jaja
4.8 ★ average from 5 reviews
Jaja offers a vibrant Mediterranean-inspired dining experience in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood, featuring a menu centered around wood-fired Argentinian flavors. The whimsical, plant-filled space serves as both a refined steakhouse and a lively social destination for inventive cocktails and wine.
Location
Hours
- fri
- 5:00 – 10:00 PM
- sat
- 5:00 – 10:00 PM
- sun
- 5:00 – 9:00 PM
- thu
- 5:00 – 9:00 PM
- tue
- 5:00 – 9:00 PM
- wed
- 5:00 – 9:00 PM
Photos
Recent reviews
- ★★★★★Julia Galay
Jaja was such an incredible experience from start to finish. The atmosphere is absolutely stunning—beautiful design, such a chic upscale vibe, and every corner feels so thoughtfully curated. It’s the kind of place that feels special the second you walk in. The food was amazing—everything was flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. You can tell so much attention goes into every dish and detail. But what made the experience even better was the service. Everyone was so welcoming, attentive, and genuinely kind. Our server was fantastic—so helpful with recommendations, checked in at the perfect times, and made the whole night feel effortless and enjoyable. Between the gorgeous ambiance, amazing food, and top-tier hospitality, Jaja is easily one of the best dining spots in the Cleveland area for a special dinner, girls night, or celebration. Already excited to come back!! Lily & Julie 🐝💫❣️
- ★★★★☆Christin Collins
Just went back for first time since re opened. We loved jaja before, the steak on the menu previously (not what they have now) was the besttttttt and they had this fluffy to DIE for cheesecake . They changed the menu, got rid of the best things. There’s still good food, the bread was good, the cocktails were good, the fried ravioli and smashed potatoes, have unique Savory mediterranean vibe , the cheesecake was ??burned?? I did not like it. I miss the old jaja, the new is okay
- ★★★★★A Rose
Impeccable service and a deep eccentric vibe in this beautiful upscale restaurant! Our shareable dining experience was romantic and yummy. My favorite dish was the smashed potatoes. The sauce was amazing! I highly recommend the latte and pistachio tres leches cake at the end! All the servers were friendly and attentive. Beautiful presentation overall!
- ★★★★★Aidan Hammer
I had an outstanding experience at JaJa this evening. My girlfriend was in town from college for the weekend, and we were hoping to secure a last-minute reservation. Manager Julie was an absolute pleasure to work with and went above and beyond to accommodate us with a table. From the valet to the hostess at the elevator, every member of the staff was warm, attentive, and professional. Our server consistently checked in on us, and the overall level of service throughout the restaurant was exceptional. My water glass was never less than half full without someone promptly refilling it — a small detail that truly reflects their attentiveness. We also had the opportunity to work with the on-floor sommelier, who was incredibly knowledgeable and helped us select the perfect wine to pair with our meal. The food itself was truly memorable. We started with the milk bread rolls, which were incredibly soft and paired beautifully with the pear jam served alongside them. The grilled heirloom carrots were outstanding, complemented by a sauce so unique and flavorful it’s difficult to put into words. The smashed potatoes had a subtle kick of heat that tied the dish together perfectly. Our favorite of the evening was the rigatoni — I had never experienced rigatoni prepared with squash before, and the way the flavors blended so seamlessly was exceptional. To finish, we ordered the pistachio tres leches for dessert, and the sommelier thoughtfully returned to recommend a dessert wine pairing that elevated the experience even further. Overall, the food was some of the best I’ve had in quite some time. JaJa is truly a must-visit for anyone spending time in the Cleveland area. We will absolutely be returning and look forward to our next visit.
- ★★★★★Jessica Grigg
Went on opening night which is usually a bit high-stress for most spots, but not Jaja! They had such a great handle on things and functioned great as a team, working like a well-oiled machine. We had an AMAZING experience and cannot wait to return. With Jaja finally back, it had some big shoes to fill. My husband and I were regulars before it closed down, and were very excited to secure an opening night reservation once we heard Jaja was reopening. And as good as the old Jaja was, Jaja 2.0 blew it out of the water. From delicious small plates and shareables to spectacular service, we’ll be raving about Jaja for the foreseeable future. Now onto food and drinks. COCKTAILS: My husband ordered BARBOLETA, which tasted like a margarita’s smooth, upscale, older sibling. I, looking at the menu, felt inspired to ask the mixologist (Jason) to create something custom to my palette, giving just a few hints as to my preferences (e.g. enjoy g&t, florals, citrus). My husband’s drink was great but the magic that came together with my drink was BEYOND. My husband even ended up ordering himself one as well. I’d come back for this alone! The details escape me but there was some butterfly pea flower, chamomile, jasmine, lime, ginger… They named it “LA VIOLETA”, in case anyone’s looking to try it as well 💜 1000% would recommend! FOOD: We opted for the SHORT RIB TARTAR, the SCALLOP CRUDO, the BASQUE MUSHROOMS, and SEARED RED SNAPPER. Each dish was exceptional. The sauce for each is what really pushed it over the edge for us, especially for the tartar and the mushrooms. We could’ve only eaten those two and the night would’ve still been a great success! DESSERT: We didn’t have much room left, but desserts sounded too good to pass up. We ended up trying the BASQUE CHEESECAKE & the PISTACHIO TRES LECHES. Either of these could top the list for my favorite dessert in Cleveland, but having both be so outstanding skyrocketed Jaja to my favorite dessert spot in Ohio. The honey crisps and honey sauce work marvelously to elevate the classic basque cheesecake to the next level. Similarly, the blend of tres leches with pistachios and pomegranate arils transformed a traditional cake into a work of art, blending sweet, nutty, and sour flavors in unimaginable ways. ALL THAT TO SAY, if Michelin ever finally decides to include Ohio, I wouldn’t be shocked if this is among their first stops. In fact, I could bet on it! We had the most wonderful time and can’t wait to return. Especially looking forward to introducing friends to this absolute gem of a restaurant and the amazing staff that complete the experience. From Jacob and our servers to Logan, Jason, and everyone else, a great big THANK YOU for such a fun night celebrating Jaja’s reopening and CHEERS to a successful opening night!