- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
AMP 150 Restaurant and Bar
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
4277 W 150th StCleveland, OH 44135
(216) 706-8787
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
47 reviews for AMP 150 Restaurant and Bar
Review Highlights
-
"...Pana Cotta was a milk chocolate pana cotta with house made..." In 1 review -
"...tasting menu were the chicken liver pate and braised lamb." In 3 reviews -
"Amp offers a 4 and 6 course tasting menu chosen by the chef." In 2 reviews
Loading...
47 reviews in English
-
Review from Shana M.
Cleveland, OH
3/22/2012
This is the best restaurant in the Cleveland area. If you haven't been there yet then you're missing out on some truly amazing food. Every dish is prepared with great thought and care. Every flavor is thoughtfully considered and every menu item is scrutinized. Don't get too attached to anything on the menu, though, because it changes constantly for seasonality.
The "small bites" dishes are really nice for sharing (we usually order two a piece), but the "big bites" are fantastic full entrees that provide more than enough for one to eat. I had some friends go there and complain that the dishes were too small. The "small bites" are meant to be small portions that you share in order to experience a variety of food. The prices do reflect the portion sizes. If you want more, order another one. It's as simple as that. Also, note that this is not a place for meat and potatoes people. Eat at AMP 150 and be adventurous! Try new things like rabbit meat and quail eggs. If you want a plain grilled steak then this just isn't the place for you.
My single piece of advice for anyone considering going to AMP 150 is just to mentally get over the location. The restaurant is perfectly nice and refined with a contemporary, upbeat vibe, but it is in an area that's a bit run down. It's also in a Marriott that doesn't look too great on the outside (and parking can be a bit scarce) but that's quite nice inside. I've never thought that the adjoining lobby is a big deal at all. I don't know why Yelpers are so stuck on that. In my opinion, the TVs in dining areas at other restaurants are much more annoying.
I've always had great service at AMP 150 and the food consistently amazes me. Please try it if you haven't yet. -
Review from Kate P.
Monterey, CA
3/18/2012
Food: Very good, and not just because it's in the Cleveland Hopkins restaurant desert. My table did the bajillion course tasting menu. The menu changes seasonally, but my favorites were the fried squash blossoms, chicken liver pate with blueberry jam, rabbit with spatzle, and the seafood soup (coconutty broth).
Service: We had late reservations, and by the time we were done eating, the restaurant was closed. Despite that, the service was very good. Our server was helpful and every time a new course came out, a chef came to explain each dish to us.
Price: Really unbelievably cheap for the tasting menu. Definitely worth it.
Cleanliness & Ambiance: The restaurant was clean. UGH! HOTEL THO! WHYYYY. I hate eating in hotels, you know? It's kinda awkward. Especially on W. 150th. But the location is really the only semi-bad thing about Amp 150. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Redwood City, CA
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food here was surprisingly good..not just for a hotel resto, but overall.
I carried out for dinner so I can't say anything about the ambiance or wait-staff service, but I definitely appreciated the food that they prepared. Carry out orders are taken at the bar, so if you're staying in the hotel..it'll save you a bit of time. They even offered to call me when the order was ready..thought that was pretty nice.
I ordered:
1. Braised short rib with warm potato salad and carrots: The carrots were on the undercooked side because they were still pretty hard. I didn't mind it too much since the less cooked the veggie, the more nutrients are left in it. The warm potato salad was SOOO good with big chunks of potato. Nothing irks me more than when they say a dish comes with potato and it comes with 1 smear of mashed potato and thats it. rawr. and finally, the beef...it was done perfectly. Tender, moist and fell apart in my mouth. Yummm..
2. Flat bread with mushrooms, goat cheese, and celery leaves - This flat bread was $10 and i was like..it BETTER be good. and it WAS. It was a little on the oily side, but it was still so flavorful with the different textures wrapped up in the flatbread. LOVED the mushrooms and celery leaves together..who ever thought up this one was definitely a genius. The portion was enough for a meal on its own for 1 person.
I would definitely eat here again when I come back to Cleveland! -
Review from Susan W.
Medina, OH
5/21/2012
I have been there a few times for lunch, and the food is very tasty, so decided to take my husband for dinner.
Bad idea. The service was less professional during the dinner hour than the lunch hour, and the ambiance at that time of day is absolutely terrible. Too much light, and the music is too loud. Can't understand what they are trying to do. The unique, fresh food gets solid reviews, but the whole experience is cheapened by dirty tables, staff wearing jeans and tees, and the blaring light and music. -
Review from Jessica I.
Rocky River, OH
Updated - 4/29/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I had not been since Chef Cooley left, so I had to go do some investigative eating. I'm delighted to report that the quality of the food is just as good and wonderfully imaginative under Chef Jarrett. There were some tweaks: two entrees north of $30 have been added (a ribeye and a halibut, presumably for the expense account set), and the tasting menus have been upped by $5 (but are still a good value). I had the flatbread with with goat cheese and mushrooms, the celery root soup, and a mahi mahi entree, and I was really happy with everything. I'm relieved that not much has changed here.
