Woman Who Pulled a Gun On Ohio City Barber After Son’s Haircut Took Too Long Sentenced to Six Months in Prison
Update: Andrea Smith, 31, who you might have last seen on surveillance video from the All-State Barber College in Ohio City pulling a gun on a barber, was sentenced this week to six months in prison. She’d pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing and a fifth-degree felony charge for carrying a concealed weapon.…
Melt Bar and Grilled Now Open in Avon
Update: Western Cleveland suburbanites and cheese lovers rejoice, Melt is now open in Avon. Per Melt’s press release, the latest grilled cheese outpost in the ever-expanding chain seats approximately 270 people. Find them at 35546 Detroit Rd. *** (Original story 5/1/2017): Melt Bar and Grilled will open another restaurant in Avon sometime this summer. It…
Now Open: Smokin Q’s BBQ and Beer House in Mayfield
Update: Smokin Q’s BBQ and Beer House opened this week. Read all about the details in our original preview below. They’re open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Check out the menu here. *** (Original story 5/3/17): It’s been a year and a half since Giovanni’s Ristorante owner Carl Quagliata announced…
Now Open: Forest City Shuffleboard Arena and Bar in Ohio City
Update: ICYMI, a quick note that Forest City Shuffleboard opened its doors last Friday. The place is spectacular. Read all about it below and then get down there soon. They’re open 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m to 1 a.m. on Fridays; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to…
Preview: Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” with The Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland is the only major city in Ohio without a flagship opera company. That is, unless you count the revolving door of fledgling groups that have struggled to carry the operatic mantle since Opera Cleveland folded in 2010. The Cleveland Orchestra’s yearly opera productions have done much of the heavy lifting in terms of drawing…
Toward Undercurrents: On Regional Leaders, the Media and the Rotten Deal they Cherry-picked Facts to Propagate
During the riveting April 21st edition of WCPN’s Reporter’s Roundtable, Cleveland.com Editor Chris Quinn remarked upon Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish’s State of the County address. “What was striking about the speech was that [Budish] took a real hard line, as firm as you ever hear from him, on the critics of the proposed Q deal,”…
In Advance of His Show at the Goodyear Theatre, Dennis DeYoung Talks About Why the Rock Hall Has Snubbed Styx
Dennis DeYoung, who founded the prog rock act band Styx back in 1970 and played with the group until 1999, comes to the Goodyear Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Though he can’t legally tour and record as Styx, DeYoung, who wrote and sang lead vocals on seven of the band’s eight Top 10 hits…
Acclaimed UK Punk Act Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes to Perform at the Foundry in Lakewood
Frank Carter, the frontman for the UK punk act Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes, grew up in a town about 30 miles outside of London. He spent most of his youth skateboarding and drawing graffiti. He also absorbed rock, punk, metal and hardcore like a veritable sponge. “I was attracted to that type of music because…
Competitive Annual Student Show Returns to Galleries at Cleveland State University This Weekend
As the academic year comes to an end this month, the Galleries at Cleveland State University present the 46th Student Show and Merit Scholar Exhibition. An annual tradition, the exhibitions showcase the best work produced by students throughout the school year. This year’s student show features diverse work made by students in CSU’s many art…
Lawsuit Filed Over Fracking Operations in Wayne National Forest
As hinted earlier this year, environmental groups have formally filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management over their policies to allow natural gas fracking in Wayne National Forest. Last year, the federal government began auctioning public lands in that forest for the express purpose of spurring drilling operations there.…
Vincent Delagrange Joins Ohio City Provisions as Head Butcher
For the past three years, Vincent Delagrange has worked as a chef at Urban Farmer Cleveland, where he primarily spent his time in the butcher shop and kitchens cutting meat and making charcuterie. Starting May 9, he will join Adam Lambert and Trevor Clatterbuck at Ohio City Provisions as that shop’s head butcher. “He’s a…
Xhibition and Piccadilly Artisan Creamery Teamed Up for a Cool Release of the New Yeezy Colorway
Xhibition, the lifestyle/apparel/sneaker store on West 25th in Ohio City, has a goal of being more than just your local sneaker shop, which is why their release of the Cream White V2 Yeezy Boost from Adidas and Kanye made perfect sense. Teaming up with Piccadilly Artisan Creamery (11607 Euclid Avenue), Xhibition released the newest version…
Janet Jackson to Play the Q in December
