April 25, 201114 yr That is real good news. That place has been empty for a long time. Is something happening to the Sushi 86 on Public square?? I don't know the status of the Public Square location. I was walking through the Arcade on the way to my internship today and saw the updated storefront. Which storefront was the Indigo Bistro ? The only updated storefront was in the location of the red circle of the attached picture. The current picture shows the correct location.
April 25, 201114 yr Actually, the space being renovated is across the entrance way. It was an old wig shop.
April 26, 201114 yr Actually, the space being renovated is across the entrance way. It was an old wig shop. One wonders where one can go to procure a wig in downtown Cleveland anymore.
May 6, 201114 yr Cropicana opened up last night in the old Sunset Grille space at Whiskey Island Marina. They had only a limited Cinqo de Mayo menu of chile-lime popcorn, chorizo-stuffed Cherry Bombs, chicken enchiladas, chorizo tacos, and $5 margaritas and Crop Punch. People seemd to like the food..........when they could get it. We tried to order at around 7:30 but ......they had already run out of tortillas. *shrugs* Not sure if they just got overwhelmed by the initial crowd (every table was taken both indoors and outside) or if the operational clusterf*ckery that has been the hallmark of every restaurant down there has already taken hold. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now since it seems that the rain has prevented some early Spring work on the outdoor kitchen. So hopefully this is a one off. The interior of the bar/restaurant looks essentially unchanged except for a fresh coat of paint and some new framed pictures. The big change is outside where the pavillion now sports a long (probably 50ft) bar. It was easier to get drinks than it was food if you went to the bar. I think that Cropicana will certainly be popular this Summer. Whether that is actually due to quality food, drink and service or simply due to its location remains to be seen.
May 6, 201114 yr Hudson-Based Flip Side to Open Burger Biz in Cleveland Posted by Douglas Trattner on Fri, May 6, 2011 at 10:11 AM Michael Schwartz, designer and partner in the Hudson-based Flip Side burger restaurant (49 Village Way, 330-655-3547), has disclosed that they will open a second location in Cleveland. Schwartz says he has reached an agreement with Randy Ruttenberg of Fairmount Properties to open a Flip Side in the Flats East Bank project, within the complex that will include an Aloft boutique hotel. http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2011/05/06/hudson-based-flip-side-to-open-burger-biz-in-cleveland
May 7, 201114 yr ^Good to hear. Last Saturday (4.30.11) was Crop Restaurant's last night at the W. 6th St location. "Opening in Ohio City later this summer..." http://cropbistro.com/ In the meanwhile it's Cropicana at Whiskey Island! Cropicana opened up last night in the old Sunset Grille space at Whiskey Island Marina. They had only a limited Cinqo de Mayo menu of chile-lime popcorn, chorizo-stuffed Cherry Bombs, chicken enchiladas, chorizo tacos, and $5 margaritas and Crop Punch. People seemd to like the food..........when they could get it. We tried to order at around 7:30 but ......they had already run out of tortillas. *shrugs* Not sure if they just got overwhelmed by the initial crowd (every table was taken both indoors and outside) or if the operational clusterf*ckery that has been the hallmark of every restaurant down there has already taken hold. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now since it seems that the rain has prevented some early Spring work on the outdoor kitchen. So hopefully this is a one off. The interior of the bar/restaurant looks essentially unchanged except for a fresh coat of paint and some new framed pictures. The big change is outside where the pavillion now sports a long (probably 50ft) bar. It was easier to get drinks than it was food if you went to the bar. I think that Cropicana will certainly be popular this Summer. Whether that is actually due to quality food, drink and service or simply due to its location remains to be seen.
May 10, 201114 yr ....And Nikko's on Detroit in Lakewood, is closed once again...I hate to say it, but I saw that coming from a mile away.
May 11, 201114 yr Edgewater will be getting another coffee shop soon. I saw signs for Mo Ca in the same building as the Clifton Wine and Martini Bar go up recently. They should have a great outdoor patio space too.
May 11, 201114 yr ....And Nikko's on Detroit in Lakewood, is closed once again...I hate to say it, but I saw that coming from a mile away. But at least I've heard that the space is already spoken for (and thats probably why Niko closed...he wasn't in it for the long haul, just looking for another tenant). A friend of mine did some design work for the place that is moving in. I don't remember the name or much about it. I think its burgers.
May 11, 201114 yr ^That's good to know. He still owned the building so his overhead couldn't of been too bad, I figure he reopened Nikko's after Route 6 closed just to make a little money on the property. I am glad to hear that somebody wants the space for the long term. It's a nice space since the renovations and actually has a good amount of parking behind it for Lakewood. Burgers are a tough business in LW though, lots of very good competition, they better be fan-fucking-tastic for them to make it.
