Not sure why I'm seeing so many negative reviews. My girlfriend and I have lived in the mentor area for just over a year and this is our favorite and go-to spot for beers and food! We love the bartenders and have always had excellent service! They're beer selection is amazing and I have always throughly enjoyed all of the food I have ordered! Their traditional wings are amazing (way better than the boneless ) , the fries are always extremely good and believe it or not The steamed broccoli as a side dish is also really good! read more

We stopped back in for a quick dinner before my boyfriend's son's baseball game. If there's one thing from this that I'd like to communicate to some sort of management there: Your staff does not care, nor do they want customers to even come in. Or at least that what it seems like. And if your staff is that bad, not even your food or awesome beer selection can save you. The food isn't even the bad part. My buffalo chicken salad, although simple, was good. They let you pick from the sauces and the spicy garlic is delightfully spicy. They throw that on some iceberg, celery, tomato and cheese and it's good. Plus, their homemade ranch dressing is spot on (don't judge me!) But the service. Jeeezus. Did they put out an ad calling for all bitter, angry females stuck in their 2002 high school glory days? We walked in and the hostess literally refused to even look at us, let alone seat us until she figured out the damn popcorn machine (and trust me, although not rocket science, it took her a good 7 or 8 minutes.) After waiting, staring at her uncomfortably fumble with this machine for almost 10 minutes, she then, with an attitude, sat us. We had about .5 seconds to choose what we wanted from the menu and when we asked her for more time, she left us alone for about 20 minutes. Cool--I'm now 86 years old and can order my food. Mind you, this place was empty. Not kind of empty. Empty. There was ONE table behind us, and I'll get to that in a minute. Once it was the year 2025 and we finally got to order, the food was fine and she was quick with the tab, of course, since she wanted to get paid. But what really threw me was the absolutely awkward conversation she had with the table behind us. It was so bad that I almost intervened or called the manager. Basically what happened is all four of them (totally nice people) ordered the soup of the day. When our waitress came back to check on them, they politely told her that the soup was so salty it was borderline inedible. Not her fault, obviously, and not one of them blamed her or attacked her for it. But she literally DID NOT know what to do with that information. After a lot of "ummms" and "wells" she finally spit out, "I don't really know what to tell you--I can tell the cook that it's not good, but I don't know what you want me to do." Bahahahahahahaha ha ha ha. Maybe you could apologize, offer to get the manager, take it off their check... have SOME plan of action. I have no tolerance for this bratty, "I don't give a crap, I'm off in 15 minutes" attitude in the service industry. I've been there. I've bartended for years. You don't treat paying customers like crap. Listen, I'm sorry Ashley or Tammy called you in on your day off, but if you hate your job, there are plenty of people out there who would graciously take it off your hands and appreciate it. Trust me. If you have any desire for even half-assed service, don't come here. You probably won't even get that. read more

What's there to like?? Well the beer selection... If it wasn't for that, not much would keep this lizard afloat. Service is pretty much non-existant, food prep is inconsistent and quality just seems to be taking a tumble as well. If I want a Winking Lizard experience, I opt for the one in Coventry or Peninsula. It's establishments like this that fall short of original concept I opt for an alternative. read more

The last couple of times my husband & I have been there, our servers were horrible! The last time, our server came & took our drink order, 20 mins later my husband was STILL waiting for his beer. Again another 20 minute wait for his second beer. Unacceptable! The good thing, I debated between 2 menu items & she actually recommended this one salad..it was delicious! read more

Try not to go to the east side but yesterday I had no choice. Typical Mentor spot in a strip mall. Big restaurant with games for the kids. Food came out right and fairly quickly. Server was OK..not very friendly. We were the only table there and our tab would of been higher had we felt more welcome. Next time ya might wana be nicer to the table of 6 Irish people who drink more than they eat at lunch... read more

This is my favorite neighborhood sports bar. The pizza, wings and quesadillas are all the best around. The atmosphere is similar to that of any sports bar, but with quirkiness. read more

Very disappointed. We are from out of town & we asked the concierge at the hotel for a recommendation. They said it would be a 20 min. Wait, but we got seated right away. That was great, but they kept calling my cell ph telling me my reservation was ready. We ordered drinks & the service was horrible. Waitress never refilled out water, took forever to get food, etc. very disappointed ! read more

For the first time, in many visits, my husband and I had horrible service tonight. Our waitress was more concerned about flirting than helping us. My portion of food was so small that I ordered an appetizer to go... It never showed up!!! We are usually very generous tippers, but not tonight! read more

I ordered a mild sauce wing, and it came out as extra spicy. He brought me a new order, but I was surprised to see that he charged me for both when I got the bill. Plus, their ranch comes in a plastic packet... Step it up winking lizard, I'm less than impressed. read more

Make sure you have your ID ready the Gestapo will check it 37 times. The attitude of staff was horrible, a change of staff would be a great idea!! They stalked a girl we were with until she got out of the bathroom so she could prove the she was over 21 (32). Management here needs to be 86'd. read more

When I went there yesterday and my order was incorrect, also the workers where SSSLLLOOOWWW!

