Need restaurant advice

[FUDU]

Taking some friends out for dinner for the holidays, most likely on a Saturday night in the next 3 weeks, need some advice on a good choice.

Must be either downtown or west of the city (no further west than say Westlake or Rocky River)

Probably 5-8 people going in total.

Looking for a a place with good food that is moderately priced, that will also accommodate the group eating together. A bar isn't necessary (b/c we may go out afterward) but could be nice depending on the specifics. Trying to avoid strict formal dress codes as well.

Hoping to keep it around or under $30-40 a person since I am planning on footing the bill.

IIRC there is a place downtown that is nice, popular and has great food in a sort of a buffet style in which you can eat all you want but they bring everything to you? They carve the meat right off the bone at the table etc...?

Cleveland Grille is one I am thinking about but I cannot find any info on how costly they are, they menu page is not up.

All suggestions are appreciated.

[pup]

Dude. Brasa. $35 (without drinking). AYCE.


http://www.brasagrillsteakhouse.com/

[swerb]

Brasa is fantastic. Took all the writers there a couple years back and have been back a couple times since.

$35 a head. An all you can eat "salad bar" that has salad, fruits, fresh cold seafood, and about 18 other things. A feast in itself worthy of a $20-$25 price tag.

Then they bring out like 10-12 different kinds of meats on skewers, and slice whatever meats you want right on your plate. Bacon wrapped tenderloins, pork, veal, chicken, all the different red meat cuts.

Good for a big group.

Also, I like John Q's downtown in Public Square. More casual, much less pricy than Mortons, XO, Hyde Park, or any of the other elite downtown steakhouses. You'll pay $18-$35 for a steak dinner, depending on the cut. No $12 baked potatoes and $15 ceasar salad sides. A lot of really cool Cleveland memorabilia on the walls, just a nice atmosphere and feel in there. Great place to eat steak and drink beer with friends or clients.

[pup]

Brasa is fantastic. Took all the writers there a couple years back and have been back a couple times since.

$35 a head. An all you can eat "salad bar" that has salad, fruits, fresh cold seafood, and about 18 other things. A feast in itself worthy of a $20-$25 price tag.

Then they bring out like 10-12 different kinds of meats on skewers, and slice whatever meats you want right on your plate. Bacon wrapped tenderloins, pork, veal, chicken, all the different red meat cuts.

Good for a big group.

Also, I like John Q's downtown in Public Square. More casual, much less pricy than Mortons, XO, Hyde Park, or any of the other elite downtown steakhouses. You'll pay $18-$35 for a steak dinner, depending on the cut. No $12 baked potatoes and $15 ceasar salad sides. A lot of really cool Cleveland memorabilia on the walls, just a nice atmosphere and feel in there. Great place to eat steak and drink beer with friends or clients.

Another favorite of mine. Can't go wrong with either of these 2 places.

[FUDU]

Well that was quick and easy.

Barring any problems getting in (reservations needed?) at Brasa I think that will be the first choice.

That must be the place I had heard about.

Thanks.

[pup]

I would recommend calling for a Saturday night with a large group.

[jb]

http://www.churchs.com/menu.html

[FUDU]

Went to Brasa Friday night, cannot believe I could drink afterward, nor can I believe I ate meat the next day.

Unreal.

[OldDawg]

I know its a little eastward...
And I know its been over 20 years since I've been there...
But is Pickle Bills in the Painesville area still a great all-you-can-eat stop??
I used to get all-you-can-eat Prime Rib and put a hurt on them.

[peeker643]

I know its a little eastward...
And I know its been over 20 years since I've been there...
But is Pickle Bills in the Painesville area still a great all-you-can-eat stop??
I used to get all-you-can-eat Prime Rib and put a hurt on them.

It's still there (and it's a trip west for me) in all of its all-you-can-eat glory. But it'll cost you substantially more now to put a hurt on them.

$33 for prime rib and $38 for king crab legs.

http://www.picklebills.com/pdfs/CurrentMenu.pdf

[Stu]

I know its a little eastward...
And I know its been over 20 years since I've been there...
But is Pickle Bills in the Painesville area still a great all-you-can-eat stop??
I used to get all-you-can-eat Prime Rib and put a hurt on them.

It's still there (and it's a trip west for me) in all of its all-you-can-eat glory. But it'll cost you substantially more now to put a hurt on them.

$33 for prime rib and $38 for king crab legs.

http://www.picklebills.com/pdfs/CurrentMenu.pdf

150 bucks for ayce whole maine lobster.

whoa

[swerb]

Had one of the 3-4 best meals of my life on NY Eve night.

"Red", the steakhouse in Beachwood right there at the corner of Chagrin and Richmond, attached to "Moxie" ... a very fine restaurant in its own right.

Steaks are between $25-$40, other menu items are a la carte and are between $5-$12.

Worth every GD penny though. Meal was amazing. Steaks melted in your mouth. Our table of six shared six different sides, all of which were super as well. Granny Smith apple cheesecake for dessert. Great wine list.