Their food offerings are a bit different, so why not put up some pictures to make it easier when you're standing there wondering what to order. Basically, the poutines include this heavy gravy with the meat you choose over a bunch of French fries. Very heavy. Not a really healthy choice in my opinion. I see no reason to try it again. read more

Banter was a pleasant find inside of Van Aken Market Hall! There are two ordering stations, one for food, the other for beverages. Step on up and place your order. There are a ton of options at Banter including poutine, sausages, and sliders. We opted for the Banter Poutine (think traditional poutine with gravy and cheese curds), a Polish boy, and Dog in a Sweater (corndog with blueberry jam and maple syrup- drool). Everything was excellent. The corndog was a unique flavor combination that I've never seen anywhere else. I love sweet and savory combos and the hot dog, maple syrup, jam really hit the spot. The poutine was also really good, although I do wish there were more cheese curds. Because the bowl is deep, we ran out of cheese by the bottom of the bowl. We went on a Friday night as things were starting to get busy. They told us food would take 20-25 minutes to come out. We didn't mind as we just went next door for a drink. 6 minutes later we had our food! read more

Banter - Dog in a Sweater (corndog with maple syrup and blueberry jam) - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

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Got a veggie corn dog and knew first bite it was a real hotdog. Don't care about dietary/religious/health concerns. Would give zero stars if I could. Was a regular customer and will never go back. read more

Brussel sprouts are best in the city by far!!! In the past, we had their sliders and French fries and both are very good. Next time will definitely get more stuff from them. read more

Just tried this place for lunch with my niece. She had a plain hot dog & plain fries. She thought the dog itself was good, as was the bun - though there was too much bread for no toppings - would be great with one of the dogs with toppings. Fries were very good too, (though we both like them just slightly more crispy). I had the rabbit stew poutine, and it was really, really good. I don't normally like pot pies, but this one was tasty with lots of peas. I forgot there were cheese curds in it, but they were perfectly melty and just cheesy enough. I'd totally get this again. We did have to wait for about 10 minutes as they fixed orders that had been called in. (We got here at 12:00 noon in a Monday) read more

Banter - Plain hot dog with plain fries - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

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Banter really deserves some more recognition! I'm an OG poutine eater all the way from Canada and this really hits the spot for me. The balance in the poutine is really excellent without one part (fries, cheese or gravy) being too overwhelming. Great thing is that ever bit really melts together unlike some other poutine I've had which has a component that doesn't blend. I really want to come back and try the rest of the flavors, but here we got the forest city and though it didn't have any meat, it was packed with flavor. Great place, just poutine it out there! read more

Banter - Forest city poutine - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

Poutine! This place is really fun with some wild options. They have some fun specials usually so check their Instagram page for updates. Their poutine is what you come for, but the sliders and sausages are really good too read more

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One of my new favorite spots in the Van Aken Market Hall! Variety of corn dogs, poutines and sausage sandwiches. Highly recommend! read more

Banter - Mexican corn dog & Buffalo chicken poutine - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

Banter is located to the right of On the Rise near Brassica in the Van Aken Market Hall and is one of several very good options available in the market hall. They have a large selection of beer/wine sold at a reasonable price and the poutines are delicious. Although it's probably not sustainable to eat poutine everyday (although it may be worth a try), it fits nicely in the setting of the Market Hall as a great option if you're in the mood for a hot and filling meal, especially during the Cleveland winter. Each of the poutines I have tried are quite unique and it really warrants trying a few to find your favorite. And what goes well with poutine? Beer. Fortunately you have many bottled options from Banter and if you'd like something on draft you are welcome to take your meal over to Craft Collectjve and enjoy there. Overall, Banter is a unique and great addition to the many other solid options available at the Market Hall. read more

We tried a few items. First we had the pierogis and they were okay, not much flavor. Next we tried the chicken paprika poutine and they were good. We also tried the cowboy slider and it was delicious. Lastly, we tried the polish boy and it was great! read more

