Local chains – Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

Yours Truly Restaurants

Yours Truly is a long-standing local chain that has been in operation since 1981. In fact, they are celebrating their 45th anniversary this year. Yours Truly is an ideal choice for a great breakfast, lunch or dinner. I have been going to Yours Truly restaurants for probably 25 years. My first experience was at the Yours Truly on Rockside Road in the Cuyahoga Valley. I have visited several Yours Truly locations over the years, but I have been frequenting the one on Chagrin Boulevard since I moved to Cleveland Heights. This restaurant with a smaller footprint offers the same burgers, sandwiches & omelets as other YT locations, but tables are at a premium here. The few tables and counter stools are usually full during peak hours; carryout is a reasonable alternative. There are locations in Beachwood, Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Medina, Mentor and Solon. Your Truly in the Halle Building in the PlayhouseSquare district is also a popular choice.

They serve breakfast all day. I met a Meetup brunch group there years ago, but it is simply not on my radar for breakfast. However, I do stop in during non-peak hours for either a late lunch or early dinner (off-hours ensure I can usually get a seat quickly). The Killet Skillet (two eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns with onion, green pepper, and mixed cheese) and the Notso Omelet (three eggs, hash browns, cheese, chopped bacon and sour cream) are all very popular, but the #1 selling item is their Eggs Benedict. The Notso Fries™ are also extremely popular. Yours Truly’s menu explains: “They’re notso common. Golden brown cottage fries with melted cheese, chopped bacon and a dollop of sour cream.” They come in three different sizes. The one shown here is the small.

If you have dietary issues they are pretty accommodating. You can order a gluten-free bun or no bun at all (they bill it as a carb-conscious choice), and their salads can be customized. The cottage fries aren’t gluten-free, but I hear the hash browns are. They are known for their Fish Fryday, serving filet of cod as a dinner or sandwich. Clam chowder is the soup of the day on Fridays, and it was extremely tasty and full of clams, potatoes, etc.

They are also known for their chicken and tuna salad, and you can get them by the scoop on a salad, as a ‘Temptation’ with a hard-boiled egg, as a sandwich, as a platter with fruit, or as a Melt. As regular readers know, I am a sucker for a good tuna melt, and they do a great tuna melt here. It features two scoops of tuna with a tomato slice and topped with melted cheddar on a toasted English muffin. A tuna melt on an English muffin is in fact my preferred form of tuna melt. The tuna salad was warmed up just enough and the cheese was nicely melted.

On my most recent visits I tried to focus on a little bit of everything. I absolutely fell in love with the chicken noodle soup. The noodles are hearty, the broth is extremely well-seasoned, and it is chock full of chicken, veggies and noodles. It has become my go-to chicken soup since The Red Chimney closed after a fire.

Their burgers are made with fresh certified Angus beef, and there are nine different burgers to choose from. If you order the Deluxe it comes with coleslaw and cottage fries. The Sweet Deluxe comes with coleslaw and sweet potato fries. I love a good mushroom and Swiss burger, and the Special Delivery burger here did not disappoint. It features an 8 oz burger patty topped with Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions and a dollop of sour cream on a seared brioche bun. I ordered the cup of soup picture above, so I didn’t get it with any sides.

There are seven different chicken sandwiches to choose from. The chicken is marinated and then fire-grilled. I ordered the Buckeye Bacon Broil, which features American cheese, bacon strips, lettuce and tomato on a seared brioche bun. I was particularly struck by how huge the chicken breast patty is. It hangs far over the sides of the bun.

The Monte Cristo is also a really nice choice. It is made with their lovely cinnamony French toast and is filled with Swiss, natural fresh turkey breast and ham. It is served with a side of our homemade tango sauce, which was kind of like a honey mustard. I will probably order it again, because I loved the cinnamon French toast paired with the savory sandwich fixings and the dipping sauce. I also really enjoyed the slice of cantaloupe, which was perfectly ripe.

They also have a well-stocked bar and a vast array of beverage choices. They serve coffee (regular and flavor of the day), several espresso drinks, fresh squeezed juices like tangy and diet limeade, orange juice and grapefuit juice as well as hot chocolate and bottomless lemonade, iced tea, Arnold Palmers or fountain drinks. I enjoyed a Dirty Snowman on a particularly cold, snowy day near Christmas – gotta love a boozy hot chocolate topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The photo is blurry, but I didn’t feel blurry when I left because I stuck to just one.

Yours Truly restaurants are open Mon-Thurs from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri-Sat, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sun from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. They have longer hours in the summer. The downtown Yours Truly in the Playhouse district is a nice choice after a show at PlayhouseSquare.

Contact info:

Yours Truly
Go to the website and use the location feature to find one closest to you

Funshi Sushi Ramen Boba

Funshi has recently established itself here in Cleveland. This locally owned restaurant puts the “fun” in sushi. Funshi opened Funshi Sushi, Ramen and Boba in Rocky River in early 2025. It was so successful that it opened Revolving (conveyor belt) sushi locations in Avon and now Beachwood.

There were two things that we were impressed by (besides the service). The tables have built-in drawers for utensils and chopsticks, which saves servers from having to run back and forth and allows you to not have to wait at their mercy. The other fun addition is the robot that delivers your beverages and appetizers to the table.

I initially got a few friends to gather at the Rocky River Funshi. The tea menu is overwhelming in a good way.

I like that you can customize the tea to your exact specifications – light or no ice, sugar level (50% is just fine) and add-ins like boba, lychee, coffee or crystal jelly or popping strawberry boba. I prefer jelly over boba, but to each their own. I initially ordered the Grape Peach tea, which was very refreshing. My friend ordered the Strawberry Peach tea, and it had chunks of fresh strawberry in it. She liked it as well. When I finished my tea I then ordered a Mango Coconut Foam tea with light sugar (75%). It was really tasty as well.

