During our recent trip on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, my family and I stopped at the Peninsula station to explore and get some lunch. As for as lunch goes, there isn't a whole lot in this historic village. Fortunately there is a Winking Lizard Tavern there, one of the eighteen locations of this northeastern Ohio based chain. The restaurant was pretty full for it being mid-afternoon on a Sunday. The restaurant is spacious enough that there was no wait, in fact we had our choice to be close to the game area or on the quieter side of the restaurant. I ordered the pulled BBQ chicken melt topped with smoked Gouda along with Applewood bacon and served between grilled sourdough with steak fries and a pickle spear ($8.79). The sandwich was large and tasty. The BBQ sauce was especially good. My wife enjoyed the Maui Maui grilled chicken sandwich, which is marinated in teriyaki and topped with grilled pineapple ($8.49). My kids devoured the mini corn dogs from the kids menu. From sandwiches and burgers to pizza and BBQ, there is something from everyone at the Winking Lizard. Plus the beer list is very good and constantly changing. Even if there were other places in Peninsula, this would still be the place to go. read more

Second time eating at this location, left disappointed again. The best thing they offer is free popcorn and nice selection of drinks. Don't come here for the food, you will be disappointed. We stopped in for lunch after spending several hours biking the nearby trails. We were seated at a table very quickly. That was the only quick thing. Food was mediocre and service was very slow. After ordering water with our beers, we have to ask multiple times to get our water. It is one of the only places to eat in the area, worth your time to drive somewhere else. read more

My wife and I stumbled on this place en route to Cleveland. Alec, our server, was very polite, attentive and gracious. The Cajun Chicken Salad was fantastic, just the right balance between the greens, chicken and other ingredients. My wife had the Bayou Burger of which she had ate everything and that's says enough. The beer, Dortmunder, was nice and cold and a great bargain at $6.50 for a 32 oz glass. Definitely would come back. read more

Always my favorite stop when I'm in town. Peninsula location is my fave. Best atmosphere, beer selections and pub grub around...even the salads are extreme!! Always order several appetizers to share and start with then we move on to the real menu items. We have fun ordering different things then sharing them together. The rings and wings are a must and the HANGOVER burger is amazing with the spicy mayo. Oh, dont forget the fried pickles either. They are thicker cut with perfect pickle/batter ratio and always served hot! They pair well with most beers too!! Stop in and stay a while. The wait is worth it and hope to get another round of the WINK before heading back to Texas! read more

Winking Lizard - The HANGOVER burgers name says it all and will not disappoint. The bomb!! #food_gypsy - American Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

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This place is great at all times of the year, but especially SUMMER/SPRING!!! The outside seating area is nice. The beer selection is HUGE!!! The pizzas are GREAT! I love this place!!! read more

Wow. Had to leave. There was no regard for social distancing. Staff had no idea what to do with people all piled up to put name in for tables. This restaurant needs serious training from health department on how to abide by covid19 policies. Don't go if you have concerns with immunity. read more

Hey another Winking Lizard. Same food (its good). But I really like this one. The bar is really cool. Long and seating on both sides. Recommend about any of the Great Lakes Brew. read more

The Winking Lizard has about 18 locations around northeastern Ohio, but I've always enjoyed visiting this location the most. I'm sure everyone has been to the Winking Lizard but if you're new to the area or just passing through, let me give you the down-low on this place. This location can be found in the small town of Peninsula, next to the Cuyahoga river, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Rail Road, and the Hike & Bike trail, which makes it an ideal place to grab some food or a beer. Unfortunately, due to the heavy foot traffic finding a parking spot can be a real pain in the butt, especially on the weekends. If you don't find a spot around the building you can usually find a spot around town. Just take note of the towing signs, Peninsula doesn't mess around. As for the restaurant, the building has been there since the early 20's from what I can tell. The main dinning room features vintage signs and photos, a large 'u' shaped bar, TVs in every direction you look, and a glass cage featuring what else... an iguana. They also have an outdoor patio for when the weather is nice out, and a VERY cool basement bar that used to be a speakeasy during the prohibition era. The food is usually good... I would give them 8 out of 10 most of the time. You're not going to find unique delicacies here, just your typical American food: BBQ, wings, burgers, salads, and pizzas. The free popcorn is a nice touch. What makes this place special though is their beer selection! Around 100 different beers to be exact. You can join what they call their 'Beer Tour', which is a competition to taste all 100 beers within a year and at the end they'll reward you a prize. I'm a 2004 beer tour alumni :) Some people have had bad experiences here, which I can understand. This place can get REALLY busy and you can't please everyone. I can only speak from my own experiences and over the past 15 years they have all been good ones! So the next time you're taking a trip through the valley, whether by car, train or bike, you should put this place on your agenda. read more

Winking Lizard - An old school speakeasy in the basement. - American Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

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Great service! Food was barely slow and they gave us a discount. Would love to return. Thanks!

