Cleveland’s got you covered for date night no matter the occasion, price point, or side of town. From top-end steakhouses to charming bistros, here are the destinations that won’t disappoint.

Amba 1430 West 28th St., Cleveland Walk into Amba and it’s clear you have the makings of another one-of-a-kind experience from chef Doug Katz. The building is divided into two connected but distinct spaces, the main Amba dining room and the smaller Bar Amba. As at Zhug in Cleveland Heights, the aim is to foster an energetic, lively and informal atmosphere where diners can feel comfortable standing, talking and visiting with nearby tables. It’s a theatrical space that weaves light and shadow, music and conversation, materials and artsy details into an atmospheric feast for the senses, including smell thanks to the aromas that float around the room. Also reminiscent of Zhug, the menu at Amba is loaded with small plates built for sharing. There are two dozen items that range from small, zesty condiments to composed meat and fish dishes. Many of these “Indian-inspired” street foods have a clear through line all the way back to the tandoor oven at Fire. There are options for vegans, gluten-free diners, seafood- and meat-eaters. Credit: Scene Archives
Bar Italia 15625 Detroit Ave., Lakewoo Rick Doody, restaurateur behind such concepts as Cedar Creek Grille, 17 River Grille and Lindey’s Lake House, changed his Lindey’s Lake House concept in Lakewood to Bar Italia in early 2021. Drawing on his roots as co-founder of Bravo and Brio restaurants, Doody converted the format at his two-year-old Lakewood eatery, Lindey’s Lake House, to Italian, starring fresh pastas and homemade sauces. Bar Italia uses fresh pasta from Flour Pasta Company, fresh-baked breads from On the Rise and made-from-scratch sauces crafted with high-quality meats. Credit: Scene Archives
Bartleby 1430 West 28th St., Cleveland It’s been more than a year since Morgan Yagi announced his plans to convert the former Crop Bistro space in Ohio City to Bartleby, but it finally opened in August. Yagi spent much of the past 15 months gently reshaping the interior of the historic United Bank Building, a 1920s-era property with soaring ceilings, bronze light fixtures and a run of arched windows that flood the space with natural light. While Crop Bistro leaned more to fine dining, Bartleby aims to be more approachable and accessible in its offerings. Chef Matt DePante, most recently from The Dutch in Miami, has worked alongside consulting chef Dante Boccuzzi to develop a menu that offers a broad mix of tastes. Diners can look forward to items like burgers, pizzas and bowls of pasta, but also a great grilled ribeye, all dished up in a supper club-style environment. Credit: Scene Archives
Cleveland Chop 824 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland Why we love it: The perfect fixture for a night on the town, nestled in the center of the Downtown action, this modern approachable fine dining spot with industrial and wooden design nods, is a steak-and-seafood mainstay, delivering some of the best burgers, along with crafted beers, cocktails and an extensive wine list. Try this: Start the night the right way with a shrimp cocktail ($15), Old Bay poached, served with bloody mary cocktail sauce. Credit: Scene archives
Head on over to Don’s Pomeroy House in Strongsville (not Cleveland, we know) for some killer seafood and an even more killer drink list. Ask for a table next to the fireplace, and cozy up for an evening with someone special. Don’s Pomeroy Credit: Photo via Don's Pomeroy House
EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute 3101 Shaker Square, Cleveland, 216-921-3333 Why we love it: Founder Brandon Chrostowski, who worked as chef in Paris, brought a new mission to Shaker Square serving premiere French cuisine while giving back to the community through a program training, employing and even housing formerly incarcerated people, allowing them a second chance through a career in hospitality. French dishes are crafted the long way with the highest caliber ingredients. The fireplace, cheese cart and intimate dining room all spell romance. Try this: Chef Chrostowski recommends first-timers try the paupiettes de mérou ($35), grouper wrapped in crispy thinly sliced potatoes served with haricot verts in a red wine butter (beurre rouge) sauce. Credit: Courtesy Photo
Fahrenheit 55 Public Square., Cleveland Rocco Whalen relocated his 20-year-old Tremont hotspot Fahrenheit to the long-dormant John Q’s Steakhouse spot on Public Square, where it has quickly become one of the hottest meal tickets in town. Apart from the name, some key players and a handful of menu items, Fahrenheit Downtown shares few similarities with the original bistro that helped keep Tremont’s dining scene aloft since 2002. In many ways, Fahrenheit feels like the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for Whalen: a tribute for a job well done for nearly 30 years. Not many local chefs have the star power required to lure diners to an expensive restaurant in the heart of downtown. But Whalen has always drawn big crowds thanks to his outsized personality, eclectic and approachable foods, and knack for treating everybody like a VIP, from high-powered sports celebs to young couples. Credit: @FahrenheitCleveland/Instagram
Cloak and Dagger 2399 West 11th St., Cleveland Cloak and Dagger is a serious cocktail bar disguised as a vegan restaurant. The latest seasonal drinks menu is filled with smashing summer elixirs that guests can enjoy steps from Tremont’s Lincoln Park. Pair the bar’s creative spin on a classic Pimm’s Cup with savory meat-free snacks from the kitchen. Credit: Scene Archives
Goma dished up some of the best things we ate this year Credit: Photo by Nic Paoletta
