Dinner On A Train

The Cincinnati Dinner Train
2172 Seymour Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45237
(513) 791-7245

For several years I have been trying to book a reservation for the Cincinnati Dinner Train to celebrate my birthday. Two years passed where I visited the website a month in advance to try to lock down dinner during the peak fall foliage season, when it's clear everyone else had the same idea but they moved faster. After the second year miss, I asked for a set of gift certificates for Christmas from my mom. They didn't expire for two years. Just like a procrastinator, I held on to them until the last possible moment. I missed my  opportunity to book my birthday weekend and peak fall foliage again but settled for the second week of November, unfortunately, after daylight saving ended.  The point was I was going, I'd gotten a reservation. I still had to book the reservation in September to get that. I say all of this to say, this is a hot ticket as far as Ohio experiences go. If you want to dine on the Cincinnati Dinner Train, it requires a few months planning.

Saturday I arrived at the location to board the train. It was a little off putting because the entrance is behind another business. I almost thought we were in the wrong place until we saw the train arriving. My date and I were the first to arrive, an hour before we were supposed to be there. We wanted to make sure we had plenty of time for correction if we got lost or somehow ended up in the wrong place. We left the parking lot to ride around in the immediate area, before we were scheduled to board. When we returned there were more cars in the lot and the staff was setting up. A man greeted us as we pulled into the lot, directed us to our parking space and explained where to pick up our boarding passes.

Boarding time was 5pm. I collected my boarding passes that were most likely meant to be really cute souvenirs for a scrap book. Both tickets had my name printed on them, the train car we were dining in and the table where we would spend the next few hours. We were greeted by a cute elderly man dressed in a train conductor's uniform. As we stood in line we were entertained by the Queen City Sisters, a women's singing group who cover songs from the 30's, 40's and 50's A cappella. The trip is designed to take you back to 1949, the singers set the mood. We almost reached the booster stairs to the train when we were stopped to take a photo that we had the opportunity to purchase later on in the ride. Everyone was dressed in late 1940s clothing including the photographer and his assistant.

The reservation was in the New York Central car, a car that was used from 1947 until 1967 in NYC. Before it became one of the Cincinnati Dinner Train cars, it also served as a soft-serve ice cream parlor in Cincinnati.

Once we boarded the train and reached the table, the appetizer was already waiting for us. It was a simple charcuterie plate with summer sausage, a scoop of sun dried tomato spread, crackers and grapes. We were offered tea or water with our meal. The option for beer, wine and cocktails are extra. The entree I pre-ordered when I made the reservation, was salmon, so I ordered a glass of white wine to drink with it later. The second course was a tossed green salad with ranch dressing and a roll. After the salad, the entree was served. They offer three options when you make the reservation, prime rib,boneless chicken breast in white wine sauce or salmon with spicy hoisin glaze.

Though I do not have images of any courses besides the appetizer because of lighting issues, I will at least share my experience. The salad was basic but fresh tasting. The salmon was tender and moist but I was not entirely sold on the hoisin glaze. I am used to a glaze being a little thick and sticky. The glaze on the salmon I was served was juicy and tasted more like citrus than hoisin. It was not what I expected but I still enjoyed it. My favorite part of the meal was dessert. I ordered the pecan pie but also tasted my date's cheese cake. Both were delicious.
   
My date and I shared the table with another couple, residents of Cincinnati. I was worried initially about who our table mates would be but we lucked out with a couple who we had so much in common with, we were like personality mirror images. We had so much to talk about that we spent more time talking when we were supposed to be eating.

Service on the train was impeccable. The wait staff came to check on tables often. My tea stayed filled and plates were removed in a timely fashion. They brought out desserts with candles for those celebrating birthdays and since it was Veterans Day weekend, veterans received a free cocktail of their choice.

We were entertained on and off throughout the night by The Queen City Sisters who sang songs from the 40's. They also sung Happy Birthday to all the people celebrating on the train. In the last hour of the ride they were in the last car performing until we return to the starting point. This train car felt like a 1940s club. There was only a bar, the singers and room to hangout.Past that car was the caboose where everyone was able to pull the train whistle. I felt like a goofy kid, so excited to pull a train whistle. 

This by far was one of my favorite Ohio dining experiences, and I have had a lot. The ambiance is great for a romantic date or a special occasion.  The ride isn't very scenic, there are a few special architectural and historical points of interest, but what they lack in outside views is made up for in the charm, detail and service of the staff. I see myself returning for a round two.

Until next time,
Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous!
Kris,