The Winking Lizard is a MUST while in Ohio! Staff was great, food is solid as always. The tables outside were cute. There is something for everyone here! I love the buffalo chicken salad! read more

I live right by a Winking Lizard in downtown Cleveland, but I've only ever visited the one in Peninsula, Ohio, after a day of hiking in Cuyahoga National Park. My other half ordered wings, because it's a must. The spicy garlic flavor is by far my favorite of the 3 different kinds I tried (Spicy BBQ, Spicy Garlic, and Cajun). I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap with fries, and it totally hit the spot. The menu is so big though. I never even got through the full menu before ordering. I felt a bit overwhelmed with the abundance of menu items. It's like a book! The food is decent though, and the vibe is super chill. Go for the wings, you won't be disappointed. read more

The Winking Lizard in Peninsula is one of our favorite stops in the country. I know it sounds extreme but we have had so many good memories here. First visited in 2012 before a concert at Blossom (which is right down the road - also recommend) and we had the greatest time. Then in 2014 after a long bike ride on the trail (also across the street). Great food, endless beer selection, and the best atmosphere. We have been here only a half dozen times but it's always a good time. Our 10 year old son loves coming here . Anytime we come up from Sarasota, FL we have to stop in Peninsula for a beer. read more

So, where to begin. My 10 year old daughter wanted white milk. We preferred it in a clean cup. We got a dirty cup. Then I ordered a strip steak wrap, well done, w fries (and menu says "all wraps come w a pickle". What I got was a strip steak wrap, rare. And no pickle. I sent it back and asked the waitress to also provide the pickle. "That wrap doesn't come w a pickle". Your menu says otherwise. I understand places are limited on staff etc but that's no reason to limit your effort. Let's see if they bill me for the meal. read more

8/16/19 Patio (have two patios, bar area and dining area. Great waitress. Mojito not bad, unless add jalapeño juice or actual jalapeños. Neither good. Baby back ribs good, not great. Mac n' cheese good. Mandarin oranges actually pretty good. read more

Lovely little tavern in Peninsula, with seating available outside adjacent to the river. They offer several specials depending on the day, and the wings they serve are top notch. Servers are friendly and knowledgeable. Note: those under 21, you cannot eat there without a parent/guardian after 5 Pm. read more

Located in beautiful downtown Peninsula this nostalgic ex dance hall has a great vibe and plenty of food and beer to appease darn near anyone! The menu has a great selection of traditional Americana style food. Aside from wings, burgers, pizza and more there are healthy options on the menu as well. Like beer? Well you came to the right spot. The beer menu has hundreds of tasty choices! After you've satisfied your taste buds you can check out some neat little shops in the town, take a nice bike ride down the towpath or take a train ride. There's plenty to do and see after you've visited the Winking Lizard. Cheers! read more

Winking Lizard - Great spot to take the fam! - American Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

Mother's Day dinner was the worst! I'm surprised our waitress gave me my plate of half slab ribs burnt to a crisp. No sauce and crunchy ribs are not appetizing. I'm never coming back! read more

This place isn't too shabby for what it's supposed to be. Nice draft list, huge beer list, okay selection of burbon and whiskey. This establishment is definitely a staple in Peninsula. The service is always amazing and friendly. I don't think I've ever had bad service here. The food is alright. Basic bar food, but a lot to choose from. I'm not a huge fan of the wings. They always come out soggy and I find them overpriced. Parking can be a disaster depending on what day/ time you decide to visit. I'd recommend parking down a block or so! read more

Don't come for the food! Super nice staff, but food is just mediocre. I had nachos with chicken. They came with no chicken and barely any cheese. They brought the chicken on the side when I mentioned it was missing and it was flavorless. They were nice enough to take the chicken off the check. Great location, but I wish I had ordered different food. read more

