Visiting West Boulevard, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this diverse Cleveland enclave, home to many hidden gems, by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Salvadoran pupuseria to an indoor mountain bike park.
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in West Boulevard, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.
1. Pupuseria La Bendicion
Topping the list is Salvadoran and Colombian spot Pupuseria La Bendicion. Located at 3685 W. 105th St., it boasts 4.5 stars out of 127 reviews on Yelp. Be warned: There's almost always a line, but Yelpers say it moves quickly.
The specialty here is pupusas. The Salvadoran favorite — a cornmeal flatbread with cheese or other stuffings — may sound simple, but fans say the flavors are fantastic. The tacos are also highly recommended. Yelper Nora R. calls the unassuming eatery in a strip shopping center "a beautiful, hidden gem that always brings a smile to my face."
2. Ohio Kabob Grill
Next up is Afghan and Mediterranean spot Ohio Kabob Grill, situated at 3359 W. 117th St. With 4.5 stars out of 98 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.
Afghanistan may be a long way from the Mediterranean, but both regions share a love for grilled kebabs, and Ohio Kabob Grill makes the most of that synergy. Offerings include gyro kebabs and Afghan chicken kebabs as well as lamb shish kebabs. A purely Afghan favorite is the mantu, beef-stuffed dumplings with a garlic yogurt sauce.
Yelper Herb Q. calls Ohio Kabob "Perhaps the most underrated restaurant in Cleveland."
3. Cleveland Mofongo Latin Grill
Latin American and Caribbean spot Cleveland Mofongo Latin Grill is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 11621 Lorain Ave., five stars out of 29 reviews.
The restaurant's specialty is Puerto Rican-style mofongo — stuffed balls of mashed plantain so popular that chef Eric Roman was chosen as one of the Cleveland chefs to offer his cuisine at the Quicken Loans Arena Launch Test Kitchen during Cavaliers basketball games in 2018. The roast pork also gets shout-outs.
Yelper Kim K. writes, "Wow! Drove 50 minutes to give this place a try and I'll drive it again!"
4. Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park
Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with five stars out of 29 Yelp reviews. Head over to 9801 Walford Ave. to see for yourself.
Open from October to April and on Sundays in the summer, Ray's was the product of a brainstorm by founder Ray Petro, who says on his website that he "had a crazy dream— 'Let’s get an old factory building and build an indoor mountain bike paradise!' "
Open since 2004, the park is a constantly evolving labyrinth of challenging obstacles, all in a sheltered environment where mountain biking enthusiasts can enjoy their sport throughout Cleveland's long, harsh winters. If you're among them, bring your bike, or rent one from Ray, and see if you can conquer his latest challenges.
5. Dragon Light
Check out Dragon Light, which has earned four stars out of 15 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Chinese spot at 3537 W. 105th St.
Another unassuming place, Dragon Light looks like any other Chinese restaurant on the outside. But its legion of fans say it is one of the best in Cleveland.
"Dragon Light is one of those places you hope to find in your town," writes Yelper David R. "It's a tiny hole-in-the-wall staffed by people who barely speak English, but who can totally rock your world with their food."
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
