BEAUTIFUL PLACE…read more Wow, the architecture in there I really like it. I took some pictures. I think they will show up at the bottom of this review of what used to be the front door. Fascinating space. I looked it up. It used to be retail when it was built in the 30s, and then it was renovated in the 60s and now it looks like they took all three storefronts for the restaurant. I was sitting there admiring the Cherrywood floor and thinking what used to be here. That display window I wonder if it was a little department store. They were very busy, the bartender was working it! Nice guy. Outside was packed. That's where I wanted to sit, but I sat in the dining room. The Lamb burger was excellent, handcrafted almost like a lamb meatloaf but very firm like a burger. It was great. My brother had the pasta and he loved it. I had an old Forrester and one of the house beers and my brother had a house beer. The whole tab out the door was $97 for the two of us. Next time I'll make a reservation and try to sit outside on a nice day. Very nice place five stars.

I finally visited Sofia's Kitchen for dinner with a friend on a weekday evening…read more ORDER MISTAKE -- I ordered the Tomato Braised Cauliflower Steak ($22) but the female waiter brought me the Zoltan Grilled Strip Steak ($45). I wanted steak but not a $45 steak. I realized the mistake when the check arrived so at that point, it was too late to complain. Reading the menu again now, the cauliflower steak is not a steak dish but a vegetable dish (cauliflower)...ohhh my goodness. My friend felt so bad for me and decided to help pay for part of my dinner which I didn't ask for or expect. Although the Zoltan Grilled Strip Steak ($45) that was brought to me was not what I wanted, it tasted good. The mushrooms tasted differently from what I'm used to but that was okay. The mashed potatoes were perfectly soft and buttery. The soup of the day, tomato soup, tasted amazing. They should make this soup a permanent item on their menu. I'd love to return to try other dishes on their menu. GOAL of 250 reviews in 2026 - 189/250 total reviews in 2026 - 1030 total Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 30 September 2026

My friends and I went for girls night. They had an excellent special. A salad, Fries (sweet…read morepotato or fresh cut)and a martini for $20. They greeted us with a rose. Food, drinks, service and atmosphere was wonderful. Definitely will go again.

Finally made it to Forge Public House in Lakewood last night, and I honestly can't believe I waited…read morethis long! I've been wanting to check this place out for quite some time, and I'm so glad we finally had the opportunity. Now I'm just sorry we didn't go sooner! Everything from start to finish was excellent. The restaurant is very open and comfortable with plenty of seating, and it wasn't overly busy when we went. We parked in the adjacent lot across the street, which was free after 6 PM, and with our 6:00 PM reservation, we were seated right away. We started with the vegan cauliflower with sweet chili ginger sauce, which was delicious. For my meal, I ordered the Lakewood Citizen Salad and added grilled chicken. It was such a large, hearty salad, which I absolutely love. Definitely not one of those tiny salads that leaves you hungry! My husband ordered the Hot in Cleveland chicken sandwich with garlic aioli fries. My older son got the Forge Burger with regular fries, and my younger son ordered the pierogi dinner. And we need to talk about the fries for a minute... they were outstanding! You could tell they were fresh-cut and homemade, and everyone agreed they were some of the best fries we've had in a while. Of course, we couldn't leave without dessert, so we ordered three to share: blueberry cheesecake, creme brulee, and chocolate creme brulee. Every single one was fantastic! Overall, everything was excellent--from the food and atmosphere to the service and experience. We definitely will be back, and I'm already wondering why we waited so long to try it!

Came here on a Tuesday for dinner and was not disappointed. Food was excellent, drinks were on…read morepoint, and the service was very friendly. Only minor issue was how warm it was inside the restaurant. While it was very hot outside, the indoor temperature was pretty warm in the bar area. I'll be back for sure!

Missed the mark with undercooked burger, oily house chips, and rude female manager…read more From other reviews it seems the burgers are hit or miss. Mine was a miss. Ordered medium well and was served a very pink burger that was lukewarm. Add the oily chips and I had stomach issues for a few days.

Some of the best bbq I've had since moving to Cleveland from down south. Went there after church…read morefor Sunday brunch and it did not disappoint. Will be returning for sure.

Top notch brisket and smoked wings. I really try to stop in for food every time i'm in the area…read more Always over order and take some home!