Absolutely the worst meal ever. We have been here before and it was okay. Tonight was terrible. Decided to try the "fried" paddock fish. Awful frozen fish that was reheated. I can get better buying frozen fish sticks at Costco. My sons New York strip was supposed to be medium. The 1/4 inch steak was extra well done and barely able to cut it with a knife. Daughters sweat and sour boneless wings were simply covered in bottled hot sauce. Clearly most of their food is frozen and their cooks had no idea how to actually cook. The owners should be a shamed that they charge people to eat here. read more

For what it is, a casual bar on a bike path, I think it's done well. Excellent service, great beer selection, mildly decent bourbon list, and good (but not great) bar food. I can see how this place could be nostalgic for locals; however, not being one and just traveling through, I wasn't super impressed. Also if I were on a long, multi-day bike ride and happened to stop here for a break, my rating would be catapulted to a strong 5. So if you're looking for a chill night out with great food and adult beverages, I'd go with a 3 (in fact, I'd go with a 2 if this was not jettisoned in the food desert that is Ohio). If you're a desperate recreationer starved for indulgence Americana style, I'd give it a 5 - Winking Lizard should definitely be on the agenda for planned breaks along the path. read more

How can I not give a 4 star review to a place that has as much free popcorn as you want, great beer and great food? Exactly. This place is a local chain, with several locations. I ended up here after a hike / trip to CVNP and it hit the spot. What was really funny was the giant lizard they had (it was an iguana) that all the patrons got to gawk at. In Florida, we see those things running around all over the place, and some actually eat them. This place is known for its wings, but they also had good burgers and a huge selection of beers. I would go back if I was in the area. Did I mention all the POPCORN you can eat? read more

If you like hiking, the valley is a great place for you. And you'll have to hike, as the Winking Lizard parking lot only holds a few dozen cars, and a few of those cars appear not to have budged since the place was the Peninsula Night Club during the Crimean War. The parking math simply does not add up. Factor in all the private parking surrounding Hunkerville and you'll more than likely end up just staying home rather than risk the merry-go-round search for a place that's legal. Once you do make it inside, it has that abandoned warehouse feel: sticky floors, kitch-y decor, a half dozen "employees" loitering about. Our server was great, which explains the second star, but the noise level is such that you'll be inches from her ear and have the following exchange: "Do you have a wheat beer?" "Yes we have a Murfle-Burfle-Purfle that is a white beer." So I get one of those ghost-like beers that tastes like someone filled last night's beer glass with lemonade, rather than what I had tried to order. The food wasn't especially horrible, which is faint praise; I had perch that may just have come from the Kah-Hooga just across the tracks, and downstream of Akron's toilet brush. The beer selection must be the draw; the place was and probably always is packed with shouting people. (If I were of dating age and status, this is where I would go if I either had nothing to say to my date, or merely wanted to pretend I was listening while watching one of the seven hundred huge tee-vees hanging from every available rafter.) I suppose they'll keep everything just as it is; a full house is the only review most bar owners read. I can't recommend this dump. read more

While the food here is consistently acceptable, customer service leaves significant room for improvement. Managers fail to make executive decisions to accommodate seniors, and simply reply...it's against corp policies. That's bull - - - t!! Every rule will have a meritorious exception. Sometimes the wait can be greater than 30 minutes, and asking a senior to stand around is just not acceptable. There are other places to spend your money in Summit county. read more

I love the Wink, and I especially love that this one was right across from the bicycle shop where my friends and I started our Towpath bike adventure. After 14 miles on that lovely path, it was great to have good food so close by. As always, the first order of business was to go say hi to the lizard. I've forgotten this one's name (Heisman, maybe? Something weird like that...), but he was sufficiently adorable and made my lizard-loving husband reiterate his wish for a giant terrarium. Then it was food time! I had a hard time choosing between all the delicious protein-ful sandwiches, but I ended up with a BBQ pulled chicken and gouda sandwich that was exactly what I didn't know I needed. I ended up bequeathing the second half of my sandwich to a hungry husband, but I'll always remember that first half. :) On the drinks side, I was sad not to find anything that sounded especially exciting on the draft beer list, but I was consoled by the existence of a Coke Freestyle machine and therefore endless Fanta Zero. Mmm, Fanta Zero. And the best benefit, free wifi! With my phone's poor signal in town, it was nice to be able to get my email and social media ready for the ride back to my friends' place. Now that I know that this Towpath-Wink combination exists, you can bet I'll be back here for both the next time I'm in town. read more

