ALEA

The kind of place you pick (in advance, with reservations) for a special meal. Seasonal menu ensures that you'll have even more reason to return, and also can't get too attached to any dish. This is intimate, intentional dining and given the small quarters, you'll be best served messaging ahead to get a reservation unless you arrive exactly at opening time or have lots of time to kill. Ambiance is dim but warmly industrial. Lots of stone and greenery. In my opinion, the open kitchen concept makes the bar seating the best in the house since you get to watch the chefs cook and plate most dishes. The menu is short and for two people, we were very satisfied with a cocktail each, two apps, two entrees, and a dessert. If you have a lot of food restrictions, this might not be the place for you, but a good number of vegetarian options are offered with each menu rotation. Cocktails come quickly and go down smoothly. For the rest - think of it as a dining experience. No, food does not come quickly, but you can literally watch each dish being made to order. Also, dishes are much more inventive than what they seem at first glance. "Potato Salad" incorporated smoked fish, roe, and twirls of cucumber - nothing like what you'd find at a picnic. Panna Cotta might seem like a cop out dessert and some variation is routinely on the menu, but I was still dreaming about its silky texture and perfect blend of tart and vanilla weeks later. Long story short - these people care about food, like to have fun with it, and want to feed you tasty, pretty things.

So disappointed... I was so excited to try this place. Granted, I saw the mixed reviews. Some people loved it, others hated it. Unfortunately our experience falls with the latter. To be completely direct, the food is subpar and it's so expensive for the taste and the amount you get. We were excited to try the oysters and they were okay. A little too salty. All the other dishes we ordered were okay as well. The best was the pork chop. The other dishes simply felt like a concoction of pretty and aesthetic ingredients randomly put together (except for the pork chop). Visually the dishes were beautiful; there's no denying that but I could not understand what the rave was about. The combination of textures and tastes seemed aloof and I truly felt like we paid a lot for what and how much we got. They are slow with presenting the next dish which some may call fine dining, it was on the boarder of too slow. I felt that they could have timed things better cueing when to start cooking certain dishes. The positive of this was that we were satisfied by the end of our fourth dish, agreeing that this is probably better portions than what we're used to. I do appreciate the portion controlled dishes and while some may call this fine dining... I have been to fine dining and ultimately, this is not what I would consider fine dining. Even with the beautifully curated dishes and medley of different mouth feel foods. I would say give it a try one a day you prepare to have a late lunch. Definitely go with people you are about to talk your mouth off with since there's plenty of time for talking . Also we're not big drinkers but the restaurant screams small tapas while we chat and spend money on drinks kind of a vibe. It wasn't for us, but maybe you might enjoy it. Unfortunately, we'll pass for the next rounds with Alea. Sorry! Really hoped to enjoy it more :(

Awesome is an understatement. All were incredible, great server and sat at the bar which was really fun to watch your meal prepared. Would go back for sure!

Alea quickly paved its way into one of Cleveland's coolest places and top notch locations for fine dining. Delicious food all along, with a great mix of taste, creativity, and beautiful plating, from the shareable appetizers, to mains, to desserts that are with keeping an extra bit of stomach space left, as your sweet tooth will thank you. Service takes its pace, as everything is cooked to order and fresh, but friendly and welcoming. A place to go to and come back many times.

First time at brunch and this restaurant was its usual stellar self. I reiterate this is a NEO Top Five and is perhaps the region's most unique place. In addition to an "Atelier" / Robuchon style bar it's situated around a wood fired grill. It's fascinating to see how they use it. And today they had the garage window open and a fresh breeze was blowing in. Great experience.

So good! The place became popular from our first visit and the second time we went on a Friday or Saturday night we are turned away because they were done for the night taking walk ins, so from my mistake make a reservation so it doesn't happen to you! The food is seasonal and fresh and I really enjoyed it. The cocktails are fantastic and the open kitchen vibe is nice. Definitely recommend checking the seasonal Menu and trying it! One of my top spots in CLE!

