Alara, the ambitious high-end restaurant at Madison Square in Madisonville, has shut down for good, with ownership announcing on Tuesday that the spot was closing permanently, effective immediately. The Looking Glass Hospitality concept, which opened in 2024, filled a large space on the Medpace campus and quickly became one of the neighborhood’s splashier new arrivals.
Guests reported spotting a short message on Alara’s website offering to move existing reservations to neighboring Italian restaurant Zingaro or to keep the original reservation times, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. The outlet noted that it contacted Medpace and Looking Glass Hospitality for comment but had not heard back before its story was published.
Alara's short run and split menu
Alara debuted in March 2024 as a roughly 10,000-square-foot dining room with soaring ceilings, an open kitchen, and a sizable bar, according to WCPO. Alara's website lists the address as 5410 Medpace Way, along with a reservations line at 513-272-5315, and describes a menu that runs from towering seafood platters and dry-aged steaks to shareable small plates.
Part of a growing restaurant group
Alara was the latest project from Looking Glass Hospitality, the Mason-based group behind S.W. Clyborne Co. Provisions & Spirits, Tahona Kitchen + Bar, Fretboard Brewing, and Toast & Berry, according to Looking Glass Hospitality. Its closure pulls a marquee tenant out of Madison Square and adds to the ongoing conversation about how well very large, high-end formats fit into the suburban dining hub as new concepts cycle in.
Madison Square's changing lineup
Madison Square has been steadily filling in with new names this year, including Zingaro, the Italian restaurant from celebrity chef Fabio Viviani, and Suzu, a large Japanese restaurant reported to be opening in the development. Zingaro’s listing on OpenTable places it at 5380 Medpace Way and shows that it is currently accepting reservations, while WCPO has covered the arrival of other projects in the complex.
What diners should do
Looking Glass Hospitality and Medpace did not respond to questions before The Cincinnati Enquirer published its report. For now, diners with upcoming bookings are being directed to check Alara's website for the latest information or to contact neighboring restaurants at Madison Square to arrange alternate plans.
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