May 11, 201114 yr The "temporary custodian" angle is not my impression...Niko was doing everything he could to make the place work on the second go around including Sunday hours, late night hours, happy hours and various promotions. Nothing seemed to work and the place was dead (in fact very dead) much too often, especially during the week, despite some really great food. It is an attractive space so hopefully this new joint will take off.
May 11, 201114 yr LW is pretty fickle, the places either take off or die a slow year long death...Deagan's finally seem to have stuck in the old Barnacle Bill's space, after 2 or 3 others couldn't make it there. I know Cleats actually were evicted out of that space. The notice was taped to the door. As far as Nikko's I think that part of the problem, despite their efforts was it was not really considered "new" when they reopened.
May 12, 201114 yr LW is pretty fickle, the places either take off or die a slow year long death...Deagan's finally seem to have stuck in the old Barnacle Bill's space, after 2 or 3 others couldn't make it there. I know Cleats actually were evicted out of that space. The notice was taped to the door. As far as Nikko's I think that part of the problem, despite their efforts was it was not really considered "new" when they reopened. I just went to Deagan's on Tuesday. I had the chicken and waffles, and holy hell was that a lot of chicken and waffles. It was good, but you can tell they're still tweaking things, because everything we had at our table could've used a little more flavor.
May 12, 201114 yr I didnt realize Route 66 closed. I thought people really liked it... I went there for brunch once and thought it was ok... the owner was a bit too friendly, especially if you were even a little bit attractive, so a bit uncomfortable. Thought it was kinda funny the previous guy in that space was a celebrated chef from NY (Orchid) and people in Cleveland were like Meh..... So maybe another, unlucky space.. The coffee shop in the Wilsher Building has been coming soon for some time... Must be waiting on a permit.
May 12, 201114 yr Deagan's finally seem to have stuck in the old Barnacle Bill's space, after 2 or 3 others couldn't make it there. I know Cleats actually were evicted out of that space. The notice was taped to the door. That space is huge and IIRC there's no patio. Need a lot of restaurant table business to make it work, and Cleats isn't the brand for that.
May 12, 201114 yr ....And Nikko's on Detroit in Lakewood, is closed once again...I hate to say it, but I saw that coming from a mile away. But at least I've heard that the space is already spoken for (and thats probably why Niko closed...he wasn't in it for the long haul, just looking for another tenant). A friend of mine did some design work for the place that is moving in. I don't remember the name or much about it. I think its burgers. Well, here we go. Maybe its not burgers... http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/index.ssf/2011/05/jammy_buggers_eatery_will_open.html
May 12, 201114 yr I didnt realize Route 66 closed. I thought people really liked it... I went there for brunch once and thought it was ok... the owner was a bit too friendly, especially if you were even a little bit attractive, so a bit uncomfortable. Thought it was kinda funny the previous guy in that space was a celebrated chef from NY (Orchid) and people in Cleveland were like Meh..... So maybe another, unlucky space.. The coffee shop in the Wilsher Building has been coming soon for some time... Must be waiting on a permit. Orchid's place was actually in the 56 West space. His food was good, but that place was so slooooooow, hour+ to get your food. It was funny, I saw him on that show Chopped. And in both rounds that he participated in, he ran out of time and did not finish his dish. It made me laugh.
May 12, 201114 yr Ah yes I was confusing the 2 names. Yeah the Orchid guy was a bit unusual in that he had culinary talent, but wacky busniness sense. We went in to his place once and the server sat us down and said that the chef was not there, but was out delivering a cake, so we went to 3-birds instead. Other times he would just close.
May 20, 201114 yr The Eater Cleveland Heat Map: Where to Eat Right Now Thursday, May 12, 2011, by Gabe Ulla Today we head to Cleveland, a city not yet under the Eater purview, and focus on ten newish locales that have been garnering serious buzz. For this edition, local expert Douglas Trattner, who's the dining editor at Cleveland Scene as well as a guidebook author, has taken the reigns and shared his thoughts on the hottest drinking and dining his city currently has to offer. http://eater.com/archives/2011/05/12/the-eater-cleveland-heat-map-where-to-eat-right-now.php List; Sweet Moses, Cropicana, Fat Casual BBQ, Happy Dog, Washington Place Bistro, Deagan's Kitchen & Bar, AMP 150, ABC the Tavern, Dim and Den Sum, Market at the Fig
May 20, 201114 yr That coffee shop on Clifton is open now. No sandwiches yet. Anyone have an idea of what "Torso" will be in the old It's It on Clifton? Boutique gym?
May 22, 201114 yr Not sure if anyone posted this news yet. I went to Metro tonight, and it turns out tonight was their last night. They were bought out by Bar Louie. I was just telling a friend how we need a crappy chain in the middle of the warehouse district... *barf* :weird: Just did a quick glance at yelp and I only saw 2 in the country that had more than 3 stars...
