Rustic Restaurant

This is one of those nostalgic restaurants from my childhood and happy early adult years. I used to go here with my beloved Grandma every week after grocery shopping for years. Sadly, after her passing in 2007 I stopped going because it was just too painful.
Today my husband met me for lunch here and I swear it was like traveling back in time. I half expected to see my Grandma walk through the door in her cream trench coat, large sunglasses and brown leather gloves, smelling of Kools and complaining of the cold.
I ordered my old favorite, a tuna melt, and my husband got the Gourmet burger with cheddar and we tried something new also, the breaded mushrooms.
As soon as the food arrived I was elated. It looked exactly as I remember it and it tasted the same as well. It was perfection. The bread was toasted and buttery and the tuna inside was cool and lovely. The breaded mushrooms were so good I told my husband I was glad we came here in my 3^rd trimester and not my 1^st, otherwise he would be running to Rustic’s nightly for breaded mushrooms. They could easily become an addiction.
The décor is rustic, as some other people have mentioned. It looks like a log cabin inside with some fake greenery. It has that old school feel that I love, like back in the 80’s, with the dark wood everything (think Bearden’s before it got the white-​wash interior) I love sitting in the pseudo-​cabin watching the wind blow the snow around outside.
He was really happy we went and said we should lunch there again more often and I fully agree. I was pleasantly surprised that nothing had changed!

Excellent friendly service! Very fast! Can you please put my Patty between the bun for me next time
Only complaint is we were kind of rushed

Disgusting old food. Workers not well trained food was bad place is old. What else do u have to say. My son started eating his food and through up in his plate. Never going back.

Good for a big burger and fries, but not so hot for other items. I ordered a special about a month ago, it was beef stew. The meat was so spongy and fatty I could barely eat it. Also, it was served on a flat plate which seems inappropriate for a stew type of meal. I did not complain to wait staff until after my two guests finished their meals (both hamburgers, both pretty good they indicated.) I will still go to the Rustic for burgers but no more specials for me.

Cannot wait to go back again! It has a cozy cabin like feel with great service, food, and prices. My daughter loved their mashed potatoes, I loved their golden fries and tuna melt, and my husband had the best Philly ever! We had a party of 6 and were in and out in less than an hour to catch a movie.

Love their breakfast! Servers on Saturday mornings are excellent. It’s a casual, relaxed place. You must try the omelets.

My favorite burger of all time! The Riegelsberger! Anytime I am home I make sure to stop in for one. We’ve been going here as a family for as long as I can remember. Always a wonderful experience and we’ve always loved our food!

been going here for what seems like forever. maybe because it has been that long. seriously?. hands down. the BEST hash browns. EVER!. they will change your life!

Been going here for years – seriously the best place!!! Breakfast is off the hook. The pancakes are phenomenal, and the omelettes. I love getting the specials whenever they have some kind of skillet. Usually there’s a long wait on Saturday mornings but it’s worth it. We are there every Saturday morning!

Time of Visit — 2pm Friday. I think it’s important to note that in all my reviews. It can make a big difference in many establishments.
The Rustic:
As another Unilocal reviewer stated, the décor isn’t «bad», it’s just plain in a «rustic» sort of way. Most of the people there were over 50. Now, onto the food:
We had been across the street at the shopping plaza and asked about the Rustic, as we’d never visited. We were told the burgers were great. Well, we weren’t that hungry and their «famous Reigelberger» was $ 5.99 so we each got one. Fries were extra, and we got those too. Bacon, mushrooms and cheese… cost extra, but we got those too. As other reviewers have mentioned, the patties were *thin* — I mean think of those frozen, pre-​formed, in-​bulk ⁷⁰⁄₃₀ «beef» things you get at GFS, Costco, Sam’s etc. — Well, for this reason, our food came out quickly. Ordering that thin of a burger medium rare is pretty pointless — they’d have to sear it and put it on the bun. It was too thin to even be pink in the middle. Worst of all, there was no taste to the meat at all. The bacon, naturally salty, was the only thing I could taste. I had to wonder if because of all the seniors, they hold back on the seasonings. Anyway, I ate half the tasteless sandwich, and took the rest home, chopped up in a box for the stray cat. The fries, meh, they were fries you know?
I will say however that the menu lists a «gourmet» burger which was of bigger weight, so maybe that’s the burger other Unilocal reviewers have enjoyed more, I don’t know. Our drink refills were prompt, waitress was friendly enough. Desert was not offered. We wouldn’t have ordered it, but it’s nice to have a «Can I get you anything else?»
Their menu did include other items which I thought were pretty expensive given the location and ambiance. $ 12 for a 2 piece cod dinner? So we probably won’t go back. We don’t get to Rocky River often, and this definitely didn’t impress.

Best burgers around! You walk in, expecting a poor diner experience — but trust me once you bite into that delicious burger it all makes sense.
I’m pretty sure I had a choir of angels behind me singing the Hallelujah Chorus while I was eating.
I’m dreaming about the next time I am able to come back.
Until next time, dear lovely Rustics.

