Why I didn't dine at N'awlins in Cleveland, TN

Hubby and I decided to try N'awlins Restaurant and Bar in Cleveland, Tennessee last night. We had a gift certificate from Restaurant.com that was burning a hole in our pockets. The certificate description says that N'awlins offers delightful staff and superb cuisine. It was described as dinner only, full service restaurant with dancing and bar. That sounded interesting enough to warrant a try.

Our experience began when we called to ask for directions. The person who answered the phone told my husband that the N'awlins is inside a Howard Johnson. He hung up before we could ask where that might be. We had a general idea and drove around until we found the restaurant. It turns out that it's off off I-75 at the main Cleveland exit. Once you get to the Howard Johnson, N'awlins is impossible to miss.

When we stepped into N'awlins we found out that door opens next to the billiard area. Yes, smoking is definitely allowed. There was a bar area and TV screen in the back of the place.

I saw nothing to indicate that the place serves food at all. There was no hostess stand, no stack of menus by the wall. A couple of arcade games were in use on the side wall. No one said anything to us while we stood trying to decide if we should stay or not.

That sealed the deal. We left. N'awlins rating on UrbanSpoon is only 50%. It's easy see why.

The marquee outside said that smoking is allowed. We were surprised but this isn't a deal breaker. The big letdown came when we stepped inside. I'll call N'awlins what I feel like it is. It's a bar. The place has very dark lighting the tables looked like dark wood. It's probably a good place to relax and unwind after a hard day of travel but it's not what we had in mind.

If anyone wants the certificate let me know. This was my experience for the night and time that we visited.  Your experience may be different.  If it is, be sure to tell me about it in the comments section below. Thanks!!

Related articles on this blog:
Where to find restaurant health scores online
Restaurant coupons help save money on dining
Half-Off Depot