My only advice after visiting ALEA; Call your friends and tell them they're in for the best dining experience possible in Cleveland set in a romantic and open concept. Head over and ask Alexandria for White Negroni's and olives to share. The honey butter bread can be broken in half and passed to your left, or you can hog the whole piece in all of its glory and let it ooze down your greedy hands. (I chose this option.) Next grab their decadent steak tartare and crudités. The simplicity in ingredient but complexity in flavor will give you all something to rave about whilst patiently awaiting the snapper for two... Which could realistically feed four, but you won't want it to. We've already established this is a time to be greedy. Order another cocktail to compliment your main course, or perhaps a bottle of wine. Finish off with the panna cotta or the cocoa butter tart with strawberries. No-- get both desserts and an Amaro. Wave goodbye to Chef and Owner Athan, who with his own hands created and curated this amazing experience so intimately for you and a handful of his other guests in this small dining space. Wear stretchy pants. Wow, ALEA. Just wow.

The service was good, our waitress was knowledgeable. I wasn't very impressed with the food. It's good - so let me make that clear. I felt like the small plates were too small and unshareable for the price. Overall, I wouldn't go back. It's close. Almost there - maybe i should give this 4 stars. I'm mellow to this post and restaurant.

Alea was excellent -- great food, great service, great ambiance. Cool intimate setting (very small restaurant). We had the heart-fired bread, olives, grilled cabbage salad, roasted beet salad, and drink -- all were terrific!

Aesthetic is cool. It's intimate and cozy, I like how small it is. We had a party of eight, and they accommodated our reservation request. The food was good. We had the grilled bread, steak tartare, gem salad, potato salad, chicken and pork chop. As other reviews state, it does take a long time. I'm usually relaxed when plates come out as they're ready, but the lulls here were long and frequent enough to make us feel antsy and awkward. When the rather hefty check came out, I paid for the group to save the multiple credit card runs and was, frankly, shocked to see a $19 credit card processing fee added. It was an $830 meal, and we're getting charged almost an extra 20 bucks to use a credit card? What in the world.

My favorite restaurant in Cleveland. Their menu is far outside the box offered by so many other restaurants. Sitting at the "bar" and watching the two chefs work in unison is entertaining and helpful if you're deciding what to order. They treat ingredients with respect and creativity. Price points can be highish but servings are generous. And most importantly their offerings pair ingredients in unique ways, and actually execute the food with flavor combinations that work. Wine list is interesting and in my opinion reasonable. It's a small spot. Email ahead of time by a few days, it may take a few hours for a response, but you can get a reservation and avoid a wait. The menu is full of winners but any time they have a "ssam" option on the menu it's worth trying and is definitely enough to share.

The thing I remember most is the credit card processing fee they charge. When a bill for two people is just over $200, adding on a $5 credit card fee is just tacky. Charge what you need to for each menu item and skip the add-ons; it's a bad, cheap look and unfortunately the last impression you leave with your guests. I went for the first time in January. I went to look at the menu online ahead of time, but the website labeled it the autumn menu so I stopped reviewing it. Just FYI - that is the current menu. The top section of menu are apps. We tried the grilled bread and the chicken liver mousse. The bread with both dishes is thick cut and grilled. The "basic" bread is way more than a bread basket and actually is worth in my opinion the $8 charged for it. The menu description doesn't do it justice. The liver mousse bread was also very good. The presentation was modern and fun. The mousse was pipped onto the bread and shaved veg was pillowed high on top of that. The chicories salad was recommend by our server as her favorite. We shared this as well. The salad components are a mix of bitter vs sweet from the chicories vs the fig and pecans. I definitely did get the contrast, but I think the bitter was the stronger flavor. I appreciated the dish and its presentation but probably wouldn't order it again. For my main I got the roasted chicken. This was a big portion. The server warned it took 40 minutes to cook, but with all the other dishes coming out this didn't seem like a long wait at all. The chicken is on the bone. There was lots of white meat though and it was cooked perfectly on the fire with fall off skin. It is served with a side of creamed kale, a large wild mushroom and gravy. The gravy is on the side and the wild mushroom was pretty much all intact which was neat. The peanut butter and jelly pan cotta with wonder bread on top was also great. I feel some restaurants get tired and less creative by the time they get to the dessert section of the menu, but that was not true here. They only have two dessert offerings, but this one was done well. Our server was wonderful. She had a great personality and was very friendly. The experience was a relaxing and chill and we weren't rushed at all. Overall a really fun, modern menu that had a lot of thought go into it both with presentation and flavor. A five star experience had it not been for that pesky credit card fee.

