Global pop star Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, one of the country's most prominent celebrity couples, made a highly anticipated stop in Northeast Ohio. The A-list pair enjoyed a meal at JoJo’s Bar, an Italian American Steak bar located at 87 West Street in Chagrin Falls, on Tuesday, July 1. Their visit was confirmed by Michael Dei Maggi, the corporate chef and culinary director for NCR Ventures, which owns JoJo’s. Dei Maggi expressed the establishment's excitement, noting, “We were lucky enough to have a special visitor today at JoJo’s. It’s a huge deal for us. We try to approach every single guest visit as if they’re super VIP.” The couple was accompanied by a third guest during their lunch.

Initially, the couple had shown interest in 17 River Grille, another NCR restaurant also located in Chagrin Falls. However, JoJo’s was ultimately chosen because it was better equipped to meet their privacy requirements. Dei Maggi elaborated on this capability, stating, “We have the ability to create some really cool, sequestered spaces and high-security private spaces for those very rare occasions that you have rock and roll and football royalty in the restaurant.”

Travis Kelce was in town due to his attendance at the Alex’s Way Charity Golf Tournament, presented by Patrick Bacon and Forest City Insurance, which took place in Chardon on Monday, June 30, according to an Instagram post from the Kelce brothers. Taylor Swift’s visit to Cleveland had been long-awaited, particularly given Kelce’s proud heritage as a Cleveland Heights native. Speculation about her visiting Cleveland had circulated the previous year when the Chiefs played the Browns, but she did not make an appearance at that time.

Michael Dei Maggi, who has prior experience serving celebrities and VIP guests from his time working on the West Coast, commented on the visit. He stated, “I’m pretty comfortable with it and at the end of the day, it’s really special to be able to create a place where they can kind of get lost in the magic of Chagrin Falls a little bit too.” He conveyed his belief that the couple had a “wonderful experience” and that JoJo’s looks forward to potential future visits, emphasizing the goal of providing a great level of hometown hospitality that can compete with the world's best restaurants, even for those requiring additional privacy.