Banter - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

The pieces here are all top-rate. The way Banter combines them might not suit your tastes, though. Take the Polish Boy. The bratwurst is as good as it gets, but they put fries, tangy barbecue sauce, and coleslaw on top of it, before serving it in a split-top bun. You can't eat it with your hands, and you might not want to bother with fries on top of a brat. But the fries are really good. So is the sauce. So is the slaw. They have a half dozen good beers on tap. The one they first served me was flat, but they replaced it with a really good one. If you roll with their logic, you'll really enjoy what they serve you. read more

I generally enjoy Banter. But today I made a mistake that allowed Banter to make a mistake. I ordered the Banter polish boy. I've been eating polish boys for 40 years. I've had polish boys from CP&D, Mama's Boy, Whitmore's, Freddy's on St. Clair, B&M... I don't know why Banter tried to enter the polish boy game, and I don't care that USA Today lauded their polish boy. That author in no way *gets* polish boys. I promise, the Banter polish boy is just not a great polish boy. The slaw is too sweet and not creamy. In 40 years I've never had a PB with a vinegar slaw like the Banter PB. It was bizarre. And the sauce was lacking-; it's clearly not the sauce you get a professional bbq place. Stick with the Banter poutine. It's very good. The polish boy is disappointing. Banter's good is generally quite good. Lovely. Just no no no on the polish boy. read more

Located in the Van Aken Market Hall, Banter offers a variety of sausages/corndogs, poutine, sliders, and fries. On our recent visit, we opted to grab some sliders. They were hot, fresh, and delicious. No leftovers here! When you order, they give you one of those blinky/buzzy devices that goes off when the food is ready, and you go back to pick it up. There's plenty of seating in and around the market hall - there's a nice patio, as well as comfy and more traditional seating hidden around the hall itself in various corners and crannies where you can enjoy your food! read more

PSA: If you are planning to eat at Banter, you must follow these specific instructions... Approach the counter directly in front of the cash register, and place your order. Then, step aside. Don't say you didn't know or that you haven't been here before. No matter. If you sit at their small counter and are not exactly in front of cash register, even if no one else is ordering, no one working there will say hello, instruct you to stand directly by the cash register, or acknowledge your existence, opting instead to avoid eye contact and just stand around. We finally just got up and left - still, not one word. We didn't realize our error until as we were walking away, another group stood in the precise counter spot and were permitted to order. A bit of banter might be helpful here, Banter... Such as, "Hey, folks. Welcome. Order RIGHT THERE when ready." Or perhaps place a large duct tape X on the floor with a sign that says, "If you do not stand right here, we will refuse service." We cannot comment on the food, as we didn't get that far. We can only comment on the service - this new restaurant does not need your patronage. Unless you are standing in the right spot. read more

Banter is super conveniently located in the Van Aken market in Shaker Heights, which is part of the reason why we tried this place. They have tons of options to choose from, but all variations on the theme of fried food and meat. They had hotdogs, sliders, poutine, and more - we got a hotdog, a couple sliders, and an order of poutine for variety's sake. The sliders were my favorite part, since they had a host of flavors, especially the one with bacon and blue cheese. The hotdog was very large and tasted good, but was more or less just a hotdog. The poutine was decent as well, but the fries weren't extremely crispy to begin with, so it tasted alright but wasn't my favorite part of the meal. Overall, definitely a solid option if you're going to Van Aken, and a great place for sliders! read more

Loved it. Never had poutine before - this will be my new guilty pleasure. The poutine with pulled pork was awesome, sampled the pierogis - great. Even tried 2 sliders, excellent. Very friendly staff and the Van Aken experience will keep me coming back. read more

I love this Market area!! I would like to give this place a 4/5 for its location, vibe, and the poutine honestly wasn't bad. It was pretty good. My friend and I shared a half serving with two Extra Sloppy sliders on the side and we were feeling pretty good by the end of our meal. This came out to be $6 per person which is an incredible price for all the food we had. The sliders were okay-would say pass on the Extra Sloppy and try a different kind but the burger patty was cooked very well. The poutine I give it a 4/5! The only downfall was that it was a bit too salty for my palate so definitely get a drink while you're at it. read more

Banter - Banter poutine and Extra Sloppy slider - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