May 22, 201114 yr omg. wow. I just went there for happy hour with some girlfriends a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea. After all the money they put into renovating and re-doing the place, I couldn't believe they weren't going to be open for lunches. I wonder if that contributed to their demise.
May 22, 201114 yr Say what you want about chains downtown... and I will agree with you in most cases..... but Bar Louie's Blackened Fish Po Boy makes my mouth water.
May 22, 201114 yr omg. wow. I just went there for happy hour with some girlfriends a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea. After all the money they put into renovating and re-doing the place, I couldn't believe they weren't going to be open for lunches. I wonder if that contributed to their demise. Actually, the waitress didn't tell me this *wink*, but they were not in financial trouble at all, the offer was just really good. Couldn't get a number out of her though. Say what you want about chains downtown... and I will agree with you in most cases..... but Bar Louie's Blackened Fish Po Boy makes my mouth water. I think that's the only thing on their menu I like. For everything else, they're just a more expensive Applebee's
May 22, 201114 yr Not sure if anyone posted this news yet. I went to Metro tonight, and it turns out tonight was their last night. They were bought out by Bar Louie. I was just telling a friend how we need a crappy chain in the middle of the warehouse district... *barf* :weird: Just did a quick glance at yelp and I only saw 2 in the country that had more than 3 stars... omg. wow. I just went there for happy hour with some girlfriends a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea. After all the money they put into renovating and re-doing the place, I couldn't believe they weren't going to be open for lunches. I wonder if that contributed to their demise. Actually, the waitress didn't tell me this *wink*, but they were not in financial trouble at all, the offer was just really good. Couldn't get a number out of her though. Say what you want about chains downtown... and I will agree with you in most cases..... but Bar Louie's Blackened Fish Po Boy makes my mouth water. I think that's the only thing on their menu I like. For everything else, they're just a more expensive Applebee's Whoa, thanks for the info. I never visited Metro, but after reading about Bar Louie (I never heard of it until now), I would rather keep Metro :(
May 23, 201114 yr Not sure if anyone posted this news yet. I went to Metro tonight, and it turns out tonight was their last night. They were bought out by Bar Louie. I was just telling a friend how we need a crappy chain in the middle of the warehouse district... *barf* :weird: Just did a quick glance at yelp and I only saw 2 in the country that had more than 3 stars... omg. wow. I just went there for happy hour with some girlfriends a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea. After all the money they put into renovating and re-doing the place, I couldn't believe they weren't going to be open for lunches. I wonder if that contributed to their demise. Actually, the waitress didn't tell me this *wink*, but they were not in financial trouble at all, the offer was just really good. Couldn't get a number out of her though. Say what you want about chains downtown... and I will agree with you in most cases..... but Bar Louie's Blackened Fish Po Boy makes my mouth water. I think that's the only thing on their menu I like. For everything else, they're just a more expensive Applebee's Whoa, thanks for the info. I never visited Metro, but after reading about Bar Louie (I never heard of it until now), I would rather keep Metro :( I agree, but if they weren't in financial trouble and Bar Louie made a Godfather offer then I would at least take some solace in what that says about the location and what they expect from Cleveland as a whole
May 23, 201114 yr I just can't imagine this, after the time they were closed and all the work they spent remodeling. They must not have been as profitable as expected after the re-open, there'd be no other reason for them to sell out. I mean, unless the offer were astronomical. I'm going to find out.
May 23, 201114 yr Whoa, thanks for the info. I never visited Metro, but after reading about Bar Louie (I never heard of it until now), I would rather keep Metro :( Same here. From its web site, Bar Louie looks like generic upscale chain, which isn't end of the world, but still kind of lame. Stinks to cede design/menu/concept control to some corporate office in [City other than Cleveland]. Kind of random, but on ESPN's Baseball Tonight a couple nights ago, they interviewed Josh Tomlin, who had called in from an Applebees. So maybe we do need more downtown chains to keep our ball players in town for dinner...
May 23, 201114 yr I also heard the offer was very generous and they are going to keep the Metro theme for a while before converting it to anything else.
May 23, 201114 yr Ate at Bar Louie at Legacy once...nice space but really have no interest in visiting again...food was definitely nothing to write home about. By the way...Josh Tomlin is a "kid"...Applebee's is what they grew up with, Applebee's is what they know and like...takes some time to develop a more sophisticated palate...baby steps...next year he will be eating at Cheese Cake Factory :wink:
May 23, 201114 yr When I lived in Chicago, Bar Louie was OK. Not great, not horrible. It would have been nice if they opened up a new place in the WHD, just sad to see Metro go. One thing to consider, perhaps Bar Louie is buying not only the restaurant, but the concept. Maybe (speculation on my part) Bar Louie is looking for an upscale version of itself, that it can mass produce.
