Alley Cat Oyster Bar

Delicious food, drinks, and great service! Oysters were amazing and we had to order more! The Nova Scotia ones were very good. We both got the winter seafood dinner which was a whole lot of food with great options!! I have celiac disease and they were knowledgeable about that which I really appreciated. We will be back for sure

Excellent food and great service. Was not very busy and we got seated right away. Strongly recommend the Salmon Ceviche.

Amazing service! Our server went above and beyond with his attentiveness and the manager even stopped by during to make sure we were enjoying our meal and wine. It’s hard to find a restaurant these days that emulates a higher class of customer service and Alley Cat definitely does that. Great service + great food = a perfect evening.

Every bite was absolutely delicious! We went for brunch and couldn’t have had better service or food. From start to finish, everything was spot on. The staff was warm and attentive, and the dishes were fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Alley Cat always delivers with creative menu options and a fantastic oyster selection that never disappoints. It’s easily one of my go-to spots in the city. Highly recommend for brunch, dinner, or just oysters and drinks by the water!

Great oysters and great location by the water. Our waitress was super friendly and gave us great recommendations from the menu. Appetizers were generous in portion, with the highlight being the mussels. The crabcake (looks more like a crab patty?) and calamari were average. I like that they have a happy hour for oysters, overall would recommend. Parking was a bit inconvenient but that’s just typical Flats. Overall would recommend!

It was worth the walk down from the public square to the Alley Cat Oyster Bar. We had the Swordfish served on a bed of lobster mashed potatoes which was excellent, moist yet flaky. Really delicious. Also enjoyed the calamari along with a side of crispy pork belly, both were tasty and not over cooked. Finished it off with their take of Key Lime Pie. Kudos to our server Marcus and the bartender for a great Old Fashion. Definitely recommend.

Catchy name, great location - on the water. The atmosphere was not as classy as I hoped. Appeared to be a before club hang out. Waitress, Angel was horrible. After we placed our order she didn't come back to check in our table - in fact, the shrimp we ordered never came and she wasn't even aware of it. Time for the check and she was out right rude! And far as the food - cheese bread (cold, flavorless); oysters (best were the Blue Point, the others were small and lacked flavor); fish (grouper) tacos - best thing we ordered. Would not be a repeat customer.

Food was wonderful but a lot of flys and bees if you eat outside. View is beautiful

Sampled all 6 oysters offerings and they were fantastic! Peel and eat shrimp was simple but amazing! My wife and I each got the "AL" poke bowls and we both raved about would order everything again!

Outstanding clams in broth and best pork belly was the best I've had. Drinks excellent, great vibe

Amazing service - we came here after having a pretty disheartening experience at the lake house down the street. We were immediately greeted by the gentlemen in the front and sat on the patio. Our server Mitchell was extremely friendly and attentive - he didn't rush us at all and was very helpful. We ordered the fish tacos and the broccolini which were delicious. I have to say that the staff was so lovely that many patrons stayed for long periods of time. Another plus is the people watching you can do via the boats - basically it was dinner and a show! Highly recommend this establishment!!

Really cool place to go! The food was good, I wouldn't rated a five star, but definitely a four! And the service was outstanding, and that is what will make me go back again!

Very poor presentation, my wife ordered the grouper Rueben. It was inedible! The fries were bad too. My tacos were ok. My friends walleye was just average and chips were burnt. Never going back, don't waste your money!

Absolutely Amazing!! The oysters are decadent, the food was delicious! Excellent selection of cocktails! The views are Gorgeous! But by far the best part of this outstanding dining experience was the service!! 5!! Anthony was EXCEPTIONAL! We celebrated my daughters 25th Birthday & Alley Cat was the most Perfectly beautiful venue for a celebration! This will be a family tradition for years to come! Thank you Alley Cat and Thank You Anthony & Team! All of the incredible staff made our day superb!