We then ordered appetizers. I was blown away by the Crabby Pringle and Takoyaki. The Crabby Pringle is exactly as it sounds – crab salad nestled on a Pringle. The creaminess of the crab salad paired with the crisp Pringle is delightful. Takoyaki are Japanese octopus balls that are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The filling held small chunks of octopus. They are then drizzled in eel sauce and mayonaisse (most likely Japanese mayo). There are several other appetizers that sound intriguing, but don’t skip the Crabby Pringle.

I wanted a nigiri and a sushi roll on my first visit because I wanted to judge the freshness of the fish, but was also intrigued by the curry chicken. The nigiri had a generous portion of salmon draped over a sushi rice cake that held up well. You can barely see the rice because it was so large. As for my roll, the Triple immediately caught my eye, which features three generous chunks of fish (tuna, salmon and yellowtail) wrapped with a generous chunk of avocado in seawood and drizzled with spicy mayo. I loved it. I was impressed by the size of the fish compared to the rice. As you can see, there is mostly filling and less sushi rice than at most places. The curry chicken was also a nice choice. The chicken cutlet was nicely fried and it was served on a bed of rice and steamed broccoli. The soy egg was also a nice touch.

My friend ordered the Chashu Pork ramen. I think she went with Tonkatsu broth. She was leery of the black fungus, but I encouraged her to try it and she liked it. However, she was less impressed with the pickled bamboo shoots. They were not at all to her liking.

I tried to be a bit more adventurous on my second visit and didn’t have quite as good of an experience, but that was only because the rolls I ordered didn’t wow me as much as on my first visit. I ordered the Sweet Heart because I liked the optics. The spicy tuna, asparagus and “crunch” (probably tempura?) wrapped in a thin layer of rice and then fresh tuna in the shape of a heart. But it was just okay. My other choice was the Volcano. Maybe I was expecting the Volcano to be like a normal volcano roll, which seems to be the Dynamite here, but it was just kind of bland despite the spicy mayo and wasabi mayo drizzles. It just didn’t wow me. My other friend who ordered it had the same opinion.

Once I heard they were opening a revolving/conveyor belt sushi location near me in Beachwood I knew I had to give it a try. It opened on December 15th. If you’ve never experienced it, a conveyor belt travels from the kitchen loaded with small plates, then winds its way past the tables through the restaurant and back to the kitchen again. The sushi is on white or black plates, indicating raw and cooked items. The dishes leave the kitchen covered and remain that way until removed from the belt by the diner. Everything is $3.50 based on portion size. Some plates hold just one item or two or three items, depending on the ingredients. The plates arrive in groups, preceded by a sign with the name of the dish and the ingredients, which is especially helpful if you have dietary issues or want to know what is in a certain roll. There is also a tablet at each table to order items from the tea bar or kitchen and a call button if you need a server (to the left of the bow in the video below).

I introduced my niece and her boyfriend to conveyor belt sushi when they were home from college in early January, and they really enjoyed it. Unfortunately there was a mix-up, and they went to the Rocky River location while I was in Beachwood. My niece texted me and then stressed out about the mistake, but I assured her it wasn’t a problem. It was a Monday afternoon, and the staff couldn’t have been lovelier about the fact that I took up the table while I waited for them to drive the 40 minutes between locations. I ordered a honeydew milk tea with lychee jelly and pulled up my Kindle app on my phone. I pulled two orders of Crabby Pringles to ensure we had a good start about 30 seconds before they walked in (good timing on my part). They were a hit and my niece grabbed another plate off the conveyor belt later, but if I were to do it again I would order them fresh from the kitchen to ensure they are crisp and not lightly soggy. They were still tasty, but a little soggy nonetheless.

I didn’t take photos once they arrived because I wanted to concentrate on getting to know him, but they enjoyed everything. We had gyoza, various nigiri (I especially liked the scallop nigiri), some rolls, and my niece grabbed a Tamago egg omelette nigiri and the Inari. The boyfriend enjoyed the steak nigiri. There was also a brisket roll and chicken nigiri for those who don’t like fish (my youngest niece probably would have enjoyed them if she had been able to join us). They were nicely surprised by the sweet potato roll I suggested they try. My niece burned her mouth on a somewhat molten fried red bean paste pastry but liked the taste a lot. We sat there for two hours talking, and they did not rush us out. The servers came by occasionally to make sure we were okay and assured us there was no rush.

I went back by myself about a week later. Once again, I recommend the Crabby Pringles be ordered from the kitchen. They were cold and soggy and are phenomenal when the crabmeat is warm and the Pringles are crisp. I am adding a table with several choices off the conveyor belt so you can get an idea of what to expect. It is a good way to try a lot of different sushi. I really enjoyed the Yum-Yum roll, which features shrimp tempura, cream cheese, asparagus, spicy crab and ‘crunch’ topped with a mango sauce and coconut sauce. The rice fell apart under the red clam (bottom right), which leads me to believe it had been on the belt longer and had lost some moisture, and the avocado on the dragon roll had turned brown. So definitely take a close look before you grab anything off the belt. Because once you’ve taken a plate off the belt you can’t put it back. The sushi is good but not great, but conveyor belt sushi is not about gourmet sushi – it’s about the experience. The only phenomenal sushi I’ve had off a conveyor belt is at Kura, which is worth driving to Columbus for. For phenomenal sushi in Cleveland go to Issho Ni, Pacific East or Omizu. For a fun time check out Funshi.

When you are ready to settle the bill you ring the call bell, and the server will count your plates and bring you your bill. Quick and easy.

