LockKeepers
8001 Rockside Rd, Valley View, OH, 44125
LockKeepers Menu
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Summer Menu
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Happy Hour Menu
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Summer Menu
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Happy Hour Menu
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Address :
8001 Rockside Rd
Valley View, OH, 44125 - Phone (216) 524-9404
- Website https://lockkeepers.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
- Mon : 11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Scott W.
Outstanding service in a great atmosphere. Try the specials or whatever your server suggest and you won't go wrong.
(4)Jackie N.
The food (everything) is absolutely delicious and the service is great. If I could go here every day, I totally would.
(5)Rick W.
We have always had a great meal here. From beef tips to paste. Always great. I don't know what they could do different. Just keep the good quality of food and we will keep coming back.
(5)Manda C.
Good food and service!
(4)Joe K.
Lockkeepers had long been on my list of classy joints to check out since moving to CLE and now I can't believe I hadn't gone here sooner! You know you're in for a great experience when you roll up and complimentary valet is offered - I was digging the place already. Definitely a nice touch in Northeast Ohio during the winter. The interior itself was very cool and classy too - the entire place looked nice but we chose to hang out in the lounge as my fiancèe and I were just in for appetizers and drinks before going out on NYE. The lounge was very inviting and we got seated in a comfy corner with a view of the large bar. Our waitress was nice and very informative, listing off a variety of wonderful sounding entrèes. She was also very helpful in helping us decide on which of the delicious sounding appetizers to split - seriously, it was hard, but the meatballs and polenta were calling my name. Now, one of my own cooking specialties is a gourmet version of spaghetti and meatballs so I'm critical of the dish when I get it out. However, these were the.Best.Meatballs.I.Have.Ever.Had. For Real, it was like Italy in mouth. People describe ribs as fall off the bone or chicken piccatta as melt in your mouth, but both of these were amalgamated when I tasted the meatballs. Amazing. The polenta and sauce served as an interesting and delicious accent to the main dish. The drinks we ordered were also very delicious, a nice balance of sweet for her and strong for my lemoncello whiskey combo. We did have a really sad part to our Lockkeepers experience, though: we only had time for appetizers and left sad that we didn't have time for more food. That being said, we're already planning our return to feast here and try more of the amazing dishes.
(5)Jay P.
The service was slow but the food was delish! The calamari was truly the best I've ever had. As an entree I ordered the seafood fra diavolo- PERFECTION! This is a solid Italian meal and I'd recommend you try it out.
(4)Gina C.
Great happy hour! We tried almost every appetizer on their happy hour menu, and were pleased with everything. I especially enjoyed the stuffed pepper. The restaurant is much larger inside than I expected, with multiple private dining areas. The decor definitely looks "expensive restaurant" without being too gaudy or dated. I have not been here for anything other than happy hour, so I can't comment on their regular menu. I would not hesitate to come back for another happy hour though.
(4)David D.
Excellent food and service. Ambience was appropriate for upscale dining. Especially fond of the seafood risotto special. One of the best meals I have had in a long time.
(4)Hamilton A.
Yes, as the 5 stars indicate - it's AS GOOD AS IT GETS! We had an OUTSTANDING lunch there as part of our anniversary celebration. They made us feel like we were celebrities! More importantly, the bass was cooked perfectly!! My husband and I couldn't talk while we were enjoying the bass - because we needed those moments to let the flavor take over. He said he didn't want to eat too quickly because then the bass would be gone! It melted in our mouths. Thank you for knowing how to treat your customers and how to cook seafood!
(5)Nicole M.
If you want to take your parents out for dinner, this is the place. The food ranges from OK to good. Nothing on the menu is particularly challenging. The atmosphere in attractive and relaxed. The service is fantastic. We started dinner with a cocktail and some bread. The cocktail glass was sticky-- ew. But the bread was warm, fresh and crusty with a wonderful tapenade-- salty and savory. We had the house calamari as an appetizer. It was your basic fried, breaded calamari tossed with some of the tapenade, sundried tomatoes and mushrooms. I liked this twist on the same old fried calamari! I had the saltimboca pork chops. You would think that pork chops covered in prosciutto and stuffed with cheese would be really juicy. Not so much. The prosciutto was completely dried out and the chop was very well done. Not bad tasting, just a bit overcooked. It was served with baby vegetables-- nicely crisp tender-- and a square of deep fried risotto-- really good. My dining companions had the seafood risotto and the salmon-- pronounced very good. They accommodated my daughter by offering a bowl of pasta with butter and cheese. Second graders love that sort of thing. The deserts were boring. Our tiramisu wasn't bad, but wasn't particularly good, just sort of there. My daughter actually left half her sundae. Wow! The service, however, was really outstanding. Our waiter was friendly but not intrusive. He was a real professional-- there when you needed him, politely at a distance when you did not. The serving staff and the bussers were also polite and unobtrusive. I would give the staff 5 stars! I really appreciated the waiter giving the price of each special. He also gave the approximate number of ounces of seafood or meat in each dish. Nice!
(3)Stephanie W.
Was in Ohio on business and colleagues recommended Lock Keepers for a nice dinner. Boy were they right!! A colleague and I went for dinner, and were given a nice table in their back room in the corner. Ambiance was lovely after a long day - kind of dark and quiet. Very relaxing and would be a very romantic spot for a date. Their complimentary bread & butter are yummy. I then got the tomato artichoke bisque soup as a starter (DELICIOUS), my colleague got the lentil/prosciutto which she said was good. After our soup they brought us out a surprise treat: a single cheese ravioli with their marinara sauce - free of charge - which was superb!! Main course was their skirt steak with potatoes and chard - prepared perfectly and was very tasty. Colleague had salmon with polenta which she said was very good. We both had their Pinot Noir (by the glass) which was excellent. Service was very polite, prompt & friendly. We were stuffed and couldn't do dessert, but I imagine that would've been lovely as well. Valet parking made dealing with the snow/ice much easier!
(4)Lucas E.
It was extremely busy. The wedge salad was great. The meal however was forgettable. Not typical for this place. I would say it is the best in cleveland.
(4)Tina C.
Excellent italian restaurant. Interior is very clean and spacious. Food was great. We ordered the Calamari and Prosciutto as appetizers and both was very good. Service is also impeccable. Dinner entrees was also excellent, can't remember what it was...but it was excellent. And the pricing wasn't too bad to boot.
(5)Michael S.
LockKeepers is pretty good, but they aren't reinventing the food wheel or anything. It was my first time here and I can't really think of any complaints. I do feel that it is a bit more expensive than it should be. Atmosphere and space. Swanky, intimate, romantic. The space is very nice. Try to get a table in the main dining hall instead of the bar or side room. The dining hall has lots of large windows and a high vaulted ceiling. There is a patio too that overlooks the canal which is great for summer. Drinks. I went with the sangria and my boyfriend went with the espresso martini. Sangria was good and strong. Espresso martini was delicious. Perfect amount of alcohol and espresso flavor. Highly recommend. If you feel like ordering a bottle of wine, which you should, I recommend a bottle of the vinho verde. Vinho verde is a classic Portuguese white wine. It is affordable ($30, and possibly one of the cheapest bottles on the list?) and delicious. Bread. The bread is nothing special but they serve it with butter and an awesome olive spread. As an olive fanatic, I was in heaven. Appetizers. We ordered the shrimp cocktail, tuna tartar, and the beef carpaccio. For the price of the shrimp cocktail, there should have been more shrimp. Not worth the money. The tuna tartar is a bargain because it is HUGE. It's easily twice the size of what you would get at a comparable restaurant. Only complaint is that it is served on top of a warm/hot potato cake, which warms the cold tuna. Might be better if they served the potato cake on the side. The beef carpaccio was fine. Kinda hard to screw that up. The boyfriend really enjoyed it. Pasta. You must order at least one pasta dish here. Split it with your table. It's worth it. The smaller portion is light and not filling. We split the limoncello fettuccine and it was incredible. It was light and the perfect segway between appetizer and entree. Entrees. We split the pork chop saltimbocca and the scallops. I don't go crazy over entrees. I was also a bit tipsy when ours arrived so my memory isn't crystal clear. Both were good. The saltimbocca came with a yummy little risotto cake. Next time I go I would like to try the veal chop parmiggiano. Dessert. Tiramisu is probably their most popular dessert. It's classic Italian. But I would go with the affogato! First time having it and I loved it. It's so simple and light. Vanilla gelato and espresso. Yum yum yum! A must try. Service. Perfect. Server was knowledgeable and friendly. He did a great job of coursing our meal.
(5)Jen M.
Lockkeepers is one of the most consistent restaurants in the area...consistently great food and service. The bartender (short, dark hair) makes a hell of a Manhattan and Martini). Dinner on the patio was lovely. I opted for the spinach salad with grilled salmon and my friend got a salad with grilled chicken. Both were delicious and nicely presented. The bread, butter, and olive tapenade with garlic and sundried tomatoes kicks ass. I haven't eaten that much bread in years. Damn that stuff is good. Our server was kind enough to bring some plain salad green greens in a to-go box so we could have fresh salad with our leftovers. Nice touch.
(4)John T.
I brought my wife here to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We started with cocktails in the bar. Erin makes a great drink. My wife had a Cosmo while I had an Aperol spritz--a perfect refreshing drink for a hot summer day. We met a nice couple and chatted away, soon it was dinner time. As it was a special occasion, they gave us each a glass of prosecco to enjoy while perusing the menu. We started with the charcuterie board, a generous assortment of Italian meats, cheeses, and olives. I selected a light red Sicilian wine to go with our meal. Next up was the special salad: radicchio, frisée lettuce, heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. The dressing was light and fresh. We had a hard time deciding on our main course, but our waiter Scott made some good recommendations. He brought out a sample ravioli with bolognese sauce for us to try--fantastic! My wife got the lobster ravioli while I thought about the beef medallions. Scott recommended I get the 8oz filet and he would have the kitchen prepare it "medallion style". This is leeks, carrots, spinach in a Barolo glacé....wow, wow, wow! Next up was complimentary biscotti with a wonderful warm chocolate gnoche. We paired this with two cannolis--homemade and filled fresh--two espressos and 2 limoncellos, also homemade. We met another nice couple from NYC and chatted with them over dessert. What a wonderful evening. From the friendly service, the good drinks, the delicious food, and the friendly people we met, it was a night to remember. This place easily blows away the snobbier, and pricier, trendy places that charge more for less. At LockKeepers, the value and the quality is there. Mille grazie!!
(5)J L.
I had dinner here while on business recently. The restaurant is elegant and has several private dining areas for small groups and good for business dinners. Overall it has a warm comfortable atmosphere with a nice bar area. About the Food: The tap water should be filtered as I could taste the chlorine and it ruined the taste of any food, the bread was adequate but nothing special, the Caesar salad was cold, dry & wilted, it needed more dressing, croutons and cheese, it was very disappointing, the Mussels were overcooked & shriveled up like pearls to about a third of the size of their shells, the broth was completely tasteless, it might as well have been steamed in dishwater. The stuffed pork chop tasted good but was overcooked & dry, it was redeemed by the tasty risotto cake and vegetables, the Carrot Cake was served cold and not room temperature as it should be to release the flavors and soften the cream cheese frosting; it looked & tasted commercial as if out of a box from a warehouse store. My waitress, the hostesses, and the valet attendants were just great they all get 5 stars but the food was really disappointing & lack-luster for a place of this caliber and price.
