Spice Kitchen + Bar
| Address: | 5800 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102, USA |
| Phone: | +1 216-961-9637 |
| Site: | spicekitchenandbar.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | Closed 4–10PM 4–10PM 4–10PM 4PM–12AM 4PM–12AM 10:30AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 7
BE
Bethany Costilow Baldwin
It is a real treat for me to visit a restaurant such as Spice which is so committed to a full expression of the (hackneyed though the term may be) farm-to-table ethos. I loved chatting with my favorite vendors at the North Union Farmers Market this past Saturday morning knowing that the same fresh, local produce, cheese, and meat my husband and I buy for our home would be served to us that evening when we went to Spice for a celebratory dinner. As we were celebrating a special occasion, we really went all out and, as a result, experienced a sampling of at least one item from each section of the menu. The seasonal items were enjoyed included: - Peach and Bacon Salad with whipped House-made Ricotta - Pan-Friend Mushroom and Pork Dumplings - Wild Mushroom Tart - Spicy Gumbo - Basil Cheesecake with Peach Coulis - The Piece la Resistance: a 42-Day Aged Cumin-Rubbed Skirt Steak Every morsel of each above-listed dish was par excellance! It was truly a meal to be savored and one which we will think back on fondly for some time. We enjoyed wonderful service to accompany the incredible food. The staff kindly accommodated our request to be moved to a less noisy portion of the dining room upon arrival. As an aside, I would dispute the $$ price-range rating of Spices listing here on Yelp. A meal at Spice is strictly a $$$ affair - and worth every dollar! To keep within the $$ range one could order an entree only - no drinks, appetizers or dessert - but I fail to see the point in that!
MI
michaelatw86
We arrived and the place was nearly empty at 8 pm. Sat outside, service was prompt with two workers serving us throughout the meal. Ordered a beer, I got the wrong beer but I was OK with it as it was a beer I liked. Ordered duck special - there was practically no carb on the dish. Protein and vegetables. Price was $29, I could have eaten two of what I was served. Date got soup and a small plate, the small plate was far too small to share (I dont recall if they call them shareable but they shouldnt). Server told us it was for one though before she ordered, in their opinion I think those items were $17 together. Prices are over the top. Id attribute it to the Gordon Square, Cleveland over-kill "Renaissance" vibe (and some gouging) or the farm to table aspect but the prices of the alcohol is overpriced too (and they aint brewing that). When I can go to Seattle or San Diego and find their prices competitive, its more than worth noting. The "new era" of Rust Belt consumption needs more competition to bring these experiences in line with the market. More farm to table will increase portions and reduce prices. I think the real issue is these meals arent filling the way they should be. I may try it again to see if I can find something more in line with the value and just because I want to be sure the review is appropriate. Let me note the food was very good but seemed to be lukewarm too fast.
CH
Christian Savage
My wife was looking for a special place to take me out for my birthday and, after extensive searching, stumbled across Spices website. After looking over the menu, we decided that this place, in spite of its hipster vibe, seemed to have intriguing food. Alas, we scheduled our dinner on a Sunday! Rather than the usual menu, we learned that on Sundays Spice features a drastically pared down "Chefs Whims" (or something equally pretentious) menu: no more than four appetizer and four entree choices. Speaking as a vegetarian, I resent when restaurants only have one non-meat entree, which is why we chose Spice to begin with - their normal menu is diverse. The fact that one of the remaining three entrees was a $45 strip steak was galling for the carnivore in the party (she ended up choosing a solidly average turkey pot pie). I will give the chef credit: the food was presented in an appealing way and featured some culinary creativity, and the best thing I ate that entire week was easily the shaved preserved duck egg yolk that garnished my dinner. Likewise, the staff were all quite cordial. However, in addition to the issues mentioned above, the VERY small portion sizes and disproportionately high prices means we probably wont be back.
CH
Chrissy Scarcella
We went to Spice for dinner and were extremely unhappy. Weve been there many times in the past, but this was the first time in a couple months. The menu is broken up in categories as most menus are, and I ordered from the list called "substantials." I got the asparagus risotto - this was a main dinner course on the menu - however the serving size was barely that of an appetizer. When I asked the waiter about it, I was told that they were changing the menu to be more of a tapas menu and you needed to order a variety of items to eat. This menu change isnt shown anywhere on the menu itself, nor did the waitress mention this when we were ordering. When I said I felt like I had barely been fed, she suggested filling out the comment card we would receive with the check. We had an appetizer, 2 drinks and 2 meals for a total of $75. and then still had to go home and eat something else, because we were both very hungry. The food was average, and the portions certainly make it not worth going to. There are far better restaurants in Ohio City, downtown and Tremont, where you wont leave hungry.
JE
Jenna Thompson
So the reason for the three star review is not for the food. My mom and I came here on a trip and I got the Korean chicken and waffles, and she got the biscuits and gravy. My chicken and waffles were amazing, but my moms biscuits were like hockey pucks. When she asked our waitress about the biscuits, she reassured us that they were cooked fresh this morning and said she would go get her manager. The manager never came out and stayed back in the kitchen, and when the waitress came back she let us know that we would be receiving a discount. It was a 5% discount off of the $40 tab, which gave us only $2 off. The biscuits and gravy were $7, and even though the gravy was delicious, we should not have had to pay the full amount for it. This behavior was very unprofessional and gave a pretentious vibe. Before any of this occurred, the service was good and all of the other food we received was great. Would not come back here if Im ever visiting again, just disappointed in the unprofessionalism.
A
A Private User
Dropped by with my girlfriend on a whim and found a new favorite place! Attentive and knowledgeable service, a gorgeous rustic decor, and an enticing menu. A quality beer selection for a smaller, newer place, along with very fresh-tasting cocktails with inventive ingredients (rhubarb with your vodka? Yes!). The cheese plate was superb. And each item on the menu had a nice, healthy variety of ingredients and flavors. If i have a single complaint, its that there was a stark lack of vegetarian choices, which will significantly restrict their customer base, given the area. Although its a bit too pricey for frequenting often, I expect to be back again before long.
JO
Joe Gramc
Spice is one of my favorites and certainly one of Clevelands best restaurants. They were doing farm to table before it was cool and it shows. Their menu always reflects a hyper-seasonal approach so dont expect to find things that arent in season. Whats the best indication of how well they execute? In spite of the normal menu always being excellent I almost always find myself order the specials. One because they have the limited availability of that day, but also because they are always impressive. So just make sure you visit frequent enough to try their regular menu too!
