Cleveland’s Jewish community has been growing exponentially over the past several years. That’s thanks to its low cost of living, warm and friendly community, safe suburban neighborhoods, excellent schools, short commute times with low traffic and plenty of parking, a revitalized core on the water with several sports teams and world class museums, and private school tuition vouchers.
But a sore subject has been Kosher restaurants. There are about a dozen food establishments, but none that you can take a client out to for a proper business lunch or for a dinner date. The highlights of Cleveland’s food scene are the heavenly donuts from Ungers and the milkshakes or espresso drinks located inside of the Grand Judaica bookstore…
DDF admin Chaikel Kaufman, Josh Bennett, and myself have been brainstorming and working over the past couple years to correct that. One thing we knew for certain is that we wanted to bring a proven concept and operator to town.
After countless hours of work scouting out operators, locations, and funders, we’re thrilled that Mendel Segal of Miami’s Mendel’s Backyard BBQ & Brew will be soft opening Mendel’s KC BBQ in Cleveland on Monday!
It’s the biggest Cleveland-Kansas City merger since 2008. 😉
The menu will feature unique and local dishes and will be more comprehensive than his menu in Miami, as this will serve as Cleveland’s only kosher fine dining establishment. The ambiance will also aim to be more upscale than in Miami.
Mendel’s signature KC style burnt ends dish is the stuff that dreams are made of:
You can make reservations for the soft opening here. The menu will be limited for the soft opening, the restaurant will be open just for dinner, and the restaurant has not yet received its full liquor license, but there will be a full menu for lunch and dinner with a full liquor license, and ordering will be available on food delivery apps in the near future.
Mendel and I go way back. We both married girls from the small Chabad community in Overland Park, Kansas.
I’ve watched Mendel grow from working the kosher counter at Overland Park’s Hen House grocery store, to running the Vaad Hakashrus in Kansas City, to running what may be the best kosher BBQ restaurant in the world down in Miami. Along the way I’ve been a judge at several of his BBQ competitions from Kansas City to Chicago, which have always been a blast.
At the afterparty of one of Mendel’s legendary BBQ competitions in Kansas City, circa August 2016:
The restaurant’s general manager will be Shua Lurie, who excelled at jumping through the hoops to bring delicious food and an abundance of wine and guided it from Montreal to Halifax to Ushuaia and then served on our unforgettable 2018 Kosher Antarctica cruise.
Mendel and Shua share a l’chaim on the bar at Mendel’s KC BBQ in Cleveland:
I have no doubt that the new venture will be an incredible success, but I wish Mendel the best of luck and hopefully this will help launch more world class kosher restaurants in Cleveland!
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58 Comments On "Cleveland’s Kosher Food Scene Turns Up The Heat!"
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Also great for people passing through from Chicago to NY!
Yum! I can smell the burgers and rack of ribs!
Absolutely. Should be the best kosher restaurant anywhere between NYC and LA!
The menu will feature several more burger types, steaks, and other new creations than what can be found in Miami 🙂
will it be beit yosef meat and yashan so all can enjoy?
I’d suggest contacting the restaurant when they open for kashrus questions.
Let me guess. Anything but Lubavitch? >:(
+1
Landing in CLE in 20 min.. but unfortunately leaving before Monday! Next trip!
now I see why Lubavitch Shchitah was such a sore topic
When I went to Mendels in Miami best service I ever had! Got my food in five min
I was going to go anyway, but seeing that they like Ardbeg gave me all the confidence in the world to book my flight from LGA
Do we know which hechsher / company meat is will be the restaurant?
Cleveland Kosher. You can contact them or the restaurant when it opens for specific meat/chicken hechsher questions.
Just saw mendel in Backyard. Bold move opening a second location when the current one is slammed for yeshiva week.
Rough timing, but that’s just when construction finished here.
He’s talented, I’m sure it’ll be great. 🙂
Dan, are you an equity partner in the venture? If so, you should probably disclose that in this and future posts about the establishment.
I am not. I would have disclosed that if I were.
Patron?
I will definitely be eating there next week 😀
Why are you so concerned if Dan is plugging a new local establishment that is part of his community?
Dan,
Thanks for your help. Every time I had to pass through Cle for business it was quite frustrating with regards to this issue. Really appreciate all your help!
One question, In the past this was tried and experimented but failed on multiple occasions. Sababa, Fish stix, contempo cuisine, etc. why should we be more optimistic this time around?
Thanks
Sababa’s food was just not good and the place wasn’t kept clean.
Fishstix couldn’t figure out if it was a fish market, take-out counter, or restaurant with a massive kitchen but no place to eat and short hours. Pity, as the food was good and it would have succeeded as a restaurant.
Contempo was around for many years and was successful, though the owner closed it for personal reasons when he couldn’t keep up with it.
Granted everything you’re saying, my only concern would be – why in the world are they doing it no-mansville, it’s not close to any of the religious neighborhoods!