(2)Mark B.
I have been here many many times and first time to write a review. I think this restaurant is one of the best kept secrets in the Cleveland area ! I have never never had a bad meal here, the service and atmosphere is top notch ! One of my favorite appetizers is the Tuna Tartare, it is outstanding. The desserts are great also ! Try it you will not be disappointed !
(5)Corinne K.
My husband and I went here for dinner and we had a wonderful time. From start to finish, it was a great experience that was spot on. We made reservations for a Saturday night, having never been here before, we were not sure what to expect. We arrived and were very warmly greeted by the hostess and immediately checked-in and seated. The restaurant was full, but not loud or overly crowded. We were seated and almost immediately greeted by our server. Our service the whole evening was spot on and we did not want or need for anything. We started the night off with appetizers. We had the Calamari and Beef Carpaccio. Both of those were phenomenal with great balance and flavor. We then moved onto the salad course. I had the salad special and my husband had the Heirloom Tomato Salad. Again, great food with flavors that were very well thought out. Oh, I forgot to mention the bread - it was so good and served with both butter and an amazing olive tapenade. I did not even touch the butter because of the tapenade. Our entrees were spectacular and it is just so impressive that they make their own pasta. My cannoli was delicious and very well executed. The wine list is very extensive and there is something for everyone. The timing of the entire night was great. Our server did not rush us at all and we had a wonderful experience. We will get back, we will bring friends and family here and will recommend to others.
(5)Jim P.
Had lunch with my wife and a friend on a Monday. Since the weather was warm we ate on the outdoor deck overlooking the creek. Very nice upscale environment both on the deck and inside the restaurant. The patrons were businessmen in suits and others dressed as business casual. Not really a jeans and shorts place. Nice menu and good wine list. Free valet parking. My wife and I both had lunch salads and glasses of wine. Generous portions. Prices were reasonable for the quality.
(4)Joan C.
.Thanks to my excellent professional waiter, Rick, my husband and I had the most wonderful dinning experience. We always celebrate love and life and the ambiance, the great food, the drinks and our waiter Rick, all made it a wonderful celebration before our evening outing, and then the check was so reasonable for the high quality! Thanks for the excellence dinner with great value. Highly recommend!
(5)Laura J.
I made reservations here to celebrate my doctoral degree. The service was fantastic. Would recommend the lobster ravioli and lasagna.
(5)Tad D.
Last night we enjoyed really good food and fantastic service here. I can't emphasize enough how great the service was. Everybody was attentive and personable. It's incredibly rare to have this level of service even if you're a regular, which we certainly aren't. Our meal included the lasagna and walleyeas well as the meatball appetizer. All were quite good. The new building - new to me, built around 2002 - was nice but tasteful. The view of the creek was excellent and made for an enjoyable dinner. Please visit this place and enjoy it.
(5)Michael G.
I understand this location has been quite a few different concepts and it has been LockKeepers three times. We came in for lunch / meeting on Monday. The A/C was running hard (good thing). The service was attentive and knowledgable. We all had the fixe price lunch and it was prepared just as advertised. Great ice tea. We ended up staying for almost three hours, our meeting ran over, with nary a peep from management. They continued to smile, top off our teas, and ask if they could help. They could not have been more accommodating. Kudos for this. Bathrooms were immaculate. Great spot if you are in the Rockside Road area and you need good food and an accommodating environment.
(5)Ann H.
The service
(5)Me W.
2nd time at the Lockkeepers.. Ordered the same thing .. Spicy pasta with seafood (yea ..really don't know how to pronounce) but fav!! Yum yum hav to try when in good ole Independence, Ohio.
(5)Britney G.
The pork chop was great. I wish it would have been cooked well but I'll keep that in mind next time. It was accompanied by a rice cake which was great. I wish I could order hundreds of them separately. Lol My boyfriend ordered the salmon which was cooked perfectly. His only complaint was the undercooked rice. The server wasnt too amazing but the other servers were pretty nice. The Carrot Cake was amazing. There must be a joke amongst the staff about how big the carrot cake really is because two servers walked past and jokingly said "Man that's a really small piece of carrot cake!"
(4)Franklin T.
I was on vacation from San Antonio and looking for a nice Italian restaurant to Celebrate 13 years of bliss ;-) with lovely wife. Arrived 20 minutes early for a 7:30 reservation. Valet parking within 2 minutes if that! Although restaurant was busy, and I offered to wait at the bar.. we were immediately seated. Mussels appetizers were wonderful.. toasted bread to soak up all that delicious juicy sauce! The pork chop was excellent. A lot of complex flavors not a morsel was left. The seared scallops were perfectly cooked and delicious.. Spent almost 2 1/2 hours in a relaxing atmosphere... Will definitely be back!
(5)Rita B.
Met friends for dinner, had an. excellent Salmon meal. One of the gentlemen was my date and he enjoyed a steak. All enjoyed their dinner and drinks. This is always very good and ambience is great which is often times difficult to find on a Sunday. Cheers! Rita B.
(5)Meredith C.
This is a review for their happy hour, which happens Monday-Friday, from 5-7pm in their lounge and bar. Their happy hour is fantastic!! $4 glasses of wine and incredibly inexpensive and yummy food. $3 cheese plate, $3 bruschetta, $5 pizza and burgers and other high quality bar food. The ambiance is beautiful, large comfortable booths and couches at around tables. The bar stools are comfortable as well. While I have never been here for a regular meal, I love their happy hour. It's a great place to check out. Friday's they even have free pizza. It's great to go somewhere super nice without spending a ton of cash. Their service has always been fantastic as well.
(5)Kenny Y.
Ooooh. This place was amazing! The ambiance was very rustic and and romantic. Definitely a great place for a date with someone special. The food was phenomenal. I ordered the pork chop saltimbocca and I think it might have been the best pork chop I've ever tasted in my life. It was stuffed with cheesy goodness and wrapped with proscuitto that gave the meat the extra flavor that pork chops tend to lack. My girlfriend had the garganelli with shrimp and pesto sauce which she also absolutely loved. The apple cobbler was delicious too - too bad we were so stuffed from dinner to properly enjoy it. The service was on the spot - they checked up on us frequently and took care not to bring us our leftovers until at the very end of our meal so we wouldn't be eating in the company of doggie bags. This restaurant is 40 minutes from our apartment and Little Italy is 5 minutes away. However, we'll definitely be back.
(5)Steph G.
Well I'll be darned. I admit I've been here once before for a pharm-sponsored dinner and I walked away that evening thinking the food was average. The steak I ordered was overdone, and on the dry side. I went again to give it another try. Items ordered: Mussels Tuna tartar Frank's salad Scallops Bottle of red (can't remember the name)... All of the food was satisfactory and quite tasty. I think with the amount of food, I was just stuffed to capacity and I wasn't able to finish all of my scallop entree. I liked the tuna tartar, which was served with a lemony sauce but I felt it could've had a bigger flavor punch, perhaps with some capers or something a little more zingy. The mussels were average. Loved the salad- had all my fave things. Scallops were yummy and cooked to perfection, and very rich-tasting. It was served on a bed of cauliflower mash (which I was raving about all while shoveling it in). This would be a GREAT substitute for mashed potatoes for those looking for low-carb. On the other hand, it was very creamy and probably heavy on the fat. And as we know, fat= flavor! Oh, and dessert was a tiramisu, which was ok. Good coffee flavor but a little heavy on the cream for me. Service was fantastic. I gave this place 1 star more just for the awesome and friendly customer service. Our waiter was very helpful and attentive. If it wasn't so far away, I'd probably go back a few more times.
(4)Kaprice S.
From the moment we entered the door until the time we left... The service was excellent! The food was truly amazing! Thank you for a wonderful experience!
(5)Jillian N.
This semi-expensive, fancy-pants restaurant went from being LockKeepers to Dante and then back to LockeKeepers. Even though it has a fancy-people-only feel to it, especially with their valet parking, you can still come here dressed down on casual friday and get away with getting a coke and a pizza, albeit a fancy pizza. Their patio is really nice and overlooks a nice view of flowers, the canal, and some obnoxious street construction. I'd say this is definitely one of the best places to eat at in the Valley View area.
(4)Richard H.
You know that neighbors cousin who is a meth head and living in a crack house who showed up at a mutual acquaintances fathers funeral? You were surprised that he was able to clean up and wear a suit.. but was still rockin the dirty fingernails and black teeth? That was my waiter.. You could tell he was trying very hard, but this just wasn't his line of work. Lockeepers is known for its happy hour. They have $5 appetizers and the drinks are really cheap. The servers however, will NEVER inform you of this. They act as if the happy hour menu doesn't exist.. until you ask for it. After you ask for the Happy Hour menu, you become completely invisible to the wait staff. Unless of course you are a table of women. One of the greatest things about the human body is the ability to forget horrible pain and agony that you endure over time, for instance child birth and Ponderosa. I hadn't been to Lockkeepers in years and people told me, "Its new owners, totally different, the happy hours is amazing.." So since i had lost recollection of the pain of previous visits, i gave it a shot.. twice. It was the equivalent of paying someone a ridiculous amount of money treat me like dirt and serve me crappy food and then , going back for more. It is really too bad, because it is absolutely beautiful in this place. Great seating and the prices are fantastic for happy hour. Regular menu... not so much... If you trying to impress a date, make sure its just for drinks. Cant see myself going back when there are so many great places out there.
(2)Susan L.
The food was very good as was the service--in fact the service was excellent. The one thing we weren't overly enthralled with was the "vibe". Just a "cooler" feel to the place would have completed the experience.
(4)E Y.
Good service. No parking close by but they have free valet service. Great steak and nice atmosphere. Solid choice in the area.
(4)Grant C.
Great place. I recommend the Bone in Chop.
(5)Christian L.
This place was great! The service was perfect with recommendations but still we're not hovering over you. I loved the use of truffle oil! Broccolini was on a special and it was the best i have ever had! Can't wait to come back.
(5)Karla M.
Fabulously good food-- consistently. A friend and I went for New Year's Eve. We shared the calamari which was excellent. I had the Frank' salad which was huge-- lightly dressed and delicious. I had the lasagna and my friend had the lobster. Both were excellently prepared. And how could I forget the tomato basil artichoke soup which was a delight- we finished off with the cheesecake for dessert. The service is exceptional. Definitely one of the nicest restaurants in the Cleveland area.
(5)Cara L.