Jaja 2050 Gehring Ave., Cleveland Jaja opened at Intro in 2022 and has become one of the hottest tickets in town in a short amount of time. The menu shares Latin American and Mediterranean influences but it’s the space and atmosphere that Clevelanders can’t get enough of. When guests exit the elevator on the second level, they will be immersed in a drama-filled space that was designed to foster a fun, casual, free-spirited vibe. Jaja may be the most impeccably designed restaurant in town, looking like a restaurant straight out of Architectural Digest. Credit: Scene archives
Il Venetian Where: 100 St. Clair Ave. NE., Cleveland When: Fridays and Saturdays through October 7th. Menu: Italian-themed clambake with clam chowder, baked clams oreganata, local tomato and sweet corn salad, dozen steamed clams with roasted chicken ($20), whole Maine lobster ($60) or prime NY strip steak ($60), with apple cinnamon tiramisu for dessert. $55 per person. Credit: Scene Archives
LockKeepers 8001 Rockside Rd., Valley View Why we love it: A location of many proposals, the warm cozy interior makes this gem “a natural environment to stage a romantic celebration,” says general manager Brian Woehrman. For more than 30 years, this quintessentially upscale riverside restaurant has made a name for itself and its house-made pasta, heavenly Italian specialties, and sea fare, he says. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the Cuyahoga River. Try this: The most romantic dish is the seafood risotto. “The mascarpone risotto is made to order, painstakingly stirred until it develops a rich and creamy texture,” he says. Fresh seafood is folded in and the dish is topped with butter poached lobster tail, before finishing the plate with the bell pepper and lobster cream sauce. Credit: Scene Archives
Luca 2100 Superior Viaduct., Cleveland Why we love it: Luca Italian Cuisine’s west suburb sister sports a bright European dining room, channeling country Tuscany with elements, including exposed ceiling beams, distinctive statues and white tablecloths. Every design detail is in place for a night of upscale dining. It’s Westlake’s romantic getaway. And it’s a summertime hotspot, too: Step outside to the grand statue-filled courtyard, featuring an outdoor bar and a sizable menu of upscale Italian dishes (from a family who immigrated from Northern Italy) spanning fish, meats, pasta, daily specials and a sprawling 200-bottle wine list. Try this: You’ll know it’s as fresh as it can get when you watch your branzino being ($43) fileted tableside, served with brown butter citrus sauce. Credit: Scene Archives
Marble Room 623 Euclid Ave., Cleveland You’d be forgiven for thinking you just walked into a castle when you enter the Marble Room, which is situated in an old bank. The gorgeous setting of the restaurant is one thing, but the food and service is what makes this place special, consistently getting accolades as one of, if not the best, restaurant in town. Raw bar, steaks, impeccable service, and a setting to match make it a must-visit. Credit: @MarbleRoomCleveland/Instagram
Nemo Grille 36976 Detroit Rd., Avon “Service was A+. We split a bottle of wine and ordered the Hungarian Peppers as an appetizer, split a wedge salad, and got entrees of short ribs and scallops. Wouldn’t have changed a single thing about any of them! Highly recommended. The complimentary creme brûlée was icing on the cake!! Will recommend without hesitation!!” Peg M. on Yelp Photo via Nemo Grille/Facebook
Paris Room 7 North Franklin St., Chagrin Falls If you’re a tiny French brasserie in Chagrin Falls, you almost have to be romantic, no? That’s certainly the case with this gem of a spot, located in the heart of downtown Chagrin Falls. And the food is damn good too. Credit: Scene Archives
Sapphire Creek Winery & Gardens 16965 Park Circle Dr., Chagrin Falls Why we love it: Channeling Napa Valley, this scenic, elevated rustic and modern indoor and outdoor space makes for a romantic winery escape. Try this: The cabernet braised short ribs ($38) are braised in their own jus and red wine for several hours until they are fork tender. Credit: Sapphire Creek FB
Sora 1121 W. 10th St., Cleveland, Why we love it: Chic samurai wall art and a flowered tree with long branches filled with pink petals across the ceiling create a majestic scene. With a large variety of fresh sushi, this former ghost kitchen stands out. Today, it’s a posh world of Asian fusion from the group behind neighbor Lago East Bank. Try this: Take home your own fresh-crafted sushi take-out Sora Box ($45) full of favorites including spicy tuna crispy rice, salmon and avocado roll, chef’s select rolls and more, packed with all the accompanying sauces, laid out in an adorable pink box. Credit: Sora FB
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. Credit: Scene Archives
Strip Steakhouse 36840 Detroit Rd., Avon Housed in a 160-year-old Pennsylvania Dutch barn, this steak house is anything but old-fashioned. Owner Ron Larson spiffed up the interior in ways that will pleasantly surprise diners expecting doilies and drapes. The two-story barn features a first-floor lounge with open kitchen and a spacious loft dining room. First-rate steaks and chops share the menu with less conventional steakhouse fare, like smoked chicken, pasta Bolognese and horseradish-crusted grouper. Credit: Scene Archives
When you’re celebrating a special event: Pier W Perhaps no restaurant in the city comes as highly recommended for its brunch as Pier W, which seems to have made it onto every local list since it opened in 1965 (and a few national ones too). Located on a cliff overlooking Lake Erie, it has one of the best views in town and one of the only remaining upscale brunch buffets. For $69, gorge on prime rib, roasted diver scallops, a raw bar, French toast and more. There’s no guarantee of a table on the water, but the worst that can happen is a delicious brunch sans view, which seems like a risk worth taking. (12700 Lake Ave., Lakewood) Credit: Pier W/FB