R&B/pop singer Janet Jackson planned to play the Q in 2016 as part of her Unbreakable world tour. That show got postponed twice as Jackson cancelled dates and gave birth to her son. Now, Jackson has rescheduled those dates and rechristened the tour the State of the World tour. “It’s not about politics — it’s…
Guided By Voices Guitarist Doug Gillard Rejoins the Band in Time for Its 100th Album
Last year, the long-running indie rock act Guided by Voices entered yet another era as singer-guitarist Bobby Bare Jr., a guy who’s held down a solo career for the past two decades, joined the band at the request of its founder, singer Robert Pollard. Bare, who in our interview with him at the time described…
Mastodon Drummer Talks About the Hard Rock Band’s Eclectic Approach
While many musicians claim to have listened to a wide range of music while growing up, the parents of Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor truly exposed him to a mix of different genres. “My mom’s boyfriend, who moved in when I was three or four, was a drummer in my mom’s band,” he says via phone…
Prosperity Social Club to Host Bike Nights in June and August
Prosperity Social Club has just announced the dates for its annual Two-Wheel Roundup, a free, all-brand bike meetup. The Tremont restaurant and bar will host the events from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, and Thursday, Aug. 24. The events cater to a variety of different riders, and Prosperity welcomes all makes of…
You Can Soon Stay Overnight At the Christmas Story House Year Round
Beginning June 1, A Christmas Story aficionados will be able to spend the night in Ralphie and Randy’s room. And it won’t be for just one night only — one lucky holiday auction winner has been allowed to do that for the past few years. The historic Tremont locale will now be open for sleepovers all year long.…
No Exit Does Avant-Garde Music for the Cello and Seven More Classical Music Events to Hit This Week
Steven Plank’s excellent Oberlin choir, the Collegium Musicum Oberliniense, will take its spring program of English music to Trinity Cathedral’s Brownbag Concert Series on Wednesday, May 3 at 12 noon. The repertory ranges from gloriously sprawly motets from the 15th-century Eton Choirbook to Victorian part songs and movements from Vaughan Williams’s Mass in g. The…
First Look: Michael Symon’s Angeline at the Borgata
In just five days, Michael Symon will open Angeline, his Italian-themed eatery at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. Right now, Symon and his entire crew are putting the last-minute touches on the dramatic space, which Symon describes as one of the most attractive that he’s been involved with. Symon’s wife and…
Kari Oatman Joins East Cleveland Mayor’s Race at Critical Moment in City
On the heels of a mayoral recall last December, the voters of East Cleveland turn now toward a municipal election this November. Current Mayor Brandon King has not yet filed his candidacy with the Board of Elections, but all signs point to him running. (He assumed leadership after former Mayor Gary Norton and former Council…
Bernie Sanders Promotes Progressive Agenda, Disses Trump, at City Club Event
Monday morning, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders — the most popular politician in the United States, by one recent poll — spoke at the Global Center for Health Innovation. He outlined key issues on his progressive agenda (these were dissident ideas, he said, ideas that Americans don’t like to talk about), and thrashed the early Presidency…
Rapper Beanie Sigel Puts on a Controlled and Concentrated Performance at the Grog Shop
As Saturday night rounded into Sunday morning, Beanie Sigel sauntered out onto the Grog Shop stage to his opening verse on Jay-Z’s “Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up).” It was the first time the crowd felt in sync all night — the Broad Street Bully was finally here. A savvy vet, the 43-year-old former…
Spaces Celebrates Its Own ‘First 100 Days’ with New Exhibitions
Opening their new home in Hingetown less than a week before Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th U.S. president, both he and one of Cleveland’s own westside art galleries, Spaces, have reached the end of their first “100 days.” This week, Spaces debuts its latest exhibitions: The First 100+ Days, Yoko Inoue’s Tea…
Ukulele-Strumming Singer-Songwriter Jeremy Messersmith Brings His Micro-Tour to Town Today
Ukulele-strumming singer-songwriter Jeremy Messersmith recorded his last album, 11 Obscenely Optimistic Songs For Ukulele: A Micro-Folk Record for the 21st Century And Beyond, in a single day and even made a music video for each song in a day’s time as well. A press release describes the album as “ridiculous songs about kittens, world peace,…
Xhibition in Ohio City is Doing A Special Release for the New Kanye West Yeezy Boost From Adidas, But You Gotta Get to the Store Tonight by 7 p.m. for a Chance to Buy Them
Only two stores in all of Cleveland will have the hottest sneaker on the market, the Adidas Yeezy Boost, when it drops tomorrow morning all across the country. Xhibition, located on West 25th in the heart of Ohio City, is one of two stores that will have the ‘Cream White V2’ colorway of the Kanye…
Rock Hall’s ‘Rolling Stone at 50’ Exhibit Celebrates the Fine Art of Cultural Criticism
