Dry January is finally almost over and thank god for that. Whatever type of bar you’re looking for – cocktail lounge, brewery, dive, speakeasy – we have a suggestion for you to end that dry spell and get back out there.

Velvet Tango Room 2095 Columbus Rd., Cleveland What was once sort of an open secret around town has now become a full-on Cleveland landmark. The Velvet Tango Room remains the gold standard of martini joints in our city. Here, cocktails aren’t just another drink. Here, there’s a history and a story, not to mention handmade ingredients and the kind of expertise that translates to a few-minute wait for your drink and indelible, endless memories once you take a sip. Photo via
Prosperity Social Club 1109 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland Cozy and retro, this former workingman’s watering hole serves up food, booze, and a bowling machine along with the live music. You’ll find locals laying down everything from lounge and jazz to folk and bluegrass. They also have a kitchen that stays open nightly until midnight and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Photo via @ProsperitySocialClub/Instagram
Market Garden Brewery 1947 West 25th St., Cleveland This Ohio City brewery, one of the most popular microbreweries in town, is another great spot to enjoy a cold, locally brewed beer. An Ohio Beef Burger and fresh baked pretzel goes great with any of their beers. Photo via Scene Archives
Johnny’s Little Bar 614 Frankfort Ave., Cleveland Right around the corner from the popular Warehouse district white tablecloth Italian joint Johnny’s, you’ll find Johnny’s Little Bar, an iconic Cleveland spot. In addition to being a wonderful place to go after leaving your downtown job, the bar boasts a “world famous” burger, giving the traditional Italian menu at the main restaurant a run for its money. And the people watching is outstanding here. Photo via Scene Archives
Happy Dog 5801 Detroit Rd., Cleveland Happy Dog is the perfect Cleveland bar – the food is reasonable and good and most weekend nights there’s live music and shows are usually free or cost just five bucks to get in. If you haven’t been to this institution, go next time you have a chance. Photo via Scene Archives
Bookhouse Brewing 1526 West 25th St., Cleveland Differentiating itself from both the rough and ready garage-style brewhouse and the cavernous factory-size production facility, Bookhouse is delightfully cozy, with fine carpentry softening exposed brick walls, tile floors and tin ceilings. Bookshelves line the walls, lending a snug reading room vibe to the 100-seat space. Photo via Bookhouse Brewing/Facebook
Becky’s 1762 East 18th St., Cleveland Located half a block from Cleveland State’s main campus, Becky’s is always packed wall-to-wall with students downing $2 domestic beers and and chowing down on specialty sandwiches. The music, emanating from a small jukebox in the corner, tends toward ’80s faves like Bon Jovi. The bartenders, most of whom are CSU students themselves, mingle freely with the crowd. The partiers linger till closing time, when bartenders have to shoo out the patrons. Photo via Becky’s Bar/Facebook
Mahall’s 20 Lanes 1114 Center St., Cleveland Coming up on their 100th anniversary in a few years, this bowling alley, music venue, bar and restaurant was established by the Mahall family in 1924. It’s still one of the more happening spots in town. Photo via Scene Archives
Tremont Tap House 2572 Scranton Rd., Cleveland In the spirit of the region’s finest neighborhood taverns, the Tap House serves its neighbors well with boldly flavored, cleverly packaged and downright affordable American fare. Entrees like grilled hanger steak are proof that this is no pub-grub pub. The beer list, with 24 taps and 50+ bottles is easily among city’s top five. Late-night food and a fun patio make this neighborhood joint one of our favorites. Photo via @TremontTaphouse/Instagram