Contact info:

Funshi Sushi Ramen Boba

Funshi Sushi Ramen Boba (Rocky River)
21605 Center Ridge Road
Rocky River, OH 44116
(216) 712-4240

Funshi Revolving Sushi (Avon Commons)
35918 Detroit Rd Unit Y-3
Avon, OH 44011<br(440) 695-0330

Funshi Revolving Sushi (Beachwood – La Place)
2101 Richmond Road, Suite 871
Beachwood, OH 44122
(216) 342-4012

Fredibertos

Fredibertos is a family-owned Mexican restaurant located in Slavic Village with 3 franchises in other Ohio cities. A lot of people who appreciate authentic California-style Mexican food from little hole-in-the-wall taquerias rave about it, so I wanted to give it a try. As soon as I saw a TikTok about it I immediately knew where it was. It is just down the street from the Red Chimney at the intersection of Fleet Avenue and Broadway Avenue and used to be a hot dog place. It features a drive-thru and a walk up window with a few outdoor tables. Since it is close to home I will use the drive-thru.

The first time I went I rolled through the drive-thru. It took a little while to get my food, but the food is made to order and super fresh. I ordered a Pollo Asado street taco (served with onions and cilantro), an Arizona burrito and a horchata. The street taco was really flavorful, but I would probably add a dollop of sour cream to it. The Arizona burrito was loaded with steak, pico de gallo, potatoes & cheese. I love a good burrito, and this definitely hit the spot. I would definitely order it again. It was extremely flavorful – espcially when I squeezed the lime slice (served in a bag with two sauces and several lime slices) on it. The horchata was delicious. It had a nice cinnamon flavor and quenched my thirst. I’ve made horchata in the past, so I can appreciate a good horchata.

I’ve heard good things about the breakfast burritos. They are available all day, even though the menus say until 2 PM. I met a friend here to enjoy the last of the good weather at 1 PM on a Wednesday. I ordered the ham, egg and cheese burrito and a watermelon agua fresca (sandria) and was full for the entire day. The burrito was stuffed full of goodness. The watermelon drink was not sweet at all, and I really enjoyed it. Very refreshing. My friend, who was a Spanish interpreter, ordered the Machaca and Eggs, which is on the breakfast menu. His breakfast came with a medium drink, and he ordered the Horchata. Machaca is a shredded beef. The refried beans looked delicious. He enjoyed it a lot – and so did the honeybees. They swarmed him and left me alone.

Prices are very affordable, and the quality of food is well worth the trip. It is open every day from 6 AM to midnight.

Contact info:

Fredibertos
7309 Broadway Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44105

Cozumel

I’ve never been a huge fan of Mexican food, but I do enjoy Cozumel. The owners opened their first store in Broadview Heights back in 2001. I have gone to the one in Independence in the past, but was excited to hear that a branch would be opening near me on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. The location is the ninth location for the popular local restaurant chain. This location has a more modern vibe than the one in Independence. Some have said it seems sterile, but I like the clean, sleek vibe. And it’s nice to be able to see the menu clearly. Cozumel offers Mexican and Tex-Mex-style foods, with a wide assortment of appetizers, quesadillas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas and combination platters.

They make their tortilla chips and salsa in-house. During my most recent visit one father was explaining to his kids how he used to make the tortilla chips and how they were made. It was fun. In any event, the chips were fresh and warm, and the salsa had a nice level of heat – but not too spicy. I was tempted to order guacamole, but knew I would probably regret it once the food came out. Maybe another time.

I have visited the location twice since it has opened, but my experiences with the chain span many years. In the past I have ordered combo platters. The menu here has a ton of combinations to choose from. One of my friends ordered the El Combo, and it was huge. It is a lot of food, featuring a chalupa, chile poblano, chicken enchilada, taco and rice. It was served on one plate, but the taco was delivered a bit later on a separate plate, which is why it isn’t in the photo here.

I had a bite of one of my friend’s carnitas from the Carnitas Dinner and was blown away by the flavor and succulence of the meat. The Carnitas Dinner feature slow-cooked Mexican-style pork with grilled onions that are served with rice, beans, guacamole salad and three flour tortillas. Again, it was a lot of food. My friend was thrilled that she was going to have an excellent lunch the next day as well.

As for me, I ordered a margarita flight and the Cozumel Burrito and a single Chile Poblano Relleno from the a la carte menu. A margarita flight features three flavors and can be either frozen or on the rocks. I obviously went with on the rocks. I chose the classic lime, guava and watermelon, and enjoyed all three. Other choices are raspberry, cucumber, mango, and strawberry.

The Chile Poblano Relleno was great and isn’t breaded and deep-fried like it is in some restaurants. I was expecting the usual whole poblano pepper stuffed with white Mexican cheese, topped with melted cheese and ranchero sauce. The waiter then asked me if I wanted chicken or steak, which surprised me because I was expecting just cheese. I asked for chicken and really enjoyed it. It was stuffed full and really tasty. I could have easily eaten that and some cerviche and been perfectly happy/sated.

The Cozumel Burrito was a featured special. I’m not sure if it is available at other locations or if it is only available for a limited time, but I definitely enjoyed it. It was a huge burrito stuffed with grilled chicken, chorizo, rice, and beans and topped with queso, chorizo, grilled shrimp and pineapple. I particularly loved the use of grilled shrimp and pineapple. It was both light and heavy, and I enjoyed it a lot. And again for lunch the next day.

I went back several days later because I had heard Cozumel’s fried ice cream is good in an online discussion about Chi-Chis. Others talked about the seafood enchiladas, so I went in there thinking I would get seafood and fried ice cream. When asked, the waitress said their enchiladas featured shrimp, so I ordered it. Frankly, this dish was rather boring. It was just shrimp wrapped in tortillas and smothered with queso. I did enjoy the Mexican rice, and the salad was a fresh addition. I could have done without the sour cream though. In any case, the seafood chimichanga looks more like what I was hoping for, so I plan to order that soon.

The fried ice cream was okay, but it wasn’t anything like Chi-Chi’s. The ice cream was firm and there were four toppings to choose from. I had been hoping to order the honey, but the waitress must have misunderstood me when I asked about the fried ice cream and said I needed a few minutes. She ended up having a chocolate version delivered to my table, which surprised me because I hadn’t thought I had ordered it. But I ate and enjoyed it.

