In terms of bar and restaurant settings, there have been some pretty spectacular entries into the local marketplace of late. From Bar 32 floating in the stratosphere, to Coastal Taco’s riverside respite, to Rebol’s drama-soaked perch smack dab on Public Square.

But even those mighty milieus will have some stiff competition when Nuevo Modern Mexican and Tequila Bar opens its doors in downtown Cleveland. An import from Akron (54 E. Mill St., 330-762-8000), where owners Zack and Lisa Hirt have been crushing it for two and a half years, Nuevo earned a standalone spot right on the East Ninth Street Pier.

The modern glass, wood and steel structure sits just south of the lake, north of the Rock Hall, and boasts views in every direction. A main floor dining room and bar seats 100 while the wraparound patio seats another 100. Some of the best views are enjoyed from the glassy second floor, an overflow dining and private event space that can accommodate another 250 in and out.

Cleveland diners will enjoy a menu very similar to the one served down south, which features contemporary takes on Latin dishes in appetizer, taco, burrito and  entrée form. Items like salsa and guacamole samplers, duck confit and goat cheese empanadas, and seafood ceviche join build-your-own tacos with pork shoulder, short rib, pan-seared shrimp and tequila-braised beef tongue. Classics like carne asada and chicken en crema join modern entrees like cumin and cinnamon-rubbed heritage breed pork chops and adobo-braised lamb shanks. All of it gets paired with an impressive tequila and mescal list.

Chef Hirt says the Cleveland menu will feature more seafood than its Akron counterpart. Jimmy Pintiello will be the chef de cuisine.

Look for Nuevo to open on July 25.

“We’re overwhelmed, a little stressed but very excited to be coming to Cleveland,” Lisa says during a break.



This article appears in Jul 6-12, 2016.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.

5 replies on “First Look: Nuevo Modern Mexican on the E. Ninth Street Pier”

  1. I’m very excited to see us making better public use of our greatest resource, the lakefront, and I wish the Hirt’s great success. But I’d love to know how this rare precious space was awarded to Nuevo as opposed to a Cleveland operator. I would assume it would have been quite the war, if it were made public beforehand.

  2. So excited that Nuevo is opening a Cleveland location. Delicious and classy food served in a beautiful building and location will soon have this being the place to go. I am sure it will soon be packed and make reservations necessary as is the case with its Akron counterpart.

  5. This is a tragic misappropriation of the most valuable hospitality space in the city. I do wish the operators and employees well, but to the planners: What were you thinking? Corporate Mexican food? No perch and walleye? No Captain Franks? I think money was shaking the brains during this decision process.

Comments are closed.