The Jolly Scholar

I always enjoy the Jolly… it’s convenient for a quick drink after clinic all day or for dinner with classmates. I especially enjoy the buffalo chicken quesadilla… it’s filled to the brim with chicken, bacon, cheese, and buffalo sauce. There’s a slight kick to it which makes me love it even more!
Sometimes there is a long wait time for service or for food, but it’s a college bar with college students working for the most part. You kind of get what you’d expect. Everyone is always super friendly though!

Drink here.
Do not talk.
Do not eat.
And for the love of god, DO NOT be in a hurry.
ol’ Jolly will always give you a great selection of beers.
The music, no matter the genre, will always blast away any conversation you’d hoped for.
The bar food will proudly out-​bar all other bar food you know. Most food items are pre-​packaged and reheated (not made in-​house). Expect it to be cold and heavily salted. (Except for sugar bowl that holds your sweet potato fries — WTF?) The «falafel» is a basket of PGA golf balls painted brown.
Your server, no matter the hour, will never come.
Save yourself the trouble: belly-​up to the bar and settle — quiet, hungry, and ignored — into your beer.

I came here with some classmates after class one day (which was perfect since our class is over at 5) to relax and get to know them better and it was such a great time. We didn’t have anywhere to be so we didn’t really notice how long we were there or anything, but I don’t remember any of the five of us feeling neglected or like things were taking too long (as some of the other reviewers were saying).
I am not normally a beer drinker as most beers, to me, taste like I’ve already thrown them up, and it is not a pleasant experience. Yet I asked our friendly waitress if she had any recommendations for beer for people like me and she brought me this really delicious grapefruit beer! I was so surprised that I really did enjoy it! Actually it didn’t taste much like beer, but more of like a nice summer drink you would have with breakfast. I also ordered the Fish & Chips which I also really enjoyed.
They were out of some things when my cohort were ordering, but that wasn’t the waitress’s fault and she was pleasant about it.
Overall, for a pub that is right in the middle of campus, and literally down the stairs from one of my classes, we had a great time!

Wait! How the hell have I not reviewed this place yet?! Suprisingly good beers for a college bar. I feel really old when I come in here but I always have fun. I feel like Uncle Jesse when he kicks it with D.J.‘s friends on Full House. Kinda creepy but it works. Food is good too. Bar food but the pizza and wings were dope! Good, honest bar food. I have been to a GLBC tap takeover and other numerous times. Everytime I have had a blast and the owner dude is super nice and genuinely kind. The kids in here look barely old enough to drink and its kinda hard to find but after a few shots and a couple pints to the dome you’ll be signing up for the Tri-​Lambs in no time!

This is a college bar that is open to the public. Keep that in mind when you walk in on a Saturday and are ignored for 15 minutes straight by three different bartenders.
Things apparently more important than serving you drinks (especially if you appear over the age of 21):
— putting glassware away
— cutting lemons and limes
— chatting with friends
— entering tips and tabs into the computer like it’s closing time
As a bartender of over 10 years in my past life (yes, even while I was in college) none of the things mentioned above are more important than making money for the bar: AKA SERVING DRINKS TO PATRONS. I would have been fired. Period. Fruit is to be cut before opening. Glassware can be cleaned and restocked by a bar back or just ONE of the three bartenders, but not during a rush. And tips/​tabs are entered at the end of the night.
I did not try the food, but the lack of service left a bad taste in my mouth. Talk about amateur hour. And being a college bar isn’t an excuse. I expected way more based on the positive reviews and was beyond disappointed.
Two stars because my tequila wasn’t over-​priced and was free-​hand poured.

I decided to give The Jolly Scholar another chance. I’m glad that I did. This time around the customer service was on point. The wait time was very short. The staff were very friendly. I got the brisket sandwich, which overall was very good. I just wish that my bread was toasted more than what it was, because by the time I was able to get to it (10 minutes later, this was a to go order) the condensation from the food made the bread a little bit soggy, but for me, that nothing that would make or break this review. Overall, very good experience.

