First look: Milano Bar & Grille

Milano Bar & Grille is a brand new edition to the Willowick drinking and dining scene. Located on crowded Vine St., Milano’s opened on Oct. 1 and is still trying to gain a following.

Situated in a rundown plaza with a giant, fake hot air balloon on top, the venue is hard not to notice—which is a good thing because from the looks of it, the place needs some new friends.

Atmosphere: Inside, Milanos is very dark and surprisingly spacious. Patrons can take a seat at the extensive bar, or find a place at a booth or table. Two separate dining rooms, plus bar seating in the middle gives you a lot of options; there’s even an oddly placed leather couch in the corner. Although the venue specializes in Italian, the atmosphere is not very quaint and mostly resembles a sports bar. Ten flat screen TVs surround the space, airing sports 24/7.

At night, the venue welcomes younger crowds enjoying happy hour and some weekend drinks. On ladies night and for special events, you can also find a DJ. In the summer months, not one but two patios (in the front and back) are open.

Cuisine: The menu is packed with Italian staples: wedding soup, ravioli, gnocchi, lasagna and more. There is also a variety of classic American grill fare such as burgers, sandwiches, wings, and salads.

Drinks: The fully stocked bar is the main focus of the venue and while it was mostly barren on our trip, it was satisfying none the less. The usual selection of beers, liquors and wines were available and moderately priced.

Service: Since it was pretty empty, we were able to get a drink with no problem. For the most part, the bartenders and servers were laid back and not overly concerned with making a pleasant impression.

Insider's tip: Tuesdays and Thursdays feature 25 cent wings all day. Wednesday is Ladies Night with a DJ starting at 10 p.m.

Bottom line: A bar and grill specializing in Italian is a little odd, but the venue is well priced and a good pick for a new spot to watch the game or to catch a quick bite to eat.

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