This is my favorite restaurant in Cleveland. The fact that they don't take credit cards is no big deal compared to the deliciousness of their meals. I've probably eaten there 15 times and ALWAYS have great service. The staff at Stino never have even the slightest attitude. They appear genuinely happy to see you and help you and never annoyed or put out by a request. That is very rare.
the food. Oh, the food. Please go on a Thursday and get the special: beef tenderloin lightly breaded with romano cheese. Accompany it with pasta with Vesuvio sauce. then die happy. You can buy jars of the Vesuvio sauce at Heinen's (or at Stino) which is fantastic. We often get the sauteed calamari and it's perfectly cooked every time. Dipping the bread in the leftover white wine/lemon broth/sauce is recommended. (It's not breaded in case you are expecting a fried calamari.)
It's quite intimate as it's a smaller place. Finding parking isn't usually difficult. A dinner for 2 including appetizer, wine and dessert will be pretty costly, which is the reason I don't give Stino 5 stars. But this is absolutely worth the cost. One of my only annoyances about Stino is that they don't open until later in the day (4pm, I think) to make a reservation, and they're closed on Sundays and Mondays.
A must try to for anyone looking for authentic and delicious Italian food.