Their lobster roll is not lobster. I told them this and they said it is a 50/50 mix of lobster and langoustines. They said langoustines are a type of lobster- they are not and are much closer to a crawfish. The entire tails cooked were about 1/2 inch. If the menu says it is lobster, it should be lobster. Disappointed that they still charged me for the "lobster" roll after I complained about it.

Feel a little conflicted about where to place this rating. The food (oysters, tuna poke) and drink (Bloody Mary) were very tasty. And that's the most important part, right? But the service was just oh so, so, that it left me feeling underwhelmed for the amount I paid for brunch. All the surroundings were gray. The music was barely audible. Just nothing stood out to rank this visit higher. Maybe next time?

Great tasting food, cannot go wrong when wanting fresh seafood! Let me put you on something... DO NOT SKIP THE artisan breads on the appetizes, that spread was magical! The oysters tasted great but it was a bit pricey. Views were amazing, restaurant was clean and service was great! Nice spot by the river!

Host was rude. Man working lunchtime Sunday Father's Day. He said we had to have a reservation to be in the dining room. . I went on yelp and found reservations readily available for the dining room.

**Cleveland Trip**, drove in for the night, and wanted to try something new close to water and this was perfect for what I wanted. Make sure to get reservations, this is a busy area and will be packed. They have inside and outside seating with gorgeous views. Food; I believe the Appetizers were my favorite, of course started with Oysters we got two of each that were very good, fresh and great taste. Also, we started with the Artisan Bread plate, the best part was the herb cream cheese and butter, very yummy. Main dish, I will admit it was not good as expected, we got the Alley Cat Mac with Lobster, it was a bit pricey and I am not sure what exactly I did not care for. I would probably order just the mac and cheese alone next time. Nice wine menu, very tasty and perfect with dinner. Service; Our server was amazing, she even helped us with our next stop for the night. Very outgoing.

Dined in on a Friday night for the first time. We made advance reservations for our party of three just in case. It was pretty busy, so that may have been a good move. The service was impeccable from greeting to farewell. We got a bottle of wine for the table, but I also opted for the Sunset Sour. My only critique is that I wish it was bigger. Tried one of each raw oyster for an appetizer. The sauce alone made that order worth it. Very fresh. I did the Veal Scallopini for my entree. The veal was easier to cut than the broccolini. My friends enjoyed the lobster mac and cheese (bacon removed) and lobster roll. Everyone left full and satisfied. I will definitely be back.

This restaurant has a lot space including 2 stories and a big patio -- so lots of room! We sat at the bar facing the lake and ordered from the raw bar. The oyster selection was really good including some from PEI/Canada. Great location by the river and there's a paid parking lot nearby.

Came here right after a date at the aquarium, lol! All dem fish made me crave some oysters, hahahaha. We went at 2pm on a Sunday so their brunch menu was still in effect! Oh goodness, it was AWESOME possum. I ordered the French toast which was more just like pound cake with whipped cream than actual French toast. This is a good thing. They were thick cut slices with strawberry syrup and resembled bread pudding. Excellence. I ordered ONE oyster and felt so dang fancy with the whole getup but for one--mignonette, lemon, horseradish and cocktail sauce. The oyster itself was tiny BUT the taste was excellent. My date ordered the crab cakes Benedict and it was also excellent. Prices are high and we got lucky with parking; otherwise it's $20. Did I mention the view? Mmmmmhmmm that was probably my favorite part of this place! It's very rare that I give 5 stars to pricey, trendy, no parking places but Alley Cat was truly enjoyable and felt like a total treat to spend any time there. Happy to come back!

Spoiled, lumpy half and half served with coffee, all around bad service - not even friendly or welcoming, nothing special about the food and shrimp tasted off.

I had my birthday dinner here with around 13 people and they were able to accommodate every thing that was asked! I wanted amazing views, oysters, and good drinks with friends. They even let my friend from Texas send me a birthday champagne toast! Sadly, I didn't get a pic of the oysters because I ate them too fast...delicious!!! One of my favorite spots on the river in the flats! An epic birthday dinner and will be returning!