What I truly enjoyed during that visit was the Red-Eye Margarita, which is duo of their homemade sangria swirled in a frozen lime margarita. My first sip gave me brain freeze, but I thoroughly enjoyed the drink throughout my meal.

I’m looking forward to eating there again soon. It may not be “authentic” (whatever that means), but it was tasty and plentiful. They did a nice job renovating the space too! The service is friendly and fast. I’m thrilled to have them in the neighborhood. With nine locations I’m sure you have one near you as well. There are locations in Broadview Heights, Brunswick, Independence, Lakewood, Parma, Richfield, Cleveland (W. 150th) and Westlake – and of course in Cleveland Heights.

Contact info:

Cozumel Cleveland Heights
(among others – click on the link above for the other locations)
2196 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44119
(216) 331-6592

The Winking Lizard/Lizardville Beer Store & Whiskey Bar

The Winking Lizard is another local Cleveland-based chain. The original Winking Lizard Tavern officially opened its doors three decades ago, in 1983, and is located on Miles Road in Bedford Heights. It was recently rebranded to Lizardville Beer Store & Whiskey Bar, which is an offshoot of The Winking Lizard restaurants. There are three Lizardville locations – in Bedford Heights, Brunswick and Copley. The food at these locations is a bit more upscale than The Winking Lizard (think flatbreads, shrimp and crab appetizers and mini-sandwiches or dinners in addition to a few Winking Lizard favorites).

The Winking Lizard now operates 21 restaurants across Northeast and Central Ohio. I have visited numerous locations, including the one on Miles Road, and each location has consistent food and a world-class beer list. There is a bar area with lots of televisions showing games and displaying the available beers as well as dining areas that don’t have as many televisions as in the bar, so you can ignore them if you need to. The Winking Lizard used to house an actual lizard, but they have been rehomed during and after the pandemic. When you walk in you are welcome to help yourself to fresh popcorn in a popcorn machine.

Speaking of the world-class beer list, several of my friends have done the world tour of beer and earned a quality jacket for their troubles. The program is in its 38th year (in 2024). It costs $20 to sign up and you have a year to drink some beers and earn some prizes. The first Tuesday of the month is Tourist Tuesday, when the beers are $1 off. Each beer is worth 1 point. You get a t-shirt after drinking 25 beers. There are also gift certificates once you hit certain milestones. Fifty beers gets you an insulated cooler and attached beer opener, 100 beers gets you a $20 gift card (essentially refunding your sign-up fee) and a Tour Jacket, and 150 beers gets you the Jacket and an insulated vest. You can also donate your “coat” to Coats for Kids. Instead of receiving your coat, Winking Lizard will make a donation to Coats for kids in the amount of $50.00. How cool is that? I don’t drink enough to make it worth it, but I do enjoy the fact that the beer list features quite a few of my favorite European beers. New beers are added all the time, with featured beers each month.

Do you know what pairs well with beer? Wings. And The Winking Lizard is known for its wings. The wings are meaty and always great. You can choose traditional bone-in or boneless wings, and there are 19 different sauces to choose from with varying spice levels. I am a fan of the BBQ, Honey Mustard and Bourbon Barrel sauces, but there are plenty of hotter sauces if you prefer a hot wing. The traditional wings are $0.90 a wing on Mondays after 3 PM. The specials are available in orders of five and are dine in only. There are no special orders that day. Wings are only available as traditional or crispy. Boneless wings are $0.85 a wing on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Another thing that pairs well with beer is pizza, and pizza is on special on Mondays and Tuesdays after 3 pm (and also dine-in only). You can order a cheese pizza for $7 and add toppings (up to 4) for $0.60 each. The pizza is a decent pizza, with a nice doughy crust and a fair amount of cheese. I recently ordered one with sausage and spinach and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ribs are on special on Wednesdays for $13 for a half slab and $20 for a full slab. The rib dinners are served with their delicious garlic cheese bread and two sides. The ribs have a nice amount of meat on the bone and are nicely sauced. They aren’t fall-off-the-bone, but you also don’t have to work hard to tear off the meat.

One of my favorite items on the menu are the Bo-Man’s sandwiches. The Bo-Man’s Chicken Sandwiches are served on garlic bread and come with a side of steak fries. My favorite is the Bo-Man’s Honey Club. It’s a breaded chicken breast that is tossed in the honey mustard sauce and topped with mozzarella, applewood bacon, lettuce and tomato. There is also a Bo-Man’s Bacon Cheeseburger. Many of the other chicken sandwiches and burgers are served on brioche buns. There is something for everyone’s taste.

The Winking Lizard is also known for its clambake in the fall. The clambake menu is available at select locations every weekend starting in mid-September and running through October. It is available Fridays after 3pm and all day Saturday and Sunday, while supplies last. You can choose a barbecue chicken breast or order a bake that features a strip steak, a half slab of ribs, clams & clams, or twin lobster tails. The bakes all come with clam chowder, a dozen clams, corn on the cob, garlic cheese bread, and your choice of baked or sweet potato. You can also customize it using the ala carte menu. The clambakes range from $26 for the chicken to $40 for the twin lobster tails. The chowder is one of the better ones I have enjoyed, and everything is always delicious.

Contact info:

The Winking Lizard
Find the closest location at here

Austin’s Smokin’ Steakhouse

Austin’s is a small local chain, but it isn’t on every street corner like some chains. Austin’s Smokin’ Steakhouse is one of three locations in the Cleveland area (Brecksville, Mayfield Heights and Mentor) of the Austin’s Wood Fired Restaurants. The Mayfield Heights happens to be the one closest to me. Austin’s has been in business since 1994. I enjoy a good steak every once in a while, and since Brown Derby in Lyndhurst closed this is my go to. The food is always consistently good. The Austin’s restaurants make everything on the menu from scratch, grilling over hard wood, not gas, and it just gives it that special flavor.