Griffin Cider House & Gin Bar 12401 Madison Ave., Lakewood “Wow, wow, wow. What a wonderful cocktail menu! After living down the street from this place and moving away, I finally ventured back to this gem that always caught my eye. And just in time for their new cocktail menu! I tried the Fortune Teller, Pimm’s Strawberry Fields and the Peachy Keen! All so good. I was going for a vodka base all night – but they had lots of options with gin too! And from what I could see, a pretty decent beer and cider list too – usually what I’m after! I was really impressed by not only the selection, but the location, friendly staff and the ambience inside. It really has that English pub vibe, which I love. I will definitely be returning!” Taylor M. on Yelp Photo via Griffin Cider House/Facebook
Society Lounge 2063 East Fourth St., Cleveland Everything about this space, from the lit up drinks, to the classy, modern design, is just really cool. Located in the basement of an East Fourth Street building, this place is definitely worth checking out for the decor and the craft drinks. Photo via Scene Archives
Jukebox 1404 West 29th St., Cleveland A music-themed neighborhood bar in the Rock N’ Roll capital? Sounds like the perfect spot and that’s what this Hingetown haunt is. The warm, brick-lined space features industrial lighting fixtures, rock and roll themed art and decorations, and the namesake jukebox, a 100-CD version stuffed with various Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted musicians, beginning in the ’50s and running clear through modern indie rock and hip-hop. Photo via @JukeboxCle/Instagram
The Spotted Owl 710 Jefferson Ave., Cleveland With a detailed eye, reclaimed wood and stained-glass windows, the beautiful Spotted Owl came to Tremont in 2014. A cocktail bar at once sophisticated and approachable, with drinks that change as the Owl debuts new menus throughout the year, and which are seriously and thoughtfully constructed. Photo via @SpottedOwlBar/Instagram
Parkview Nite Club 1261 West 58th St., Cleveland Layers of mystery lie just beneath the surface of this rustic, aggressively unpretentious corner bar on Cleveland’s near West Side. Start with the decorative motif: How can the Rat Pack poster mingle with the framed Three Stooges photo? If this is the Parkview, where is the park — or the view? How can a bar tout its live blues bands, even as it advertises the birthday of a regular patron named “Disco Dicky”? Most of all, how has a bar with wood paneling on walls, floor, and ceiling managed to keep from burning down this long? These are matters that require intense study from the barstool and a thorough interrogation of the help. Photo via Scene Archives
Literary Tavern 1031 Literary Rd., Cleveland When Literary Tavern reopened in 2018, owner Ross Valenti’s goal for the old Literary Café in Tremont, was to create a casual, comfortable and relevant place for neighbors to enjoy themselves: essentially, a new-old neighborhood classic and he reached that goal. Photo by Douglas Trattner
Around the Corner 18616 Detroit Ave., Lakewood Fish frys just feel right when they’re at the bar around the corner. This Lakewood favorite, literally named Around the Corner, has events and specials for nearly every night of the week, but Fridays are for fish frys and homemade pierogis. Photo via Scene Archives
Hoopples 1930 Columbus Rd., Cleveland We give a lot of credit to Hoopples for having one of the best views in the city with its industrial panoramic of the river and Cleveland skyline backdrop. An even more glorious scene: a basket full of filled-to-the-brim tacos. Sure, Tower City looks nice all lit up, but it’s twice as nice when you’re throwing back a pint at this spot in the Flats. Photo via Scene Archives
Edison’s 2373 Professor Ave., Cleveland You’re not doing Tremont right if you don’t land at Edison’s for at least some portion of your night. It’s the quintessential Tremont bar, the quintessential Cleveland bar — a real bar’s bar, you dig? Whether you’re just stopping in at the pickup door for a pizza or you’re posting up at the lovely bar for an evening round with your finest friends, you’ll be well taken care of here. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
The Little Rose Tavern 14206 Lorain Ave., Cleveland This little bar, which opened in 2019, opened with a goal of being the neighborhood bar for the West Park area of Cleveland and has succeeded so far. Three friends and former Happy Dog employees turned the space that was formerly Nolan’s Bar into a great hangout spot for near Westsiders. Photo via The Little Rose Tavern
