DIAMONDS & DINE-INS: Favorite local eatery combines shoes, Sox, steaks, seafood

PHOTO PROVIDED
John and Connie Kriston, owners of Green Diamond Grille & Pub, and Head Chef and Manager Bebe Heitic, celebrated 20 years this summer of the iconic downtown restaurant and bar.

Chef Bebe Heitic’s award-winning ribs often sell out. He suggests rib lovers call the restaurant early to reserve ribs for dinner. Reservations are always welcome, call 330-745-1900.

 

By CHRISTINA McCUNE | BGNN managing editor

BARBERTON  John Kriston was a shoe designer.

The Barberton native was a shoe designer who loved baseball.

And his profession took him around the world where he had the opportunity to dine in the finest restaurants.

Kriston collected baseball memorabilia and he became close with Ted Williams who played left field for the Boston Red Sox for 19 years. When Kriston and his wife, Connie, were ready to return and settle in the Magic City to be closer to family, John had an idea to purchase an ice cream stand. He saw a need and his idea evolved into opening a restaurant – “a good steakhouse with fresh seafood,” he said.

Then Kriston met Chef Bebe. And the rest is history.

‘IT’S BEEN A HOOT’

Green Diamond Grille & Pub marked 20 years last month. The building, which is a block from Lake Anna at Second Street and Park Avenue, is a local landmark. The interior welcomes customers like they just walked into a favorite local art museum and familiar neighborhood bar at the same time. The comfortable atmosphere in all areas of the restaurant – dining, bar and banquet room – embraces diners with fireplace, TVs and friendly staff members who treat everyone like family. Excellent high quality food is cooked to perfection and the menu includes delicious wines, martinis, and select beers. It’s worth repeat visits not only to try different items on the vast menu but also to take in the memorabilia and art on the walls.

The restaurant has a lot of regulars from Summit and surrounding counties and people are still discovering the restaurant.

“It’s been a hoot,” Kriston said.

The space that the facility occupies at 125 Second St. NW, has a fascinating history including one side had a shoe repair business and the other side had a clothing store. A barbershop was also in part of the building as well as a laundry. The building sat vacant for years. Kriston said Al Horvath bought the real estate and began to transform it – the Kristons bought it from him and completed it.
As the name suggests, Green Diamond is baseball themed. Those beautifully cooked meat entrees also have perfect diamond grill marks. Kriston has enjoyed baseball and collecting memorabilia all his life so far. He laughs when he remembers – as most kids did back in the day – putting baseball cards in his bicycle spokes to give his bike an extra motor sound when pedaled fast.

Kriston was in the shoe industry and later became an owner. When his work brought him to Boston and he and Connie raised their kids there, they became close with baseball legend Ted Williams, who passed away in 2002.

“Ted and I got to be really good friends,” Kriston said. “I got to meet so many Major League baseball players – guys that were my idols.”
Williams inspired the Kristons to name the restaurant Green Diamond. In his later years, when they drove past fields, Kriston remembers how Williams always commented on the green diamonds.

“I always told him: ‘I’m going to use that name some day,’” Kriston recalled. “He said: ‘By God, I hope you do.’”

Connie Kriston, from Coventry originally, used to work in the dental industry, and she took care of hostessing and parties at Green Diamond.

When the Kristons bought the building, murals were on the walls by local artist Ralph Herzog. Most of the paintings remain and Kriston said they’re certainly conversation starters and diners attempt to interpret them. Some of the paintings Kriston covered up or made some adjustment. He met Herzog and later found it interesting when he learned that Herzog worked for his father-in-law’s sign company in Akron at one time. He died when he was only 61 in 2020. Herzog’s murals and paintings can still be seen throughout the area.

“He’s a big part of Barberton,” Kriston said.

He also has pictures up of sports legends with local ties including Hal Naragon, Jeep Davis, Jack Greynolds and Bo Schembechler.

“It’s a tribute to Barberton because it’s a great city – it truly is,” Kriston said. “In all my travels and all my living away I always told people I came from a great town – and it really wasn’t a town it was a community. Growing up you didn’t have to worry about anything.”

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

“We can handle a good crowd and we’ve had our share of it,” Kriston said. “It’s a fun place to go and we do pride ourselves on our menu: our selection and the quality of food.”

