Trader Jack’s Riverside Grille

I have tried over and over to get back into this place. The food used to be excellent.
Now, not so much.
Today I was there for lunch and asked for the Cod fish sandwich which I had a couple of times in recent visits and asked if it was the crisp fluffy cod I have had.
The waitress assured me it was.
Well, it was not.
It as a small flat piece of fish that was so overfried that they hid it under a ton of bun and other things. I had to hunt for this minnow of fish.
Last time for me.

One of our favorite local hangouts. Located on the banks of the Chagrin River this restaurant offer good food. The staff is friendly and fun. They have a large menu that will satisfy a wide variety of tastes. They always have interesting specials going on, including some yummy drinks & desserts! Excellent outside seating and bar w/​an updated patio which is heated so it’s great for the spring & fall too.

I have been eating at least one meal a week at this restaurant for the last several years. The food is consistently good and the service is good also. The specials they have are a welcome change of pace as I have tried just about everything on the menu. We love this place and it is one of the most popular restaurants in Eastlake.

We go here often. This our «Cheers «hangout The pizza, well done, is crispy how I like it. Just had the signature wings for first time. Will be my new favorite.!Alyssa mixes a mean Martini. She always remembers my favorite. They have the best blackened chicken salads. Great burgers. Hang out on the patio in the summer!

I know, I’ve been noticeably absent on Unilocal,so prepare for a lot all at once. That being said, this is long over due. Simply stated the food here is fantastic. I am a pickle connoisseur and the fried pickles here, are the best I’ve had. The dipping sauce even tastes like it has pickles in it! What could possibly be better than some pickle on pickle action?!
My other fave is the steak salad, not sure of the official name, but the steak is always cooked to perfection, and no matter what dressing you go with, you really can’t go wrong. Great quality, well prepared, and service has always been on point as well.

great place to eat. very good service and affordable prices. excellent steak dinner I had with a great sundae for desert.

Let me start by saying my Wife and I have been here over 12 times in the last year. With that said let me tell you the last time we went. I do mean the last time too. :(
My wife ordered their Perch and a glass of wine. I ordered the soup of the day Lobster Bisque for the appetizer and had the dinner special (Strip steak). I know why would you order a steak at a place known for Fish. Common it was the special of the night so I figured I would get it.
Now let’s list the missteps or issues.
1. My appetizer showed up after I asked about it. Oh yea it was served to me after my dinner was served to me. Waitress forgot. No longer an appetizer had to choose what to eat hot my dinner or the appetizer.
2. I ordered my strip steak med-​well which means slight pink center. It was undercooked by a mile. Told waitress’s that it was undercooked, she said they would fire another for me.
3. My same steak showed up. I know this to be mine as it was in the same three prices I gave it back to them. They didn’t re-​fire another steak ok snob fracture aside, they put the steak in the microwave until it was a bad, with no flavor very well done cut of meat. I could not eat it had them take it off my bill. Trust me I can eat a bad steak but not this one. :(
Good thing I had that cup of Bisque…
4. The waitress seemed to blame it on the cook (no kidding).
Good news
My wife had a nice Perch dinner.
***My first one star on yep. :(

A little pricey. However, I’ve never a had a bad meal here. The deep fried pickles are to die for!

Went here for lobster fest I got the lobster bisque it was so good big chuncks of lobster in it got the lobster pasta with garlic bread it was so good also with big chunks of lobster it was so plentiful I couldnt eat it all my wife got the johnny manzel burger and referenced it to being as big as our one year olds head really good food check it out before lobster fest is over

Frank’s hot pepper pizza is one of the best menu items at any restaurant in the area. I never order anything else and why should I. Excellent sauce with a great crust and the sausage stuffed hot pepper on each slice is amazing. I will also recommend trying the lobster bisque if it is available.
Definitely try this place if you are in the area.