Listed in: Yelp 100 Challenge
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
6/5/2011
I have to update my review since it has been ages since my first one, and the quality of the food is… Read more »
-
-
Review from Suanne L.
3/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Surprisingly good hotel food with fresh ingredients, creative flavor pairings, and friendly service. I enjoyed lunch here before a work conference and ordered the rabbit parpadelle and roasted cauliflower. The rabbit was a little dry, but the sauce was delicious and the pasta also wasn't overdone. Cauliflower was okay (I would have liked a little less cheese). The truffled mushroom soup looked and smelled good but I didn't get a chance to sample. Colleagues also got large salads which looked delish and I heard the chocolate caramel dessert is fantastic. Service was fast enough for a quiet afternoon. I wouldn't mind eating it again and considering the other options in the area, this is probably a winner. Ambiance is a little upscale, with lots of nooks for more private conversations and to forget you're in the hotel lobby. They also offer a very afforadable tasting menu.
-
Review from Bethany P.
Euclid, OH
4/23/2012
I hesitated before rating this place-I think it has the potential for a 4 or 5 star restaurant, but our experience was only a 3 star. We had a http://restaurants.com coupon for the place, so we certainly got a good value for our money, however, if we had paid full price, I would have been disappointed. We decided to do the tasting menu, and it was the wrong choice. In doing the tasting menu, your various courses are chosen for you. As such, we got the very standard appetizers and entrees, and missed out on trying the more adventurous choices. The food was all very good, but we felt like for the price we paid for the tasting menu, we could have just made our own choices from the menu and paid about the same price. So to those reading this review I would DEFINITELY recommend not doing the tasting menu. The highlight of the meal food-wise was dessert-We were treated to little mini apple tarts with butterscotch ice cream, homemade nut bars, and little mini Irish Carbomb cupcakes (they were in the process of adding those to the menu, they should be on there now: ORDER THESE! They were amazing.) Our server was a total flake. She would come and ask us about things, leave right in the middle of talking to us, say she'd be right back and then not come back. She was terrible. The chef did bring our dessert out and talked to us about what the dessert included, so we liked that. We really liked the ambiance of the place, kind of a studio 54 glam vintage sort of feel. My fiance and I agreed we'd try this place again, and with a different server, and making our own selections from the menu, we think this could be a great experience.
-
Review from Summer L.
Cleveland, OH
8/28/2011
I'll second the review about the tasting menu--it's a staggering amount of food, and it's wonderful.
Each person gets six DIFFERENT courses, so we got to try 18, but I'm definitely going next with a party of four so I can try 24 of them!
By Cleveland standards it's pricey (and the excellent mojitos were not cheap) but totally worthwhile. I got to try lots of different things.
I will say, though, as a person who is not crazy about meat or most shellfish, I had fewer options, but my omnivorous tablemates were very pleased, and I filled up with the salad and dessert courses.
my tablemates loved the mussels, scallops, lamb, pork and beans, and rabbit.
My favorites were the shrimp and sweet corn risotto, mushroom pappardelle pasta, peach turnovers, and gaspacho.
the waitress was very friendly and helpful, and we had a great chat with the sous chef.
I'd recommend getting a table near the back, though - - otherwise it's way too clear you're eating in a hotel lobby! -
Review from Jessica B.
Cleveland, OH
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
The decor: very middle eastern; could have been an Indian restaurant but it was done well. I sat in a wonderful circular booth that provided a lot of privacy.
The food: very good with different flavor profiles. The menu is similar to farm to table restaurants but they don't combine the flavors as well as other places have. This is my only complaint. All of the dishes taste great if you get a small amount of everything on your plate into one bite. However, the ingrediants are not evenly distributed to be able to do so. for instance, the squash soup was delicious with a marshmallow on the spoon, but there were only two tiny marshmallows... and it was mediocre without the marshmallows.
The service was quick and it was not very crowded. We went on a weekend and got seated quickly. The winter martini had almost no alcohol in it, so I had to get two drinks that evening. That was the only other thing I can say that I would have changed. Overall it was a nice atmosphere and the prices were very affordable. However, I think Deagens was better for the price. -
Review from Jen S.
1/30/2012
rating based on its location and surrounding restaurants in the area, which were far less appetizing. this is definitely a gem in the area. definitely a must try if you want some great food in ohio! this is what we ordered:
pate
mushroom soup
beet salad
scallops
striped bass
sauteed squash -
Review from Shara F.
Broadview Heights, OH
8/31/2011
It was our first visit to Amp 150 since the departure of Ellis Cooley and the entry of Jeffrey Jarrett from Palate. We really enjoyed the tasty intricacies and unexpected combinations at Palate, so we had high hopes for our meal!
Right away, the staff was very attentive and accommodating. We had a small issue with our first starter, and it was quickly rectified without us even asking. Sous-Chef Melissa Khoury delivered up a bevy of salads and small plates, each fresh and flavorful with beautiful presentation.
Some of the things we tried over the course of the evening:
Pasta Al Ceppo - Fantastic! Perfectly cooked al dente pasta, with eggplant confit, roasted red peppers, arugula, and pine nuts. The eggplant, chopped so fine and reduced to a thick consistency, had such intense flavor. It clung to every noodle, making every bite equally tasty.