Rolling Stone magazine made its debut in 1967 just as the Beatles, the Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, Cream, the Byrds, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Velvet Underground, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and many other acts released major albums. Since that time, the magazine has provided cultural criticism that touches upon music, politics, film…
Appeals Court Shoots Down Cleveland’s Gun Offender Registry
A state appeals court this week ruled Cleveland’s gun offender registry unconstitutional after several years of back-and-forth litigation over the local laws. The court insisted that state law supersedes local municipalities’ attempts to regulate gun ownership. You’ll recall that Mayor Frank Jackson touted the registry as a big step forward in combating the city’s gun…
Locked on Cavaliers Podcast: Scene Discusses Q Deal
Scene appeared on the “Locked on Cavaliers” podcast Friday for an in-depth conversation about the Quicken Loans Arena renovation deal. Reporter Sam Allard, (hello there), spoke with Fear the Sword editor Chris Manning about what the deal has proposed, what its financial implications might be for the city and the county, and what’s next for…
Sweet Adelines International Barbershop Competition Commences Today at the Renaissance Hotel
Female barbershop quartet competition comes to Cleveland today, with the return of Sweet Adelines International to the Renaissance Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. This year’s Region 17 competition will draw more than 700 women from Ohio and three neighboring states and feature 21 quartets and 16 choruses. The contests start at 4:30 p.m. today and at noon…
Playhouse Square and Baldwin Wallace University Reprise the Rock Musical ‘Lizzie’
A rock roadshow retelling of the legend of Lizzie Borden, the daughter of a prominent businessman who axed her parents to death in their home, Lizzie returns to the local stage this weekend. The performances at Playhouse Square mark the 10-year collaboration between Playhouse Square and the Baldwin Wallace University musical theater program. The first…
Local Indie Rockers Fascinating Premiere a New Single from Their Forthcoming Album
This weekend, the local indie rock act Fascinating celebrates the release of its second album, Picture This, with a show at 9 p.m. on Saturday at the Happy Dog with locals Cheap Clone, Perverts Again and Tasty. Led by Ricky Hamilton, founder of the garage rock collective Quality Time, the band sounds sharp on Picture This, a…
Breaking Down the First Round of the Browns’ Draft — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac dive into the way the Browns approached the first round of the NFL Draft, their predictable tradedown and the three picks they added to the roster. They mix in a little baseball talk as well as some Gareon Conley discussion.
Ottawa Singer Talks About Each Track on the Local Indie Rock Band’s New EP
Singer Dale DeLong and guitarist Tim Czajka formed the local indie rock act Ottawa in 2013 after their previous band, the Royaltons, dissolved. They had a good run with the Royaltons, which played around town from 2007 to 2010. But they’ve had an even better run with Ottawa, which has built a bigger local following and produced…
Live Nation to Celebrate National Concert Day with $20 Tickets
Live Nation will celebrate National Concert Day on May 1 with over one million tickets to some of Live Nation’s summer tours for just $20. The price will be “all-in” with no additional fees. The promotion doesn’t include every single Live Nation show, but there will be tickets for 50-plus tours and 1,000-plus shows at venues across the…
Cleveland’s ‘American Ninja Warrior’ Taping Now Includes a Free Fan Fest, Obstacle Course
A full-blown fan fest is set to accompany the Cleveland taping of American Ninja Warrior on May 8 to 9. As previously announced, the show in which contestants attempt to complete an insane obstacle course in order to win a boatload of cash, will take over Cleveland’s Public Square for two days of filming. But for…
7 Concerts to Catch This Weekend in Cleveland
FRIDAY, APRIL 28 Hollis Brown/Matthew Hoover & the Supersaints Singer Mike Montali and guitarist Jon Bonilla, the main songwriters in the roots rock act Hollis Brown, grew up listening to the classics. That certainly comes across on the group’s 2015 album, 3 Shots. With its hushed vocals and intricate guitar work, album opener “Cathedral” recalls…
Emo Rockers Fall Out Boy to Launch Upcoming Tour at the Q
Earlier today, emo rockers Fall Out Boy dropped the new song “Young and Menace,” the first single from their forthcoming studio album, M A N I A. The group also released the song’s music video. “There’s a lyric in the song, ‘trying to send the world a message, I was young and a menace,’ that…
There’s an Instagram Account Devoted to Piss Jugs in Akron
We forget exactly how and when we stumbled upon @akrontruckerbombs, aka Piss Jugs of Akron on Instagram, but we were curious enough about the dedication and motivation of the mystery person behind the account that we fired off a few questions. Namely, what in the hell possesses someone to seek out and document various bottles…
