Press Wine Bar

Sean provided my intimate group of five like guests at his winery. We experienced tastes from the tap and a few samples of my favorite Pinots and Rieslings. The atmosphere is charming! The wine cellar is artful! The mood is relaxing! …and the food is superior! Parking is undesirable. …but for the hospitality, I’d return!

BRUNCH! Stopped at Press with girlfriends over the summer. Loved the experience. The food as fresh and the menu had many different items to choose from. I got the vegetable skillet and it was amazing. Potatoes on the bottom, eggs on top, mixed with fresh veggies and sprinkled with melted cheese on top. We of course could not pass up the Mimosa Kit. $ 35 for a bottle of champagne, 4 different juices and fresh fruit!

Under NEW owners? Maybe… at least the food quality can tell me so. NOT as good brunch as it used to be. Quality has gone down south! Hopefully they change soon or… Won’t be back for A while…

Recently moved to Cleveland from Chicago, and pleased to hear that the executive chef at Press was recently at Sink | Swim in Chicago. Definite resemblances in some of their menu items, and very happy to see it. Tried the fish and chips this visit, but look forward to trying more in the near future. Great place

NOT-​im-​PRESS-​ed. Where should I start?!? Half alive hostess… didn’t know to seat us even though we stood at her «stand» for ten minutes. Food… I wasnt sure what to even order. Finally got margarita pizza which literally (not being a drama queen or exaggerating) tasted like NOTHING. Server didn’t understand the wine list and also maybe saw us maybe two times. Got the fried brussels… I would say (with agreement from co– eaters) taste like flaky overly buttered movie theater popcorn kernels. I don’t know what to say. Would give them another chance, but shit, I don’t know when.

I had a perfectly decent experience at Press, & the dinner I ordered — a margherita pizza — tasted fine. That said, I found most of the menu pretty unappealing. Every dish had at least a couple ingredients that I dislike, which is surprising given that I have a fairly broad palate. Sort of hard to do! The pizza was really the only thing of interest, which was disappointing; it’s a meal I can get anywhere.
I guess I just can’t figure out what Press is, you know? It’s a wine bar, sure, & it feels like a wine bar — nice décor, quiet atmosphere. But somehow, the food feels just north of upscale pub fare, not quite nice enough for the restaurant’s general ambiance. They serve deviled eggs, chicken paprikash, codfish, tempura fried butternut squash, German fried chicken… I guess I’m just not sure what genre of food they’re going for, & the result is muddled & confusing.
The other weird thing: I’m not a big wine person, but I went with my mom, who loves reds. When I do drink wine, I’m a white wine kinda gal, but my mom has no knowledge of it, so I figured the server could help me out. I told her I don’t typically drink wine but was interested in a white that was neither too dry nor too sweet. «Do you even, like, drink wine at all?» she asked me. I told her I enjoy whites but just don’t KNOW about them well enough to decide what to order from a massive list. She seemed annoyed & recommended the moscato — which even I know is the sweetest white out there. It tasted fine, but, of course, it was VERY sweet — so, you know, not really what I asked for. I would’ve expected a server at a wine bar to be a little bit more helpful when it comes to wine recommendations.
I’m told Press is great for brunch, & I’d give it a chance — but unless I was in a real pinch & the wait was too long someplace nearby, I probably wouldn’t go back to Press for dinner.