He enjoyed the Seared Scallops which were cooked perfectly.
Broccolini with chili paste and sesame seeds, had just the right amount of heat and sweetness and crunchiness of the broccoli.
Panzanella Salad - Can't beat the fresh tomatoes right now!
Beet Salad - I am not a fan of beets, but was floored when I tasted, and ended up enjoying this salad. The beets were mild in flavor and just worked with the other ingredients, especially the goat cheese fondue.
There were lots of vegetarian options on the menu - I had a hard time picking. I'll have to go back to try the rest! -
Review from Rachael N.
Cleveland, OH
6/30/2011 ROTD 10/6/2011
As much as people may disagree with me on this review, I give AMP 150 a five star rating. I'm not sure how much my review will change with the new chef that supposedly is taking over (or already has taken over?), but nonetheless, five stars.
My foodie co-workers and I ventured out to AMP 150 one night for dinner. After looking over the menu at work, we all commented "let's get the tasting menu!" and off we went.
I love the tasting menu here. 45 bucks for 6 courses? What a steal. Even better, everyone who orders a tasting menu at your table, each gets a DIFFERENT 6 courses. All in all? We got 18 different plates, with 2 extra plates for added plus. Jeesh. We were stuffed by the end of the meal.
Free tastings:
Chicken liver pate with green mint jam: Interesting concept, as it came on toasted bread. I....thought the mint jam was too much. But, my co-worker loved it?
Mushroom vegetable soup: AMAZING. Not too salty, super flavorful, and very heartwarming. It came in this itty bitty cup....but man, it was packed with flavors. I always hate trying soups (due to the overload of salt), but this was just right.
Courses 2: Salads- bib lettuce, calamari salad, and edamame falafel salad. Of course I liked the falafel the best. The rest were good as well.
Courses 3: Mussels in plum wine and coconut milk, baby bok choy,and rabbit. All of them were flavorful and tasty. I really liked the mussels (you would think plum wine+coconut milk would be extremely weird...but actually was quite good). The bok choy...I could have made. haha. But the rabbit was super tender and flavorful as well.
Course 4: Hak fish with sweet potato, Cod in clam chowder sauce, and scallops in squid ink. I loved the fish and the scallops. My co-worker loved the clam chowder.
Course 5: Lamb, flank steak, and chicken. All of these were GIGANTIC portions. The lamb was pretty amazing- super tender.....as well as the flank steak. The chicken was a little bit on the dry side...but still good.
Course 6: Milk chocolate panne cotta, sweet potato trifle cake, and a berry tart with amaretto ice cream. My favorite was definitely the panne cotta- oh so light and good. But really....the guys were full by the end of the meal, leaving me the dessert. Why yes, I'll finish those off for you....
Definitely a yum-licious meal. I'm not sure how the restaurant will change with the new chef, but hey, when I went, it was definitely superb. -
Review from Jessica G.
Strongsville, OH
2/16/2012
Amp 150 was totally fine. It was really weird to feel like you're having dinner in a hotel bar, but the service was great. The food was good, just not spectacular. Overall, fine. Not outstanding, just fine.
-
Review from Funglin W.
Cleveland, OH
6/13/2011
So after hearing my friends talk about this restaurant and getting a coupon off of http://restaurants.com, i decided i HAD to try this restaurant out.
My bf and i decided to ordered their 4 course meal. The total meal came with 2 quick tasting dishes, and then the actual 4 course.
Overall (4): I love this restaurant for the decor, the atmosphere, the service, friendliness of waiter/hostee, and then their SOUP (the best part), their appetizers (mussels), and their dessert.
First Dish(5): Sweet Onion Soup and Chicken Soup
Since I don't eat onions, my boyfriend got their classic sweet onion soup while they made me their chicken soup. As my bf would say, the onion soup was "reminiscence of all the best parts of a French Onion soup while the soggy bread and with a thick creamy base." As for the chicken soup, the broth had such strong chicken base that you could tell they really spent time creating the broth. The soup was by far the BEST part of our entire meal.
Second Dish(4): Chicken Liver Bruschetta
I'm not the most daring eater and i've never had chicken liver. At first taste, the chicken liver had a texture I didn't like, but with the apricot sauce on the bruschetta, it really made this dish stand out!! It was a dish I never would've tried that I ended up enjoying.
Third Dish(4): Rabbit Meat & Lemongrass Ginger Mussels
Rabbit meat... pretty interesting to have 2 consecutive dishes where I had to try something i've never had. The rabbit meat was mixed with Spaetzle and the spaetzle gave it alitle oompf. This dish was delicious and tasted nice-- not too salty, but not too subtle. The lemongrass mussels was a big contrast to it. The sauce with the mussels were so good and to match it with chinese sausage-- YUM, perfection!
Fourth Dish(2): Beet Salad and Greens Salad
The beet was really delicious. It had a hint of dill in it so i loved it. The greens salad had cabbage/lettuce with cheese on it and there wasn't much of a flavor to it. It was good, but there just wasn't anything too special about it.
