You come in and the first impression is a little pretentious. The menu is on the expensive side.
But the food ...damn!! It really is good . These guys and girls earned their five stars.
Also the waiter was very nice . Seeing how much I loved the zhug dip, he gave me a small container to take home .
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christella Jeanjuste
It was a bit too loud. Couldn’t hear anyone on my table.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 5
gean Ray
Wonderful food and cocktails!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alexander Gross
INCREDIBLE FOOD!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cody Reed
⭐ Zhug – Vibrant Mediterranean Mezze in Cleveland Heights
Tucked into the lively Cedar‑Fairmount corridor of Cleveland Heights, Zhug is the latest hunger-inducing concept from chef Douglas Katz and Edgewater Hospitality partner Todd Thompson. It’s a Mediterranean mezze spot with generous portions, bold flavors, and a welcoming, high‑energy vibe .
🥘 Ambiance & Atmosphere
Zhug greets you with a casual but lively environment—perfect for a date night, drinks with friends, or a spontaneous dinner. With generous natural light, modern decor, and an upbeat soundtrack, it absolutely hums with energy. Plus, there’s no reservations needed, meaning you can stop in day or night without planning weeks ahead  .
🍽️ What to Order
The menu is mezze-forward, ideal for sharing and experimenting. Highlights include: • Hummus trio: Nigella seed, burnt onion, curried lamb & apricot, and harissa peanut—creamy with unexpected depth. • Vegetable plates: Za’atar roasted carrots, muhammara, eggplant moussaka, crispy cauliflower in spiced coconut sauce—all balanced, artful, and vegetarian‑friendly . • Proteins: The saffron‑and‑date braised lamb over crispy sweet potatoes with ricotta is a standout—sweet, savory, and oh-so-memorable. Don’t skip the beef kofta, crunchy shrimp, or lingcod cakes either—each has its own flair and flavor punch .
🍹 Drinks & Desserts
The cocktail list is playful and inventive: try Zhug No. 22 (gin, coconut-washed amaro, rosemary) or No. 6 (rye, za’atar honey, nutmeg). They also offer non-alcoholic “gazoz” sparkling shrubs and zero-proof cocktails with all the complexity of spirits . Desserts like vegan coconut custard with coconut cardamom flavors and the tahini‑ice cream sundae make for a satisfying sweet finish .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Laura Blystone
AMAZING food! Such a great selection of gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options along with some fantastic meat dishes. The food came out quick and the server was attentive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Honey Roasted Beets
Remy Schultz
Zhug is the perfect dining experience! We loved the large open windows and al-fresco feeling. I recommend the zhug no.1 and gazoz no. 8 cocktails, the honey roasted beets, and the coconut custard. Amba ✔️ Zhug ✔️ can’t wait to try Kiln!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alexandra Marzev
I went here accidentally right before close for my sisters birthday. The server Helen made the whole experience AMAZING!! The service was prompt and so family oriented. I was so incredibly impressed with the service! Compliments to the chef and SO MANY COMPLIMENTS to the server Helen!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bri Kristen
I've been to restaurants all over the nation and this is one of my absolute favorites! They have tons of GF options. All their food and drinks are phenominal and the staff is amazing to boot.
MaBee
We love the hummus. We get with no added oil. We also love the Muhammara. You can get a side of raw veggies for dipping. Ask server for vegan menu. Everything is good. One of our favorite places to eat vegan. No reservations. Plan accordingly.
We let our server order for us and she couldn’t have done a better job. I recommend this place to anyone I know coming to Cleveland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus Nigella Seed and Burnt Onion
Abhi B
Update to this visit Initial visit was about 2 years ago and absolutely wonderful. We visited again today and very disappointed with the food. Each dish lacked something, the bread was stale and microwaved, the potato dish was absolutely terrible, the amazing chicken from last time was overcooked and rubbery, even the green sauce that's their signature had no flavor. Seems like the restaurant lost it's touch and it was more evident given it was almost empty! Last visit we waited 2 hours, this visit almost every table was empty and the wait staff seen sitting around. Unfortunately this will he our last visit to Zhug and thankfully Amba is still good.
A definite must try in Cleveland! We had a 2 hour wait to get in as they don't take reservations, the wait was definitely worth it. We tried 8 small plates and almost each one was perfect. The octopus, cod, fried chicken were excellent. The vibe inside and the service was great as well. I think it's best to visit this restaurant on the weekdays and show up at 4pm so you don't have a crazy long wait. The cocktails were good too. We will definitely visit again but probably on a weekday!
emma penney
this is genuinely the best meal i have had in a long time 🥹 we had the burnt onion hummus, brussel sprouts, zaatar carrots, falafel, shrimp, beef kofte, and lamb. each of the items were plated beautifully and paired with the perfect flavors. there were 3 people at our table and this was the perfect amount of food(for us at least!) so i would recommend ordering about 2-3 items per person. the quality of the ingredients used is extremely apparent in the flavor of every single dish and i can’t wait to come back to try even more from the menu! thank you zhug for a wonderful meal and experience 🤗
PlantRich
Loved everything about this place: cuisine, mixology, service, and vibe. Clearly marked vegan and vegetarian items. chef put feta on the side to make a vegan moussaka for me and also substituted olive oil in the mejadra for my wife.