I was taken here for a surprise birthday/ Valentine's Day dinner. It was my first time ever dining here and it was everything an incredible dinning experience should be. Between the A-LIST service, the phenomenal food and the romantic view, they knocked it out of the park. Here's how the evening went: As we walked in to LockKeepers, the atmosphere oozed romance and swankiness. The man who greeted us informed us that our table was not ready just yet and that we could take a seat at the bar if we would like to wait. At this time I didn't realize this was all part of my date's instructions that he had sent to them in advance with the reservation online. He wanted to allow us some time to relax at the bar, enjoy some great conversation and wine before dinner started. As we approached the bar, the bartender gave us wine lists. He walked away for a moment for us to look at them, all the while he was in on the secret that my date had already arranged for us to be served a bottle of my favorite wine. He brought it over and as we sipped our Malbec, we chatted and were soon seated at a cozy table by the window with an amazing view. Our server was went above and beyond for us. She brought over our crab cake appetizer and recited the most complicated, long, menu of specials I've ever heard. (I gave her a high-five to celebrate how awesome she was). We had the tomato soup, which was phenomenal, and the chef sent us over the lobster ravioli to try on the house! For dinner my date tried the Surf and Turf with lobster tail, Filet Mignon, asparagus and a potato cake. I had the Seafood Risotto with shrimp, scallops and topped with a lobster tail. We shared and let me tell you...everything was incredible. You know that blissful, comforting feeling you have when you eat something simply divine? That's what this dinning experience was like, but x10. By the time we finished our feast of gloriousness, I had no room for dessert. Little did I know, my date had mentioned in his thorough instructions that it was my 25th birthday and that it was very important that I was treated well. Before I could refuse dessert, our waitress brought out plate with mini torts on it with a little, edible, Happy Birthday sign. All I can say is that LockKeepers was probably the best FULL restaurant experience I've ever had. Every part of it was incredible and they treated us like we were celebrities. How many times can you go into a nice restaurant on one of their busiest nights of the year and be treated like you're the only ones there? That's pretty tough to accomplish. A lot of time you'll get the atmosphere or the service, but the food is only so-so. Not at LockKeepers. You don't sacrifice a thing. On top of that, my date was blown away how closely they followed all of his instructions.
(5)Janet K.
Delicious food, good wine selection, and the absolute hands down most delightful hostess and waitresses I've ever come across. I travel the country for work so that's tall praise coming from me. The calamari appetizer was unique and delicious. It was large and we split it three ways. The scallops with the cauliflower mashers were absolutely superb. The home made spaghetti and clams special was delicious. I had a cappuccino and raspberry sorbet for desert which was excellent and just perfect... Not too sweet. The complimentary valet guys were very nice as well. We had a great experience. Don't pass it up!!!
(5)Jaya S.
Went to Lockkepers for a business dinner. Nice ambiance; I liked the vaulted ceilings and wood paneling. The restaurant is relatively spacious and good for large groups. The staff were very accommodating given that we were late by varying degrees, and our server remained patient with a large (and gregarious) group. Appetizers: I tried the crab cakes, eggplant rollatini, sausage stuffed peppers and calamari. My clear favorite was the eggplant (mild but flavorful), followed by the crab cakes. I only had a taste of the peppers & calamari but they were above average. I skipped salad, but everyone else appeared to have enjoyed theirs. For my entree, I had the pancetta wrapped filet medallions. The quality of the meat itself was very good, as was the port-reduction; but at this point in the meal, I was a bit too full to really appreciate such a rich main course. The accompanying vegetables and potatoes were just ok, but I'm not too surprised or bothered by that. I tried a bite of the tiramisu and don't remember it being anything too special - it was good, but nothing exciting. On the other hand, the wine selection was excellent, as was the post-dinner espresso. Overall, this is a good choice for an event like a family dinner (e.g. a parent's birthday or anniversary) or a business dinner. The restaurant is somewhat formal, but not black-tie fancy. I would not call Lockkepers "cozy", "casual" or "romantic" (at least, not in my book) but for the right type of occasion, this is a solid choice.
(4)Jessica G.
Seriously fabulous food! Try the filet medallions & a Lock 39 cocktail! My husband & I went there for our first anniversary. Service was great & everything was delicious!
(5)Em S.
This place is a beautiful and moderately upscale restaurant, with the food priced accordingly. Fresh bread (quite good) and olive oil spread are on the house, though more than made up for with the rest of the bill. An entree of a pear-topped salad was good, although paying more money for something that is conceivably identical to a grocery store product never enticed me about going to restaurants. The pumpkin ravioli was also good, but the highlight was the eggplant rolentini, which was thinly sliced with the perfect balance of crispiness and seasoning. Save your waistline, though, as the apple cobbler was merely mediocre. Another guest had the canoli, which was deemed better. Many alcoholic beverages were also available. Service, as expected for a restaurant of this caliber, was attentive and courteous, and the place looked very well polished and clean. Valet parking is available. Overall, a great place for a business dinner or for visiting parents or a treat for the spouse.
(4)Bryan V.
Absolutely exquisite meal. I had one of the handful of specials for the evening: a risotto with a lobster cream sauce that included scallops and a small lobster tail. This was so rich and flavorful that I ate far more than I should have and still took 1/3 of it home. The quality was excellent and the portions were larger than I wanted. The waitstaff was knowledgable and attentive. For the food, this was quite inexpensive. The wine list is also excellent with many European wines a in their cellar as well
(5)James E.
Service was exceptional. Food was very good. Location cannot be beat. Outside is covered in case of rain. My entire party had a great time.
(5)Adam H.
Excellent food, presentation, atmosphere, and bar....is there anything else to say?! I went to this delish restaurant for a work dinner and was blown away. They start you off with fresh bread and a spread of butter or an olive puree. I had the night's seafood special of shrimp and scallops with a lobster tail on risotto. It was great and just the right size. The flavors were excellent and the seafood quality was great for Ohio. Everyone at the table was very happy with the meal and the service. We followed up with desert and everyone ordered a different dish, once again no complaints. The chocolate cake was something special though. It was made to order and amazing. After this huge meal I went with a tasty and strong espresso. All in all, a great restaurant. If you were to go here for drinks you wouldn't be disappointed either. Their bar is very well stocked and even had a few Scotches that surprised me. I will definitely be back.
(5)Stephanie S.
Oh gosh. You wouldn't expect the interior of this building to be so spacious and well-decorated, but it was. I came with a lunch date and found the menu items that we ordered to be spectacular. I had the Chicken Scaloppini - the meat was tender and easily sliced through as well as definitively dripping with flavor. The sides of garlic roasted mashed potatoes and vegetables (I believe I had some sort of roasted squash and zucchini) were great - the potatoes were creamy and the vegetables were fresh and cooked to the exact amount of tenderness. My date had the gnocchi, though by the time he had finished his salad he was a little too full for it. Generous portion sizes here. For the lunch menu, the prices were more than affordable especially given the quality of our food. The service was attentive though not overly friendly. I hope to return soon!
(5)Karen R.
This place was delicious! The service was great. The food was impeccable. We had the wedge salad, the beet salad, and Cesar salad along with the mussels which were the plumpest I've ever seen. For the main course we had gnocchi, scallops and the pork chop. Fabulous! And of course we couldn't leave without coffee and carrot cake oh and the peanut butter sundae. Oh so good. I'm from ny and this Ohio restaurant was a great experience.
(5)Samantha H.
Went here for a business dinner. It is a very nice and impressive place. The waiter was very on point with all the special things they do and timely. It was a great choice for a business affair but the bf and I won't be coming back here. Mostly because we know where to go to find food just as good for less money. I think part of what you are paying for is the atmosphere, which is desirable for certain occasions. The food was great, I had the salmon and it was cooked just right. The soup I had was great too. As were the cocktails. But the bf wasn't very fond of his lobster risotto and said it had a fishy smell and taste so he didn't finish it.
(4)Samantha F.
LockKeepers is right up the street from where I work, Praise the Baby Jesus a decent place to go to lunch! The food is beautifully prepared and the service has almost always been stellar. Yesterday was no exception. If you have the opportunity as for Jackie R; she was an awesome server! My boyfriend and I periodically rendezvous at LockKeepers for lunch. He meets me there and it feels like a clandestine meeting even if it is wholesome. My favorite lunches are on the nice days when we can dine on the patio. The LockKeepers pronto luncheon special is quickly prepared and exactly the right size for a meal. This changes with the season and daily, so make sure to get the specials from your server. Yesterday, my boyfriend enjoyed the lasagna. A large portion of lasagna was served in its own lasagna pan, while not the best I've ever had, it meets a need. I enjoyed "Frank's Salad" with a portion of rare tuna on the side. While the salad was perfect and the tuna amazing I don't think the tuna portion size warranted the $12 additional for the fish. (A bit high for market value right now.) We enjoyed post lunch coffee and espresso with the flourless chocolate cake. The dessert was the perfect portion for my handsome companion and me to share. I wasn't in DIRE need of dessert so if you're really needed the sweet, order your own. :) While I have never been to LockKeppers for dinner, I have requested the dinner menu to compare to the luncheon menu. There is a slightly expanded selection of food and the sandwiches are not as prevalent. I have no doubt that dinner would be just as lovely if not more so than the lunch. Try LockKeepers , it is one of the few restaurants left that understand appropriate service and food preparation.
(5)Sara R.
Loved it! Organized a 7-person group dinner through OpenTable and all were very pleased. Food was great, great wine list, great desserts by in-house pastry chef, and service was excellent. Portions were excellent. It was nice to get away from the chain restaurants that dominate Independence. We were staying there for a week on business and a waiter at Outback recommended it. So happy he did! The bolognese sauce was very good on my ravioli. My coworkers had the pumpkin ravioli, the lasagna and the chicken picatta. I had mascarpone cheesecake for dessert and it was excellent. Great wine suggestions from our server. We had a primary server but all the others around us pitched in so that nothing fell through the cracks. Great atmosphere. Also, even though we were surrounded by people (dining room was full), we were able to hear eachother well. Highly recommend!
(5)Jeff P.
Wow! What a great find. A bit off the beaten path, but this place was great. Tasty, fresh Italian fare. It was a beautiful day when I went, so the patio was awesome. The service was great too.
(4)Richard W.
Never a dull meal at the locks.
(5)Rachel B.
I must preface this by saying that I didn't really have a true "restaurant" experience here. I went to my husband's company Christmas party here last night. I was simultaneously impressed with, and turned off by, the complimentary valet parking. I nicely declined even though it was free. I just hate valet parking. I was coming from work so was kinda dressed "business casual" for this event, and I didn't feel under dressed. It was appropriate for the type of place it was. We had a really nice banquet room, complete with not-so-gaudy Christmas decorations. The carpeting reminded me of being in a hotel, which, come to think of it, isn't so bad, because I like hotels, but I'm not a huge fan of eating in them. The appetizers were really good. Great, even. There was bruscetta, spinach dip with pita, a meat and cheese plate...even VEGETABLES! Yup. I was able to get my daily allowance there. I also got my daily allowance of pizza. Times three. Both the pepperoni and plain were really tasty, although they got cold quickly. Well, whatever, it's still pizza, and good doughy pizza at that (I think it was on foccacia-type bread). The pastas, however, got a big "Hell Naw." There was a penne with a VERY heavy, yet extremely bland, alfredo sauce, to which one man said in reaction, "This has gotta be good for my heart." The other pasta selection was a fusilli (corkscrew/squiggly pasta that I can only imagine little kids eating) with a red sauce that I think was a lame attempt at an arrabitata sauce, but I can't be sure because other than a hot jolt of pepper, it too had no taste. I soon discovered that mixing the two together on the plate provided a better tasting pasta overall...BUT unless you're at the Olive Garden and get the Taste of Italy, you can't really order two dishes on one plate. So skip these pastas. Overall though, nice and friendly atmosphere. Everything was catered extremely well; the food was constantly being replenished, as were our drinks (a plus!). While I would probably never come here just to eat a meal, I had a good time last night and the staff were extremely professional.
