March 31, 201510 yr Based on a liquor license applied for this past week, it appears that this small restaurant chain is planning a Cleveland location at 1144 Prospect, the former Rathskeller space. http://chicagoshomeofchickenandwaffles.com/gallery.html
March 31, 201510 yr Based on a liquor license applied for this past week, it appears that this small restaurant chain is planning a Cleveland location at 1144 Prospect, the former Rathskeller space. http://chicagoshomeofchickenandwaffles.com/gallery.html Oh hell yeah. I'm gonna crush that place when it opens. That said, I'm not stoked about having a place called "Chicago's" in downtown Cleveland.
March 31, 201510 yr ^ This is their first store outside of Chicago, so who knows, they may choose to call the Cleveland location Cleveland's Home of Chicken and Waffles.
April 1, 201510 yr More... Chicago-Based Soul Food Joint to Plant Flag in Downtown Cleveland Posted By Douglas Trattner on Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 9:57 am Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles, a popular Soul Food restaurant with three locations in Chicago, will open its next location in Downtown Cleveland. The owners say they have been following our city’s progress and couldn’t wait to dip their toes in our bubbling market. The restaurant will be claiming the 4,000-square-foot space at 1144-46 Prospect Avenue, which is the current home of the Rathskeller. That longstanding bar, if you recall, previously was displaced from its previous home on East Fourth Street by redevelopment. Tonya Johnson opened her first Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles restaurant in 2008 in the South Side neighborhood of Bronzeville. She followed that up with a second spot two years later in Oak Park. In 2013, she added a third spot, this one up in Evanston. A favorite of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the small chain is eyeing out-of-state expansion. MORE: http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2015/04/01/chicago-based-soul-food-joint-to-plant-flag-in-downtown-cleveland?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 1, 201510 yr Not sure if it's been already posted, but Churned (ice cream shop in Tremont) appears to be closed. Sign on the door is gone, no hours posted; I peaked through the window inside, equipment on the floor, unassembled.
April 1, 201510 yr ^ they aren't closing. THey are owned by the cookie and cupcake people...they have moved both operations over to west 14th street near Bac.
April 1, 201510 yr Re: "Chicago-Based Soul Food Joint to Plant Flag in Downtown Cleveland", a few posts up: While I hope the food is good, and doesn't hurt Stone Town with the same cuisine, just a block or two away, what an awful awful name---especially if this restaurant is to be in Cleveland or ANYWHERE outside of Chicago. Who in Cleveland would want to see a sign on a major Downtown Street that says, Chicago's Home of anything?... 'Chicago Chicken & Waffle House' is one thing, but "Chicago's Home of...?" If they had thought of ever expanding outside of Chicago, they should have developed a better name.
April 1, 201510 yr So if a Barney's New York opened in Tower City, you'd be offended as well? Hell, they already have a Jones New York.
April 1, 201510 yr Off topic but at one time there *was* a Barneys New York in Tower City. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
April 1, 201510 yr And I guess Bourbon Street Barrel Room is also not welcome, because that's free advertising for New Orleans? C'mon.
April 1, 201510 yr And I guess Bourbon Street Barrel Room is also not welcome, because that's free advertising for New Orleans? C'mon. These are all different. The name is "Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles." It's not Chicago style food, but instead southern soul food. The name is obviously for a place in Chicago that is selling chicken and waffles. It would even be different it the name were "Chicago Chicken & Waffles" indicating that it is a Chicago style take on the cuisine. It's the use of the possessive and the word "home" that is bothersome. Edit: For the record, I don't really think it's that big of a deal and I wouldn't characterize it as an "awful awful name" but I see where Pugu[/member] is coming from.
April 1, 201510 yr And here I was thinking that Chicago's is a horrible name for a place in Chicago. The photos they have up of two of their locations literally just say "Chicago's."