I’m so sad! I was so excited to try this place! I’ve lived nearby all my life and heard a lot of good things and it just wasn’t what I expected. It’s a cute place and a really nice location. When you read the menu, your mouth instantly starts watering.
We decided to just get some boneless wings to start. They arrived nicely sauced and when I bit into one, it was cold. We sent them back and when she brought them out they were warm. Nothing special about the spicy garlic sauce. Not that spicy or garlicky.
Then our pizza came out. Provolone, mozzarella, garlic oil, sauce and stuffed Hungarian hot peppers all on this pizza. My boyfriend and I love stuffed peppers and pizza so we thought it would be a win. It was only ok. The peppers and sausage were nice and spicy but I feel there was a little bit too much oil and not enough sauce. And also not enough stuffed peppers!
We wanted to come back and try their sandwiches because they sounded so good, but now were skeptical. Not sure if its worth the money. They could totally make this place work, just need some more love and work on the food.

I eat here often because it overlooks the water. The food occasionally is excellent (like the salads and burgers) otherwise it is pretty run of the mill bar/​grill food. I have always had good service and think the prices are reasonable for such a relaxing and comfortable space.

Went here for fish fry night and the best part was that fish was very fresh. The batter was just ok.
Not sure what it is (maybe it’s the foodie or the dietitian in me) but it turns me off that the whole menu is full of heart clogging items. Some people don’t always want only deep-​fried options.
Overall, It was an ok experience. Not sure if I’ll go back again unless I’m looking for a burger or something?

This place is completely overrated. The food is mediocre at best and that’s if you get something that doesn’t taste freezer-​burned. Don’t waste your time or money here.

Just went there with a party of 11 and my friend paid for his bill with a credit card. The waitress brought back the bill without the card and after an hour he still didn’t have the card back. The waitress’s first response was Sorry, don’t know where it is and don’t know what to tell you. That was repeated many times over the next hour. The manager claimed to have check everywhere, but when we asked them to check again, or have someone else check, she said that everything had been done. I’ve never gone to restaurant that didn’t return my credit card before. I truly feel their response was not appropriate. We never felt that they were sincerely sorry and were doing everything they could to find it. My friend had to go up to them to give their name and phone number, so if they found it they could call. The manager said she would refund the meal, but my friend didn’t receive the credit receipt and they took back the original receipt. I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS RESTAURANT AGAIN, and DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE. If you dare to go there, and pay with a credit card, don’t let it out of your sight.

Great casual place for lunch or dinner. Had the southwestern chicken sandwich it was great.

Good food in Eastlake? Surprisingly, yes. (and I’m allowed to ‘dis Eastlake since I grew up there)
I had the opportunity to dine at Trader Jack’s and watch the sun set over the river last night on their expansive patio. All while sipping a $ 5 martini and eating some fried pickles.
The menu is pretty extensive with everything from burgers, to pizza, to salads, to seafood entrees. It’s not the most vegetarian friendly place, but I did enjoy the large salad and baked potato side. Service was friendly and efficient and the view of boats going down the river is kind of neat. It’s definitely worth checking out if you happen to be in the area.

Trader Jack’s is tucked away behind a bridge that is going of the Chagrin River and some docks. It might be weird turning into the place going west but once you are there it is great.
The atmosphere is a bar mixed with a BBQ place. There is a bunch of fun things to look at on the walls and a digital jukebox to pick music you want to hear. The times I have gone, the wait was no terribly long maybe 15 – 20 mins at most. The staff is very friendly and enthusiastic.
The food is just wonderful. They have a good mix of burgers, steaks, and seafood and all of it is simply amazing. If you venture here, you need, NEED, to order the fired mozzarella cheese appetizer, it is one of the best things I have ever tasted.
Overall, this place is amazing, good atmosphere, great food, and the beer selection is not bad. I highly encourage to try it out.

Contender for best burgers in the area. Ribs, seafood also good. This place has turned over a couple of times in recent years. It used to be more of a bar-​with-​food, with every appetizer they could buy from a food service. Seems to have improved its offerings under new owners. Service friendly, but it can get crowded and noisy.