Food and Fun At The COrner ALley #Cleveland #WyndhamWeekends

***Disclosure: I received a complimentary meal through the travel campaign with New Creative Media.   All opinions expressed are 100% my own and my family’s. Any additional expenses incurred were my own. ***

As you probably know from my 5 billion tweets and instagram photos last week, my family had our first ever "staycation" in beautiful downtown Cleveland. Okay, I know what you're thinking....If you've never been to Cleveland, the last image that pops into your mind is one of beauty. While it's true that there are definitely parts of town you'll want to avoid, there are also tons of great, hidden gems and tons of local flavor. 

One great place we discovered while exploring the Playhouse Square Theater District is The Corner Alley. This funky, eclectic spot is a Cleveland favorite, and for good reason! Not only can you grab some amazing food at the 4th Street Bar & Grill, you can also grab a martini at the full service bar, shoot some pool, and even enjoy a few rounds of bowling. That's right. The Corner Alley is a restaurant, a Martini Bar, and a bowling alley! How cool is that?! 

When we arrived at The Corner Alley, the first thing we did was take a look around. After all, this is a pretty unique spot! There are several dining tables and booths, all with a rather retro feel, and of course, there are several lanes in which to get your bowl on. And TV's to catch the latest sporting events. With LeBron coming home, I am sure they will be getting tons of use! 

We were seated in the Mezzanine section, which gave a good view of the bustling city streets and the bowling alley. Sophie and Xander were SO excited to be eating in such a unique place, and they kept saying that all restaurants should be this fun. 

Remember that local flavor I mentioned? Well, hometown pride was apparent even before our food arrived. Here at The Corner Alley, they have a bottle of Cleveland's Famous Bertman Original Ball Park Mustard. This is the stuff that dreams are made of. If you go to any Indians games and order a hot dog, this is the stuff that you'll want to have slathered all over it. Trust me. It's good. It's really, really good. 

The Corner Alley offers a ton of inventive dishes, as well as a lot of "kid-safe" favorites. Sophie and Xander both ordered Chicken Fingers and Fries. The chicken was nice and moist and perfectly cooked. The fries were also right on point. Yes, kids tend to be easy to please, but these really were quite flavorful and both kids cleaned their plates, even after having a very full breakfast only a couple of hours beforehand. 

Dan and I had a hard time deciding what to try. There were so many mouth-watering options. Burgers, sandwiches, some amazing looking salads. Ultimately, we both decided to try the Terminal Tower. This burger is made from a locally sourced, handmade Bratwurst patty, and has a spicy horseradish sauce, crispy fried onions, Pepper Jack cheese, and a  cheddar cheese and Yukon Gold potato pierogi. Yes, I did just say pierogi.

 Cleveland has a very rich population of Polish, German, and other Eastern European backgrounds, and this burger represents these cultures perfectly. It also came with a side of incredibly flavorful house-made kettle chips! 

My husband missed breakfast, so he was ravenous. Can't you see the hunger in his eyes as he sinks his teeth into the Terminal Tower? He ate the WHOLE THING, which was pretty impressive cause this baby was HUGE! 

I tried to hang with the big boys...I really, truly did. But in this battle between woman and food, food definitely won. I was able to finish about half of my sandwich before I hit the dreaded "food wall".  While I couldn't finish my meal, I definitely enjoyed every flavorful bite that I could fit in my belly. 

It was good. It was so, so good. The brat burger was perfectly seasoned and amazingly juicy. The creamy, spicy horseradish sauce was perfection, and I loved the addition of the crispy onions and the delicious pierogi. Yum. 

Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch at The Corner Alley. This little gem is definitely one of Cleveland's best kept secrets, and is a must-see for anyone visiting the area. The food is unique and full of local flavor, the servers are friendly, and you can burn off some of those calories by playing a few games of bowling! I should also mention that this establishment is within easy walking distance from Playhouse Square and the Wyndham! 

How to Connect :

The Corner Alley is located on the corner of East 4th Street and Euclid Avenue in the heart of downtown Cleveland! 

You can check out the awesomeness that is The Corner Alley on their website. 

You can also follow them on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest menu additions, promotions, and events!