CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — The long-awaited return of one of the area's most beloved restaurants is almost here.
Nighttown, which has been closed since 2020, will finally reopen its doors on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights during the week of November 6.
In January 2021, longtime Nighttown owner Brendan Ring sold the restaurant (and his entire Cedar Hill property) to Red Restaurant Group. Later that year, managing partner Gregg Levy told 3News' Russ Mitchell that redesign and planning was underway to allow Nighttown to reopen sometime in 2022.
However, the project "experienced significant delays for reasons beyond our control," the restaurant stated in a press release announcing its reopening. Nighttown brought in Beachwood-based Harlan & Associates to help complete construction, allowing it to receive a certificate of occupancy from the City of Cleveland Heights, as well as a Cuyahoga County Board of Health Food Service Operation License.
As part of the renovation, Nighttown will feature a brand-new kitchen, updated bathrooms that are also ADA compliant (including the addition of a bathroom off the main patio), a new HVAC system, the installation of a fire suppression system, reinforced structural components, a new entrance from the restaurant to the main patio, new seating in certain areas, and a new audio-visual system.
Nighttown's new kitchen will be led by Executive Chef Rowan Murray, who restaurant leaders say is preserving the essence of the old menus and adding some new items. Nighttown says it is still looking for more new team members with hospitality experience and are hiring for many open front-of-house and back-of-house positions.
Live music has always been a staple at Nighttown. Restaurant leaders say the plan is for that to continue, but it "may take us some time." The restaurant is working with the city of Cleveland Heights "to ensure our stewardship as a music venue is safe for our performers and patrons, including adherence to city-mandated occupancy capacities."
"Even as we present a modernized appearance of Nighttown and showcase some new menu items designed by our Red team, we want to emphasize that this will still be Nighttown," the restaurant added in its release. "More details will be released closer to our opening date. Please come visit us when we open — we hope you’ll love Nighttown’s new look as much as we do."