I've been to Alleycat several times before and enjoyed it. I hadn't been in awhile, though, and wow it has gone downhill. First, the place was practically empty when we arrived, and it still took the server FOREVER to get around to our table. She seemed very put out when we asked for paper menus, which, ok, maybe that's a pain who knows, but one could still be pleasant about it. But the worst thing: THE FOOD. My friend and I had tuna poke bowls and they were terrible: plastic-tasting, sweet in a weird way, even the rice had an awful texture. I am not at all in any way a picky eater-- and I normally love every ingredient in any poke bowl -- and yet I couldn't eat more than a few bites. The manager (?) agreed to take these off our bill, which was fine, but we came for lunch and left hungry. Awful experience especially since my friend had come in from out of town. I normally don't write bad reviews of places, but I feel like I need to warn others!

We came here from Toledo. Beautiful view from the roof. Food is so good and they change their menu regularly. Our waiter was so friendly he made our whole experience great

"Meh"... Definitely no better than just "Meh". We have been to Alley Cat many times over the years... ever since it's opening. It has never been a "fine dining" restaurant; but I don't believe it was ever meant to be. It was always a fun place with great views in all directions that was a great place to meet friends and have a good time while eating good food. And while Zack Bruell was owner and operator it met that objective quite well. A nice, diverse menu of satisfying, well prepared food was always quite nice and dependable. Well not anymore. We visited last night hoping to enjoy a beautiful fall evening with friends along the river. So sad and disappointing. Don't get me wrong. Some of the staff tried hard, very hard to make the experience what it should be. That is the only reason I'm giving it a 3 instead of a 2. Our server was a nice enough young man that tried his best but was just overwhelmed with too many customers all at once. At one point he was assisted by a very pleasant young lady who introduced herself and explained she was going to give him a little help while he was taking care of his many other guests. I certainly appreciated them both as well as the effort. Unfortunately the dead time between visits and servings was just terrible. The general appearance of the overall establishment was just not up to standards either. It just looked disheveled, Like no one really cared or took the time to notice. On the bright side. At least the river was still there. And the oysters were still very good. But really, how does one ruin a raw oyster? I guess if you got a bad oyster the only one to blame might be it's parents. And I did enjoy the pork steak. It was very flavorful and cooked just right. Although, take a look at the picture and see if you find the presentation very appetizing. Bread did not come to the table so we had to order the "Artisan Bread" at an extra charge. Now, paying extra doesn't bother me but... the bread was stale. Seriously, two different types of bread. Several slices of each. And it all was at least 1 or 2 days sitting out on the counter stale. Really?! My brother ordered a "Wedge salad". Several minutes later the embarrassed server returned to apologize they had run out of wedge salads. Run out of wedge salads at 6:30pm on a Saturday night??? What did they plan to serve the rest of their guests the rest of the evening? So for the sake of being cooperative he ordered the only other option which was the "Caesar salad". They delivered a plate of wilted lettuce that could not have been mistaken for a Caesar by anyone. It was terrible. I ordered "Deviled eggs" as a starter. They were made out of rubber. My wife ordered a "Salmon Poke Bowl" that included mango that was as hard as a rock. I'm not sure how they were able to cut it. Well I think I've said enough. It actually hurts my heart to have to make a review like this. Nothing pleases me more than telling you how wonderful an establishment is and highly recommending it to all of you. But I promised in the very beginning I would always "Call 'em like I see 'em". Sad, so sad. Oh well, on to the next place.

