Looking for a good restaurant in Akron, Cleveland or the surrounding areas? Here's my list, with ratings that will probably annoy fans of said restaurants. Some of these ratings may be out-of-date, but any changes would likely increase the numbers (I have removed any restaurants that were really awful).
The first rating is food quality, based on deliciousness. The second is for "ambience and service." This doesn't apply just to the servers/staff, but also how it fits with the food. If a restaurant is a dive with great food, the rating will be higher than if it's trying to be upscale but the menus are greasy. The third rating is for "price and value." This isn't just for whether it's expensive, or even if it's a good value ("the food is awful, but the portions are HUGE!"). Rather, it's a fragrant bouquet of what you pay versus what you get in the first two ratings. A lower rating probably means it's a more expensive place, but a REALLY low rating means they're charging too much for food that's not great, in an atmosphere that's not great. A tidy McDonald's, for example, would likely get a 9. However, a very expensive restaurant with smaller portions (which were good but not mind-blowing) might only get a 4. (McDonald's is not on the list, but I've been meaning to try it... I'm hearing good things about this "McDLT").
3 Palms - 7.5/6/7
Aladdin's - 8.5/8/7.5
Angelo's Pizza - 8 / 6.5/ 7
Bar 145 - 7/7/5
Barrio - 10/8.5/9
Benihana Hibachi-8.5/9/6
Best Gyro - 9/4/8
Brown Derby Streetsboro - 7/6/7
Cibrero - 9/8/5
Cilantro - 8.5/7/9
Crave - 8/8/6
D'Angelo's - 6/6/6
Don Ramon's - 7/6/7
El Campesino Stow - 8.5/10/9
Farinacci's - recused (awesome)
Flipside - 7/6/4
Flour - 9/9/5
Flying Fig - 7/7/4
Fresco Taco, Kent - 8/7/8
Geraci's - 8/7/8
Gigi's - 9.5/10/8
Great Lakes Brewing - 8/7/8
Grove Hill - 9/8/6
Houlihan's Strongsville - 8/8/7
Hudson's - 7/7/6
Jack's Deli - 6/6/7.5 (Cedar Rd, Beachwood)
Jaipur Junction- 6/4/6.5
Lager & Vine-8/8/6
Luigi's - 9/7/7
Luchita's - 5/7/7
Melt - 8/7/8
Momocho - 7.5/10/3
Mustard Seed Market - 9/8/7
Nighttown - 8/9/5
Nuevo - 8.5/8/5
Otani's (sushi-7/5/7; hibachi-8.5/9/8)-service for Hibachi is based solely on the chef
Otto Moser's - 8/8/8
Paladar - 8/8/4
Penn Station - 8/7/7
Pier W -- 10/9/4
Pura Vida 8 / 8/ 5
Quaker Steak 5/4/8
Ray's-4/7/7
Rosewood 8.5/8/7
Saffron Patch 10/9/8
Slyman’s Restaurant -- 10/4/8
Slyman’s Tavern -- 10/9/8
Sokolowski’s University Inn -- 7/4/8
Swenson's-6/6/7
Thai Gourmet - 7/5/6.5
Tomato Grill 8/7/5
Town Hall - 8.5/7/6
And here's places that people regularly recommend, but I have not tried (or not tried in a long time)...
Adega
Alley Cat Oyster Bar
Around the Corner
Batuqui
Billy's A Cappelli
Blue Point
Chinato
Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen
Crop Bistro & Bar
Crumb & Spigot
Dante
Deagan
Edwin's
Fahrenheit
Fire Food & Drink
Georgetown
Greenhouse Tavern
Harbor Inn
Hooley House
Imperial Dragon
Imperial Wok
Joe's Deli
King Wah
Kosar's
L'Albatros Brasserie & Bar
Lola
Mama Roberto
Manhattan Deli
Master Pizza
Nick's Gyro
Redhawk
Spice Kitchen & Bar
Superior Pho
Trentina
Ty Fun Thai Bistro
Urban farmer
Velvet Tango
