Jackpot Street Food is a rare bird in the Cleveland food scene — a late-night comfort-style meal prepared in a swanky diner-esque restaurant whose neon lights and CD wall make the space feel alive.
The lineup for late-night eaters in Cleveland usually consists of basic fast-food restaurants like Taco Bell or McDonald’s. But Jackpot Street Food in Mentor is ready to face off in this David versus Goliath matchup, taking on powerhouse cookie-cutter businesses with their good-old fashioned comfort food.
Created by Rick and Kristen Coleman, a local family from Painesville, the brick-and-mortar Jackpot Street Food was created in December of 2023 following almost a decade of success running food trucks in Northeast Ohio starting back in 2016.
“We love that people can come get our food and they don't have to follow our food truck everywhere,” Rick Coleman says.
When scanning through the menu featuring more than 20 flavors of wings and four types of mac and cheese dishes, it’s hard to stop your stomach from grumbling. Different items on the menu are named after the family and friends, who supported the couple on their journey to becoming restaurant owners.
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The budget-friendly menu also includes seven sandwiches and wraps, including a new Chkn’ Po’ Boy featuring fried chicken, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, slaw, fries and BBQ sauce. The Bougie Fryz, a most-loved starter item, is a must-order of fries, truffle oil, Parmesan, parsley and truffle mayo.
The couple prides themselves on offering a space where the community can come together to enjoy a menu that speaks to anyone’s cravings — whether it be the Flamin’ Mac, featuring fried chicken, hot Cheetos, sriracha and jalapenos, or a 50-piece basket of bourbon wings.
“We try to make sure this is something that everyone feels like they're a part of,” Rick Coleman says. “A lot of these people have been with us since 2016, so it's just as much ours as it is their’s.”
Part of the reason Jackpot Street Food feels like home to the community can be credited to the owners’ family, who each played a role in molding the business from the ground up.
The 500-square-foot dining space was renovated to fit the new urban diner vibe of Jackpot Street Food. The restaurant is quaint, with two picnic tables available for seating.
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When it came time to renovate the brick-and-mortar Jackpot Street Food location at 8630 Mentor Ave. last April, the family’s relatives stepped up, with their cousin helping paint and their oldest son designing the restaurant's iconic teal and pink logo.
Working with their spouse is just another perk of the business, according to the Colemans. There is a balance found in their relationship, with Rick presenting the concepts and Kristen bringing them to life.
“It's not so much like Kris is the boss or I'm the boss,” says Rick Coleman. “It's like, we're a team. We're partners in this business. And people feel that. They respect us for it.”
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