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| - This place has been a regular destination for us in Cleveland for over a decade now, and it continues to be a restaurant we recommend without hesitation. A huge vegetarian, vegan, and specialty menu, decidedly friendly to those with specific culinary needs (i.e. no gluten, etc.), which succeeds in not isolating those folks who experience the onset of panic when "vegetarian" is mentioned. Yes, meat does exist here, and yes, I'm sure it's tastily cooked and presented as well.
We pretty much only ever get the same meal when we come here, which is ridiculous due to the massive selection available. The "Ceebee" is freaking delicious, however, and I drool when thinking about it: pita stuffed with falafel, hummus, bean sprouts, cheese, and some other wonderful things, all heated together. I'm glad that there's only two portions included in the meal, as I could probably gorge myself sick on this stuff.
I'm a big fan of Tommy's hummus, as well, which one can purchase as its own plate in either the normal or "spiked" variety (which features everything from BBQ sauce to the moon, apparently). I tend to get the normal hummus plate, sometimes with cheese, to split with friends, and we're rarely disappointed. When I ate there recently, however, the hummus wasn't as up to par as it normally is - I suppose everyone has their off days.
Snag a booth to eat in if you can, as it enhances the overall aesthetic of the place - wood polished by the feet and rears of thousands, random plants everywhere, easy access to the bookstore next door, show and concert posters crammed onto the wall in the entry foyer. Generally, Tommy's is clean, well-lit, small group/family-friendly, and satisfying to the stomach. The servers are hit or miss, as the place tends to employ its share of hipster kids, who can either be friendly or awkwardly removed from normal social niceties. We've rarely had an issue with that, however.
Recommended.
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