For as long as I can remember, there has been a Cebars Euclid Tavern on East 185th Street. I’ve been there countless times, and it’s a place with which I’m very familiar.

Which is why it’s kind of surprising that there’s been a Cebars in Lake County for almost a decade now, and yet until recently it was unfamiliar to me. My wife — also no stranger to the original — and I decided to become familiar on a recent Wednesday evening.

Owned by the same Cvelbar family that has long operated the original Cebars, the version on North Ridge Road in Madison is quite different. For one, it has an area that’s a devoted dining room, more restaurant than bar. It also has a separate, large space with pool tables and a stage for the live entertainment that’s always been a Cebars staple. And, unlike on 185th, all the restrooms are on the first floor.

Read more in correspondent Mark Koestner's review: Dining Out: Cebars Madison brings familiar touches to Lake County

This weekend I tried Branding Iron Cookhouse for the first time. I immediately liked the Southwest atmosphere of the bar and grill, with cowboy paraphernalia and photographs covering the walls from floor to ceiling.

The staff was nothing short of friendly, and the manager even spent some time talking with my party and ensuring we were enjoying ourselves. I don't remember the last time I had such good service -- especially from our server, who remembered each of our drink orders and exactly how much ice we wanted in them when she got our refills.

My group ordered chicken wings, pulled pork and a chicken sandwich, and we all got onion rings. The food came out a little slower than I would have wanted (our server explained it was because the wings took a little longer to cook), but it was hot and tasty when it reached our table. The chicken on my sandwich was cooked perfectly, and I really enjoyed the side of honey mustard dipping sauce that came with the onion rings.

The thing I might remember most about my experience there was the special touch that came with our meals: The sandwich buns were branded.

And if you go there for your birthday, you can sit on a horse, wear a cowboy hat and have a picture taken. Those pictures fill the walls in the front of the restaurant.

Branding Iron Cookhouse
8450 Market St. (Route 615)
Mentor, OH 44060
440-266-0000
Open at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays)
Happy Hour 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday

-- Cheryl Sadler