The food are very pricey & very slow. Don't go there if you're hungry. The main dinner I got was lobster rolls. $32 for two sandwiches: bread and meat, with nothing else in it. Kind of greasy but my friend liked it fine. I would prefer some dressing or sauce on it. Calamari was so greasy, neither of us could eat much of it. I ate with the lots of sour peppers that came with it to kill off the greasy taste, but whole evening I had sharp acidic reflux back to my throat. Parking lot is expensive, and have to make an account online. Then you have to watch the money run out every half hour.

Alea in Ohio City is not just a restaurant; it's a culinary journey. What sets it apart is the mesmerizing wood fire behind the bar counter, where most meals are expertly prepared. Alea is a true gem where the combination of an intimate setting, unique dishes, and wood-fired magic creates an unforgettable dining adventure.

Living in the area for 3 years now, and wondered why we have never really tried alea. Well we attempted to go for my birthday this year, just for 2, we walked in a 8PM on a saturday (open till 11?) and they were "fully committed" whatever that means, open seats at the bar did not even offer it. And they don't really take reservations. Guess we'll never get to try. Be careful with your time!

I feel like this place doesn't even need a review but it was fantastic so I have to share. So it's petite and quaint inside, the color palette is muted and simple so the local art sticks out on the walls. The bathroom sink in the women's room is very cool. My friend and I sat at the bar, it was a sensory experience because we got to watch all the plates be created and the wood fire grill was something I've never seen before. The hamachi was my favorite, the fish was fresh and was topped with crunchy salt, it made the dish. The course reviver was my favorite cocktail. The CR was made with gin but tasted so smooth. We got the chili steak, I like spicy but beware, when the oil and chili mix you are really in for some heat. We also got the zucchini burrata salad and it was fresh and appealing. They did have an entire fish on the bone which looked fantastic but my friend and I weren't ready to get down and dirty with that that night. I couldn't stop staring at the grill, it had cranks at the top so the chefs can adjust the height of the grill to give whatever they are cooking more or less heat. Go here for an entire sensory experience!

A wonderful meal! My birthday treat was dinner here. Unfortunately, my wife had limited options in the very small menu. Great for me, not so much for her. As expected, I'd return in a heartbeat, but probably alone.

Seriously amazing! Everything from cocktails to mains to service you can't miss! The open flame cooking style brought me home!

We went back to try some new dishes...absolutely loved them all!!! Great wine collection as well :)

Went there for a birthday brunch! Half of the menu was gone even though this was a reservation. Restaurant was understaffed. It took 52 mn to get us our drink order for a table of 10. It was not our first time going to ALEA and being told that half of the menu items ran out for the day but management needs to step it. We would like to hear that others have having better experience and come back one day.

What a great addition to Ohio City dinings. Terrific wine list, very good and interesting food. Have their own parking lot (a plus) Had the Duck, it was tender and very good.

Amazing food, intimate setting, no frills, love it. The entire menu can be easily shared; just no accommodations to GF or DF diets FYI

Brunch here was amazing! We had a bigger group and they accommodated us well. The food was so good (highly recommend the picanha steak, Dutch baby, and tortilla espanola). The breakfast cocktails were decent, but the food and decor really sold this place!

This was a wonderful find. ALEA claims to be Mediterranean but I'd put it more in the category of New Woodsy Dirt Fairy Fire Realness. And this is what I mean by each of those terms: "New"- this is a creative, thoughtful menu that you won't find featured at other places in Cleveland "Woodsy"- they cook over an open fire grill inside the restaurant, which feels nature-esque, and makes you think you are at a campfire (complete with bonfire smell) "Dirt"- don't think "dirty" but more earthy. The foods here are fresh, claimed from the earth. Fresh tuna, exotic tasting oranges, fresh herbs and spices. I think "dirt" is a good choice here. "Fairy" - the combinations and tastes here are magical and things that chefs do not think to put together. "Fire"- this place is trendy, intimate and going to be a great spot for a while in CLE. Overall, you've got to give it a shot. Not a group kinda place, make it 2 or 4 of you. Follow the server's recommendations, they know what's best.

