Grille 91 — Restaurant in Akron

We've driven by several times & finally decided to stop in on a Friday night at 7pn. Parking lot was empty & we wondered if they were open. Should have turned around when I saw the pet carrier on the back porch, but thought I could be mistaken & went in to give it a try. Soon as we went in the door, a strong smell of marijuana greeted us. I dont smoke & dont judge those that do. The smell of it gves me a migraine. This is the 2nd time iwe should have tirned around & left. We decided to still give it a try & was greeted by a lovely young lady (hostess?)dressed in black. She told us to sit anywhere. Not a soul in the place but her & a man I assume was the cook. As I looked at the seating a black & white cat came casually strolling through the dining room like it owned the place. Nope, I'm done. Time to go. Three strikes & you're out in any man's ball game. Dont get me wrong, I love cats. However, I dont want to go to a restaurant & see a cat walking through the dining area! Isnt that a health code violation for a restaurant? If it isnt, it should be. I didnt sit down & looked at my husband. The young lady brought silverware & asked if we wanted anything to drink & my husband politely said we weren't staying because the strong smell of marijuana gives me a headache. The hostess (?) apologized explaining that a couple of their "regular customers" just left & they smoke, so thats the reason why the smell lingered. If that was the case, then your regulars must have had a real Cheech & Chong experience in your dining room because we sat in the parking lot for a solid 10 minutes before we came in. No one was in the lot. There was a white panel van parked on the side street next to the establishment when we got there & it was still there when we left. That smell was strong when we walked in. Even if the smell dissipated, I cant get past the cat being there. Cats often jump up on things--tables, chairs, window sils, counters,etc. If Im dining out & dont want human hair in my food, I definitely dont want cat hair in my food. Not everyone likes cats, so I cant fathom allowing one to be in the restaurant. What about people with cat allergies? Darling cute fluffy cat was coming to see who came in the door like "Hey, hows it goin'? C'mon in & grab a seat & get a bite to eat." Bless her heart, the young lady apologized for the smell, said she understood & invited us to get something to go. Um, no thank you. We'll pass. We never got to sit down, let alone try the food. May want to post something on your webpage & in the window/on door that theres a resident cat-just incase someone wants to come eat & has allergies. Maybe advertise like the coffee/tea places that have (adoptable) resident cats so people know what their coming into. Im relieved we hadnt sat, ordered food & began eating & THEN the cat shows up. We wont be going back &...

Grille 91 is an excellent, down-home, small-scale dining experience manned by a small staff. Situated on Canton Road, it's owned and operated by a long-time local with 40+ years of restaurant experience, it's meals are simple and hearty. Their staff is kind and sociable, and the restaurant itself is well-kept and cleanly. There is a window between the seating situation and the kitchen which allows for customers to view the food being cooked during the process, and the cook seems to be sociable about his processes and recipes. Their garlic bread is tremendous, and their chicken carbonara follows a more traditional style, substituting cream sauce for a solid garlic herb butter. The salads are good, with some home-made dressing solutions, and their ribs are AWESOME. not only does the rib meat fall off the bones, it practically melts.

Overall,...

Joseph (Owner/Chef) very accommodating. On my route from Rhode Island to Wisconsin, Arrived last night just after they were closing/closed. Joseph said go around front and unlocked door. He along with waitress made up a appetizing and filling dinner to go. We had the inspiring and enjoyable conversations whilst Joseph proceeded to cooking up a Hugh helping of BBQ Ribs. Meal included delicious bowl of Homemade Soup and Salad, broiled seasoning French bread and of course pile of ribs. Even packed a metal soup spoon which I didn’t have in truck. Joseph advice is to call ahead as this is a quaint place in a converted home. Seating is limited and closing hours are at times variable. Worth the extra effort to dine at Grill 91. Thanks Joseph, needed a tasty home style meal...