Winking Lizard Downtown Cleveland
3.2 ★ average from 5 reviews
Relaxed neighborhood chain pub with classic American grub, hundreds of beer choices & sports on TVs.
Location
Hours
- fri
- 11:00 AM – 10:30 PM
- mon
- 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- sat
- 11:30 AM – 10:30 PM
- thu
- 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- tue
- 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- wed
- 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Photos
Recent reviews
- ★★☆☆☆Nicole Eckersley
Got seated right away. Every piece of the service took forever.. From the first approach, to getting drinks and food. It was not busy. Salad came out with the meal. Had to ask for silverware. Ordered the ribs - get were dry. Husband got a burger that was just meh. I'm sure there are a lot better places in Cleveland to try next time we're in town.
- ★★★★★Adam -
We had read it was the #1 sports bar in America, and got a little nervous upon arrival when it wasn't the grungy, hearty dive you might expect hearing this descriptor. Facilities were clean and the staff seated us right away. Our waitress, T, was the best waitress we have had in a long time! It was easy to see she cared about patrons. The portions were large and prices were reasonable. Great food and great service.
- ★★☆☆☆Erika
We were visiting from Columbus ended up changing our original dining plans since all the locations in Columbus closed (symbolic). The service was friendly and attentive, which was the highlight of our visit. Our wait staff was knowledgeable enough since they were in training. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to expectations. We ordered two orders of wings, and both arrived cold and overcooked. With a game in town, I understand the restaurant was busy, but food quality should remain consistent regardless of the crowd. My partner's salad was over sauced and was eaten because of being hungry. Here is a photo of th fries that were honestly the highlight of the food. Giving atmosphere a higher score because of missing the ones in Columbus... RIP 🚫
- ★★★☆☆Latisha Dutch
had dinner at Winking Lizard Tavern in Cleveland and really enjoyed most of the experience. I ordered the Cajun Chicken Spinach Salad, and it was excellent — fresh greens, flavorful chicken, and a great balance of spice and texture. It’s definitely something I’d order again. At the table, we shared the Bavarian Pretzels, which were a huge hit. They came with both beer cheese sauce and mustard, and everyone at the table loved them — perfectly soft and warm with just the right amount of salt. The combination of the pretzels with the dipping sauces made for a great starter to share. One of the biggest highlights of the evening was the music. The playlist was awesome — upbeat, familiar songs that gave the place great energy without being too loud. Honestly, the music alone set the tone for a fun and laid-back night and was probably my favorite part of the experience. The overall vibe of Winking Lizard is casual and friendly — definitely a great spot to hang back with friends, grab some drinks, and enjoy good food in a lively atmosphere. It has that classic tavern feel with a local touch, and you can tell it’s a popular hangout. The only real downside was the customer service. Our waitress was a bit lackluster — not rude, just disengaged and slow to check in. It didn’t ruin the night, but it was noticeable compared to the otherwise positive vibe of the place. All in all, Winking Lizard is a fun, casual spot with great food, fantastic music, and a comfortable atmosphere. I’d definitely go back — especially for the Cajun chicken salad and those pretzels — but I’d hope for a little more attentiveness from the staff next time.
- ★★★★☆David L.
We visited on a Thursday afternoon in mid-April 2025 for lunch. We had just eaten the previously at the location in Peninsula and had a great experience. However this location was not the best. Service started out great. We were happy to find out that we could do carry out with the daily specials, which is burgers for Thursdays. We placed our order and instead of waiting in the cramp sitting area with small wooden chairs while other patrons were coming it, we took a seat just outside the restaurant but inside the building it was in. There is a bunch of soft sofas in the lobby area still in perfect view of restaurant. They said it would be about 20 mins. We sat there for exactly 20 mins and went in and the food was already ready and just sitting behind the counter. We had no idea how long it was sitting there but we were kind of in a hurry to get back to the museum. There were 3 staff working the front and very few patrons in the restaurant. A little upset not one of them walked out to let us know our food was ready but probably watched all of us just sitting there on the couches/benches. They were nice and pleasant but it was just the extra foresight to be like oh, maybe I should let them know it's ready because they are just sitting over there. I could give them the benefit of the doubt and maybe they were all busy doing something else and didn't make that connection. We took our food to eat outside as there are picnic areas at the nearby park with the big "FREE" stamp. We got all the way there and took the food out and realized that they had never put the ranch in that we asked for and the extra ranch too that was written on the receipt. The hostess who took our order even made multiple comments about it with my wife. It was a couple blocks away and we did not want to walk all the way back just for ranch. I also opened my large Deluxe Pizza which I also ordered from the other Winking Lizard location in Peninsula and this one was much more under whelming. There was maybe half the amount of toppings as the other restaurant. Disappointing knowing what it could be like and what I ended up getting. I'm going to conclude this review with a, your mileage may vary and depending on which location you're going to you may have different experiences as well. If this was my first experience with Winking Lizard I probably would try something else next time.