(3)David H.
Food was OK. I ate here for a dinner meeting 2 nights in a row. My salads both nights were a little wilted. Filet mignon was served at room temperature. Wine selection was nice and the servers were attentive. Chicken piccata was pretty dry and had literally 3 capers. The first night I parked my own car as there was a spot very close to the entrance. The second evening it was 10 degrees out and very busy so I allowed the valet to park. On receiving my car back, I noticed the driver's side window trim had been ripped off of my convertible top. Of course the valet claimed no responsibility for this and I had a cold drive home. Even though the food and service is good, I wouldn't bring my wife here as I will not trust the valet again and we can't walk half a mile in frigid weather when she has asthma.
(2)JL O.
Food was very good, well prepared and fresh. Seafood diavolo .. Seafood cooked well, not over cooked, pasta was cooked well, sauce good but not great. Filet mignon was well prepared...perfectly pink center. Service was excellent.
(4)John S.
Really like it and will be back. Top notch service. High end setting. Very good food.
(4)Michelle S.
I recently had the opportunity to lunch at LockKeepers. Despite the ever-so-packed parking lot (and dining room, for that matter), I had a good experience top to bottom. The ambiance is nice enough to merit a business suit yet chill enough to accommodate your khaki/polo shirt crowd. Our server was attentive and delightful, recommending the prosciutto, arugula and parmesan pizza. As always when I'm conflicted about what to order, I took her up on the recommendation. Here's where the review gets really good. This is what pizza is supposed to be like; simple, rustic, and artfully conceived. The crust was thin, crispy, warm and chewy. The flavors and textures of the toppings created a perfect compliment: paper-thin slices of rich, salty prosciutto, generous shavings of parmigiano-reggiano, crisp, peppery arugula, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh ground pepper. YUM! I'm going to save a higher rating until after I'm able to take advantage of the dinner menu. I might even up the ante by making the best of the warm, dark atmosphere by taking a date. Stay tuned...
(3)Beverly W.
It was hard to decide on a star rating. This restaurant is located less than a mile from where I've been going to the doctor for a broken arm. So we jumped at the chance to try them for lunch. We went two times, and I am unsure we will return. But why not give it a third try to match the three stars I gave? Our first meal there we shared a fresh pear and gargonzola arugula salad. It was refreshing, well seasoned and while a bit heavily dressed for my taste, the dressing was not overwhelming. I had chicken picotta, which was delectable, he had the quite reasonably priced filet mignon ($12) which was sizable and perfectly cooked. Sounds great, right? But the following week I went back to the doctor and we had our second LockKeepers meal. Holy canoli, Italian-cravers. I ordered a side of steamed brocolli in exchange for the house salad...it was cooked to smithereens. I put my fork in and the majority of the floret fell to the plate in clumps. I forced myself to eat it because brocolli has calcium and calcium helps bones. I expect the veggies in federal prisons are more delicious. Then I made a hearstaggering choice between lasagne and bolognese. Both are among my favorite foods. I chose WRONG!! I went with lasagne and it was basically a bowl of sauce with some meat swimming in it and one globinous piece of cheese. He got crabcakes==it was the bad kind of crab, not the lump meat and he said it tasted fishy and gross. So, one five star meal, followed by a one star, 3 stars for now. I may have a third just to see, out of sheer curiosity in the mathematics alone.
(3)Maria W.
Had a birthday celebration here with close family and friends. There were 16 of us so I had picked out a special menu with apps, and entrees for this event and I had worked with Stephanie I believe her name was. She was so kind and helpful with everything. Our food was outstanding, and my pork was truly a melt in your mouth entree with all the flavors, and seasonings. The staff was nice as well and took great care of us. Out of all 16 of us there was not one compliant with food, drinks, or service, so they obviously are doing something correctly at Lockkeepers. We will defintely be back!
(5)Ramona R.
Awesome food!! There banquet hall is beautiful as well. The staff is very friendly and provide great service!
(4)Arlene A.
While I generally enjoyed my experience here. The initial impression was one of awkwardness. There was a wine tasting going on in the bar/lounge area, and the hostess/staff had no idea of where to seat us. The initial idea was to put us in the lounge (???), but thankfully they decided to put us in the dining area. We were told several times that the dinner menu wasn't available (duh! really no dinner at 4pm, sorry but I'm not new), which wasn't a problem as we were just looking for some nibbles and drinks. So outside of the service glitches, the food is very good. We got the calamari salad, the pizza of the day and a pitcher of Basil Mojitos. The salad was flavorful, with sun-dried tomato, olives and just the perfect drizzle of olive oil. The pitcher of Mojitos was a wonderful surprise and I can't wait to make a version of it at home. When back in the area, I'd give it another go.
(3)T S.
I've been here several times for various functions and meals. The food is rather typical Americanized Italian. There isn't really any standout piece to this restaurant other than it feels like a 50's corporate board room! My experiences here have been consistent. Good service, decent food, and a bit pricey.
(3)Charles H.
My cousin had her wedding here and everything was top notch! The service the food the cocktails. I had the best stuffed pork chop of my life. It was perfection. The desserts they provided were excellent as well. I can't wait to go back again. They made me feel like I was royalty. Excellent all around.
(5)Bradley P.
One of my favorite all around restaurants. Lockkeepers offers high end quality food with an emphasis on Italian cuisine, but also limits its menu to a $30 limit, with many entrees between 15 and 20 dollars. The service is outstanding, the food is consistently delicious, the view is beautiful, sitting on Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is especially beautiful in the autumn as the leaves are changing. In addition, if you are ever looking to have a private event, I had a dozen friends for dinner in their Sommelier room, and it was incredible. There is no room fee, just a very reasonable minimum spending amount, and the room is exquisite, plus your own server. The room is up high, overlooking the normal dining room and right next to the large wine cellar. They have other larger rooms for weddings, business events, etc. Management was extremely accommodating and supportive and the night was great. Lastly, their wine list is a jaw dropper, looking more like a text book when you first get it. Page after page after page of wines ranging from 30 dollar bottles to 1000 dollar bottles. They have some wine experts on hand to help you pick the perfect bottle. At dinner with my friends they selected a bottle of Cab Sav which, of nearly 200 bottles we have been through in the past few years (we keep track for our personal reference), it still stands as the best of them all.
(5)Molly J.
excellent food, service, and atmosphere. lovely outdoor patio for the summer time. the food is a little pricey, but worth it, they also have nice happy hour/lunch specials. very friendly bartenders as well.
(5)T. S.
Consistently solid execution with great service. Having won me over as a regular since Dante vacated, not one visit has disappointed.
(4)Versoverita V.
the setting was a sunset dinner aside the river in a high ceiling wood paneled main dining room... comfortable warm settting...attentive experienced staff.... Raymond Cabernet Napa average, grilled salmon with polenta and grilled peppers/squash/asparagus good to above avg, as were the crab cakes; cheese ravioli avg,, tiramisu excellent. very relaxing time with comfortable decibel level too :)
(3)Carter P.
I had the tuna tartar appetizer which was utterly tasteless and the ribeye which while cooked well wasn't seasoned properly. I'll take a pass in the future and try someplace different.
(2)Pam P.
The only downside to this restaurant is parking - so remember to valet upon arrival. This is one of my favorites in town. A recent lunch, I had a seared trout. It was lovely. At a recent dinner, my friend and I started with the cheese platter. That was a nice compliment to the wine we selected. The wine list is excellent. Dinner - sea scallops prepared over risotto. Nicely done. Excellent spot for business dinners, large groups or small intimate dinners. Just outstanding.
(5)Kristie P.
Pricey restaurant rides on its upscale image alone. Food is okay, but nothing special. I had the special sesame encrusted sashimi tuna. It was slightly overdone, and i thought It was cut a bit too thick. They have a large wine menu which was nice, but i think a little on the pricey side as well ($21 - 100+ per bottle with the average around $30) Desserts were creative and tasty but I've had better. The atmosphere was nice, and service was good. Overall, I expected a lot more for the price.
(3)A M.
My grandparents or clients would really like this place. I thought it was okay, but a little too old school for what I was hoping for and boy what a contrast from this, again perfectly acceptable nice place and lolita which I had the pleasure of going on Tuesday after a Monday visit here. I was here last Monday and a few business associates had arranged for the sommelier room at this restaurant a couple miles away from the hotel. The first impression is very good with a nice guy and a complimentary valet, however don't really know why this is necessary given the ample parking below. The space itself is actually quite beautiful with warm lighting, high ceilings and white table cloths. The servers are dressed iup and all seem quite professional. I'll tell you what struck me most about the place was the beautiful ornate woodwork. We were seated in the sommelier room with about 8 of us at a large (oak?) table I'd guess. The wine room was directly behind our private dining room and again the general atmosphere was quite nice and relaxing. The meal started with some perfectly acceptable bread served with a nice dipping oil. The waiter was happy to make ame a dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives on the rocks and the wine selection was pretty ample and reasonably priced. I don't really eat salads and so he suggested the vegetarian bean soup of some kind. I didn't think I was going to like it, but the flavor was actually quite good. The only miss was the soup was luke warm. I then had the lamb chops as the entree which were served with a very nice crust and a healthy portion. The temperature was a little off, but not enough to mess up the lamb. The risotto that accompanied was very rich and for me a bit of a miss. I'm not italitan and probably have no idea what good risotto is. I just know what I like. Others had the scallopini, salmon and steaks. I didn't hear any negative comments about the place. Again, this is a pretty good spot, but not necessarily where I would want to go often or go to eat at the bar. It's probably great for weddings and business functions and has a little above average food in a nice atmosphere with good service.
(3)Johnny A.
Made reservations for two on a Saturday night. Seated immediately when we arrived. Service was rapid and polite. The table we were seated at had a wonderful view of the decor inside the building. I really loved the warm feeling it gave me. We had scouted out the menu here before hand and ordered the things we saw that looked interesting. I couldn't wait to try the scallop dish I saw. Then we started eating the food. Everything was bland and of very average quality. Dinner rolls, salads, lobster bisque... had no pop like I was being served reheated food from the supermarket. The appetizer was the fried mozerella... again bland and tasteless like a box of frozen TGI Fridays chessesticks. I held out hope for the main course and luckily it actually had some flavor to it. My date's fish dish was pretty bleh so she said but it looked good. We opted not to get desert for fear that it would be as bad as the other things we ordered. Paid the check which had somehow almost reached $100 (went over that with tip of course) and left pretty unhappy. My money would have been much better spent elsewhere. Do yourself a favor and take a pass on this overpriced celebration of bland food.