Alea is the best restaurant in Cleveland, for sure. Starting with the cocktail menu: classics with subtle touches that are like warm, amaro-kissed versions of our favorite Manhattan and martini. Each plate we ordered really delivered- simple ingredients, fantastic preparations, made with love.. sometimes using a wild wood-fired oven situation. We can't wait to return!

Pros: Free parking close to the entrance, an amazing ambience and lovely wait staff Cons: The menu. It sounds just the right shade of exotic ..... familiar enough to not be deterred yet exotic enough to be intrigued. I eat out quite a fair bit but I still had to have parts of the menu explained to me. But after that we got to ordering right away and we're quite excited about our choices, a bunch of their appetizers. When the food arrived the presentation was beautiful but almost everyone of the dishes fell flat on flavor. The best and the only ones that I would order again would be the chicken pate and the crudo. My poor husband didn't like any of the dishes. We had high hopes for the bone marrow especially since we really liked the ones that they had a Lola's which we was a favorite of ours but it was unimpressive. Maybe it's just me but my main intent in going out to eat is the food so when that is disappointing the rest doesn't add up to much. Maybe the main course would have been much better. They had some stuff in their main course menu that I absolutely adore and haven't had a chance to taste in the US like Muhammara which is a Lebanese dip made with walnuts, bell peppers and pomegranate sauce. Hope your choices are better !

I know what you're thinking....this menu is eclectic to say the least but OMG everything is so good. The vibe is minimalist. They don't take reservations. Try the chicken (order early it takes 40 minutes), the sweet potato yogurt dish and the bone marrow. You will not be disappointed. Delicious, trendy, magical. They ran out of some dishes and gave us champagne. Cheers to that! Only giving 4 stars bc it is a bit pricey in general.

A welcome addition to the cleveland food scene! Love the wood fired grill that you can see from the bar

Just a wonderful meal and ambiance. Nothing else like it in the neighborhood. Trendy, intimate, interesting and flat out good. We were able to get seated easily walking in at 6:45p on a Thursday. May not always have such luck but other stuff nearby to wait if needed. Couple notes: - Bijou cocktail: yummy. Love chartreuse. - Wings: tasty, crispy fried. Not the most standout item on the menu but we devoured them. - Hammachi crudo: awesome, one of my favorites. Great blend of flavors and still a fairly light but protein-y dish. - zucchini salad with burrata: beautiful ribbons of zucchini, wonderful burrata, elevated with some walnuts and lemon zest. - ribs: my favorite entree. Just an amazing mix of flavors with the yogurt and honeydew. - Picanha steak: good but was in my second tier of great things we ate. A bit spicy, good balance with some crunchies and pineapple - Panna cotta with grapefruit Campari granita (basically shaved ice). Very interesting. Way into it. Overall this was a great date spot. Perhaps not an anytime/casual meal (since it is a bit elevated and pricey) but we will definitely be back.

great ambience and smells delicious from the oven in the back. they have a lovely selection of wines and very knowledgeable servers. we got the parisian oysters which had a tiny sprig of herbs and a thinly sliced jalapeño (utterly delightful flavor), the cabbage which was roasted and deliciously seasoned, and the lamb ssam for two. this was a build your own adventure with many different condiments and was my favorite thing. If you can get a table here, highly recommend!

We had a lovey 5 course meal at Alea, with reasonably priced wine! It's a cute spot and friendly knowledgeable staff. Hand sanitizers on the table, continued to refill water, food was beautifully displayed, they each felt like an art piece being delivered!

Epic meal on a cold evening! Artfully presented little gems, pork chop and chocolate torte! Wine list created by someone with obvious passion, not run of the mill! Charming owner and team! I'll be back!

It had been a little while since we'd dined in Cle (live in LA now). We went with a small group and did the whole menu tapas style. AMAZING! I do not remember any food when we lived in cle that could stand up to Alea, you'd be hard pressed to find something close in LA. The crudo, mussels, and pulled lamb tacos were special highlights. They also turned a negroni into a dessert...come on.

