Brennan’s Colony

This is such a great place to get some bar grub and watch a game. The service is great and during big Cavs games they will play sound too.
In the summer their patio bar with TV’s is also really fun. It’s very large and expansive.
The food is bar fare. It is excellent!

I really, really want to love this place since I live in the Heights, but I just don’t. I’ve been here three times and each time has just been mediocre at best. Yesterday the hubs and I decided to stop for a quick snack and beer during the Holiday Hop.
The bar is in desperate need of an update. I know it’s an old, beloved Heights bar, but it’s so rundown. It’s got a great space in a prime location on Lee, but it just seems to rest on it’s reputation as a «Cheers» type of bar.
The staff: zero personality and I overheard a few people complaining about customers. Never a good sign. When I ordered my beer, the bartender couldn’t even muster up a smile or act less annoyed that I asked for a sample of a beer I’d never had and thought I may want to order.
Food: we only got appetizers. Typical bar food which was okay. Mozzarella sticks were pretty good. Also ordered a large onion ring. It is HUGE. More than enough for two. Only real complaint is zero seasoning in the batter for the onion rings. Would have even gone for some kind of dipping sauce.
Prices are decent. They do have a back patio that’s pretty badass (for those warm summer nights!) Can’t see myself going here with any kind of frequency. I’ll keep frequenting Lee Road, just not this place. Darn!

This is a really cool place to eat. We had a large party including two small children; were seated promptly and drink orders taken. All of our food orders were correct and everyone at our table thought their food was wonderful. I had the pork chop with mashed potatoes and spinach, all of which was perfectly prepared and elegantly presented. The pork chop was superb and the mashed potatoes were homemade and buttery. The spinach had hints of garlic and was very tasty. We also had onion rings as an appetizer which were very good and not at all greasy. Park in the back rather than on the street front to avoid traffic and parking issues. Highly recommend and will eat here again the next time I come to Cleveland!

Does not get any better. Real hometown feel. Great patio, great food, great drinks, great staff. JB would be proud.

I’ve been to Brennan’s twice now and I have to say I’ve been less than impressed with both the staff and the food. To be fair, the first time I was there, I had a hot dog. Big deal. But the second time we came, I was kind of confused about why our group didn’t just go elsewhere.
We met a group of friends out on the patio and they were smoking, so they were in the smoking area. When we arrived, the waitress came to the table asked us if we wanted to order food. When we said yes, she instructed us to move out of the smoking only section, which, I obviously don’t care – there’s a designated section where you have to be to eat? OK, deal, I can handle that. But she didn’t ask nicely or use a polite tone and that really bothered me. Like we were scolded children or something. This happened again when our new server told us we had to move because it looked like it might rain. He was snotty and demanding as well – where are the staff’s manners?! As we waited for a table to open up inside, he snatched up our menus and I continued to get hangrier, while we still sat awkwardly and drinkless. We finally made it inside and got to look at menus (everything seems pretty pricey for what it is). I settled on a burger, which ended up being a surprisingly brown medium rare and the bun was like wet toilet paper. This, after starving, not being able to even order a beer to take the edge off, and the rude staff treating us like we were an inconvenience, was hugely disappointing. Needless to say we won’t be back, despite being a pleasant half mile bike ride away.

Love this place. Great food (though a bit pricey for bar food), good service. They have an awesome patio. Recommend the grouper sandwich, great burgers, or any of the salads. Best bar on Lee road.

Pretty darn good food. Full bar that you can order from your table. Their soups were surprisingly good. Things felt a tiny bit cramped at their bar area, but their attached main dining room was more than spacious enough for the large group I travel with. Had a few tacky arcade game at the entrance that I didn’t really see the appeal to, but otherwise the place is very nice place to go, especially with groups of friends.

You may not understand my 4-​star rating after just one trip to «The Colony.» But I swear this neighborhood bar is a truly special place. I think it takes at least a handful of visits to understand why.
The food isn’t extraordinary, but it is solid bar food at reasonable prices. Try the All World burger if you like burgers. It’s delicious, and if you order it med-​rare they’ll actually make it med-​rare. Don’t be tempted by the Mini All World burger. You’ll want the thicker patty, even if it means you share with your mom, or eat it over a couple of days. Trust me!
The portobello sandwich is delicious. The marinated and grilled portobello comes topped with blue cheese, spinach, and some delicious aioli. This is my go-​to order.
The salads are pretty good and some of the specials are sometimes delicious. Try the meatloaf if they have it. It’ll feed you for a couple of meals.
They don’t have a kids’ menu, but this place is always loaded with families. Especially on Friday nights. It is hands down my kids’ favorite place to eat. While not on the menu, you can order a bowl of buttered noodles (whatever pasta they’re serving as a special) for a couple bucks, the chicken noodle soup (when they have it) is another fave, and they have the typical things kids order (chix fingers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, BLTs).
The patio is really quite beautiful and appropriate for family dinner or first date drinks. They have those kerosene heaters to keep it open on cooler days, so grab a sweater and sit outside. The atmosphere is great!
The best thing about The Colony is that everyone goes there. If you’re from the area, you WILL see people you know. And your neighbors (or their kids) will likely be waiting your table. They sponsor softball teams and give back in countless other ways. It’s kind of like your block party in there… just an extension of home.

