A room, or patio, with a view? Nothing beats it. Whether it’s riverfront, lakefront, or boasting choice views of the downtown skyline, Cleveland’s home to tons of restaurants that serve up eye candy along with your meal. Here are some of the best of the best.

Blue Point Grille 700 West St. Clair Ave., Cleveland You might miss a bit of the dinner table conversation at this Warehouse District dining room since it’s so easy to get distracted by Blue Point Grille’s larger-than-life view of Terminal Tower. Photo via hallschild/Instagram
Credit: Emanuel Wallace
The Oaks Lakeside 5878 Longacre Ln, Chippewa Lake The exterior of The Oaks Lakeside looks like the setting of a Nancy Meyers movie, and is a popular venue for weddings. Expect cozy views of Chippewa Lake from wherever you’re seated. Photo via honeysticksvintage/Instagram
Beau’s on the River 1989 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls Floor-to-ceiling windows give the dining room of this New American restaurant supreme views of the surrounding greenery. It’ll feel like you’re eating outside even when the Cleveland weather dips into arctic territory. Photo via jirehceb/Instagram
Lindey’s Lake House (Flats East Bank location) 1146 Old River Rd., Cleveland It’s only natural that a restaurant meant to replicate a cozy beachside escape should showcase its breezy riverside views. Feel free to take it all in with some tacos and a margarita. Photo via mandy.steve/Instagram
Hoopples Restaurant & Bar 6419 Detroit Ave., Cleveland You might want to post up near the bar when you head to Hoopples — that’s where all the best views are. Photo via champagneshan/Instagram
Punch Bowl Social 1086 W 11th St., Cleveland Grab your friends for a night out taking in everything Punch Bowl Social has to offer, including its stellar city views. Photo via jessedblessed/Instagram
Pickle Bill’s 101 River St, Grand River Pickle Bill’s offers tons of pleasing river views from its dining room, but its interior decor also offers a flurry of nautical-themed kitsch that would make any pirate enthusiast jealous. Photo via chrissehainen/Instagram
The Harp 4408 Detroit Ave., Cleveland This Ohio City eatery is known for its take on traditional Irish dishes, its extensive selection of drinks and its superior view of downtown. Photo via babbsm58/Instagram
Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern 8960 Wilcox Dr., Twinsburg Inspired by America’s grand lodges, Blue Canyon’s Twinsburg location gives diners more nature views than they could ever ask for, through both stained glass and regular pane windows. Photo via mia_n_moi/Instagram
Collision Bend Brewing Co. 1250 Old River Rd., Cleveland Both a brewery and a full-service restaurant, Collision Bend is the perfect spot to enjoy your meal with a brew and a view. Photo via mad.morris/Instagram
Inferno Flats 1059 Old River Rd., Cleveland Dante Boccuzzi of Dante and Ginko saw success of his pizza stand at Progressive Field and so when a space became available in the East Bank of the Flats, he jumped on it to take his pizza concept from a stand to a full service restaurant and bar with great views of the Cuyahoga. Photo via Dante’s Inferno Flats/Facebook
Luca Italian Cuisine 2100 Superior Viaduct, Cleveland Grab a spot by the window at this upscale Italian joint for a prime table side view of the skyline. Photo via rasfour1463/Instagram
Pier W 12700 Lake Ave., Lakewood Pier W is one of Cleveland’s most stunning restaurants, due in no small part to the floor to ceiling windows around the entire space, offering views of both the lake and the skyline Photo via swagmommy_3/Instagram
Merwin’s Wharf 1785 Merwin Ave., Cleveland Merwin’s Wharf is operated by Cleveland Metroparks and is located on the waterfront, so you can enjoy your meal while planning a saunter through Hart Crane Memorial Park, or watching the boats in the Cuyahoga River drift by. Photo via forefront_foods/Instagram
Neuvo Modern Mexican 1000 East 9th St., Cleveland With its proximity to downtown, the waterfront, and, of course, one of those Cleveland Signs you see all over social media, Neuvo offers the best views for a post-meal photo shoot. Photo via theebonyjames_/Instagram
Shooters on the Water 1148 Main Ave., Cleveland Opened in 1987, Shooters on the Water has been serving its guests a taste of coastal life with its views of the Cuyahoga River for decades. Photo via lovely_meka/Instagram
Bar 32 100 Lakeside Avenue E., Cleveland Located on the 32nd floor of the downtown Hilton, Bar 32 allows guests to lounge high above the Cleveland skyline. Photo via samwantack6/Instagram
Chez Francois 555 Main Street, Vermilion Chez Francois is one of the most romantic restaurants in the Cleveland area and its location — perched on the Vermilion River, giving diners major waterfront views — is a huge part of its intimate atmosphere. Photo via kristopher_keis/Instagram
Summer House 12900 Lake Ave., Lakewood In 2020, restaurateur Tony George opened up his new restaurant in the former location of Swingo’s on the Lake, which has been permanently closed since 2009. Located inside Carlyle on the Lake condominiums, customers are able to enjoy views of Lake Erie and downtown Cleveland as they dine. Photo via Scene Archives