Fifth Dish(3): Roasted Chicken and Pork
As the main entree of the night, I wasn't really WOWed by the cooking. The roasted chicken was served with Carolina rice. The carolina rice was amazing although I thought it was a bit undercooked (my boyfriend didn't think so though). The chicken though, was way overcooked and for white meat to be overcooked, it was hard to eat. The pork thought was amazing. It was cooked like a steak and so delicious and juicy. It was served with a little salad like cole slaw and meh, the salad didn't have much flavor.
Sixth Dish(5): Funnel Cake and Cherry Pie
WOW! The desserts were amazing! Such a good ending to a good night. THe funnel cake wasn't too sweet and to top of it, they paired it with a flaun that had a tint of lavender flavor. The cherry pie came with a scoop of amorado ice cream. The fruit was fresh and the pie crust was delicious!!! -
Review from melanie l.
Cleveland, OH
3/18/2012
The pana cotta was the best dessert I've ever ordered in a restaurant.
-
Review from Mary S.
I'm a total fan of AMP150! I love the farm to table philosophy and everything I've had for dinner here has always been super fresh and flavorful with beautiful presentation.
The booths are perfect for a romantic evening out, a girl's night out or there are plenty of tables for a larger crowd. I must say I'm absolutely amazed this restaurant is in the Airport Marriott!
Last evening I had the Atlantic Char for dinner and the Pana Cotta for dessert. The Atlantic Char was perfectly done on a bed of fingerling potatoes and golden beets with a red beet puree. The Pana Cotta was a milk chocolate pana cotta with house made caramel and honey vanilla ice cream - absolutely amazing!!! The caramel truly makes this dessert. Don't miss it! -
Review from M P.
Bay Village, OH
3/12/2012 2 photos
What a hidden gem, in a hotel away from all the action of Cleveland. I have had the six course tasting menu twice now and what a bargain at $50 per person. They also have a four course tasting menu for $35 per person. The menu itself is pretty reasonable for the quality of food you get. I have not had anything that I didn't like with most of the food being outstanding, 5 out 5 stars on food. Some of the highlights that I have had are the light and foamy Velvet Mushroom Bisque with truffle oil, Edamame Falafel, Braised Lamb, Fried Pork Belly with Hoisin Glaze and Pan Seared Bronzini with Sunchoke Puree. They have a very large domestic beer selection with some great Midwest finds. The wine list is adequate but not great. Service has always been very good, with attentive knowledgeable servers. the downside of the restaurant is its location I'm sure it would be busier if the location was different. Some of the things I don't care for is that you may have to park some distances away from the front door if the hotel is full and the atmosphere, you feel pretty much like you are eating in a lobby of a hotel. I think a upgrade on the server uniform would not hurt either.
-
Review from Jeffrey S.
Brenham, TX
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would have easily given this AMP 150 five stars if they hadn't run out of the first two items I wanted to order. We had the chips with Aoli. The chips were awesome. I had the rabbit pot pie. It was exceptional. I could have eaten twice the amount they served. The apple pie ice cream received rave reviews from everyone in our party. The Pana Cotta was beyond tasty. The churros weren't really churros as I know them. They were more like slender donuts. The chocolate sauce also got mixed reviews. I was the only one out of our party of 5 that liked it. Thankfully, I ordered caramel sauce with the churros and we all agreed that it should be added as an option.
-
Review from Jennifer R.
Los Angeles, CA
11/27/2010
This restaurant is good (for Cleveland). If you add "for Cleveland" after my Cleveland reviews, they will make more sense. Also, this perspective will give you a baseline for my (star) ratings as well.
Amp 150 was located inside the Marriott Hotel. If you sit towards the back of the restaurant you can avoid the feeling of being a guest at the hotel and having no other place to go.
We started off with the pumpkin martini and mojito. They were both tasty however, they could have been stronger. Next, we tried the Chefs Choice tasting menu. This was a pleasant surprise! They boast organic and locally grown produce (from their own garden or local farmers). Our tasting menu consisted of their specialties such as the chicken liver pate, golden hubbard squash soup, pumpkin panzanella, seared scallops, poached pear and watercress salad, marinated flank steak, braised lamb, an apple stuffed pound cake dessert, and chocolate cake. The highlights of the tasting menu were the chicken liver pate and braised lamb. Everything was plated artistically and some of them looked better than they tasted!
Service was informative and attentive however, not overbearing. This is a good restaurant for Cleveland. -
Review from John F.
Brunswick, OH
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
If tonight was any indication, don't believe the hype. The service was excellent - no problems there. Started with the bread. Nothing spectacular, the bread was similar to Portuguese sweet bread. And it got worse as it cooled and began to taste stale.
For the main course, I got the flank steak with a red wine reduction. It was presented stacked on cold mashers. The meat was cooked med rare, but was much tougher than it should have been.
My guest had the seared hake, with clams and shrimp. The hake was ok, but no interesting flavor. The clams and shrimp were overcooked and bland.
Finished with a churro with spiced chocolate and a chocolate sauce. Well it had flavor, which was a change from the main course. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good one.