Steaks, chicken, seafood, chops, ribs, pastas, salads, burgers, sandwiches, wings – and so much more are on the menu. Kriston said he doesn’t have anything on the menu that he doesn’t like.
He grew up in a Hungarian household so people can look for Hungarian dishes. John’s Barberton Stroganoff has sauteed chicken in a noodle and cream sauce with mushrooms, onions, garlic, sour cream and a pinch of paprika. “Hunky Night” is Wednesday and people can look for traditional foods and comfort foods they may have grown up with such as cabbage rolls and grilled kielbasa. Kriston said they still sell a lot of liver and onions.

Prime rib and scampi are available daily. The restaurant uses Certified Angus Beef.

“Our pork chops are to die for,” Kriston said.

The restaurant is closed Mondays and open Tuesday through Sunday at 11 a.m. On Sundays, breakfast is served at 11 a.m. A complete menu is available at greendiamondgrille.com and updates are on Facebook. The restaurant is open until 8 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday, 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The pub is open later nightly.

The menu is extensive with a range to make sure there’s something for everyone from appetizers to desserts to kids meals to senior supper deals.

“We do things a little differently,” Kriston said. “Our prime rib is diamond style – we finish it on the grill. It’s a smash because it tastes like a steak.”

Seafood lovers have a nice variety of items from fish and scallops to lobster.

The restaurant carries Lake Erie Perch and Lake Erie Walleye and North Atlantic salmon.

Diamond Grille also has Italian dishes you won’t find elsewhere, Kriston said.

“We’ve been blessed with great clientele over the years,” he said. “We’re also blessed to meet so many wonderful people. The key is making sure the food is great, the atmosphere is terrific, and the team is well schooled and on the dime – friendly, helpful and know what they’re doing. … The staff is really important. We have a great kitchen staff – great soup makers.”

What about the master of the grill – Chef Bebe?

“He’s a terrific chef and became a great friend of ours,” Kriston said.
Kriston said he recognizes that they’re not perfect but they sure try to be.

“We’ve always been grateful,” he said. “We’ve been blessed. We’ve absolutely been blessed.”

Bebe Heitic, head chef and general manager, has been in the food industry for most of his life so far. In 1995, he obtained a work permit at the young age of 15 and went to work at Mr. Hero on the west side of Barberton. He’s worked in restaurants and bars ever since. He also has a degree in economics and is a huge advocate for his beloved Barberton. Along with serving customers at the Green Diamond, the Barberton High Class of 1998 grad is finishing up his time serving on Barberton City Council.

When the Kristons were working on opening the restaurant in Barberton, Heitic heard from a relative of Kriston’s that he was seeking a chef and when Heitic and Kriston met they immediately clicked. They have the same vision of offering upscale experience with affordable prices.

“We try to give you a homey feel and good food … and keep everything affordable,” Heitic said.

Heitic makes everything from scratch. Kriston will share his ideas and Heitic will make them happen. Heitic has perfected his rib recipe and has won many awards over the years for the ribs in particular and the restaurant in general.

Heitic recommends diners may want to call ahead of time to reserve ribs because they’re so popular they sell out. They sold out last month when the restaurant had its block party to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Lobster bisque also is extremely popular and Heitic’s mozzarella sticks are made from scratch beginning with a block of mozzarella and breading the strips.

“It’s quite a lot of work but you get used to it and it’s a science,” Heitic said.

Things may come and go from the menu as they experiment and see what customers are drawn to. Core items have withstood the test of time. Lobster fest is the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each month and prime rib and scampi is the third weekend.

Like Kriston, as he reflects on the past two decades, Heitic said he feels grateful.

“I want to thank everybody,” Heitic said. “I can’t thank everybody individually but I want to thank all my customers, thank the city, the community for just supporting us and keeping us the jewel of downtown Barberton. It’s my city. I love it so much. I ran for council and got on that. I ran at large because I love everybody in this city. This city has given me a whole lot in life. And the least I can do is serve them there and serve them at the restaurant.”
Green Diamond Grille & Pub has a banquet room, catering service and take out. Gift certificates are available. Reservations are accepted by calling 330-745-1900. Visit greendiamondgrille.com.