holidays and we decided to try Carlo’s again as we had a previous favorite in Cincinnati.
Everything was great, no doubt about it one of the best meals I’ve ever had in Cincinnati.
Steaks are great, raw bar is fantastic, and the service top notch. One of the things that really set this apart was the manager Shane, he was talkative, engaging, and made sure everything was perfect.
Go to this restaurant and you will not be disappointed.

So, first date night since the baby was born, Abby and I had a gift card and decided to use it here. We arrived early to have cocktails. We were pleasantly surprised to discover live music on a Thursday night. The bar itself is small, but the «bar area» includes a lot of tables and space. The staff was friendly and made outstanding drinks! Abby had the «Fig for a Queen» and I had the Blackberry Flip. Perfectly prepared and quite tasty.
Although it was just the two of us, we were seated in a large booth. It took a couple minutes for someone to come over, but once they did we were well taken care of. The service was friendly and helpful. The wine list is expansive. We scoped it out on the website beforehand, which helps a lot. There are some good value deals if you know your wine regions and vintages. We went with a 2010 Bordeaux that we already own and have tasted to pair with the steaks we were planning to order. For those who prefer to order by the glass, the selection seemed very respectable; we considered that option, but by the time you buy 4 glasses, it’s usually worth it to buy the bottle!
We ordered oysters from the raw bar. The presentation was cool with an LED light buried underneath the ice. They had blue points and PEI oysters. We got some of each. Very fresh and delicious!
Abby had the Munoz filet and I had the Collingsworth filet. Check out the pictures. Munoz has a shrimp and mushroom red wine sauce around and over it and bacon wrapped around it. Abby really liked it. My Collingsworth was topped with crab, bordelaise, and bernaise and had asparagus on the side. Every bite was amazing! The steaks were prepared perfectly. The quality of the meat was top notch. Every bite was like butter. Sometimes filet can be too flavorless for me, but these were packed full of flavor with their toppings!
Finally, we topped everything off with the house-​made cheesecake (think delicious, creamy, fluffy, fresh, NOT hard, frozen, flavorless) topped with chocolate and caramel sauce! Killer!
Expensive, but worth every penny for a special occasion!

When it’s time for a celebration, celebrate here. Service and food are top notch. My scallops were perfectly cooked – crusty on the outside yet creamy in the center. And my husband’s long-​bone, dry aged ribeye was excellent. Service was superb. Our server, Don, anticipated our needs and then more. Friendly, but not intrusive, he was perfect. The best Jeff Ruby restaurant of the bunch! Pricey, but worth it!

This was the last of Jeff Ruby’s Cincinnati restaurants that I hadn’t visited, so I decided to take my husband here for his 30^th birthday. Every Jeff Ruby’s restaurant experience is spectacular and Carlo & Johnny is no exception. A+ service, A+ food.
I wasn’t in a steak mood so I got a caesar salad and the cannelloni. The pasta was delicious! It was so rich and creamy that I could only eat half, but that just made for an awesome dinner two nights in a row. My husband very much enjoyed his bone-​in ribeye. He ordered fries on the side, and about 30 seconds before his meal came out changed his mind and asked for mashed potatoes. It was too late to make the switch but the server was nice enough to get us some mashed potatoes in addition to our fries.
We didn’t order dessert but the staff knew it was my husband’s birthday so we got a piece of caramel drizzled cheesecake with a candle in it. The cheesecake was amazing! We did end up paying $ 5 for it. I’m sure it was a mistake but since they were nice enough to give us extra potatoes on the house we didn’t question it.
It’s definitely a pricey spot but for us it’s a great special occasion place. We love all of Jeff Ruby’s restaurants, and while we can’t afford to go often I’m sure another birthday will bring us back!

