The Black Pig

We decided on The Black Pig for a celebratory meal last night and were not disappointed at all (nor the other times we have been). We started with the pork belly as an app and were not disappointed. The barley part of the dish was as amazing as the belly itself. Great way to start off. I want with the 3 course pasta dinner with the first course of the braised port tortellini and was by far the highlight of the meal for me! The broth-​unreal! Course two wasn’t my cup of tea, the pasta a little dense for my liking. Third course was really good as well– i hate raisins but in this dish they knew exactly what it needed for that little sweet note. My partner went with the 3 course (salad with crispy lentils– wonderful, mushroom pasta was amazing and the spiced pots de crème a nice finish to the meal).
We tend to go early and the place was empty (it was also Tuesday so not prime dining day I know) but beautiful and the service was tops. Our server explained ever dish when it was brought to us and very attentive but not overly on top of us which was great. All in all a great experience and we will be back for sure!

This place is ok.
The restaurant décor is very nice, I did like the bar it was beautifully done.
Came in for brunch. Asked if they had iced coffee, (which in fairness I thought was a done deal because you have a cocktail on the menu made with cold brew coffee.) but was given a quizzical look by the waitress and told no. Ok. Can I have a coffee and a glass of ice please?
Ordered the short rib hash, and the more I thought about it, the more I was like what an ingenious way for a restaurant to pawn off their leftovers. Which is kinda what the short ribs tasted like, leftovers. They were good leftovers, but the hash was very salty and lacked much depth otherwise. The eggs were of high quality which was apparent by their color.
The bruleed bacon was delicious, thick cut and not too sweet.
I also enjoyed the vegetables that came with my husband’s pork belly. Those carrots were good.
The pig theme is very cute, especially the piggy paperclips with the bill.

As my go-​to brunch spot, this is a fan-​favorite amongst my friends who are willing to accompany me on a hungover Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I always feel greeted and welcomed by the staff, and get frequent Instagram reposts from their account as I document my solo journeys to the bar for a pitcher of mimosa and the best dish that I have have ever had– the Short Rib Hash. I capitalized it, as it’s that important. It seems to have a slightly different flare every time I get it, but always somehow better than the week prior. Get a side cup of Sriracha to spice things up and the game will be changed.
The prices are a little steep, but you definitely get what you pay for. The atmosphere is great, very clean with exposed brick all around and an excellent playlist in the background fitting to the aesthetics. Being on the outskirts of Ohio City, sitting outside on a warmer afternoon is also very peaceful in this area, a few dog-​walkers and passer-​bys, but not too crowded to distract you from your Short Rib Hash feasting.

My fiancé and I went to Cleveland for a Cavs game a couple of months ago and got together with a couple of friends who live in the area for brunch the next day. I’d like to preface this review with the fact that I was EXTREMELY ill from the night before (too much mixing of different alcohol — oops), which made the ridiculously long brunch even that much more miserable (we were there for 2.5 hours).
We arrived on time, and were seated right away. Two of us (including me) ordered the short rib hash, one ordered the free range toad in a hole and the other ordered a simple two eggs dish (with bacon, potatoes and toast). We also ordered a side of toast with truffle butter to share.
We patiently waited 30 minutes before I finally flagged down our waitress asking about our food, and again 15 minutes later. At around the one hour mark, the food finally started to come out, except they had messed something up on the toad in a hole dish and had to start over. We tried waiting for it but were told to just go ahead because our friend did not want all of our food to get cold.
Sadly, I could not eat a thing because I was so sick. Literally could not, even though I wanted to so badly. I managed to squeeze in THE TINIEST bite of the very yummy toast with truffle butter before I had to run into the bathroom. My fiancé enjoyed his two eggs and bacon dish but said he didn’t LOVE it, at least not for the price and the ridiculous long wait. His friend wolfed down his short rib hash in minutes, which meant that he thoroughly enjoyed it, though I suspect that it wasn’t quite enough food for a big tall guy like him.
I can’t remember how the toad in a hole dish was, or if our friend even got that. It’s possible that she ordered something completely different after they had messed up her order, but I can’t recall because I was too busy trying not to pass out from how sick I was feeling (cold sweat, extreme nausea, you name it). I got my entire dish wrapped up to go, and I’m so glad I did! I reheated it in the microwave the next morning and had it for breakfast — IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! I can only imagine how much better it would have been had I consumed it fresh out of the kitchen! Quite honestly, the entire brunch was such a disaster that the ONLY reason I am giving them a 3-​star rating is purely for the amazingly tasty short rib hash.

