While downtown has certainly took its fair share of hits to the restaurant and bar industry in the last couple years, there are still a ton of options for getting a good meal and a stiff drink. These are the essential bars and restaurants in downtown Cleveland.

Saigon 2061 East Fourth St., Cleveland Nestled into a relatively small storefront on downtown’s bustling East Fourth Street, the room is cozy, comfy, and contemporary. The best bets here are the meal-sized phos — fragrant beef-broth soups featuring rice noodles and several different styles of beef. On the side, an array of condiments — Asian basil, fresh lime wedges and bean sprouts, sliced jalapeños, earthy hoisin sauce, and peppery sriracha — allows diners to customize the dish to their preference. Photo via Scene Archives
The Foundation Room at the House of Blues 308 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Whether it’s before or after a show or just on any night you want to get a drink in a quiet place, you should check out the Foundation Room at the House of Blues – but make sure you know someone who’s a member in order to get in. This funkily-designed bar makes you feel like you’re somewhere in the far East, with Persian rugs and Indian designs giving the place a very relaxing feel. Photo via Scene Archives
Otani Noodle 234 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Otani Noodle, from the same owners of long-standing Mayfield Heights hibachi restaurant Otani, opened their second location, this time in the heart of Downtown in addition to their University Circle home, and if you haven’t been yet, you’re missing out. The tonkotsu broth they use for their ramen is delectable. Photo via Scene Archives
Acqua Di Luca 500 West St. Clair Ave., Cleveland For those looking for a restaurant to celebrate life’s big moments, thankfully, there’s Acqua di Luca, the latest restaurant from the husband-and-wife team behind Luca Italian Cuisine and Luca West. In true “special-occasion restaurant” form, the menu is unabashedly extravagant. The walk-in coolers are filled to the brim with shellfish, fin fish, veal, filet mignon, Kobe beef and menacing tomahawk chops. Those luxe foodstuffs are gilded with saffron, brown butter, Nebbiolo wine reductions and freshly shaved truffles. Photo by Douglas Trattner
Cleveland Chop 824 West St. Clair Ave., Cleveland If you couldn’t tell that Cleveland was a meat-and-potatoes town by looking at our collective waistline, you certainly could by looking at our restaurants. The Chop—and the Chophouse before it—benefits from its prime location in the heart of the Warehouse District. They also have one of the best patios in downtown, great for before a Tribe game this summer. Photo via Scene Archives
Taza 1400 West 6th St., Cleveland Another output from the owners of Aladdin’s, this local favorite, where kabobs are grilled over charcoal and you can watch warm pita bake in a Lebanese stone oven, makes you feel like you’ve been whisked away to the Middle East. An upscale, opulent decor adds a touch of authenticity to the proceedings, where colorful textiles offer a warm embrace. Hummus is spiked with spice, pita is fresh as can be, and a well-rounded mix of meze — items meant to be shared — is at the ready to bring the table together. A vegetarian’s paradise, the menu has no shortage of meat-free options, from the perfectly crisp falafel to the garden-fresh salads. Photo via Taza Cleveland/Facebook
The Marble Room 623 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Located in the old National City Bank building, it’d be hard to find a more beautiful restaurant in town then the swanky Marble Room. The name says it all – the beautiful marble columns and intricately designed molding is absolutely stunning. And the steak is up there for the best in town. Get the ribeye and thank us later. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
Butcher and the Brewer 2043 East Fourth St., Cleveland This East Fourth spot brews their own beer, has a lively atmosphere, and a butcher shop where delicious sandwiches are made to order. Their meats, which are aged and cured in-house are fantastic and their house smoked corn dogs coated in buttermilk batter were featured on the program. So was their Stop-Hop-Kaboom IPA. Photo via Scene Archives
