The Best Restaurants in Cleveland

More and more outsiders are taking a good, hard look at Cleveland, and what they’re noticing is a steadily rising chef-driven restaurant scene that has been developing for the past 20 years. These days, Clevelanders cannot turn a corner without bumping into a craft brewery or taproom, sushi bar, or seafood restaurant, all of which are flourishing alongside decades-old Cleveland classics. The restaurant renaissance in Cleveland has suddenly turned the city into a dining destination, thanks to the serious pool of talented chefs that call Cleveland home. Pioneer chefs like Michael Symon, Doug Katz, and Dante Boccuzzi got the ball rolling two decades ago, and they begat other chefs who did the same for the next generation, bringing serious talent into this Rust Belt city, and now Clevelanders are heartily reaping the benefits of this foodie farm system. Additionally, the city has seen an inflow of immigrants sharing a taste of their homelands, and now the city overflows with Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Polish, German, Turkish, Lebanese, and Columbian restaurants, with most of the best spots in Cleveland being in Tremont and Downtown.

The OpenTable Team

15 Restaurants

Updated January 18, 2022

Restaurants:	Cloak & Dagger, GINKO, Astoria Cafe & Market…
Price Range:	$$ - $$$
Cuisines:	Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Sushi, Mediterranean…
Neighborhoods:	Tremont, Ohio…

Cloak & Dagger

$$$$

Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service

Tremont

4.9

736 reviews

Cloak and Dagger is a cocktail lounge nestled in the heart of the historic neighborhood of Tremont. It is a cocktail lounge with a focus on hospitality and one of the best places to unwind in the warm, vintage-style space. The book-themed saloon boasts a menu filled with a selection of unique, approachable, and affordable cocktails, locally curated craft beer, and an all-vegan roster of bar bites, including pork rinds, BBQ chicken skewers, fries, and a vegan version of the brisket sandwich, all prepared by chef Todd Kronika. The drinks span every kind of flavor in what the co-owners, Cory Hajde and Casey Hughes, call a spectrum of cocktails. Cloak and Dagger has been operating since 2020.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

GINKO

$$$$

Sushi

Tremont

4.7

299 reviews

Some of the best sushi and traditional Japanese cuisine in Cleveland is served at GINKO, a New York Times-acclaimed subterranean sushi bar in Tremont. GINKO is the work of former Nobu chef Dante Boccuzzi, and it is a work of art in terms of style, setting, and selection. Diners are ushered into a grotto-like den dominated by a horseshoe-shaped sushi bar, where diehard sushi lovers can enjoy some of the city’s best tuna, uni, eel, octopus, yellowtail, and mackerel served over lumps of steamed rice. GINKO sushi bar has been operational since 2011.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Astoria Cafe & Market

$$$$

Mediterranean

Ohio

4.9

571 reviews

Astoria Cafe & Market is an equal parts bar, restaurant, and marketplace. An invaluable asset to the Gordon Square neighborhood, the part market part bar and restaurant establishment has provided a bright and spacious storefront where Clevelanders can stock up on imported cheeses, olives, meats, and wines by the bottle. The restaurant offers an extensive Mediterranean-themed menu offering snacks, pizzas, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, desserts, and large plates to share, with various offerings from Spanish, Italian, French, and Greek cuisines. Executive chef Cory Kobrinski heads the kitchen at this 2016 debutant and is the brain behind most dishes, including the delectable octopus alla Karvouna. The restaurant welcomes casual diners into the laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere, with bar, table, and outdoor seating.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

