Social Profile: 
✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Delivery
… View more
Refined, low-lit institution with upscale Italian fare, live piano music & a stylish crowd.
Hours
| Monday | 11:30 AM–10:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–10:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–10:30 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–10:30 PM |
| Friday | 11:30 AM–11:30 PM |
| Saturday | 5–11:30 PM |
| Sunday | 4–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1406 W 6th St, Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone: (216) 623-0055
Website: http://www.johnnyscleveland.com/
Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Johnny’s Downtown
Cleveland’s premiere Italian restaurant repurposes an 1860’s Warehouse District building and specializes in pasta, veal, and fish.
Johnny’s on Fulton: Johnny’s Bar
Northern Italian Cuisine in an inviting atmosphere, this Cleveland landmark is a must visit for those looking for a memorable Cleveland dining experience.
Johnny’s Downtown | Cleveland OH – Facebook
Johnny’s Downtown, Cleveland. 2014 likes · 4 talking about this · 3333 were here. Short description needed.
Reviews
Julie D’Agostino
This place wasn’t horrible but was disappointing overall. On our first visit, we were promptly turned away and told the kitchen was closed. About a month later, we came back in at around the same time (on a weeknight) and after waiting probably 3-5 minutes just for someone to greet us, were seated without issue, which made the first experience feel strange in hindsight.
During our second visit, the service still felt unwelcoming, particularly toward my friend who was treated noticeably differently without any clear reason. Don’t want to assume it has anything to do with race, but whatever it was, it definitely affected our comfort level and overall experience.
We were expecting something more upscale, but the atmosphere was very loud with noisy drunks. The bathrooms were quite dirty. The food itself was decent but nothing to go out of the way for. The fried mozzarella was frozen, not fresh, so the cheese inside was cold and hard. They do have some unique entrée options which were the best parts of the meal.
This place was recommended to me, but I later found out the recommendation was actually for Johnny’s on Fulton, not this downtown establishment. Unfortunately, this experience just didn’t live up to expectations.
… moreDuring our second visit, the service still felt unwelcoming, particularly toward my friend who was treated noticeably differently without any clear reason. Don’t want to assume it has anything to do with race, but whatever it was, it definitely affected our comfort level and overall experience.
We were expecting something more upscale, but the atmosphere was very loud with noisy drunks. The bathrooms were quite dirty. The food itself was decent but nothing to go out of the way for. The fried mozzarella was frozen, not fresh, so the cheese inside was cold and hard. They do have some unique entrée options which were the best parts of the meal.
This place was recommended to me, but I later found out the recommendation was actually for Johnny’s on Fulton, not this downtown establishment. Unfortunately, this experience just didn’t live up to expectations.
Rita Jordan
We had an enjoyable lunch at Johnnys celebrating my sister’s birthday. Atmosphere was warm and cozy, and our Filets were delectable, cooked to perfection! We plan to return to celebrate another occasion.
… moreJames Thomas
It was a Monday night and perhaps the A team was somewhere else. Much of the food was reasonably good. However risotto served with braised short ribs was undercooked. Risotto *should* be served al dente. This was crunchy, not al dente. I mentioned it to the waitress who frankly couldn’t have cared less. No offer to bring a replacement portion of properly prepared risotto. No problem. I didn’t make an issue of it but no one in our party will ever return. At Johnny’s prices competently prepared food and professional waitstaff should be a given.
… moreSteve
4 of us had dinner on Friday, January 23, at 7:45. The restaurant was empty. We were the only ones in the bar. The service was mediocre bordering on bad. The waitress kept pushing us to order our entrees. We just ordered drinks and appetizers. It was getting very annoying. She finally cleared our plates from the appetizers (which were lackluster). “Ready to order your entrees?” No not yet. Can you believe she said she wanted to go home? I guess the tips weren’t gonna be that good for her.