This was my first visit and I was definitely impressed. To start, it’s in a great location and is easy on the eyes. Cocktail list covers all bases and an impressive beer and wine selection. But let’s get to the food…
The restaurant has a sort of pig theme. The menu is short and sweet. It is rotating and starts with a couple charcuterie options, next are small plates and mains. What makes this place unique are the next two sections. There is a 3-​choice fix prix menu and a pork specials section that includes both starters and a main course.
We split the charcuterie which was great but a little stingy on the local honey. I personally had a mushroom (a little cold) pasta and the asparagus, both were excellent. The pork specials main course was ordered to my table as well as the fish main. Everyone was extremely satisfied.
Would definitely recommend!

Really hate giving this business such a bad review, since I’ve been a longtime fan, repeat customer, and taken friends and family here. We (3 people) came in for brunch at 11:20am this Sunday and even though we did not have a reservation were seated promptly. That’s the only positive. The hostess warned that there was a reservation coming in at 12:30 and we assured her that we would not be hanging out.
While watching tables seated after us get attention and drinks from a server, we were given 3 refills of water, but did not see our actual server until 15 minutes after being seated. While a little disappointing, we decided to plug ahead with our full order, including a coffee, 2 omelette, and a Black Pig Benedict. The initial cup of coffee came out promptly, which I emptied, but then sat empty for 10 minutes before being refilled. After another 10 minutes, our server came over and politely said, «I just checked with the kitchen and your order will be out super shortly». Needless to say, super shortly must not mean within a few minutes, since our food finally arrived at 12:20pm, a full hour after our arrival and more than a half hour after placing our order. To add insult to injury, the 2 eggs on my Benedict were entirely broken and slopped all over the plate, rather than presented on top of the Bennie, leaving the dish to look like grilled pâté on muffins and accompanying potatoes in a soup of runny yellow liquid. Additionally, from approximately 12:10 until the point that our food arrived, the hostess repeatedly did a visual check of our table, we assume to see if we were finished, when we hadn’t even received our food.
The food was tasty and always has been. However, it wasn’t until we were readying to leave that our server offered the only (and relatively weak) apology about the time it took to get our food, apparently not recognizing that she was also lacking in attentiveness.
We decided to comment upon the disappointing service and time to get our order to the hostess and another associate as we exited, who only chuckled and said «yeah, we don’t know what’s going on back there.»
Really disappointing. Since we really value our meals out, work hard to justify a relatively expensive brunch, and have several other great options in the Ohio City area, we won’t be going back.

We went for brunch while in town. The food and service is great. The coffee is delicious as well.

An exceptional meal in a neat old building with a great atmosphere and excellent service. Better than Lola’s and Greenhouse Tavern.
We had the charcuterie platter, which was divine. Then the incredible beet salad– wish it had been larger, but enjoyed every bite. Tortellini filled with mortadella was really good, but too similar to the flavors of the charcuterie plate– wish I’d tried the mushroom pasta instead. Also the peas were really starchy. The pork chop was divine– a huge hunk of scrumptious meat cooked to perfection and served with a perfect slaw. Wish we’d had time to try the chocolate pot de crème, but we’ll be back. My husband was also impressed with the beer list. Highly recommended!

Absolutely fabulous! Sitting at the Bar, love love the bartender, he is a creator of the finest libations. The cuisine is on point absolutely delicious! This is a great little spot and if you sit at the bar very entertaining to say the least! Enjoy!

Back in its old location, I would have given this place three stars. The new location and what I believe is a new menu has really upped the ante. We went as a large group, got apps, drinks and entrees and loved everything. I don’t think there was one «bad order.» The new location has a better ambiance and there is a nice bar as well where you can grab a quick bite.

