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Bruno's Ristorante & Catering
2644 W 41st St, Cleveland, OH | Map it
(216) 961-7087 | View Website
2644 W 41st St, Cleveland, OH | Map it
(216) 961-7087 | View Website
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What's the attraction?. Tough veal and a warm drink. What else is there to say?
Rolling Downhill Fast.
Maybe it's the economy, or maybe nobody at Bruno's cares anymore. My family and I have been going to Bruno's for at least a decade- dine in, carry out, entertaining friends from out of town. Over the
past two or three years, I've noticed a very disappointing downward spiral in Bruno's quality of food and the general 'give-a-@&$%' of the staff.
A $14 lasagna ought to have at least a little bit of sauce on it- but it was so dry I swear it could have caught fire. The caesar dressing was putrid, as was the meat in my stuffed peppers. Needless to say, I did not finish my dinner and am only hoping I don't get sick from the meat.
Thanks a lot, guys. I'll never be back and I'm completely embarrassed that I ever talked it up to my friends.…
Good Bang for Your Buck!.
After two visits for dinner) Pros: High quality Southern Italian dishes; Homemade pasta; Huge portions; Good variety of selections.
Cons: Seated twice at a very small table for 4 (very uncomfortable); Bread must be heated for a decent taste/texture ... which means it's likely not homemade or fresh; Tomato sauce options are very limited; Linguine is the only homemade pasta, which may be too thick for some customers; Red Clam sauce ...made with chunky/high quality tomatoes, had a hint of cinnamon (or some other odd spice) which didn't match-up with the concept of the dish; Waitress on our second visit was
a bit arrogant/inflexible; Neighborhood /perimeter housing /sidewalks were filthy/unattractive.
Would I return to Brunos?... Not sure.…
Cozy neighborhood Italian warmth.
Went there for Valentine's night with another couple (actually Sat 13th) based on friend's recommendations. It's tucked away in old neighborhood but did not feel unsafe. Small parking lot across
street had security watchman (tip as you determine).
It looks like it was a house once and converted to restaraunt. Nice looking bar but we didn't have time since table was ready whe we arrived on a busy night.
We had appetizers of calamari (I was told was very good, but not my thing, but the other husband said it was some of the best he's ever had) and bruschetta. The bruschetta was true-Italian and was basted in balsamic vinagerette and large chunks of tomatoes and onions which the other couple's wife & I didn't care for. We sent it back and they gladly took it off the bill. But my wife said it was great. Go figure.
The Italian wedding soup was delicious, and the salads were a good size.
We had 4 different entrees and all were quite large portions. My lasagna was very thick and the sauce was rich and tasty. The wives has scampi or clam pastas and couldn't eat half of their servings and they were excellent. The other husband had a beef filet/cutlets in a wine/burgandy sauce and said it was fantastic, with a side of pasta (he wasn't offered different sauces or noodlesthough, but the red sauce was great and it was a linguini or fettecini noddle).
Our dessert choices of a chocolate mousse cake and the themed cream-cheese-filled strawberries were a decidant final touch.
We had 2 bottles of German Riesling that were a perfect match, and the other husband had a couplpe cocktails.
The total bill was about $160, plus tip, which was very reasonable.
I could say that the dining room was small with maybe 8-9 tables and seemed a bit cramped early on due to some other larger parties. The 2 waitresses were very busy (we had to ask for bread to go with the soup/salads, and a few minutes to catch their attention to send back the bruschetta), but it was also a very busy night. The owner also made rounds to see how everyone was enjoying thir meals. This was a 7pm dinner on a Sat night.
The menu had a good selection of chicken & veal dishes, several pastas, and a half-dozen specialties for the night, so it wasn't an overly extensive menu but perfect in my opinion for the food quality and ambiance. We'll definitely go back. Had the staff been a little more attentive (but understandable for the holiday night), and maybe some soft background music I'd give it a 5-star.…
Best Italian Restaurant in Cleveland.
Bruno's is a tiny Italian restaurant, very close to I-90, in a very unexpected neighborhood, W.41st and Cloud. On Fridays and Saturdays there is a security guard in the parking lot which is on Cloud.
Despite it's unusual location, Bruno's is noticeably clean, even with its unisex bathroom. Walking in, there is a tiny quaint bar with a shiny cappuccino machine in the middle behind the bar and only a deuce top in the bar. On the other side of the wall to the right is the dining room which only hosts about a dozen tables.
Okay, the food! First of all, their red sauce is the best in town alongside Gavi's. It is so thick you can eat it with a fork. Their food truly is from homemade recipes. Honestly, all the food is a flood of delight to your tongue. I have found that house wines are not worth ordering, here they are. Their house dressing is a 10. I especially love the aglio y olio, eggplant, and for dessert the casada cake is the best I've ever had. This is my favorite Italian restaurant in Cleveland. The servers work together, so you don't have to wait for more water, bread, or to have your dishes cleared from you. Don't forget to grab a couple business cards and matches on the way out, (across from the bar) as directions are on the back. I always grab some to give to others.…
