Eight (!) years ago my friend recommended her favorite place - The Fairmount. She emphasized that…read morethe ambiance and cocktails are something to experience. Eight years worth of Fairmount moments later, this review is well overdue. AMBIANCE: The ambiance allows you to slow down and enjoy your company. The restaurant is dim lit, has fireplaces, and loungey atmosphere. It somehow feels warm and I heard a lot of people refer to it as a second home (people are always so friendly here!). There is ample space - three bars, main dining space, and huge outdoor oasis bar. Nestled in Cedar Fairmount neighborhood, you'll also be able to enjoy historic neighborhood. There are seating arrangements if you're craving company or want to enjoy your date. Seating options include couches by the fireplace, tables, and high tops. Fairmount is delightful during every season. During the summer you can enjoy the bar and patio. In the winter you can dine at the igloos. I prefer all seasons here. FOOD/DRINKS: The menu at Fairmount is impressive and has exciting seasonal/weekly additions. You'll never get bored. The cocktails here are refined, very boozy, and very well crafted. The food is seriously delicious, and consistent every single time. I've been impressed with every dish. The dishes and drinks frequently follow the seasons. During my latest visit I enjoyed Butter Pecan Warm Cider with bourbon ($12, so bold and boozy, tastes like fall). I also ordered Fig Trouble Little China ($15, a more rich version of Old Fashioned, so delicious). I also tasted Short Rib & Risotto for the very first time ($28, such a delicious dish, every bite was just amazing). My favorites? Ah, so hard! I'll go with the Fairmount Burger! It's angus beef burger with bacon-fig chutney. It's so delicious! I can't even be serious about meat at the other burger places, this is easily the best burger in the city. My seasonal favorite? Kevin McCallister seasonal drink that resembles coquito or eggnog. The drink is topped with rice paper that includes the design of Kevin from Home Alone. It's such a fun tradition! I look forward to this drink all year and always tell the world about it! SERVICE: The service is excellent. I haven't been anywhere where service is right on point every single time. Everyone is nice - the owner, hosts, and waitstaff. You truly feel seen and like the most important guest. I've visited previously while on dates and frequently dine here solo, always had the most pleasant service. EVENTS: Many people book events here for their non-profits or companies. As far as individual events, Fairmount hosts a fun NYE party every year! PARKING: Onsite parking lot is available at the back of the building. You can enter through the front doors on Cedar or right through the parking lot door. There are numerous reasons why I love the Fairmount. I consider it to be the best dining experience in the Cedar Fairmount neighborhood of Cleveland Heights. I also love how the owner Jake is very engaged in the community and is incredibly friendly with the surrounding business owners. I'll choose this place again and again for calming ambiance, crafted cocktails, and delicious food. To many more years of Fairmount and at Fairmount!

Great food and service! The burger was juicy. The sticky rice bowl with tuna was fantastic!read more

This was my first time at CLE Urban Winery, although I've know about this destination for a long…read moretime. YELP Elites held an event there tonight, and the vibes were rockin'! The venue is decorated in Cleveland art. There are couches, chairs, a long bar and tables of varying sizes for cozy get togethers. We started with a mini charcuterie. We then learned that 50 types of wine are made on the premises! We were treated to a wine flight of 4 varieties. I chose the Buckeye Blackberry Merlot. The Elite event included a DIY terrarium bar, hosted by Peace Lily Boutique Plant Shop. I finally have a new plant in my house after the long winter. It was great meeting YELP Elites. Thanks for hosting the event!

Loved this gem in the middle of the city. Great place to chill and sip some wine and chat with the…read moreowner.

What a surprise, right here in Cleveland Heights, the place I grew up. I've been parking in the…read moreback lot for years and never ventured inside. Now, I know what I was missing and will be back for more visits. My daughter and I enjoyed a charcuterie board and each had a glass of wine: Vermentino for me, orange wine for my daughter. As we sat at the table, we watched a constant stream of shoppers selecting wines from the extensive collection from Australia, New Zealand, Spain, France and more. The place is spacious and inviting.

Wine Spot is a versatile space in Cedar Lee neighborhood in Cleveland Heights. The spot allows you…read moreto shop for wine, gifts, or linger with a lovely glass of wine. It's like a wine shop meets date spot. I've been here multiple times over the years for dates, solo evenings, and Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Beer Crawl. Wine Spot was a nice backdrop for all these days. INVENTORY: You'll find an entire long wall of various wines organized by the type of wine. You'll find Dom Perignon and wines under $35 coexisting in the same space. You'll also find beers, THC drinks, sake, and a lot more. You'll also find so much beyond wine - sardines, chocolate, and gift baskets. It's an ideal location to shop for gifts and build a basket. I don't have any particular recommendations. I usually ask staff for recommendations and gravitate toward white wines. Except during CLE Beer week I tried two different beers here - Executive Decision by the Butcher and the Brewer, Yakima Chief Forward from Fat Heads Brewery. AMBIANCE: Market vibes with tables and bar available for guests. The ambiance is nice, casual, quiet enough for a date. There is a lot of space for groups including a private room. SERVICE: Service is pretty friendly but tends to be slower. What I love about here is that they can chill wine bottles upon purchase. You can immediately go home with a chilled bottle of wine and get into your evening. Aside from this reason, there are plenty to do at the winery - events, monthly wine club, and more. Long story short, visit!

