Lox, Stock, and Brisket — Restaurant in Shaker Heights

Lox, Stock and Brisket is located on the east side of Tuttle Road inside the Van Aken Market Hall. There is plenty of free off-street parking available in multi-level parking garage just north of Van Aken Market Hall and a surface lot across Meade Road south of the Market Hall. Van Aken Market Hall is on the west side of Warrensville Center Road and north of Chagrin Boulevard. There is a public transportation station - both light rail and several bus routes - on the west side of Tuttle Road across from Van Aken Market Hall. The rail station is the Van Aken/Warrensville Station.

The taste and quality of the food at Lox, Stock and Brisket is five star. The chef is very creative. I have tried several delicatessens on Cleveland's east side, Lox, Stock and Brisket has superior taste and quality ingredients. You KNOW this chef is not using the same run-of-the- mill vendors as the other delis I have dined at. I truly enjoyed the Upper East Side sandwich. The sandwich has cured and smoked brisket with cucumbers, dill, mustard on rye bread and a kosher pickle slice. The brisket is magical. It is melt in your mouth tender with an unbelievable depth of flavor. The cucumber and dill are so fresh. Every bite is a pleasure. The cucumber provides a nice crunch with each bite.

I, also, enjoyed the Matzo Ball soup. The stock is very flavorful and loaded with pieces of carrots and celery. Again, a nice fresh bite with each spoonful. The other local delis I have visited in the area, simply provide a broth - no veggies - and the Matzo Ball. Bland compared to Lox, Stock and Brisket.

Lox, Stock and Brisket provides counter service only. Unlike other local delis there is no dedicated dining area. There is plenty of inside and outdoor dining seating at Van Aken Market Hall. This deli provides no standard place settings - plates and metal utensils. The soup comes in a plastic take-away container with a plastic spoon. The sandwich comes wrapped in paper and the entire meal comes in brown paper bags.

The cost of the meal is comparable to a dedicated deli with table service. The deli when I visited had a staff of two on duty. The chef back in the kitchen which is visible from the counter. There is a counter person who takes your order. When you place your order, they hand you one of those disc's with a buzzer and a series of mini-lights. You can either grab a table or walk around the Market Hall. When the buzzer sounds and vibrates and the lights flash off and on, you return to the counter to pickup your order.

They recently raised their prices. They have a take-away menu on the counter. The take-away menu lists the sandwich for $14 and the Matzo Ball Soup for $3. The menu board behind the counter, with current pricing, lists the sandwich as $15 and the soup as $5. That is just under 18% increase in pricing.

As I mentioned above, the taste and the quality of ingredients plus the creativity of the chef are phenomenal. However, the premium costs for a take-away product makes for a painful price point. I struggled for several days to arrive at my overall rating for Lox. Stock and Brisket. My overall rating is four stars. I must say the food is five stars.

The Van Aken Market Hall is fun to visit with various types of take-away restaurants and retail shops. There is a public washroom. The Men's Room is typical for a...

I recently visited Lox Stox and was really put off by the experience. (The Employees were great they treated me well)

However From the moment I looked at the menu, I noticed that the prices were inflated, which feels like a blatant attempt to squeeze more money out of customers. It’s frustrating to pay significantly more than I would elsewhere for similar items. This price inflation acts like a hidden tax on customers, eroding the value of what we’re getting. It seems like the owner is more focused on maximizing profits than providing good value, which is disappointing for anyone looking for a fair dining experience.

What really crossed the line for me was the tipping policy. They ask for tips that are higher than the sales tax in Ohio, creating an uncomfortable pressure to pay more than I intended. This feels like an additional hidden tax on top of the inflated prices. I felt almost obligated to tip generously, even though the service didn’t warrant it. This practice seems designed to exploit customers’ goodwill, making it clear that the owner is just after more cash.

To make it seem optional, they placed a tip jar out front. However, this felt like a manipulative tactic to guilt customers into tipping. Labeling tipping as "optional" is psychologically manipulative because it creates an illusion of choice while subtly pressuring customers to conform to an unspoken expectation. When I saw the tip jar, it sent a message that tipping was the socially accepted norm, even if it was framed as a choice. This can lead to feelings of guilt or social anxiety for those who opt not to tip, as they might worry about how they will be perceived by staff or other customers.

In this way, the tipping policy feels like yet another hidden tax on customers. We’re already paying inflated prices, and now there’s an expectation to tip generously on top of that. It’s disheartening to feel like I’m being hit with multiple layers of costs in a place that should be enjoyable.

I even asked one of the employees about the tips, and they told me that the owner takes a cut for their paycheck. This lack of transparency is incredibly concerning. If the employees aren’t receiving the full tips, it raises questions about how fairly they are compensated. It feels like the owner is prioritizing greed over creating a positive experience for both customers and staff.

Overall, my experience at Lox Stox left me feeling manipulated rather than appreciated. I won’t be returning, and I hope the owner reconsiders these practices for the sake of their customers...

I had an absolutely terrible experience at the restaurant, and as a person of color, the events that unfolded left me feeling deeply disturbed. From the moment I walked in, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The waitress's behavior was particularly strange, and not in a friendly or welcoming way. She and the other cooks seemed to go out of their way to mean mug and stare at me, creating an uncomfortable and unwelcoming atmosphere.

As I tried to make sense of their hostility, I noticed one of the cooks, who also happened to be the manager on shift, acting suspiciously. He would glance around nervously, making sure no one was watching, and deliberately positioned himself to block my view of what he was doing with my food. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut — was he tampering with my meal? The mere thought sent shivers down my spine.

Determined to address the situation, I mustered the courage to ask for the owner's contact information. The manager's non-verbal reluctance was palpable, as if he didn't want me to reach out to the owner about what I had witnessed. Despite his resistance, I persevered and managed to obtain the owner's name, Anthony. With a mix of anxiety and urgency, I dialed the number, hoping to relay the disturbing events that had unfolded before me.

However, Anthony's initial response was not what I had expected. Instead of empathizing with my concerns, he interrogated me about how I had acquired his number, seemingly more focused on that than the alarming situation I was trying to explain. I tried my best to articulate what had happened, to convey the unease and fear that had engulfed me during my visit. Unfortunately, before I could fully express myself, Anthony abruptly interrupted me, his tone dismissive and commanding. He sternly instructed me never to call him again and hung up the phone, leaving me shocked and disheartened.

The owner's dismissiveness, combined with the unsettling experiences I had faced at the hands of the staff, compounded my disappointment and frustration. As a person of color, I couldn't help but question whether my race played a role in the mistreatment I endured. The entire incident left a lasting impact on me, and I couldn't help but feel a profound sense of injustice and a need for greater awareness and understanding in...