My sister and I went to Rustic for lunch yesterday. It was our first time ever eating there, in spite of living on the west side since 1978. I think we never stopped in before, because of the outside of the building. It’s not terribly appealing. It doesn’t look like a dump at all, it just looks plain, I guess. Well the inside is a very pleasant surprise. The décor is home-​y and rustic without looking old or tired. We both had burgers and agreed that they were very, very good. I guess as I have always seen the parking lot full, we should’ve eaten here sooner. We just didn’t, but I’m sure we will return. I’m not quite ready to give it 4 stars yet, but I will update after I have tried more of the menu.

best burger in cle. enjoy the cheesy delicious reiglesburger and Cajun fries. I don’t know what any of the other food tastes like, 25 years and every time I eat here I get the same thing.

Used to eat here all the time as a kid. My mom suggested it recently when I was craving a really good burger. Had their gourmet burger with hash browns and we split the onion rings. Awesome! I can’t wait to go back. They’ve come a long way since 25 years ago when we ate here as a kid. They have a big variety of daily specials and the prices have gone up. I was shocked to see a Lake Erie perch special on the board for $ 19.95?!? But still, the gourmet burger is $ 8.79 and definitely comparable to all the other gourmet burger places that have cropped up on the West side in the last few years. I get cravings for that burger and can’t wait to go back. My mom loves this place, and the crowd is for the most part, older folks. who cares! The Rustic has good food and great customer service. If you’re in the area, definitely stop in!

Stopped in for a quick lunch, glad I did! I ordered the RIEGELSBERGER, it is very very tasty! I would recommend it. The onion rings were also quite delicious. Fast, friendly service.

I really want to give more stars, but I just can’t. The food was great. And totally worth four or five stars. The service was from Dante’s inferno. Not sure which level of hell our waitress, Missy came from but I’m sure it included rude staff. I ordered eggs, once over light. They were scrambled. Not one time did anyone ask how things were. They were good. I ate the eggs since she never bothered to check on us. Someone else refilled our coffee. Even when I paid, I was never asked how things were. Rude.
I chose to sit at a table that was accessible for my mom who has had foot surgery. We got treated to eyefuls of old men’s wedgies while talking to the wait staff.
I’d go back but only if I never had that waitress again. The food was cheap and good but the service really needs to step up. Just be pleasant!

I feel so young!
This seems like a restaurant you come to once, then you come back every week. There are so many people that are just sitting around, drinking coffee and talking. A lot of people know each other too.
This place feels like a good ol’ dinner. Kinda outdated… But that adds to the appeal.
I ordered eggs, bacon, home fries and switched the toast out for some fresh fruit.
Total is $ 6. Not bad.
The food itself was
The fruit was fresh. Cantaloupe, grapes, honey dew and pine
The hash browns were great. Super crunchy on the outside.
I got my eggs over easy… They were a little under, but still good.
Overall it is a cute little place. I love people watching all the different people. And I may have been listening to the older women behind me talking about their new boyfriends ;)

Three stars for the food, extra star for the service and atmosphere.
We’ve only ever been here for breakfast. Usually Sean and I will go out for breakfast on Friday mornings when I get off from working overnight. The Rustic is one of our traditional spots for this for a few reasons.
Mostly, I like the rustic because it reminds me of the hometown diners in northern Wisconsin where I grew up. Nothing fancy, a little rough around the edges, but with good standard comfort food and great service. Also, you see a little slice of society (at least RR society) here I think. You’ll see little old couples, young couples, dads taking their 2-​year-​old for breakfast, and people meeting up with friends for what seems like their weekly get-​together. Just a nice little community diner.
We’ve had several of the breakfast combos — usually I go with the River Special or the Canadian. All have been well-​prepared — you’ll have your eggs cooked correctly here, I promise you. Bacon is good, Canadian bacon good also.
The coffee pretty weak but your cup is never empty and the waitresses are always quick and friendly — no apathetic teenagers serving here. These ladies are professionals.
A couple things could definitely be better about the food — the hash browns aren’t the greatest in my opinion, and the hot sauce is Tabasco. Bummer on both counts.
Overall, a nice, cheap little old-​school spot to change it up once in awhile.

Well, the Rustic… hmmmm …
Well …what to say?
Good home-​cookin’
Reasonable prices.
Hearty portions.
Oh yeah… and LOTS of Golden Buckeye cards. As in LOTS.
I’ve always been told… if you want good hearty home-​cookin’ portions… look for long-​haul truckers and senior citizens.
I was, easily, the youngest person in the room at lunch today… by thirty years.

I’ve been eating at this Rocky River institution for 30 years, although never once by choice. It’s my grandmother’s favorite restaurant so whenever I’m back in town visiting we end up coming here to eat dinner between the hours of 2:30 and 4:00pm. A large portion of the clientele seems to be in the same boat as my grandma — they don’t get out too much anymore and just want to to eat somewhere familiar, not one of those newfangled Applebee’s or Chili’s where they play that loud rock and roll music and ask if you want to Funsize your OnionBlast XtremeRings.
No, at the Rustic you get the same thing you got 50 years ago. Diner-​quality food in a building that looks like a log cabin and smells a little bit like a nursing home. While the food quality is better than it was a few years ago, it’s certainly nothing I’d ever seek out on my own.