Donovan H.
Yelp
If you're looking for classic but trendy American food in an upscale atmosphere, I highly recommend giving "56 Kitchen" a try. This is one of two locations in the greater Cleveland area. Their newer location is on Aurora Rd. in Solon and the one that I am reviewing is their original location roughly 10 miles north of there on the corner of Som Center Rd. and Mayfield Rd. in the Mayfield Heights neighborhood of Cleveland. It is located in a busy strip mall that neighbors a "Five Below", "Old Navy", and "Ulta Beauty".
I arrived during the evening of Thursday 9/14/2023 at around 5:30pm and was looking for a filling meal to get me through the rest of the evening. The parking lot can get quite packed mainly due to the high amount of retail establishments and eateries in this area. After parking, I proceeded to enter and was immediately greeted and seated in less than 2 minutes. The interior layout had a rustic, industrial look to it complete with an interesting hanging chandelier ceiling display that resembles a globe figure. There was ample seating throughout, a dedicated bar, and even outdoor seating for the more comfortable days.
Their menu had a modern yet extensive variety of options including quite a bit of appetizers including hummus, chicken wings, fried mozzarella, spinach artichoke dip, and much more. They also have about a dozen different salads , a dozen different sandwiches, and even 8 different pizzas to choose from. Their drink menu also offered quite a few choices including red/white wines by the glass or bottle, craft beers, and non-alcoholic options. I ended up going with one of their most popular options, the "Pick Your Plate" (priced in between $18-27). I chose the "Balsamic BBQ Grilled Chicken" with "Field Green Salad" and two sides of my choice; "Garlic Mashed Potatoes" and "Roasted Brussels Sprouts".
Even though it was dinner and a packed house (for a Thursday evening), my plate arrived in roughly 10 minutes. My waitress, Shannon was also very accommodating by making sure my iced water was filled up. As far as the taste of the chicken, it was just okay for me; I really couldn't taste any balsamic flavor as the BBQ sauce overpowered everything else. However, the mashed potatoes were made perfect with the right amount of garlic. And my Brussels sprouts has a delicate roasted flavor with hints of garlic; very similar to the way my mom made them.
All in all, "56 Kitchen" in Mayfield Heights is a decent above average restaurant that focuses more on healthy options. They have a very respectable vegan and gluten free alternatives to their pizzas. When you factor in the ambiance (which is lively and upscale), decent prices, above average service, and food that can be hit or miss depending on what to order, I am giving 56 Kitchen a respectable four-star rating.