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I know I’ve written about The Greenhouse Tavern before and tweeted about them PLENTY, but I just can’t help myself. It’s truly one of my top 5 restaurants in Cleveland…and pretty much my foodie obsession the past year.

Months back, I decided that a perfect Christmas gift for my parents would be a gift certificate to my new favorite CLE restaurant. I wanted to share with them the wonderful experience that Jason and myself had already had in the Fall. Well, I don’t know if they were saving it for some particular reason, but this past weekend they finally got around to using it!

The Greenhouse Tavern | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

Needless to say, they were VERY happy with even happier bellies. And I was right! Even though they hadn’t used it until March, it was still the perfect gift! What’s even cooler was that they got to see The Greenhouse Tavern featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” (Food Network) for their gravy frites just the night before they visited the restaurant! That really bumped up the excitement level (not that they really needed it) and gave them an idea of what they wanted to try.

The Greenhouse Tavern | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

So, instead of going overboard and writing yet ANOTHER post about my opinion of The Greenhouse, I asked my Mom to guest post her own little review! Here’s what she had to say:

Kudo’s to our wonderful and smart daughter Cara for her great taste!

This last Christmas she gave us a gift certificate to The Greenhouse Tavern on East 4th St. Needless to say my husband and I were pretty excited to go, especially when just this last Friday the restaurant was featured on the Food Network channel.

We met up with some friends at The Greenhouse bar on Saturday night. We were brought upstairs through the back of the restaurant to a wonderful table on the balcony overlooking everything. Really cozy. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the menu items and answered all of our questions. My friends Linda, Barb and I ordered the hanger steak which came with the pommes frites. Linda’s husband John and my husband Steve ordered the freshly ground Ohio beef burger which included preserved tomato, raclette cheese, and the famous fries with homemade beer vinegar. John ordered the “famous” gravy frites with the cheese and gravy. Ron ordered the pork chops. He had already made up his mind while waiting at the bar after seeing the guy next to him get them.

Well, I would have to agree with the show on Food Network, those frites were the best thing I have ever ate. Everyone at the table felt the same way. I don’t know if it’s because they are fried twice or because of the duck fat. John let all of us taste the fries with the gravy and cheese. Yum ! My hanger steak was juicy, tender and done to perfection. The other ladies were pretty pleased too. John and my husband loved the burgers and Ron was pretty quiet as he enjoyed his chops!

Now I’m not one to pass on dessert and thank god this crowd doesn’t either. Nothing worse than eating dessert by yourself. Barbara ordered the chocolate tart, while Linda, John and I ordered the chocolate Pot de crème. I reluctantly shared this heavenly concoction with my husband. One was definitely not enough. We joked that we could eat about five of these  and the funny thing was, I wasn’t joking!

We are looking forward to another visit to try another wonderful creation on the menu.

So there you have it! Yet again, The Greenhouse Tavern ceases to impress and makes us all VERY #HappyinCLE. I also think I may have created a couple of Greenhouse monsters! (AKA, my parents!)

This blog post had been a long time coming, but here it finally is! East 4th Street is something that every Clevelander should experience many times over again. Not only are there lots of yummy, award winning restaurants  to choose from, but you can also check out the entertainment and nightlife variety as well. All of these fabulous options are packed onto a cozy, uniquely lit and decorated street with a great vibe anyone and everyone would enjoy.

I’ve been to this little district plenty of times to experience Lola, but recently I’ve had a few trips over to 4th that led me astray, and thank goodness for it! How about  a date night starting with cocktails at Wonder Bar, a swanky little spot with live jazz, great cocktails, an impressive wine list and a their own little spin on bar food. Rarely have I been to a place where you can get a phenomenal cheese plate AND hot wings or pizza.

After that, say you’re in the mood for something funny. Head over to Hilarities 4th Street Theatre, which is downstairs Pickwick and Frolic (also a fantastic spot!) to see some of the best, traveling comedians around! Just a couple of feet over, in the same basement is Kevin’s Martini Bar.  This retro, upscale martini bar is probably the coolest place in Cleveland. Unfortunately, most people don’t know about it! They serve up old school cocktails and their very own take on new, tasty sips too. Saying the bar is visually stimulating would be an understatement.

It’s time to chow, so why not check out The Greenhouse Tavern right across the street! Don’t be fooled by the title “tavern”, it’s food and drink selection is more upscale than that. Yet, it still maintains that cool, comfortable vibe. Greenhouse is the first, official GREEN restaurant in the state of Ohio! How cool is it that it’s in our very own city?! The chef has also worked along side Cleveland’s Iron Chef, Michael Simon and now has his very own place literally just a few shops up from Lola.

East 4th Street has something for every taste, every mood, and every vibe. In the mood for music? The House of Blues is right there. Maybe you’d like to mow some tex-mex fare and margaritas?  Zocalo is summoning you! What about bowling? Oh yes, E4th even has a bowling alley! The Corner Alley is also equipped with a bar and grill.

Bottom line, get your tushy out to East 4th Street next time you’re looking for something different to do. I promise you won’t be disappointed and you’ll find something special every time you go!