(1)Michael S.
LockKeepers is pretty good, but they aren't reinventing the food wheel or anything. It was my first time here and I can't really think of any complaints. I do feel that it is a bit more expensive than it should be. Atmosphere and space. Swanky, intimate, romantic. The space is very nice. Try to get a table in the main dining hall instead of the bar or side room. The dining hall has lots of large windows and a high vaulted ceiling. There is a patio too that overlooks the canal which is great for summer. Drinks. I went with the sangria and my boyfriend went with the espresso martini. Sangria was good and strong. Espresso martini was delicious. Perfect amount of alcohol and espresso flavor. Highly recommend. If you feel like ordering a bottle of wine, which you should, I recommend a bottle of the vinho verde. Vinho verde is a classic Portuguese white wine. It is affordable ($30, and possibly one of the cheapest bottles on the list?) and delicious. Bread. The bread is nothing special but they serve it with butter and an awesome olive spread. As an olive fanatic, I was in heaven. Appetizers. We ordered the shrimp cocktail, tuna tartar, and the beef carpaccio. For the price of the shrimp cocktail, there should have been more shrimp. Not worth the money. The tuna tartar is a bargain because it is HUGE. It's easily twice the size of what you would get at a comparable restaurant. Only complaint is that it is served on top of a warm/hot potato cake, which warms the cold tuna. Might be better if they served the potato cake on the side. The beef carpaccio was fine. Kinda hard to screw that up. The boyfriend really enjoyed it. Pasta. You must order at least one pasta dish here. Split it with your table. It's worth it. The smaller portion is light and not filling. We split the limoncello fettuccine and it was incredible. It was light and the perfect segway between appetizer and entree. Entrees. We split the pork chop saltimbocca and the scallops. I don't go crazy over entrees. I was also a bit tipsy when ours arrived so my memory isn't crystal clear. Both were good. The saltimbocca came with a yummy little risotto cake. Next time I go I would like to try the veal chop parmiggiano. Dessert. Tiramisu is probably their most popular dessert. It's classic Italian. But I would go with the affogato! First time having it and I loved it. It's so simple and light. Vanilla gelato and espresso. Yum yum yum! A must try. Service. Perfect. Server was knowledgeable and friendly. He did a great job of coursing our meal.
(5)John T.
I brought my wife here to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We started with cocktails in the bar. Erin makes a great drink. My wife had a Cosmo while I had an Aperol spritz--a perfect refreshing drink for a hot summer day. We met a nice couple and chatted away, soon it was dinner time. As it was a special occasion, they gave us each a glass of prosecco to enjoy while perusing the menu. We started with the charcuterie board, a generous assortment of Italian meats, cheeses, and olives. I selected a light red Sicilian wine to go with our meal. Next up was the special salad: radicchio, frisée lettuce, heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. The dressing was light and fresh. We had a hard time deciding on our main course, but our waiter Scott made some good recommendations. He brought out a sample ravioli with bolognese sauce for us to try--fantastic! My wife got the lobster ravioli while I thought about the beef medallions. Scott recommended I get the 8oz filet and he would have the kitchen prepare it "medallion style". This is leeks, carrots, spinach in a Barolo glacé....wow, wow, wow! Next up was complimentary biscotti with a wonderful warm chocolate gnoche. We paired this with two cannolis--homemade and filled fresh--two espressos and 2 limoncellos, also homemade. We met another nice couple from NYC and chatted with them over dessert. What a wonderful evening. From the friendly service, the good drinks, the delicious food, and the friendly people we met, it was a night to remember. This place easily blows away the snobbier, and pricier, trendy places that charge more for less. At LockKeepers, the value and the quality is there. Mille grazie!!
(5)J L.
I had dinner here while on business recently. The restaurant is elegant and has several private dining areas for small groups and good for business dinners. Overall it has a warm comfortable atmosphere with a nice bar area. About the Food: The tap water should be filtered as I could taste the chlorine and it ruined the taste of any food, the bread was adequate but nothing special, the Caesar salad was cold, dry & wilted, it needed more dressing, croutons and cheese, it was very disappointing, the Mussels were overcooked & shriveled up like pearls to about a third of the size of their shells, the broth was completely tasteless, it might as well have been steamed in dishwater. The stuffed pork chop tasted good but was overcooked & dry, it was redeemed by the tasty risotto cake and vegetables, the Carrot Cake was served cold and not room temperature as it should be to release the flavors and soften the cream cheese frosting; it looked & tasted commercial as if out of a box from a warehouse store. My waitress, the hostesses, and the valet attendants were just great they all get 5 stars but the food was really disappointing & lack-luster for a place of this caliber and price.
(2)Jay P.
The service was slow but the food was delish! The calamari was truly the best I've ever had. As an entree I ordered the seafood fra diavolo- PERFECTION! This is a solid Italian meal and I'd recommend you try it out.
(4)Joan C.
.Thanks to my excellent professional waiter, Rick, my husband and I had the most wonderful dinning experience. We always celebrate love and life and the ambiance, the great food, the drinks and our waiter Rick, all made it a wonderful celebration before our evening outing, and then the check was so reasonable for the high quality! Thanks for the excellence dinner with great value. Highly recommend!
(5)Laura J.
I made reservations here to celebrate my doctoral degree. The service was fantastic. Would recommend the lobster ravioli and lasagna.
(5)Kevin K.
Thank you to our server, Nathan, who provided wonderful service and was very personable and charming. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I recommend the tuna tartaro and the pork saltimboca. Delicious! The ambiance at Lock Keepers is very nice. Make sure to take a look around and check out the historic canal.
(4)Mark B.
I have been here many many times and first time to write a review. I think this restaurant is one of the best kept secrets in the Cleveland area ! I have never never had a bad meal here, the service and atmosphere is top notch ! One of my favorite appetizers is the Tuna Tartare, it is outstanding. The desserts are great also ! Try it you will not be disappointed !
(5)Corinne K.
My husband and I went here for dinner and we had a wonderful time. From start to finish, it was a great experience that was spot on. We made reservations for a Saturday night, having never been here before, we were not sure what to expect. We arrived and were very warmly greeted by the hostess and immediately checked-in and seated. The restaurant was full, but not loud or overly crowded. We were seated and almost immediately greeted by our server. Our service the whole evening was spot on and we did not want or need for anything. We started the night off with appetizers. We had the Calamari and Beef Carpaccio. Both of those were phenomenal with great balance and flavor. We then moved onto the salad course. I had the salad special and my husband had the Heirloom Tomato Salad. Again, great food with flavors that were very well thought out. Oh, I forgot to mention the bread - it was so good and served with both butter and an amazing olive tapenade. I did not even touch the butter because of the tapenade. Our entrees were spectacular and it is just so impressive that they make their own pasta. My cannoli was delicious and very well executed. The wine list is very extensive and there is something for everyone. The timing of the entire night was great. Our server did not rush us at all and we had a wonderful experience. We will get back, we will bring friends and family here and will recommend to others.
(5)Jim P.
Had lunch with my wife and a friend on a Monday. Since the weather was warm we ate on the outdoor deck overlooking the creek. Very nice upscale environment both on the deck and inside the restaurant. The patrons were businessmen in suits and others dressed as business casual. Not really a jeans and shorts place. Nice menu and good wine list. Free valet parking. My wife and I both had lunch salads and glasses of wine. Generous portions. Prices were reasonable for the quality.
(4)Cara L.
I was taken here for a surprise birthday/ Valentine's Day dinner. It was my first time ever dining here and it was everything an incredible dinning experience should be. Between the A-LIST service, the phenomenal food and the romantic view, they knocked it out of the park. Here's how the evening went: As we walked in to LockKeepers, the atmosphere oozed romance and swankiness. The man who greeted us informed us that our table was not ready just yet and that we could take a seat at the bar if we would like to wait. At this time I didn't realize this was all part of my date's instructions that he had sent to them in advance with the reservation online. He wanted to allow us some time to relax at the bar, enjoy some great conversation and wine before dinner started. As we approached the bar, the bartender gave us wine lists. He walked away for a moment for us to look at them, all the while he was in on the secret that my date had already arranged for us to be served a bottle of my favorite wine. He brought it over and as we sipped our Malbec, we chatted and were soon seated at a cozy table by the window with an amazing view. Our server was went above and beyond for us. She brought over our crab cake appetizer and recited the most complicated, long, menu of specials I've ever heard. (I gave her a high-five to celebrate how awesome she was). We had the tomato soup, which was phenomenal, and the chef sent us over the lobster ravioli to try on the house! For dinner my date tried the Surf and Turf with lobster tail, Filet Mignon, asparagus and a potato cake. I had the Seafood Risotto with shrimp, scallops and topped with a lobster tail. We shared and let me tell you...everything was incredible. You know that blissful, comforting feeling you have when you eat something simply divine? That's what this dinning experience was like, but x10. By the time we finished our feast of gloriousness, I had no room for dessert. Little did I know, my date had mentioned in his thorough instructions that it was my 25th birthday and that it was very important that I was treated well. Before I could refuse dessert, our waitress brought out plate with mini torts on it with a little, edible, Happy Birthday sign. All I can say is that LockKeepers was probably the best FULL restaurant experience I've ever had. Every part of it was incredible and they treated us like we were celebrities. How many times can you go into a nice restaurant on one of their busiest nights of the year and be treated like you're the only ones there? That's pretty tough to accomplish. A lot of time you'll get the atmosphere or the service, but the food is only so-so. Not at LockKeepers. You don't sacrifice a thing. On top of that, my date was blown away how closely they followed all of his instructions.
(5)Jen M.
Lockkeepers is one of the most consistent restaurants in the area...consistently great food and service. The bartender (short, dark hair) makes a hell of a Manhattan and Martini). Dinner on the patio was lovely. I opted for the spinach salad with grilled salmon and my friend got a salad with grilled chicken. Both were delicious and nicely presented. The bread, butter, and olive tapenade with garlic and sundried tomatoes kicks ass. I haven't eaten that much bread in years. Damn that stuff is good. Our server was kind enough to bring some plain salad green greens in a to-go box so we could have fresh salad with our leftovers. Nice touch.
(4)Steph G.
Well I'll be darned. I admit I've been here once before for a pharm-sponsored dinner and I walked away that evening thinking the food was average. The steak I ordered was overdone, and on the dry side. I went again to give it another try. Items ordered: Mussels Tuna tartar Frank's salad Scallops Bottle of red (can't remember the name)... All of the food was satisfactory and quite tasty. I think with the amount of food, I was just stuffed to capacity and I wasn't able to finish all of my scallop entree. I liked the tuna tartar, which was served with a lemony sauce but I felt it could've had a bigger flavor punch, perhaps with some capers or something a little more zingy. The mussels were average. Loved the salad- had all my fave things. Scallops were yummy and cooked to perfection, and very rich-tasting. It was served on a bed of cauliflower mash (which I was raving about all while shoveling it in). This would be a GREAT substitute for mashed potatoes for those looking for low-carb. On the other hand, it was very creamy and probably heavy on the fat. And as we know, fat= flavor! Oh, and dessert was a tiramisu, which was ok. Good coffee flavor but a little heavy on the cream for me. Service was fantastic. I gave this place 1 star more just for the awesome and friendly customer service. Our waiter was very helpful and attentive. If it wasn't so far away, I'd probably go back a few more times.