The chicken bacon ranch poutine was to die for! Also ordered sausages for my husband and I, which were good. Reasonable wait time and friendly service. Definitely looking forward to trying all their poutine varieties! read more

Banter - Chicken bacon ranch poutine, polishboy sausage, fried chicken sausage - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

I love poutine so I was super happy to check this place out. The regular poutine was good but the gravy seemed too thick; I am used to a darker thinner gravy. The rabbit pot pie poutine was interesting and I enjoyed that one more. read more

Need quality control. I had been wanting a corn dog FOREVER and decided to try the Mexican street corn dog. They told me my order would be ready in 15 minutes. It took 25. So I'm already annoyed then get home and open the box to this. How do you even call this a corn dog? And how do you serve it to a customer? The coating is clearly burnt and falling off. I tasted the outside and it is just what you think it would be. Charred. I am only giving 2 stars because the other food was ok. But seriously how are you going to give this to a customer? VERY DISAPPOINTING. read more

Banter - Corn dog - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

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Large quantities but disappointing quality. Hamburger slider was decent, but the chicken bacon ranch poutine was hard to stomach. Although I did like the bacon on top of my poutine, which was a thick bacon, I did not like the grey chicken, and the taste was very bland. Poutine was not very authentic, considering they say it is "Quebec-style". Overall, disappointed with a restaurant that has been shown on a few shows... read more

Banter - * Chicken bacon ranch poutine - not worth ordering again * Hamburger slider - decent - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

Great food. Unlike the other reviewer, we sat at the bar and someone came up to us. The fries were perfect and the sliders were delicious explosions of flavor. The kids liked the corndogs. My reason for one less star is that the tables were sticky. I'm not sure if they weren't clean but it seemed more like the finish on the wood was not sufficiently robust to handle the traffic. Hopefully they can address this. Glad we have a local food establishment that has great food. I'll be back soon. read more

One of my favorite spots. I love the Brussels sprouts, the rabbit poutine & bacon chicken poutine as well. I can't wait until I'm able to sit and enjoy another meal. I keep telling myself, try something new... but hey, I say, if it tastes delicious... KEEP EATING! read more

Brussels sprouts and pierogies were incredible. Brussels were perfectly cooked, crispy and light. pierogies were a great counter with the carb on carb. will be back for the sausage and poutine. read more

Banter was all that I was expecting it to be! "Cheat meal" food done right! Middle school me was longing for a freshly battered corn dog and it did not disappoint! The ketchup and the sweet corn mustard were delicious. The corn dog itself was just as good. My husband got the polish boy and he loved it, as well. We shared a half order of the chicken paprikash poutine and we loved every bit of it. I couldn't imagine eating a whole order unless you were sharing it with 3-4 people. I did like that they give out pagers and the food was pretty quick! read more

Good spot to go during Covid. Masks mandatory inside to place order, then head outside to a large seating area to eat! Ordered the buffalo wing poutine, was amazing. Pic was taken after we already started eating because it looked so good! Large bowl was around $14. read more

Banter - Buffalo Wing Poutine - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

Excellent poutine. I think I prefer eating there to take out because the fries are crispier. Some of the best poutine I have ever had read more

Banter - Banter poutine - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

Very unprofessional. Doesn't uphold to company standards. I went head and did not like how they handled a food situation.

I have been wanting to try Banter since they opened their first location, but haven't had a chance to make it over there. When I heard they were opening a new location near my home, I couldn't wait! Banter offers a delectable delight of sausages, poutine and other treats that can satisfy just about any appetite. I had the Cleveland kielbasa sandwich which is served on a warm fresh bun and topped with a tasty mustard, complimenting pierogi and sauerkraut. The poutine was perfect for me! Hot frittes covered with a blanket of gravy and curds = yummy goodness! I can't wait to try the other items on the menu!!! read more

Banter - The perfect poutine and delicious kielbasa topped with a warm pierogi and yummy kraut and mustard! - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

Had the most delicious basic poutin here called the Banter poutin. Excellent bed of delicious fries covered in cheese curds And smothered in hot gravy, which melts the curds and morphs the dish into a gooey succulent dream. read more

