These are the best french fries in Cincinnati, ranked (according to you)
Great fries are subjective. Your favorites might depend on which style of fries you prefer (crinkle fries, steak fries, waffle fries, etc., etc., etc.). While some people shun frozen fries, I can tell you they're a lot better than soggy fries that are made in-house. Some restaurants dress their fries up with truffle oil, fresh herbs, chili or as poutine. But when we asked readers about their favorites, it was clear that the fries themselves were what mattered most.
Below are the results of a reader poll we sent out last month. (I added a few of my own thoughts for the top three winners.) Keep in mind that our poll did not include national chains, so I don't want any angry emails about how great McDonald's or Wendy's fries are (and they truly are) in my inbox tomorrow!
??: Here are AMERICA'S favorite french fries
1st place: Senate
Opened in 2010, Senate won over customers long ago with its duck fat fries and truffle fries. Fourteen years later, they still serve the best fries in Greater Cincinnati, according to our readers. The duck fat fries are particularly memorable.
The twice-cooked fries, which are sprinkled with fresh herbs and salt, are thick with enough surface area to accommodate plenty of the accompanying harissa aioli dip (ketchup or, even better, malt vinegar, would work just as well). The interiors are luxuriously creamy while the duck fat makes its presence known by adding a savory flavor and crispiness to the exterior that makes them stand out from the pack.
1100 Summit Place Drive, Blue Ash, senateblueash.com.
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2nd place: Taste of Belgium
Taste of Belgium is still home to the most authentic Belgian frites in town, thick-cut, skin-on twice fried and served in a paper cone. Yes, you should order them with mussels or TOB's "Frites & Dips," which comes with malt vinegar, chipotle mayo, pesto mayo and curry ketchup. It's all you need.
How popular are these fries? In 2022, as Taste of Belgium continued its expansion into a local chain, they decided to make things easier on the kitchen by transitioning to frozen frites. Customer backlash was so strong that they eventually brought the old ones back.
Good move, and congrats to TOB for cracking the top three.
Multiple locations, authenticwaffle.com.
3rd place: Galactic Fried Chicken
Fried chicken, crinkle fries, an ice-cold bottle of Ale-8. It doesn't get much better than that at Galactic Fried Chicken in Dayton, Kentucky. A basic order of fries comes with kosher salt, but they're even better with the optional spice rub, a blend of ancho and Cajun seasoning.
Galactic starts with frozen crinkle cut, which they let sit in their walk uncovered, which concentrates the potato flavor. You can also order loaded fries with ranch sauce, three cheeses – including white and sharp cheddar with grated Parmesan – tossed in green onions.
The folks at Galactic prove that frozen fries can be pretty unforgettable as long as they're done right.
624 Sixth Ave., Dayton, Kentucky, galacticchicken.com.
4th place: Hi-Mark
3229 Riverside Drive, East End, thehimark.com.
5th place: 50 West Burger Bar
7605 Wooster Pike, Columbia Township. fiftywestbrew.com.
6th place: The Pony
1346 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. instagram.com/theponyotr.
7th place: Bard's Burgers
3620 Decoursey Ave., Covington. instagram.com/bardsburgers.
8th place: Ollie's Trolley
1607 Central Ave., West End. facebook.com/OlliesTrolleyCincinnati.
9th place: Northside Yacht Club
4231 Spring Grove Ave., Northside, northsideyachtclub.com.
10th place: Dixie Chili
Multiple locations, dixiechili.com.
11th place: Third Eye Brewing
11276 Chester Road, Sharonville, thirdeyebrewingco.com.
12th place: Red Leprechaun
20 W. Freedom Way, The Banks, redleprechaun.com.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top 3 french fries in Cincinnati: Senate, Taste of Belgium, Galactic
