One of the great mysteries growing up here in Cleveland in the 80's was "How the hell did Geppetto's win all those Rib Cook-offs with such mediocre ribs?" I mean, WMMS won the Best Radio Station Award in Rolling Stone for 9 straight years because they were the greatest radio station ever, right?
Oh.
Maybe I just don't understand how a thin, not-really-saucy, not-really-cheesy, not-really-flavorful pie can have a rabid following. It could be that the ketchup plus vinegar plus a few spices barbecue sauce is just lost on my palate that tends to look for creativity. Maybe I just don't like the abomination that are boiled ribs.
Or, maybe it's just that Geppetto's food just isn't that good. There's very little to get excited about on the menu, and just as much to get excited about inside of Johnny Malloy's, the bar portion of the company. If you're looking for the mundane, the mediocre and the malaise of food that just does rather than assert itself as something different, Geppetto's is right up your alley.
Anyone else should probably look elsewhere.