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Having seen a review on the restaurant, we stopped by after a morning appointment. Coffee was good, hot and kept coming. There was so much food we couldn't eat it all. The service was great and the food was good. Atmosphere was quaint. Old style breakfast gem.
Saw a unicorn of a diner today. Mom got a procedure done at CCF. She was hungry so we went straight to Maingate. Ordered the cheesesteak with fries ahead of time. Around $13. Don't follow the GPS to this place. Go down woodland, turn towards truck depot/factories on E 40th. They have a small sign directing you from the sidewalk. Hidden gem is a fitting description of this place. You have to go down steps into what looks like an abyss but the smell of good food reveals the oasis. Melting pot of people here. All friendly faces. Owner and wife working hard behind the counter. Cheesesteak was very flavorful, seasoned right with onions, peppers, mushrooms and melted white cheese. Bread roll was also very fresh and good. Seasoned fries crispy tasty. Everyone needs to get here before CLE loses a legend. If you live here, you can't say you're from here until you eat at the Maingate.
I walked into Maingate Restaurant this morning and ordered the pancake breakfast special. Nawal was the cook, and Emile was my server. I sat at the booth for a minute and asked for a menu. Emile pointed without saying a word as she wrote the specials on the board. No greeting, just a point. Being in the industry myself, I didn't like that. She had a frown on her face, and honestly, the energy was off. I placed my order but stood up--I didn't want to sit after being pointed at like that. Nawal noticed and kindly asked me to sit down. He was so nice, and we started talking. While we chatted, I asked Emile for water. She said, "Excuse me?" I repeated, "Ice water." She brought it over and spilled some, then handed it to me anyway. I thought, "Damn, they just opened--who made her mad already?" But here's the thing: I said to myself, "I don't care how mad she is, I'm about to make her talk because this is what I do." So we got to talking, and she actually opened up and told me what was wrong. And you know what? She ended up being a sweetheart. As we talked, she smiled more and more. The whole vibe shifted. The food? Absolutely great. Here's what I learned from being in the industry: Never bring your problems with you. Smile even if it hurts, because you want people to return and feel welcomed. But I also learned something else today--you never know what someone is going through. Be patient. Talk if you can. Listen. I could have easily walked out and never come back. But I'm not that type of person. I try to figure things out so the outcome can be better. I'd rather heal you than hurt you. Great couple. Great food. Great experience once we connected. 5 stars. I will definitely be returning. Go check them out, and remember--kindness goes both ways. I pray you feel better, Emile.
Quesadilla and onion rings were slamming! Walked in places clean always greeted. Service was great. Felt like home as usual. Definitely gotta swing by and try this one.
Hey Y'all! Your Hangry Breakfast Eater is back! Lol I had heard about Main Gate from someone on the Internet and I finally got around to remembering and then finding through Yelp. Although it was only a few minutes from my home, it felt like I was going over the river and through the woods. That's because the handy dandy GPS loves to take you on the scenic route. It's located off the beaten path with a little sign, that you may miss if you aren't paying attention and you go down the stairs. Now it's a great thing the Main Gate closes at 2pm because I would not be caught going there at night! Not that it's not safe, but it looks like Jason might have been waiting for me around the corner. Anywho, you will be taking a step back into 19 before you were born. When you walk in there are 14 stools, 3 tables and about 5 booths. Everyone can see everybody. They have the whiteboard with the specials and menus in every table. Some are laminated and some aren't, but there isn't a damn QR code I'll tell you that! Long live paper menus!!! The decor is your damn kitchen with a sign that says to bless it, along with accomplishments from various Cleveland news sources and family pictures. There is only one person cooking. Every day. Seven days a week and if he isn't there....something's wrong. Him and Noella. I didn't ask a lot of questions even though I had a moment to before every type of person in DaLand came through! And the truckers. I was trying to bat my eyes, but Chile they were focused on food and I don't blame them. I ordered the corned beef hash with two eggs over medium and rye toast for $15.99. I could only eat half of it. I'm so thankful for my air fryer As a side note all the single men come in here!!!! Other than the truckers! Noella and Mr. Maingate have been a staple in this area for 30 years. They knew a lot of folks that came in. One Brother was showing pictures of his new born. Another Guy told him, he'd bring them some fish. Listen, they aren't making food any differently than most diners in the city. But what this hidden gem is doing, is creating memories with their community and making each person feel as if their table is all theirs. I'll bring someone back, just so they can share the experience.