In search of a dinner spot near the water, we landed on this place, with its gorgeous view of the lake surrounded by other restaurants that come alive at night. We also loved how close it was to the boardwalk and being able to walk along the water after eating. We did make a reservation for this place, but I don't believe it's necessary unless you want to guarantee outside seating, which is what we ended up doing. Walking in, we were immediately greeted by a host who led us to our table outside promptly. The view we had was great, with a lake view and a view of all the bridges and boardwalk. Our waiter was quick to suggest drinks and food to us and was helpful with bringing us extra utensils and sharing plates. To start, we ordered Cat's Pajamas // Blueberry Basil, Cat's Pajamas // Strawberry Jalapeno, Bloody Mary, Espresso Martini, Margarita Sandia, and Smokey Winds. My favorite was definitely the Margarita Sandia, as it was perfect for drinking by the water in the summer air. All the drinks were great though, despite the Espresso Martini maybe not being my cup of tea. For an appetizer, we got oysters with two oysters of each kind. This was a great way for us to try every type of oyster on the menu, and they all tasted amazing. Each was its own type of light, fluffy, and flavorful. For our main course, we got a Lobster Roll and Whole Black Bass. Both of these were incredible. The Lobster roll was exactly what I was looking for with its lightness paired with a slightly buttery bun. I will say that I wish there was an alternative side instead of fries, which were not the best and not a personal favorite food item. The Whole Black Bass was juicy and delicious. I would definitely come here again for the view and maybe order the Lobster Roll again if I was able to substitute my fries for something else.

Booyay - smokin hot Nashville shrimp (b careful). Fresh Shrimp was delish us Great service, seafood specialist.....

Clam chowder and peel eat shrimp LETS GO Just flew in and this hit the spot and it's a fun area filled with bars and young people, there was even an arcade bar around the corner

Great cocktails, great portions. I had the jalapeño cocktail, the mescal cocktail, and the edamame bowl. The location is great, with a view of the water. Very nice. The service wasn't excellent. The young gals tried their best but they didn't pay attention to the details and got our orders mixed up when it came to check out, thus my -1 star review. I would definitely come back though.

We decided to road trip to Cleveland for the weekend to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday, and Alley Cat was his choice for our first night's dinner. While the food was pretty stellar, the service was really lacking and it left us feeling pretty bummed. Our saving grace was the view we had of the river. We were right next to the water and it was a spectacular place to be sat. While they had ample staff on deck, it seemed like everyone was delegated one specific task. The person who brought our water couldn't take our drink orders. Our waitress took our drink and appetizer order, disappeared for 25 minutes, then came back to take our dinner order. Our food took about 20 minutes to come out and after it did, we did not see her for another 20 minutes and by that time we were ready to go. The people at the table behind us had to leave the table to find her two times and it was really unacceptable. I hate to complain but being left for that long was not a good experience. The food itself was good! My boyfriend ordered oysters and lobster mac and cheese, which he enjoyed for the most part. I had a crab cake and broccolini and I loved both! I'm so disappointed that the service was as lacking as it was. If you like seafood, maybe give it a shot but don't count on the service being as good as the food.

Fantastic food, oysters and ceviche are especially outstanding. The staff there are so friendly and fun. Love hanging out along the river. Fun watching the boats.

Had a few drinks and dinner here before a concert at Jacob's pavilion. The patio is dog friendly and right on the water. We had friendly and attentive service start to finish. Happy hour was awesome! Cocktail of the day was delicious and only $5 on happy hour. What a steal. It was a vodka elderflower fizz. I wish I got more than 1 but we got there right when hh was wrapping up. The next drink I ordered was the Paloma Romero but with mezcal (was so excited they had a mezcal). This was great and not too sweet. For food - really liked the fried calamari. Light breading and came with pickled vegetables and cilantro (great additions) and made the appetizer well rounded and complex vs the typical fried squid. Oysters were a great deal. Just $2 on happy hour. But did not love the taste of these. I think we are spoiled with starting our oyster journey in Washington. Wedge salad was delicious. It was deconstructed which allowed you to pick exactly what you wanted in each bite. The roasted tomatoes were an interesting component of this salad - very tasty. I think usually this comes with bacon but it did not even need it with all the other rich flavors. Dressing was miso ranch and light which was a nice complement. Had a bite of both the burger and the hanger steak. Both good! Broccolini with the steak was on the crunchy side. Felt like it needed a bit more time. Fries with the burger were addictive. Would definitely recommend this place if you're into oysters and seafood. Would try a different oyster next time!