I like to treat myself every once in a while. This place kept me going during the pandemic when I needed an indulgent meal, since I could pop down Monticello/Wilson Mills for my order. I wish they still served the twice baked potatoes as a side dish choice, but a baked potato (loaded or not) is also still a good accompaniment. I also miss the corn muffins in the bread basket. But restaurants do what they can to make a profit and stay in business I guess. The bread they serve now is still tasty.

The servers are all very accommodating. When my friend recently ordered some muddled cucumber drink “neat” and it came out all muddled, the server quickly had the bartender strain it for her, and she was super happy with the result.

If I am being indulgent I also enjoy treating myself to an appetizer before my main. I’ve had the potato skins and the stuffed mushrooms, and all the soups have been tasty (although it wasn’t my favorite New England Clam Chowder I’ve ever had, but it was a decent enough version). The stuffed mushrooms are stuffed with crab and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano and mozzarella cheese. The mushrooms themselves are small but tasty. The potato skins are the old-fashioned kind and are loaded with sharp cheddar, bacon and scallions and served with sour cream on the side. They definitely bring back the memories of loaded potato skins.

I enjoy a nice New York strip when I am feeling indulgent (are you sensing a pattern?). The steaks are hand cut in house, seasoned with a 5-spice blend, grilled over the wood fire and finished with Austin’s steak butter. I order it medium rare, and it always comes out perfectly cooked. The steaks include a choice of potato and the vegetable of the day. Available sides include their house fries, a baked potato, sweet potato fries, garlic basil broccoli, house coleslaw, smokin’ (baked) beans, mac and cheese, bacon Brussels sprouts, Parmesan potato wedges and rice.

I have also enjoyed the Prime Cowboy Steak, which they claim is their most flavorful steak. It is a hand-cut, heavily marbled 18 oz ribeye. I love the visible steak butter on top.

My friend and I went there a few weeks ago, because she loves their smoked prime rib and wanted me to try it. The smoked prime rib is available on Friday and Saturday evenings after 5 pm. It is available as a 12 or 16 oz slab of beef. The Black Angus prime rib is hickory roasted. It isn’t the smoked wonder that Walter Hyde used to serve, but it was a nice slab of prime rib. I ordered the 12 oz and a baked potato and the Brussels sprouts. I could have ordered a loaded baked potato, but I didn’t want to overload the flavor of the beef with a lot of cheese and bacon. The Brussels sprouts were nicely roasted and tender. I loved the horseradish cream sauce they served on the side. My friend ordered the 16 oz so she could take half home with her for the next day. Her trick is she orders two baked potatoes so she has one for the next day as well.

Contact info:

Austin’s Smokin’ Steakhouse
6535 Wilson Mills Road
Mayfield Village, OH 44143
(440) 442-4340

Geraci’s – Pepper Pike

Geraci’s is a casual dining, Italian restaurant that serves traditional entrees and local favorites from recipes that have been passed down through many generations. Everyone raves about the pizza, and even Guy Fieri enjoyed himself here. The flagship location is located in University Heights, but they have been recently expanding, with a location in Mayfield Heights on Wilson Mills and SOM Center Road, one on Chagrin Road between Eton and Pepper Pike (where Mallorca used to be located), and a slice shop downtown on Prospect Avenue (where Vincenza’s was). I have been to the Geraci’s on Chagrin Road several times now, as one of my friends likes celebrating her birthday there. It is more spacious than the flagship location and has a quite romantic atmosphere. It reminds me of half-timbered restaurants in Europe.

Finding the entrance to the restaurant can be a little tricky. You have to enter the office building (there are a couple steps, but there is also a handicapable ramp to the right) and then walk into the foyer. The entrance is on your left just past the elevators. Once you walk in, you are greeted by the hostess stand, and there is a nice U-shaped bar to your left. There are two dining areas as well as a private room (where we enjoyed our meal during our first visit). The second visit we were in the main area at a long table in front of the fireplace. They also have a patio in the summer. The menus appear to be identical with the University Heights location, offering appetizers, handhelds, pasta and pizza pies.

The table first ordered several appetizers and passed them around. The standout for me was the breaded artichoke hearts. They are served with a spicy 1000 Island dipping sauce. They were crispy on the outside and lovely on the inside. The dipping sauce had a nice zip to it. Several other of my fellow diners enjoyed the fried ravioli and fried mozzarella.

The Italian wedding soup was very good (one of the better versions I’ve had). There are so many versions of Italian wedding soup out there, with variations on the pasta, greens and other ingredients. This one is fairly classic with the small acini de pepe, flavorful meatballs and spinach. I liked the percentage of onions and carrot too. It was a tasty soup.

The salad was nothing to write home about, with a lettuce mix, cherry tomatoes and some shredded mozzarella. The house dressing is an oil and vinegar based Italian, but I prefer the creamy Italian more because the house dressing has to be shaken up to mix.

I fell in love with the Honey Pie on my first visit – so much so that I ordered one for the table as an appetizer on our second visit. The Honey Pie features pepperoni, sausage, hot habanero honey, mozzarella and Romano cheese. There is something about the combination of the meats and the honey that just make it stand out for me. I love a thicker crust, and it was nice and chewy and toasty on the edges. The sauce was a decent sauce. The first time I ordered it, it was well-cooked (with some black spots – see below), but it did not taste burnt at all.

I was in a mood to continue the artichoke love on my first visit, so I ordered the Chicken Piccata, which is made with tender bites of chicken breast sautéed in garlic, butter and white wine and served with artichoke hearts, capers and lemon. It was very lemony, but hit the spot.

The only misstep was on my second visit. I ordered the Chicken Florentine, because I love spinach and was in the mood for it. It is billed as being “Marinated, grilled and served atop spinach with tomato & lemon.” I was not a fan. It was dry, dry, dry. I especially disliked the spinach, which was flash-fried and crispy. I was hoping for a nice mound of soft spinach or even a creamy spinach. It was served with a side of spaghetti and a side salad.