Jolly Scholar is the true definition of a college pub! Bar, tables, and facilities were very polished and clean. Paintings line the upper wall from the Godfather to Fredrick Douglas. Vibrant titles of the speciality brews along the bar pillars. Numerous TVs decorated every wall each playing various sports and games with audio provided by the game played at the main tv above the bar. The staff is extremely polite and personable. Slightly under staffed was not enough to provide attention to everyone on a slightly slow afternoon. My food did not take to long to come out. I had the unlimited wings for $ 10 i chose the gold rush wings which were the bar favorite mixed with traditional and boneless styled wings. They were tasty with a mixture of honey mustard bbq & mild. They were served with fries that were very warm crispy and salted. Overall good experience would not mind coming back.

Drove in from NYC hungry as F at 10PM on a Sunday, staying in CWR campus, this place was open late, chicken tenders and pretzels were GOOD.

Not too shabby of a place. As a graduate student, seems like a chill place to hang with friends on less hectic nights. Trivia night gets a full house. Every now and then you’ll catch people studying at tables and at the bar. Unlimited wings on Sunday nights. Again, chill place.

How could I give them 5 stars? A college bar, you ask? The food is amazing and all made in-​house, the brisket, the smoked meats, everything. And on Sundays they have a great deal, all the wings you can eat for only $ 10, and their wings are the bomb! Don’t miss coming here if you can find it.

This place is so popular it has become a major selling point for the University. I recommend it to anyone, in particular students because the atmosphere is more aimed to them but honestly anyone who likes good food and cheap drinks would love it.
All of their BBQ dishes are amazing. They recently changed their chicken tenders’ recipe and they are better than before. Most of their milkshakes are amazing (I for whatever reason didn’t care for the Nutella one but to each their own). Their drink deals are the cheapest in the city that I am aware of. As others have said, it can get crowded and VERY loud, but it’s a college bar :). The staff is also very chill.

Trivia is a waste of time and money. The questions are easy, the MC’s are both insulting and boring, and the food is definitely subpar. I know you’re on CWRU’s campus, but really guys. You can do better.

Before writing this review, I wanted to make sure I gave this place a fair shot and by fair shot I mean coming here three times. First time I went was on trivia night, which was so fun! We ordered a pizza, it was a good size and could be shared amongst a few people, but the taste wasn’t very appetizing but I thought maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. We also had an appetizer (I can’t remember what we ordered at the time) but it too, was mediocre.
Second trip, I ordered the Jolly burger, which I thought may be a step up from the pizza, and unfortunately it wasn’t. I eat burgers all the time and this burger was dry and tasteless. I ordered sweet potato fries on the side and they were frozen and very unpleasant, I couldn’t eat more than the fry I tasted. Also, my order was served wrong and needed to be corrected three times, but I won’t include that as part of the review as I understand these are student waitresses and it is common to make mistakes. Also as an appetizer, we ordered these potato chips (they were fresh, made from potatoes) they were delicious, I loved them.
Now the third time, I thought why not come for what they seem to be known for; wings! Boy was I wrong! Third time is a charm? NOT here. The wings were the worst thing I have ever tasted in my life. The wings were not even all wings. The basket came as two (frozen) chicken tenders, 4 regular wings, and a huge drumstick. How is this an order of wings??? I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry over this, it was a combination of the two because I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. It was really funny now that I look back.
Anyway, one star for the atmosphere, trivia night, karaōke and, other activities they have going on. The other star is for the potato chips! I would only come back for the appetizer and maybe try a dessert but I wouldn’t eat an actual «entrée» here again.

I write this from the West Coast, as I’ve been looking for another Jolly out here and gave always come up short. Simply put, the Jolly has the best craft beers on tap, for the best prices, with great food to go along with it. The bartenders are great, even if they can get bogged down on a busy night. The music and atmosphere is always on point.