I'm not a Cleveland-er but the flats in CLE is a great spot for live music, people watching, beautiful views, bar hopping and...oysters? We had a reservation for 10 and didn't have to wait to be seated. Our wonderful waitress did let us know the restaurant was short-staffed but I don't mind waiting for good food and drinks. All around this was a positive experience. The table ordered cocktails and loved them. Personally, I got the kitten's pyjamas blueberry basil and thought it was rather tasty. Appetizers included: salad, artisan bread, mussels and oysters. They were all fabulous. Everybody loved their entrees. The walleye with their lobster mash was a huge hit. My mother in law loved her salmon poké bowl. I'm allergic to seafood, unfortunately, but their burger was fantastic. Don't forget to save room for dessert!

Alley Cat continues to be a solid option for seafood in Cleveland, with some of the best views in the Flats area. I had not been back since ownership change. The patio is a great asset in the Summer, it really is a perfect setting (maybe with a tiny discount on weekends for the uber noise coming from the open roof club next door if you're into a really more peaceful vibe, but it's tolerable). The food was very good - the oysters as appetizer were fresh and fairly priced, we had the lobster roll, that I think has improved of late, with a better presentation of the lobster pieces, that were also very tasty. Also had the red grouper almondine - this one good but not stellar - the fish was good and the sweet corn arancini an highlight, but would have wished that were was not so much sauce in the plate, as it removes from the true flavors of the fish. Still highly recommend the visit.

Read the whole damn thing if you're a POC. I've never felt so disappointed by a restaurant recently until now. Our waitress (won't mention her name) made us feel weird, unwelcome and overall left a bad taste in our mouth. I want to preface this by saying that we are all Asian and we were underdressed for this restaurant (we were wearing sweaters and hoodies and regular pants.). We felt as though this definitely influenced the way that the staff treated us at this establishment from the get go. Had a reservation for 8:30pm for 4 people. We got Calamari - Ok, we enjoyed it and the little pickled carrots on the plating aswell. Mussels - good, the flavors were good but party was indifferent about bacon being incorporated into it. Artisan bread plate - waitress offered a bread plate which we thought meant "plates for bread" and didn't realize it was a whole ass plate of hard bread for $8. Oysters - blue point oysters were the only ones that were worth it. The others offered were so small that $3.5 for each was laughable. Shrimp Pasta - the pasta was good, shrimp tasted good until we found multiple tails and shells that were still literally attached to the shrimp. The peas were a horrible touch to the dish. According to the person who ate it, they said "I've never seen peas in shrimp pasta." Lobster Bisque - I enjoyed this however the broth lacked flavor. Lobster Roll - disappointing. Lobster was not tender, it was hard and chewy. The flavor was lacking. The only saving Grace was the French fries. The food would've been easily overlooked if the staff didn't treat us the way they did (we asked for spoons since my party wanted to try the lobster bisque but we ended up dropping one and our waitress ignored us when we flagged her over for general things like more lemons for our oysters, questions about the menu). But no, she was busy huddling in a corner with other staff. I'm not even from Cleveland. The restaurant wasn't even that busy on a Saturday night. I'm not sure why we were ignored. I just know I'm a little livid about it.

Such an adorable restaurant! We loved everything we ordered, especially the absolutely delicious bottle of bubbly rose (sadly not in the photo)

PROS: This restaurant has an amazing view of the river and our waitress Rebecca made the view better. She was also a very good waitress and made the experience lovely. I ordered a hamburger and fries which came out quickly. CONS: There's no parking except for a paid lot down the block and the bathroom only holds one person at a time. My burger was burnt and they also were a little overpriced OVERALL: I would probably try another place next time but if you're into seafood this is the place to go

Our first visit to Alley Cat was about years ago and the food and experience were very memorable. So we wanted to return Well something has changed. The grouper dish was very salty. The cod was blah and the risotto was not something I want to waste my calories one.

