If you’re looking for the places where everyday Clevelanders eat and drink (or to take out-of-towners to show them the real Cleveland), look no further than these 40 establishments. From the heart of the city to the near East and West sides, we think these places really get to the heart of what Clevelanders like.
Szechuan Gourmet
1735 East 36th St., Cleveland
When it comes to authentic Chinese food, this is the place in Cleveland. The best Chinese restaurant in town, bar none, boasts dishes that are out of this world. Try the three pepper chicken for some spice, the mapo tofu with pork, the cumin beef, the chili cucumber, and you’ll leave with a belly full and a smile on your face for how delicious this food really is.
Photo via @Dorjans/InstagramSuperior Pho
3030 Superior Ave., Cleveland
Because pho is an essential part of a balanced diet, not to mention one’s sanity, noodle shops like this one hold a very important place in our lives. Winter or summer, a bowl of pho is more than food; it’s a restorative elixir that sets us on a brighter path. Crispy spring rolls, citrusy cabbage salad, and meaty banh mi sammies also make us happy, so it’s a good thing that the versions served at this perfectly acceptable dining room are as delicious as the noodle soup.
Photo via Scene ArchivesKaraoke at Tina’s
5400 Herman Ave., Cleveland
You can belt out “Don’t Stop Believing” at just about any corner bar, but do yourself a favor and sing your little heart out at Tina’s Nite Club instead. The nondescript building squirreled away on the back streets of Detroit-Shoreway houses the strangest, most fervent, most eclectic karaoke in Cleveland … every day of the week. Every day. Go forth and sing.
Photo via @XOXOGarbageGirl/InstagramParkview Nite Club
1261 West 58th St., Cleveland
Layers of mystery lie just beneath the surface of this rustic, aggressively unpretentious corner bar on Cleveland’s near West Side. Start with the decorative motif: How can the Rat Pack poster mingle with the framed Three Stooges photo? If this is the Parkview, where is the park — or the view? How can a bar tout its live blues bands, even as it advertises the birthday of a regular patron named “Disco Dicky”? Most of all, how has a bar with wood paneling on walls, floor, and ceiling managed to keep from burning down this long? These are matters that require intense study from the barstool and a thorough interrogation of the help.
Photo via @TheTavernCompany/InstagramLucky’s Cafe
777 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland
Lucky’s Cafe has won Scene’s best of brunch award so many times, we can’t keep count. Chef and Owner Heather Haviland’s Tremont cafe has also been featured on the Food Network multiple times, with Chef Michael Symon calling their biscuits and gravy the “best thing he ever ate,” and also on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Photo via @LuckysCafe/InstagramMomocho
1835 Fulton Ave., Cleveland
Clever cuisine, playful decor, and intimate surroundings make this “modern Mexican” eatery like nothing else in town, making it quintessential Cleveland. Don’t come around looking for refried beans and rice; luscious lamb “adobo” and avocado-leaf-crusted tuna are more Momocho’s style. Factor in the fruit-infused margaritas, chilada-style beers, and the smart array of tequilas, and even the fiercest bandito would happily pull up a chair.
Photo via Scene ArchivesMama Santa’s
12301 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland
Mama Santa’s has been serving up pies at the same Little Italy location since 1961. With its retro vibe, cheap wine, and stunningly inexpensive Italian eats, there’s no need to change much. Thin, greaseless, crisp-crusted pizza is the specialty of the casa; when you and the gang can score a 15-incher for less than 10 bucks, who cares if there’s a wait for a table?
Photo via Mama Santa’s Pizzeria/FacebookJohnny’s Little Bar
614 Frankfort Ave., Cleveland
Right around the corner from the popular Warehouse district white tablecloth Italian joint Johnny’s, you’ll find Johnny’s Little Bar, an iconic Cleveland spot. The bar boasts a “world famous” burger, giving the traditional Italian menu at the main restaurant a run for its money. And the people watching is outstanding here.
Photo via Scene ArchivesMerry Arts Pub and Grill
15607 Detroit Ave., Lakewood
Since 1932, Merry Arts has served up food and drinks to the Lakewood community. It opened during the Great Depression, and if it could make it through that, well, we have a feeling it won’t be going anywhere any time soon, especially with how beloved Taco Tuesday’s are.
Photo via Merry Arts Pub and Grill/FacebookHeck’s Cafe
2927 Bridge Ave., Cleveland
If you’re on a search for the best burgers in town, Heck’s is surely not to be overlooked, as they’ve been serving up burgers since 1974. If you can handle the spice, the Hot Fire Burger is the way to go. Don’t forget an order of Heck’s Fries, topped with salt and pepper and a side of malt vinegar aioli. In addition to their original Ohio City location, they’ve expanded to Avon and opened a Heck’s Express downtown.
Photo via Scene ArchivesWest Side Market Cafe
1979 West 25th St., Cleveland
For price, ambience, and first-class people-watching, no place tops the West Side Market Café in the venerable West Side Market’s southeast corner. Watching your wallet? A mere $2.25 will snag you two eggs, toast, and hash browns. Feeling flush? How about an eight-ounce strip steak, topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, on an English muffin ($11)?
