YOLO.... Battery Park Wine Bar

Yolo is a new restaurant and wine bar in Cleveland's Battery Park neighborhood. "YOLO" is an acronym for You Only Live Once. So, I have to ask..... If I only live once, why won't you feed me? Why do most wine bars seem to have itsy bitsy portions? As a dietitan, I can appreciate all things are good in moderation, but, I hate leaving a restaurant feeling like I want to order a pizza. That being said, the food we did order was very tasty and beautifully presented. The service was very friendly. The atmosphere was fun and sophisticated.

Our waiter advised my friend and me to order about 3 or 4 menu items as they are more like tapas than full entrees. We started with the mixed board($16) which is a plate of artisanal cheeses, herb marinated olives, cured meats, grapes and bread. The 3 types of cheese were delicious, but, the size of a pat of butter. I also had to stalk the waiter for extra bread(which I hate). The olives and olive oil were both exceptionally good.

Next, I had the soup of the day(pictured below) which was sweet potato bisque with smoked feta, chives, and herb- infused olive oil drizzled. This was definitely the highlight of the meal. It was delicate and sweet combined with the sharp flavor of the smoked feta. The soup was a nice portion size.




Next, we had the Lamb Sliders. These consisted of braised lamb and Kasseri cheese with spinach. They were delicious and I savored my 1 slider because there were only 2 on the plate.
It definitely left me wanting more. So, I don't recommend sharing this plate.


There was a nice selection of wines by the glass and bottle which were reasonably priced. There is also a good selection of beers. So all in all, I would recommend this as a fun place to go out for a drink or appetizer with friends. I look forward to returning on a balmy summer evening to take in more of this newly renovated Cleveland neighborhood.