This place can be a bit tricky to find if it’s your first visit. I went on a Sunday night, so it was relatively low-​key. A couple of students were there watching
the Browns game. I had the hot wings, which were pretty good. The Guinness I had was pretty disappointing as it tasted watered down, but I had a Thirsty Dog after which was very nice. Very reasonable prices for the beer, and friendly staff.

The Jolly Scholar is the bomb! Conveniently located in the Case Western student center, this is a great place to grab a bite to eat or get a drank when you’re on the Case campus.
When you first walk in, seat yourself wherever and the server will come to you! There are many signs around the bar area that shows their specialty beers, so grab yourself a light refreshment while waiting to order/​get your food! I love getting their apple cider, which is perfectly sweet.
As for the food, the many times I’ve been here I’ve only ordered their wings. Why? Because they are Award Winning!!! Like literally, they are called Award Winning Wings! I usually get the 50 – 50, which is a combination of teriyaki sauce and something else delicious that I don’t remember lol. It comes with super crunchy and yummy fries on the side and a little thing of ranch sauce, all for just $ 9! Thank you Jolly for not completely breaking my wallet :)
Just a warning, service tends to be on the slow side so be patient because the food and booze are worth it!

Food was good. I stopped in during lunch and ordered the chicken philly. The portions were good and the flavor was great. The bartender was attentive and the general atmosphere was really inviting and casual. If I went to school in Cleveland, this place would be a regular stop.

A few months ago, I was waiting for the release papers from University Hospitals and the lunch tray wasn’t appealing so I escaped for an hour and went to The Jolly Scholar in search of real food.
Not only did I find satisfying food, but my favorite cocktail and Peter, who took care of my needs and assured me a good time. The bar/​restaurant is alive with students (how do they learn full of beer?) and music.
They say they feed the minds of the smartest kids in the world and all regulars graduate with honors! That would have made me a regular years ago.
I also learned they cater at very reasonable rates.
If you’re near CWRU and hungry, thirsty, tired or bored, get Jolly and stop by here.

This little place is inside the student center at Case Western, but is open to the public. If you’re on campus for a little bit, this is definitely worth checking out!
They have a variety of programming and delicious foods! There are TVs on every wall and a full bar. You definitely don’t find that on a college campus student center very often.
They’ve been featured on TV shows on the food network and do a mean pulled pork. The WINNIN’ WINGS are da bomb. They’re so flipping delicious with the crazy sauce and super cheap too. You can definitely come here on a student budget and leave exhaustingly full.
Something that I didn’t realize until recently is how good the milkshakes are! Often, I just get a chocolate shake with the meal of the day (only $ 2 bucks!), but their specialty shakes like thin mint or nutella & peanut butter are sooooo good. I often want to get two, but then I remember that I don’t have the budget for some new, larger pants.
The waitstaff are amazingly nice. They are also amazingly talented! IF you ever go on Karaōke nights on Thursdays, you can hear them belting out country tunes and rapping like no one’s business. Great entertainment and great food, there’s nothing better than that! Only problem with the place is if you’re not a student living on campus, getting parking is NUTS! So if there is an artic vortex, be prepared to WORK for your food.

EDIT: I increased the rating to four because I’ve noticed an improvement in the service since I posted the review below.
This sports bar on the CWRU campus (it’s inside Thwing on Euclid Avenue, next to Severance Hall) is a good «hang out with friends joint» rather than a «date place.» PLENTY of places to sit and lots of TVs near your table, so go there if you and some buds want to watch a game.
The beer and booze selection is pretty good (especially considering this is a campus bar), the menu is decent (find it here:
) and the tabletops are painted with the portraits of famous, mostly bright people in keeping with the place’s name.
The one downside to the place can SOMETIMES be the waitstaff. They’re students and once in a great while I get the impression this is their first job ever. They TRY, they really do try, but once in a blue moon you get someone who doesn’t know to come check your table every X number of minutes the way a seasoned waitress at Denny’s would.
P. S. Per a recent conversation with the manager, JS will only be open until 9:00pm during summer break, probably not open at all on weekends until mid– or late-​August.