I am beyond impressed with my experience at Carlo and Johnny’s. I’ve traveled to many countries and cities, and eaten at the best places in those cities… Somehow, this restaurant in Montgomery, OH (small city outside Cincinnati) has managed to surpass SO MANY of those places.
Details: Experience, Service, Food — GO.
EXPERIENCE: Going to Carlo and Johnny’s is more than just going to eat. The place is an experience in itself. The restaurant is inside a huge house built in 1847. Once a casino and mobster hangout during prohibition era, it’s like something from The Great Gatsby — VERY COOL place. Eloquent and classy ambiance for dinner. 10 fireplaces in the establishment. They also have an amazing bar/​lounge area that must makes you want to schmooze it up with Cincinnati’s social elite (yes, I guess that exists). I could go on and on about how cool the place is — beautifully done. Velvet walls, custom booths — bathrooms are beautifully done too.
SERVICE: 10 out of 10. Managers (plural) welcome you as you enter and give you the personal touch. We really felt important as we dined with them. Each server has at least one assistant. If you’re wearing light pants, you get a white napkin. Dark pants, black napkin… yeah, it’s like that. IMPECCABLE, flawless and thoughtful service staff. Our server Jeff went above and beyond. In the beginning of the night, I asked for water «with lemon» — typically I have to ask twice because they forget. At C&J’s, the lemons came out promptly. And every time we used a lemon for the water, the assistant or server would bring new lemons and re-​plate — ensuring that we had a fresh little plate of new lemons at all times — THAT’s attention to DETAIL! The assistants came by with the «cumber tool» often to make sure our table was spotless. They also split dishes on two plates for my date and I — sharp move. literally guys, the list GOES ON, but I have to stop here… IMPECCABLE SERVICE.
FOOD: Everything about the food was perfect… the only small mistake I could point out is that the raw-​bar chef didn’t cut the oysters from the bottom shell after shucking — I had to remove the muscle from the bottom-​shell myself before slurping-​down those Wellfleets. Otherwise… They serve Truffle Butter with their breads — amazing. Tomato Habanero Bisque was PERFECT. The Freddy salad is so good it should be illegal — we were all practically licking the plate clean.
For entrée, I went with the 71 dollar, 20oz NY Strip. It was absolutely, 100%, PERFECTLY cooked and prepared. It was one of the top 5 best steaks I’ve had in my life — And I’m comparing with some pretty credible contenders such as the best steak in North America at Carne Vino (Las Vegas), Lugers, NYC, STK, Prime 112, etc… Carlo and Johnny’s steak was 100% USDA PRIME, aged and special, special meat… Flawless execution. Perfectly cooked.
For dessert we had the Butter Pie. I’m telling you I’ve never had anything quite like it. Coffee cake meets, sticky, chewy, sweet-​buttery heaven. It was SO GOOD, we finished it and ordered another. You’ll never get this anywhere but Carlo and Johnny’s, so I recommend getting it.
Our server gave us a private tour of the restaurant/​house after and explained some history, including a 1940’s tenant who passed away, but still frequents the restaurant! Boo!
Overall, 10 out of 10. Definitely a pricey place, but it truly merits it. I was very impressed (and surprised) that Cincinnati had a restaurant that could hang with the best in the world. Can’t wait to go back.

Probably the best dining experience my family & I have ever had. The service is excellent & the food is out of this world! Every course we had was perfect. Zero complaints about anything at this location!

I went here for dinner to celebrate my birthday with my boyfriend and had an excellent experience, which I had expected based on my visit to one of the other Jeff Ruby restaurants.
I loved how spacious, yet intimate the restaurant was and it had a very pleasant ambiance. As always, the bread basket with truffle butter was delicious. We ordered the Freddie salad to start (which I highly recommend), I had the barrel-​cut filet mignon, and we shared the truffle herb fries.
I decided to order my steak rare (I usually get medium rare) because I figured if I were to try it, this would be the place to do so. and it was a great choice. It was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth! I did prefer my boyfriend’s NY strip flavor-​wise because I love the way they char their steaks, but the texture of the filet was phenomenal.
They brought out a surprise slice of cheesecake because they knew it was my birthday, so that was greatly appreciated and they also took a picture for us that was printed and framed for us on the way out.
I can now say that you really cannot go wrong when choosing a Jeff Ruby restaurant and I look forward to my next visit. I highly suggest coming here if you’re looking for a special dinner and willing to splurge.