Emile and Nawal serve a "Fresh Real Deal Breakfast" in this throwback basement establishment located under an old Cleveland Food Terminal... Thank you Yelp for the #1 Rating! You helped this "Out of towner" find this Gem! Warning: GPS may take you to an empty lot at 37th and Orange Ave. Keep driving into the Food Terminal and you'll find Greatness at the end of the dock.
CLEVELAND HIDDEN GEM... LITERALLY!!! ;) We wanted an early Cleveland, OH breakfast and since Main Gate (5* rating on yelp!) opened at 5:30am, my yelpiness wanted to go there. Now, EVEN USING YELP directions to get to Main Gate, it got us kinda close, but it definitely DID NOT throw us a baseball strike in any way! We still had to explore the area and hope it wasn't closed, because the "yelp spot" we arrived at, 3900 Orange Avenue, gave off that "abandoned" vibe lol. This gets me in SEEK mode, form of... Bloodhound! I GOTTA find it now! Luckily we found signs of life! Sooo... pro-tip: Stay on Woodland after exiting the freeway. Make a right on E. 40th St. & drive until you see the big green initials of the Northern Ohio Food Terminal on the right side. Finally, look for the restaurant signs, and THEN you know you arrived! (we came on a Saturday morning). Don't be afraid lol the signs are not lying! Walk down the stairs, through 2 sets of doors and... VIOLÀ! We've found it! As we enter, Ms Noelle warmly welcomes us in and Emilio is at grill, working his magic. Menu is simple but there are also specials for the day written on a whiteboard. Ms Noelle kindly helps us navigate the menu. Coffee? Yes. Ice Tea? No. Gotta go to their drink fridge if you want anything more fancy. Their ice water though... is legit! (I'm a water snob). Ok, enough details, LET'S EAT! CORNED BEEF HASH SPECIAL: I am sucker for Corned Beef Hash! It's one of my childhood core memories so, of course I'm getting that for my first visit here! It's a homemade version here and Emilio prepares it PERFECTLY! There's a slight crispness to it, so you know there was a some care put into it. It's a big serving of meat with just a touch of onions and potatoes. Mmmmmmm! So GOOD! My eggs were over medium just the way I asked, and had the right "runnyness" to spill a lil bit onto my hash for a lil more flavor. Toast (only white, wheat, rye, or raisin option today) complimented the meal nicely. Mr. Emilio... you make THEE BEST corned beef hash!!! Props to you Sir! Absolutely made my day! SALMON CROQUETTE & EGGS & VEGGIES: Not many diabetic options for my mom, who was trying to avoid bacon & sausage, but this piqued her interest. We subbed out the rice for grilled veggies. My mom LOVED it! The croquette had an authentic salmon flavor/presence to it and it came with TWO patties. She also ordered her eggs over medium (Hah! Must be genetics!) and was surprised how good the grilled veggies were... not overly greasy, all the veggies still crisp. Solid stuff! VERY EASY RECOMMENDATION! Definitely a locals place but we were welcomed in and treated like family. And the food is absolutely delicious! Now that we know, if we ever return to Cleveland, Main Gate is a fave!
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE??? This place...where do I start? When you finally find it, it looks as though you are at a deserted truck yard. You are greeted by a couple of signs hanging over industrial plastic strips that mark the entrance. You head downstairs and are taken back 60 years to the place you wish EVERY breakfast/lunch deli was when walked in. The folks are great and the food is STUPID GOOD! If you are remotely in the area go.