ALEA is a fabulous addition to Cleveland's restaurant scene! The food is amazing and The open style kitchen is so fun. The oysters and the Crudo were definitely two of my favorites! The toast with goose liver is to die for. I really really dig this place!

Stumbled upon this place in Hingetown this past Friday evening with my family for a night cap of oysters and a glass of wine. We were blown away. A welcome addition to our incredible Cleveland food scene. Go there now.

ALEA is a sleek modern restaurant in Ohio City, Cleveland that is doing everything right. Tried the grilled oysters and the lamb chops, both exotically satisfying. My restauranteur was perfect and attendant. The gin martini was smooth. Good music to accommodate the atmosphere. I came alone but would be a good date spot.

Delicious creative menu, cocktails and good service. Go before 5:30 or after 8:30 to get a table no resos smaller than 6

This place is a must stop! Don't go in a rush, the food can take a bit which they tell you up front and explain it's part of their style and experience. The wait staff was SO attentive and friendly. Our waitress Kerry made great wine recommendations on top of her A+ attitude and service. Some highlights included oysters (SO GOOD with the mushrooms), orange salad (with onions and almond it sounds confusing but tastes out of this world) and shared the chicken entrée. The menu is limited but is really a great experience of new flavors and craftsmanship you can't find elsewhere in the area. Definitely worth a date night or treat for yourself!

My boyfriend and I went to ALEA for their 8-course tasting menu and wine & spirit pairing. We sat at the bar, which is a great spot to watch them cook and plate the courses. Everything was delicious and the pairings were amazing - not just the usual red/white wine pairings, but also other spirits, such as vermouth and amaro. The service and staff was fantastic and it was a great overall dining experience. For COVID safety, all staff had face masks, tables were placed far apart from one another, and at the bar, there were plastic barriers between parties.

I know by the beautiful kitchen build out alone that someone spent real time and money opening this place up. I know how expensive that equipment is and how much of a pain in the neck it is to install properly and functionally. And that is the last time you will see me refer to anything in this establishment as "well thought out" or "executed at a high standard". First of all; How does a restaurant at this price point not take reservations? Absolutely unacceptable, I should have known right there that they weren't prepared to provide a standard of service equatable to their price point. Alas, my excitement to try a new spot blurred my perception. Allow me to break down my experience; The host says it will be a 30 minute wait. I give my name and number. we wait AND WE WAIT. almost an hour later I call them because I'm starving and sick of waiting. Host claims that he texted me (he didn't) I let it slide, no big deal as long as long as the food's good. We are seated at a communal table that is way too small. My words won't do this part justice. Just look in the front window. There was barely enough room for my food when it arrived, no hyperbole. This table was at max, an intimate 6 top and it was being utilized as a communal 8 top. Insanity. To make things worse, they crowded the table with 6 water bottles that NO ONE USED. Which is a compliment to the back waiter who kept our water tip top, and he was very pleasant. One star earned! We order drinks. No bartender, server makes them themself they not only get the order wrong but the drinks suck too! Double whammy! We order dinner. They are out of half of the menu. it's 8 o'clock on a saturday night. their reasoning? they're closed sundays. Are you serious? I almost laughed in the server's face. The most important night of the week in the service industry and you under order ingredients because you're closed the next day? WHAT ARE THEY THINKING!? So we wait. and we wait. Our food finally arrives... And it's our entree. Singular, because they only gave us one when we ordered two. food was bland, sorry, no reason to elaborate further. We proceed to eat dinner in reverse, finishing with our salad. Honestly, just a terrible dinner. Lastly, and as always, Shoutout to whatever Owner is reading this, I completely blame you and not your staff. The fish stinks from the head. Your restaurant has been open for less than a month..... It's Saturday night...WHERE ARE YOU!? Handle your business and set some standards for your establishment. As always, I will gladly rewrite this review if, during my next visit I see improvement. I'm definitely going to give them a couple of months. This place was simply not ready to open.. update; I woke up the next morning to a text from ALEA telling me my table was ready LMAO.

