Grandview Tavern & Grille

Grandview Tavern & Grille has been at the corner of Grandview Drive and Beechwood Road in Fort Mitchell since 2007. It sits in a strip-center storefront under a copper-toned metal roof and a cupola. From the parking lot you'd guess a neighborhood bar. That's not what's inside. We have eaten here many times, but this was the first time we did a wellfd review. My daughter and I went in late on a Monday afternoon and stuck more to lunch type of food, but trust me the steaks and other entrees are fabulous too. We’ll save that for next time.

The Vibe

This place is bigger than it looks, and each room has its own personality.

The bar room is the loudest of them. It has an exposed black ceiling, whitewashed brick, and a wall of bourbon barrel heads from Four Roses, Woodford, Weller, and others. The bar is faced with stacked stone. A few steps away the mood drops into a quieter dining room with leather booths, wide-plank floors, a horse racing painting and a stacked-stone fireplace, which is really cozy in cold weather. Off to the side is a third dining area with white tablecloths, sage walls and a coffered ceiling. Its big windows look out on the patio, and it has a polished floor strip I'd bet sees some dancing. There's also a private dining room for groups.

Outside, a covered patio wraps the corner under string lights and ceiling fans, with white umbrellas, wrought-iron furniture and brick pillars. It was busy when we left. Live music runs Thursday through Saturday, and parking is free in the large strip mall lot in front.

JP was our server and our bartender at the same time, and neither job suffered. Drinks and food kept moving, and he was on top of things without hovering.

The Food

The dry rub wings are why you come here. We’ve mentioned them in our Best Wings in Northern Kentucky article. The rub goes on heavy and craggy, and the wings are fried hard enough that the tips char a little. They came with bowls of dipping sauce instead of the usual thimble portion. The ranch is house made and it's excellent. We order these every time we’re in for a late lunch, and sometimes as a dinner appetizer too.

The meatballs were average. They needed more shaved parmesan and more seasoning. In fairness, my family is more than a tad bit picky about meatballs, so take that with a grain of salt.

I ordered the Derailed burger medium rare plus, which is a fussy request, and it came out exactly right. The fried egg on top had some run to it without turning the bun into a mess, which is also exactly how I ordered it. That's two precise cooks on one plate, and it tells me the grill is paying attention. The fries tasted good and were lightly seasoned, but they came out lighter than I like. Next time I'll ask for them well done. Mea culpa.

My daughter loves a soft pizza crust, and the Three Little Pigs gave her one. The crust is closer to a breadstick than a cracker and tears with almost no effort. The toppings are loaded with meat, and every bite has real depth and density. I finished the leftovers for breakfast the next morning and she was right. We also took a pepperoni pie home for my wife. Again, they nailed it.

The pumpkin spice lattini came out with a sugar-and-spice rim, and it was a great way to close on a fall day.

The Bottom Line

Grandview Tavern could have been a nice-looking bar with a decent kitchen. It turns out to be several distinct rooms with a patio, splendid service, and a kitchen that cooks to the exact order. The meatballs didn't win us over, but everything else did, as always. Worth the Drive.