Mt. Carmel Brewing Company

I met with a group of 13 other coworkers at the Mt. Carmel Brewing Company for lunch on a cold Thursday at the beginning of March. We arrived at noon, and the restaurant was not very crowded, and they had set up a nice long set of tables to accommodate our Reuben-eating bunch. The server took our drink orders while we waited for the entire group to arrive. The dining room area was a little loud with lively conversation, mostly due to the hard surfaces on the walls and floor that didn't absorb much of the sound.

Our group ordered 13 Reuben sandwiches, and they were brought out for us in under 20 minutes—which was about what I expected for a group our size. The Reubens came out on little metal trays, perfectly-sized for the sandwiches. For those who ordered site items, those were presented on separate trays and not combined on the sandwich tray.

The sandwich wasn’t overly large, perhaps due to the dimensions of the bread, and causes me to question the high price tag for the sandwich. The bread seemed to be rye and had little caraway seeds in it—I felt that the bread was toasted or grilled just right, a good combination of chewy and crunchy.

The corned beef was amazingly good; it was lean and had a full and rich flavor, and it also came in a good quantity—totally proportionate to the amount of other ingredients and befitting the size of the sandwich. The sauerkraut was not crunchy; it was apparently braised in one of their amber ales, which meant that when it combined with the 1000 Island dressing, it made a nicely sweet tang to the sandwich that didn’t overpower the sandwich, but added to its overall juiciness. The Swiss cheese was also nicely melted and had a good taste.

Overall, everything blended super well on this sandwich and left me completely satisfied. The service staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was very pleasant. I highly recommend this Reuben sandwich and (despite the $15 cost) will definitely return for the taste.

Spring break was a great excuse to escape the office and enjoy a Reuben! At $15, I would have expected some kind of side to be included, but that was just the sandwich. I ordered the plain fries as well. They were okay, but next time I will choose one of the flavored fries instead.

The service was the standout here: attentive and welcoming staff who were willing to roll with a large party (almost) all ordering the same sandwich. Also, I always give bonus points when they're willing to make me a cherry Coke using grenadine.

The Reuben was not huge, but it was filling and delicious. I loved the amount of toasting on the bread --the roof of my mouth was delighted not to be injured in the course of the meal --and the amount of sauce. This was a three-napkin sandwich!

Finding this location actually proved a little difficult for us, first driving past the parking lot and then - once parked - being unsure if we were at the right location. I'm not certain if there's a more sensible parking lot in front of the building, but the one behind it that my GPS took us to was a little foreboding.

Our waitress was attentive and the service was good, but the wait for our food seemed long. We ordered two sandwiches and sides, and ended up waiting almost 20 minutes for them, which seemed surprising given how few other patrons were present at the time.

The reuben here was good, but a bit expensive for what you're getting. $15 for just the sandwich is a little high, and sides aren't included - fries are $4, and coleslaw is $3. The fries were good, but overall it ends up being pricey for the amount of food.

Being a brewing company, obviously a highlight of the location is the drink menu. I had one of the seasonal cocktails which was called the "Chubby Buffalo", which was quite good.

This location is definitely on our list to return to in the future, but only when it's time for a spendier night out.

Excellent sandwich with a mouthwatering taste. Price was a bit high for the size of the sandwich, and it was rather messy to eat, with the ingredients spilling out from between the slices of bread. Otherwise, the experience was fantastic, with a quiet, comfortable place to eat and attentive staff. Also, the fried cheese curds are an excellent pairing with this sandwich.

Mt. Carmel Brewing Company is a favorite of mine in east Cincinnati, known for its great service and tasty food. The Reuben sandwich, while decent, doesn’t quite make it to the top of my list. At $15, it feels a bit steep, especially since it comes with no sides. The bread was soggy and a little too buttery for my liking. The ingredients were thrown together haphazardly, which led to uneven corned beef distribution and some odd taste combinations. On the plus side, the sauce was delicious, and the corned beef was high-quality. As usual, the service was excellent. I’d order it again, but only if I’m with a smaller group and have some extra cash to spare.