We recently tried Black Pig in its new location on Bridge St. and were really pleased. (We’d had a couple so-​so meals when it was on W 25^th.) we ordered delicious craft cocktails at the bar and split small plates and an entrée. The short ribs, Brussels sprouts, beet salad and chicken livers were all amazing. We love the setting with the exposed brick too. Can’t wait to return.

Stopped here early on a Thursday night. The place was quiet. Service was excellent. All the food was fabulous. The appetizer with chicken livers was amazingly good. The muscles came with a fabulous bread for dipping in the sauce. One in our party had swordfish for his entrée and said it was the best he’d ever had. Another companion have the burger which was excellent. It is a beef burger, not pork. The french fries with the burger were sampled by all and were excellent. I had the mushroom ravioli which was wonderful. We all consumed every bite of our meals. The food descriptions seem adventurous to conservatives, but trust them, the food is wonderful.

Love the Black Pig. Excellent menu, friendly servers and very reasonably priced. Corn breaded chicken livers are tasty and I dislike liver.

Wow! A group of us headed over to the Black Pig for brunch. We loved everything about the place. The outside sign is awesome. The entire staff was very welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere is great. Each of us ordered something different off their brunch menu. Everything came out amazing! I ordered the Black Pig Burger that comes with shallot jam, mushrooms, brie, and aioli. AWESOME! I love a good burger and this place has the best burger I have ever had! We were grateful that their portion sizes are large so that we could all sample each of our brunch choices. When we are all back in town — we will definitely be back! I know that their menu changes because they get local, seasonal ingredients, but I sure do hope they have that burger when I come back.

Good food. Good service. Nice place. All of the recipes for a successful restaurant. The GF and I enjoyed our dinner and we will be back when in Cleveland. We tried the pork rinds, two pastas and the short ribs. All good especially the chili cheese on the rinds.

Brunch. Brunch. Brunch. Go for brunch! You won’t regret it!
You know when you sit down at a restaurant and have mild anxiety because everything on the menu looks amazing!!! Welcome to my black pig struggle.
We started with the mimosa pitcher. Yeah– the two of us were feeling feisty. Anyway, that pitcher was $ 12 and was a bargain! The carafe held five solid mimosas. I mean, the math alone suggests the craziness of it all… $ 2.40 for each mimosa? I like this place already! (For the record, if you got an individual mimosa, it was $ 6. Just put on your drinking pants, find a DD, get the pitcher.)
Food… My mouth is watering just thinking about it! We got the short rib hash, the omelette special of the day, and a side of bacon. The short rib has was so amazing… So savory! The short ribs were lightened up by the red pepper relish, which in Erick’s opinion, totally made the dish! The omelette special was filled with chicken confit, kale and goat cheese– the chicken confit was just amazing. Oh and the bacon was tasty– maple glazed– I love me that sweet and salty!
So because we hadn’t polished off our mimosas after choking down, we decided to get dessert. Pistachio cake accompanied by pistachio ice cream and lemon curd. Good god man! It was excellent. Oh– and there was also pistachio brittle on the plate. The brittle was surprisingly salty and added a nice crunch. I got coffee with the dessert, which was a mistake. The coffee was old and cold. Yuck!
Finally, I should mention the Service throughout the meal was solid. I know they have a private room in the back of the joint for parties… If you’re into parties.
Black pig, I will be back again– Definitely to try out the rest of the brunch menu, but also maybe for dinner! I wonder if they have the same mimosa special at dinner… Hmmm…

Brûlée bacon– a must have for brunch aide– short rib hash was pretty good, could have had bigger chunks of meat. The fresh toast was awesome and I’m not a huge sweets person.
Whatever you do– make sure you get the side of bacon.