May 23, 201114 yr I don't think so based on what's going on there. They are gutting the place right now. cases of wine, paper towels, everything out on the curb and being loaded into vans.
May 23, 201114 yr This sucks. I've been to Bar Louie once and won't go back. Whoever said it's a "more expensive Applebee's" was right on the money. They even describe themselves as a "casually cool neighborhood restaurant & bar" (trying too hard to convince people they actually care about neighborhoods) just like the full name of Applebee's is "Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar".
May 23, 201114 yr I have a friend that was working there. As was already stated, they weren't doing bad, they just got a great offer for the place. A hot trend starts to pop up in Cleveland Blog entry: May 23, 2011, 11:08 am | Author: KATHY CARR Red Restaurant Group is acquainting the Cleveland market to one of the latest food industry crazes — the pop-up restaurant. Brad Friedlander, CEO of the Beachwood-based company, said the temporary eatery will materialize for two weeks sometime in August at a yet-to-be-determined site. The pop-up will preview the company's latest concept — Rosso — a contemporary Italian restaurant that is scheduled to open in November in Boca Raton, Fla. http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20110523/BLOGS02/110529962/-1/BLOGS
May 24, 201114 yr When I lived in Chicago, Bar Louie was OK. Not great, not horrible. It would have been nice if they opened up a new place in the WHD, just sad to see Metro go. One thing to consider, perhaps Bar Louie is buying not only the restaurant, but the concept. Maybe (speculation on my part) Bar Louie is looking for an upscale version of itself, that it can mass produce. I thought Bar Louie was from NOLA. I know it is a cheap knock off of authentic cajun, but I thought the concept was at least spawned down there. On the bright side, weren't a lot of people saying just a few weeks back that the addition of chains to downtown would be a sign of vibrancy? Also, is it possible that Metro just sold its space and is planning on relocation or opening a new concepts somewhere else in downtown?
May 24, 201114 yr I haven't seen any bar louie's down here. I thought the first one was in Lincoln Park, (not all that far from the original potbelly's: an antiques store that sold sandwiches once a week until....)
May 24, 201114 yr Bar Louie Describes Plans for Downtown Expansion into Metro Space Posted by Douglas Trattner on Tue, May 24, 2011 at 10:23 AM News of Metro Bar and Kitchen's (1352 W. Sixth St.) sudden closure in the Warehouse District after a 10-year-run was a shock to almost everybody except the new tenant: Bar Louie. "The ownership of Metro decided they no longer wanted to be in the downtown Cleveland market," explains Erika Buesing, senior director of marketing for Bar Louie restaurants. "So they approached us knowing that we were planning to expand." http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2011/05/24/bar-louie-describes-plans-for-downtown-expansion-into-metro-space
May 24, 201114 yr ^Yes, it is the same restaurant group...Hyde Park, Blakes, Jekylls in Chagrin Falls.
May 24, 201114 yr Esteemed chef prepares to launch second 'green' eatery Jonathon Sawyer has catapulted The Greenhouse Tavern during its two years in existence to the top of an increasingly competitive group of marquee Cleveland restaurants that garner national praise. That same momentum is moving forward the 31-year-old chef's business expansion plans. This July, at 240 Euclid Ave., he plans to open Noodlecat, a Japanese noodle shop just around the corner from its sister on East Fourth Street. “It'll be about sitting down, smiling, having some noodles, then getting back to work,” said Mr. Sawyer, one of Food & Wine magazine's best new chefs of 2010. http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20110523/FREE/305239975
May 24, 201114 yr ^I am sooo excited! Another great lunch option for downtown workers (R&R- I hope you can convince your co-workers to give this a try). The last two paragraphs from that article: “We want to be ahead of the curve,” Mr. Sawyer said. “Whatever Chicago or New York is doing, we want to be doing.” Totally cracks me up because it's literally paradoxical, but I know what he means. and Meanwhile, Mr. Sawyer, business partner and wife Amelia Zatik-Sawyer, and partner Jonathan Seeholzer over the next year or two expect to unveil two more concepts, one planned for downtown and one on Cleveland's East Side, though Mr. Sawyer could not discuss specifics. Can't wait to see what and where! At first I assumed "Cleveland's East Side" would mean eastern 'burbs, but I wonder if Uptown is in the mix...
May 24, 201114 yr That coffee shop on Clifton is open now. No sandwiches yet. Anyone have an idea of what "Torso" will be in the old It's It on Clifton? Boutique gym? it's going to be a mens clothing boutique.
May 24, 201114 yr Speaking of that area, does anyone know what's happening with the old Truffles space?
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