(4)Kaprice S.
From the moment we entered the door until the time we left... The service was excellent! The food was truly amazing! Thank you for a wonderful experience!
(5)Richard H.
You know that neighbors cousin who is a meth head and living in a crack house who showed up at a mutual acquaintances fathers funeral? You were surprised that he was able to clean up and wear a suit.. but was still rockin the dirty fingernails and black teeth? That was my waiter.. You could tell he was trying very hard, but this just wasn't his line of work. Lockeepers is known for its happy hour. They have $5 appetizers and the drinks are really cheap. The servers however, will NEVER inform you of this. They act as if the happy hour menu doesn't exist.. until you ask for it. After you ask for the Happy Hour menu, you become completely invisible to the wait staff. Unless of course you are a table of women. One of the greatest things about the human body is the ability to forget horrible pain and agony that you endure over time, for instance child birth and Ponderosa. I hadn't been to Lockkeepers in years and people told me, "Its new owners, totally different, the happy hours is amazing.." So since i had lost recollection of the pain of previous visits, i gave it a shot.. twice. It was the equivalent of paying someone a ridiculous amount of money treat me like dirt and serve me crappy food and then , going back for more. It is really too bad, because it is absolutely beautiful in this place. Great seating and the prices are fantastic for happy hour. Regular menu... not so much... If you trying to impress a date, make sure its just for drinks. Cant see myself going back when there are so many great places out there.
(2)Susan L.
The food was very good as was the service--in fact the service was excellent. The one thing we weren't overly enthralled with was the "vibe". Just a "cooler" feel to the place would have completed the experience.
(4)E Y.
Good service. No parking close by but they have free valet service. Great steak and nice atmosphere. Solid choice in the area.
(4)Grant C.
Great place. I recommend the Bone in Chop.
(5)Christian L.
This place was great! The service was perfect with recommendations but still we're not hovering over you. I loved the use of truffle oil! Broccolini was on a special and it was the best i have ever had! Can't wait to come back.
(5)Jaya S.
Went to Lockkepers for a business dinner. Nice ambiance; I liked the vaulted ceilings and wood paneling. The restaurant is relatively spacious and good for large groups. The staff were very accommodating given that we were late by varying degrees, and our server remained patient with a large (and gregarious) group. Appetizers: I tried the crab cakes, eggplant rollatini, sausage stuffed peppers and calamari. My clear favorite was the eggplant (mild but flavorful), followed by the crab cakes. I only had a taste of the peppers & calamari but they were above average. I skipped salad, but everyone else appeared to have enjoyed theirs. For my entree, I had the pancetta wrapped filet medallions. The quality of the meat itself was very good, as was the port-reduction; but at this point in the meal, I was a bit too full to really appreciate such a rich main course. The accompanying vegetables and potatoes were just ok, but I'm not too surprised or bothered by that. I tried a bite of the tiramisu and don't remember it being anything too special - it was good, but nothing exciting. On the other hand, the wine selection was excellent, as was the post-dinner espresso. Overall, this is a good choice for an event like a family dinner (e.g. a parent's birthday or anniversary) or a business dinner. The restaurant is somewhat formal, but not black-tie fancy. I would not call Lockkepers "cozy", "casual" or "romantic" (at least, not in my book) but for the right type of occasion, this is a solid choice.
(4)Jessica G.
Seriously fabulous food! Try the filet medallions & a Lock 39 cocktail! My husband & I went there for our first anniversary. Service was great & everything was delicious!
(5)Em S.
This place is a beautiful and moderately upscale restaurant, with the food priced accordingly. Fresh bread (quite good) and olive oil spread are on the house, though more than made up for with the rest of the bill. An entree of a pear-topped salad was good, although paying more money for something that is conceivably identical to a grocery store product never enticed me about going to restaurants. The pumpkin ravioli was also good, but the highlight was the eggplant rolentini, which was thinly sliced with the perfect balance of crispiness and seasoning. Save your waistline, though, as the apple cobbler was merely mediocre. Another guest had the canoli, which was deemed better. Many alcoholic beverages were also available. Service, as expected for a restaurant of this caliber, was attentive and courteous, and the place looked very well polished and clean. Valet parking is available. Overall, a great place for a business dinner or for visiting parents or a treat for the spouse.
(4)Bryan V.
Absolutely exquisite meal. I had one of the handful of specials for the evening: a risotto with a lobster cream sauce that included scallops and a small lobster tail. This was so rich and flavorful that I ate far more than I should have and still took 1/3 of it home. The quality was excellent and the portions were larger than I wanted. The waitstaff was knowledgable and attentive. For the food, this was quite inexpensive. The wine list is also excellent with many European wines a in their cellar as well
(5)James E.
Service was exceptional. Food was very good. Location cannot be beat. Outside is covered in case of rain. My entire party had a great time.
(5)Tad D.
Last night we enjoyed really good food and fantastic service here. I can't emphasize enough how great the service was. Everybody was attentive and personable. It's incredibly rare to have this level of service even if you're a regular, which we certainly aren't. Our meal included the lasagna and walleyeas well as the meatball appetizer. All were quite good. The new building - new to me, built around 2002 - was nice but tasteful. The view of the creek was excellent and made for an enjoyable dinner. Please visit this place and enjoy it.
(5)Joe K.
Lockkeepers had long been on my list of classy joints to check out since moving to CLE and now I can't believe I hadn't gone here sooner! You know you're in for a great experience when you roll up and complimentary valet is offered - I was digging the place already. Definitely a nice touch in Northeast Ohio during the winter. The interior itself was very cool and classy too - the entire place looked nice but we chose to hang out in the lounge as my fiancèe and I were just in for appetizers and drinks before going out on NYE. The lounge was very inviting and we got seated in a comfy corner with a view of the large bar. Our waitress was nice and very informative, listing off a variety of wonderful sounding entrèes. She was also very helpful in helping us decide on which of the delicious sounding appetizers to split - seriously, it was hard, but the meatballs and polenta were calling my name. Now, one of my own cooking specialties is a gourmet version of spaghetti and meatballs so I'm critical of the dish when I get it out. However, these were the.Best.Meatballs.I.Have.Ever.Had. For Real, it was like Italy in mouth. People describe ribs as fall off the bone or chicken piccatta as melt in your mouth, but both of these were amalgamated when I tasted the meatballs. Amazing. The polenta and sauce served as an interesting and delicious accent to the main dish. The drinks we ordered were also very delicious, a nice balance of sweet for her and strong for my lemoncello whiskey combo. We did have a really sad part to our Lockkeepers experience, though: we only had time for appetizers and left sad that we didn't have time for more food. That being said, we're already planning our return to feast here and try more of the amazing dishes.
(5)Jackie N.
The food (everything) is absolutely delicious and the service is great. If I could go here every day, I totally would.
(5)Rick W.
We have always had a great meal here. From beef tips to paste. Always great. I don't know what they could do different. Just keep the good quality of food and we will keep coming back.
(5)Manda C.
Good food and service!
(4)Kenny Y.
Ooooh. This place was amazing! The ambiance was very rustic and and romantic. Definitely a great place for a date with someone special. The food was phenomenal. I ordered the pork chop saltimbocca and I think it might have been the best pork chop I've ever tasted in my life. It was stuffed with cheesy goodness and wrapped with proscuitto that gave the meat the extra flavor that pork chops tend to lack. My girlfriend had the garganelli with shrimp and pesto sauce which she also absolutely loved. The apple cobbler was delicious too - too bad we were so stuffed from dinner to properly enjoy it. The service was on the spot - they checked up on us frequently and took care not to bring us our leftovers until at the very end of our meal so we wouldn't be eating in the company of doggie bags. This restaurant is 40 minutes from our apartment and Little Italy is 5 minutes away. However, we'll definitely be back.
(5)Gina C.
Great happy hour! We tried almost every appetizer on their happy hour menu, and were pleased with everything. I especially enjoyed the stuffed pepper. The restaurant is much larger inside than I expected, with multiple private dining areas. The decor definitely looks "expensive restaurant" without being too gaudy or dated. I have not been here for anything other than happy hour, so I can't comment on their regular menu. I would not hesitate to come back for another happy hour though.
(4)David D.
Excellent food and service. Ambience was appropriate for upscale dining. Especially fond of the seafood risotto special. One of the best meals I have had in a long time.
(4)Hamilton A.
Yes, as the 5 stars indicate - it's AS GOOD AS IT GETS! We had an OUTSTANDING lunch there as part of our anniversary celebration. They made us feel like we were celebrities! More importantly, the bass was cooked perfectly!! My husband and I couldn't talk while we were enjoying the bass - because we needed those moments to let the flavor take over. He said he didn't want to eat too quickly because then the bass would be gone! It melted in our mouths. Thank you for knowing how to treat your customers and how to cook seafood!
(5)Scott W.
Outstanding service in a great atmosphere. Try the specials or whatever your server suggest and you won't go wrong.
(4)Michael G.
I understand this location has been quite a few different concepts and it has been LockKeepers three times. We came in for lunch / meeting on Monday. The A/C was running hard (good thing). The service was attentive and knowledgable. We all had the fixe price lunch and it was prepared just as advertised. Great ice tea. We ended up staying for almost three hours, our meeting ran over, with nary a peep from management. They continued to smile, top off our teas, and ask if they could help. They could not have been more accommodating. Kudos for this. Bathrooms were immaculate. Great spot if you are in the Rockside Road area and you need good food and an accommodating environment.
(5)Ann H.
The service
(5)Britney G.
The pork chop was great. I wish it would have been cooked well but I'll keep that in mind next time. It was accompanied by a rice cake which was great. I wish I could order hundreds of them separately. Lol My boyfriend ordered the salmon which was cooked perfectly. His only complaint was the undercooked rice. The server wasnt too amazing but the other servers were pretty nice. The Carrot Cake was amazing. There must be a joke amongst the staff about how big the carrot cake really is because two servers walked past and jokingly said "Man that's a really small piece of carrot cake!"
(4)Me W.
2nd time at the Lockkeepers.. Ordered the same thing .. Spicy pasta with seafood (yea ..really don't know how to pronounce) but fav!! Yum yum hav to try when in good ole Independence, Ohio.
(5)Franklin T.
I was on vacation from San Antonio and looking for a nice Italian restaurant to Celebrate 13 years of bliss ;-) with lovely wife. Arrived 20 minutes early for a 7:30 reservation. Valet parking within 2 minutes if that! Although restaurant was busy, and I offered to wait at the bar.. we were immediately seated. Mussels appetizers were wonderful.. toasted bread to soak up all that delicious juicy sauce! The pork chop was excellent. A lot of complex flavors not a morsel was left. The seared scallops were perfectly cooked and delicious.. Spent almost 2 1/2 hours in a relaxing atmosphere... Will definitely be back!
(5)Rita B.