After finding out that Press Wine Bar has a new Chef, my friend and I decided to enjoy an evening dinning there during my last trip to Cleveland. We opted for a five course menu tasting and got a sneak peek at the new cocktail menu.
Simply put, the food was refreshing. The Chef behind Press has the right idea and I really appreciated his keen palate.
We started with a salad consisting of perfect circles of watermelon, tomatoes and watercress. It was finished off with lime zest and sumac. The combination of the sweet watermelon against the sumac and lime was dazzling. This salad was a great start and I’ll be adding lime and sumac to my watermelon from now on!
Our second course was Maryland oysters. Who comes to Cleveland and finds oysters this tasty? We did! Two perfectly shucked and presented oysters topped off with smoked buttermilk and caviar. The smokiness the buttermilk created in this «bite» brought oysters to an entirely new level for me. My experience is usually with an acidic sauce or something spicy like horseradish, but the smoky flavor was unbeatable. The caviar was a nice addition both flavor wise and in presentation.
The third course was a Nori Capellini in a delicious sauce that was both creamy and light. My favorite part of this dish was the kohlrabi (root vegetable, really good raw with a little bit of salt and lemon juice. .. try it!) It may not have been intended to be the superstar of this dish, but it was for me! The salmon roe and candied orange completed the perfect bite, the roe giving a nice amount of saltiness. I am pretty sure we could have eaten our weight in this dish!
Side note: During our meal we ordered a cocktail that was hand crafted by Chad our server and I will guess the bartender as well. It was the best accompaniment to our meal. It is called the Gingersnap and I won’t divulge all the ingredients (I want you to be surprised when you have it!) but it was light and at the same time full of flavor. The cinnamon made it feel like fall, the amaretto gave it the sweetness and the berry acai was the perfect twist!
Fourth course and my favorite, duck! The duck was plated to perfection, clean and enticing. It lounged on a plum purée with a smoky vanilla flavor, corn and sunchoke (a new one for me!) succotash and topped with crispy duck skin and marigold petals. Every single bite of this dish was spectacular. The duck skin was everything you would expect, the duck itself was cooked flawlessly and the accompaniments of the purée and succotash were well thought out and played together impeccably.
Our last course (don’t worry, we had dessert!) was a bistro filet, which would be a shoulder cut.. . I’ll admit I had to look that up! Lol! It came with green onion soubise and a Yukon gold potato confit. I probably could have eaten the filet by itself and without a knife. It was that tasty! However what is a filet without its friends? This was a perfect end to the savory portion of our meal.
And dessert! Peanut panna cotta, Valrhona chocolate, mango infused with lime (please teach me to do that!) and a bit of spice.
To end the evening we had one more hand crafted cocktail called the Last Ride. And that my friend is what it was! It was charming with a nice kick of black pepper.
Our entire meal was stellar. The atmosphere, the service, the food and the cocktails were a pairing to delight anyone. You haven’t eaten in Cleveland if you haven’t been to Press and let Matt Spinner cook for you!

Always come here for wine, had never tried the food until recently. Had the braised pork strozapretti pasta, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to trying more of the menu. I’d say the food was a solid 3.5, but the service was outstanding! Our waitress was very kind and patient with us as we continued to mix up our wine choices.
How sad that patio season is over. That definitely added to our enjoyment, but it will not stop me from warming up with some wine in the winter here.
Press made for a great evening!

Undercooked chicken wings. I would avoid unless you’re looking to get ill. Disappointed. Service was nice, but quality of food was poor in my experience.

I came here for brunch with a larger party for a birthday party. First, they lost our reservation and it took them 20 mins to seat us even though the place was not busy.
The service was attentive, albeit quite slow. For example, I ordered an Irish coffee. Once that was gone, I ordered plain coffee. The server never brought a refill on the coffee despite us being there over two hours.
I ordered the veggie skillet and subbed bacon for potatoes. There was a $ 4 upcharge. The server didn’t tell me about the upcharge. Also, if you’re going to charge me the same as a side of bacon I might as well get the potatoes too. Not to mention the bacon was so hard it was inedible.
At the end of the meal I paid $ 14 for inedible bacon, 2 – 3 egg whites, a few pieces of vegetables, and toast.
This is my third experience here. The first two were mediocre or a little below. I really wanted to like this place because the atmosphere and décor are pretty cool. But I think my Press days are over. There are too many other, better, more reasonable brunch choices.

The Press Wine Bar was the center of an enjoyable food and wine tasting experience this past Thursday, August 13, 2015. This was our first visit, but won’t be the last. The atmosphere was relaxed, and friendly. The service by the staff was unobtrusive, courteous and professional. We would highly recommend the Press Wine Bar, and we look forward to our next visit. John, the owner and his staff go out of their way to ensure the customers are taken care of. Much appreciated.
Great wine, great food.
Tim and DeLacy
Hudson, Ohio

It was my last day in Cleveland, and I was feelin’ some wine. My friend and I headed up to Tremont to see what was about (cute neighborhood, by the way, and the scholastic theme in street names was adorable), and we stumbled across this place. So, okay, actually we stopped here because Lolita was closed. I know, I know. That is probably the actual living curse of this place.
That said, we sat on the front patio (because there are two? Fancy!) and quickly had some wine brought out to us. Our server was obviously new, but in an adorable «I’m trying really hard so bear with me» kind of way.
The menu wasn’t speaking to me for dinner as none of the options appealed to me at that time (All I wanted was some frickin’ Italian and a bunch of wine, tbh. Because vacation.), but we did try the spring rolls. Now, they were good, but also… possibly pre-​packaged and warmed up in the kitchen? They didn’t seem warm all the way through, and they didn’t seem like they were likely made in-​house. I could be totally wrong, but that was the impression I got from them, and that is why this place only gets 3 stars instead of 4.
The red wine, however, was all good stuff. I had two glasses before moseying across the street to Dante (which is kitty corner from Lolita, and interestingly you can see Press Wine Bar’s second patio in the back from the patio at Dante). If I lived here, I would go here for my usual wine bar activity: reading quietly in a corner with a good glass of wine. The interior, especially the bar, seems made for that activity.

