The Egg Palace, a gay-friendly 24-hour diner, opened at 5107 Detroit Avenue in 1952. Between 1952 and 1970, the Egg Palace owner Rose Dettore operated the restaurant as a late-night diner. In 1970, the Egg Palace came new ownership after Cleveland police officer Bobby Dunn purchased the restaurant from Dettore. Dunn subsequently renamed the restaurant the Big Egg. The Big Egg restaurant remained a late-night Cleveland staple and welcomed a diverse crowd, including its many LGBTQ+ patrons and regulars. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Big Egg established itself as a go-to after-hours dining spot. The Big Egg was typically at its busiest between 2:30 and 4:00am. After local bars and clubs closed for the night, haggard clubgoers often made their way to the Big Egg for a late night plate of greasy food and good company. The Big Egg came under new ownership in 1996 and later closed in 2002. The Big Egg reopened under new ownership in 2009 and remains a local favorite with the addition of a North Olmsted location.
Additional information coming soon.
Resources
- Drexler, Michael. “Night Owls and French Fries.” Plain Dealer. September 12, 1986.
- Fred. “Eating Out.” High Gear. February 1978. Page 17.
- “Gay Cleveland.” Daily Xtra Travel. 2020.
- “History.” Big Egg Restaurant.
- Miller, William F., and W. Joseph Campbell. “Fire Chaser Violence Probed.” Plain Dealer. May 6, 1975.