tommy's — Restaurant in Cleveland Heights

I recently enjoyed lunch in a fun restaurant, Tommy's Restaurant on Coventry Road in the Coventry Village section of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. This strip of Coventry Road has many retail shops and restaurants. Tommy's is on the west side of Coventry Road.

There is limited FOR A FEE parking metered on-street parking on Coventry Road. As of late April, 2022, there is plenty of FREE parking at the three level Coventry Parking Garage located on the east side of Coventry Road very near Tommy's Restaurant. Coventry Road has a traffic light at the entrance/exit of Coventry Parking Garage making for easy entry/exit. Please note there is heavy pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks of Coventry Road - so be alert and careful when leaving the garage. The parking garage has an elevator and stairs.

Tommy's Restaurant has a fun, laid-back vibe with great tasting food. It is a very popular place to eat. In the middle of a weekday afternoon, as a solo diner I was shown to a table immediately while larger parties had a short wait for a table.

The staff is friendly and hard working. There is a dedicated busboy clearing tables and two waitresses taking orders. When your food is ready, either waitress immediately brings the food to your table. Abby is my waitress she is friendly with a great smile. The customers are an eclectic group. Very young to very old. Families, couples, hipsters, a couple of friends having an healthy meal. Tommy's offers various branded clothing items for sale.

I ordered a Mary Lynn Spinach Pie. YUMMY! The Mary Lynn Spinach Pie contains hummus, cheese, sliced pitted black olives and veggies. Today the veggies are tomato, green peppers and bean sprouts. I ordered one of Tommy's sides too. This side consists of three Falafel balls with a Sesame sauce dipping sauce. I had an unsweetened ice tea to drink. The Mary Lynn Spinach Pie is delicious. Tommy's Restaurant offers fourteen different Spinach Pies.

In late April, 2022, the staff are not wearing face masks. Tommy's Restaurant has large mobile air filtering machine running prominently. The restaurant is very clean. The Men's Room has some paper on the floor around the wastebasket.

There are art works hanging along the walls as well as live plants. The front and rear of Tommy's Restaurant are all windows allowing for a lot of day light inside. Above the booths in the center of the restaurant are creative caricatures of different vegetables and menu items. Every place you glance there is something interesting or whimsical to enjoy. I am already looking forward to returning to Tommy's Restaurant for another fun and great tasting meal.

I returned to Tommy's in early June for my second visit. This visit I started with the Black Bean Chili. The presentation of the plate is very photogenic. I had a choice of either a cornbread muffin or pita. I selected the cornbread muffin. The cornbread muffin is very tasty and has kernels of corn in the batter. The Chili tastes great. The black beans are not mushy. The chili does not have a lot of heat to it. Tommy's has hot sauce on the table which allows you to add heat to your taste. The hot sauce is Cayenne Pepper based - NOT Ghost Pepper based - so you are not looking for a pitcher of milk to quell the heat on your lips and mouth. A great way to start lunch.

Next, I had the Spinach Pie. This visit I went with the plain Spinach Pie. A great depth of flavor with this item. The spices and juice of lemon make for a flavorful bite - each bite. Popeye would really enjoy this Spinach Pie! I chose to have unsweetened ice tea to drink. A very tasty lunch.

Stephanie is my server. Great service and a nice personality. Again, like on my first visit, when an item is ready any one of the servers immediately brings it to your table. The large portable air filter is gone during this visit. I am looking forward to my next lunch at Tommy's. Both my lunches have had a great presentation, great flavor and texture. My mouth is...

I went with a total of 4 people and the food was mostly good. Two orders of fries, drinks, a salad, tuna melt, French onion soup, and a "Mackenna" which is 3oz of seitan fajita strips, grilled onion & pepper, lettuce, tomato & salsa in pita Ⓥ (vegan). Everything was reportedly good except for the Mackenna. If you like eating tostito's salsa with tostito's scoops then you'll love the Mackenna, but if you're like me and don't enjoy a spoonful of salsa at a time, you likely won't enjoy the Mackenna. The seitan had a notably satisfying texture but an unremarkable flavor. This was likely due to the ratio of salsa to other ingredients. While the description mentions 3oz of seitan, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an equivalent 3oz of salsa to match. Unfortunately, the addition of onions, tomatoes, and peppers only added to the salsa flavor since those are typical ingredients found in salsa. All of this wouldn't matter as much if there was something to balance out the salsa flavor. While delightfully crispy, the pita was very thin and unable to balance out the intensity of the salsa flavor. My recommendations would be to put the salsa on the side, add less salsa, omit the salsa altogether, add some sort of creamy sauce, split the filing between more than one pita, add more seitan, or add something else like rice to soak up some of the salsa. As it stands, the current configuration tastes like something I might whip together absentmindedly for lunch using leftovers from the fridge. I would never order this again. Thankfully, the fries were a great chaser for my salsa entree and left me satisfied. My only regret besides ordering the Mackenna is that I was too full of salsa to order a milkshake. Based on everyone's reviews, they...

If you find yourself in the Coventry area of Cleveland, Ohio, do yourself a favor and make your way to Tommy's Restaurant. This gem is not just another eatery; it’s a culinary oasis that serves the best freshly made chicken salad sandwich you’ll ever taste!

From the moment you step inside, the inviting atmosphere and friendly staff make you feel right at home. But the real star of the show is, without a doubt, their chicken salad sandwich.

Imagine tender, juicy pieces of chicken, perfectly seasoned and blended with just the right amount of mayonnaise to create a creamy, delectable filling. They incorporate crunchy celery and mayo that add a delightful contrast in textures. Each bite is a burst of freshness, as every ingredient is of the highest quality and made to order.

What sets this sandwich apart is the pita bread- It cradles the chicken salad without overpowering it, allowing the flavors to shine.

You can customize your sandwich with crisp lettuce and juicy tomato, giving it that extra crunch and freshness. Pair it with sweet potatofries, and you’ve got a meal that is simply unforgettable.

Whether you're dining in or grabbing a quick bite to go, Tommy's chicken salad sandwich is a must-try! It’s more than just a sandwich; it’s an experience. The perfect blend of homey comfort and gourmet taste. Don’t miss out on this exceptional dish—your taste buds will...