So up my ally
I’m 5 dishes in and all home runs
How rare is that?!
Smart wine list and excellent service.
So glad I had the chance to eat here on my layover in Cleveland

Meh. Was I excited to try this place? Yes. Will I return? Meh.
I was so excited to try this place. I thought it was going to be a really cool local place that we would want to frequent often. However, I don’t think we will ever return.
The cons: Well I don’t like that I had to walk a good ways from West 25^th. If you are out and about, the last thing you would want to do is walk a good ways to get something to eat or another drink.
Another con, the service. We sat at the bar and the two bartenders were too busy socializing with people that seemed to be regulars at this place. While that is all great and dandy, I think they should take care of all of their customers not just the regulars. We didn’t feel like we needed to hear their personal stories and we felt a little neglected.
The last con, the price and portion. I hate hate hate to complain about this since it is a local restaurants. I am a huge advocate of local restaurants, however I felt that it was way overpriced for what we got. We ordered two glasses of red wine, nothing spectacular and two appetizers. The two appetizers were a cheese board and the porks belly. The cheeseboard was the saddest cheeseboard I’ve ever seen. There was one quarter size amount of honey, 3 – 4 different cheeses which were not very large in size and a few other fixings. The porks belly was probably the best thing we ordered. Our bill was about 50 $ for two glasses of wine, a sad sad cheeseboard and some pork belly. All in all, we left broke and hungry.
The pros, the fact that it’s a local restaurant. And we liked the décor inside.
I wish I would have liked this place more, but just not up to par I guess.

So, the new location (in my opinion) allowed The Black Pig to do a complete 180. Not only is the feel of the new space more cozy & intimate, everything compared to the last one was 100% improved upon.
I vowed to NEVER return to The Black Pig again. In fact, myself and about 10 others that I dined with made it a point to spread the word about how horrible our experience was (rude service, cold/​horrible food, etc.) But 2 years later, I decided to give the new location another shot and I am glad we did.
Our server was one of the best. She was attentive, very conscious of a dietary restriction, and super pleasant. The beer selection was great, food was amazing. I had the short rib (very tender & flavorful.) I love that the options are unique compared to other restaurants in the area while remaining class at the same time. If that makes any sense?
Overall, a satisfying experience and I can no longer say I am a Black Pig hater. My friends will be shocked, but they will just have to try the new joint and find out for themselves :)

Went last night and the place was dead. I split a charcuterie board with my sister and got the pear salad which was delicious. that and a glass of wine came out to be 28 $. My sister got a burger ordered medium well but was definitely medium rare, however she still ate it because it was that good. I heard a server telling the table they’re trying to be more upscale than casual since they moved from 25^th to bridge. I had never been to the old location so I’m not sure. The entrees looked amazing, however I don’t eat pork so there were limited choices. I thought the food was a little pricey for the portion but overall it was good.

They keep getting better!
We are fans of the black pig, and have frequented many times. We believe they’ve gotten better since they moved to their larger location on Bridge Avenue. My wife and I shared two appetizers and two entrées: the roasted carrots and the mushrooms with poached egg were the appetizers, while the Roast Salmon and the New Creation Pork chop finished the meal. All four plates were beautifully presented and perfectly finished with just the right seasonings for a lovely summer evening dinner.
Our server, Joe, was quite knowledgeable about both beer and wine and helped us make appropriate selections to perfectly complement the meals as well.
On balance, we both agreed that of our many visits to The Black Pig, this was the best meal we’ve ever had.

STRAWBERRY glazed pork belly with beet turnip and faro…
Let us pause to ponder the greatness of this dish… uh wait can I have more… I forgot to take a foodporn pic!
Wonderfull place on a Friday night to sit outside enjoying wine, great company, good food, lovely atmosphere… and the pleasant, wonderful service from our waiter (the cuteness with the man bun didn’t hurt) was just what my body ordered.
Ordered the small order of ricotta almond agnolotti which was perfect portion and oh so delish!

It was my first time at the new BP location. Not much changed on the patio or structurally inside since Light Bistro (R.I.P.) moved out.
We ordered the mushroom appetiser. I didn’t know what to expect, but for some reason I had an image of stuffed mushrooms in my mind. Boy was I wrong. We got a very small selection of various shaped and sized mushrooms on a plate sparsely covered in lettuce. The dish was topped with a runny egg and the mushrooms tasted overall salty, but not necessarily in a bad way. This app is to be split by no more than two people as it is very small.
I got the Petite Filet for my main. It was far from petite though. It was definitely double what other places serve as petite or «twin medallions.» It was served with roasted cauliflower, purple and white which were amazing, and big spring onion stalks. Some of the steak was a bit too well done for me though.
We sat on the patio. Service was slow from the kitchen and our waitress didn’t check on us to often. My friend said his two cocktails were not that flavorful. All in all it was good, but it isn’t my favorite in the city. I’m between a 3 & 4 on this rating. Since the mains were pretty good (my friend’s burger included) I’ll go with 4.