I really wanted to like this place. The reviews got me pumped for a great experience. Then I spent half the dinner explaining away the disappointment to my guest. But eventually ran out of excuses and the disappointment set in.
Perhaps others are beginning to agree with me based on the empty restaurant (lobby) on a friday night. -
Review from Bryan S.
Lakewood, OH
4/9/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Who would have ever thought there'd be a great restaurant right in a Marriott? I certainly wouldn't, but I was wrong.
AMP 150 serves grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, and a wide variety of locally grown produce for all its dishes. The menu changes periodically, but everything on it looks amazing. I can't recommend the mushroom soup enough, it was amazing!
The big drawback is that since it is attached right to the lobby of the Marriott, it can be a little noise when a group comes through, but other than that, it's well worth it. -
Review from Russ M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/26/2010
4 and 3/4 stars.
This is the the kind of place I love to find. Mostly unknown, motivated chef and delicious, innovative fare.
Work (once again) landed me somewhere that I never expected to be. This time was Cleveland, OH, My hotel that the company booked for me was pretty close to the airport so my culinary expectations for the area were pretty low. Fortunately for me, there was an outstanding restaurant in my hotel. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Hotel restaurants suck!" Generally, I agree. However AMP 150 is an exception to the rule.
Being that I'd never been here before, I wanted to maximize my experience so I chose to order 3 of the small plates. I went with the Squash blossoms, miso glazed cod and the brazed veal breast. I matched these plates with a nice Spanish Alberino.
The blossoms were outstanding! Stuffed with homemade ricotta and goat cheese then fried in a tempura batter. Yum!
The miso glazed cod could have been another top notch plate. However, I found it to be too salty and masked a lot of the flavors that were in the dish. A little lighter on the salt and this plate will be 5 stars.
Finally, the braised veal breast. I must admit that I have never had a veal breast before and was not ready for the amount of fat in the cut. Don't get me wrong, it was really good just not what I was expecting. To me it tasted similar to a pork belly. The cool thing was that Chef Ellis came out of the kitchen to explain the cut and preparation to me. This was especially cool because I was able to see how passionate he is about his work. Also, he sent me out another plate of veal, this time with a much leaner cut.
Clevelandites! Check this place out. You would pay 3 times for the same quality meal in LA or NY. -
Review from Jodi W.
Ojai, CA
9/11/2011
Great bar and food. Vegetarian friendly. Squash blossoms, chili asparagus, mushroom risotto. Great beer selection. Who knew Cleveland rocked the food scene?
-
Review from Rosalie S.
Cleveland, OH
10/24/2010
This is the second time I've been to AMP 150. The first time was for an event in the spring and I only had appetizers which were quite impressive. The one that comes to mind was the artichoke shooter. I knew right then I had to go back.
Friday night I finally had the chance to go have a meal.
Shrimp and grits was outstanding. Sauce was very tasty.
Pumpkin panzanella sounded a little odd to my friend, but I was in an autumn kind of mood. It was perfect melding of flavors. A great creation.
I know others have not liked the location since it is in a hotel, but I thought it created a real sense of energy around the place. I must say my friend and I enjoyed chatting it up with some out-of-towners on a Friday night.
Oh, and I've heard about out-of-towners creatively getting there by taking a shuttle to the airport and then taking the Marriott shuttle to the restaurant. Hint, hint.
Overall, great quality ingredients, great flavors and a great value.
Needs improvement:
The CURRENT menu should be posted on their website. It says to refer to the "social media" site, but I couldn't find it there either. Just update your site. Please. -
Review from Jason V.
11/27/2010
Had a recent late dinner at AMP 150--the second time I've been to the restaurant. First off, I still can't help but be impressed by the renovations to the Cleveland Airport Marriott, and it's doubly impressive to have such a quality restaurant in the lobby. On the downside, a lot of the parking in the front was taken up by hotel guests (or perhaps other restaurant patrons, though it didn't seem that crowded), so we ended up parking in the back.
AMP 150 continues to impress with its food offerings. The Oyster Mushroom and Goat Cheese Flat Bread was a good starter, and we followed that up with the Chicken & Apple Croquette and Rabbit and Ricotta Cavatelli. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good read on the croquette but the cavatelli was, again, a pretty good dish and something you won't usually find in nearby restaurants.
For my main dish, I had the Smoked Bone-In Pork Chop, which has a persimmon glaze and sits on top a layer of black eyed peas and next to some collard greens. Again, the dish was pretty good, but I think I was expecting a little bit more "wow." As for other items ordered, the Chicken Soup was very well received and the Crispy Calamari Salad looked pretty good. A downer was the Wedge Burger, an open-faced burger topped with a lettuce wedge covered in blue cheese dressing. The burger part of the dish was served a little cold--evidencing timing problems in getting the food out.