Photo via West Side Market Cafe/FacebookHarbor Inn
1219 Main Ave., Cleveland
As the oldest continuously operating bar in Cleveland — open since 1895, thank you very much — the Harbor Inn has many stories to tell. Thankfully, the West Bank of the Flats spot keeps its secrets, and night after night allows patrons young and old to imbibe in witty conversation and general tomfoolery virtually undisturbed while swallowed up in dim yellow light.
Photo via Harbor Inn/FacebookGrumpy’s Cafe
2621 West 14th St., Cleveland
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Grumpy’s is the most important restaurant in town. The Tremont staple, which is nicer than your typical hole-in-the-wall, is a cozier, artsier version of a greasy spoon — warm colors and local art decorate the walls of the two-room affair. Grumpy’s has several omelets and special dishes like the West 14th Special with corned beef hash, two eggs and toast.
Photo via Scene ArchivesMy Friends Restaurant
11616 Detroit Rd., Cleveland
Ask most people and the name My Friends Restaurant is what first comes to mind for the ultimate late night breakfast eatery. This 24-hour Lakewood/Cleveland border haunt serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day, but the people watching is priceless after midnight.
Photo via @Cle_Chi/InstagramGeorge’s Kitchen
13101 Triskett Rd., Cleveland
Breakfasts here are great, with a number of egg dishes served all day at this iconic Cleveland diner that’s been open for almost 40 years. For something a little more adventurous than your usual breakfast, try the gyro platter, which includes a mountain of golden brown potatoes, sliced gyro meat, three eggs, toast and a side of tzatziki sauce.
Photo by Douglas TrattnerIrie Jamaican Kitchen
621 East 185th St., and 4162 Pearl Rd., Cleveland and 837 W. Market St., Akron
Since opening his first Irie Jamaican Kitchen, the chef from Trelawny Parish has been keen on expansion. Owner Omar McKay built upon the success of that first location by adding a second shop near the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Next up for the popular brand is Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood. The 2,600-square-foot store has 40 dine-in seats and 30 outdoor seats.
Photo via Scene ArchivesAcademy Tavern
12800 Larchmere Ave., Cleveland
Larchmere’s Academy Tavern is one of the oldest drinking establishments not just on the East Side, but in all of Northeast Ohio. Like a well-worn couch, this vintage corner tavern may show its age, but its comfort is undeniable. For proof, just look at the diverse clientele. They started serving cocktails just after prohibition, in 1939, and have been a staple of the neighborhood since.
Photo via @DJMikel/InstagramColumbo Room
1988 Noble Rd, Cleveland
A quiet neighborhood bar located on the border of East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights, the Columbo Room is known for being more than just a local watering hole. The restaurant serves up excellent, juicy corned beef and really good fried fish.
Photo via Columbo Room/YelpLa Plaza Supermarket
13609 Lakewood Heights Blvd., Lakewood
All it takes to get your hands on what many deem the best tacos in Cleveland is venturing to this Lakewood supermarket. This grocery store cooks up barbacoa, carnitas, chorizo and al pastor tacos in front of your eyes. They’re served up as-is, but load up on diced onion, cilantro, guac and salsas to your heart’s desire.
Photo via La Plaza Supermarket/FacebookPorco Tiki Lounge
2527 West 25th St., Cleveland
Porco Lounge & Tiki Room is only about eight years old, but its dedication to professionally blended cocktails — even silly sounding ones — has helped its reputation grow at a brisk rate. The Mai Tai is the best of the bunch, a cold fusion of fresh fruit juices with coconut rum and a soupçon of almond. In 2016, the Food Network named the bar one of the best tiki bars in the country.
Photo via Scene ArchivesCharlie’s Dog House Diner
2102 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland
The kitschy roadside attraction has been in the exact same spot since 1952, when it began life as the Dog House, part of a national chain of shops that offered walk-up service to customers who ordered hot dogs and hamburgers through a window. Neon lights promising Chicago-style Vienna hot dogs and Charlie’s original waffles attract the early morning crowd before work. The eggs Benedict and breakfast burritos are also well loved.
Photo via Charlie’s Dog House Diner/FacebookDas Schnitzel Haus
5728 Pearl Rd., Parma,
Hearty German food might not be what first comes to mind when it comes to comfort food. But the type of German food they serve at this Parma restaurant definitely is comforting. A heaping plate of schnitzel, pierogies or stuffed veal is perfect for a rainy day.
Photo via Scene ArchivesBecky’s
1762 East 18th St., Cleveland
Located half a block from Cleveland State’s main campus, Becky’s is always packed wall-to-wall with students downing $2 domestic beers and and chowing down on specialty sandwiches. The music, emanating from a small jukebox in the corner, tends toward ’80s faves like Bon Jovi. The bartenders, most of whom are CSU students themselves, mingle freely with the crowd. The partyers linger till closing time, when bartenders have to shoo out the patrons.
