Never Say Dive expands in Old Brooklyn with Sunday brunch service and a new daytime food program

A neighborhood bar adds a new service window

Never Say Dive, a cocktail-forward neighborhood bar in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn, is adding Sunday brunch service, expanding beyond its established late-day schedule. The business operates at 4497 Broadview Road in the storefront long known to locals as the former Steelyard Tavern, a legacy location that has cycled through multiple concepts over decades.

The move introduces a daytime offering for a venue that has primarily built its identity around evening drinking and a compact food menu designed to pair with cocktails and beer. Public ordering materials tied to the business also reference “Sunday Pop Up” service, suggesting a limited or structured format compared with standard weekly hours.

From Steelyard Tavern to “HiLo” concept

Never Say Dive opened to the public on Jan. 5, 2024, after a yearlong buildout and renovation of the Broadview Road space. The project was led by a four-person ownership group: Eric Ho, Dan Watson, Tommy Shaffner and John Hagerty. The concept has been described by the operators as a “high-low” bar, aiming to pair the feel of an old neighborhood tavern with a more ambitious beverage program and elevated bar food.

Early coverage of the opening highlighted a menu that leaned into snackable plates and bar staples, including items such as charred corn, mushroom toast and a shrimp corn dog. The bar program emphasized cocktails alongside accessible beer options, positioning the business within Cleveland’s growing ecosystem of craft cocktail destinations while maintaining a neighborhood-bar price tier for some draft pours.

What brunch could mean for Old Brooklyn’s dining map

In many Cleveland neighborhoods, brunch has become a competitive weekend daypart, often drawing different customers than late-night service and increasing foot traffic for nearby retail. For Old Brooklyn—an area with a mix of long-standing taverns, family restaurants and newer food-and-drink openings—an additional brunch option could broaden choices along the Broadview Road corridor and create another reason for weekend visits outside evening hours.

Operationally, adding brunch typically requires adjustments in staffing, prep schedules, menu design and supply ordering. It can also change the atmosphere of a room built around nighttime service, placing more emphasis on food throughput and daytime pacing.

What customers should know before going

• Location: 4497 Broadview Road, Cleveland (Old Brooklyn).

• Background: The bar opened Jan. 5, 2024, in the former Steelyard Tavern space.

• Service note: The business has indicated it does not take reservations and does not list a public phone number.

• Parking: The business has directed visitors to use a lot across the street.

Never Say Dive’s shift into Sunday brunch adds a new service layer to a bar that has largely defined itself through evening cocktails and elevated pub food.

Further details on brunch hours and the specific menu format have varied across public listings, and prospective guests may want to confirm the day’s service window before heading to Broadview Road.