As it so often does in this business, Bistro 185’s notice that it was “closed for remodeling” has turned out to be only partially true. The restaurant is closed.

It’s sad news for Collinwood as the restaurant has been a neighborhood asset. Two years ago, chef Ryan Kaston purchased the restaurant (991 E. 185th St.) from owners Marc and Ruth Levine, who successfully operated it for a decade. Before that, the attractive bar and restaurant was known as John Christie’s Tavern.

“We gave it our best and it was truly a pleasure serving everyone through the door,” Kaston says. “We hoped this wasn’t the end but unfortunately it is for now.”

The search is on to find a new operator for the space, I’m told, in hopes of keeping the tavern alive and well.

This article appears in Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2018.

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.

2 replies on “Bistro 185 in North Collinwood has Closed”

  1. The sad day for collinwood was back in the late 60s when forced busing destroyed Cleveland schools and virtually every neighborhood in the city in the name of integration. Now Cleveland has the dregs of the county. Collinwood tried to hang on but like Euclid, its doomed.

  2. It wasn’t forced busing that caused the issues. It was the racist mentality of those who lived there. Most cowardly fled to the suburbs instead of learning to accept their fellow American citizens.

Comments are closed.