I recently went there for lunch and ordered what is undoubtedly now one of my favorite things I have ever eaten at an Italian restaurant. First, I have to eat a little crow. For years I have stated that I do not like angel hair pasta. Well, I was wrong. The waitress passionately suggested the angel hair instead of spaghetti, so I ordered the Angel Hair Balsamico, which is angel hair, artichoke hearts, diced fresh tomato and basil in a butter and white wine sauce. I added chicken for protein. The angel hair was coated in the butter and wine sauce, giving it an amazing buttery taste that just popped. I don’t think I will order anything different there ever again. I couldn’t finish the lunch portion, so I can’t even imagine how I’ll do with the dinner portion.

Our server on the first visit was extremely attentive, even though we were isolated from the rest of the dining areas in a private room, and I’m sure he had other tables besides ours. Our beverages were refilled quickly; our food was delivered promptly and it was delicious. The server on our second visit was overwhelmed, and it manifested in the service. She needed help and messed up a couple orders. To be fair, the restaurant was busy, but it was not so busy that people who were seated after us were served and left.

I do prefer this location over the flagship location, because of the ambiance and larger dining area. It doesn’t come across as cramped, like the University Heights location. Even if the flagship location is closer to me, we gladly drive to Eton/Pepper Pike to dine here.

Contact info:

Geraci’s of Pepper Pike
29425 Chagrin Boulevard
Pepper Pike, OH 44122
(216) 831-1595

Swensons

Swensons Drive-In is an Ohio drive-in restaurant chain with locations in the Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati areas. Swensons’ signature hamburger is the Galley Boy, a double cheeseburger prepared using two sauces (a tartar-sauce-like and a BBQ sauce), and the restaurant also sells 18 different milkshakes.

Wesley T. “Pop” Swenson started selling hamburgers at Buchtel High School out of a station wagon in 1933. In 1934, he opened a restaurant on South Hawkins Avenue in Akron, near West Market Street. Swenson sold the restaurant in 1949 to Robert Phillips, who began expansion in 1952 with a second location in North Akron on East Cuyahoga Falls Avenue.

I have been eating at Swensons since I was in grad school at Kent in the mid-1990s. My father introduced me to the Stow location, but I also enjoyed the Swensons near Howe Avenue. You pull into a parking spot and turn your headlights on for service. You turn your lights on again if you need anything or are ready to pay. I was so impressed with the guys in shorts running as fast as they can back and forth between the restaurant and the cars in the parking lot.

People either love or hate Swensons. The burgers have a little sweetness to them. No one knows the secret recipe. It seems to be something of an Akron urban legend that Swensons mixes a little brown sugar into the ground beef. I can’t say if it is true or not, but whatever they do it yields a patty that is extra tasty and delicious. But no, they are not dumping sugar on top of the hamburger, and it is definitely not sweet. And you can’t hate the prices. A Galley Boy is between $3-4, asloppy joe is $2.65, the sides are all around $2, and a classic milkshake costs $2.70 for a medium and $3.10 for a large and the special milkshakes are $0.10 more.

My father is a HUGE milkshake fan. He’s easy to buy for on holidays, because I can get him a Swensons gift certificate or a Swensons glass to make a milkshake at home. It was an exciting day when Swensons opened in Cleveland, first in the Seven Hills area and then near me in University Heights. I was at University Heights on Day One despite the terrible weather (see first picture). I got the last available spot in the parking lot. Here’s an amusing story: I ordered a milkshake and was driving home and tried to drink it. Oddly enough, nothing came out but a couple ice pebbles. I drove back and complained that I didn’t get the right drink. I tried my best to explain it to the server. It turns out someone had filled the cup up halfway with ice and then poured the milkshake on top of the ice.

Galley Boy with lettuce, tomato and onion added.

Swensons features one milkshake a month or so. It used to drive me crazy because I never knew what the milkshake flavor was without having to drive by. I reached out to them through the Internet, and they actually took my suggestion and are posting the milkshake flavor on the website and on their social media channels. You’re welcome. You can order the flavor as a standalone or mix it with one of their standard milkshakes. Think strawberry and chocolate or nutella and banana.

I have tried most of the things on the menu. My go-to order is usually the Galley Boy. I switch things up and usually “with everything” (mustard, dill pickles and onions) and add lettuce and tomato. I feel like I am making it a little healthier that way. It comes out dressed with a Spanish olive on a toothpick.

Beef veg, large California and a crispy chicken sandwich

Another favorite is the beef vegetable soup. It was probably launched to use up older beef, but now it has chunks of beef instead of ground beef and features eight different veggies. It is a definite order when it turns colder. I also really like that there are no lima beans.

Another must for me is the California. Swensons has three specialty sodas that mix a fruit flavored soda with ginger ale. The Florida uses orange juice, the Ohio uses cherry soda, and the California features grape soda. The California also has a slice of lemon floating on top. I always order “the largest California possible.” I wish they wouldn’t use styrofoam cups. If they would sell reusable cups I would love that.

The sides are all quite tasty, and everyone has a favorite. When fried well, the fries are crisp yet creamy, the onion rings are shatteringly crisp. The potato teezers are the hands-down favorite (potato with cheese and jalapeno). I like the fried mushrooms and fried zucchini sticks. Be sure to order a side of Ranch to dip them. The potato puffs are basically tater tots.

The photo to the right with the pickle is a grilled cheese and tomato soup, which is a special they offer in the winter months. The grilled cheese is basic but you can add tomato and bacon and anything else you’d like, and the tomato soup is warm and creamy.

The sloppy joe (below on the left) is pretty decent. It’s not the most spectacular sloppy joe, but it will curb the craving. If you like fried bologna (below on the right) they can satisfy that urge too.

I very rarely order the shrimp or chicken dinners. The dinners come with a toasted roll, fries and coleslaw or applesauce. The toasted roll could be improved, because all it is is a toasted hamburger bun. This is similar to the “in a basket” back in the day before COVID. Any sandwich was available “in a basket” and get fries and coleslaw or applesauce. I miss that.