We ordered our entrees. No finesse or plating skills more like a dinner. The short ribs tasted like they were leftovers and microwaved. My friend’s $72.00 veal chop was so tough that he didn’t finish it. I ordered the pike dinner
the fish tasted like it was frozen burned. The cappuccino coffee maker was broken. The waitress read off the desserts. 2 of the 3 they were out of. Why tell us if you didn’t have them. All in all, our bill came to $500.00, including tip. We obviously won’t go back. We should have read the latest reviews first. Horrible, overpriced, and small portions. RIP OFF !!!
… moreWe ordered our entrees. No finesse or plating skills more like a dinner. The short ribs tasted like they were leftovers and microwaved. My friend’s $72.00 veal chop was so tough that he didn’t finish it. I ordered the pike dinner
the fish tasted like it was frozen burned. The cappuccino coffee maker was broken. The waitress read off the desserts. 2 of the 3 they were out of. Why tell us if you didn’t have them. All in all, our bill came to $500.00, including tip. We obviously won’t go back. We should have read the latest reviews first. Horrible, overpriced, and small portions. RIP OFF !!!
Allison Caronchi
By the look of the restaurant I had high expectations of a fine dining experience for a working lunch. We experienced quite the opposite. The meatball sub was generic and the bread says toasted Italian bread on the menu but it’s just cheap white bread. They call ribeye, Rib Eye… This place is not worth it and the prices are outrageous. Service was okay but we did not get bread when everyone else did. It took forever for the server to come back because he started boxing up everyone’s leftovers… One by one … We won’t be back
… moreShondajah Hawkins
the food was great! I loved how tender the short ribs were and the sauce was amazing. You could probably put that sauce on anything and it would make it amazing! The housemade gnocchi also deserves some praise. They were perfectly fluffy but still had a nice bite to them. I will definitely be back to try one of the veal dishes soon!!
… moreElizabeth Kane
We live in the area but never stopped at Johnny’s and wow were we impressed! The atmosphere was so cozy and relaxing. The food was incredible and the service exceptional! We will definitely be back. And the BEST Manhattan I’ve ever had!
… moreLorenzo De Luca
From the start, the staff acted like we were inconveniencing them by showing up. The woman who greeted us at the door, specially. Our server barely made eye contact, sighed through our questions, and vanished for long stretches. When they did return, their shirt was stained and their apron looked like it hadn’t been washed in days — not exactly the image of “fine dining.”
The food matched the attitude. The Baked Escargot was tough and oily, the Caesar Salad limp and sour. My Veal Scallopini & Shrimp was a salty, overcooked mess, and my partner’s Pasta Puttanesca tasted like plain noodles in tomato water.
We waited nearly an hour between courses with no apology, no updates — just silence. By the time dessert was offered, we were ready to leave and never look back.
Johnny’s might still live off its old reputation, but that’s all it has left. Between the rude staff, dirty uniforms, and forgettable food, it’s a Cleveland classic that’s completely lost its class.
… moreThe food matched the attitude. The Baked Escargot was tough and oily, the Caesar Salad limp and sour. My Veal Scallopini & Shrimp was a salty, overcooked mess, and my partner’s Pasta Puttanesca tasted like plain noodles in tomato water.
We waited nearly an hour between courses with no apology, no updates — just silence. By the time dessert was offered, we were ready to leave and never look back.
Johnny’s might still live off its old reputation, but that’s all it has left. Between the rude staff, dirty uniforms, and forgettable food, it’s a Cleveland classic that’s completely lost its class.
Chi Remington
I usually do not write reviews, but this experience was so bad, I must make an exception.
I had heard the legends about Johnny’s Downtown — the “iconic” Cleveland spot where old-school charm supposedly meets fine dining. What I actually got was a three-hour test of patience and indigestion, masquerading as a meal.
From the moment we sat down, things started going downhill. The waiter disappeared for 20 minutes before even bringing water — perhaps he was off trying to find the lemons for the “lemon butter” they later drowned the Potato Crusted Grouper in. When it finally arrived, the fish was soggy, not crisp; the potato crust tasted like wet cardboard seasoned with regret. I’ve had better texture control microwaving frozen fish sticks.
The French Onion Soup, supposedly a house classic, came lukewarm — like someone had described the concept of “heat” to it once, long ago. The cheese was rubbery enough to double as a bungee cord, and the broth had the complexity of a bouillon cube melted in tap water.