Met friends for dinner, had an. excellent Salmon meal. One of the gentlemen was my date and he enjoyed a steak. All enjoyed their dinner and drinks. This is always very good and ambience is great which is often times difficult to find on a Sunday. Cheers! Rita B.
(5)Karen R.
This place was delicious! The service was great. The food was impeccable. We had the wedge salad, the beet salad, and Cesar salad along with the mussels which were the plumpest I've ever seen. For the main course we had gnocchi, scallops and the pork chop. Fabulous! And of course we couldn't leave without coffee and carrot cake oh and the peanut butter sundae. Oh so good. I'm from ny and this Ohio restaurant was a great experience.
(5)Samantha H.
Went here for a business dinner. It is a very nice and impressive place. The waiter was very on point with all the special things they do and timely. It was a great choice for a business affair but the bf and I won't be coming back here. Mostly because we know where to go to find food just as good for less money. I think part of what you are paying for is the atmosphere, which is desirable for certain occasions. The food was great, I had the salmon and it was cooked just right. The soup I had was great too. As were the cocktails. But the bf wasn't very fond of his lobster risotto and said it had a fishy smell and taste so he didn't finish it.
(4)Meredith C.
This is a review for their happy hour, which happens Monday-Friday, from 5-7pm in their lounge and bar. Their happy hour is fantastic!! $4 glasses of wine and incredibly inexpensive and yummy food. $3 cheese plate, $3 bruschetta, $5 pizza and burgers and other high quality bar food. The ambiance is beautiful, large comfortable booths and couches at around tables. The bar stools are comfortable as well. While I have never been here for a regular meal, I love their happy hour. It's a great place to check out. Friday's they even have free pizza. It's great to go somewhere super nice without spending a ton of cash. Their service has always been fantastic as well.
(5)Samantha F.
LockKeepers is right up the street from where I work, Praise the Baby Jesus a decent place to go to lunch! The food is beautifully prepared and the service has almost always been stellar. Yesterday was no exception. If you have the opportunity as for Jackie R; she was an awesome server! My boyfriend and I periodically rendezvous at LockKeepers for lunch. He meets me there and it feels like a clandestine meeting even if it is wholesome. My favorite lunches are on the nice days when we can dine on the patio. The LockKeepers pronto luncheon special is quickly prepared and exactly the right size for a meal. This changes with the season and daily, so make sure to get the specials from your server. Yesterday, my boyfriend enjoyed the lasagna. A large portion of lasagna was served in its own lasagna pan, while not the best I've ever had, it meets a need. I enjoyed "Frank's Salad" with a portion of rare tuna on the side. While the salad was perfect and the tuna amazing I don't think the tuna portion size warranted the $12 additional for the fish. (A bit high for market value right now.) We enjoyed post lunch coffee and espresso with the flourless chocolate cake. The dessert was the perfect portion for my handsome companion and me to share. I wasn't in DIRE need of dessert so if you're really needed the sweet, order your own. :) While I have never been to LockKeppers for dinner, I have requested the dinner menu to compare to the luncheon menu. There is a slightly expanded selection of food and the sandwiches are not as prevalent. I have no doubt that dinner would be just as lovely if not more so than the lunch. Try LockKeepers , it is one of the few restaurants left that understand appropriate service and food preparation.
(5)Charles H.
My cousin had her wedding here and everything was top notch! The service the food the cocktails. I had the best stuffed pork chop of my life. It was perfection. The desserts they provided were excellent as well. I can't wait to go back again. They made me feel like I was royalty. Excellent all around.
(5)Bradley P.
One of my favorite all around restaurants. Lockkeepers offers high end quality food with an emphasis on Italian cuisine, but also limits its menu to a $30 limit, with many entrees between 15 and 20 dollars. The service is outstanding, the food is consistently delicious, the view is beautiful, sitting on Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is especially beautiful in the autumn as the leaves are changing. In addition, if you are ever looking to have a private event, I had a dozen friends for dinner in their Sommelier room, and it was incredible. There is no room fee, just a very reasonable minimum spending amount, and the room is exquisite, plus your own server. The room is up high, overlooking the normal dining room and right next to the large wine cellar. They have other larger rooms for weddings, business events, etc. Management was extremely accommodating and supportive and the night was great. Lastly, their wine list is a jaw dropper, looking more like a text book when you first get it. Page after page after page of wines ranging from 30 dollar bottles to 1000 dollar bottles. They have some wine experts on hand to help you pick the perfect bottle. At dinner with my friends they selected a bottle of Cab Sav which, of nearly 200 bottles we have been through in the past few years (we keep track for our personal reference), it still stands as the best of them all.
(5)Molly J.
excellent food, service, and atmosphere. lovely outdoor patio for the summer time. the food is a little pricey, but worth it, they also have nice happy hour/lunch specials. very friendly bartenders as well.
(5)T. S.
Consistently solid execution with great service. Having won me over as a regular since Dante vacated, not one visit has disappointed.
(4)Janet K.
Delicious food, good wine selection, and the absolute hands down most delightful hostess and waitresses I've ever come across. I travel the country for work so that's tall praise coming from me. The calamari appetizer was unique and delicious. It was large and we split it three ways. The scallops with the cauliflower mashers were absolutely superb. The home made spaghetti and clams special was delicious. I had a cappuccino and raspberry sorbet for desert which was excellent and just perfect... Not too sweet. The complimentary valet guys were very nice as well. We had a great experience. Don't pass it up!!!
(5)Karla M.
Fabulously good food-- consistently. A friend and I went for New Year's Eve. We shared the calamari which was excellent. I had the Frank' salad which was huge-- lightly dressed and delicious. I had the lasagna and my friend had the lobster. Both were excellently prepared. And how could I forget the tomato basil artichoke soup which was a delight- we finished off with the cheesecake for dessert. The service is exceptional. Definitely one of the nicest restaurants in the Cleveland area.
(5)Adam H.
Excellent food, presentation, atmosphere, and bar....is there anything else to say?! I went to this delish restaurant for a work dinner and was blown away. They start you off with fresh bread and a spread of butter or an olive puree. I had the night's seafood special of shrimp and scallops with a lobster tail on risotto. It was great and just the right size. The flavors were excellent and the seafood quality was great for Ohio. Everyone at the table was very happy with the meal and the service. We followed up with desert and everyone ordered a different dish, once again no complaints. The chocolate cake was something special though. It was made to order and amazing. After this huge meal I went with a tasty and strong espresso. All in all, a great restaurant. If you were to go here for drinks you wouldn't be disappointed either. Their bar is very well stocked and even had a few Scotches that surprised me. I will definitely be back.
(5)Stephanie S.
Oh gosh. You wouldn't expect the interior of this building to be so spacious and well-decorated, but it was. I came with a lunch date and found the menu items that we ordered to be spectacular. I had the Chicken Scaloppini - the meat was tender and easily sliced through as well as definitively dripping with flavor. The sides of garlic roasted mashed potatoes and vegetables (I believe I had some sort of roasted squash and zucchini) were great - the potatoes were creamy and the vegetables were fresh and cooked to the exact amount of tenderness. My date had the gnocchi, though by the time he had finished his salad he was a little too full for it. Generous portion sizes here. For the lunch menu, the prices were more than affordable especially given the quality of our food. The service was attentive though not overly friendly. I hope to return soon!
(5)David H.
Food was OK. I ate here for a dinner meeting 2 nights in a row. My salads both nights were a little wilted. Filet mignon was served at room temperature. Wine selection was nice and the servers were attentive. Chicken piccata was pretty dry and had literally 3 capers. The first night I parked my own car as there was a spot very close to the entrance. The second evening it was 10 degrees out and very busy so I allowed the valet to park. On receiving my car back, I noticed the driver's side window trim had been ripped off of my convertible top. Of course the valet claimed no responsibility for this and I had a cold drive home. Even though the food and service is good, I wouldn't bring my wife here as I will not trust the valet again and we can't walk half a mile in frigid weather when she has asthma.
(2)Kristie P.
Pricey restaurant rides on its upscale image alone. Food is okay, but nothing special. I had the special sesame encrusted sashimi tuna. It was slightly overdone, and i thought It was cut a bit too thick. They have a large wine menu which was nice, but i think a little on the pricey side as well ($21 - 100+ per bottle with the average around $30) Desserts were creative and tasty but I've had better. The atmosphere was nice, and service was good. Overall, I expected a lot more for the price.
(3)A M.
My grandparents or clients would really like this place. I thought it was okay, but a little too old school for what I was hoping for and boy what a contrast from this, again perfectly acceptable nice place and lolita which I had the pleasure of going on Tuesday after a Monday visit here. I was here last Monday and a few business associates had arranged for the sommelier room at this restaurant a couple miles away from the hotel. The first impression is very good with a nice guy and a complimentary valet, however don't really know why this is necessary given the ample parking below. The space itself is actually quite beautiful with warm lighting, high ceilings and white table cloths. The servers are dressed iup and all seem quite professional. I'll tell you what struck me most about the place was the beautiful ornate woodwork. We were seated in the sommelier room with about 8 of us at a large (oak?) table I'd guess. The wine room was directly behind our private dining room and again the general atmosphere was quite nice and relaxing. The meal started with some perfectly acceptable bread served with a nice dipping oil. The waiter was happy to make ame a dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives on the rocks and the wine selection was pretty ample and reasonably priced. I don't really eat salads and so he suggested the vegetarian bean soup of some kind. I didn't think I was going to like it, but the flavor was actually quite good. The only miss was the soup was luke warm. I then had the lamb chops as the entree which were served with a very nice crust and a healthy portion. The temperature was a little off, but not enough to mess up the lamb. The risotto that accompanied was very rich and for me a bit of a miss. I'm not italitan and probably have no idea what good risotto is. I just know what I like. Others had the scallopini, salmon and steaks. I didn't hear any negative comments about the place. Again, this is a pretty good spot, but not necessarily where I would want to go often or go to eat at the bar. It's probably great for weddings and business functions and has a little above average food in a nice atmosphere with good service.
(3)Johnny A.
Made reservations for two on a Saturday night. Seated immediately when we arrived. Service was rapid and polite. The table we were seated at had a wonderful view of the decor inside the building. I really loved the warm feeling it gave me. We had scouted out the menu here before hand and ordered the things we saw that looked interesting. I couldn't wait to try the scallop dish I saw. Then we started eating the food. Everything was bland and of very average quality. Dinner rolls, salads, lobster bisque... had no pop like I was being served reheated food from the supermarket. The appetizer was the fried mozerella... again bland and tasteless like a box of frozen TGI Fridays chessesticks. I held out hope for the main course and luckily it actually had some flavor to it. My date's fish dish was pretty bleh so she said but it looked good. We opted not to get desert for fear that it would be as bad as the other things we ordered. Paid the check which had somehow almost reached $100 (went over that with tip of course) and left pretty unhappy. My money would have been much better spent elsewhere. Do yourself a favor and take a pass on this overpriced celebration of bland food.
(1)Pam P.