Indie 2038 East 4th St., Cleveland By the time you read this, Indie very likely will have opened. Owners Gabriel Zeller and Julie Mesenburg have reshaped the former Greenhouse Tavern space on East 4th into a shrine to independent music thanks to 100s of framed concert and tour posters. Diners can look ahead to Southern-styled foods, many shareable, along with music-themed brunches. Credit: Scene Archives
Pho Thang Cafe 815 Superior Ave. East, Cleveland Pho Thang’s pho is delicious, with 10 different varieties ranging from lean to a combination bowl with round steak, brisket, tripe and meatballs. Chicken varieties are there, too. Soups come in only one size and are served with usual accompaniments of bean sprouts, cilantro, jalapeno and lime. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
Cowell and Hubbard 1305 Euclid Ave., Cleveland With Zack Bruell being a staple in the Cleveland dining scene, diners now know they can expect from one of his restaurants: high-caliber service, an interior pulled from the pages of Architectural Digest, and a menu the size of a long novel. What Bruell calls “modern French-American” might just as well be billed New Mediterranean, with nods to Morocco, France and Italy. In the end, the food is characteristically Bruellian: tidy stacks of meat and veg resting in an opulent sauce, diamond-cut by the acidity of lemon. Photo via Cowell and Hubbard/Facebook
Boney Fingers BBQ 1800 Euclid Ave., Cleveland ”Delicious BBQ! We tried the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches for lunch and they were so tasty! My fiancé has been hyping up his favorite BBQ spot for over a year and I was finally able to try and it did not disappoint! The brisket was our favorite and it was juicy and tender. Their two types of sauce were great additions to the sandwich and the cornbread was awesome as well! Reasonably priced, good food! Definitely worth a visit!!” Courtney S. on Yelp Photo via Scene Archives
Il Venetian 100 St. Clair Ave. NE., Cleveland From the team behind Marble Room, and the fabulous Lockkeepers in Valley View, Il Venetian opened to rave reviews in 2018. While the city in general is full of Italian restaurants, downtown doesn’t have a ton of them. Now, there’s a new option, and it’s up there for the best Italian in town, with a creative menu and beautiful decor. Photo via Il Venetian/Facebook
Mabel’s BBQ 2050 East Fourth St., Cleveland Michael Symon knows meat. In fact, he wrote the book on it when Carnivore came out a few years back. So if anybody could lend credence to the concept of Cleveland-style barbecue, it’s Symon, who also happens to be a great student of all regional forms of barbecue. Thanks to the low-and-slow ‘cue at this East Fourth Street hotspot, Cleveland finally has earned its way onto the national barbecue scene. Photo via Scene Archives
Red, the Steakhouse 417 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland Luscious slabs of beef and creative, indulgent salads, sides and desserts make this modern American steakhouse a prime location for well-heeled meat-eaters. A well-organized wine list, gracious service and contemporary rustic decor with a Napa-like sophistication complete one of the best steakhouses in the midwest. Photo via Scene Archives
Noble Beast 1470 Lakeside Ave. East, Cleveland In a quieter part on the city on the edge of Downtown sits Noble Beast, one of our favorite breweries in town. Their Imperial Cookies and Milk Stout is a real standout, as is their Catchweight Kolsch. Photo via Noble Beast Brewing Co./Facebook
Goma 2079 East 4th St., Cleveland East 4th Street’s third act is well underway after the departures of Lola, Greenhouse Tavern and Chinato in the past two years with Dante Boccuzzi being the next powerhouse Cleveland chef to set up shop on Cleveland’s restaurant row. Goma, Boccuzzi’s ninth restaurant, is opening around July 1st in the former Chinato space, which will be unrecognizable to anyone who enjoyed a meal there. Gone are the dividing walls and newly installed are two garage doors on the Prospect Ave. side, opening the space and putting it right in the action at the corner of East 4th. Split between sushi much like you’d find at Ginko and the addition of shabu shabu, tempura, salads, seafood and veg-focused apps as well as udon and ramen, the menu draws on Boccuzzi’s experiences in kitchens in Taiwan, Tokyo and the famed Nobu. Photo via Scene Archives
Adega 2017 East Ninth St., Cleveland “Last night our group of 9 people descended on Adega without a reservation. They were more than accommodating and quickly found us a table. The service was outstanding, the cocktails were generous and well prepared. The food was served on a timely basis and everyone completely enjoyed their meals. The dessert that was provided without asking was first class,” Gary R. on Yelp Photo via @AdegaCle/Instagram Credit: Scene Archives