Yes, I was partial to the spotted owl but this location can be made great so easily…read more The dark moody interior can be petite but we had great seating options, it felt early at about 8pm on a Saturday. Great wine, the Italian reds were out of this world. I sampled the spotted owl homage cocktail; tequila espresso martini on draft. Personally did not care for it at all but I recognize I'm a minority in not mixing tequila and espresso. Also we dried the blue cheese cheesecake with the winter fruit compote. AMAZING!!! One must love blue cheese to enjoy this of course. One of the most unique things I've eaten in years, maybe forever. Great for date night, very sexy vibes and the seating feels partially secluded so the privacy is enjoyable

I've always loved La Cave du Vin when it was on Coventry and while different, this new location…read moredoes not disappoint. Formerly The Spotted Owl, La Cave is a cool cellar lounge with a long list of wine and specialty beers. Their staff is super knowledgeable and helpful when making a selection. The vibe is very dark and sultry. This is the perfect place to pop in for an after dinner drink in the area.

We used Gigi's for our wedding venue, with 25 guests in the Blue Room. The room is eclectic and…read morelovely and accommodated space for the ceremony, for dining tables and for dancing. The food was phenomenal. Kate O'Rourke was so wonderful to work with. We chose appetizers for a cocktail hour, then a salad course and 3 different entrees that were served family style, followed by desserts. Our guests were greeted with champagne to sip while waiting for the ceremony to start; and we also chose 4 different wines and beer for the evening. The serving staff were outstanding! They were professional and attentive. Lastly, Kate O'Rourke was a joy to work with from start to finish, both in planning our wedding with her and for the actual day itself. Our guests are still raving about how awesome the evening was.

Gigi's has been on my bucket list for years. I finally made a reservation for my birthday and…read moreenjoyed every bit of it. Atmosphere inside Gigi's may be one of the best parts about it. We were fortunate enough to sit by the front window and had a clear view of the restaurant and the street. The staff was very friendly and very helpful and they did a great job. We started off with their famous bruschetta and we're not disappointed. So many choices and so hard to pick, but we loved every bit of it. For entrees, we had the signature lasagna that was fantastic and a special from what I remember was short rib and couscous. Everything was very delicious. The only downside coming to this wonderful restaurant is parking. I had to park two streets over and walking on icy and snowy sidewalks was not pleasant.

We tried Etna for the first time last night on Valentine's Day and it was absolutely amazing…read more Cleveland's Little Italy has a lot of really great places and ETNA was incredible. We started with a buffalo mozzarella, olive and thick sliced prosciutto appetizer. Absolutely amazing. I had a squid ink pasta special with shrimp and scampi and my wife had their veal. Both were absolutely fantastic. For desert the tiramisu is beyond description. Light, fluffy, incredibly flavorful. This place is LEGIT. Our server was originally from Italy and took great care of us. She was amazing. We visited Italy years ago and this place really brought us back to those amazing memories. We will absolutely be back. Make sure to get a reservation because the dining room is rather small but very nice and cozy.

Delicious food, good service and a busy NY style atmosphere. I wish that the space was a bit larger…read morebut not so big that it ruins the atmosphere.

Great restaurant in the heart of little Italy. Great atmosphere, I do expect Italian music, but the…read moresame Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin songs gets old. Yeah, come at me for that one. Great Chicken Marsala special (salad, soup, CM, Pasta, and a cannoli-$27) and Spaghetti with meat sauce/meatballs/Sausage. Salads were top notch. Delicious. Chianti and Montepulciano. Excellent night. Go and enjoy.

What an awesome find in Little Italy on a snowy, cold Cleveland night!…read more I had called ahead after doing some research via Yelp recommended eateries in this area that met my needs. I walked in to a perfect greeting and a private dining experience in an upscale setting with a professional team waiting on me! I had attended a concert at nearby Severance Hall and needed a late dinner that could accommodate a 915pm reservation which was met over the phone and in person with genuine and upscale hospitality. The dinner choice was easy - I asked for a recommendation and learned the special for the evening was veal - which is one of my favorites. I said yes and they immediately brought bread - warm with butter - a great crust on the outside and very tender/flaky on the inside. This was paired with a house salad and house dressing (Italian, of course). The salad had slices of radish and also strawberry with the greens. This meal also started by a Pasta Fagioli Soup that was excellent - just the right temp and brought was surprising speed along side the salad - surprising because it was efficient but not rushed and the temps of all were to perfection - as if they had been waiting on just little old me all night long - even though I know they had not been waiting on just me. It is obvious that they take their role seriously. They presented and provided a high quality, first rate, enjoyable and yet comfortable meal a priority. They deliver this with particular and notable expertise! Just look at that veal and the side pasta dish for the main course! Dinner was finished with a dessert of Tiramisu. This was the best Tiramisu I have ever enjoyed! I washed it down with a single shot espresso! The meal was Outstanding in every way! Bravo to the chef and the entire team! Marvelous! When I received my bill - I thought it was wrong! I even commented on it and asked to be sure. This entire meal was served fresh with detailed and excellent preparation and the best ingredients - served to perfection and the total cost was $39.12 with tax! I feel like I am robbing these people and I can tell you I left a solid tip! Amazing and awesome! I will return. Thanks to my new friend at Nido Italia in the Little Italy District on Historic Mayfield Street in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio!