The only downside to this restaurant is parking - so remember to valet upon arrival. This is one of my favorites in town. A recent lunch, I had a seared trout. It was lovely. At a recent dinner, my friend and I started with the cheese platter. That was a nice compliment to the wine we selected. The wine list is excellent. Dinner - sea scallops prepared over risotto. Nicely done. Excellent spot for business dinners, large groups or small intimate dinners. Just outstanding.
(5)Rachel B.
I must preface this by saying that I didn't really have a true "restaurant" experience here. I went to my husband's company Christmas party here last night. I was simultaneously impressed with, and turned off by, the complimentary valet parking. I nicely declined even though it was free. I just hate valet parking. I was coming from work so was kinda dressed "business casual" for this event, and I didn't feel under dressed. It was appropriate for the type of place it was. We had a really nice banquet room, complete with not-so-gaudy Christmas decorations. The carpeting reminded me of being in a hotel, which, come to think of it, isn't so bad, because I like hotels, but I'm not a huge fan of eating in them. The appetizers were really good. Great, even. There was bruscetta, spinach dip with pita, a meat and cheese plate...even VEGETABLES! Yup. I was able to get my daily allowance there. I also got my daily allowance of pizza. Times three. Both the pepperoni and plain were really tasty, although they got cold quickly. Well, whatever, it's still pizza, and good doughy pizza at that (I think it was on foccacia-type bread). The pastas, however, got a big "Hell Naw." There was a penne with a VERY heavy, yet extremely bland, alfredo sauce, to which one man said in reaction, "This has gotta be good for my heart." The other pasta selection was a fusilli (corkscrew/squiggly pasta that I can only imagine little kids eating) with a red sauce that I think was a lame attempt at an arrabitata sauce, but I can't be sure because other than a hot jolt of pepper, it too had no taste. I soon discovered that mixing the two together on the plate provided a better tasting pasta overall...BUT unless you're at the Olive Garden and get the Taste of Italy, you can't really order two dishes on one plate. So skip these pastas. Overall though, nice and friendly atmosphere. Everything was catered extremely well; the food was constantly being replenished, as were our drinks (a plus!). While I would probably never come here just to eat a meal, I had a good time last night and the staff were extremely professional.
(3)Michelle S.
I recently had the opportunity to lunch at LockKeepers. Despite the ever-so-packed parking lot (and dining room, for that matter), I had a good experience top to bottom. The ambiance is nice enough to merit a business suit yet chill enough to accommodate your khaki/polo shirt crowd. Our server was attentive and delightful, recommending the prosciutto, arugula and parmesan pizza. As always when I'm conflicted about what to order, I took her up on the recommendation. Here's where the review gets really good. This is what pizza is supposed to be like; simple, rustic, and artfully conceived. The crust was thin, crispy, warm and chewy. The flavors and textures of the toppings created a perfect compliment: paper-thin slices of rich, salty prosciutto, generous shavings of parmigiano-reggiano, crisp, peppery arugula, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh ground pepper. YUM! I'm going to save a higher rating until after I'm able to take advantage of the dinner menu. I might even up the ante by making the best of the warm, dark atmosphere by taking a date. Stay tuned...
(3)Jillian N.
This semi-expensive, fancy-pants restaurant went from being LockKeepers to Dante and then back to LockeKeepers. Even though it has a fancy-people-only feel to it, especially with their valet parking, you can still come here dressed down on casual friday and get away with getting a coke and a pizza, albeit a fancy pizza. Their patio is really nice and overlooks a nice view of flowers, the canal, and some obnoxious street construction. I'd say this is definitely one of the best places to eat at in the Valley View area.
(4)Versoverita V.
the setting was a sunset dinner aside the river in a high ceiling wood paneled main dining room... comfortable warm settting...attentive experienced staff.... Raymond Cabernet Napa average, grilled salmon with polenta and grilled peppers/squash/asparagus good to above avg, as were the crab cakes; cheese ravioli avg,, tiramisu excellent. very relaxing time with comfortable decibel level too :)
(3)JL O.
Food was very good, well prepared and fresh. Seafood diavolo .. Seafood cooked well, not over cooked, pasta was cooked well, sauce good but not great. Filet mignon was well prepared...perfectly pink center. Service was excellent.
(4)John S.
Really like it and will be back. Top notch service. High end setting. Very good food.
(4)Arlene A.
While I generally enjoyed my experience here. The initial impression was one of awkwardness. There was a wine tasting going on in the bar/lounge area, and the hostess/staff had no idea of where to seat us. The initial idea was to put us in the lounge (???), but thankfully they decided to put us in the dining area. We were told several times that the dinner menu wasn't available (duh! really no dinner at 4pm, sorry but I'm not new), which wasn't a problem as we were just looking for some nibbles and drinks. So outside of the service glitches, the food is very good. We got the calamari salad, the pizza of the day and a pitcher of Basil Mojitos. The salad was flavorful, with sun-dried tomato, olives and just the perfect drizzle of olive oil. The pitcher of Mojitos was a wonderful surprise and I can't wait to make a version of it at home. When back in the area, I'd give it another go.
(3)T S.
I've been here several times for various functions and meals. The food is rather typical Americanized Italian. There isn't really any standout piece to this restaurant other than it feels like a 50's corporate board room! My experiences here have been consistent. Good service, decent food, and a bit pricey.
(3)Sara R.
Loved it! Organized a 7-person group dinner through OpenTable and all were very pleased. Food was great, great wine list, great desserts by in-house pastry chef, and service was excellent. Portions were excellent. It was nice to get away from the chain restaurants that dominate Independence. We were staying there for a week on business and a waiter at Outback recommended it. So happy he did! The bolognese sauce was very good on my ravioli. My coworkers had the pumpkin ravioli, the lasagna and the chicken picatta. I had mascarpone cheesecake for dessert and it was excellent. Great wine suggestions from our server. We had a primary server but all the others around us pitched in so that nothing fell through the cracks. Great atmosphere. Also, even though we were surrounded by people (dining room was full), we were able to hear eachother well. Highly recommend!
(5)Nicole M.
If you want to take your parents out for dinner, this is the place. The food ranges from OK to good. Nothing on the menu is particularly challenging. The atmosphere in attractive and relaxed. The service is fantastic. We started dinner with a cocktail and some bread. The cocktail glass was sticky-- ew. But the bread was warm, fresh and crusty with a wonderful tapenade-- salty and savory. We had the house calamari as an appetizer. It was your basic fried, breaded calamari tossed with some of the tapenade, sundried tomatoes and mushrooms. I liked this twist on the same old fried calamari! I had the saltimboca pork chops. You would think that pork chops covered in prosciutto and stuffed with cheese would be really juicy. Not so much. The prosciutto was completely dried out and the chop was very well done. Not bad tasting, just a bit overcooked. It was served with baby vegetables-- nicely crisp tender-- and a square of deep fried risotto-- really good. My dining companions had the seafood risotto and the salmon-- pronounced very good. They accommodated my daughter by offering a bowl of pasta with butter and cheese. Second graders love that sort of thing. The deserts were boring. Our tiramisu wasn't bad, but wasn't particularly good, just sort of there. My daughter actually left half her sundae. Wow! The service, however, was really outstanding. Our waiter was friendly but not intrusive. He was a real professional-- there when you needed him, politely at a distance when you did not. The serving staff and the bussers were also polite and unobtrusive. I would give the staff 5 stars! I really appreciated the waiter giving the price of each special. He also gave the approximate number of ounces of seafood or meat in each dish. Nice!
(3)Jeff P.
Wow! What a great find. A bit off the beaten path, but this place was great. Tasty, fresh Italian fare. It was a beautiful day when I went, so the patio was awesome. The service was great too.
(4)Richard W.
Never a dull meal at the locks.
(5)Stephanie W.
Was in Ohio on business and colleagues recommended Lock Keepers for a nice dinner. Boy were they right!! A colleague and I went for dinner, and were given a nice table in their back room in the corner. Ambiance was lovely after a long day - kind of dark and quiet. Very relaxing and would be a very romantic spot for a date. Their complimentary bread & butter are yummy. I then got the tomato artichoke bisque soup as a starter (DELICIOUS), my colleague got the lentil/prosciutto which she said was good. After our soup they brought us out a surprise treat: a single cheese ravioli with their marinara sauce - free of charge - which was superb!! Main course was their skirt steak with potatoes and chard - prepared perfectly and was very tasty. Colleague had salmon with polenta which she said was very good. We both had their Pinot Noir (by the glass) which was excellent. Service was very polite, prompt & friendly. We were stuffed and couldn't do dessert, but I imagine that would've been lovely as well. Valet parking made dealing with the snow/ice much easier!
(4)Maria W.
Had a birthday celebration here with close family and friends. There were 16 of us so I had picked out a special menu with apps, and entrees for this event and I had worked with Stephanie I believe her name was. She was so kind and helpful with everything. Our food was outstanding, and my pork was truly a melt in your mouth entree with all the flavors, and seasonings. The staff was nice as well and took great care of us. Out of all 16 of us there was not one compliant with food, drinks, or service, so they obviously are doing something correctly at Lockkeepers. We will defintely be back!
(5)Carter P.
I had the tuna tartar appetizer which was utterly tasteless and the ribeye which while cooked well wasn't seasoned properly. I'll take a pass in the future and try someplace different.
(2)Beverly W.
It was hard to decide on a star rating. This restaurant is located less than a mile from where I've been going to the doctor for a broken arm. So we jumped at the chance to try them for lunch. We went two times, and I am unsure we will return. But why not give it a third try to match the three stars I gave? Our first meal there we shared a fresh pear and gargonzola arugula salad. It was refreshing, well seasoned and while a bit heavily dressed for my taste, the dressing was not overwhelming. I had chicken picotta, which was delectable, he had the quite reasonably priced filet mignon ($12) which was sizable and perfectly cooked. Sounds great, right? But the following week I went back to the doctor and we had our second LockKeepers meal. Holy canoli, Italian-cravers. I ordered a side of steamed brocolli in exchange for the house salad...it was cooked to smithereens. I put my fork in and the majority of the floret fell to the plate in clumps. I forced myself to eat it because brocolli has calcium and calcium helps bones. I expect the veggies in federal prisons are more delicious. Then I made a hearstaggering choice between lasagne and bolognese. Both are among my favorite foods. I chose WRONG!! I went with lasagne and it was basically a bowl of sauce with some meat swimming in it and one globinous piece of cheese. He got crabcakes==it was the bad kind of crab, not the lump meat and he said it tasted fishy and gross. So, one five star meal, followed by a one star, 3 stars for now. I may have a third just to see, out of sheer curiosity in the mathematics alone.
(3)Ramona R.
Awesome food!! There banquet hall is beautiful as well. The staff is very friendly and provide great service!
(4)Lucas E.
It was extremely busy. The wedge salad was great. The meal however was forgettable. Not typical for this place. I would say it is the best in cleveland.
(4)Tina C.
Excellent italian restaurant. Interior is very clean and spacious. Food was great. We ordered the Calamari and Prosciutto as appetizers and both was very good. Service is also impeccable. Dinner entrees was also excellent, can't remember what it was...but it was excellent. And the pricing wasn't too bad to boot.
(5)