Our entire experience at Black Pig was top-​notch! The cheese plate was delicious and varied. The cocktails were scrumptious (and high quality). And the burger! Oh the burger!
This was quite possibly the BEST burger I have ever had in my life. Black Pig Burger with Shallot Jam, Mushroom Duxelles, Fromager d’Afinois, and Aioli. The smokiness of the minced mushrooms with the sweetness of the jam paired expertly with a perfectly cooked ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ sirloin/​chuck patty and just-​spongy-​enough Brioche Bun… OH MY WORD… AMAZING! And I’ve had some pretty hoity-​toity San Fran burgers. This meal could actually make me come back to Cleveland. And Leonor was the sweetest most sincere server! #ohiocity @blackpigcle #foodgasm

Having gone through my ups and downs with The Black Pig when they were at their old location on West 25^th Street I have to admit that I was reticent to pay them a visit in their new digs (the former Light Street Bistro). My last experience at the old Black Pig was, to put it mildly, a disheartening disappointment. Below average on all counts. Well, I guess I finally managed to get over the sting because I recently found myself, once again, wandering under the Black Pig signage.
Have you ever had a dining experience where everything went so well that you expected to be shat on by a bird upon exiting? I’m talking about something that hardly every happens, something so rare that you can only be snapped back into reality by an action of equal and opposite quality? That’s what happened to me when I was here with my wife on a recent Saturday evening. Sometime around 6pm, if memory serves.
I can’t be sure, but the innards of the restaurant appear to have remain relatively unchanged since it sailed under the Light Bistro flag. This isn’t a bad thing, as I rather like the dark woods and brick thing going on, just an observation. If it ain’t broke, right? We were shown to a seat in the main dining area by the windows up front. I love it when I get a seat with such awesome natural lighting. So good for Unilocalie picture taking. Another bonus, the place was just lightly populated and pretty quite. Two more gold stars.
Our server, where to begin. Lenore was a delight. Pleasant, friendly, knowledgeable, charming. And I’m not talking about all of those things being painted in your typical «I’m a server so I’m trained to act this way», she seemed pretty damn genuine to me. I almost wanted to invite her to have a seat with us. Let’s just say that she is an asset to the establishment and a role model for all looking to make a career of hospitality.
The menu is an exercise in culinary brevity and it’s filled with dishes that you’ll want to eat. Everything is made in house, and I mean everything. All of the food that we were served was beautiful, clearly plated with love and an eye for composition. I’m not one to wax poetic over how my food’s arranged on my plate, but damn. Zacharian would be proud. As for the potent potables, let’s just say they’re made with the same attention to detail as the edibles. The beer list, as concise as the menu itself and unfortunately lacking a draught offering, still managed to keep the beer geek in me happy with a 21^st Amendment Hop Crisis DIPA and Dogfish Head Festina Peche.
We started our dining experience with an order of bread paired with the house cheese plate. Holy soft, glutenous, seedy warm, smear some butter on me goodness. This bread was so fresh I thought I’d be forced to backhand it. The cheese plate was a bit like eating our way around an artist’s palette. Crispy baguette and flat bread, a dollop of honey, sweet candied nuts, cranberry mostarda, and bits of cheese ranging from über funky blue to slightly sweet and nutty gruyère.
My wife thoroughly enjoyed her order of wild mushroom agnolotti. Folded and crimped house-​made pasta pillows filled with earthy wild mushroom purée served with sauteed chanterelle and straw mushrooms, ridiculously fresh English peas and a sprinkling of fresh Pecorino Remano cheese. And butter. My god, the butter.
But the star of the evening, no question, was the short rib entrée. This was a dish so good I starting dreaming about it while I was eating it. A dish so good that it has food all across the greater Cleveland area and as far north as Toronto rethinking its very purpose. When there’s something this good, why even bother trying? But it’s only short ribs, what’s the big deal?
Two baseball-​sized blocks of short rib cooked perfectly. Wait, perfectly doesn’t do them justice. This meat was cooked like I’d imagine how Odin would cook meat. It was so tender that it laughed at me when I picked up my knife. Perfectly caramelized and glazed in a sauce with a flavor so deep James Cameron wants to dive it. Sure, the asparagus was nice — fork tender and slightly charred — and the roasted fingerling potatoes were just crispy enough and the pea purée as smooth as a Luther Vandross ballad, but the meat. If cows knew about this meat they’d want to eat it. Get the short ribs and you’ll know what it must have been like for Jules when he opened Marcellus’ briefcase.
There’s really not much more that needs to be said here. If you need me I’ll be over here basking in the after glow.