Photo via Becky’s Bar/FacebookGuarino’s
12309 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland
Established in 1918, Guarino’s in Little Italy is Cleveland’s oldest restaurants and is still a family operation. The old world decor tends toward Victoriana and the kitchen’s pasta, veal and seafood dishes are all Italian.
Photo via Guarino’s/FacebookEdison’s
2373 Professor Ave., Cleveland
When it comes to late night pizza and a beer, you can’t go wrong with Edison’s. It’s the quintessential Tremont bar, the quintessential Cleveland bar — a real bar’s bar, you dig? But they also have great pizza, so you should definitely hit this place up.
Photo via Scene ArchivesCapo Steaks
12486 Superior Ave., Cleveland
Most people believe that you have to travel to Philadelphia to get an authentic cheese steak. Forget Pat’s and Geno’s – Capo Steaks, in East Cleveland, has the real deal. They’re messy but don’t worry about that; the mess is definitely worth it.
Photo via Capo Steaks/FacebookHoopples
1930 Columbus Rd., Cleveland
We give a lot of credit to Hoopples for having one of the best views in the city with its industrial panoramic of the river and Cleveland skyline backdrop. In addition to this bar, it gets all walks of and is a great place to see the “real Cleveland”.
Photo via Hooples/YelpFat Cats
2061 West 10th St., Cleveland
Fat Cats is neither new nor flashy. For more than 20 years, this early-era Tremont bistro has lured diners to the far end of a quiet residential street by offering a cozy alternative to special occasion restaurants. We always find something on the menu that suits our mood, from a perfectly grilled off-cut chop to a fresh, seasonal pasta.
Photo via Fat Cats/FacebookAngie’s Soul Cafe
Multiple Locations
If you’re looking for authentic soul food, with the emphasis on the food, check out one of the locations of Angie’s Soul Cafe around Cleveland. The candied yams are a must-try.
Photo via Angie’s Soul Food Cafe/FacebookAldo’s
8459 Memphis Ave., Cleveland
This place is so old school, they don’t even have a website. But it doesn’t matter, because the food is so good. This hidden gem, that only contains about 12 tables total, is located in Old Brooklyn. Start with the hot peppers and calamari and finish up with the linguini.
Photo via Aldo’s Restaurant/FacebookEl Rinconcito Chapin
3330 Broadview Rd., Cleveland
The Guatemalan eatery, owned by Engel Godinez, had briefly wowed diners at its original spot a couple of miles away on Pearl Road before rolling down the shutters in advance of the big move. Attracted by the promise of soul-satisfying pupusas, adventurous customers who expanded their comfort zones left as newly minted fans of a much broader, compelling cuisine. And if they happened to land on the garnachas, they likely became Rinconcito groupies for life.
Photo by Doug TrattnerGus’s Family Restaurant
4377 State Rd., Cleveland
This all-day breakfast joint has been serving up customers in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood for over 25 years. The home fries are really the star of the show here and we love the corned beef hash.
Photo via Gus’s Family Restaurant/FacebookFlat Iron Cafe
1114 Center St., Cleveland
The oldest Irish pub in Cleveland was established over 100 years ago, all the way back in 1910. They’ve been serving alcohol and pub fare to blue collar Cleveland in the Flats ever since.
Photo via Flat Iron Cafe/FacebookDina’s Pizza and Pub
5701 Memphis Ave., Cleveland
Many Clevelanders say that Dina’s in Old Brooklyn has their favorite wings in town and who are we to argue? Their ‘Buffalo Ranch’ and ‘House Hot’ are two of the standout flavors. (Open till midnight daily)
Photo via Dina’s Pizza/FacebookSachsenheim Hall
7001 Denison Ave., Cleveland
If you’re looking for a place brimming with two important qualities – lots of character and lots of tacos – you’ve met your match. The German pub has been going strong for nearly a century. Its legendary Taco Tuesday serves up varieties like green chili, chicken paprikash and mesquite chipotle pork all by a man known solely as “Grumpy.”
Photo via Sachsenheim Hall/YelpProsperity Social Club
1109 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland
Cozy and retro, this former workingman’s watering hole serves up delicious food, booze, and a bowling machine along with the live music. They have a kitchen that stays open nightly until midnight and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Photo via @ProsperitySocialClub/InstagramBratenahl Kitchen
14002 Lakeshore Blvd., Cleveland
“This small, hole in the wall location has the Best Jamaican food I’ve had in Cleveland. Be prepared to carry out or sit in the outdoor patio, and bring cash. This is a charming, no fuss gem providing great food by a delightful owner/chef
Photo via Bratenahl Kitchen/FacebookThe Little Polish Diner
5772 Ridge Rd., Parma
Known for its homestyle Polish cooking, The Little Polish Diner is one of a few restaurants in town that has taken over the mantle for Eastern European cuisine now that the beloved Sokolowski’s has closed. Pierogies, Polish boy’s, potato pancakes, kielbasa? That definitely comforts us.
Photo via The Little Polish Diner/Facebook