Happy New Year 2026 I pray all is well…read moreI ventured out to The Taste restaurant in Cleveland heights Ohio. I had not been there in a very long time maybe a couple of years I wanted to take my daughter for her birthday somewhere different As I remembered the Taste restaurant was still top of the line for a great cuisine the food was still amazing as I remembered two years ago Unfortunately , restaurants sometimes turn over for waiters or waitresses is frequent Unfortunately none of the great people that were there some years ago were there. But there was a very beautiful young lady who was the hostess quite gorgeous and a beautiful personality. Unfortunately the gentleman who was our waiter Did not have the personality for the job at hand He was very bland no conversation nothing to help or add to your experience to the restaurant I had raved to my daughter how fantastic this place was but I also told her it was 2 years ago. To me the wonderful waiters and waitress who attend I think it's important that they have a beautiful personality and outgoing with people because that's what they're going to be doing is working with all sorts of people and when you don't have that asset it makes it difficult in that field So unfortunately we did not stay long of course the meal the food was amazing as always but we were not made to feel warm or welcome at all from our waiter He just did the bare minimum come take our order come bring our food and very seldom did he come check to see if we were in need of anything else Maybe he was having a bad day but in life when you work certain jobs you need to know how to turn that off and turn on what you need to work or stay at home until your day is better. So I'm praying that if I ever go back there again I'll see some of the bubbly waiters and waitress who make your dining experience amazing. But as far as Taste the restaurant is still amazing the cuisine is fantastic the atmosphere was wonderful there was live music of a pianist who was amazing so that's still there. Peace n Blessings

I did everything right. I used the reservation system as instructed. I specified my preferences…read moreclearly: dining room, no bar, no high tops. I followed the rules -- their rules -- to the letter. I showed up on time. The hostess greeted me with an offer of the bar or a high top. I reminded her of my reservation and its stated requirements. What followed was not an apology, not a solution, not even an acknowledgment that a commitment had been made and broken. What followed was the punishment table -- the one tucked by the front door, the one that gets a gust of cold air every time it opens, the one they keep in reserve for walk-ins who couldn't be bothered to plan ahead. That table was my reward for planning ahead. The food is good. The service staff is attentive and professional. They are not the problem. The problem lives at the front of the house, where someone decided that a confirmed reservation with documented preferences was merely a suggestion -- and that a guest who politely insisted otherwise deserved to be seated accordingly. This is not a mistake. A mistake is forgetting to note a preference. What happened here was a choice -- to ignore the request, and then to seat me in a manner that made the power dynamic unmistakably clear. I was being told, without a word being spoken, that my preferences were an inconvenience. I won't be back. Not because of the food. Not because of the servers who do their jobs with grace. But because a restaurant that treats a reservation as an obligation only when it's convenient has made its values plain. My patronage apparently required more courtesy than they were prepared to extend. The food deserves better management. Lee Road deserves better options. You've been warned.

I've loved Flight since I moved to Cleveland and the service, ambience, and wine selection have…read moreimpressed me and any guest I've brought with me. The inside has curated, individual themes for four - five table settings while there is a wine store and larger, traditional dining section for parties of 4+. The outside patio has mint colored furniture with a black and white geometric patterned floor. This place is great if you want to nerd out and truly learn about wine, regions, etc or simply enjoy a reasonably priced glass of wine with friends.

Love Flight wine bar! I've been a couple times and their wine selection is great. The staff is very…read morefriendly and always willing to make recommendations or answer questions. They also offer beer and cocktails if you're not a wine person. Plus there's a little shop inside to purchase bottles to take home or open there.

Barnone is a wonderful wine bar out in Shaker Heights. Although I live on the west side, it's worth…read morethe drive. They have good food, a great wine selection to buy whole bottles, and extremely reasonable pricing by the glass to drink while there. The owner is friendly and attentive, making for a great experience. I am looking forward to coming back for a fun evening relaxing on the patio with friends.

I'm giving it five stars because of the service and ambiance. We got the cheeseboard and some…read moreglasses of wine. Happy hour pricing is an incredibly reasonable. The owner is incredibly friendly and will talk to his customers all night. The place was completely empty, other than my friend and I and we got to talk to each other for hours. They also also have a room with a wide array of wine selections that you can browse after your meal They also have plenty of parking behind the shop which I really appreciate especially in this area.