April 1, 201510 yr Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles = bad Chicago Chicken & Waffles = not as bad Makes sense to me
April 1, 201510 yr Re: "Chicago-Based Soul Food Joint to Plant Flag in Downtown Cleveland", a few posts up: While I hope the food is good, and doesn't hurt Stone Town with the same cuisine, just a block or two away, what an awful awful name---especially if this restaurant is to be in Cleveland or ANYWHERE outside of Chicago. Who in Cleveland would want to see a sign on a major Downtown Street that says, Chicago's Home of anything?... 'Chicago Chicken & Waffle House' is one thing, but "Chicago's Home of...?" If they had thought of ever expanding outside of Chicago, they should have developed a better name. What a brilliant point. I guess any business that has a city or state name in it shouldn't open in another city or state. I'll let the people at Chicago Pizza Shop (with many Indiana) locations know. I'll also remind the guys at Jersey Mike's subs. And all those California Pizza Kitchens!! How dare they! Clearly, you are a marketing expert.
April 1, 201510 yr Re: "Chicago-Based Soul Food Joint to Plant Flag in Downtown Cleveland", a few posts up: While I hope the food is good, and doesn't hurt Stone Town with the same cuisine, just a block or two away, what an awful awful name---especially if this restaurant is to be in Cleveland or ANYWHERE outside of Chicago. Who in Cleveland would want to see a sign on a major Downtown Street that says, Chicago's Home of anything?... 'Chicago Chicken & Waffle House' is one thing, but "Chicago's Home of...?" If they had thought of ever expanding outside of Chicago, they should have developed a better name. What a brilliant point. I guess any business that has a city or state name in it shouldn't open in another city or state. I'll let the people at Chicago Pizza Shop (with many Indiana) locations know. I'll also remind the guys at Jersey Mike's subs. And all those California Pizza Kitchens!! How dare they! Clearly, you are a marketing expert. That snarky, condescending response isn't warranted. If you actually read Pugu[/member]'s post that you quoted, you'll notice that's not what he said. No one is claiming that you shouldn't have restaurants bearing other cities' names.
April 1, 201510 yr I sat in on a meeting with these guys a few months back, when they were looking at a different building. I recall them mentioning that they were considering using the name "Cleveland's Home of Chicken & Waffles" for the Cleveland location, but that they hadn't made up their minds yet. So, take that for what it's worth.
April 1, 201510 yr Re: "Chicago-Based Soul Food Joint to Plant Flag in Downtown Cleveland", a few posts up: While I hope the food is good, and doesn't hurt Stone Town with the same cuisine, just a block or two away, what an awful awful name---especially if this restaurant is to be in Cleveland or ANYWHERE outside of Chicago. Who in Cleveland would want to see a sign on a major Downtown Street that says, Chicago's Home of anything?... 'Chicago Chicken & Waffle House' is one thing, but "Chicago's Home of...?" If they had thought of ever expanding outside of Chicago, they should have developed a better name. What a brilliant point. I guess any business that has a city or state name in it shouldn't open in another city or state. I'll let the people at Chicago Pizza Shop (with many Indiana) locations know. I'll also remind the guys at Jersey Mike's subs. And all those California Pizza Kitchens!! How dare they! Clearly, you are a marketing expert. That snarky, condescending response isn't warranted. If you actually read Pugu[/member]'s post that you quoted, you'll notice that's not what he said. No one is claiming that you shouldn't have restaurants bearing other cities' names. Actually, that is what he was saying. Mine wasn't the only comment about that post. Lighten up.
April 2, 201510 yr There are COMING SOON signs on the doors of the former One Walnut/Table 9 space in the Ohio Savings Plaza. Anyone know for what? They don't specify... Hopefully something well run! Table 9 was very poorly conceived and executed. I can't believe it survived there as long as it did.
April 2, 201510 yr Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles = bad Chicago Chicken & Waffles = not as bad Makes sense to me As someone who has a family member that has a restaurant that serves chicken and waffles, I'd be pissed off if they named it Cleveland's Home of Chicken and Waffles. I mean, who do you think you are to come in and make that assertion?!?! It's the "home" that gets me.
April 3, 201510 yr Digging the more and more outside of Ohio investment. Hope the Chicago place does well. With the Portland OR brewery market potentially getting oversaturated (the city has 70+ and counting!), I wonder if there could be some persuasion for some Cleveland locations :). Fathead's decided to enter the Portland brewpub market; maybe someone in Portland can return the favor.
