Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Cleveland area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Cleveland area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

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#30. Dante

- Rating: 4.1/5 (454 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2247 Professor Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Blue Point Grille

- Rating: 4.1/5 (590 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 700 West St. Clair Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Humble Wine Bar

- Rating: 4.1/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 15400 Detroit Ave. Lakewood, Ohio
- Categories: Wine Bars, Pizza, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Aldo's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8459 Memphis Ave. Brooklyn, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Etna Restaurant & Wine Bar

- Rating: 4.2/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 11919 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Momocho

- Rating: 4.2/5 (1003 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1835 Fulton Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. The Fairmount

- Rating: 4.2/5 (413 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2448 Fairmount Blvd. Cleveland Heights, Ohio
- Categories: Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Pier W

- Rating: 4.2/5 (830 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 12700 Lake Ave. Lakewood, Ohio
- Categories: Seafood, New American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Fat Cats

- Rating: 4.2/5 (483 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2061 West 10th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Asian Fusion, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Avo Modern Mexican

- Rating: 4.2/5 (214 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2058 West 25th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Casa La Luna

- Rating: 4.2/5 (502 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2100 Superior Viaduct Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. sarita a restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (295 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 14523 Madison Ave. Lakewood, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Mia Bella Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1085 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12200 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Gigi's On Fairmount

- Rating: 4.3/5 (319 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3477 Fairmount Blvd. Cleveland Heights, Ohio
- Categories: Wine Bars, New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Ginko Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (385 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2247 Professor Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Barroco

- Rating: 4.3/5 (922 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12906 Madison Ave. Lakewood, Ohio
- Categories: Latin American, Gluten-Free, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Jukebox

- Rating: 4.3/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1404 West 29th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Bars, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. L'Albatros

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1009 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 11401 Bellflower Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: French
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Taza A Lebanese Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (565 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1400 West 6th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Amba

- Rating: 4.4/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1430 West 28th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Summer Place

- Rating: 4.4/5 (412 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 12900 Lake Ave. Unit 2 Lakewood, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Mediterranean, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. LockKeepers

- Rating: 4.4/5 (398 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 8001 Rockside Road Valley View, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. Marble Room Steaks and Raw Bar

- Rating: 4.4/5 (927 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 623 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Batuqui

- Rating: 4.5/5 (311 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12706 Larchmere Blvd. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Brazilian, Salad, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Zhug

- Rating: 4.5/5 (285 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 12413 Cedar Road Cleveland Heights, Ohio
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Landmark Smokehouse

- Rating: 4.5/5 (287 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11637 Clifton Blvd. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Smokehouse
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Soho Chicken + Whiskey

- Rating: 4.5/5 (661 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4211 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Southern, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Cent's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5010 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute

- Rating: 4.6/5 (371 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 12383 Cedar Road Cleveland Heights, Ohio
- Categories: French, Specialty Schools
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Il Venetian

- Rating: 4.6/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 100 St. Clair Ave. Northeast Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.

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