There is not just one Michael serving food in Cleveland. The Michael named Symon charges high prices and recently bought a $3 million dollar condo in NYC. The Michael who owns this restaurant has low prices and has served free Thanksgiving dinners for years to any one who comes. Who dines where says a lot about one's sense of social responsibility and self esteem.
Michael's Family Restaurant serves everything from corned beef hash in the morning to all you can eat fish fries on Fridays. Like your own mother's table or Michael Symon's for that matter, not everything is a blast of gastronomic delight. Yet many reviewers excuse any of Mom's or Mr. Symon's poor executions but scorn MFR for having bacon not cooked to personal taste. Geez what a world!
Once I had come specifically for the roast turkey dinner. I placed my order and the server instructed me to help myself to the soup and salad bar as she brought my iced tea. After I had eaten my soup and most of my salad the server came to my table and apologized saying there was no turkey left. I offered to pay for the drink and soup/salad bar but did not want anything else. She went to Michael who came to my table said he understood that often one is set on one thing. The drink and soup/salad were on him. Take more if I wanted. Wonder no more why I go here often and so rarely to Symon's places that I probably contributed in total less than the cost of his condo's door knob.
I hope I am wrong and Symon does give a helping hand to his economically depressed hometown. Till I know, I will continue frequenting those who add to my town's well being.