Some restaurants serve pasta.
Then there’s Blue Point Grille in Cleveland, where they’ve turned the Lobster Bolognese into something resembling liquid gold draped over penne.
This isn’t your grandmother’s spaghetti night — unless your grandmother happened to be a seafood-obsessed chef with a penchant for brandy cream sauces that could make grown adults weep into their napkins.
The Pasta That Launched A Thousand Second Visits
The best pasta in Cleveland might sound like a bold claim, but when you’re dealing with chopped Maine lobster swimming in brandy lobster cream, bold doesn’t quite cover it. 🦞
This comfort pasta dining experience sits in the Historic Warehouse District, where Blue Point Grille has been collecting awards faster than you can say “pass the parmesan.”
The Lobster Bolognese arrives at your table looking deceptively simple.
Penne pasta, some spinach, and what appears to be enough Maine lobster to fund a small New England fishing village.
But that brandy lobster cream sauce is where the magic happens — it’s the kind of indulgent that makes you question every other cream sauce you’ve ever encountered.
According to dining critics, this dish has become one of those pasta dishes in Ohio that locals guard like a state secret.
When Seafood Meets Italian Pasta Excellence 🍝
The restaurant doesn’t just dabble in pasta — they’ve created an entire philosophy around Italian pasta in Ohio that respects both traditions.
Fresh seafood sourced daily from both coasts gets the royal treatment here.
The pasta menu at Blue Point Grille reads like a love letter to anyone who’s ever believed that lobster belongs in cream sauce.
And let’s be honest: it absolutely does.
Diners consistently rave about the fresh pasta with lobster sauce, describing it as “indulgent” — which is restaurant-speak for “you’ll need a nap and possibly a treadmill after this, but it’s worth it.”
The penne provides the perfect vehicle for capturing every drop of that brandy-infused cream, while the spinach adds just enough green to make you feel slightly less guilty about the calories.
One reviewer noted wishing for more lobster chunks, which is basically the highest compliment you can give a lobster pasta — when the seafood is so good that you want even more of it.
The dish clocks in at $36, which might make your wallet wince until you remember that Maine lobster doesn’t exactly grow on trees.
The Bisque That Started It All
Before we dive deeper into the pasta specials in Cleveland, let’s talk about what happens before your main course arrives.
The Lobster Bisque at Blue Point isn’t just an appetizer — it’s a religious experience that costs $14 and contains your daily recommended dose of “wow.”
Food critics have used this bisque as their benchmark for judging all other lobster bisques for decades.
The crimson broth arrives velvety and deeply flavorful, studded with sweet lobster meat and garnished with an artistic scribble of crème fraîche.
It’s the kind of soup that makes you understand why people write poetry about food.
More Than Just One Magnificent Pasta 🌊
While the Lobster Bolognese might steal the spotlight, the seafood pasta in Ohio scene at Blue Point extends far beyond one dish.
The house-made pasta choices work as a supporting cast to an impressive seafood operation that shucks over 75,000 fresh oysters annually.
That’s not a typo — seventy-five thousand oysters.
The restaurant has earned Cleveland Magazine’s “Best Seafood Restaurant” title every year since opening, which is the restaurant equivalent of never losing a game.
Their commitment to artisanal pasta offerings means you’re getting penne that knows its purpose in life: to deliver maximum cream sauce to your taste buds with minimal fuss.
The pasta with seasonal ingredients approach ensures that what arrives on your plate makes sense for the time of year, though let’s be real — lobster in cream sauce makes sense any time, anywhere, for any reason.
Location, Location, Libations 🍸
Situated at 700 W St Clair Ave in Cleveland’s Historic Warehouse District, Blue Point Grille sits mere steps from the convention center and downtown hotels.
The restaurant has become a destination for Ohio pasta restaurant menu seekers who appreciate that sometimes the best Italian-inspired dishes come from a seafood-focused establishment.
Zagat Survey didn’t just recognize them — they crowned them “Cleveland’s Most Popular Restaurant,” which is like being voted prom king except with better food and without the awkward slow dances.
The award-winning wine list provides ample opportunities to pair your creamy pasta with seafood with something that won’t fight with all those rich flavors.
Their wine selection leans appropriately toward bubbles and whites, though they stock heavier reds for the steak enthusiasts.
Happy Hour runs Monday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, plus Sundays from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM — perfect timing for those who believe that cream sauce tastes even better with a cocktail in hand.
The Full Experience Beyond Pasta
The pasta entrée options merely scratch the surface of what Blue Point brings to the table.
Their signature Nag’s Head Grouper comes with those famous lobster mashed potatoes and vermouth cream that has diners booking return visits before they’ve finished their first meal.
Gulf of Maine Salmon, New Bedford Scallops with pancetta and orange champagne glaze, and Chilean Sea Bass round out a menu that takes seafood seriously.
They’ve even managed to make chicken exciting with their Bell & Evans half chicken that comes with broccoli and balsamic onion jam.
The valet parking makes life easier — just pull up to the corner of West Sixth and St. Clair for service, though public lots nearby offer alternatives for the self-parking crowd.
Food Highlights
- Lobster Bolognese: Penne pasta loaded with chopped Maine lobster, spinach, and an indulgent brandy lobster cream sauce that redefines what pasta can be — the dish that inspired this entire article for good reason.
- Lobster Bisque: A crimson, velvety masterpiece studded with sweet lobster meat and crème fraîche that food critics use as their gold standard for all other bisques.
- Nag’s Head Grouper: The signature dish featuring a large, flaky filet served with luxurious lobster mashed potatoes and vermouth cream that keeps guests coming back.
- Blue Point Oysters: Freshly shucked perfection available with cabernet mignonette and cocktail sauce — part of the 75,000 oysters they serve annually.
- New Bedford Scallops: Seared to perfection with pancetta, sautéed swiss chard, and an orange champagne glaze that showcases the kitchen’s seafood expertise.
- Caesar Salad: A refreshing take featuring quartered romaine hearts, white anchovies, and kalamata olives that add an unexpected flavor punch.
Atmosphere
The cosmopolitan dining rooms span two levels with towering windows that overlook downtown Cleveland’s skyline, creating an upscale yet energetic vibe perfect for celebrations or impressing out-of-town visitors. 💎
Brick archways lead to an impressive antique bar that channels Pacific Northwest saloon vibes, while impressive chandeliers and a partially open kitchen add visual interest throughout the space.
The restaurant maintains that sweet spot between sophisticated fine dining and approachable hospitality — you’ll feel fancy but not stuffy, dressed up but not uncomfortable.
Service remains professional and attentive without hovering, with servers who actually know the menu and can guide wine pairings with confidence.
Bottom Line
Why You Need To Go:
- Cleveland’s most awarded seafood restaurant serves pasta so rich with Maine lobster and brandy cream that you’ll schedule your next visit before leaving.
- The Historic Warehouse District location offers downtown skyline views through towering windows. Their Lobster Bisque sets the benchmark for the entire region.
- Happy Hour and an award-winning wine list sweeten the deal.
For more info, visit their website or Facebook page.
Address: 700 W St Clair Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113
📞 (216) 875-7827