I went here with high expectations as everyone I know praises the Winking Lizard. And they were right! First of all, I want to steal the iguana. That said, the food was delicious! I got my usual spinach and artichoke dip, and it was some of the best spinach and artichoke dip I've ever had. Prices were fair, and the decor was really cool! My only complaint is that because I was with my sister and her friend, who were minors, my non minor friend and I were not allowed to drink. I have never heard of any other restaurant having that policy. Overall a pleasant experience, and I will be back! read more

Nice selection of beers. There beer club does not work for people passing through like myself. The beers were good and the bartender was nice and even cleaned the bottles for me since I collect beer bottles so I could take them with me. read more

Great place for families to take there kids ! The have games of course the lizard is there in his cage. One thing happens ever time in order salmon ! It comes out not cooked. So if you go here order what you should order at a able wings fried food and burgers !!! read more

Upon entering, us being two white-haired ladies, the hostess greeted us by asking us if we were sure we were in the right place! Well, of course we were in the right place - we love the burgers here. I laughed it off, but a lesser might be insulted by such a comment. read more

Just went into this restaurant and the host was so rude. She asked to see our ID's because you have to be 21 or be accompanied by a adult after 5PM. She said she we all had to be 21 even though the sign outside said you could be accompanied by and adult. I was with a 21 year old and two 19 year olds so i am confused. How does this shit even work? read more

Food was awful! I ordered baby back ribs and half chicken combo. Chicken was actually decent. But the ribs looked like they were made days ago and reheated. Rather than the meat having a pinkish light color it was dark and gray. Had a weird aftertaste. I'm hoping I don't get sick from the two bites I did have. I was with some friends and decided to not send it back and make a scene. But every time I go to this particular winking lizard the food is slightly worse each time. read more

Good beer selection, lots of TVs, free popcorn. Never had anything bad here but it is probably a bit more expensive than it should be. I usually get the Bowman's steak and cheese. Monday and Tuesday are good for wings. read more

I dig the 'Liz! This happens to be the closest one to us but any Lizard will do. The food is above average for the typical pub grub, there is not a bad seat in the house, and the brews are there to fit any style. One of the only places that carries Hoegaarden on draught, for that they get an extra star. Never tried the tour but seems cool. The service is usually nice and attentive and seem to know their brews, which would be frustrating other wise. Also, a very nice patio with full bar outside on the nice summer nights. read more

Easy for this one, Go on Monday's or Tuesday's for pizza and wings! You can't go wrong food wise, but service can be hit or miss (just like every other casual restaurant in NEO) read more

If you stick to their soups, pizza and wings you won't be disappointed. Actually you can add their strip steak to the list. It's 12 ounces and is served with a veg, potato, and garlic bread. For the price of $12.99 it's as good as the steaks that I've have had at a "steak house". Fresh popcorn on weekends to enoy while watching one of there many TVs. The staff is friendly and has been trained well. Not a bad place all and all. Patio is open during the summer months. read more

I have been here multiple times and loved it more each time i went. Right when i walked in they have a free popcorn that was impressive. The price was pretty good and service was very good every time. Ive had from amazing wings to great pizzas and some pretty good burgers i recommend this to anyone. Probably my favorite restaurant ever!! read more

we were eating the lizard for lunch. the service was terrible. i asked for water, ranch etc. got none of this. didn't get what i asked for. there was fat in my food! never going back. read more

I frequent many of the lizards in the greater Cleveland area and this is the only location which has routinely left me wanting more in terms of service. Food is always consistent with the other restaurants, but the servers at Mentor are poorly trained. Orders incorrct, bills incorrect, forgetting to check on you after getting your food. read more

Loved the food! The hottest wings on the menu are surprisingly not actually that spicy. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, but it might be overwhelming for some. My only complaint was that there was no coat racks. read more

Our server was awesome!!!!! She is great at her job. We never had to ask for a thing she was right on the money with everything. The food was delicious i come here a lot and always have excellent service read more

Our waiter Cory was superb, what a gentleman, fast and funny as well. The asparagus steak salad is worth eating over and over.

I have been traveling to Ohio for years and every trip, I make it a point to visit the Winking Lizard. The food is average bar food, but the beer selection, service and atmosphere are excellent and make the place. It is also a great location to bring your kids during the day for lunch with a basic menu, games and entertainment. read more

As others have mentioned, the service is horribly inept and their arrogance is profuse . I first tried this chain in Cleveland about 10 years ago and gave them a pass because I saw potential. Tried them again in Mentor a few years ago and the staff and ownership disappointed me again with poor service and poor attitude. Finally, I decided to visit again several times lately, in Mentor. I have been involved with craft brewing for a number of years both as a brewer and a student of the process. Why does a chain like this offer an extensive beer selection and refuse to serve it properly with poorly selected glassware and a staff that "thinks" they know beer but have no clue what they are serving? Baffling. The staff is their own worst attribute second only to their ignorance in beer knowledge. Food is typical bar food. It's a joke. Don't go. If you are a beer geek, this is one of the most insulting places you can visit. Check out places like the Tremont Tap House or The Local Tavern in Mentor (next door to Winking Lizard). They know what they're doing and actually care about the customer as well. read more

