Where is the Best Lunch Spot in Cleveland, Ohio?
Goodman’s is the best-kept West side secret I can think of. To those of us in Brooklyn, it’s an institution. This is the place you take out-of-towners to impress them, though, granted, when you walk in the door, the decor is very, well, 1973. But one bite and you will be bowled over. They’ve got, hands down, the BEST corned beef sandwich you will ever eat. This is not hyperbole here. I don’t know what they do to their meat– something in the spices or in the cooking or what– but it has an unbelievable almost buttery flavor that no other sandwich shop can touch. The sandwiches are huge– maybe 4 or 5 inches thick with beef on fresh soft rye. Denny’s the guy carving up your lunch, and you might catch his father Saul there, still running the cash registers at age 94. The waitress cracks bawdy jokes and slides cans of soda down the lunch counter like they do in movies. Seating is limited, but stop in on a sunny day (the waitress insists the place fills up on rainy afternoons– “
The dining area is clean, comfortable and semi-cozy. Salads, pizza, entrees – you can’t go wrong no matter what you pick on the menu! Let’s not forget their focaccia bread with dipping oil. The best I’ve ever had. The staff is friendly and very accommodating. Nothing on the menu is set in stone. Drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts are all excellent and reasonably priced. Parking is free. The only downside is its cash or check only, which is a step backwards in the 21st century. There is also a fenced-in patio for when the weather turns warm. There is something for everyone at Scotti’s.Pros + Ample portions, reasonably priced.Cons – Cash or check ONLY!
Parker’s is to the midwest what Chez Panisse is to Berkeley, the pairing of fresh seasonal ingredients of local origins with the cuisines of country France.The results sometimes work and sometimes not and since the menu changes, daily, consistency of taste is not what this restaurant is about. What it is about is using what you have to the fullest and Parker manages to pull that off fairly successfully.If there were “negatives” I would have to say that 1) the atmosphere in the back room is less than what I had hoped for after seeing the entrance and 2) because the menu changes, daily, you don’t always know, in advance, what will be the menu du jour. As I said, somethings work and some don’t so you need a few trips to form an opinion about this place.Mine is, overall, very positive.
Since the restaurant has been under new ownership, things are not that great anymore. We went there a couple of times the place was closed, then re-opened, then closed again, food is not that great and atmosphere kind of died. This used to be the spot I would recomment to all my friends for a great quiet lunch. NOT ANYMORE.Pros + wonderful view
Having moved away from Cleveland several years ago, I miss the phenomenon of gigantic corned beef sandwiches at Slyman’s and a handful of other Cle deli’s. Slyman’s is just the best. Great “Soup Nazi” ambience when ordering. That’s not for everyone, I understand, but I love it! Great working class crowds. Check out my picture of my son with the…