OMG! WORST corndog EVER! Mustard thats "sweet" and not even mustardy (other than being a pale yellow), Staff was pleasant, but no manner of niceties can make up for a bad 7 (thats SEVEN) dollar corndog! The whole surroundings are hip and trendy and echo with a cacophony of screaming children. Not a pleasant experience. read more

Had the Polish Boy and the Cleveland on a weekday afternoon. Service was fast, friendly, and most importantly the food was high quality and worth the price. Best kielbasa, hands down. Oh, and that bread! Lots of variety, and far more than their famous poutine. Worth checking out the whole menu. read more

Banter - Cleveland and The Polish Boy kielbasa sandwiches - Poutineries Near Me - Shaker Heights, Ohio

I had a very similar experience to Jennifer C's experience. After our bad experience someone from Banter reached out (this was via FB). We were promised a gift card because the food took an hour and a half, one burger was missing half a bun, overcooked, AND cold. Epilogue: They didn't follow through on the promised refund. When I posted my original bad review on FB, someone tried to attribute the problem to growing pains. I've worked restaurant openings as someone at the main site and the new site. The Shaker launch is bad by any standard. It's down to poor training, sloppy processes, and a very glib response to customer service. P.S. if anyone from Banter reads this, don't bother reaching out. You already failed on that front. I'm uninterested in empty promises like the sort I received last time. I won't respond. read more

RAW boneless chicken wings!!!! DO NOT go here!! I was served raw chicken on Sunday for dinner and noticed halfway through the meal. This was Banter in the Van Aken district. I took it back and they gave me money back after the cashier saw how nasty it was. The other employee asked if I wanted him to make me another one... I replied no way!! Definitely don't go here unless you want to get sick. read more

So...French fries and polish boys are my thing. If one could be a connoisseur of these things, it's me, I'm your girl. I was introduced to poutine in upstate NY and it's rare in Cleveland so I was so excited. Banter's poutine is decent. The fries are well cooked and the gravy ratio is okay but I think it needs more cheese curds. Really, my rationale for the rating is due to sticky tables and the polish boy. For a place that specializes in sausages, I expected more. I will likely go back and give them another shot, as I've heard good things about their sliders. read more

I recently was at the newly opened food court at the Van Aken District. In Shaker hts, Ohio. One of the newly opened food kiosks is Banter. There is an existing location on the west side that I have not been to. Poutine is the food served. There are various toppings and sauces that can be added. I had the chicken paprikash. The food is quite filling and the large size is probably best for dinner. It was very good. I'd recommend the smaller size for lunch. Beer and wine will be available but not as of yet. This being a food court, your order is placed and you are given a beeper to let you know when your order is ready. Service was reasonably fast, though the crowds werent that large, its not exactly fast food. The toppings were fine, but probably could have been alittle more provided. A large meal runs either side of 10 dollars or so depending on toppings. There is dedicated seating but there are many other open areas to sit and to people watch or use your lap top. All in all, this is a decent place to eat. Pricing is fair. Environment could be better if some entertainment is added later, as there is a stage. read more

The Mexican Corndog was lit. However, I wanted the "Cleveland" which came with pierogis -- now if I could express what's its like to be a Clevelander and be offered a pierogi, and then to be DENIED that pierogi...well, I can't express that. It is a wordless anger. Step 1-if you don't have items on your menu, that's the first thing you say after "Hello, welcome to Banter." Basic food service etiquette lacking, but great food. read more

Since opening on the West side, Banter has been the absolute best Poutine this side of the Canadian border. This new East side location continues a tradition of amazing food, great service and affordability. Get the rabbit. It's freaking amazing. read more

I was so excited to hear banter was coming to the east side. For a while now I have heard great things about the Lakewood location. I have eaten at the Shaker location twice now. It's rather disappointing. I have had a wide variety of items from the menu the best thing being a fish slider. The sausage I had was burned, the bun overly tasted and dry. The poutine is ok. Boneless wings were terrible. It's also quite expensive for what it is. Hopefully this is just this location. But I am probably done with it. read more

This was a fantastic place to stop and eat. Everything from food to service was fabulous.