Service was very friendly but a little slow (although they may have simply been short-handed for the Friday after Thanksgiving). As for the general atmosphere, you are constantly reminded that you are in a hotel restaurant because of the lobby and the hotel patrons at the bar. On the other hand, there's no reason a hotel restaurant--and even a restaurant in a hotel lobby--cannot be a great experience (The Lobby in the Peninsula Chicago comes to mind). The reason I hold back on more stars (or even why I wouldn't consider it a solid three star place) is that while I like the direction AMP 150 is going--a menu of surprising items wrapped inside an entirely surprising hotel--I think the tastes need a little more refinement before AMP 150 is competing amongst some of the downtown eateries where folks tend to walk in with higher expectations. -
Review from Peter W.
2/22/2010
I was really looking forward to dining here, and really wanted to like it more than I did, but...
First of all, we had reservations, arrived early, and despite the restaurant being significantly empty on a Saturday night, we waited almost half an hour to be seated.
Our server was informative but also a bit curt, which made our group feel a bit uncomfortable.
The food was a mixed bag. The bread (from Breadsmith) and spreads were excellent. I really enjoyed the rabbit cavetelli, and another member of our party loved the pork loin. The Chicken flatbread was inconsistent. Some bites were good, and others were overpowered with rosemary. The other member of our party just didn't care for the cod. The honey vanilla ice cream was wonderful, but also provided by and outside source (Jeni's in Columbus).
So as far as the actual food, the experience was really a 50/50. If I were travelling and staying at the hotel with no other options, I would be very happy to have access to a place like this. Based on the rest of the experience, and the number of other great places in town, I don't think we'll be going back.
One suggestion: The restaurant is not very clearly deliniated from the hotel lobby. This REALLY took away from the ambience as far as our group was concerned. Perhaps if we had been seated toward the rear it would have been better, but our table was only separated from the lobby by a chest high wall. It made the place feel less special than it should. -
Review from Alicia M.
Mentor, OH
2/16/2011
I had really high hopes for this place, the menu intrigued me and I've heard good reviews. So my experience goes a little something like this: made reservations several weeks before Valentine's Day, arrived at our designated reservation time, was told we would have to wait 30-40 minutes for our table. Headed to the bar to get a drink while we waited, stood at the bar for 10 minutes, no acknowledgment whatsoever by bar staff. Boyfriend asks bartender if we can order drinks from him or if we have to go to the other end of the bar, bartender replies "yeah, but you're going to have to wait a minute, as you can see we are pretty slammed". Boyfriend and I promptly walk out disgusted with the complete and utter lack of professionalism and service and head to one of our stand by favorite restaurants.
I know, I know, going to a restaurant on Valentine's Day and expecting great food, prompt and courteous service and nice ambiance may be asking a bit much. However, it is my opinion that outstanding and friendly service can redeem mediocre food, a longer wait or lacking ambiance.
It's all a shame because the menu items really piqued my interest and I couldn't wait to try several of them. Perhaps we will go back again to give them another chance, in the meantime, hopefully the staff is taking a "Working in the Service Industry 101" class! -
Review from Rob S.
6/6/2010
Believe the hype, my friends. This hidden treasure on the West Side is simply outstanding. Superb food, friendly and knowledgeable service, and a wine/beer list filled with crap I've never heard of add up to one of the best dining experiences I've had...well, anywhere in the states. No kidding. I hate the word "foodie," but if embracing it means I'll eat at more places like this, bring it on.
(Note to bachelor dudes like myself: If you bring a date here, she will be crazy impressed and may actually pay attention to the bullshit you usually talk about.) -
Review from Justin G.
Cleveland, OH
3/6/2010 4 photos
I've come to believe that when a chef skillfully combines his talent with his passion, truly amazing food is made. I loved my evening at AMP 150, not only because of how well our meal was executed, but because Chef Ellis Cooley loves what he does and shares his passion. It's in his conversation and it's on his plates.
I started with a mushroom soup. It was velvety and complex in flavor. I could have sworn there was a heart attack of butter in it, but the chef explained his method which included whipping for texture and a combination of stocks for flavor without making the soup heavy with butters and creams.
My main was grilled lamb. Served over a robust white bean and margeze ragout, the lamb was tender with the perfect amount of pink.
By this point in the meal I had been entirely sated. Then came dessert. Lemongrass crème brulee. The crème brulee itself was delicate in flavor and consistency, but was paired with a knock-you-down strong lemon sorbet.
The chef took the time to make rounds in the dining room. He spoke about cost saving (my entire three courses totaled $21.00), ordering seafood not served elsewhere in Cleveland, and his quest for the perfect cut of lamb. The chef spoke of this plans for the future - brunch, experiments with house cured meats, and vegetables grown on site. And as he spoke, I came to understand the smile I had had on my face since my first spoonful of soup. This man is passionate about what he is doing. It shows in the long hours he works, the huge smile on his face as the talks about his craft, and the food - it really is exquisite. -
Review from Stacie M.
San Mateo, CA
11/1/2010
So I went to Amp 150 very wary about the "eating in a lobby" situation. Turns out that I had nothing to worry about! Had a great experience.
It started with wonderful service from our server. You could tell she was excited about the farm to table concept.
We started out with some cocktails. The strawberry basil martini and the carmel apple martini were delectable. My fiancee was very impressed with the beer list that even includes the hard to find German smoked beer Aecht Schlenkerla (although $10 IS a bit pricey for a beer even if it is a big one!)