We went to this winking lizard about 2 weeks ago for dinner and drinks, first off it took about 15 minutes to get our drink order, we had to flag down one of hostesses to get the waitress to come to our table. I ordered a cap and coke, the waitress didnt even know the drink menu and had to leave our table a few times to find out the drink menu, ill give props the waitress was a looker and had a great personality, we ordered a hot fudge sundae at the end of our meal and the waitress put it on the house since we had to wait so long, i give props for that read more

Atmosphere is great for watching the race but don't eat here. The food was subpar and the manager Megan was down out rude to us. We sent the fried pickles back because they were soggy from being cooked in old grease. She gave us a really hard time about it and reluctantly comped our bill. The waitress was super nice though. When we got our dinner, my onion rings must've been cooked with the same grease as the pickles. Time to find a new place to eat! read more

Our experience at the lizard was very under under whelming the bartender ignored us all night. Wait 30 minutes for a drink we ordered 15 mild wings. 30 minutes later no wings. The bartender said we ordered 15 minutes ago. After 45 minutes we had our wings. Order was wrong. 5 were hot wings. Bartender again argued with us. I told him I did not want the hot wings. He opened the box , stuck his nose in them to smell. Yuk yuk yuk. Didn't want them at all. Really bad service on the patio. Not recommend will not be back. read more

What has happened to the Lizard??!! I ordered a summer special, brisket tacos. Tacos were so greasy that the grease was running onto the plate. They came with stale Tostitos with cheese whiz. Awful!!! Waitress was so dingy. Had no idea about the beer we ordered from the menu. So sad. I only get to Cleveland a couple of times a year, and I used to look forward to stopping by the Lizard. read more

I am sad to say that the Winking Lizard has completely gone down hill the last few years, and after many years of going there, I probably won't go back. Went there for a birthday party with about 15 friends, and to watch the Browns game. In the 3 hours I was there it took anywhere from 15 minutes to a half hour to get a beer, and we were sitting at the bar!! Very few people in there, so this made no sense. Almost walked out without paying as we could not even get our checks! Terrible service, just terrible. read more

A sports bar for the whole family, but not a great compromise. Too big and family oriented to be a real sports bar. Too noisy and eh in the food department to be a real family restaurant. A real divey bar or a decent casual restaurant would be better. read more

I don't know why I come here as often as I do but I am a huge Fan of the TVS and Sports Theme. Every time I order wings they come out with little or no sauce on them? So I order them wet, so I can taste the sauce and then they charge me for extra sauce? I was under the impression that when you order Wings that the sauce came with them? Not here they don't....On burger night which is a super good deal, your order comes out with cold fries almost every time I order. I don't understand why they cant find a cook or prep people that give a crap about their jobs? On the flip side of all of my complaining this location has the BEST SERVERS & BARTENDERS you will find anywhere!!! They are all very kind and friendly and without a doubt the only reason I keep coming back! P.S Winking Lizard owners, Please hire a cook that cares about getting things right all of the time. Not just some of the times... Thank you... read more

What in the bloody hell?! I have been here many times and the bartenders are typically not very good. Fortunately, the food is pretty good and they have a good beer selection, so I deal with it. This last time however, and I do mean it is the last time, the service was atrocious. It was a normal day, not too busy even when you consider the patio patrons. My boyfriend was without a beer for 20 minutes and I made it 15 before deciding not to order another. Maybe when the staff is having a lover's quarrel, they should save it for home instead of walking by empty glasses a dozen times without acknowledging their customers. Eventually, one of the bar tenders finally did look at my empty glass and my boyfriend finally decided to politely hold his up to show how empty his glass is, and was still ignored. The best part is, 10 seconds after I set my card in the rocks glass to pay, they saw it immediately and scooped it up. So, either they hate us for being regular yet, quiet patrons, or they are just not very good. Either way, we won't be back. read more

TERRIBLE!!!! Waited 1/2hr + for our server to ask us for a drink after we arrived. Eventually had to go to the bar to order a drink. Food order was forgotten about. Food came out cold and terrible. Our table was never cleared of glasses and plates. Our waitress Kathy was rude and acted as if we were bothering her. The mananger Rob Hunter was not helpful and was rude himself. Friends we were with and ourselves will never return. Business is run terribly and friends are contacting corporate. If I was able to give zero stars I would, I would actually give negative stars. WILL NEVER RETURN!!!! read more

I love the Lizard in Mentor! Staff is always fantastic, food is great and the prices are really good! Join a skeeball league and really have some fun! read more

Took way too long for everything. Good beer and wing selection but that is about it. Super noisy, server was ok, nothing to wrote home about. Was never checked on once we got our food. Won't be stopping back anytime soon. read more