You come to Cleats for wings, and they're criminally underrated wings at that. You come to Cleats on Tuesday/Wednesday, because you can get said wings for 49 cents, whether they're boneless, bone-in, or even not wings at all (shrimp). Or you come to Cleats to be unimpressed by the other menu options that always seem to fall a bit short. But that's not what my review is about. My review is about Cleats signature item, the wings.
I've been a big fan of Cleats wings ever since taking my first bite of them at the former Hooters location in Mentor on 306. And it was that day I was introduced to things I can only talk about in a wing restaurant... dry rubs. The best of the dry rub bunch come in the forms of their signature flavors, the Six Pepper Blend and the Erie Island Smoke. The spicy and sauce-free flavors pop in your mouth, and can be washed down with one of the cheap daily domestics to enhance the flavor. Some other non-dry rub favorites include the house BBQ (Memphis Belle) and the Buffalo Ranch. If you're feeling adventurous, jump aboard the Sweet Heat, and have a pint on the ready.
Cleats is not trying to be flashy. It's trying to be a break from the hipster lifestyle up the street. It delivers on that, and is my go-to spot on Tuesday/Wednesday night. It should be yours, too.