Closed (uh, sort of): Courtyard Cafe

by julie on March 8, 2010

This is probably the weirdest restaurant closing I’ve heard of in the past few years.

Courtyard Cafe, which has long been the only restaurant on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine (Iris Book Cafe serves food, but its focus is beverages), will remain open for the near future for only one day per month. It was, as many of you noticed, open for Bockfest this weekend. The one-day-a-month opening has something to do with lease penalties and/or taxes.

I’m sorry to see it go– it was the only remaining restaurant from Main Street’s heyday, and it’s closing just about when it looks like Main Street is making a comeback. I guess no more killer beer cheese and pretzels– I hope someone else can eventually move into the space and make it as successful as it was in the late 90s.

Update: the restaurant is up for sale.

Courtyard Cafe on Main on Urbanspoon

  • Michael Kylere Reed

    Sigh, Bockfest was a little disappointing for us, and I am sorry to hear we missed this gem while attending.

    • http://winemedinemecincinnati.com julie

      How was it disappointing? I’ve been going for the past three years– the best was in 2008 when it was small due to a ton of snow. All neighborhood folks and just a good time. This year I missed out my favorite part– the parade– because I was out of town.

      • Michael Kylere Reed

        Well, the actual hall was a little too popular :-) But, the other events were spaced out too much, they needed a better group of participating shops, better signage for the shuttle bus, and, it really had a harley-davidson-drunken-gathering feel rather than the fest feel you get in Germany

        Besides which, I hate to be a snob, but the beer was subpar compared to a Hofbrau beer.

        • http://winemedinemecincinnati.com julie

          Yeah, it used to be centered exclusively on main street– started at Arnold’s and ended, essentially, at Mr. Pitiful’s. I think last year they expanded to Grammar’s, which is as far as it should go for walkability.

          A Hofbrau Maibock?

  • http://getinmahbelly.blogspot.com liz

    i was wondering what was going on over there. they have had a sign on the door saying they are closed due to snow for like 2 months. i am very sad about this, i loved their reuben (long since gone from the menu but still very sad) and their celery seed dressing was the shit.

    • http://winemedinemecincinnati.com julie

      They’ve been having really erratic hours for a while– sad to hear, but I guess these things happen.

  • Brad Thomas

    Don’t forget about Mixx.

    • http://winemedinemecincinnati.com julie

      Mixx is only marginally a restaurant– its focus is being a club, isn’t it?

  • Heather513

    Shadeau on Main is a bread bakery in addition to servinng up delicious nutritious soups, sandwiches, pastries and a Blue Cheese flatbread pizza w/ carmelized onions that is my fave.

    Courtyard will be missed. The evening vibe was cool when I used to haunt the place last year and their diet buster baked potato soup always hit the spot!

    • http://winemedinemecincinnati.com julie

      I love Shadeau– go there all of the time and love that flatbread! Unfortunately they’re not open for dinner and focus on bread. They would make such a nice cafe… who needs Panera?

  • TJ Jackson

    Courtyard had a very good burger and an excellent raspberry pie.

    I too will miss them

  • Bort

    I agree. Bockfest was not so hot this year.

    The festival seems to have lost its way. Sure attendance was up, but I really couldn’t have told you what festival I was at had I not known.

  • andrew

    um, the courtyard is not the only restaurant on main. there are lots of others….

    • http://winemedinemecincinnati.com Julie

      Not in Over-the-Rhine, unfortunately.

  • Robert

    Funny you mention Mixx, they have a full menu plus sushi. Very club like feel. Happy Hour is worth checking out for Half Price Sushi and Apps. I will miss the courtyard, having lived at 12 and Main in the 90′s I am very sad to see the state of it today. The Parade was large then I have seen in some time. Thought the Scherling Bock was excellent. The old Jefferson Hall space is going to be reopen as mister platts. (I could wrong on the name)

  • vudutu

    Sorry Julie I think Slims takes the weirdest restaurant closing or whatever is going on honor, have you read the last two site posts from them?

    • http://winemedinemecincinnati.com julie

      Hmm. Will investigate.

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