The Palazzo

$$$$

Contemporary Italian

Cleveland West

4.8

392 reviews

The Palazzo is an Italian fine dining restaurant that opened its doors to diners in 2019. It is nestled in the West Side Cleveland neighborhood and is one of the best restaurants serving traditional Italian cuisine in Cleveland under the tutelage of owner-chef Rafael Zaloshnja. The menu features Italian dishes with a northern Italy emphasis. On the menu, you’ll find Italian favorites such as pera Sachetti, Vitello saltimbocca, Margherita pizza, and a selection of cured meats, olives, cheeses, and roasted vegetables. The restaurant has an elegant feel with white tablecloths dominating the dining room, but diners can also dine at the bar or outside on the patio.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Goma

$$$$

Japanese

Downtown Cleveland

4.7

360 reviews

Goma is a new Japanese fusion restaurant that swung its doors open in Downtown Cleveland in 2021. The restaurant has a clean Japanese feel, complete with aquatic-themed murals, sculptures, lighting, and a white sushi bar. Goma is owned and operated by chef Dante Boccuzzi, and the menu draws upon his global award-winning career, including his experience serving as an executive chef under the revered Nobu Matsuhisa. The hot appetizers and entrees at Goma are a depiction of chef Dante’s deep experience and training in Japanese cuisine, and diners at Goma are treated to authentic Japanese dishes, including otsukuri, nigiri, maki, as well as other Japanese classics, all prepared in line with the Japanese standards of fine dining.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Edwins Restaurant

$$$$

Unspecified

Shaker Square

4.7

2345 reviews

Edwins is an upscale restaurant in Cleveland’s Shaker Square neighborhood that has been offering French fare to diners since 2013. Equal parts food and purpose make it stand out from other culinary spots in the city. Owner-chef Brandon Chrostowski runs the restaurant and kitchen at this sophisticated dining venue offering classic French fare, such as braised pork belly served in a celery root puree, frog legs prepared in garlic, butter, and parsley, lobster bisque, and chestnut fennel soup. Each meal can be paired with wine by the glass or bottle or handcrafted cocktails, and diners get to enjoy their meals in the elegant Parisian-style dining room.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Batuqui - Larchmere

$$$$

Brazilian

Shaker Square

4.8

655 reviews

Opened in 2015, Batuqui is a Brazilian restaurant offering authentic Brazilian dishes prepared by the owner-chefs Carla Batista and Gustavo Nogueira. Batuqui is located in Larchmere District, and the warm and inviting atmosphere at the restaurant transports diners right onto the beaches of Brazil. The restaurant offers authentic Brazilian dishes such as the Moqueca Baiana, a traditional Brazilian stew that can have either fish or shrimp and is served with a side of Brazilian rice. The meals can be paired with wine, cocktails, or craft beer from Brazil, Belgium, Mexico, Spain, or Germany.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Valerio's Ristorante

$$$$

Italian

Little Italy

4.9

692 reviews

Valerio’s Ristorante has been open since 1995 along Mayfield Road in Cleveland’s own Little Italy. Valerio’s Ristorante is owned and run by chef Valerio Iorio and his wife Stella, and the restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine. Diners are welcome to a cozy setting with black table cloths and wooden chairs. The bar is right at the entrance, and several recreations of famous Italian paintings are hanging from the coral pink walls. At Valerio’s Ristorante, diners will enjoy authentic Italian dishes like veal ossobuco, gnocchi alla sorrentina, spaghetti lobster, and vongole.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

The Standard

$$$$

French

Cleveland East

4.8

639 reviews

The Standard is a brick-lined bistro, bar, and restaurant that opened its doors to diners in Collinwood back in 2014. The menu can best be described as continental, with offerings from Slovenian, Moroccan, French, New American, and Italian cuisines. The restaurant features an open kitchen, a tin ceiling, exposed brick walls, crystal chandeliers, and some touches of egg-blue plaster to give it a hip and urban feel. Executive chef Patrick Fisher and Tim Bando lead the kitchen staff, and diners can expect many offerings from their expansive menu, from grilled octopus and ceviche to Moroccan specialties like chicken tagine and braised lamb shank couscous.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Literary Tavern