Went on 4th of July, young lady in the front was not attentive. Staff at bar gave average service. Drinks where a very sweet. 5 star view 2 star service.

5* for ambiance and service 3* for food I stopped by Alley Cat on The Flats to enjoy some seafood with a view. The restaurant was taking COVID seriously and all guests had their temperature checked upon entry. We were seated outside, with a nice view of boat action along the river. I started with a New England clam chowder, and it was excellent! The soup was light and flavorful with lots of vegetables and clams. For my main course, I went for the lobster roll. The roll was fresh, but the lobster meat was over cooked and tough. The fries were decent. The service was excellent. Overall, expect edible food with an amazing view.

This place has funny tshirts, you will see once you get there. They have an amazing smoked fish dip. It was the best one Ive ever had. The salmon entree was healthy but not the most flavorful. The view was nice and our server was on top of everything. We sat outside which was nice, they have a great view from there. The tables were clean. I would definitely come back.

We came to Alley Cat oyster bar for Valentines Dinner. The one thing that I would recommend for a special event dinner is to definitely not get their Prix Fixe menu. Opting to choose your own menu items is cheaper, and you get to try more of a variety of menu items. We tried their sea cod appetizer, sea bass entree, and lobster risotto. Each dish was very flavourful and extremely well-portioned. The sea cod appetizer was different and unique--the potato mash inside really went well with the sea cod. The lobster risotto surprisingly had many big pieces of lobster in it, and the freshly saved truffle definitely tops it off perfectly. The sea bass was extremely soft and juicy, and the sauce that it is paired with definitely a winner. After how great the two entrees were, we were tempted to try a second appetizer because of how amazing each dish was. I had their lavender cocktail and it was unique, and it had strong tastes of lavender. The prices of their drinks are similar to the price of their appetizers, and I would give up a drink for another one of their appetizers--their food is just that good. Parking is $10 at the Flats where the restaurant is located it. The view of the river is probably much nicer in the summer time when the nights are brighter and lights are put up.

Right on the waterfront with a great view and some concert background music from Nautica. The Grouper and Scallops were delicious!

The food is amazing. Service is impeccable. While the views are stunning they do not take the location for granted. Everyone works hard to make the entire experience extraordinary.

My husband and I went with another couple on a beautiful day and sat out on the patio. BUT!! Something you should know...before you even step foot into any restaurant in this area you will pay $20 for parking. You could try to find street parking if you want to walk a long way... to us it wasn't worth driving around and around looking...then taking a hike to get to the restaurant. The patio is great- fabulous views of the river. The drinks were good- not weak. The food was also good- and the servers are working hard to serve everyone! All in all a beautiful place for date night right by the boardwalk!!

I went here on recommendation due to being in town for a few days. I wanted to valet but this was not available. It would have been nice seeing that it was raining. It took some time to find a parking space. The place was also crowded and the wait would have been 1.5 hours. We lucked out and found seats at the bar. We got a few drinks and then placed out order. I decided on the whole Bass fish. It came with rice cakes. The fish did not have a lot of meat on the bones but was tasty. My friend had the stuffed oysters and crab patties. She was not to happy with her order. She said it was not seasoned well and she was looking for better. Overall, Pricey, nice ambience. There was an area to sit outdoors but since is was raining it was closed. I would visit again in the future.

Service was very good. For the prices need a little more on the plate. Crab cakes Shrimp

Good service. Very nice accommodating hostess. Beautiful restaurant. Grouper was a little bland but great veggies. Mussels and calamari is great. Hanger steak is delicious. Fish sandwich (breaded walleye) was bomb. Fries are good. And it's comfortable. Nice server as well.