Restaurant is hard to find (go through the curtains at the end of the green warehouse building) but worth the hunt. Service was excellent and the food was so fresh and delicious. We watched the chef cut potatoes by hand for home fries. Pricing was low for the amount of food because it's a lot of food!
3 months ago
First, i almost never give 5 stars......That said, I followed Joe Ricattone, from FB to the Main Gate. Got lost. they are not at 3900 ORANGE Ave like it says. They are at 3800 Woodland. ?? Once youre there, if you can get past the scary stairs leading down to the restaurant....youre in for a treat. I met some ladies coming out of the restaurant, so i asked them, "how was it?" They both lit up and said it was GREAT. (good sign so far) I ordered the special biscuits and gravy with eggs and hash browns. I normally dont order that because most restaurants other than Bob Evans dont make good sausage gravy. Glad i did because they were the best ive ever had.....no really. I'll be back for lunch because i want the hamburger Joey had in his video on FB which looked awesome. BTW, as i sat waiting for my food i overheard 2 men sitting at the bar where Nawal was cooking and they just kept saying how their meal was the best. Thanks Joe read more
When you first arrive, you may be a little skeptical. You have to go downstairs in a truck parking lot. Don't let that stop you. I come here every week. The Married couple that owns this diner is very nice. They have multiple regulars which they know by name. It's like you're apart of a big family every time you visit. Calm and peaceful environment. Great and fresh cooked food. Reasonable prices. You can see the cook from your seat. You know exactly what he's doing to your meal. I like to watch him cook. Today,I tried the French toast and fell in love. Eggs cooked perfect, the sausage links were chefs kiss. If you come to Cleveland and you don't try this place,you're missing out and that's on you. They have plenty of good reviews to back them up read more
6 days ago
Having seen a review on the restaurant, we stopped by after a morning appointment. Coffee was good, hot and kept coming. There was so much food we couldn't eat it all. The service was great and the food was good. Atmosphere was quaint. Old style breakfast gem. read more
Saw a unicorn of a diner today. Mom got a procedure done at CCF. She was hungry so we went straight to Maingate. Ordered the cheesesteak with fries ahead of time. Around $13. Don't follow the GPS to this place. Go down woodland, turn towards truck depot/factories on E 40th. They have a small sign directing you from the sidewalk. Hidden gem is a fitting description of this place. You have to go down steps into what looks like an abyss but the smell of good food reveals the oasis. Melting pot of people here. All friendly faces. Owner and wife working hard behind the counter. Cheesesteak was very flavorful, seasoned right with onions, peppers, mushrooms and melted white cheese. Bread roll was also very fresh and good. Seasoned fries crispy tasty. Everyone needs to get here before CLE loses a legend. If you live here, you can't say you're from here until you eat at the Maingate. read more
9 months ago
I walked into Maingate Restaurant this morning and ordered the pancake breakfast special. Nawal was the cook, and Emile was my server. I sat at the booth for a minute and asked for a menu. Emile pointed without saying a word as she wrote the specials on the board. No greeting, just a point. Being in the industry myself, I didn't like that. She had a frown on her face, and honestly, the energy was off. I placed my order but stood up--I didn't want to sit after being pointed at like that. Nawal noticed and kindly asked me to sit down. He was so nice, and we started talking. While we chatted, I asked Emile for water. She said, "Excuse me?" I repeated, "Ice water." She brought it over and spilled some, then handed it to me anyway. I thought, "Damn, they just opened--who made her mad already?" But here's the thing: I said to myself, "I don't care how mad she is, I'm about to make her talk because this is what I do." So we got to talking, and she actually opened up and told me what was wrong. And you know what? She ended up being a sweetheart. As we talked, she smiled more and more. The whole vibe shifted. The food? Absolutely great. Here's what I learned from being in the industry: Never bring your problems with you. Smile even if it hurts, because you want people to return and feel welcomed. But I also learned something else today--you never know what someone is going through. Be patient. Talk if you can. Listen. I could have easily walked out and never come back. But I'm not that type of person. I try to figure things out so the outcome can be better. I'd rather heal you than hurt you. Great couple. Great food. Great experience once we connected. 5 stars. I will definitely be returning. Go check them out, and remember--kindness goes both ways. I pray you feel better, Emile. read more