Street Sweeping Returns to Cleveland
[image-1]It might not be as eye-catching and newsworthy as the city throwing tax revenue like Bourbon Street beads at Dan Gilbert and the Cavs, but, in other parts of City Hall, the Public Works Department is bringing back an old friend: the street sweeper. Scene first caught glimpse of the hearty machines on a Gordon Square…
Rock Hall to Screen the Late Jonathan Demme’s Film About Inductees in July
[image-1]Late last year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced a series of renovations. One of the “long-term” renovations included what the museum dubbed “The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Signature Experience.” Those enhancements will combine improved Inductee exhibits with a signature multimedia presentation production by Oscar-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme. Yesterday, the talented Demme, who…
A Chat With Holden Laurence of the Modern Electric on His New Solo Album
Most people know Holden Laurence from his gig playing guitar for The Modern Electric. He’s been busy, however, working on his album and it’s ready for release. He sat down with Craig Lyndall to discuss the making of the album, his process for writing and creativity and much more. Because Holden is a giant sports…
Old Courthouse Event Rental Rate Jumping Up to $585 Per Hour
Getting married in Cleveland? Searching for a venue with decadent-ass photo ops that doesn’t shatter the piggy bank? WHO ISN’T? Our wedding venue watch dogs slipped us word late last night — they got wind from Cleveland.com: Cuyahoga County’s historic courthouse on Lakeside Avenue, known colloquially as the “Old Courthouse,” is getting pricier. The hourly…
Short Films From Around the Country to Screen at the Canton Film Fest
For the sixth year, the Canton Film Fest will return to downtown Canton for a three-day “film forward event.” The festival will feature short films made by independent directors from Canton, Northeast Ohio and all across the country. Festivities kick off tonight at 6 at the Canton Palace Theatre with the Stark Cool Picture Prize Submissions…
Centers for Families and Children Benefit Takes Place Tonight at El Carnicero
The locally based Centers for Families and Children aims to improve lives through “integrated behavioral health, primary care, early learning and workforce services.” One of the oldest and largest nonprofits in Northeast Ohio, the Centers serve more than 20,000 people annually. Tonight’s seventh annual Taste Latino that takes place at 6 p.m. at El Carnicero in…
Found Footage Festival Founders to Bring ‘Newly Unearthed VHS Treasures’ to the Grog Shop in May
Twentysomething years ago, Nick Prueher was working at a McDonald’s in Wisconsin when he happened upon a custodial training video in the break room. He popped it in the VCR and had such a good laugh, he decided to take it home and show it to his friends, beginning his career as a video collector. Prueher, who…
RTA Driver Who Hit Woman on Public Square Indicted
A grand jury has charged former RTA driver Antoinette Peterkin with aggravated vehicular homicide and vehicular homicide in the death of 69-year-old Joan Kuendig, who was struck while crossing Rockwell Avenue on the northeast corner of Public Square on the morning of Dec. 7. Peterkin was fired shortly after that incident. An RTA incident review…
Q Deal Citizen Opposition Gears Up for Voter Referendum
Calling the Q deal “deeply flawed,” Greater Cleveland Congregations announced a new coalition of local citizen organizations that will begin gathering signatures for a voter referendum in an effort to repeal the controversial legislation passed Monday night. The ordinance in question (305-17) commits an estimated $88 million of city money to the Q project from 2023-2034.…
Apollo’s Fire Closes Its 25th Season With Beethoven Plus Five More Classical Music Events to Hit This Week
Cellist Jeffrey Zeigler will play a program of contemporary music by Andy Akiho, JG Thirlwell, Randall Woolf, Philip Glass, John Zorn, and Paola Prestini at Transformer Station in Hingetown on the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Performing Arts series on Wednesday, April 26 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available online. Vox Luminis, a fine choir from…
Over-Torqued Songs Sully a Modernized ‘Freaky Friday’ at Cleveland Play House
There’s no denying that the gimmick at the heart of this show, a musical version of the 1976 Disney movie, is a sure-fire winner. I mean, a mom and self-employed event planner named Katherine and her teenage daughter Ellie magically exchange bodies and set the stage for lots of generational laughs. (Mom has to go…
Dark Religious Comedy Aplenty in ‘Hand to God’ at Dobama Theatre
The definition of a passion play is a dramatic performance representing the Passion of Jesus Christ, involving his suffering and death. It is a staple of many celebrations of Lent in several Christian denominations. The thing is, that word “passion” can take you in more than one direction. And in this play by Robert Askins,…
Next Year’s Rock Hall Inductions to Take Place on April 14 at Public Hall
