First Look: Charter House Grille, Opening August 8th on East 185th

Chris King was in no immediate hurry to open Charter House Grille (991 E. 185th St.) given the landscape just outside his front door. Between the Water Pollution Control project and subsequent Streetscape Improvement Project, East 185th Street has been an absolute nightmare for residents, commuters and business owners for the past four years.

In 2022, King purchased the former Bistro 185 property, which had been inactive for nearly three years. Since that time he has reworked every surface, both outside and in. On August 8, he will welcome his first guests, something he has been eager to do for months.

“We’re going to bring a good clientele here that will put some eyes on 185th, that will also probably patronize the other businesses that are here,” he explains. “The street still has a little bit ways to go, but I think ultimately we’re going in the right direction.”

King, a versatile entrepreneur with businesses in the hospitality and transportation fields, has teamed up with Justin Spohn, who will act as executive chef/GM. Together, they have created a modern, upscale-casual restaurant that will serve an eclectic but approachable menu with something for everybody.

“Nobody is going to walk in here and say there’s nothing here I can’t eat,” adds King.

Charter House Grille bears little resemblance to Bistro 185 -- or John Christie’s Tavern, which preceded it. The woodsy neighborhood tavern feel has been swapped for cool, contemporary and posh. A 14-seat quartz bar joins a 70-seat dining room with custom velvet-wrapped booths and banquettes. Colorful murals anchor the room, and more original artwork is on the way.

Spohn, a familiar face at various Cleveland restaurants and cocktail bars, has devised an ambitious menu filled with elevated and playful American fare. Diners can start with duck-fat fries with Béarnaise, an egg roll version of a Philly cheesesteak, or deep-fried, dinosaur-shaped chicken rillette nuggets. In addition to a handful of salads, there are hearty handhelds like a salmon burger, french fry-topped Polish Boy, double smash burger, and shrimp Po’ Boy starring head-on prawns. In the big-plate department, there’s a 48-day dry-aged USDA prime strip steak, grilled red snapper, herb-crusted rack of lamb, lobster mac and cheese, and vegan mushroom bourguignon.

To drink, there will be beer, wine and creative cocktails.

Unlike many of its contemporaries, Charter House will be serving lunch daily, along with nightly dinner and weekend brunch. A front and side patio will be added down the line, says King.

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