Pounders Bar & Grill in Parma Heights ranks among best places to eat and drink in Parma area (photos)

Traditional wings with your choice of over 40 house made sauces House Buffalo Pounders Bar & Grill is located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio —A classic neighborhood bar and grill, Pounders Bar & Grill is known for its relaxed atmosphere, hearty menu, and strong local following. It scored third place in the Cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer “Best Places to eat in Parma/Parma Heights” competition. Its third-place finish underscores its role as a reliable spot for good food, drinks, and community connection

4 cheese Mac and cheese. Pounders Bar & Grill is located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Pounders is in a strip center at 6370 York Road, Parma. You have to look carefully to find it because the strip center is oriented sideways.

The Jalapeño Business ½ pound all beef burger (or seasoned grilled chicken) Fire roasted jalapeño, pepper jack cheese, jalapeño jam, lettuce, tomato and onion. Pounders Bar & Grill is located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Once inside you know you’ve arrived at a neighborhood bar and grill. Sports memorabilia and 44 televisions playing sports hang from the walls. It’s the kind of place you can play darts or try your hand at the bowling machine.

The bar seats more than two dozen with the overall restaurant seating up to 150. A separate “tap room” is available for private parties or overflow crowds.

Owners Ruta and John Lively bought the bar from friends in July 2021. At that time, they revamped the menu. They like to brag that most of the items – including wing sauces and pickles – are made from scratch.

Many of the items are family recipes. For example, the spinach artichoke dip came from kitchen manager Frank Blatnica. Meanwhile, the marinara recipe was handed down by the grandmother of kitchen manager Taylor Biedenbach.

Dinner menu offers a wide variety of bar and grill-centric items.

The generous plate of BBQ Chicken Nachos are good for sharing or a meal. Hand-rolled eggrolls are filled with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss, then served with a side of 1,000 island. And pork rinds are served warm with a choice of Cajun, buffalo, BBQ or plain. The BBQ is catchy, but even plain is great.

On a rainy day the Head Hunter Chili is warming. It comes with mixed cheese, raw onion, jalapeño and sour cream.

Head Hunter Chili Loaded with mixed cheese, raw onion, jalapeño and sour cream. Made with local brewed beer. Pounders Bar & Grill is located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Four-cheese Mac and cheese is another comfort food option.

Burgers are a big hit for Pounders customers. They’re hand-ground, 1/2-pound with fresh-cut, signature-seasoned fries. Malt vinegar is an available option.

BBQ Chicken Nachos Pulled chicken, mixed cheese, signature BBQ sauce, pickled red onion, jalapeño served with a side of sour cream. Pounders Bar & Grill is located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

The star, though, is probably the traditional wings with a choice of more than 40 house made sauces.

From left to right: Kitchen Manager: Taylor Biedenbach, Owners: John and Ruta Lively, Bartender: Paige Gaglione and Kitchen Manager: Frank Blatnica of Pounders Bar & Grill located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

“Anyone can cook a wing,” said Blatnica. “But it’s all about the sauce. My recipes are only here. You’re not going to get them anywhere else.”

Local sourcing is important to the Livelys. Cleveland Ketchup is on tables, local beer is in the chili and they buy Perla Pierogi.

The lunch menu is much simpler than the dinner menu, offering just six items.

Oh yeah, and the Livelys make homemade apple pie. We’re not talking the pastry, but the booze. Every week or so, they mix about 15 liters using cider, clear spirits and secret ingredients.

It’s not just a place to eat and drink, but to engage in community. To facilitate interaction, Pounders has trivia on Tuesdays and Thursdays and karaoke on Saturdays.

An array of popular items from Pounders Bar & Grill located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Those celebrating another trip around the sun, can spin the birthday wheel and win prizes like a t-shirt, shot, free bowling game, discounts and more.

Hours: 12pm-2:30 am every day

Pounders Bar & Grill is located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Reuben Egg-rolls corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss served with a side of 1,000 island. Pounders Bar & Grill is located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Owners Ruta (left) and John (right) Lively of Pounders Bar & Grill located at 6370 York Rd #5 in Parma Heights - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

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