Rowley Inn

Mr. H and I were invited to attend a blogger dinner at The Rowley Inn last week, and I can't tell you how happy I am that we were. Because, I was mildly aware that it existed in Tremont, just across the street from the famous A Christmas Story museum, but it wasn't truly on my foodie "radar" and it should have been.

In existence since 1906, the current owners have been at the helm for about a year. They joked that they are "watching the place" and "keeping it safe" as they preserve the pub's history, while implementing some changes of their own. Top priority became reinventing the food offered, and I can't speak for what it was before, but wow it really blew away any expectations I had of this little bar tucked away on Rowley Avenue.

You settle in for a drink and bite of food to the soft glow of a leg lamp...

...and will immediately be surprised at the pretty extensive list of menu options considering the kitchen is small, how they try to locally source products, and how "Cleveland" themed it really is!

We kicked off the meal with a fried Shrimp Cocktail, that had the most wonderful zingy, creamy cocktail sauce with it. I'm still thinking about that dish!

We also sampled the giant Fried Pickles with a house made beer batter and spicy remoulade. Seriously, biggest ones I've ever seen.

The next course was a bit lighter, a Southwest Chicken Salad. The creamy cilantro dressing was delicious.

Then we got into sample sizes of several of their "In Betweens" of the sandwich section of the menu. This included the Chicken Club (that walnut pesto on there had this chicken-hater gobbling down the full sample).

The Cleveland's Best Grilled Cheese, with smoked gouda, mozzarella/provolone blend, and a touch of mayonnaise.

And the Cleveland Burger. This bad boy had pierogi, kielbasa, and stadium mustard on it! You don't get much more "Cleveland" than that.

Next up was the Mac N' Cheese, which was so rich and delicious that it moved up into my top three mac n' cheeses in Cleveland (Lucky's Cafe reigns supreme, and Tremont Tap House rounds out the top three for me). I'm ready to go back and order this again, immediately.

The show-stopping plate of Loco Moski (their twist on a Hawaiian classic) hit the table next, and by this point in the meal my belly was crying "UNCLE!" But I grab a bite of the pierogi with gravy, and this hearty dish sounds strange, but it somehow really works in a weird Cleveland way.

From the brunch menu, we got to sample the Chicken and Waffles. The waffles are cinnamon flavored, and the dish is topped with gravy and maple syrup, so it has a real sweet/savory combo going on.

The last dish to hit our table was dessert, and it was, you guessed it...Pierogi! Candied apple pierogi to be precise. I would have loved to see this dish warm and topped with some vanilla ice cream. That would have really taken it over the top.

We also got to see their bar tending skills in action, and their craft cocktails were impressive for what feels like just a regular old neighborhood dive bar.

Trust me, they are trying to be anything but, and it's clearly working.

I'm just happy that this spot is within bike riding distance, and on our route of frequent Tremont visits, because I loved the experience and can't wait to go back on my own. This is exactly the type of hidden gem that I love discovering and sharing with you.

The Rowley Inn
1104 Rowley Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 795-5345

Disclosure: I and a guest were invited to attend a media preview dinner where all food and beverages were complimentary. A $25 gift card was received. All opinions stated are 100% my own.