7 months ago
Quesadilla and onion rings were slamming! Walked in places clean always greeted. Service was great. Felt like home as usual. Definitely gotta swing by and try this one. read more
10 months ago
Hey Y'all! Your Hangry Breakfast Eater is back! Lol I had heard about Main Gate from someone on the Internet and I finally got around to remembering and then finding through Yelp. Although it was only a few minutes from my home, it felt like I was going over the river and through the woods. That's because the handy dandy GPS loves to take you on the scenic route. It's located off the beaten path with a little sign, that you may miss if you aren't paying attention and you go down the stairs. Now it's a great thing the Main Gate closes at 2pm because I would not be caught going there at night! Not that it's not safe, but it looks like Jason might have been waiting for me around the corner. Anywho, you will be taking a step back into 19 before you were born. When you walk in there are 14 stools, 3 tables and about 5 booths. Everyone can see everybody. They have the whiteboard with the specials and menus in every table. Some are laminated and some aren't, but there isn't a damn QR code I'll tell you that! Long live paper menus!!! The decor is your damn kitchen with a sign that says to bless it, along with accomplishments from various Cleveland news sources and family pictures. There is only one person cooking. Every day. Seven days a week and if he isn't there....something's wrong. Him and Noella. I didn't ask a lot of questions even though I had a moment to before every type of person in DaLand came through! And the truckers. I was trying to bat my eyes, but Chile they were focused on food and I don't blame them. I ordered the corned beef hash with two eggs over medium and rye toast for $15.99. I could only eat half of it. I'm so thankful for my air fryer As a side note all the single men come in here!!!! Other than the truckers! Noella and Mr. Maingate have been a staple in this area for 30 years. They knew a lot of folks that came in. One Brother was showing pictures of his new born. Another Guy told him, he'd bring them some fish. Listen, they aren't making food any differently than most diners in the city. But what this hidden gem is doing, is creating memories with their community and making each person feel as if their table is all theirs. I'll bring someone back, just so they can share the experience. read more
1 year ago
Emile and Nawal serve a "Fresh Real Deal Breakfast" in this throwback basement establishment located under an old Cleveland Food Terminal... Thank you Yelp for the #1 Rating! You helped this "Out of towner" find this Gem! Warning: GPS may take you to an empty lot at 37th and Orange Ave. Keep driving into the Food Terminal and you'll find Greatness at the end of the dock. read more
4 months ago
CLEVELAND HIDDEN GEM... LITERALLY!!! ;) We wanted an early Cleveland, OH breakfast and since Main Gate (5* rating on yelp!) opened at 5:30am, my yelpiness wanted to go there. Now, EVEN USING YELP directions to get to Main Gate, it got us kinda close, but it definitely DID NOT throw us a baseball strike in any way! We still had to explore the area and hope it wasn't closed, because the "yelp spot" we arrived at, 3900 Orange Avenue, gave off that "abandoned" vibe lol. This gets me in SEEK mode, form of... Bloodhound! I GOTTA find it now! Luckily we found signs of life! Sooo... pro-tip: Stay on Woodland after exiting the freeway. Make a right on E. 40th St. & drive until you see the big green initials of the Northern Ohio Food Terminal on the right side. Finally, look for the restaurant signs, and THEN you know you arrived! (we came on a Saturday morning). Don't be afraid lol the signs are not lying! Walk down the stairs, through 2 sets of doors and... VIOLÀ! We've found it! As we enter, Ms Noelle warmly welcomes us in and Emilio is at grill, working his magic. Menu is simple but there are also specials for the day written on a whiteboard. Ms Noelle kindly helps us navigate the menu. Coffee? Yes. Ice Tea? No. Gotta go to their drink fridge if you