32 Cleveland Restaurants That Are Closed But Never Forgotten

By Scene Staff on Fri, Apr 9, 2021 at 11:43 am

Cleveland is now widely considered to be a foodie's paradise. But not every restaurant works out. We're pretty sure that the restaurants on this list — at least the ones we were alive to try — were actually wonderful, and it's not just nostalgia talking. Truly, these 24 restaurants are part of a bygone Cleveland era.

Cleveland is a foodie's paradise. But not every restaurant works out. We're pretty sure that the restaurants on this list — at least the ones we were alive to try — were actually wonderful, and it's not just nostalgia talking. Truly, these 32 restaurants are part of a bygone Cleveland era, including the very recent past.

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Sergio’s

1903 Ford Dr., Cleveland

For close to 20 years, Sergio’s operated at University Circle as one of the most charming restaurants in town before shuttering in 2013. The space is now home to Jonathan Sawyer’s Italian restaurant Trentina.

Photo via @TrentinaCLE/Instagram

Dempsey’s Oasis

1109 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland

Named for boxer Jack Dempsey, this Tremont joint, located in the spot that now houses Prosperity Social Club, operated from 1938 all the way until the year 2000. While they’ve made some updates to the space, the original building is largely intact.

Photo via Cleveland Historical

Rockefeller’s

3099 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Heights

One of Cleveland’s most beautiful restaurants closed its doors in 2015, even though it was repeatedly listed as one of the best restaurants in town. A Cleveland Heights favorite for many years, the upscale dining experience is still a fresh wound in the hearts of Cleveland foodies.

Photo via Scene Archives

Lola

900 Literary Rd., Cleveland

Before relocating to East Fourth Street downtown, Michael Symon’s Lola operated in a small Tremont space that later became Lolita, which then closed thanks to a fire. Lola originally opened in 1997 and opened on East Fourth in 2006, where it ran until 2020 and the pandemic.

Photo via Daniel X. O’Neil/Flickr

The Watermark

1250 Old River Rd., Cleveland

From 1985 until 2003, the Watermark was one of the hot spots on the East Bank of the Flats. The space is now home to Zack Bruell’s Collision Bend Brewery, which opened in 2017.

Photo via The Watermark/Yelp

Captain Frank’s

East Ninth Street Pier, Cleveland

At the end of the East Ninth Pier, before the Rock Hall and the Science Center were there, Captain Frank’s was the place to go, for the “finest and most delightful dinner on the shores of Lake Erie."

Photo via Scene Archives

The Theatrical Grill

715 Vincent Ave., Cleveland

In a bygone era, Short Vincent used to be the place to be in downtown Cleveland and the Theatrical Grill was one of the hotspots. The restaurant and jazz club opened in 1937, and hosted stars like Judy Garland and Dean Martin and was also a place where people went to place a bet or two. It closed in 1990.

Photo via The Theatrical/Facebook

That Place on Bellflower

11401 Bellflower Rd., Cleveland

For over 30 years, starting in 1975 and closing in 2008, this neighborhood joint served up delicious french food in the University Circle neighborhood. L’Albatross took over and continues to thrive in this wonderful space.

Photo via Regional Economics Action Links Northeast Ohio

The Rusty Scupper

14th St. and Euclid, Cleveland

The Rusty Scupper was located in the Playhouse Square district and was a popular spot for the before and after shows crowd.

Photo via The Cleveland Memory Project

Goodman’s Sandwich Inn

5164 Pearl Rd., Parma

Holy corned-beef was this place great. Freshly sliced corned beef, piled high and served to customers sitting at a long countertop: What an experience. Goodman’s closed in 2011 after being opened for 62 years.

Photo via Scene Archives