This was a great place to check out when visiting Cleveland! I love seafood but was not really sure if I would like oysters. I have an issue with textures and oysters seemed slimy to me. But when in an oyster bar...you try the dang oysters. He ordered us an oyster shooter to try. I was really really really not sure about this lol. The bartender told me he personally hates these shots but, since I always say that I'm willing to try anything twice (sometimes it takes more than once to figure out if you like something), I had to do it. So bottoms up, butter cup! I did the shot and had my first ever oyster. They say they are aphrodisiacs... Umm not sure about that one, but I swallowed the oyster and did not spit it out (giggles). I wasn't really a fan to be honest. But I can say I tried it. We instead ordered muscles which are much more to my liking and allowed the bartender to assist with drink selections. This bar was beautiful and located right on the water. In my opinion it is a must when you visit this area and we will absolutely be back!!

I am late on this review, but I would like to say what a wonderful baby shower we had at the Alley Cat Restaurant last July. I would like to thank the staff for providing great food and service - including the private event coordinator and our dedicated staff on the day, who were superb. Thank you.

I never write long reveiws about restaurants but this experience made me want to. This restaurant came highly recommended by several locals. We went on a quieter mid-week evening to meet friends for dinner. It was very quiet. Hardly any customers. That being said, knowing it is a waterfront property and we were visiting off season, we didn't have expectations of a crowd or scene. The bar staff were not busy and acted as if they could care less if we were there or not. It was our first time at the restaurant and we had a couple questions about the place and menu. The bartenders were dismissive and barely answered our questions and even walked away mid-sentence so we couldn't even tell what they were saying in response to our questions. The host was very pleasant as was the table server, however, the table service was extremely slow, even though the restaurant was not busy. The food was good but not great. Peal and eat shrimp was great. The mussels were very spicy. Pork Chop was very good as well. The crab cake was very sub par and cold. I would not visit this restaurant again. Indifferent service, food not worth the price.

Don't charge $3.50 for minuscule oysters. I'm from the east coast I'm used to quality seafood and expensive prices but the oysters at alley cat fell short. I thought they were overpriced for what they actually are. I would wine bar rocky river instead.

Favorable prices on oyster. Ate 18 myself! I was hungry. The lobster bisque was just amazing. I could have eaten 3 bowls easy! Good spot. Excited to return

I recently went to the Alley Cat Oyster Bar to try their Restaurant Week menu. I found that their regular menu was tempting with lots of seafood, so I decided to order from that instead. I had a signature cocktail, a cup of clam chowder, peel-and-eat shrimp, and a shrimp and lobster mac n cheese. The cocktail was delicious. Well balanced and not too sweet. The clam chowder was a bit brothy, but full of flavor. It was full of precisely cut potatoes and corn bits which had a lovely mouthfeel. The clams were flavorful and plentiful as well. The half pound of peel-and-eat shrimp were large (at least 16-20 count), plentiful (with at least 8-10 in the portion) and came in a metal vessel with an Old Bay seasoned broth. They were very plump, well cooked and flavorful. The mac n cheese was a shrimp, lobster and cavatelli pasta in a cheese sauce. I opted to add additional poached lobster. The lobster and pasta were well cooked, but the cheese sauce was a bit thin for my taste. There was a generous amount of bacon lardons also in the dish. It was very rich and I was able to finish just about half it. I felt too full to try dessert. My friends and I sat at a table facing the Cuyahoga River and we had a great view. The servers were very attentive and helpful. The restaurant was not too busy for a Wednesday evening, so we had an easy time hearing each other during dinner conversation. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience and I would be happy to go back to the restaurant and sample more of the menu. I do not think I would order the seafood mac n cheese again though, as I prefer something a bit more baked or with a bechamel sauce. If you are near the Flats in Cleveland and hunkering for seafood, Alley Cat Oyster Bar is a great choice!

We got seated on the rooftop patio with a lovely view :) The food was not very impressive (pictured) except for the tater tots aka hush puppies. However, must say the cocktails were SO GOOD! Probably would go back to this place for just the drinks and the view.

Exceeded every expectation. We celebrated mom's 100th birthday in private dining. From Alina, the event planner, the food and bartenders, every wish was realized.