want anything more fancy. Their ice water though... is legit! (I'm a water snob). Ok, enough details, LET'S EAT! CORNED BEEF HASH SPECIAL: I am sucker for Corned Beef Hash! It's one of my childhood core memories so, of course I'm getting that for my first visit here! It's a homemade version here and Emilio prepares it PERFECTLY! There's a slight crispness to it, so you know there was a some care put into it. It's a big serving of meat with just a touch of onions and potatoes. Mmmmmmm! So GOOD! My eggs were over medium just the way I asked, and had the right "runnyness" to spill a lil bit onto my hash for a lil more flavor. Toast (only white, wheat, rye, or raisin option today) complimented the meal nicely. Mr. Emilio... you make THEE BEST corned beef hash!!! Props to you Sir! Absolutely made my day! SALMON CROQUETTE & EGGS & VEGGIES: Not many diabetic options for my mom, who was trying to avoid bacon & sausage, but this piqued her interest. We subbed out the rice for grilled veggies. My mom LOVED it! The croquette had an authentic salmon flavor/presence to it and it came with TWO patties. She also ordered her eggs over medium (Hah! Must be genetics!) and was surprised how good the grilled veggies were... not overly greasy, all the veggies still crisp. Solid stuff! VERY EASY RECOMMENDATION! Definitely a locals place but we were welcomed in and treated like family. And the food is absolutely delicious! Now that we know, if we ever return to Cleveland, Main Gate is a fave! read more
6 months ago
10 months ago
2 years ago
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE??? This place...where do I start? When you finally find it, it looks as though you are at a deserted truck yard. You are greeted by a couple of signs hanging over industrial plastic strips that mark the entrance. You head downstairs and are taken back 60 years to the place you wish EVERY breakfast/lunch deli was when walked in. The folks are great and the food is STUPID GOOD! If you are remotely in the area go. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Restaurant is hard to find (go through the curtains at the end of the green warehouse building) but worth the hunt. Service was excellent and the food was so fresh and delicious. We watched the chef cut potatoes by hand for home fries. Pricing was low for the amount of food because it's a lot of food! read more
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On a weekend getaway, girlfriend and I were looking for a local breakfast spot near our downtown hotel. Google suggested Main Gate Restaurant, so we set a course. We turned onto 40th Street (this was the morning after a 15-inch snowstorm), and found a major traffic jam of cars, semis and other vehicles, in the middle of what looked like an industrial park. Our first thought was that we made a bad turn, but we saw the sign for Main Gate at the main gate of a food terminal. So, we decided to give it a shot. The place is downstairs, and through some climate curtains, in the basement of the building. But we were greeted warmly by the server and cook (seemed to be a husband-wife) and given hot coffee quickly. There are about 5-10 booths, and a handful of tables. They said that a lot of truck drivers grab a bite while waiting on their loads. I had the corned beef hash; girlfriend had the French toast. The hash was made in house, and had great flavor, with a huge serving. Came with fried potatoes and rye toast. Girlfriend's French toast was amazing, with great flavor, powdered sugar, and sausage links. There weren't many other customers (snowstorm), but there was another couple there, a CLE firefighter and his wife, and one truck driver. The cook and his wife have run this 100-year-old restaurant for 26 years, and we can see why it is a beloved neighborhood staple. SUPPORT THIS LOCAL FAMILY-OWNED eatery. They make you feel like a part of the family. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
Have been getting lunch here for the whole Foote printing crew for years. The spicy chicken wrap with seasoned fries is the favorite here. Going in to eat there is very nostalgic and fun. I would recommend this place to anyone, great food, people, and service. Perfect place to take someone for breakfast as well. Full disclosure we also print their menus. I am including the menu as of September 2019. read more
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More info about Main Gate Restaurant
3900 Orange Ave
Cleveland, OH 44115
Central
Directions
(216) 391-5275
Call Now
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