April 3, 201510 yr Urban Farmer is from a Portland based restaurant group that opened up their second location with that name here. (Sage restaurant group) Oh, did you mean Portland's beer to return the favor? I'm sure I'd be okay with that too.
April 6, 201510 yr Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles = bad Chicago Chicken & Waffles = not as bad Makes sense to me Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles = bad Chicago Chicken & Waffles = not as bad Makes sense to me As someone who has a family member that has a restaurant that serves chicken and waffles, I'd be pissed off if they named it Cleveland's Home of Chicken and Waffles. I mean, who do you think you are to come in and make that assertion?!?! It's the "home" that gets me. me too. well, not p.o.'d, but its all bad. chicago is not the home of that. if it was beef sandwiches or chicago dogs or something like that, then okey doke.
April 6, 201510 yr New York Spaghetti House was a Cleveland institution for decades... I'm not against having a city name in the name of a restaurant, but I am against a name that implies some sort of ownership of something you have no right to assert. Reminds me of the world's best coffee scene in the movie Elf.
April 6, 201510 yr ^ yes exactly. on st pats day i had a bar down the street with a sign that said world's hq for st pats day -- DOUBTFUL!!
April 10, 201510 yr Kenko to Bring Fast Casual Sushi, Hibachi Experience to University Circle http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2015/04/09/kenko-to-bring-fast-casual-sushi-hibachi-experience-to-university-circle
April 20, 201510 yr Zoup on Euclid by East 4th closed I've never been there. Although I never like seeing a business close I can't imagine it will take long to fill this spot.
April 20, 201510 yr I didn't go their once in the almost 3 years I lived downtown. They closed at like 4pm and weren't open on the weekends.
April 20, 201510 yr No, not really. It sucks they closed, and the owners put a ton of hope and determination and financial sacrifice into expanding their business downtown. The other thing that really sucks is people's cavalier attitudes when businesses like this fail.
April 20, 201510 yr Have to agree that it was a bummer Zoup closed. Little surprising as well since it was a great lunch spot for quick soup/salad combo. I have to imagine that it being closed on weekends was well justified given it was a workweek lunch spot.
April 20, 201510 yr Has anyone been to the new Greek place on West 9th? That location seems to be doomed, hope they pull it off this time though.
April 20, 201510 yr The new M Italian restaurant (from the Burntwood Tavern folks), adjacent to Gamekeepers and the soon-to-reopen Jekyll's, in downtown Chagrin Falls, launched about two weeks ago.. and the town won't be the same. Already a huge, traffic-driving hit. Super indoor/outdoor bar and patio... Great menu. And overlooking a glass blowing studio, to boot. Game-changer for a long-dormant location... www.mitalian.com
April 20, 201510 yr The new M Italian restaurant (from the Burntwood Tavern folks), adjacent to Gamekeepers and the soon-to-reopen Jekyll's, in downtown Chagrin Falls, launched about two weeks ago.. and the town won't be the same. Already a huge, traffic-driving hit. Super indoor/outdoor bar and patio... Great menu. And overlooking a glass blowing studio, to boot. Game-changer for a long-dormant location... www.mitalian.com This place is actually really good and they have a great happy hour
April 20, 201510 yr Has anyone been to the new Greek place on West 9th? That location seems to be doomed, hope they pull it off this time though. nicklachey[/member] there is some discussion from earlier today about this place on the Ohio restaurant review thread: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,27741.msg753429.html#new Still not sure why UO tries to separate restaurant news from reviews in case the mods want to review this...
April 21, 201510 yr No, not really. It sucks they closed, and the owners put a ton of hope and determination and financial sacrifice into expanding their business downtown. The other thing that really sucks is people's cavalier attitudes when businesses like this fail. I don't want to see any decent business in Cleveland fail. However, understand the context. There are only so many retail spaces on the street downtown. Being open on a Saturday or after 4pm on a weekday isn't really an outrageous expectation. If we want people on the street and activity, and a healthy vibrant downtown---stores and restaurants cannot shut down at 4pm or be closed all day Saturday (and Sunday). I would rather have a place that was even slightly lower quality, but was open later during the week and open on weekends than the place that did close that had such few hours per week open. If we want to build momentum and a healthy downtown, places *can't* close at 4pm and be closed on Saturday.
