Review: Great Lakes Brewing Company

On a recent trip to Cleveland, I wanted to dine out somewhere fun as well as delicious. I did some research on the top rated restaurants and found ones like Blue Point Grill & Michael Symons restaurant Lola's which tend to be a little pricy.

I wanted to find a nice medium, one that both my husband & I would enjoy as well as our pocket book. (do people still use the term pocket book?)

Anywho, I came upon Great Lakes Brewing Company & decided this was were we would venture.

We loved the building & how untouched it felt. What is said to be the oldest bar in Cleveland, you truly felt the age, the history, the antique wood work throughout the place.

After we sat down in what seemed like a 100 year old booth, I ordered the flight because 'when in rome' taste all the beer you can!

I am still learning about craft beers so I don't have much to say about the beers but I must praise the Alberta Clipper Porter! A smooth, delicious combination of chocolate & raspberry that was as decadent as eating a truffle!

I ordered the Bratwurst & Pierogi's. 

Hands down the best Bratwurst Ive ever had! Czuchraj's Dortmunder Gold Lager brats made locally & cooked perfectly. Soft in the middle with just the right amount of 'snap' to the grilled crust. Delicate spices with nothing overpowering, just sweat, meaty delicious brats! The spicy mustard served along side was the perfect accompaniment that complemented the overall flavors.

Pierogi's were large with a good seared crust but it was lacking in seasoning. There was no salt or pepper at the table & as I looked around at the other tables I noticed no other tables had it either. I was told years ago that if there is no salt or pepper at the tables, its because the chef thinks the food is seasoned perfectly. I don't know if that was a the case here, but it defiantly would have been nice to sprinkle a little salt on them.

Braised cabbage had good flavor but lacked the crunch contrast needed to complete the dish.

My husband ordered the recommendation from our waitress, which she claimed was the most popular dish, the Pretzel Chicken. The chicken lacked "pretzel" flavor and was overcooked. The onion, pepper relish was a nice contrast as it was crisp & refreshing. We found ourselves wanting more relish to help the dried chicken. Burning River Pale Ale mustard sauce would have complemented the dish if there was more then a teaspoon on the plate. 

The mashed potatoes alongside were stiff & under seasoned. Using the sour cream off my entree plate & the butter from the bread basket, we were able to help them along. 

Luckily, the green beans were crisp & seasoned perfectly. As my husband said, they were the best part of the dish.

Overall, we enjoyed our evening here. We drank, ate & laughed. We even stopped at the gift shop to pick up a Great Lakes Brewery Edmund Fitzgerald magnet!