My family went here to celebrate my daughter’s and my birthdays. The service was impeccable — personable and not stuffy. Hubby and I split the field fresh salad. Had to get my fix of gorgonzola. Plus the pistachio dressing sounded so tempting! It did not disappoint. Delicious. I ordered the barrel-​cut filet, medium rare. It came out a bit over, and they corrected this without a problem. The second steak was a bit rare in the middle, but I prefer it this way and it was excellent. Loved the nice char on the outside. Yum! We also shared sides of mac n cheese, asparagus, and mashed potatoes. Especially loved the potatoes! They surprised us at the end of the meal with slices of cheesecake with candles. Thank you, Carlo & Johnny! I am not a cheesecake fan, but this was fluffy and wonderful! The reason I am not giving a full 5 stars is they do not allow BYOB with a corkage fee. Excellent meal!

My husband surprised me with a trip here for my 30^th birthday and they didn’t disappoint. We had reservations and we were immediately taken to our table which surprised me for Valentine’s Day weekend. Our server was on it, he was very polite and also had a sense of humor which was nice. We got the shrimp cocktail which was almost too beautiful to eat. We both got filet mignon– cooked perfectly, and shared the Mac and cheese! The Mac and cheese is amazing, a must have at Jeff Ruby’s.
For my birthday they delivered a large slice of cheesecake to share that was on the house and it was pretty good!
We used Valet to park and they were very polite and we didn’t have to wait long at all when we were finished.

This place doesn’t disappoint! Great date night place to enjoy a top notch steaks with impeccable service. Tons of steak cuts, sides to die for (aka mac&cheese and roasted fingerling potatoes), and twists on classic drinks (try the raspberry mule!).
From drinks to dessert, every course was well thought out and filled with flavor.
Roomier than Jeff Ruby’s Precinct and more secluded than Jeff Ruby’s downtown. Lots of table options for any sort of occasion.

It’s always fun to experience the over-​the-​top Ruby experience! Started with cocktails and the Raw Bar. Huge shrimp, Crab legs and clams, accompanied by mustard sauce, cocktail sauce, horseradish and a vinaigrette. The crab legs were fabulous! Next a Freddie salad for me and Caeser for my hubby. On to entrees! He had the strip and I had steak and lobster tail. Over the top! Mac and cheese was excellent. Brussels sprouts good but a bit dried out. Excellent service!

We’ve dined at many Jeff Ruby restaurants, with our favorite being Jeff Ruby’s in downtown Cincinnati. Carlo and Johnny’s is amazing and now by far our favorite (which is saying something — all Jeff Ruby restaurants are pretty spectacular!)
The service is impeccable — attentive without being overbearing, engaged, and personable. Huge kudos to the management and staff here. The décor is art deco and very cool, with lots of elegant touches.
The food is great — steaks are a Jeff Ruby specialty, of course, and there’s no place better. I had the sea bass and loved it, and the asparagus and the roasted fingerling potatoes are spectacular. (as at Jeff Ruby’s, all sides are a la carte and designed for two to share).
I wasn’t thrilled with the caprese salad — the heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil aioli were outstanding, but the balsamic vinegar was weak and the salad was inexplicably topped with fried onion straws — yech!
Overall, a great and highly recommended dining experience and one we’re looking forward to repeating!!!

Consistently great experience. Ambiance, service, food… all come together for a great dining experience. Jumbo shrimp cocktail, Tender and flavorful NY strip, grilled asparagus with pistachios and finished off with peanut butter pie (light, whipped bites of heaven).
Jason and Charlie make it an outstanding and personable experience every time.