$$$$

American

Tremont

4.8

184 reviews

The Literary Tavern has been open since 2019 in one of the oldest buildings in the historic Tremont neighborhood. It is a bar and restaurant offering an intimate atmosphere, a variety of wines and beers, imaginative cocktails, and chef-made pub fare. Chef Rob Broka helms the kitchen at the Literary Tavern and is very experienced in offering upscale tavern meals. The menu features loads of bites, including burgers, sandwiches, and to-share plates, but you can also find proper meals, such as risotto, pasta, and bone-in ribeye at the Literary Tavern. The tavern takes on gothic aesthetics with bar stools and banquettes donned in midnight blue upholstery, and the walls have images and illustrations of tormented figures.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Pier W

$$$$

Contemporary American

Lakewood

4.8

8895 reviews

With an impressive menu and breathtaking views, Pier W in Lakewood has been a dining destination since 1965. The stunning views of Lake Erie and the downtown skyline have won this seafood restaurant several “best of” awards, including being named one of the top romantic restaurants in the country by Travel and Leisure. Walking into Pier W, expect an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere, with white table cloths and neatly arranged seating. The atmosphere is matched by the delicious seafood prepared by chef Regan Reik who heads the kitchen. Only the freshest ingredients are used in Pier W, including the fish which is flown in daily. Try the famous bouillabaisse at Pier W, a dish that has been on the menu since 1965.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

edwins too

$$$$

Contemporary French / American

Cleveland East

4.2

236 reviews

Edwins Too is the other French restaurant opened by chef-owner Brandon Chrostowski in Shaker Square. Edwins Too opened its doors in 2020, and the concept is different this time. Edwins Too will be exclusively prix fixe. The cuisine is French, and diners are offered a choice of three-, five-, and seven-course meals with wine pairings. The menu changes weekly, but you can expect some of the meals to include dishes like chestnut and pheasant soup, foie gras torchon in brioche, poached Dover sole with lobster mousse, and sweet orange-vanilla and chocolate desserts. The dining room is in soothing coral pink, with some live plants and contemporary pieces of art making an appearance, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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Blue Point Grille

$$$$

Seafood

Downtown Cleveland

4.8

5610 reviews

Since opening its doors in 1998, Blue Point Grille has been serving upscale seafood in its elegant, multilevel restaurant with skyline views. The restaurant has received several awards, including the best seafood restaurant from Cleveland Magazine, and Zagat Survey named it as Cleveland’s most popular restaurant. Blue Point Grille is in Downtown Cleveland, and the cosmopolitan dining room’s massive windows give a fantastic view of the city’s heart from the restaurant. The menu is all about seafood, and executive chef Shawn Cline is the talent in the kitchen. Diners should expect classic seafood delights like oysters, calamari, crab, shrimp, and lobster on the menu, all of which can be paired with some wine from their award-winning wine list.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Dante Next Door

$$$$

Contemporary Italian

Cleveland West

4.8

468 reviews

Dante Next Door opened its doors to diners back in 2014 in Tremont. Dante Next Door is a casual brunch trattoria-style restaurant located next to the Michelin Starred proprietor chef Dante Boccuzzi’s signature restaurant DANTE. The restaurant serves up traditional Italian cuisine, and the menu is based on Dante’s travels throughout Italy. Highlights from the menu include the classic Margherita hand-tossed pizza, breakfast calzone, and Occhio di Bue. The restaurant welcomes casual diners and offers bar, table, outdoor, and private dining.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Red, the Steakhouse Cleveland

$$$$

Steakhouse

Downtown Cleveland

4.6

2506 reviews

Red first opened its doors in Downtown Cleveland in 2014. It is a sleek, modern steakhouse and restaurant offering upscale dining, delectable cuisine, and impeccable service. The restaurant specializes in traditional chophouse fare, pasta, and seafood, and chef Michael Tolosa is the talent in the kitchen. Red is a fine dining establishment, and diners enjoy their meal in an elegant dining room with hardwood floors, white table cloths, black leather banquettes, and a decorated ceiling with chic lighting elements. The menu features a raw bar, seafood, steaks, salads, and chops, and you can have everything from a shrimp cocktail to an iceberg wedge salad to certified Angus beef prime steaks, all prepared by the talented chef Tolosa.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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