Went to the OG location in Peninsula this past Tuesday to grab beers with some old friends. Service was good overall considering my friends were already slightly tuned up. VERY disappointed in the beer selection on tap. Pretty sure they had less than 5 Cleveland made brews on tap. Extremely lacking/weak in the ipa options. No good stouts to be seen. Best part about the visit was the cheaply priced shot of Bookers. These guys really need to step up their game with all the new tap houses popping up. read more

NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY. Normally a fan, but had some college-aged hostess yell at my two year old for playing on the games in the back (in a way I've seen lots of other kids play on/with the games and in a way in which other hostesses, bartenders and waitresses have seen him and others play). Usually go in once or twice a month, primarily because it was family friendly and there are games for my child to play while we wait for our food. My son actually would ask to go see lizard. After this experience, we may stop going there altogether. read more

5 stars for the beer list + 1 star for the food divided by two gives me a 3 overall. And this goes for all locations, because they are all the same on the inside - although I like this location best because of its backdrop of the national park. On a winter's day, you can actually cross country ski to the door, and pop in for a cold pint...Borderline sublime experience that can almost give you your "ski village" fix if you are missing Colorado. As for the restaurant itself: It is what it is. A place to find bonafide IPA on draft, with a menu that consists of a grab bag of items from the Sysco food truck unimaginatively dropped into a fryer or thrown en masse onto a flat top grill. Peninsula doesn't have many food options around, so if you are hungry, go to the Lizard, order a full bodied beer, and look for the least-worst thing on the menu. Good luck. read more

Best wings ever! I use to go to school at Kent State early in 2000 ... I guess I never really appreciated this place as I was always looking for the "college" places to hang out. I've started coming back to Hudson for work, and have ended up here at least 1 or 2 nights a week. Great bar, great atmosphere ... amazing grown up selection of good beers, Begian and German brews, as well as all sorts of good micro brews. The Curry wings are amazing, all the wings are good. I also love the Big Ed burger with the preferred fries... definitely tavern style food, but you can't go wrong. Good place to go and chill if you're traveling solo for work ... always end up with good conversation with the friendly locals at the bar. read more

Awful service. My niece sat without water for nearly half of our visit and was refilled out of a PLASTIC cup. Our appetizer never came. Didn't get the Caesar salad we ordered, and they brought wings instead of boneless. We were assured they would have the salad and boneless wings right out. Another order of bone in wings arrive sometime later ... Still no salad... So I ask to see a manager who clearly doesn't care. I'm given a bill (FOR WHAT!?!?) For 40 dollars and I have to track down the manager so I can pay for this awful experience and finally leave this place after an hour and a half. Pathetic. Cannot imagine a worse experience. read more

Do like riding your bike to the bar? I do. A lot. Beautiful towpath bike trail goes right past this place. I recommend determining how long you want to ride and start half that distance from WL. Grab a light lunch and ride back. Or take the train, it stops here too. It's a well run WL, we sat at bar and had great attentive service. Food came out fast and was exactly what we ordered and wanted. I often get the steak and cheese sandwich on garlic bread. I would have liked a cup of au jus, but I was fine without it. Wife got smoked 1/2 chicken dinner, nice flavor and came with grilled corn on the cob which was decent. Don't forget to start with the free popcorn, just keep your hands out of the bin and use the scoop you freakin' barbarians. read more

Relaxed atmosphere at lunch. Enjoyed a bean-veggie burger. Delicious. Declined the fries. Had the vegetable of the day. Watched the stormy weather on the TVs. read more

