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The AtmosphereJohnny’s Little Bar, located on Frankfort Avenue, is a dark, tiny pub with exposed brickwork and 10-in.-thick solid wood beams. Sandwiched between Johnny’s Downtown and a “gentlemen’s club,” the lunch-time crowd consists of white-collar cube dwellers, blue-collar construction workers, and even a few of the lovely ladies who happen to have the distinction of working next door, if you’re lucky. The diversity of the crowd is yet another example of how good food can bring the masses together.
The diminutive dive features less than 20 tables and can’t seat more than 10 people comfortably at the bar, but turnover is high—mostly because the two (that’s right, I said TWO) barmaids/waitresses who rule the joint mean business. They hustle. Although the Innocent Bystander and I were able to walk in right before noon on a Friday and have our choice of seats, 20 mins later the place was packed, and Little Bar’s lasses were busting ass to make sure each guest had a cold drink in hand and a hot plate of food on the table. The Menuhttp://www.johnnyscleveland.com/johnnys_littlebar_menu.html Johnny’s one-page lunch menu is as small as the bar; salads, burgers, and sandwiches were the main events. However, the star of the show appeared to be the fish special: “It’s this packed every Friday,” our server said. “They come in for the fish.” Different every week depending on what type of fish is freshest, the bar has been known to serve up walleye, perch, catfish, and even something called the “Big Fish Sandwich,” which the man next to me was very disappointed to see was not on the menu that particular Friday. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beer selection: Clevelanders will be pleased to see Great Lakes Dortmunder on draft and the full Great Lakes line available in bottles. Besides the typical domestics, I also spied some Thirsty Dog brews, Stone Ruination IPA, and Arrogant Bastard Ale; imports included Blue Moon, Hoegarden, and Red Stripe. The FoodOwned by the group that presides over Johnny’s Downtown, Johnny’s Little Bar also shares a kitchen with the upscale eatery. Diners get the same quality fare at a reasonable price. (Make sure you check out Johnny’s Website [www.johnnyscleveland.com/johnnys_littlebar.html]: Signing up online for the bar’s e-newletter will get you a $10 voucher.)
I started with an order of buffalo wings (half dozen for $4.25 with your choice of ranch or blue-cheese dressing), which came out steaming hot. Although the sauce alone would have had me licking the bottom of the bowl had I been in the privacy of my own home, the wings themselves were fatty and a tad underdone. I would recommend ordering another icy cold beer instead (a bottle of Sam Adams Light was $4.50). Check out Johnny's beer list. For the main course, I ordered a burger. But this was not just any burger, my friends. No, no, THIS was a juice-dripping-down-your-hands half-pound slab of ground meat that very obviously was grilled, not sliding around a flattop. Topped with not-too-sweet caramelized onions and two slices of cheddar, and I was experiencing Utopian perfection. “This is how a burger should taste,” the Innocent Bystander commented. The burger was priced at $8.95, and I was dismayed to hear that fries cost extra…until I tasted them. Most of the time, pub fries are simply frozen potatoes thrown in hot oil and splashed with sodium. But at Johnny’s Little Bar, the french fry has been elevated to an art form. Crispy on the outside and soft in the middle with just a dash of salt, these potatoes seemed to get better with each taste. Next time (and there WILL be a next time) I gladly will hold out my $1.75 and feel blessed that I have the opportunity.
The Innocent Bystander took the slightly more healthy route and chose the turkey on stone-ground wheat with cojack, tomato, cucumber, and a sweet balsamic mustard that definitely made the sandwich ($7.25). Although tasty, the sandwich was outdone by the rather addicting housemade chips that were included on the side. The Little Bar cooks must have a way with the lowly tuber, because once again these potatoes were fried and lightly seasoned to perfection. I typically pick fries over chips given the chance, but these crunchy munchies would give me pause. DepartingTrue to form, our barmaid/waitress processed our check and cleared our dishes in one swift motion. The wait for anything—a seat, food, refills, the check, even the answer to a question—was minimal. With decent prices and food that could give a girl goosebumps, Johnny’s Little Bar could become my new go-to dive. I almost wish I had kept it a secret. |