City Pop Sushi 1816 East 12th St., Cleveland When City Pop Sushi opened downtown in April, it became one of the most visually stimulating eateries around, a candy-colored homage to Japanese pop culture. “Our entire theme is based around `80s Japanese city pop music,” says owner Bryson Strowder. Sushi based in the tradition of California Rolls – think rice and seaweed wrapped around cooked ingredients – is the focus of the food. Rolls, both grab-and-go and made-to-order, star fully cooked items like bacon, steak and shrimp. They’re joined by dipping sauces such as wasabi mayo and yum-yum. Photo via Scene Archives
Pizza 216 401 Euclid Ave., Cleveland This is the place to get a slice downtown, especially if you’re looking for some wood-fired deliciousness. Try the pierogi pie for something fun. Photo via Velvet Tango Room/Facebook Credit: Emanuel Wallace
Osteria di Valerio & Al 1801 East 9th St., Cleveland The anonymous phrasemaker who said “Good things come in small packages” surely didn’t have this tiny Italian restaurant in mind, but he could have: The Warehouse District’s smallest upscale dining room more than compensates with big quotas of flavor and style and one of the most authentic Italian joints around. Photo via Osteria Di Valerio & Al/Facebook
Pura Vida 170 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Veteran chef Brandt Evans’ Public Square restaurant is a breath of fresh air for downtowners, with a spare decor, an urbane vibe, and rustically refined menus built from local, sustainable ingredients and a plethora of vegetarian options. A stickler for details, Evans pays equal attention to every element of a dish. He does, however, leave room for whimsy, as evidenced by the occasional odd ingredient and deconstructed arrangement. Photo via @Pura_Vida_By_Brandt/Instagram
Harbor 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/Facebook
Slyman’s 3106 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland “This is a 7 star experience…I can only compare this sandwich to Kaufman’s New Jersey Bypass. This sandwich at Slyman’s is taller, juicier and tastier. I loved every bite and they grill the rye bread over butter on the flat top – that’s what makes you say, “Shut the front door!” You get a healthy amount of sauerkraut and a snappy pickle with it…The coleslaw was great too. I’ll be back for the big Reuben, at 11:00 a.m.,one day!! Their sandwiches are the biggest, no doubt,” Gerry T. on Yelp Photo via @AGirlAboutChicago/Instagram
Johnny’s Little Bar 614 Frankfort Ave., Cleveland “This burger looks simple but is one of the best burgers I’ve had across the country and it’s served in a divebar. If I’m ever back in Cleveland I will definitely stop and enjoy this burger again along with the onion rings,” Chad S. on Yelp Photo via Scene Archives
Camino Taco and Tequila Bar 1300 West Ninth St., Cleveland This contemporary taco and tequila bar, that opened in 2014, fits right into the Warehouse District neighborhood it calls home. This locally owned spot keeps things simple with a streamlined menu that focuses on snacks, small plates and tacos. A great meal can be made just from the starters, paired with a cold Mexican beer or Margarita. Photo via @CaminoCleveland/Instagram
Becky’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 partiers linger till closing time, when bartenders have to shoo out the patrons. Photo via Becky’s Bar/Facebook
Lulo Kitchen 1273 West 9th St., Cleveland Lulo Kitchen has the unmistakable feel of a boho-chic juice bar on Tulum’s famous beach road, a breezy sun-drenched space where art and culture and food collide. With a name like Lulo, which is borrowed from the tropical fruit, one would expect to find wholesome juices, smoothies and limonadas starring a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables. As morning gives way to midday, pan-Latin salads, sandwiches, bowls and plates take center stage. It is here that Chef/Owner Stefhanie Montoya’s creativity, technique and respect for ingredients begin to emerge. The flavors of Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil make appearances in the form of empanadas, tostones, Cubanos, carne asada and other satisfying items. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives

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