Basically it has delicious food, local bar feeling, good selection of drinks and amazing staff. So that description enough should make you want to check this place out. I have been going to the colony since I was little and I love it there! Its definitely a must place to visit in Cleveland Heights! In the summer the back patio is one of my favorite places to sit and spend time with friends. It gives off the atmosphere of a neighborhood bar.

Our family has enjoyed going to the Colony for years. It has arcade games for kids and a comfortable atmosphere for families. Our kids think the burgers are delicious and the bar food is solid. They also have strong dinner entrees and a good beer selection. Some of our favorites are the buffalo chicken wrap, meatloaf, soups, beef brisket sandwich (when available) and the salads. Overall if you want a relaxed dining experience with good American food you can’t go wrong. Great patio in the summer as well.

The food overall was wasn’t very enjoyable, but the service quality was normal, and they have two arcade games for the kids. However I’m not sure if I would go back.

What’s not to love about a fun bar/​restaurant where the people are friendly and the food is far better than average? I thought that I would be depressed n my first visit after the death of the owner but I wasn’t. He it felt good to contribute to keeping the place going. It is a neighborhood bar for everyone even if you aren’t from the area.

If my husband was on Unilocal,he’d give this place 5 stars. He loves the Colony. I’d give it 3. So, let’s be generous and say 4 for the both of us. This is a homey place and has a nice patio for good weather. The food has been inconsistent for me — I’ve had amazing things (their wings are great), some satisfying things (lobster mac and cheese) and some not great things (some sub-​par sandwiches and weak fries). I’ve never had an issue with the service. We worked with the late owner to rent out their back room for a party and he was a pleasure to work with and everyone enjoyed themselves.
I’m glad that they stayed open after the tragic death of the owner and I see that they’re really trying to continue on like he would have wanted.

This is a great place to go relax and have a good dinner or night with ur friends or a date! Its not loud and it is family-​friendly! The bar is small and they have little Tv’s.but the food is really good here. ANYTHING from italian wedding soup to reuben to fries to onion rings… to their specials. It is a home body feel ! Definitely would recommend this place to anyone!

Had a couple of beers, some chicken wings, onion rings, and a burger here last night on the patio. The patio ambiance is quite pleasant.
I was impressed with the wings. The buffalo sauce has excellent flavor. The burger had good grille flavor and generous toppings.
My tummy felt satisfied, but alas, my wallet felt a little less happy. It was a little pricey for what we got. Wings are about $ 1 each. There’s nothing on the plate with the burger. It didn’t push my food value meter into my happy place. I would not hesitate to head back when I’m craving a burger, but it won’t likely become part of my weeknight rotation.

A great neighborhood spot that offers tasty food, good beer, and an awesome patio. This place offers really great standard bar food, especially their burgers and ribs, as well as tasty non-​standard bar food such as salads and pasta dishes. No, it’s not re-​writing the rules of the culinary world, but it leaves you with a full belly and a smile on your face. Their burgers are delicious, in particular the ½ lb. Old World burger with caramelized onions. Most recently I had their Steak Romaine Salad. Romaine lettuce with 6 oz. of steak on top cooked just the way I like it (medium). Very juicy, tender, and overall delicious salad for $ 13.95. Oh yeah, that’s another good point. The prices are very good and it won’t hit your wallet.
My all time favorite part of the place is the patio. It doesn’t even feel like you’re in the middle of Cleveland Heights. On a nice night, having a beer and some ribs on the patio while enjoying good conversation with friends is one of my top ten things to do in Cleveland.

I went there for lunch a few weeks back, and it was fine. Nothing outstanding. The food arrived hot, and fresh, but the one thing that detracted… never got a refill on my Iced Tea. That’s a big miss in my world. Especially when I’m in a WATERING HOLE!

I would give this a lower rating based on my experience, but I haven’t tried the food so I don’t think that would be completely fair. The bartenders were fairly dismissive and not entirely welcoming. The drinks were priced as if this place was better than it was. It’s a small to medium size place, decent atmosphere but I didn’t really feel a strong desire to come back.

Mediocre food. Negligent service — staff too busy socializing with each other and texting to stop by table more than twice (take the order/​deliver the order).
Not recommended.

Ah the Colony — used to be a heights staple. Now a last resort for heights diners with no better options. We used to frequent — but as food declined, service followed. Most recently I called to place a takeout order and they said they were too busy to take any carry out orders. The attitude of the wait staff is what I would expect of royalty. I am sure the colony will continue to do well, because there just are not a lot of options and CH diners don’t know what good food tastes like.