Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Restaurant Review: The Wild Goose in Willoughby

As an avid Yelper, I try to keep up with the new restaurants that open up around town.  If they seem even moderately vegetarian friendly, I'll usually give them a try.  I know how hard it can be for a new restaurant to survive, so I like to give the new guy in town a chance. 

This past weekend my boyfriend and I headed to downtown Willoughby to check out The Wild Goose, the latest venture by the Coyne brothers, who also own Croagh Patrick's in Willo Plaza and have worked at numerous other bars around Willoughby. 

We had a little bit of trouble locating The Wild Goose.  They have a Facebook friend page (rather than a business page) and as a rule, I won't friend businesses, so it took me a minute to find the address.  (The Wild Goose is actually located right next to Arabica, for future reference.  They've only been open a few weeks, so they might be waiting on an outdoor sign, too.  Not sure.)
Specials board

We were really surprised by how nice the bar is when we walked it.  I'd call it a poor man's Deagan's.  It has a really nice bar with a granite top,dark wood grain tables and booths, and a wood fired pizza oven at one end of the bar.  They've done a nice job of restoring the space and it feels classy but not stuffy.  (you'd never even know it was once a bike store...or a dance studio...or half a dozen other things)  They have a specials board that lists the shot and martini of the month as well as weekly specials and their beer list.  When we were there on a Saturday afternoon there were frat guys, families, and people of all ages, so I think that anyone would feel welcome here.

The menu at The Wild Goose isn't very big.  Pizza is the entree of choice here, but they have a couple appetizers, salads, and sandwiches listed, too.  I went against my better judgement and ordered a vegetarian sandwich instead of pizza.  It was good...but my boyfriend ordered pizza and said it was awesome.  They have quite a few gourmet type pizzas listed on the menu or you can create your own - with either red, white, or olive tapenade sauce and a variety of meats, cheeses, or veggies.

Vegetarian sandwich
An added bonus at The Wild Goose is that they have beer specials throughout the week and throughout the day.  My boyfriend was able to get a draft Yuengling for $2.00 on a Saturday afternoon.  Such a deal! 

This restaurant/bar is a nice addition to the DTW scene.  You can get a good meal at a decent price and hang out in a nice environment.  I wish the Coynes nothing but success in their new venture.

2 comments:

  1. how did you know it was a bike shop, dance studio, and a half dozen other things, but you didn't know the location.

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    1. Probably because when she got there and saw where it was, she knew what it used to be....um duh

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