Alara

A fantastic experience from start to finish! We came here with some friends to celebrate New Year's Eve and had a lovely time! We got a reservation well ahead of time which is good as the restaurant was quite full. They have an open kitchen concept with tables all over as well as a smaller room towards the back with more tables. Our server was excellent and gave great suggestions.The food:- Chilled Seafood Platter- Beat and Goat Cheese Salad- Lobster and Butternut Squash Carbonara- 32oz. Tomahawk Ribeye- Swiss Chard and Shiitake- Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash- Creamsicle Cloud- Apples and CreamThe chilled seafood platter was divine, probably my favorite part of the entire meal. Comes with all sorts of different seafoods and is a perfect dish to share for 4 people. The Lobster and Butternut Squash Carbonara was also another crowd favorite: creamy and rich and delicious. Everything was so well prepared, beautifully presented, and tasted amazing. The menu is definitely a little on the pricier side but the food is so worth it! We'll definitely be back to celebrate more special occasions!

First and foremost, park in the attached garage. There are almost no restaurants in town where you can park in a covered garage and walk in. This is a fantastic, upscale benefit that isn't listed anywhere on the website. Sure they have valet, but the free parking in the garage is VERY unique. I loved this start to the evening.Now on to the rest of the experience. I ate at Alara as part of a company party and sat in a private room upstairs. We had a group of roughly 14 people which fit well in the private nook. As I walked through the main eating area I did admire the upscale and open floorplan of the restaurant, with clear views of the bar and cooking area.We had a limited choice menu with access to the full bar. Our limited menu offered the filet mignon, scallops, salmon, and chicken. They all have fancier names than this, but that is the simplest way to describe the proteins. We had a single server and he was fantastic, very attentive, and made the evening go very smoothly.I would describe the food as very good but priced on the highish side. I would say there is a lot of cost for the very high end amenities and investment if this venue, and that flows to the price of the food. Everyone in my party enjoyed their dinner. I had the filet mignon cooked medium rare and it came out perfect and was flavorful. Higher end steak restaurant have the sear and roast style which I preper for flavor and appearance, so although this one tasted good, its appearance as the lone object on a very large white plate was underwhelming. A splash of a colored reduction would have gone along way in presentation. The sides were served family style. This is a popular approach at nice restaurants like Eddie Merlot's and Carlo and Johnny, but it isn't my vibe. IMO it's too casual for fine dining and it means the chef didn't pair specific side items with the protein. The sides that did come out (broccoli, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts) tasted fine.I don't eat desserts. However the strawberry bliss and creamsicle cloud that were eaten by the rest of the group were beautifully conceived and prepared and everyone seemed to really enjoy them.In the future when I have a special occasion and would like to have an elegant evening to celebrate, I will definitely come back.

We had very mixed feelings about Alara's atmosphere and food, but no mixed feelings about the fantastic service and hospitality. From the valet, to the door service and hostess, to our server, everyone was so friendly and helpful. Our server Christina was lovely and described the menu in utmost detail. She was very attentive and actually asked our opinion on what we thought about our drinks and food. It was very refreshing to have her ask what we really thought.(I have no idea if that will go anywhere at all) We had reservations on a Friday night at 6:30pm and were seated promptly in a very comfortable booth in the back room. However, this room felt like we were in a hotel restaurant. It had no atmosphere whatsoever. We were sad we didn't get to sit in the main, very well decorated and energetic area that we walked through to get to our seats. Boo.Now, about the drinks and food. We have dined at most high-end restaurant in Cincinnati, and I have to say that Alara is very overpriced. I know that restaurants are struggling with food costs etc., but $58.00 for 6-7 ounces of Sea Bass on a bed of Swiss chard and 8 tiny mushrooms is a lot. There was only about 4 tiny leaves of chard and the rest was all stems. The shrimp tagliatelle had an ample amount of shrimp, but the pasta was cooked just a bit too long. It was very lemon forward and could have benefitted for just a bit more fat from butter or cream. The Tuna Crudo was fresh and had a pleasant mix of flavors from the yuzu tamari and citrus, but there was so much extra "sauce" that drowned out the tuna. We love beef carpaccio, but just know that their beef is crusted in berbere, which has warm spices in it (think light 5 spice flavors). I loved it, but wife is very adverse to this flavor and didn't like it at all. We thought it was just going to be raw beef like we know of a carpaccio.We ordered a Cucumber Collins, which was refreshing but weak, and a Smoked Pear, which was way sweeter than I prefer.We will go back to sit at the bar and try the Korean corn dogs next time we are in the area.

