Pier W

12/12/09

Incredible drop in standards

by tflucht at Citysearch

Pier W was a Cleveland-area favorite of mine, an extremely well-run restaurant, with excellent cuisine. Note the past tense.

Sad but true, but Pier W has suffered a tremendous drop in quality. I was running late, so I called twice to let the restaurant know I was stuck in Thursday Night Football traffic. No one answered the phone, either time.

Upon arrival, no greeting, just "Two for dinner?" Then seated at a two-top near the side windows. Had to immediately move, as the heater was on high, and blowing directly on my legs.

Twenty minutes later for drink orders, and the pattern of the evening was clear: decent food, oblivious service. For the price of this meal, I could have had two better ones in the area.

Sad to say, but I think Pier W has jumped the shark.

• Pros: Appetizers, salads
• Cons: Entrees, service, atmosphere

02/14/09

One of the Finest in the Cleveland Area

by jhcase55 at Citysearch

Although pricey, Pier W continues to draw us back. The food is fantastic. Even on New Year?s Eve, at a time when most restaurants struggle to serve a decent meal, Pier W remains consistent in its high quality of service and food. There is a great view from nearly every seat in the restaurant, especially in the summer months, when there is a lot of activity in the water. Since their recent reopening, after a total renovation, Pier W has become a favorite once again.

• Pros: Great food, service and view
• Cons: Expensive

08/18/08

A perfect 10 in every way

by Nashvillediva at Citysearch

This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to, period. I booked my reservation on a Thursday for a Sunday night through Opentable. There were no problems with my reservation and we were immediately sat (despite arriving 15 minutes early). The hostess led us to possibly the best table in the house which was at the windows overlooking the Cleveland skyline. My husband and I took my dad there to celebrate his birthday and the staff did a wonderful job of making him feel special.

For drinks, dad ordered his signature martini, my husband ordered a gimlet and I had a glass of the pinot grigio, all of which were wonderful. We drank an Oregon pinot noir with dinner and it was a bit too fruity for my meal but a good choice overall.

We started with the oysters Rockefeller and lobster bisque, both of which were sinfully rich and perfectly prepared. Then dad decided he wanted to order some Blue Point oysters as well. They were out in a flash and tasted perfect. For our entrees I had the diver scallop picatta which featured a beautiful presentation of 5 enormous scallops in a delicate picatta with spinach and a crown of crispy sweet potato strings. My husband had the boullibaise which offered a hearty portion of mussels, clams, shrimp and fish with plenty of sauce for dipping. Dad chose the lobster pappardelle which was rich, filling and interesting with its flavor combination of cream and roasted red pepper.

For dessert my husband and I ordered the fondue which came with a generous but not overwhelming portion of fresh fruit, cookies and homemade marshmallows. I asked our server how they make these and he returned from the kitchen with 2 perfectly toasted marshmallows and the answer to my question. Dad ordered the vanilla creme brulee and refused to share, so it must have been amazing. Since it was his birthday, they brought out a tea light and a small cup of whipped cream with a white chocolate "happy birthday" sign on top. Pier W=perfect!

• Pros: Ambience, Food, Service
• Cons: Expensive, but worth it