Mike's Bar and Grille 5 Gallery: Mike's Bar and Grille

Just a couple of minutes down the street from Baldwin-Wallace College, Mike's Bar and Grille in Berea serves up well-done snacks and satisfying comfort foods to students and locals alike. Come in for a cold one, but don't be surprised if you come back for the tasty food.

With late-night kitchen hours, it’s the perfect place for a pick-me-up after a long session of studying or grading papers. Prices are student-friendly, and the food, including scratch-made soups, dressings and entr es, is a grade above what you might expect at a standard bar.

That winning combination keeps locals coming back for more and has allowed owner Mike Gantous to rely largely on word-of-mouth advertising. General manager Chris Houston, who describes Berea as having "a nice kind of community feel," says that "our regulars here are fantastic. They truly are."

This intimate space is clean and welcoming to customers of all ages, with a sprinkling of small tables and booths and an ornately carved wooden bar along the length of one wall. A couple of TVs hang above it, available but not intrusive. Exposed brick walls and carved wooden arches preserve some of the original character of the space. Outside is a small patio.

Mike’s appetizers make ideal companions to any of the two dozen or so American craft beers available. They include some of the usual suspects, such as crispy chicken strips with choice of sauces, sliders, and pierogies ($7 each), as well as more interesting choices, such as the hefty, tortilla-wrapped Buffalo chicken “egg rolls” with cheese ($5 each) and the breaded, Thai-style calamari in garlic sauce with spicy noodles ($8).

Salads include creative touches as well, like the sweet corn kernels in Mike’s “salad on the Cobb” ($10), which also includes grilled chicken, hard-boiled egg, bacon, olives, tomatoes, and a mix of cheeses over Romaine lettuce.

Sandwiches and burgers at Mike’s are served with a crispy pickle and french fries. Substituting the freshly hand-cut house fries is a dollar well spent.

The open-faced meatloaf on grilled Italian bread ($10) is stacked with french fries as well as egg salad and is guaranteed to satisfy the hungriest of diners.

Especially refreshing at this time of year is the chicken Caprese ($8), with grilled chicken, baby greens, roasted red peppers, provolone cheese, and sun-dried tomato aioli.

The hand-formed Angus beef burgers at Mike’s are especially juicy and tasty. Customer favorite “Santa Fe” is a full-flavored standout, starting with a patty that’s half ground beef and half spicy chorizo sausage. Roasted red peppers, saut ed onions, pepper Jack cheese, and chipotle sour cream add even more layers of fiery flavor. It’s perfect with an ice-cold beer.

Mike’s home-style entr es, including homemade meatloaf with mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetable of the day ($11), and the scrumptious three-cheese tortellini with bacon, tomatoes, and spring peas in creamy Parmesan sauce ($12) are served with bread and a side salad.

Mike's Bar and Grille is at 130 Front St. in Berea. Bar hours are 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Kitchen hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Call (440) 234-2300.

Contact Phillips at cathywritesfood@gmail.com.