Sunset Harbor 625 Prospect St., Fairport Harbor Located on Lake Erie, this hidden gem sits on the dock of a fishing pier in Fairport Harbor, out east by Mentor. Enjoying some fish tacos and a cold beer is our idea of summer, while watching the sun set over the 90-year-old Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse. Photo via Sunset Harbor Bar and Grille/Facebook
Trader Jack’s 35901 Lakeshore Blvd., Eastlake Located right on the Chagrin River, Trader Jack’s, in Eastlake, is a vacation-like setting, where you can kick back, grab a beer and a meal and kick your feet up over one of their fire pits on their beautiful patio. Photo via Trader Jack’s Riverside Grille/Facebook
E55 On The Lake 5555 North Marginal Rd., Cleveland The Metroparks has totally revived this beautiful lookout point of Lake Erie by adding a bar, restaurant and bait shop to this spot. There’s also live music on Saturdays and some of the best views in town. Photo via @WonderWoman415/Instagram
Tinkers Creek Tavern 4000 Tinkers Creek Rd., Walton Hills Set close against a rural, tree-lined road, and just at the border between Walton Hills and Valley View, Tinkers Creek Tavern is a casual watering hole and restaurant in a remarkable natural setting on the Cuyahoga River. Photo via Tinkers Creek Tavern
The Rusty Anchor at Music Box 148 Main Ave #200, Cleveland Sitting perfectly amidst the water and the city’s skyline, you feel like you’re in the heart of Cleveland. If the food and the views aren’t enough, they have outdoor music to soundtrack your experience. Although it is open only as a bar Monday and Tuesday, there’s full restaurant service Wednesday through Sunday. If you haven’t been yet this season, what’re you waiting for? Photo via @MusicBoxCle/Instagram
Lockkeepers 8001 Rockside Rd., Valley View This Italian joint in Valley View is often one of the most overlooked restaurants in town, but make no mistake, everyone who goes there raves about it. With a view of the Erie Canal, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a summer evening eating really good food and drinking wine. Photo via Lockkeepers/Facebook
17 River Grille 17 River St., Chagrin Falls Located overlooking the waterfalls of the Chagrin River in quaint downtown Chagrin Falls, Jekyll’s Kitchen turned into 17 River in 2020. Owned by veteran restaurateur Rick Doody, founder of Brio and Bravo, 17 River not only has beautiful views but also the food to match and is a gorgeously designed restaurant. Photo via Scene Archives
Jade 1048 Old River Rd., Cleveland Zdenko Zovkic closed his Warehouse District mainstay XO Prime Steaks, but recently opened a new establishment down in the Flats, where he’ll be presiding over Jade. This ambitious Asian-fusion concept offers guests three different experiences on three different levels. Moving up from the ground floor, diners will progress from street food and sushi to upscale dining and finally a stylish rooftop club with awesome views. The main floor is a no-reservation dining room with a lengthy sushi bar, separate cocktail bar and plenty of seating. On the menu will be sushi, steamed buns, noodles and other “street food” style items. The second floor, reached either by an elevator or grand staircase, has its own small bar and lounge plus a dining room with amazing views of the lake. There, diners will enjoy sashimi, whole fish, steak and Asian-inspired items. Credit: Scene Archives
Garden of Eden 2017 East Ninth St., Cleveland Azure Sun Lounge was put to bed to make way for the Garden of Eden, a splashy new rooftop oasis at the Metropolitan at the 9. The 12th-floor height immerses guests in the surrounding skyline as opposed to hovering above it. Easygoing happy hours and early dinners will give way to a DJ-fueled lounge vibe in the evenings. Credit: Scene Archives
Whiskey Island Still and Eatery 2800 Whiskey Island, Cleveland Before social media ruined the phrase “hidden gem,” Whiskey Island truly earned the designation. The restaurant at this chill lakeside park has been through more name changes than Diddy, but the “No shirt, no shoes, no problem” vibe has been a constant. This grassy, sandy perch essentially functions as a 20-acre restaurant patio, where boaters at the nearby marina mingle with volleyball players and day trippers. Attempts to fancify the food offerings over the years have been roundly and rightly rebuffed by the clientele, who demand little more than cold beer and hot fries. Here, the music is always live and festive, the crowds robust and the sunsets dreamy. Credit: Scene Archives
BrewDog 1956 Carter Rd., Cleveland We must tip our caps to this Scotland-based brewery for transforming a desolate patch on the Scranton Peninsula into one of the city’s most impressive riverside beer gardens. The surrounding city, bridge and water views are breathtaking, the beer selection pairs house cult faves with guest locals, and the food is surprisingly praise-worthy. Credit: Scene Archives
1330 On The River 1330 Old River Rd., Cleveland This relevant newcomer to the Flats has reworked the former East End property into a stylish waterfront bistro a few steps off the beaten path. Head to the rear of the restaurant, where a small, tasteful patio offers views of the river and enjoy dishes like bacon-wrapped figs, pesto chicken sandwiches and grilled lamb chops with Brussels. Credit: Scene Archives

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