The mussels were very tasty and came in a huge portion. My only complaint would be that their homemade Chinese sausage was barely like Chinese sausage at all. Don't get me wrong, it was good, just not similar to Chinese sausage.
We tried both a pumpkin panzanella (scrumptious!) and the chopped salad. Both portions were again huge!
I can't remember all the small bites we tried, but they were all tasty. The cod came with a great sauce (certainly not healthy!) - the edamame falafel was nice and crispy on the outside and tasty on the inside - the scallops were perfectly cooked.
The person that ordered the braised lamb was a little surprised at the amount of fat on the piece of meat, but I believe that's mandatory to achieve tenderness. The meal was also huge as it contained two good sized cuts of meat.
Can't complain about desert either. The baked apple provided just the touch of fall I needed. My friends loved the panna cotta, although I wasn't too sure about it. Personal palate issue I guess. :)
And really, by the end of the evening, I had no idea that I was sitting in the Marriott lobby. Who cares with all that good food to try!! -
Review from Jennifer R.
Santa Monica, CA
9/28/2009
We were staying at the Marriott on W 150th and thought we would try the new restaurant downstairs. I was a little aprehensive given it was a hotel restaurant but was I blown away.
Our server was exceptional and explained that the chef is into buying local fresh ingredients and implementing them into the menu.
Everything is very reasonably priced so you can pick and choose a variety of things to sample.
We had the mussels...they were sooooo delicious! The homemade kettle chips were awesome as well. They were warm and crisp and the creamy dipping sauce was fantastic.
I also sampled the perch sandwich and broccolini. The broccolin was fresh and delicious but a little basic. The perch sandwich was really good. The portion was more than enough to share.
Overall I was extremely impressed. I hope they keep it up and that more people enjoy the dining experience rather than just hotel guests. -
Review from Jason G.
Jersey City, NJ
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great food. Even better service. Get the Wedge Burger. Would come here on a regular basis IF I lived in Cleveland.
-
Review from Dee A.
Updated - 5/30/2011
I don't know if it was an off night or if this is the new AMP 150 but my experience fell so short of the last time I was there that I'm taking away a star.
The service was still great and our server couldn't have been nicer or sweeter but the food just fell short. We started with the monkey bread and the chicken pate. The pate was still amazing and came with grilled french bread which was good but the monkey bread was a bit stale. It had just started to get that hardened edge that comes from either sitting out of the bag or being microwaved and then sitting too long. The butters that came with it were ok but were still cold and not easy to spread which may have taken away from the flavor. The garlic oil was good.
The calamari salad was great and Lake Erie Creamery feta may be my new favorite cheese. I had the pork sandwich (don't remember the full name and it's new for spring/summer) The bread was a larger version of the monkey bread and really overwhelming. I couldn't really taste anything else. The roasted cauliflower was good and the goat cheese gave it a nice texture. My dad ordered the wedge burger done medium rare. It came out really charred and was done close to medium/well done. The fries were crispy and hand-cut. They tasted great. My mom had the pasta al ceppo which had an amazing flavor but was a bit greasy.
We mentioned that the monkey bread was a bit stale and that was removed from the bill without asking but didn't mention anything else. I didn't want them to think we wanted a free meal or anything.
I'll definitely be back and we may have just ordered the wrong menu items (someone walked by with a steak and it looked awesome) but compared to the awesome experience we had last time I was just a little sad.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/3/2010
Holy cow. This place was ridiculous. Went here with my parents and basically had a feeding frenzy.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Laurel H.
Akron, OH
1/22/2011
It's a lobby, people.
Having been in the Marriott for a seminar I decided to have lunch and do a bit of work. No Wi-fi signal available made me check my calendar to see if we were in the 1990's.
Was presented with a cloying menu. I can tolerate a bit of this for a dinner menu, however a lunch menu that waxes poetic is tedious.
When I looked up as my server appeared to present me with my order I thought at first the plate must be a salad, or a butter dish....it was so small. Yes, "small plate" taken to the edge of just plain tiny.
If the menu had listed multi ingredients there might have been one of each....the fingerling potatoes were just small slices looking as pathetic as three limp pickle slices on a fast food hamburger.
It lacked nothing in flavor and if I were a toddler it would have been a fine lunch. Adding a $4.00 coffee to the bill noting it was "Starbucks" to justify on the tab....only added to my wish to seek a satisfying lunch minus the theatrics somewhere else. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Cleveland, OH
12/4/2011
This was my first time at Amp 150 with Jeff Jarrett as chef. I must say it was the same space, which I do not love because you definately feel like you are in a hotel lobby unless you are seated way in the back. Also it was the same average service. There were four of us and we tried the four course tasting menu which was a really nice variety of food for the price. Since there were four of us we each got a different dish per course, giving us the chance to try many menu items. We started with the mushroom flatbread that was not the most flavorful. We had four different salads which looked lovely but the dressings needed more seasoning. We had the golden squash soup which was lovely but also could have used a bit more seasoning, loved the homemade marshmallow on top! We had the lamb, the beef sirloin, the walu and the roasted chicken as our entree course. The chicken was the clear winner, it was tender and delicious. Out of all our desserts the chocolate pana cotta was melt in your mouth chocolate deliciousness and the brownies were not far behind. Overall good value for all the dishes you get to try. With that many they can't all be winners.