My companion’s Veal Parmesan was a crime scene. The veal was hammered thinner than a parking ticket, the mozzarella slouched over it like it had given up, and the marinara sauce was somehow both bland and acidic. Even Olive Garden would’ve called this a bad day.
Then came the Homemade Gnocchi — doughy little stress balls floating in a sauce so heavy it could anchor a freighter. The shrimp were overcooked into chewy pink marbles, the broccoli limp and lifeless, and the Romano cream tasted like curdled ambition.
We tried to find redemption in dessert, but the only thing served swiftly was the bill — a cruel joke, given that we’d waited over 45 minutes between courses. Even the Soup du Jour took so long I started to wonder if they were waiting for the next day to arrive.
The atmosphere? Somewhere between “dimly lit nostalgia” and “funeral home with candles.” The once-elegant charm feels stale, as though the restaurant’s glory days are as distant as their sense of urgency.
If Johnny himself still roams this kitchen, I suggest he take a long, hard look at his Filet Mignon ($60.95) and ask: “Why does it taste like despair?”
In short:
Service: slower than a glacier.
Food: uninspired, overcooked, and overpriced.
Ambience: dated to the point of parody.
Save your evening — and your digestive tract — and head literally anywhere else downtown. Johnny’s might once have been a Cleveland institution, but now it’s just a museum exhibit of mediocrity.
… moreI had heard the legends about Johnny’s Downtown — the “iconic” Cleveland spot where old-school charm supposedly meets fine dining. What I actually got was a three-hour test of patience and indigestion, masquerading as a meal.
From the moment we sat down, things started going downhill. The waiter disappeared for 20 minutes before even bringing water — perhaps he was off trying to find the lemons for the “lemon butter” they later drowned the Potato Crusted Grouper in. When it finally arrived, the fish was soggy, not crisp; the potato crust tasted like wet cardboard seasoned with regret. I’ve had better texture control microwaving frozen fish sticks.
The French Onion Soup, supposedly a house classic, came lukewarm — like someone had described the concept of “heat” to it once, long ago. The cheese was rubbery enough to double as a bungee cord, and the broth had the complexity of a bouillon cube melted in tap water.
My companion’s Veal Parmesan was a crime scene. The veal was hammered thinner than a parking ticket, the mozzarella slouched over it like it had given up, and the marinara sauce was somehow both bland and acidic. Even Olive Garden would’ve called this a bad day.
Then came the Homemade Gnocchi — doughy little stress balls floating in a sauce so heavy it could anchor a freighter. The shrimp were overcooked into chewy pink marbles, the broccoli limp and lifeless, and the Romano cream tasted like curdled ambition.
We tried to find redemption in dessert, but the only thing served swiftly was the bill — a cruel joke, given that we’d waited over 45 minutes between courses. Even the Soup du Jour took so long I started to wonder if they were waiting for the next day to arrive.
The atmosphere? Somewhere between “dimly lit nostalgia” and “funeral home with candles.” The once-elegant charm feels stale, as though the restaurant’s glory days are as distant as their sense of urgency.
If Johnny himself still roams this kitchen, I suggest he take a long, hard look at his Filet Mignon ($60.95) and ask: “Why does it taste like despair?”
In short:
Service: slower than a glacier.
Food: uninspired, overcooked, and overpriced.
Ambience: dated to the point of parody.
Save your evening — and your digestive tract — and head literally anywhere else downtown. Johnny’s might once have been a Cleveland institution, but now it’s just a museum exhibit of mediocrity.
Jeff M. Pearson
We were very excited to go to this legendary place for homemade pasta and Italian food. They did not have a Bolognese which I thought was very strange. They only had a marinara sauce. I ordered the seafood with homemade pasta and marinara. There was a couple of decent sized shrimp and then a bunch of salad shrimp in there. Two scallops and then some tiny bay scallops. But the worst part was the pasta was so overcooked it was like a big pile of glue. Very disappointing dinner. I could tell that if the pasta was done right it could have been a decent meal. I will say the duck breast appetizer was excellent.
… more