Met a friend for a drink late (after 9pm) on a weekday. We sat at the bar. Brandy our bartender was capable and friendly. Service overall was spot on. We were feeling hungry after a bit but didn’t see anything on the appetizer menu that called out to us. Brandy assured us the chef would make us something else. We choose a steak and got it cut up into app size pieces, and truffle fries. Both were delicious! The steak was a perfect medium rare. It hit the spot
She also gave us a bread basket with two different kinds of bread. The truffle butter was flavorful and worth the calories.

Absolutely the best 5 star eatery you’re going to find anywhere in the suburbs of Cincinnati. Joey our server was very confused at my knowledge of the place as a first time visitor. But I like to be prepared, my daughter turned 21 today & after $ 400 including gratuity, I somehow left with a smile on my face. I had the bone in ribeye 65 days aged my daughters both selected a filet. That kobe beef the birthday girl got was the best steak I’ve ever tasted in my life. The youngest grabbed the Anthony Munoz it was to die for too. But, that bone in ribeye was phenomenal.
It’s certainly not cheap but the ambiance and atmosphere make every dime worth spending!
Blown away, & I love money.

You can’t top the Jeff Ruby experience. From the minute you are greeted by the valet you are 100% aware of the amazing experience you are about to have.
I love the entry way of this place! It is a horseshoe shaped wine cellar. Very cool. I’m a wino, give me a break. :)
We were going to sit on their new patio, but it had just rained so we decided to sit at the bar. The bartenders have their service nailed down. It’s incredible! We were immediately greeted and given their extensive wine list. We said we were dining at the bar so we got place settings, waters, and bread and butter. We ordered a bottle of wine and a couple crab legs to get us started.
My wife and I typically get a filet to share. They use USDA Prime. Only 1% of the beef in the U. S gets that grading. The preparation is impressive. They always get it right. My wife loves the bearnaise sauce. The mac and cheese is the best you will ever have! They use six different cheeses and finish it off in the broiler so it gets an amazing crust on top. We both love asparagus so that was an easy choice.
The GM, Charlie Bledsoe, is extremely active in the restaurant. On this visit he came and greeted us at the bar, chatted for a minute, and said if there was anything he could do to make our experience perfect we could just let him know. Great guy and you can see he loves what he does.
Everyone needs to spoil themselves now and then. The Jeff Ruby experience will definitely deliver.

Here’s the deal– if you want the best steak around, then Carlo & Johnnys is the only place to go. Their entire menu is delicious. They also have the biggest, tastiest, best shrimp I have ever had.
I feel like I really need to mention their salads, the pork chops, their oysters,… the list goes on. I could Unilocal about them for hours.
It’s as Cincinnati, as Reds baseball and Proctor & Gamble.
Their service is outstanding!!!
If you want the best martini around, ask for Kate.
Enjoy!!!

My husband and I visited Carlo & Johnny with another couple on a Friday night. We have been to Jeff Ruby’s other restaurants and wanted to check this one out.
We were seated promptly and our server was very attentive, as one would expect. We all got filets and one person got the filet and lobster. Two of us had the Anthony Munoz filet and it was very good. But honestly, I would rather have a plain filet because the flavor of the steaks there is so good, it doesn’t need any extras. We had the mushrooms, asparagus and mashed potatoes for sides and that was plenty for the table. The steaks were cooked as ordered and delicious.
We all got dessert and the presentation was excellent. The favorite of the evening was the peanut butter pie. I would highly recommend trying it. It was knock your socks off good. I think we will be making another trip there just to experience the peanut butter pie again. The other Ruby’s restaurants unfortunately don’t offer it.
My only complaint is that the bill was a little slow in coming. Although the server perhaps didn’t want to intrude on our conversation.
I would recommend asking for a booth when you make your reservation. We had a table, but the booths looked cozy.
Overall great food, excellent service and everything you would expect of a Jeff Ruby’s restaurant.