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductions will now take place in Cleveland every other year, and the Rock Hall has just announced a date (April 14) and a venue (Public Hall) for the 33rd annual ceremony. A series of events, including a community celebration with free admission to the Rock Hall, a dedication…
Best Band And Best Male Vocalist
Singer Brent “Wesley Bright” Wesley and a different backing band played their first gig a few years ago and quickly became one of Cleveland’s favorite live acts, and he’s been going strong ever since. Because of its terrific live show — sharp-dressed Wesley is a real dynamo on stage — the soul/old-school R&B band is…
Best Place to Catch a Play
It might seem obvious, but if you’ve never caught a show at Playhouse Square, read on. (Even if you have, read on!) The impending Hamilton ticket blitz is getting all the word-of-mouth attention lately, thankfully prying idle chit-chat away from the Square’s gaudy chandelier, but there’s so much more to our theater district. A new…
Best Apartment Complex
Though we’re embarrassed to admit that we’ve never been to the penthouse parties of Johnny Manziel or Kevin Love, we can attest that the appurtenances at the units within this swanky downtown apartment complex are plush. With easy access to East Fourth, the Q, Progressive Field and all the hopping bars and restaurants of the…
Best Place to Ski
Situated in a valley, not on a mountain — this is Ohio after all — Boston Mills and sister ski resort Brandywine are the best reasons to get the hell out of the house during the winter. It’s a ski getaway that doesn’t take much getting away and it’s nothing to shake a pole at:…
Best Sports Reporter
Jim Donovan, the sports guy at WKYC Channel 3, is probably better known locally as the radio voice of the Cleveland Browns. Hearing Donovan call out a breakaway run is still one of the few (rare) pleasures associated with Sunday afternoons and the eternally embarrassing efforts of the sad sack franchise. “The 25, the 20,…
Best Steakhouse
There’s a saying in cooking that goes something like this: The simple things are the hardest to perfect. That’s because there is no way to conceal one’s blunders. We can think of no dish that better exemplifies that concept than steak, which literally is nothing more than a two-step process that involves seasoning and grilling.…
Best Adult Shop
There’s nothing worse, when shopping for a sex toy or adult video, than entering an establishment where you feel you need to wear a disguise. But it’s a reality that many adult stores feel that way, and you may feel that way personally. That’s why much of the adult-themed commercial activity now occurs online. But…
Best Spot for Day Drinking/Bar for Singles
Once upon a time West 25th Street was known for the West Side Market and not much else. These days, of course, it’s Brewery and Bar Central, making it a natural destination for drinkers and party goers. TownHall, since its arrival on the scene, has quickly become a packed-to-the-gills favorite all hours of the day,…
Best Local Vineyard/Wine
Nestled into the bustling Cedar-Lee District happens to be a winery where one can enjoy exclusive wines made in-house by a local winemaker. The hip, urban environment makes the perfect backdrop for fun community events, small gatherings, or quiet nights on the town by wine-loving couples. Housemade merlots, pinots and chardonnays offer a welcome change…
Best Pies
There’s nothing better than walking into a kitchen and being immersed in the scent of hundreds of pies baking in the oven. At Mama Jo Homestyle Pies, they maintain a roster of 30 fresh-baked varieties ready to pick up. Especially decadent is the selection of creamy silk pies like strawberry cheesecake, Turtle and even Ohio…
Best Stylist
You’ll find Lexi Ingwer at Jenniffer & Co. Salon in Mentor-on-the-Lake, and judging by the votes, you should absolutely go find her. Getting your hair styled for a special occasion shouldn’t be an iffy proposition, but there are horror stories out there. Avoid the chances of a color gone wrong or a ‘do that’s not…
Best Local Author/Writer
Connie flipping Schultz is the fire-breathing antidote to all those who dare identify women as “the wife of … .” Schultz is Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist who used to write for the Plain Dealer. These days, she writes a column on Creators.com, teaches journalism to the next generation of truth seekers at Kent State and oversees…
Welcome to Best of Cleveland 2017
For a long time, change was slow to come to Cleveland. The good kind, at least. Then it seemed to come all at once, and before we really even noticed that it wasn’t arriving in fits and spurts but in glorious waves. There’s still much to do for many in the city, of course, but it’s…
Best Bed and Breakfast
Every now and then, and we know you’re as susceptible to these urges as we are, we feel the need for a weekend getaway — without getting away. We crave the sensations of vacation, but we only have the time for a staycation. Thankfully, Cleveland is littered with fine hospitality options. And thankfully, Scene readers…
Best Public Pool