Personally I’m fine with location and so would business man traveling, but with cleavelanders let’s see if it’s enough for them to make the “trip” out there for an overpriced burger.
Dan, you should know cleavelanders by now. lol
Remains to be seen, Regardless looking forward.
At first I was on your side of this debate, but it really is not more than a 10-12 minute drive from just about anywhere in the community.
Plus, it’s nice to be able to go out somewhere that’s not on the Cedar/Green strip which has zero ambiance.
But more critically, the Van Aken location is very up and coming and should be able to attract non-Jewish clientele as well.
Hatzlacha Rabba on this new initiative!
Just to be a Class A Yenta, is this going to take over a share of your focus from DDMS and DDF, or is this handed over to others to run?
I have no ownership and won’t be working for the business.
I’m just here to cheer it on and hope that success breeds success!
So you helped organize it and get it going and now you are here to celebrate its success?
Correct. Well, its hopeful success.
Now we just need Clevelanders to prove they can support a fine dining establishment with delicious food. 🙂
Bring some DDFers in on a tax deductible business trip. 🙂
Maybe an idea for the next DDF raffle.
“2 nights in CLE, plus DO in Mendel’s”.
Move over Maui, it’s Cleveland’s time to shine 😉
Lol. I meant sweepstakes ala https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=97454.0
BTW, it is a great promotional tactic, I got into the idea of packing cubes afterwards and got my whole family into it.
Great work Dan, Cahikel, & Josh!
The CLE restaurant vaad made it happen 😉
Now all Cleveland needs is a Hatzala and then we’ll be a “real” community!
Thanks 🙂
Beachwood sends fire, police, and ambulances to houses in less than a minute. Is there a need for that?
Agreed, no need for hatzalah here. BH we have wonderful public resources. Hatzalah is amazing but local EMS arrives with paramedics (much more training than EMTs sent by hatzalah).
Looking forward to supporting the new restaurant!
Not familiar, but what makes you say Hatzalah wouldn’t send paramedics? Where I live they do. Secondly, what makes you say that the local EMS always sends Paramedics? Most EMS agencies in the world that I know of have a two (and sometimes a three or four) level dispatching system based on nature of the job, available resources, and resource needs. Where I live, there are CFRs, EMTs, EMT-Is, and EMT-Ps (Paramedics).
I was in Cleveland for josh’s sons bar mitzva and was so hoping to try it out, too bad it didn’t open in time for that, will have to wait for next time.
why did he choose to call “KC” bbq?
in honor of his wife?
Mendel lived in KC for a decade and learned how to BBQ in the KC style there. He also hosted several kosher BBQ competitions there, which launched his BBQ career.
At the 2016 KC BBQ Competition afterparty. How many of us can you name. 😀
Bosh, Striks ,Dan ,Sruly ,Mendel
Ha, you know your foodies!
Thinking of moving to Cleveland, any recommendations or info on communities, shuls, websites to find out more etc. thanks!
Start with the Wiki here and feel free to ask questions in the thread:
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=1343.0
The Zemach Zedek in Lower Cleveland Heights is a great friendly shul Lots of nice new people and a great kiddush every SHabbos.
https://movetocle.org/
They will be Unbelievably successful I can’t tell you how many businesses need a fine dining experience to take out clients customers even workers not to mention the thousands of families who have anniversaries birthdays or other special occasions with nowhere to go currently this will be an absolute success and we are cheering him on
The website needs fixed – says opening fall 2022. Even though it’s soft opening, menu needs to be posted to people have an IDEA of what they might order . Let’s do it right from the start
Mazel tov! Only brachos! And more kosher restaurants in Cleveland
Gonna drive in from Chicago for some real BBQ! I remember fondly the KC competitions.
Any place anywhere that’s authentic bbq and kosher is worth visiting.
Next location_ pls_ lakewood/Toms River NJ
Perhaps a satalite location in Detroit!
This is really great. We summer in Erie, PA and so look forward coming to Cleveland for kosher food. Really looking forward.
Great post! Wish him well.
What does “a revitalized core on the water”
mean?
Same question no answer but who cares it’s a fancy word to boost Cleveland’s popularity and have a all move out to Cleveland and support a restaurant that is probably delicious
Downtown.
Will it have Chabad Meat
We love Mendel and his Back Yard BBQ in Miami. We have been going ever since it opened in the old location next door. What makes it extra special is that Mendel is one of the most personal people I have ever met. BYBBQ is by far the best Kosher restaurant we have ever been to and we have been throughout the world. We are from Boston and visit Miami often. Mendel always is so nice and comes to talk to my 2 6’4′ sons, my 86 year old dad and my wife. We always order a feast when we go as everything is ALWAYS so amazing. Every time we beg Mendel to open a place in Boston. Good luck Mendel as Josh and I told you when we were there a few weeks ago we will fly out to Cleveland JUST to come visit your new restaurant! It will be an another amazing success! Good for you!!
agreed. Amazing food
Just visited last night! place was on fire. delicious food and house was packed. Great vibe OH Strong