The Gruff

The Place

Moving right along here with my River Brunch category and this week I am on the Kentucky side. I am brunching in Covington at a spot right next to the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, The Gruff. I have passed this place numerous times when I have been out and about and it has always stuck my curiosity. I was happy to see they offer a full brunch menu, so lets see what they are all about!

Location & Parking

The Gruff is located on E. 2nd St. in Covington close to some other Covington classics such as Molly Malone's & Blinker's Tavern. It's wedged between The Ascent and as stated above the Roebling bridge. Parking was a little dicey for my preference. I am a big fan of the Cincy EZ Park app & meter parking, mostly because meter parking is free until late afternoon on Sundays (prime brunchtime) There is a fair amount of meter parking around the restaurant, but it is an off brand parking app. I searched for some side street parking, but it is reserved for residences of the area. There is a pay lot and some meter parking close to Molly Malone's. I did find a small strip of Cincy EZ Park parking on E. 3rd St, which was gold. I notice upon exiting the restaurant there is a small lot located behind the building. I am not sure if it is open for customers but definitely worth investigating if you decide to stop in.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere here is cute and almost endearing. There is an adorable Three Billy Goats Gruff theme throughout this spot. I have to say, this was one of my favorite stories growing up. The restaurant itself is bigger than it looks from the outside. It is shaded in different colors of green with painted Billy goats on the wall. There is bar seating, ample table chair seating, and outdoor patio seating. There is a large window overlooking the river and the bridge. You may seat yourself upon entry. Staff were smiley and attentive. You will see from my photos, it was a little dark in there. More than likely do to the time of day and seasonal weather. This is a family friendly spot. I spotted a stack of highchairs and a children's play area which is great for those dining out with little ones. It is time to get down to AM cocktail business. The AM cocktail menu is pretty basic: Bloody Mary or Mimosa. I chose the Mimosa, which was a glorious, sizeable, wine glass pour of bubbles with a splash of orange juice. I am starting to become a fan of the wine "value" glass mimosa versus the traditional champagne flute mimosa. You're almost getting two for the price of one.

Order-Up

Goetta Cubano & Tater Tots

I am always looking for original brunch dishes and successfully found one here, The Goetta Cubano. I love a good traditional Cuban, and could not wait to try one with a breakfast spin. This dish consisted of a toasted/buttered hoagy roll, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside slice of goetta, pickles (house made), Swiss cheese, spinach, over easy egg, and a chipotle cream sauce. This sandwich really delivered. I was worried about it being kind of bland when I saw it served on a hoagy roll, but the bread was toasted well and the chipotle sauce along with the other ingredients made a great combination of flavors. The Tater Tots were good and you get a generous portion. You could tell they were probably frozen out of a bag, this did not deter me from eating every last one btw. Would love to see a more scratch made version of a breakfast potato to compliment the awesomeness of the Goetta Cubano. Tater Tots did come with a side of house made ketchup, which had a nice kick.

Overall Experience

The overall experience at The Gruff was wonderful. I was dining solo this morning and this is another nice spot to drop in on if you want a great, chill, hot breakfast. You can expect to spend around 10 to 20ish dollars here.

Rating: 3.5⭐

The Gruff gets 3.5 stars. One start for Atmosphere, Service, and AM Cocktail. They get a half star for Plate due to the Tater Tots probably coming from a bag. Definitely coming back here again. They are also known for their brick oven pizzas, which I have my eye on the Bacon & Apple! This would be a great place to go before an Reds or Bengals game.