On the bluffs overlooking Lake Erie, Lakewood Park offers all the essentials of weekend life: baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts, picnic areas and a band shell where the city holds free concerts. The Foster Pool features long-course swimming (it’s 50 meters long by 25 yards wide) and offers a shallow area for the kids.…
Best Sports Talker
If you’re looking for one sports talk host to capture the zeitgeist of the Cleveland sports scene, Uncle Tony is your man. Rizzo, the long-running host of The Really Big Show on WKNR, has seen and done it all when it comes to the Cavs, Indians, Browns and Buckeyes. Tune in and you’ll hear all…
Best Local Jewelry Maker
In 2002, Anne Harrill left the French countryside for Cleveland and it was understandably a big adjustment. But then she started making jewelry, and from there, Anne says, she found her voice and made America her home. Anne designs and makes everything in-house, by hand, at her downtown Cleveland studio. With a minimalistic style, inspired…
Best Place to Buy a Wedding Dress
Every bride-to-be deserves a personalized, perfect experience when shopping for the dream wedding dress. It’s a huge day, and the dress is a huge deal, or so we hear. Those who’ve been down the aisle before wouldn’t steer you wrong and they’re directing you to Something White’s front door. The Independence shop has the fitting…
Best Grocery Store
The downtown outpost of local grocer Heinen’s is situated in one of the most dramatic structures in town, but that isn’t the only reason to visit. What keeps us shopping there is the honest-to-goodness quality of the products, the customer service, and those amazing self-serve wine stations. Browse the aisles and you’ll find stellar meat,…
Best Diner
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Grumpy’s is the most important restaurant in town. The Tremont staple, which you will find bustling and busy every weekend morning, is a cozier, artsier version of a greasy spoon — warm colors and local art decorate the walls of the two-room affair. The menus…
Best German Restaurant
Cleveland is blessed to have a handful of truly exceptional German restaurants where a diner can wash down sauerkraut balls, paprikash, Wiener schnitzel and sauerbraten with a stein of earthy lager. But none approach Hofbräuhaus Cleveland when it comes to capturing the true spirit of the Munich original, which has been attracting locals and travelers…
Best Pizza
When Tom Hanks needed to rent out a place for his Great Lakes Theater reunion last summer, he picked Angelo’s. His choice is no great surprise; Angelo’s was a favorite of his back in 1977, when he was a local thespian. Fortunately for us all, the quality at Angelo’s has stayed high all those years…
Canopy Invites You to Come Make Some Art as It Celebrates Its Second Anniversary
Canopy is celebrating its second anniversary this weekend while paying homage to its predecessor, Buckbuck Gallery, the physical space’s former tenant. Your Show Too! is an art exhibition that invites guests to join in the creative process as active participants, which makes total sense given Canopy’s emergence as a collective big top for the community.…
Best Local Podcast
The CleCast is Dan Huszai and Brian Harrington talking about all things Cleveland — music, movies, art, politics, transit, food, beer, whatever! Dan and Brian bring a wry and sometimes irreverent (but always curious) sensibility to the roster of subjects they discuss. They are proud generalists, eager to dive into the topics that Clevelanders find…
Best Female Comedian
Mary Santora, part of the Accidental Comedy Club group (in fact, the “First Lady” of the group, as Accidental’s site proclaims), has quickly ascended to the top of various and good lists in the entertainment world. She’s hit the road and opened for big names like Tom Papa and Frank Caliendo, but it’s her work…
Best Casino
Jack Casino, in the historic Higbee Building in Tower City Center on Public Square, features a 96,000-square-foot gaming galaxy that offers slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, poker and more. It has a buffet and three “quick bite” restaurants, including the only downtown location of Michael Symon’s popular B-Spot Burgers. The casino hosts a weekday…
Best Sporting Goods Store
The Geiger family opened up its sporting goods store back in 1932, back when FDR first won the presidency … when Jack Sharkey was the heavyweight champion of the world … when Earl Averill smacked 32 homers for a Tribe team that went 87-65 and still finished 19 games back of the Yankees in the…
Best Blues Club
Cleveland is a great blues town, but if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. Brothers Lounge, the westside mainstay, should be your first stop. Thursday nights are the natural outlet; you’ll find the Bad Boys of Blues holding court as the house band with a guest singer…
Best T-Shirt Company/Store to Find a Piece of Cle
Pretty much single-handedly responsible for jump-starting Cleveland’s T-shirt cottage industry, CLE Clothing Co. is now synonymous with the city’s renaissance (like LeBron James, the RNC windfall and Instagram photos of the Heinen’s ceiling). Without a doubt, anyone reading this right now either owns a CLE Clothing Co. T-shirt or bought one for some other I…