-
Review from Adam G.
North Ridgeville, OH
7/18/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I have been here for lunch, and it was good. I have been here for brunch, and the buffett was pedestrian at best.
Lunch was full of flavor. Corned beef and swiss on rye is always a great combo.
The breakfast buffett was full of the normal drab. Runny eggs, flavorless bacon, dried breakfast potatoes. The only redeeming quality is that the menu options look promising. If you want breakfast, stay away from the buffett. -
Review from Joe G.
Lyndhurst, OH
2/26/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Yes, this restaurant is in a hotel, a Marriott hotel, but don't let that sway your opinion in the least bit. There is nothing about AMP 150 that makes you think run of the mill hotel restaurant. Amp goes way beyond bar food and provides you with a great and ever changing seasonal menu utilizing only that which is fresh. Nothing in their restaurant comes out of a can or box. In the summer they even have a garden out back from which they harvest most of the vegetables they use in their dishes at that time.
I've been to AMP 150 well over a dozen times whether it was a drink and a bite to eat at the bar waiting before picking a friend up at the airport or a dinner in their private dining room the food is always outstanding. Since the menu changes on a very regular basis I won't bother giving you specific menu recommendations because that will only leave you disappointed if they aren't on the menu. So what do I suggest you order then you might ask? The Chef's Tasting. Amp offers a 4 and 6 course tasting menu chosen by the chef. They do however let you give some input if you must but I suggest let the chef surprise you. Every time I've done the chef's tasting I always feel I'm getting the best of the best based on what's in season.
If you are slightly less adventurous, I'd suggest giving a try to the appetizer and soup sections along with the small plates. That's not to say their large plates aren't good but I tend to prefer variety to quantity. The small plates just allow you to try two different dishes of good portion size at the same price as one of the larger plates. They have a nice variety in the appetizer section and the soups always taste as fresh as the vegetables in them. As far as the desserts go, I'd highly suggest saving room. While they change as often as the regular menu it always keeps me trying something new and more often then not I'm happy with it.
The other nice thing about Amp 150 is their beer selection. They have a fairly extensive beer selection and while not the best in the city it is much better than most restaurants.
My only complaint about Amp 150 would be the service. While the experiences are not always bad, I have had some less than stellar service from time to time but it doesn't stop me from going and it shouldn't stop you from trying it. After all, really good food can make up for just about anything in my book and Chef Ellis Cooley has come through every time.
In closing, if you haven't been to AMP 150 yet, YOU MUST GO. Not next month, tomorrow. It is what I'd consider one of the Top 10 restaurants in Cleveland and the best food for the value for sure. -
Review from vineeta r.
Brecksville, OH
6/12/2010
First off- the location is odd. That being said, our group had a grand ol' time at Amp 150.
Overall, the ingredients were impeccable- all local and fresh. Preparation of those ingredients could have been slightly more refined (my steak lacked a crust, shrimp slightly overcooked in shrimp in grits, etc.), but the great flavors were there!
My ball n' chain and I hung out at the bar before the rest of our party arrived- our main bartender (Tom Petty) made some great mixed drinks and actually provided a lot of entertainment since he knew a bunch of magic tricks (he literally has a bag of tricks). The other bartender, ACDC was also a bunch of fun and was able to give some stellar beer selections and provide some good conversation. The beer list is extensive and had some new choices. Not quite as extensive as Bar Symon etc., but still large. Im not much of a wine drinker so can't comment on that.
Plan to go back and try some more dishes, the menu is interesting since it lends itself to sharing Tapas sized portions but also has traditional entree sized portions if interested. As mentioned earlier, it sticks with local fresh ingredients and one can't go wrong with that. The prices are very reasonable, our group of 5 had a LOT of drinks and food and I think the bill came back at $160.00. -
Review from Andy Z.
Strongsville, OH
7/16/2011
We have been to AMP 150 many times for dinner and they always make us happy that we stopped by. The food has always been great with Ellis and Melissa and I expect it to be the same with Jeff there as well. Stephanie gives us impeccable service and we always ask for her section when we eat there. The last time we went the risotto w/ peas was one of the best tasting that I have ever had. We also tried stuffed squash blossoms and they were very delicious. If you haven't been to AMP 150 you owe it to yourself to go for dinner.
-
Review from Priscilla P.
Irvine, CA
9/4/2011
don't understand the low reviews... i had a fantastic dinner here!
got the mushroom papperdelle, panzanella salad and they were so tasty and fresh! i love how they use seasonal, local ingredients.
for dessert, had french pressed coffee and got to try all the desserts.
the chocolate cake was amazing, as was the creme fraiche donuts and chocolate panna cotta. wasn't a fan of the lemon verbena flan.
solid, tasty place!!! definitely deserving of high marks