The Fairmount 2448 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights Located in the Cedar Hill neighborhood, the Fairmount takes pub food to the next level. With a warm and lively atmosphere and one of the best patios in town, you’re missing out if you haven’t been. Photo via The Fairmount Cleveland/Facebook
ABC The Tavern 1872 West 25th St., Cleveland A classic Cleveland “old-man” bar with a totally modern vibe, this well-run tavern offers a full bar and plenty of tasty noshes, ranging from roasted red pepper hummus to a humongous burger. Nightly happy hours help make this a popular destination. Photo via Scene Archives Credit: Scene Archives
Porco Lounge & Tiki Room 2527 West 25th St., Cleveland Porco Lounge & Tiki Room is only about six years old, but its dedication to professionally blended cocktails — even silly sounding ones — has helped its reputation grow at a brisk rate. The Mai Tai is the best of the bunch, a cold fusion of fresh fruit juices with coconut rum and a soupçon of almond. In 2016, the Food Network named the bar one of the best tiki bars in the country. Photo via Porco Lounge & Tiki Bar/Facebook
The Flying Monkey Pub 819 Jefferson Ave., Cleveland Karaoke? Trivia? Cheap drinks? Relaxed atmosphere? Sign us up for this Tremont dive bar. Also, this is the bar to hit up if you want to bring your dog with you to drink. Photo via Flying Monkey Pub/Facebook
Hofbrauhaus 1550 Chester Ave., Cleveland Filled with beer, music and lederhosen, Hofbrauhaus overloads the senses. Grab your friends and have a rowdy night on the town at this beer hall that will transport you to Germany for the night. Credit: Scene Archives
LBM Bar 12301 Madison Ave., Lakewood To jump into our favorite bars after only being opened only a couple years says something about how much we love LBM. Located in Lakewood, this spot initially opened as a bar, but don’t sleep on their food offerings. Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Corky’s Place 13302 Detroit Ave., Lakewood Corky’s, which hosts karaoke every Wednesday through Saturday, keeps its songbooks stocked with the newest hits from the Nashville country scene as well as old-school Seattle grunge. And unlike most karaoke spots, where the drunk redneck singing “Ring of Fire” is shoved off into the corner, here you’re the headliner, front and center, with stage lighting, a roaring sound system, and a packed house — especially on the weekends. Photo via Corky’s Place/Facebook
Harbor Inn 1219 Main Ave., Cleveland As the oldest continuously operating bar in Cleveland — open since 1895, thank you very much — the Harbor Inn has many stories to tell. Thankfully, the West Bank of the Flats spot keeps its secrets, and night after night allows patrons young and old to imbibe in witty conversation and general tomfoolery virtually undisturbed while swallowed up in dim yellow light. Photo via Harbor Inn/Facebook
Nano Brew 1859 West 25th St., Cleveland In 2013, Thrillist named this local brewery’s burger as one of the best 33 burgers in America. If that’s not enough of a reason to hit up this microbrewery, pair one of Nano Brew’s award-winning burgers (or sliders) with any of their 24 draft beers — they’ve got you covered until 2:30 a.m. Photo via Nano Brew/Facebook
The Tavern Company 2299 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights The Tavern Company has been a Lee Road staple for over ten years. In 2014, they took over the space that the iconic Colony operated in after owner Jim Brennan’s tragic passing. The Tavern Company, or TavCo as locals call it, is as Heights as it gets. Photo via The Tavern Company/Facebook
The Whiskey Bar 2767 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights “This place is absolutely a hidden gem in Cleveland! Absolutely stellar selection of all manner of whiskey/whisky/scotch/some bourbon. It is tucked away and the sign is just dark lettering on a dark awning so it is easy to miss…We tried a fantastic variety of peaty, smoky whiskey, Japanese whisky, and more. At one point they even brought us cheese and crackers to help cleanse the palate! We all had a first rate time and I can’t wait to go back to try more,” Amy J. on Yelp Photo via The Whiskey Bar/Facebook

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