Best Place to Furnish Your Home
If you frequent Crocker Park or Legacy Village, you’ve undoubtedly been captivated by the decadent showrooms of Arhaus Furniture. The locally based company had adopted the motto, “Furnishing a Better World,” and dammit if they haven’t done just that. With options for the living room, dining room, bedroom, office, and even patios, you won’t be…
Best Hot Dogs
The novelty of putting Froot Loops on a hot dog has worn off by now (well, at least for most of us), but Happy Dog still packs them in. And it’s not just because they have a great atmosphere, righteous beer selection, and cool concert series. It’s because they make really tasty hot dogs. Really.…
Best Korean
Adventure is the name of the game at Seoul Garden, the region’s best Korean restaurant (despite less-than-glamorous digs) for nearly a decade. At this Parma institution, small groups huddle around bubbling pots of “jungol,” hearty stews that run the gamut from spicy seafood to “Army Base,” so named for the inclusion of American Spam. Other…
Best Locally Made Snack
We’ve got something this year that you’re truly going to go nuts over. Slightly thinner in consistency than typical machine-ground nut butter, this spreadable snack will have your mouth watering, especially when you see all of the creative things that local cafes and restaurants are doing with it. Made by hand in Akron, all-natural spreads…
Best Romantic Restaurant
Rocco Whalen was on the cutting edge of Tremont’s transformation into a dining destination back in 2002 when he opened the doors to Fahrenheit. In the ensuing 15 years, it’s hard to fathom how many anniversary, birthday, first-date, and engagement dinners have gone down in the cozy confines of his romantic restaurant, but it has…
Band of the Week: The Chestertons
MEET THE BAND: Kevin Bianchi (vocals, guitar), Brian Bianchi (guitar), Justin Hartman (bass) and Rob Wynne (drums) A FAMILY AFFAIR: The Bianchi brothers started writing songs when they were teens and have amassed a collection of around 500 tunes that they’ve slowly but surely started to record (though they have no plans to record all 500 of…
Best Comedy Venue
In a recent interview, comedian Lewis Black spoke about how much he’s loved performing at Hilarities over the years. He said he thinks of the club as a real asset for up-and-coming comics. Hilarities anchors East Fourth Street, in the heart of a bustling downtown, and offers a perfect spot to catch both big-name acts…
Best Female Vocalist
A co-founder of the popular local country cover band Post Road, singer Sarah Radcliff doesn’t struggle to sing any of the tunes that “bro country” acts such as Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean have turned into crossover hits. Radcliff, who spent several years performing with Twinsburg’s Great Expectations show choir, can even deliver…
Best Charity or Non-Profit
Everyone loves animals, right? If you don’t love animals, then we’ve got a real problem here. The Cleveland Animal Protective League does a tremendous service to our city’s four-foots and animal lovers. Between their adoption work and their humane investigations, the APL is on the front lines in the battle to make the lives of…
Best Yoga Studio
An official Baptiste Yoga affiliate studio with more than 100 weekly classes for all ages at two Cleveland-area locations, Cleveland Yoga embraces beginners and veterans alike, whether you’re a yoga master or a curious newbie wondering what hot yoga is all about. Cleveland Yoga has been on the forefront of the healthy living revolution as…
Best Cocktail Bar
Ever since the Velvet Tango Room opened up in Duck Island when basically nothing else was there, it’s always been about the drinks. The live jazz too, but mostly the drinks, which are never just thrown together haphazardly. Here, there’s a history and a story, not to mention handmade ingredients and the kind of expertise…
Best Tacos/Happy Hour
In the five years it’s been rolling, Barrio has done for the taco what Melt did for the grilled cheese sandwich: democratize it and spread its blessings throughout the region. Sure, we’ve all been eating and enjoying tacos since we were old enough to bite through a crispy corn shell, but when they are dished…
Best Vietnamese Restaurant
There’s more to Vietnamese food than a steaming bowl of pho, and frequent diners at Superior know to force themselves beyond the tried-and-true brew. Those who push their culinary horizons are rewarded with dishes like refreshing shredded chicken cabbage salad, crispy bánh mì sandwiches, savory grilled pork on vermicelli noodles, and fiery bowls of bún…
Best Ice Cream
It’s been a quick three years since Mitchell’s Ice Cream opened its Ohio City headquarters, but already it feels like an indispensable part of the neighborhood. Emanating from this centrally located production facility and retail scoop shop is a feeling of hometown pride, all fostered by founding brothers Pete and Mike Mitchell. Of course, quality…
Best Spot for Karaoke
It’s Sunday night, and all the decent people have already gone to bed or are watching prestige TV or meal prepping for the week. This is usually about the time when someone in your reckless friend group suggests you head to karaoke. And at that point, karaoke always seems like a good idea, especially if…
