CLEVELAND — The path for Proof has not been without it challenges. Proof Barbeque opened in Tremont a month before Covid arrived, the restaurant’s consulting chef passed away later that year, and then owners Michael Griffin and Dave Ferrante closed the doors in late 2022.
But not before they found the barbecue joint a great new home. Two years back, the owners purchased the Nick’s Diner property in Ohio City and guests recently had their first opportunity to check it out. The space, which had been home to a diner since the 1940s, bears little resemblance to its former occupant.
“It’s been an incredible challenge to renovate the former Nick’s diner location, but the work was definitely worth the effort,” Ferrante explains.
The restaurant seats 36 guests in the dining room, 15 in a rear private dining room, and another 35 on a rear patio.
Under chef Brandon Lassiter and GM Jay Casey, the menu has remained mostly consistent with the original format save for a few new items such as a burger.
In addition to the popular burnt ends, the kitchen prepares smoked wings, fried green tomatoes and “Mile High Nachos” topped with pulled pork, cheese and salsa. Barbecue items like brisket, pulled pork, ribs and chicken thighs are smoked out back in a Southern Pride pit and served with a variety of sauces and sides. Those meats can also be enjoyed as tacos.