This is an awesome pick if you're looking for some gluten free options - especially pizza!!!!…read more (TIP: if you go during happy hour, pizzas are $10) I started with the cute lavender mocktail - it was photo cute & tasted delicious!!!! I went with my newly gluten free friend, who was craving some pizza! We decided on two pizzas the capricciosa ( artichokes, black cerignola olives, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto di parma) and the spicy soppressata (fresh mozzarella, aged provolone, parmesan, pickled banana peppers - & we added pepperoni) Both were so good and we had 3 slices each to take home for lunch the next day!! I was happy I liked it because I am not a gluten free girly!! The staff were so friendly and it wasnt busy at all...which surprised me because everything was yummy & fast!! If you haven't tried this place definitely give it a try!!

We came here with some vegetarian friends and I love how flexible this place is with people with…read morerestricted diets! We were very disappointed this time with the pretzel, it tasted like raw dough. They were so nice and remade it for us but somehow the second one still tasted raw, not sure what their recipe is but I recommend someone taking a second look.

Having a meal with Chef Mario and his team, on a recent weekend, has been a culinary highlight of…read more2025 (for us) in the greater Cleveland area! Tucked in the penthouse floor of a nondescript office building near the outdoor Fairview Mall complex...you navigate your way up the old, rickety elevator and around a couple of awkward corners to emerge in the kitchen of Mario's eclectic yet homey space. Getting a dinner reservation here is no easy task. It typically involves a series of text messages where you can determine when his schedule might allow for an opening for your party. Don't get discouraged as he's a very popular guy so it may be several months before you can find an open slot that meets your needs, but believe me...it is worth the wait! Pre-reservation (by a few days) you'll receive word of his chosen menu options during your visit where you'll be able to select from a variety of salad and soup options and then each guest may also choose their main dish from a variety that was larger than I'd expected for such a small operation. With seating for maybe 20 guests, when you arrive Chef Mario will greet you personally and then places you at one of his dining tables and the adventure begins! Drink orders are taken (only one red and one white wine option will be available), but feel free to bring your own spirits, wine, etc. As the meal began (and progressed), course after course of small bite plates are brought forward with a variety of tastes, textures, combinations and wild flavor mashups. I'm not going to recount each one, but every dish was truly unique and memorable. Interspersed with these "chef's choice" courses came our soup / salad choices and later in the meal our main dishes. My wife loved here burrata salad as well as her black squid ink pasta with lobster. I adored my seafood bisque and filet mignon cabernet. By the time the dessert courses arrived (yes, there was more than one!) it was getting hard to finish the dishes, but we soldiered on! In total, I think we were served nine or ten separate courses (many of which are small plate / bite style) with wine continuously flowing across this price fixe meal. It was a glorious feast in a very intimate atmosphere where you WILL get to know your table neighbors by the nature of of space layout and his intentions for communal meals. Run (don't walk) to make a reservation for this incredibly unique dining experience before Chef Mario decides to call it quits. We cannot wait for our next adventure there!

This lives up to all hype! Mario is a genius and this was the most wonderful dinner. There are…read morerules for dinner. I am not sure about lunch. So take this for dinner. You call or text and make dinner reservations. He tells you the time. A week before he texts you the menu and you choose a salad or soup and the entree. The rest is left up to his whim. We started with red or white wine. Basic wine. If you want something else bring it. Mario provides you with antipasti, bruschetta, and other light bites. Delicious and all different. All expertly hand crafted. You then get your soup or salad and some homemade bread. We got pepperoni roll. Then you get your entree. Even though you have already feasted on a number of small dishes. The entree can be pasta, steak, lamb, veal, chicken. You choose. It comes to your table because you ordered it a week before. I got the veal sambiocca. And my partner got the pasta primavera. Pasta is not cream based but tomato based with a ton of veggies. Fresh with herbs too. The veal was tender with cheese and prosciutto in a butter wi e sauce. Amazing. In between courses Mario comes by and makes sure you're ok and tells you a story or about the dish. It's very pleasant and gentile. You feel like you're in Italy. But you are in Rocky River. Dessert was a mascarpone pie with a strawberry purée. Light and delicious. The whole meal was light. You did not feel like you were too stuffed but, I didn't eat till 3p the next day. Mario's son waited on us and otherwise he is pretty much chief cook and bottle washer. It's all good and fun and delicious! It's a small 18 seat restaurant. So that's why only by reservation. It's in a non de script office building. You take a rickety elevator to the P or penthouse. Then you will have a fun time in Italy. The saddest part is that now I discovered him, he will be retiring at the end of the year. Bring cash. You can pay cards but not sure if you will get a surcharge. This is not cheap. Plan to spend over $150 for 2 people, not including tip. Well worth a special occasion. We will be back! Made reservations for next month.