This is a controversial choice, but I also enjoy the the egg salad sandwich. I’ve also been known to just order an egg salad sandwich when I want something light and not fried/grilled. Swensons serves a decent egg salad sandwich. If you don’t want the bread toasted be sure to say so. It comes toasted unless you specify otherwise.

Contact info:

Swensons Drive-in
(click on link for locations)

Dave’s Cosmic Subs

Established in 1997, Cosmic Dave’s™ has become a legend here in Northeast Ohio. A legend that is spreading at “Cosmic” speed across the state and beyond. What started out as a humble sub shop in Chagrin Falls is now revolutionizing the sub world with a franchise with stores currently in four states and looking to expand into more.

Cosmic Dave’s™ is known for its crispy bread and tasty and generous toppings – and Dave’s Cosmic Sub Sauce™ (I have a bottle of it in my fridge right now). Dave’s Cosmic Sub Sauce™ is kind of like a creamy Italian, but better. The Original Dave’s Cosmic Sauce ^TM is all-natural, vegan, and sold in all of the Dave’s Cosmic Sub shops as well as select local stores. After leaving the family business in Cleveland (Seaway Wholesale Cash n Carry on Woodland Avenue) and moving to California for ten years, where he gigged as an actor, musician with his own band (they opened for Huey Lewis and the News and Steppenwolf), and playwright, he moved back to Cleveland and decided to mix the memory of sharing great sandwiches late at night with his dad and the music of the decade that shaped him. Dave knew what to look for in the right kind of bread, sauces, and combinations of the highest quality ingredients to create the “ultimate sub that rocked.”

Their first and most popular sub is #1 – The Original Dave’s Cosmic Sub™ (also referred to as the OG), which is made with pepperoni, Genoa salami, prosciutto, lettuce, tomatoes, sliced banana peppers, onions, fresh garlic, herbs, Provolone cheese – smothered with Dave’s Cosmic Sauce™.

The Crazy Dave – photo from the Dave’s Cosmic Subs website (bottle of Dave’s Cosmic Sauce in the background)

#8 – The Crazy Dave™ (prosciutto, capicola, hot peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, fresh garlic, Provolone cheese, sprinkled with crushed red peppers, herbs, and Dave’s Cosmic Sauce) was voted best sandwich in Cleveland. I’m not a fan of hot peppers or red pepper flakes, so I’ve never tried it. I probably should some day.

I like Dave’s subs because they are tasty. All of their subs are served on vegan, kosher Italian or whole wheat bread baked fresh in their ovens throughout the day. Gluten-free bread is now available.

The Incredible Dave before I picked off the banana peppers

My favorites are the #9 – The Incredible Dave™ or # 5 – Dave’s All American™. The Incredible Dave is made with “two generous layers of juicy chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sliced banana peppers, lots of Swiss and Cheddar cheeses, herbs, smothered with Dave’s Cosmic Sauce.” I always leave off the banana peppers. The combination of the chicken, cheese and herbs with the sauce just satisfies something in me deep down inside. As for the Dave’s All American, it is his roast beef sandwich with “delicious tender roast beef, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, American and Swiss cheeses, herbs, and Dave’s 1000 Island Dressing.” It’s like a Reuben but with roast beef and cold. I prefer my roast beef cold, so I love this. Roast beef changes flavor and texture when you heat it.

Slap some cole slaw on the All American and heat it up, and you have the #19 – Hey Dave™. The Hey Dave features “delicious tender roast beef, Dave’s Famous Horseradish Sauce, Swiss cheese, with Dave’s homemade cole slaw piled a mile high, topped with sliced banana peppers and herbs.” It is only available as a Regular Size sub.

#2 – Dave’s World Famous™ combines chicken and roast beef and features their horseradish. I love horseradish, and it is a good accompaniment to roast beef as well as chicken and roast beef. The World Famous is made with “delicious tender roast beef, succulent chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, sliced banana peppers, Swiss cheese, herbs, and a generous portion of Dave’s Famous Horseradish Sauce.

Two other favorites of mine are #25 – Dave’s Famous Bleu™ (turkey, Dave’s Cosmic Sauce, mayo, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, Cheddar cheese, hot peppers, topped with Dave’s Bleu Cheese Dressing) and #27 – The Grateful Dave™ (turkey, tomatoes, red onions, mayo, Dave’s Cosmic Sauce, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, and hot pepper juice). I’m a sucker for avocado and alfalfa sprouts. Not enough sandwich shops serve them.

#29 – Dave’s Peace Steak™ is another hot sub that I enjoy, which is surprising because I prefer cold subs. It is made with premium steak, mayo, green peppers, tomatoes, crisp onions, mushrooms, Dave’s Cosmic Sauce, and topped with Provolone cheese.

#20 – Dave’s Cordon Bleu™ (juicy chicken, ham, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, Dave’s Bleu Cheese Dressing, Dave’s Cosmic Sauce and a slice of Swiss cheese and herbs) is one unique sandwich. Obviously you have to like bleu cheese to appreciate it.

I would be remiss to leave out Dave’s meatball sub (#17). Called “Dave’s Best Meatball Ever™ (And We’re Not Kidding!),” it features three large meatballs, Dave’s Cosmic Sauce, fresh garlic, tasty tomato sauce, topped with Provolone and Romano cheese, sprinkled with herbs and crushed red peppers and is served Hot. I went through a phase where I tried meatball subs everywhere, and this was my favorite next to Crust’s meatball sub. And #18 – Dave’s Famous Italian Sausage™ sandwich is also awesome. It’s topped with pretty much the same things and is a little easier to get your mouth around than the meatballs.

