Eat*Drink*Cleveland

A hungry girl's adventures in Cleveland and beyond.

The Rowley Inn is a laid back bar with great food that happens to be located across the street from The Christmas Story House. It's the perfect stop after a tour, but you'll definitely want to visit all year long.

The Rowley Inn has been around since 1906. They catered to people in the neighborhood including steel mill workers that worked nearby. About a year ago, it was purchased by Jon Oberman and Raphael Rivilla. They have worked hard to keep the history of The Rowley intact, while transforming it into a dining destination for Cleveland style comfort food.

It looks like a typical dive bar from the outside and I honestly rarely gave it a second glance. But thankfully they invited a bunch of Cleveland bloggers in for a complimentary menu tasting because the Rowley Inn was a tasty surprise!

We started with the fantastic Red Ryder cocktail made of course - with Bulleit Bourbon. "You'll shoot your eye out!"
They took the term menu tasting VERY seriously, and while we were left wishing for stretchy pants and doggie bags, we all agreed that we wanted to come back again, even before finishing our meals.
What did we eat:

  • Rowley Shrimp Cocktail - breaded jumbo shrimp with remoulade sauce
  • Fried Pickles - Don Hermann pickle spears, house-made beer batter and a side of remoulade
  • Southwest Chicken Salad - lettuce, arugula, cajun rubbed grilled chicken, cheddar, pico, tortilla strips, corn, black beans, avocado, and creamy cilantro dressing
  • Cleveland's Best Grilled Cheese - smoked gouda, mozzarella, and provolone with a touch of mayo
  • Chicken Club - grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, spicy mayo, walnut pesto
  • Clevelander Burger - pierogi, kielbasa, kraut, beer cheese and Stadium Mustard
  • Mac N’ Cheese - smoked gouda and white cheddar topped with panko bread crumbs
  • Loco Moski - a Cleveland twist on a Hawaiian classic: pierogis topped with a ½ pound hamburger patty, gravy, sautéed onions, & fried eggs
  • Chicken and Waffles - crispy chicken tenders and fluffy waffles slathered in homemade gravy with side of hot sauce
  • Candied Apple Pierogies - The Pierogi Lady apple filled pierogies topped with citrus zest and a sugar glass drizzle
I told you we ate a lot! My favorites were the Shrimp Cocktail, Southwest Chicken Salad, Cleveland burger and Mac 'n Cheese. The Candied Apple Pierogies would have been amazing if only they were served hot and with a dollop of whipped cream or even ice cream.


In addition to their regular menu, they also have daily specials and a great Happy Hour (Monday through Friday 3-6pm) that includes a $6 cheeseburger and 1/2 off select apps. Did I mention $2 draft beers too?

The Rowley Inn
1104 Rowley Ave

Cleveland, Ohio  44109

216-795-5345


You can follow them on Facebook and Instagram.


** Disclosure: I was invited to experience the menu and the food and drinks were complimentary. We each received a gift card for a future visit as well. As always, the opinions expressed are my own. All photos except the cocktail are from The Rowley Inn Facebook page because nobody wants to see my terrible dark photos. :) **








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