I am a big fan good drinks and even more of a fan of patios and Press combines the best of both worlds. The first time I stopped with a few girlfriends we shared the Mimosa Kit and it was perfect Sunday Morning stop. The most recent visit didn’t disappoint, I stopped for a quick happy hour with a girlfriend and ended up spending 3 hours on their patio. The Happy hour menu is limited but the Margarita flatbread is quite tasty and enough to share. I am always on the lookout for great patios and I would say that this place has earned its rank.

This place has great dining spaces all around; indoors bar area is nice, the front patio w umbrellas well spaced and the garden back patio is the best on the too sunny of days. The host was accommodating when seating us after we requested a shady table. The waitress was not as helpful when asked about the top sellers. Basically named the whole menu and even when narrowed it down only said «both good». Dishes were good! A Benedict w/​beef (very good) and a mexican skillet (just good) were ordered. The mimosa was a little weak yet there selection of mimosas is Amazing! I think your better off ordering their «mimosa kit» and just preppin them oneself.

I’ve visited this location a handful of times before so when I went back this last time and my experiences were still exceptional, I knew I needed to write a review. I really enjoy the Tremont neighborhood because of the interesting restaurants and the feel of a small town. There is nothing better than being able to walk down a street and pass so many fantastic restaurants such as Lolita, Fahrenheit, Dante, South Side, Parallex as well as little bakeries such as A Cookie and a Cupcake. Press Wine Bar fits in perfectly with this crowd:
Décor:
The fact that it is located on a street corner, makes it easier to find. They have a little patio area in the front. The restaurant inside has a cozy feelings. There are candles at every table, little decorations on the table (we had Christmas flowers, see attached picture). There is a wine cellar that is visible with a glass door and window. There is visibility in the kitchen and the bar is really nicely placed as well as laid out.
Food:
This evening I was catching up with two girl friends so we each ordered something different so we could all try the different foods. For an appetizer, we shared the Crispy Risotto and Mozzarella which was made with basil pesto, tomato sauce, rosemary and balsamic reduction. I love these! You can also get this appetizer at the Rocky River Wine Bar (since they are owned by the same person). I had the Spicy Salami flatbread which was good, nothing special just good. It was made with milano salami, sriracha garlic and Parmesan cream sauce, pepperoncinis, provolone, black cerignola olives. Maybe just a small kick of spicy but nothing crazy. We also tried the Squash Flatbread which was made with butter nut squash purée, pancetta, goat cheese, apple and maple drizzle. And the Lobster Flatbread which was made with maine lobster meat, truffle mascarpone spread, mushrooms, parmesan, chives. The Lobster flatbread was the best!
Service:
Wow, that is all I have to say! Our service was awesome, she was so patient with us. Myself and one other person arrived at Press Wine bar first so we got a table and ordered some wine. Our server was very patient with us to wait for our third girl friend to arrive before we ordered our meals.
All in all, I highly recommend this location to anyone! It’s the perfect place to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or just to catch up with some friends.
Side Tip: Perfect place for happy hour. They have 5 different appetizers and flatbreads that are 5 $ and a bunch of wines for 5 $ as well.

Hey, you gotta hand it to the owner, it takes balls to open a place across from Lolita, the first restaurant of the now mighty Cleveland oracle Michael Symon. Given the juxtaposition, it makes dismissing this place that much easier, unfortunately. I came here for brunch, and while I didn’t leave disgruntled, I also did not leave especially satisfied.
There’s nothing glaringly wrong with this place. The décor is the now common Cleveland rustic industrial casual chic; think wooden barrels, long minimalist bars, wrought lron light fixtures and dark subdued color palette. The food is the now common smaller menu of seasonally inspired stick to your ribs fare.
The menu will doubtless contain the obligatory shout outs to: pork belly, kale, house marinated olives (side note: why is this such a trend? Olives are like bread; if you’re going to serve them in a restaurant they should be free), duck confit (this time going for the bar cliché double whammy and putting it on a flatbread) and overpriced burger.
The execution of said foods is pedestrian, as in the ingredients don’t mesh any better than if you threw them all together into a pot and told them to pipe down and get along. Many dishes are a few steps from greatness: too salty, or a tad greasy (as in the case of my breakfast tacos), or a tad bland (ditto on the breakfast tacos), or in the case of the sauce on my pancakes a tad too tart.
TLDR; Overall, if you want good wine, good atmosphere, or good food, try across the street at Lolita first. If you’re one of the many refugees who couldn’t snag a seat at the bar fast enough at Lolita and are now drifting about Tremont lost and hungry, I would say walk down to Dante’s or Fahrenheit, but this place will work passably well.