Ido Tzhori
Hmhmhmhmmmmm yummy yummy yummy. My tummy is so full and satisfied. This is a buy! Go to Zhug if you want a Z-hug!
You come in and the first impression is a little pretentious. The menu is on the expensive side.
But the food ...damn!! It really is good . These guys and girls earned their five stars.
Also the waiter was very nice . Seeing how much I loved the zhug dip, he gave me a small container to take home .
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was a bit too loud. Couldn’t hear anyone on my table.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 5
Wonderful food and cocktails!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
INCREDIBLE FOOD!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
⭐ Zhug – Vibrant Mediterranean Mezze in Cleveland Heights
Tucked into the lively Cedar‑Fairmount corridor of Cleveland Heights, Zhug is the latest hunger-inducing concept from chef Douglas Katz and Edgewater Hospitality partner Todd Thompson. It’s a Mediterranean mezze spot with generous portions, bold flavors, and a welcoming, high‑energy vibe .
🥘 Ambiance & Atmosphere
Zhug greets you with a casual but lively environment—perfect for a date night, drinks with friends, or a spontaneous dinner. With generous natural light, modern decor, and an upbeat soundtrack, it absolutely hums with energy. Plus, there’s no reservations needed, meaning you can stop in day or night without planning weeks ahead  .
🍽️ What to Order
The menu is mezze-forward, ideal for sharing and experimenting. Highlights include:
• Hummus trio: Nigella seed, burnt onion, curried lamb & apricot, and harissa peanut—creamy with unexpected depth.
• Vegetable plates: Za’atar roasted carrots, muhammara, eggplant moussaka, crispy cauliflower in spiced coconut sauce—all balanced, artful, and vegetarian‑friendly .
• Proteins: The saffron‑and‑date braised lamb over crispy sweet potatoes with ricotta is a standout—sweet, savory, and oh-so-memorable. Don’t skip the beef kofta, crunchy shrimp, or lingcod cakes either—each has its own flair and flavor punch .
🍹 Drinks & Desserts
The cocktail list is playful and inventive: try Zhug No. 22 (gin, coconut-washed amaro, rosemary) or No. 6 (rye, za’atar honey, nutmeg). They also offer non-alcoholic “gazoz” sparkling shrubs and zero-proof cocktails with all the complexity of spirits .
Desserts like vegan coconut custard with coconut cardamom flavors and the tahini‑ice cream sundae make for a satisfying sweet finish .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
AMAZING food! Such a great selection of gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options along with some fantastic meat dishes. The food came out quick and the server was attentive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Honey Roasted Beets
Zhug is the perfect dining experience! We loved the large open windows and al-fresco feeling. I recommend the zhug no.1 and gazoz no. 8 cocktails, the honey roasted beets, and the coconut custard. Amba ✔️ Zhug ✔️ can’t wait to try Kiln!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went here accidentally right before close for my sisters birthday. The server Helen made the whole experience AMAZING!! The service was prompt and so family oriented. I was so incredibly impressed with the service! Compliments to the chef and SO MANY COMPLIMENTS to the server Helen!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've been to restaurants all over the nation and this is one of my absolute favorites! They have tons of GF options. All their food and drinks are phenominal and the staff is amazing to boot.
We love the hummus. We get with no added oil. We also love the Muhammara. You can get a side of raw veggies for dipping. Ask server for vegan menu. Everything is good. One of our favorite places to eat vegan. No reservations. Plan accordingly.
Restaurantji Recommends
We let our server order for us and she couldn’t have done a better job. I recommend this place to anyone I know coming to Cleveland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hummus Nigella Seed and Burnt Onion
Update to this visit
Initial visit was about 2 years ago and absolutely wonderful. We visited again today and very disappointed with the food.
Each dish lacked something, the bread was stale and microwaved, the potato dish was absolutely terrible, the amazing chicken from last time was overcooked and rubbery, even the green sauce that's their signature had no flavor. Seems like the restaurant lost it's touch and it was more evident given it was almost empty! Last visit we waited 2 hours, this visit almost every table was empty and the wait staff seen sitting around. Unfortunately this will he our last visit to Zhug and thankfully Amba is still good.
A definite must try in Cleveland!
We had a 2 hour wait to get in as they don't take reservations, the wait was definitely worth it. We tried 8 small plates and almost each one was perfect. The octopus, cod, fried chicken were excellent. The vibe inside and the service was great as well. I think it's best to visit this restaurant on the weekdays and show up at 4pm so you don't have a crazy long wait. The cocktails were good too. We will definitely visit again but probably on a weekday!
this is genuinely the best meal i have had in a long time 🥹
we had the burnt onion hummus, brussel sprouts, zaatar carrots, falafel, shrimp, beef kofte, and lamb. each of the items were plated beautifully and paired with the perfect flavors. there were 3 people at our table and this was the perfect amount of food(for us at least!) so i would recommend ordering about 2-3 items per person. the quality of the ingredients used is extremely apparent in the flavor of every single dish and i can’t wait to come back to try even more from the menu! thank you zhug for a wonderful meal and experience 🤗
Loved everything about this place: cuisine, mixology, service, and vibe. Clearly marked vegan and vegetarian items. chef put feta on the side to make a vegan moussaka for me and also substituted olive oil in the mejadra for my wife.
Hmhmhmhmmmmm yummy yummy yummy. My tummy is so full and satisfied. This is a buy! Go to Zhug if you want a Z-hug!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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