Restaurants in downtown Cleveland
July 26, 2021 6:01 PM Subscribe
We'll be in Cleveland in December to see a show at the Keybank State Theatre, and are looking for input on where to eat beforehand. Any restaurants you love in the area? No dietary restrictions, and we'll have our car.
From this list I would go with The Fying Fig, but I have not been to all of them.
posted by waving at 6:05 AM on July 27, 2021
posted by waving at 6:05 AM on July 27, 2021
I personally was not impressed with Melt. Michael Simons' BBQ place is good. There's a place called Edwin's on Shaker Square which is a rapid ride away (from Tower City). They serve classic French food and it's a training ground for previously incarcerated folks. I saw on someone's Food Network show and it looked fabulous. If you don't mind going out to the burbs, Casa D'Angelo in Macedonia has really good Italian food.
posted by kathrynm at 7:44 AM on July 27, 2021
posted by kathrynm at 7:44 AM on July 27, 2021
Also, meet up in Cleveland?
posted by kathrynm at 7:44 AM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by kathrynm at 7:44 AM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
Most of these places suggested aren't downtown. Unfortunately, the lack of office traffic closed a lot of places down around there. There are some places still open on E. 4th street, which is still a bit of a walk from there. By the theatre is Parnell's Irish pub and Republic food and drink, Cowell and Hubbard and Hofbrauhaus on Chester Avenue behind the theatres a couple of blocks north on Chester Ave. Hofbrauhaus is a fun beer hall experience but the food is just OK.
posted by greatalleycat at 9:58 AM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by greatalleycat at 9:58 AM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
TBH, Playhouse Square hasn't been . . . great . . . with unique restaurants for a while. (Playhouses yes, food, not so much.) And then pandemic didn't help. Some places might open up again in the fall, so maybe check again later? Like Nov?
Hofbrau Haus is literally around the corner from the State. Haven't eaten there myself.
No idea/experience with Parnell's or Republic, sorry.
Cowell & Hubbard is a fancier place (also easy walking distance just down Euclid), but they separated from their head chef/co-owner (Zack Bruell) in late 2020. So while they're still open (albeit with no functional website . . .) I might check some Yelp/whatever reviews closer to your arrival date to see if the food's held up, because I think pretty much anything online now is from Bruell's time there. (I have not eaten there myself, but I've eaten at some of Bruell's other places, and they're great.)
Cibreo's Italian Kitchen seemed to be one of the go-to places in the area, but they're closed for now because pandemic. No idea if they'll open again in the future. I've only had drinks there, not the food.
Possibly walking distance depending on your tolerance for cold & snow and how much of each we have during your visit is the E. 4th area, with Mabel's BBQ (the aforementioned Michael Symon's BBQ joint) or Barrio Tacos. (Both good IME.) If you head that way and have a sweet tooth, Colossal Cupcakes is great. (Or they might still be open after your show.) Playhouse Square is E. 14th.
If you're looking to drive a short way, the stretch of W. 25th between Bridge & Lorain Ave has a bunch of good places - Great Lakes, ABC the tavern, Bar Cento, Phnom Penh, Nate's Deli (Middle eastern), the Flying Fig, Ohio City Burrito, Heck's Cafe just around the corner, Mitchell's Ice Cream. As above, avoid Town Hall, the owners are garbage.
In summation - any restaurants I love in the immediate Playhouse Square area? Not really, at least not that I'd recommend at this point. Maybe things will develop in the next few months.(Well, Phuel Cafe has been tasty, but they're a lunch place, so not what you're looking for.)
Are there other places to recommend? Sure, lots, but as noted some will take some travel time and are not particularly close to the State. (Also, nobody calls it the "KeyBank State Theater" unless they're contractually obligated to . . . there's the State, the Ohio, the Hanna, and the Palace.)
(And Melt is sort of more of an . . . experience . . . than great food. Like, "how much cheese and other stuff can we jam into a sandwich?" No doubt it hits the spot in the right circumstance, and if you want to experience it during your visit I'd do it on a day when you don't have a show to go to, and go to the original Lakewood location.)
posted by soundguy99 at 3:10 PM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
Hofbrau Haus is literally around the corner from the State. Haven't eaten there myself.
No idea/experience with Parnell's or Republic, sorry.
Cowell & Hubbard is a fancier place (also easy walking distance just down Euclid), but they separated from their head chef/co-owner (Zack Bruell) in late 2020. So while they're still open (albeit with no functional website . . .) I might check some Yelp/whatever reviews closer to your arrival date to see if the food's held up, because I think pretty much anything online now is from Bruell's time there. (I have not eaten there myself, but I've eaten at some of Bruell's other places, and they're great.)
Cibreo's Italian Kitchen seemed to be one of the go-to places in the area, but they're closed for now because pandemic. No idea if they'll open again in the future. I've only had drinks there, not the food.
Possibly walking distance depending on your tolerance for cold & snow and how much of each we have during your visit is the E. 4th area, with Mabel's BBQ (the aforementioned Michael Symon's BBQ joint) or Barrio Tacos. (Both good IME.) If you head that way and have a sweet tooth, Colossal Cupcakes is great. (Or they might still be open after your show.) Playhouse Square is E. 14th.
If you're looking to drive a short way, the stretch of W. 25th between Bridge & Lorain Ave has a bunch of good places - Great Lakes, ABC the tavern, Bar Cento, Phnom Penh, Nate's Deli (Middle eastern), the Flying Fig, Ohio City Burrito, Heck's Cafe just around the corner, Mitchell's Ice Cream. As above, avoid Town Hall, the owners are garbage.
In summation - any restaurants I love in the immediate Playhouse Square area? Not really, at least not that I'd recommend at this point. Maybe things will develop in the next few months.(Well, Phuel Cafe has been tasty, but they're a lunch place, so not what you're looking for.)
Are there other places to recommend? Sure, lots, but as noted some will take some travel time and are not particularly close to the State. (Also, nobody calls it the "KeyBank State Theater" unless they're contractually obligated to . . . there's the State, the Ohio, the Hanna, and the Palace.)
(And Melt is sort of more of an . . . experience . . . than great food. Like, "how much cheese and other stuff can we jam into a sandwich?" No doubt it hits the spot in the right circumstance, and if you want to experience it during your visit I'd do it on a day when you don't have a show to go to, and go to the original Lakewood location.)
posted by soundguy99 at 3:10 PM on July 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
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-Marble Room is a nice setting with excellent food.
-Great Lakes Brewery has very good beer and their food is pub food, but solid.
-I love Bourbon Street Barrel Room in Tremont. Can’t go wrong there.
Avoid Townhall - a lot of covid rule ignoring and treating staff not well (from rumors, but well sourced)
For drinks after:
-Velvet Tango Room - Old school with craft cocktails. Love this place
-Nano Brewery - West 25th has good options nearby, too, for moving around (Old Angle, Great Lakes Brewery)
-Tremont for more options
Enjoy and safe travels!
posted by glaucon at 8:23 PM on July 26, 2021 [3 favorites]