Tried Alea for the first time last week and I would say it's definitely a place I would go back but I'm also not needing to rush back. Proof of vaccination was required to dine which was appreciated. The atmosphere was very lowkey and intimate - being that there aren't many tables in the restaurant. Cocktail wise, they were just OK. The specialty cocktails on the menu were all pre-made which was kind of let down and they were just average overall. We ordered 3 apps - ricotta toast, potatoes, and oysters. The potato app was bright and delicious with fresh citrus segments and briny capers. My favorite of the night. Very delicious. The oysters were great but the lardon kind of just made it taste like a bite of bacon, which I'm not complaining but keep that in mind. The kale ricotta toast has so much potential but it was a bit lackluster. The kale to ricotta ratio is very off and could use some acid. For entrees we ordered the porkchop, steak, and chicken milanese. All were pretty outstanding. All meat was cooked to perfection and the accompanying romesco, aioli, and agrodolce were extremely flavorful and rounded out each dish. All food is encouraged to be shared amongst the table (similar to family style) and comes out of the kitchen as each dish is ready. This is not a restaurant if you are in a rush and I appreciated the more intimate dining moment. One major con I had is because it's an open kitchen and they use a lot of the grill, my clothes reaked of smoke. Days later my coat and shirt smells like a bonfire and of course I wore things that are dry clean only. Next time I will plan accordingly. Overall a great experience but rather expensive for what you get. I would recommend you try this place out at least once. They change their menu each season which is great but also because we ordered several things on their winter menu, I can't say anything was wowing me to go back to experience the same limited menu again.

Alea is a really cool space that has fit wonderfully into the Hingetown neighborhood. The inside is modern and bold with cement walls and a wide open kitchen that allows you to see every move the staff are making with your food. The menu is on the smaller side, with quite a few unique items. They don't take reservations unless you have 6 or more, and if you go in around the 6-8pm hours you should expect to wait a bit. The restaurant is very small; if I remember correctly there are 4 or 5 tables with limited seating at the bar area as well. Cocktails were good! I couldn't find too much on the menu I was interested in, but it was a cool place for a Friday night dinner. My boyfriend loved the mediterranean dishes, so I'm sure we will return.

Food was amazing! Congrats to the team at Alea! Please keep it up. Favorite place in Cleveland secured!

Went on a recommendation, and was not disappointed! Friendly service, cool vibe, and interesting menu. Starters and entrees are big enough to share, but we wanted too try several dishes. The food was delicious all around! We were absolutely stuffed but still ordered desert. Do not miss the panna cotta!!! P.S. I advIse going early to avoid the wait

This is a wonderful restaurant. I went to celebrate my daughter in law's birthday with friends and we had a wonderful evening. We thought the chicken wings were the best we'd ever had, the ribs were amazing and the shredded lamb served with several toppings and lettuce leaves for wraps were extraordinary. Our waiter was completely knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. There were some excellent drinks as well. I recommend this restaurant for celebrating with family and friends.I will return, no doubt!

Came for dinner with some friends on a weeknight, wasn't too crowded. The food is wonderful! I tried the orange/almond/onion salad, and the flavors blended together beautifully. The malfatti were also great, a sort of cheese dumpling. The roasted chicken is MASSIVE, so completely understood why it takes to long to cook. But well worth the wait. I had a bit of the lamb and that was also excellent.

We arrived at 7 PM knowing we would have to wait as they don't take reservations. We were told it would be about 80 minutes which was great. After about 90 minutes and not hearing anything we decided to walk back over to make sure we were still in the queue. We were assured we were and the host even pointed out a table for us. He said give them 15 more minutes and we would receive a text. 30 minutes later (2 Hours total wait) one of our guests walked back over to the restaurant. Sitting in the two tables the host noted would be ready for us were 2 completely new groups. The Host proceeded to apologize but, stated they are some of his best customers arrived and he couldn't turn them away? Wow, 2 hours of wait and we were left out to dry with no table and no food.

The best food in Cleveland. Every dish is amazing! The atmosphere is so unique and the overall experience is like something from anywhere in the world.

Go! Definitely sit at the counter if you can. Order a drink and relax into the entertainment of the professional chefs, and enjoy a long and exquisite dining experience. We ordered the hamachi crudo, grilled oysters, orange salad, pork, and picanha. Everything was beyond perfect. We shared everything and fought over the last bites. Can't wait to visit again!