Cincinnati isn't just a chili town

Growing up in Madeira, Ohio, I didn't really venture that far. The farthest we went from our house was about 20 minutes and that was a stretch. This bothered me because I knew there were other places in Cincinnati that were fun and worth the trip.

It wasn't until I went with my boyfriend a few years ago that I had heard of The Root Beer Stand in Sharonville, Ohio. Formerly an A&W Root Beer Stand, it opened in 1957 and is hidden among the industrial businesses in the area. However, many people drove through the area because highways weren't around yet and this drove business. And when the highways were built, people still came anyway because they loved it so much. The name became The Root Beer Stand after the A&W franchise expired in 1982 and has stayed a family business since.

One thing I love about the stand is the restaurant. The ceiling features hats that mostly truck drivers like to leave behind when they stop by, which has built up a collection over time. It's VERY SMALL inside and it's hard to snag a seat at a barstool along the counter during busy times, but it's so worth sitting inside at least once if you're able to.

The Root Beer Stand (which I shorten to RBS) has always been in the same location and is known for its root beer (of course), but the food is also really good. The reason why the root beer is so special is because the water that's used to make it is from a well below the restaurant (280 feet deep!) The mugs are kept chilled in a water basin, which is why you have to at least eat inside once because that's half of the experience. After a long day, nothing beats a six-inch chili cheese coney, a bag of popcorn and an ice-cold root beer in a frosted mug.

the most disappointing thing about RBS is that it's a seasonal restaurant. After closing mid to late September, it sits vacant until late March for opening day. It's a date many people save for months, including myself, so my boyfriend and I ventured to RBS on opening day this year, which was this past Monday (March 23). Though we went late afternoon and we were there for the beginning of dinner rush, it was totally worth sitting inside. I got my chili cheese coney, popcorn and a root beer, but this year, they started selling a collectable mug you can take home. Though it's plastic, it features the logo and we took it to-go with a root beer float inside.

If you do decide to go, try to go when it may not be so busy, like early in the afternoon and before kids get out of school. My boyfriend tried to go again last night, which was a terrible mistake since it's the first week and it was really nice out. There were cars parked illegally in the entire parking lot. The RBS has an outside eating area behind the restaurant along with the playground. Every table had people sitting at it and there were kids and dogs everywhere. It was a mad house to say the least.

We'll try again on a dreary day and even if it's cold, it's totally worth it for that root beer. You'll thank me later for telling you about this best-kept Cincinnati secret. ;)