April 21, 201510 yr They'll be open when they make money being open. Anything else is indeed an outrageous expectation. Still not sure why UO tries to separate restaurant news from reviews in case the mods want to review this... Because some of us want to keep up with openings, closings, other restaurant business news without having to read through a bunch of people griping about the service.
April 21, 201510 yr Has anyone been to the new Greek place on West 9th? That location seems to be doomed, hope they pull it off this time though. Yes. Check out the discussion in the Ohio Restaraunt Reviews thread Edit - I see Strap already directed you there
May 4, 201510 yr The mostly new/larger Jekyll's Kitchen in Chagrin Falls - destroyed by fire in Fall 2013 - is reopening May 14th, per the sign on the door tonight. The former kitchen location, where fire started, is now a nifty looking indoor/outdoor bar - which leads onto the former/current patio, overlooking the downtown falls as does the main dining room) With two Gamekeeper's owned restaurants/patios adjacent - and the new M Italian a few hundred feet to the north, this corner of Chagrin Falls will be restaurant central in a few weeks.
May 5, 201510 yr Huge deal in the food world. Cleveland chef Jonathon Sawyer wins James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes Award CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Twitter lit up Monday night with word that Cleveland chef Jonathon Sawyer won the 2015 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes. During the 25th annual Beard Awards - held this year in Chicago, the first time the ceremony was staged outside of New York City - the chef/owner of The Greenhouse Tavern, Noodlecat and Trentina restaurants was the lone non-Chicagoan nominated in the Great Lakes category. He bested a field of chefs who all boasted Chicago ties. Sawyer topped Paul Virant of Vie in Western Springs, Illinois; and Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia, Curtis Duffy of Grace and Erling Wu-Bower of Nico Osteria, all in Chicago. http://www.cleveland.com/dining/index.ssf/2015/05/cleveland_chef_jonathon_sawyer_5.html#incart_river
May 6, 201510 yr Lax & Mandel in South Euclid is closing due to the owner's declining health and $100,000 in debt. It doesn't hold a candle to the original Cleveland Hts branch but still a disappointment for the orthodox community. The owner said there are two prospective buyers, one of whom is a local, so I guess that's something.
May 12, 201510 yr Opening this week, Jekyll's Kitchen in Chagrin Falls has website back up - with pics of interior and exterior. Menu link on home page - and menu features some items from past menu - but the majority is new... Interesting in that you can get a $9 burger/chicken (a la carte) up to a $39 Prime ribeye and quite a bit in between. Hope it is better than "always decent" Jekyll's of the past. Hyde Park's other/nearby ML Tavern is so much better than Jekyll's was... And the adjacent M Italian is awfully good and reasonably priced, with most item coming in well under Jekyll's, in a nice space, too.... Will be interesting... Also, though I'm a frequent diner-out, not a restaurant operator, I'd argue they are GIVING tons of business away by not being open in the daytime on Saturdays/Sundays in touristy downtown Chagrin Falls (especially Spring-Summer-Fall). The new M Italian and newish Flip Side are people magnets for Sat/Sun lunches... There's more than enough business for Jekyll's on Sunday (and Sat lunch_ - especially with that view of the falls.
May 13, 201510 yr This is awesome news: What's Fresh At: LockKeepers Venetian-inspired seasonal twists and a new downtown restaurant in the works http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/whats-fresh-at-lockkeepers/Content?oid=4582048 By next summer, Leandri will transition into another new role as he begins overseeing the menu for a new LockKeepers operation in downtown Cleveland. Public Square Pizza, at 75 Public Square, on the ground floor of the former Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company building, will serve wood-oven fired pizzas, pasta and gelato in flavors from white chocolate strawberry and cherry to mascarpone.
May 13, 201510 yr ^CEI is at 55 Public Square. 75 PS is the building next to it. Scene usually has its stuff right.
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