I had a great experience with The Black Pig. I planned a celebratory dinner for 14 of my lovely friends, and the management did a perfect job accommodating all of my requests. They were able to give us the entire upstairs so our evening was private and extra special. At my request they had two sparking wine bottles ready for us when we got there. Our server was very friendly and helpful. They have a good selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. One of my buddies didn’t get his drink for a long time, and our server apologized profusely and his drink was on the house. Totally unnecessary but very appreciated. My only complaint of the night was that our entrees took a super long time to arrive, but with 14 people this is understandable. And the chef made sure each entrée was cooked perfectly and brought out at the same time. For this, all is forgiven!
The food was absolutely delicious. Everyone was happy with their meals. The Berkshire pork belly was melt-​in-​your-​mouth delectable. I love everything pork belly (if you read my reviews, then you know), and this appetizer was quite possibly the best bit of piggy belly I’ve ever put in my mouth. The garnish of nuts was just a wow addition. For the main course, I ordered the Berkshire pork (an ode to pork, if you will), which consisted of different forms of pig: sausage, moar pork belly, tenderloin, a hot dog (yes, and it was so good) and another type of pork preparation that I simply can’t remember because I was in nirvana while eating this dish. Everything. Was. Divine. The dish was seasoned perfectly and the meats sat on a lovely bed of mashed potatoes. My favorite was definitely the pork tenderloin. This was a big boy-​sized entrée and the leftovers tasted equally great the next day. My boo ordered a fresh pasta dish cooked in a nutty sauce that was also delicious, but pork all the way baby.
Overall, thank you, The Black Pig, for a great night! We left with our bellies full and satisfied. I can’t wait to come back to try their brunch!

This was our first time at The Black Pig– a Saturday night dinner.
We were sat in the front where it was a cozy, intimate atmosphere. The back of the place seemed a little quieter and open.
The cocktails were great! Both Pimm’s cup and Specialino were interesting and balanced.
We started with the pork belly which was everything we had expected. It’s a fatty, juicy, pork bomb. The homemade mozzarella complimented it nicely.
For entrees we had the porkchop and steak frittes. There was a significant lag time between the appetizers and the main dishes, maybe an hour. We ordered another round of drinks and weren’t bothered but it did feel too long. The porkchop was a good porkchop and I enjoyed it. Whatever came with it puzzled me… It might have been the cocktails but all I remember is some cold, fried, green thing with melted cheese. It didn’t hit the spot. The steak was cut into medallions and cooked just right. The fries and garlic aioli were awesome.
Overall, the service was attentive and the atmosphere was great. Price was about right. We’ll definitely be back to try more of the menu!

Came here for Sunday brunch which was delicious. would give it 4.5 if I could! Is much bigger than their old location. Food just as delicious and service just as good.
For drinks we got the mimosa pitcher and the coffee cocktail… would def get both again.
For meals we split a few but the banh mi and charcuterie board were my favorite. The pork belly on the banh mi was amazing. The charcuterie board is a great deal… good variety of meat for less than ten bucks. Would def recommend this place for either dinner or Sunday brunch… and they can accommodate large groups much easier now!