I went to Alara with my best friend for her birthday dinner. I had been once before with my husband and enjoyed our meal, but this time I thought we would experience dining at the Chef's Table. We were close to the kitchen and were able to observe the cooking close-up. Plus, the expediter also interacted with us. We had exceptional service!! The food was excellent. Our experience was top-notch. You need to experience a meal here!!

Started with a lovely tartare before diving into our salads. I'm a sucker for a good beet salad, and this did not disappoint! R went for the Cesar because that's just how he rolls. I was excited to try the scallops on a bed of shaved Brussels sprouts and leek. Omgggggg so good. The Hubbs had beef tip pappardelle and loved it. The service was five stars from start to finish. Definitely recommend!

I've seen videos and pictures on Instagram and instantly wanted to come here. My best friend made reservations for my birthday on a Saturday. She too was excited to dine here. She was impressed with their menu. We were greeted and they check in our coats. We were seated right away. I love the inside. So cozy and inviting. The lighting gives a romantic feel. Our server was Christina. She was very detailed and helpful with the menu. They serve mainly tapas style. I love a restaurant that offers that. You can share and try a variety of foods. Appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, a la carte sides and desserts. Drink menu has wine, beer and specialty drinks. We ordered:Drinks:-Cucumber Collins-Pinot Noir A to Z Essence Small Plates:Flock Bakery FocacciaDinner:Willow Bend Farms Lamb ChopChicken MilaneseYukon Gold mashed potatoes (a la carte)Dessert:Apples and Cream From the beginning to the end was magnificent. The food is top notch. The bread was super fresh and the truffle butter just melts in your mouth. I didn't think I would like the lamb but it was cooked to perfection (medium rare). The sauces complimented well with it. The chicken was very flavorful and loved the citrus arugula salad. The mashed potatoes were the best I've ever had. I love that the manager came to our table to check on us. At the end of the meal, they were so nice to give me a complimentary birthday dessert. The apples and cream were divine. What a great experience! Christina treated us like royalty and made me feel special.One of the best service I've ever received. I will definitely return and can't wait to take my Mr here and try other items on the menu.

Bria & Kylia made the experience a 10/10! Every recommendation was fantastic. This was definitely a must try culinary experience. My personal favorite was the Korean corn dogs, the soy pearls were so unique and elevated the dish. We got the tomahawk to split for a group of 3 which was the perfect amount. The Vietnamese dipping sauce was fantastic. My favorite cocktails were the smoked pear & espresso martini.

A dear friend took me here for my birthday and surprised me with seats at the chef's table. I've never done that before and it added so much to the experience. The ambience, food and wait staff were amazing! We ended up sharing some dishes so that we could try more of a variety: Korean Corn Dogs with wasabi mayo, furikake, soy pearls & cilantro, Delicious red/golden beet & cheese salad (fantastic), Seared scallops w/ leeks, brussel sprouts saute, radish, prosciutto & pea tendrils, Brussel sprouts, & butternut squash w/pancetta, pesto & pepitas and a refreshing dessert of 3 flavors of sorbet. One of the best dinners I've had, and the friendship and conversation only added.

I had the 8 oz wagyu steak. No sear absolutely horrible. My 15 year old could cook a better steak. Service was terrible. It wasn't that busy but had to beg to get more alcoholic drinks. I won't be back

As soon as we stepped into Alara, I, I knew we were in for a treat. The open feeling and contemporary decor felt high-end but inviting. We were immediately welcomed and seated at the chef's counter that we had requested when making reservations. We always enjoy watching the behind the scenes in a restaurant's kitchen.Service was flawless. Our server, and other staff, were attentive without being overly so. Instead of going straight into suggestions, he asked us if we'd like some input, and when we said yes, he was eager to help.The food and drinks were outstanding. My husband and I both started with the smoked pear cocktail which we both enjoyed. Then came a pleasant surprise of an amuse bouche from the chef, which apparently you only get at the chef's counter. We ordered food to share for our meals, starting with the Korean Corn Dogs and the Smoked Carrot Hummus, which was my favorite dish of the night. After that we shared the Scallops and the Thai Shrimp Tagliatelle which were excellent as well. We finished with two desserts to share: the Raspberry Semifreddo and the Creamsicle Cloud. Both were light and refreshing. The perfect end do a top-notch dinner!