I’m a huge fan of press, especially in the summer when the patio is open. The picture is obviously a delayed review (as there’s no sun shining in January in Cleveland), but their blood Marys are delicious– I mean how can you ever go wrong topping something with bacon and egg??? Mimosas are just average. Brunch menu above average.
I do however really like their happy hour menu a lot. It changes frequent and the flat breads are tasty. Great for groups of people or a late night drink!

We went here last night for dinner for a friends birthday. They were extremely accommodating as far as a reservation for a large group went (there were 15 – 20 of us there!). We got seated right away and always had our water glasses filled. The wine selection was vast, and the «wine on tap» option was interesting. I would like to come back for drinks sometime!
The food selection was pretty limited– salads, some flatbreads, and a few entrees were offered. I was craving a burger, so that’s what I ordered, and I was not disappointed with my selection. The meat was flavorful and I liked how the aoli worked with the cheese and onions. The fries were the best part though… They are tossed in herbs and are perfectly cooked. Everyone else seemed happy with their choices as well.
In addition to the small menu, I was also not very impressed with the speediness of the service. Obviously there were many of us, but any time a server offered another glass of wine or a refill, it took 10 – 15 minutes to get it. We also had to wait awhile for the bills after everyone was completely done with dinner. Again, I understand it was Saturday night, but it was a much longer wait than I would expect even on a weekend.
I definitely wouldn’t mind stopping in for a few glasses of wine again, but I would probably rather go somewhere else with more dinner options for my meal. I’ve also heard great things bout brunch so I wouldn’t mind trying that and hopefully upping the stars!

UGH. I want to like Press so much more than I do. I really don’t have a good reason for not liking it ether. I’ve been here twice now and both experiences were lack luster and pretty mundane. The service is average and most of the food is good if you know what to order.
The first time I was here with my boyfriend and it was not our first choice. We came to Tremont on a busy Saturday and obviously had a crowd to fight. We ended up here after trying a couple other establishments packed to the brim. In hindsight, maybe the fact that Press wasn’t super busy should have tipped me off. Our waiter was very nice and attentive for the first half hour and then we lost him. No idea where he was for the last hour of our meal but it wasn’t waiting tables. We started with the large meat and cheese board and took our time. Tasting everything and scavenging for the delicious mixed nuts they hid among everything. There was one meat on there that I was certain had gone bad. However, someone ordered the meat and cheese board the second time we were here and it tasted the same. Good for a joke, bad for the bar. For the main meal, I had the shredded winter squash flatbread. It was damn good for the first few pieces. Then I quickly realized that it was way too sweet to eat a lot of. The BBQ sauce had a sweet and savory taste but was scarce. If there was a little more sauce, I may have been able to eat more. I left hungry and grumpy. Trevor has the burger and he was very disappointed. It honestly looked like they had taken a package of ground beef, cut a circle out of it, and grilled it as is. You could literally see the coils in the patty. Very unappetizing and not a very great first impression. Plus, he told me it tasted more like ground turkey.
The second time we came here, it was with around 17 other people. I give that girl a lot of credit for putting up with us. I’m not a big complainer but a couple people in our party sent things back. She did it all with a smile on her face. I had a bite of our friends spring rolls and immediately turned up my nose. It was all rice! add a little chicken or something… it was so dry that I dunked a big piece in the ginger sauce which caused new problems for me. The ginger was so overpowering. I have no idea what I ate, honestly. I ordered the Sopressata flatbread. It was, MEH. The salami had a funky taste to it and it threw me off a bit. Trev ordered the weekly inspired flatbread. It’s a good thing we were sharing that night because I was instantly jealous. It was packed with spicy sausage and peppers with an awesome flavor going on. Delicious!
Maybe one day I’ll walk in here and be blown away, but that has yet to happen…

Press is a great place! We went in there with a group of 14 and they were VERY accommodating. The wine list is pretty legit and they have some great beers on tap that seem to change often. The food was not my favorite. I felt it was a little pricy for what they gave you. They also did not have many options. We had a flatbread, the Press burger, some calamari and a few drinks and the bill was creeping up towards $ 60. It all tasted pretty good, I would just prefer some cheaper options.
We got there just as happy hour was ending and that looked great! Some really good deals until 7pm. Next time I go we are hitting up the happy hour!