Came for their breakfast for dinner as well as their weekend brunch dessert. They've been…read moreconsistently good. Soft boiled eggs--good, decent 3.5/5 Corn bread French toast sticks--soft fluffy bread with crispy exterior, though pretty pricey (3 sticks for $14). 4/5 Smash shak--breakfast sausage patties worked great for this sandwich--tender meat with crispy focaccia 4.5/5 Steak and eggs--steak was tender and cooked to medium, good eggs. 4.5/5 Croque monsieur--also great, hard to go wrong with bread, ham, cheese. 4.5/5 Salted honey pie--now I see why this is so popular. One of the best pies, the filling is as refreshing and sweet. The bee pollen didn't have much taste, had a chalky texture but was visually appealing. Though the pie crust was hard to insert the fork (probably because of the honey?), it was still good. Favorite of the night. 5/5 Service was good, a little slow but they were busy. Seating was comfortable and reservations available online (walk in was fine too when I went). Heads up that there's a 3% dine in service fee. During brunch, we've ordered a pie to-go, and the pie was sadly still included in the dine in service fee. Parking available as street parking (pay via ParkMobile) or you can find a free spot if you're willing to walk a block or two. Overall good quality food, will definitely come back for more pie.

I had a great experience at ROOD! I absolutely love the…read moreambiance and vibe of the place. The rotating pie slices are such a great idea. I love that they have different options and it gives you something to look forward to when the menu changes. The service was great, staff is friendly and they offer great recommendations! Everyone can find something they like here. I am also glad they serve coffee and drinks late. I was craving coffee with my slice of pie and we went late at night and was glad they still offered to serve a warm cup! give it a try!

I love chicken paprikash and theirs might be the best I've ever had! Rich, hearty and served over…read morefresh spaetzl. The plate was as beautiful as it was delicious. They offer a large variety of beers. Our server was very knowledgeable and offered great recs. I wish I could remember the name of my beer, but I do remember that I really liked it. While the paprikash was the star of the day, I have to share how tasty the Loaded Lángos were... Wow! These were a total surprise. Packed with flavor and texture and color. I wish they were closer, I'd be there weekly.

The primary reason why people come in is typically for the quality of food and beer. Unfortunately,…read moreover the last couple years it seems like the price of food has gone way up and quality of service has diminished. It took easily 4-5min to put in a drink order, we repeated our order multiple times, food came out wrong and after spending $115 for 4 people. We had boxed food that we left and unfortunately realized shortly after leaving the parking lot. It took 3 calls to the host desk to try and let them know not to throw our food out, the third call went through and they had already thrown the food out. Beer is great, food is great but to pay 3% on top of your bill for upkeep fees + a 15-20% tip is simply unreal. Just bummed because this place used to be a top choice. Not so much.

I went to Kent State many moons ago and Euro Gyro was a popular place to call when you had the…read moremunchies. My good friend Stoner Jon would always order the Guy on the Couch sandwich, which is an homage to the stoner movie Half Baked. The pizza was NEO thicker hillbilly style. I stumble into this location after doing the Madison Crawl and grab a gyro. The gyros aren't as good as Mars Bar down the street but on par with Greek Village. Warning, they do add lettuce to the gyro which is not always how it's done. Still a nice gyro to grab after a night of drinking. They are open late!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a local and love my local pubs and what not but mannnn, Euro Gyro Lakewood…read moreis a SLEEPER!!!! $4.50 for pints of Dort, $5 gyros!!, awesome salads, delicious food all around, super clean, super kind, and super cheap. The service is fast and perfect, the game is on, the crispy chicken is delicious... get her and enjoy, NOW!!!!

If you like beer and live in Lakewood, or even the Cleveland Area, please come here. It's the…read moreperfect way to try new beers and broaden your horizons. Entirely self-service so you don't have to wait for bartenders (unless you're getting a cocktail) and you can try as little of a beer or as much as you want. Unique concept, I had a great time! If you're mentally 12 years old and easily bored like I am, the board games and swings will definitely keep you entertained. Not that you should go swinging like crazy, it's not a playground, but definitely whimsical and fun to not have to stay still! Cute decor and very relaxed vibe. Spoke to one of the owners and he was super nice and incredibly knowledgeable.

We were seriously obsessed with this place from the moment we walked in! I love that you can try a…read morefew different things on your own portion terms. Sometimes I find myself wishing I could order just a half of something and this solves it! We love a place with Touchtunes and a patio, the elite summer combo, so this satisfied both. Excellent happy hour pricing too. Everyone we talked to was very kind. We will absolutely be going here again!