So good news and bad news...Let me first start off with the slightly negative part of this review... but keep reading because I am part of a family that fully supports several locations of Winking Lizards ;) While it is convenient to be off of the (biking, hiking and walking Cleveland Metroparks) towpath when you're extremely hungry (especially on a weekend) beware that there is an extremely long wait to even get your name on the list to be seated! This was the worst experience about this Winking Lizard. They need a new system, you cannot have people waiting 15-20 mins to even be placed on the list. Fix this and you will be golden! Because, honestly, you cannot beat a Winking Lizard on a trail that allows people to lock their bikes up and enjoy a good meal with a ton of other fun-loving people enjoying the same outdoor adventures! But you have to avoid the people getting extremely frustrated at this ineffective system. I will say this: to the kind manager who was in charge on this busy Labor Day weekend (Sunday to be exact), kudos to you ma'am! We witnessed her making things better to please customers left and right! If it weren't for this stand up lady things would have been much more unorganized than the heavy customer count already was forcing them to experience. She was wonderful. Now let's talk about food! Huge menu (both beer and food), tons of options! The BEST veggie wrap I have had since becoming a vegetarian! It was fresh and had the perfect combination of flavor and veggies. It was not dry, veggies were fresh, it did not fall apart and it was SO satisfying! I scarfed this baby down (after biking 13 miles I was starving for lunch!) and was pleased with every bite. I even splurged and had fries as my side! They are not greasy and have just the perfect crisp! My non-vegetarian boyfriend even had the veggie wrap for lunch and completed it loving every bite as well! I can't recommend this dish enough. Our waitress was a friendly young lady who was obviously flustered by this INSANELY busy day they were having, nonetheless, she was friendly and her service was consistent and appropriate and we felt her pain. We enjoyed our lunch once finally being seated and regardless of that slightly negative taste in our mouth from the first 20-30 minutes at this location. We have to still urge you to go and support this location because of the unique experience it allows you to have while experiencing the great outdoors! So go out there and make a day out of the Towpath and the Winking Lizard ;) read more

Take a rest from hiking to enjoy some grease! THE UP-SIDE: There's not much to choose from in Peninsula, Ohio. Thankfully, they have a Winking Lizard just off the Cuyahoga Valley recreational tow path trail. As such, this place is usually crammed full of family-folk looking to have some greasy bar food and take a break from all the walking or biking. THE DOWN-SIDE: The food is just bar food, and nothing more. While I normally don't mind that type of food, it would be incredible if a restaurant could open up by the tow path that served healthy, non-greasy, food. I guarantee that people would be happy to take a break from the physical fitness stuff for something more healthy to eat. THE SUM-IT-UP: This is the only lively and consistent restaurant/bar in Peninsula. It's not bad, but it isn't great by any means. Mostly, it's just a stop for tired people from the tow path trail. read more

Okay so I get the not letting people in under 21 after 5pm rule BUT you gotta make sure you ask that when people get there and put their name on the waiting list. We were visibly all College age people and only had one person under 21 and weren't asked or told about the rule until after we had waited a half an hour! That's insane! Very unhappy with the manner you guys handled that situatuon. Sad because I usually like this restaurant. You win this round rat boy. We will be back. read more

I've been to a number of Winking Lizard restaurants around Cleveland and my response is becoming, "what, another one?!" We drove into Peninsula after a hike by the deep lock and quarry, and I thought the town was very charming. And then, "what, another one?!" It boggles my mind that the area will support so many branches of this mediocre chain, but the awkward parking lot was overflowing. Bar food is bar food is bar food, and that's pretty much all you can get here. Unfortunately, I was not in the mood for deep-fried whatever the last time I was strong-armed into going here and found that even the salads are covered in meat and fried stuff. Add in running children, a loud videogame arcade, and more TVs than an appliance store and you've got what apparently passes for family entertainment in this area. If that's your thing, then godspeed to you. I'd rather not go back. read more

Rude staff and limited menu of manufactured mediocre food. There are far better places in the area with friendlier staff. Give this place a wide berth. read more

I write this with great joy honestly. Brought in my 4 young children without my better half. With the luck of the draw we were blessed with Ashley as our server. She's just so knowledgeable and pleasant, and very attentive and on top of the job to say the least. Nice all around environment that's child friendly. read more

Filthy place, they need to seriously clean and disinfect it. Then, maybe update a little and turn the lights up so people can see the true charm. read more

Food was not good at all. The fries weren't cooked all the way through. The wings were dry and lacked sauce. Was never offered the free popcorn that I now see everyone gets. Waitress was friendly but only stopped by the get my order, drop off the food and the check. Never checked in. Pretty cool environment and tons of TVs for sports which is the only reason they got the second star. read more