A new “Edwin’s” sign adorns the awning over the front doors of what was formerly Nighttown, the famed longtime restaurant and jazz venue in Cleveland Heights. Some elements of the predecessor are still on display — pianos in various rooms, Nighttown-branded doors, Cleveland Press Club plaques and a Nighttown stained glass window all welcome customers as they step inside.
History is prevalent in the brick building at 12383 Cedar Road. Some diners might still call it “Nighttown,” out of habit. Brandon Chrostowski would be OK with that.
“One thing I always respect is what history is, and what was done here for 60-plus years was live music and jazz, and it’s this place that was a real centerpiece to the fabric of Cleveland,” Chrostowski says. “We’re going to respect that, honor that, and bring it back to the same level.”
Chrostowski, the James Beard-finalist chef and restaurateur behind Edwin’s Leadership and Restaurant Institute, is booking the jazz music that will fill Edwin’s every weekend. That starts when the restaurant opens to the public on Friday, Feb. 28, with a performance by local jazz pianist Jackie Warren. He’s planning to bring one ticketed national act per month — in March, it’ll be Dominick Farinacci on March 21 — and, every weekend, featuring local performers with free shows.
Jazz is central to the vision of this renewed space, unlike its prior stage of business. Brendan Ring, the longtime owner of Nighttown, sold the space to Red Restaurant Group in 2021, and it reopened under the Nighttown name in late 2023 following major renovations and a shifted menu — and with the key element of live music missing.
The phase closed after less than a year of business.
Now, Edwin’s, an established brand whose flagship and sister restaurant Edwins Too were formerly located in Shaker Square, brings more than a decade of success to the large Cedar Fairmount location.
It also brings some pretty great food. Edwin’s Leadership & Restaurant Institute regularly appears in Cleveland Magazine’s Best Restaurants guide, including in 2024.
The white-tablecloth, fine-dining aspect is still alive and well in the new space — complete with signature dishes like paupiette de bar, a potato-wrapped sea bass ($38) — served inside a romantic, rosy room that will also host jazz performers.
In addition, Edwin’s now offers a lighter brasserie menu in other parts of the building, with slightly more casual offerings for all types of diners. Here you’ll find dishes like ratatouille ($12), shrimp scampi ($22) and chicken paillard ($22). The brasserie even hosts a kid’s menu, featuring chicken tenders ($8) and duck confit poutine ($10).
“Working in France for a long time, working in a French restaurant forever, put all those together, and say, ‘What would be a great lineup for both casual and fine dining?’ I believe we’ve found our balance,” Chrostowski says. “You can still get a hamburger. You get wings. We put a French twist on it, but it’s American, as is any other American restaurant — but definitely French.”
It’s not only the menu that’s varied. Dining experiences can transform based on where you choose to reserve a seat. Exploring Edwin’s complex, you’ll find luxe lounges, a large heated patio, a cozy outdoor heated cigar room and a small room lined with intimate tables for two.
In the basement, the scene shifts yet again. The restaurant’s acclaimed culinary program, which trains formerly incarcerated Clevelanders, hosts a large classroom space for aspiring chefs. Chrostowski says his virtual tablet program also continues to be a top education program in American prisons.
“We have expanded our program; we have another class of 45 coming in next week,” he says. “That’s why we needed this space.”
Check out the menu and event lineup at edwinsrestaurant.org, and see the space’s upcoming jazz lineup below:
- Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m.: Jazz pianist Jackie Warren
- Saturday, March 1, 8 p.m.: Latin quartet featuring Jackie Warren and Sammy DeLeon
- Friday, March 7, 7:30 p.m.: Jazz with pianist Dan Maier and Kevin Muhammed on bass
Saturday, March 8, 8:00 p.m.: Vocalist Evelyn Wright and pianist Joe Hunter - Friday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.: Jazz with pianist Dan Maier and Kevin Muhammed on bass
Saturday, March 15, 8:00 p.m.: Contemporary jazz with The Synergy Band - Friday, March 21, 7:00 p.m.: Jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci ($20-$30)
- Saturday, March 22, 8:00 p.m.: Feel good music and grooves with The Gruve Tonic Trio
- Friday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.: Jazz with pianist Dan Maier and Kevin Muhammed on bass
Saturday, March 29, 7:30 p.m.: Jazz with pianist Dan Maier and Dallas Coffey on bass
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