I live within walking distance of the Dave’s on Coventry, so I treat myself occasionally. I’ve also been to the original shop in Chagrin Falls as well as in Hudson and University Heights. I haven’t made it to the Dave’s in the old Barking Spider location on Juniper yet, but I want to check it out. I usually grab a soda and a bag of chips when I am there. I loved that they served Arizona Mandarin Orange Green Tea. It was the only place I could find it, but now they don’t sell it anymore. The chips they serve now are made locally and cooked in peanut oil. The flavors include Maui Onion Chips, Sea Salt and Vinegar, Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt, Funk Fusion, Mesquite BBQ, Sea Salted, Sour Cream and Onion, Jalapeño, and Sriracha Honey. The Maui Onion is fantastic. If you’ve had the Hawaii Five-Oh at Gourmand’s that is the chip they use to top it.

Contact info:

Dave’s Cosmic Subs

Click to find a location near you

Mr. Chicken

Mr. Chicken is a local fried chicken chain and family-owned business with eight locations that has been operating in Cleveland since 1968. It was started by the Simens family in Euclid in 1968. I was first introduced to Mr. Chicken by my dad, who loves treating himself by eating there every once in a while. I would stop at the Mr. Chicken in Parma (Pearl and Ridge), Northfield (on Northfield Road) or Twinsburg (just south of the Square on 91/SOM Center Road) when the mood struck me, but the chain recently opened its eighth location in South Euclid (on Green just north of Mayfield), and I have become a regular.

The Kids Meal features a chicken tender, mac n cheese, a cookie. and a small fountain drink (not a Capri Sun in the photo on the ordering board)

The original owners’ son is now heading the Mr. Chicken chain. He explained their business focus to cleveland.com by saying, “We are about family meals and dinners. The majority of our business is serving families. Our average customer is 35 and up who are buying for two or more people. We aren’t interested in high traffic, small transactions or a late-night crowd. We’re a family business.” When it opened, the South Euclid location opened without indoor seating. Orders are taken via a double drive-thru or by ordering in the lobby. Mr. Simens explained, “We feel that, after COVID, drive-thru will be the predominant way most people do transactions with us,” he said, noting that many customers prefer to eat with their families at home rather than in the restaurant.”

I usually order the three-piece, all-white-meat chicken dinner (there’s an upcharge but I’m willing to pay it). I’ve tried and I just prefer white meat, especially when it is fried. They serve this crazy side piece that is almost boneless that I really enjoy (see photo to the left). They claim to use farm fresh chickens and to make everything in-house. I definitely prefer it over KFC. It may not be V’s or gas station chicken (Krunchy Krunchy), but I really enjoy a good piece of fried chicken and this definitely meets my expectations.

I ordered the Chicken Bowl once, which is their version of the KFC Bowl, but I have to say I prefer the KFC Bowl. First of all, the Chicken Bowl is massive – almost too much. They start with a huge portion of mashed potatoes and top it with three chicken tenders, corn, gravy and cheese. I love a good chicken tender, but the bowl format lends itself to popcorn chicken, which KFC offers and Mr. Chicken does not. It’s awkward to eat, and there was something about the taste that I just didn’t love.

The Farm Fresh Chicken Sandwich is a great chicken sandwich. It uses a thick chicken breast that is lightly breaded and fried. Instead of mayo, it uses a delicious honey mustard sauce that is drizzled over a generous helping of lettuce and tomato. If you’d prefer you can also get the chicken sandwich with bacon and barbecue sauce. You can order the sandwich alone or as a meal with french fries and a medium drink. Unfortunately, they don’t serve jojos in South Euclid.

The BBQ Bacon Chicken Sandwich features a thick chicken breast, romaine lettuce, crispy onions, cheddar cheese, 2 pieces of bacon, and hickory smoke BBQ sauce on a brioche bun. I found it to be incredibly salty. I’m not even sure what was causing the salt overload, but it could have been the BBQ sauce, bacon or cheese. I loved the crispy onions on it. It gave it a nice crunch.

As for the various sides, I can highly recommend the Corn Nuggets (listed under Southern Favorites, they are worth the higher price). They take corn and add it into a batter of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, eggs and melted butter, then scoop them out into little balls and deep fry them.

The corn and green beans are good sides, and the mac n cheese is a basic mac n cheese that is bland enough for kids to enjoy. The cole slaw is chopped and prepared daily and has a nice moistness to it. I usually get the mashed potatoes and gravy and cole slaw with my chicken dinner. The biscuits have a hint of butter to them but are lacking a hint of honey like Popeyes has. But they are good slathered with butter and jelly or honey at home.

Last but not least, I would be remiss not to mention one of my favorite things on their menu – the Funnel Fries. They’re a delicious funnel cake that is shaped like fries and liberally doused in powdered sugar. The fries are best served fresh and warm. I usually eat them in the car while driving home, because the scent is irresistible. Who says you can’t start with dessert first? They also sell chocolate chip cookies (see Kids Meal photo above) and an Apple Churro.

Mr. Chicken’s typical store hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. weekdays (hours below taken from Mr. Chicken’s Locations page on 2/21/2022).

Contact info:

Mr. Chicken

South Euclid – Mr. Chicken
1415 Green Road
South Euclid, Ohio, 44121
(216) 848-0001
10:30 AM – 10:00 PM, Mon thru Sun

Maple Heights – Mr. Chicken
5515 Warrensville Center Road
Maple Heights, Ohio, 44137
(216) 662-2100
10:30 AM – 11:00 PM, Mon thru Sun

Northfield Village – Mr. Chicken
10710 Northfield Road
Northfield, Ohio 44067
(330) 468-2250
10:30 AM – 10:00 PM, Mon thru Sun

Parma Pearl – Mr. Chicken
5451 Pearl Road
Parma, Ohio 44129
(440) 886-2880
10:30 AM – 10:00 PM, Mon thru Sun

Twinsburg – Mr. Chicken
9010 Darrow Road
Twinsburg, Ohio 44087
(330) 425-4455
10:30 AM – 09:00 PM, Mon thru Sun

Willoughby – Mr. Chicken
35901 Euclid Avenue
Willoughby, Ohio 44094
(440) 951-1020
10:30 AM – 09:00 PM, Mon thru Sun