Best Bagels
It used to be that you’d have to hit the right coffee shop at just the right time to enjoy a fresh bagel and a shmear from Cleveland Bagel. Thanks to a little help from LeBron, that’s no longer the case. After a starring role last year on King James’ reality business show Cleveland Hustles,…
Best Consignment Shop
With the explosion of high-end shoe and fashion boutiques locally and nationwide, it’s a testament to the curators at Avalon Exchange — with locations in Lakewood and Cleveland Heights — that you can still find the trendiest and most unique footwear and vintage clothing items at their stores, for a fraction of the price at…
Savage Love: Restless
Dear Dan, I’m a 31-year-old gay male. I’ve been with my fiancé for three years, and we are getting married in the fall. I’ve got a question about initiating sex in my sleep—I read somewhere that “sexsomnia” is the “medical” term. According to my fiancé, I have initiated or performed some kind of sex act…
Best Male Comedian
Maybe you catch him at his weekly Hilario at Barrio (Monday nights in Lakewood) or maybe you tune in for the Alan Cox Show (afternoons 3 to 7 on ‘MMS). But however you seek him out just know that you’ve done good. We really got into Bill Squire with 2012’s Just Say Your Jokes, and…
Best Illustrator
You may know John G. from Scene’s annual Comics Issue each January, which he curates, but more than likely you know the intrepid illustrator from the wonderful array of projects he’s involved with in Cleveland. The whole artistic identity of Melt Bar & Grilled is John G.’s doing (those monthly special illustrations!). He co-founded the…
Best College or University
While no college can be right for every person, Case Western Reserve University is a fine private collegiate institution right here in our own backyard. Offering a world class engineering program and nonprofit management program, among other highly credentialed and celebrated courses of study, and a prime piece of University Circle real estate, CWRU brings…
Best Dive Bar
Before West 25th Street was the West 25th Street that you know (and maybe have mixed feelings about), ABC the Tavern was ABC the Tavern. It’s still got one of the most extensive and generous happy hour lists in the city — $1.50 Genesee Tall Boys — a working bar bowling machine and a balcony…
Best Local Fashion Designer
You don’t always have to move to New York City to find success in the fashion industry, as Valerie Mayen of the Yellowcake label has proven. First thrust into the national spotlight on Bravo’s Project Runway, back in 2010, the then-28-year-old Clevelander lasted nine episodes before getting the boot. At a point where she could…
Best Record Store
When former Clevelander Chad Bilyeu, a guy who runs a multimedia studio and record label based in Amsterdam that delves into art, music, nightlife and publications, needed a local outlet to sell one of his cassette-only releases, he hit up this record store/coffee shop/art gallery. The folks at the Tremont establishment happily helped him out,…
Best Neighborhood Bar
Located in the heart of Scene readers’ “Best Neighborhood,” Merry Arts welcomes travelers to downtown Lakewood. Split into two rooms, Merry Arts offers pretty much everything you could want from a local watering hole: TVs (including small screens in the booths), live music, a great tap selection, an excellent patio and bomb-ass wings. We’ve witnessed…
Best Donuts
One year ago Jack Frost debuted its newly renovated home on Pearl Road. For the previous six months, the venerable doughnut wizards were dishing up Cleveland’s favorite fried bits of heaven from a makeshift spot next door. Owner Fred Borkey Jr., whose family has run the shop for 80 years, wanted to remind his customers…
Best Greek Restaurant
One of the standout items at this popular Greek diner is the Mount Olympus Challenge (think of a gyro version the Melt Challenge). This bad boy features a pound each of traditional lamb-and-beef gyro meat, chicken gyro meat, pork gyro meat, a pound each of chopped tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce and, for good measure,…
Best Chef
You have to give credit (and apparently you have) to a chef who can juggle as many lemons as Zack Bruell, Cleveland’s most prolific restaurateur, without nary a fumble. Woody Allen has nothing on Bruell, who has averaged one new restaurant per year for more than a decade, each with its own unique style, setting…
Puente Viejo Takes the Tried and True Mexican Menu Up a Level in Playhouse Square
Remember the teen rom-com She’s All That, when lady killer Zack Siler, played by the incomparable Freddie Prinze Jr., bets his pal that he can transform any old gal into a prom queen with a few simple moves? Sure enough, that nerdy Laney Boggs, played by the understatedly attractive Rachael Leigh Cook, slowly transforms from…
Best Local Startup
The board game isn’t dead yet, and in fact is enjoying quite a renaissance judging by the boxes of Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan in everyone’s houses, not to mention board game bars and cafes popping up around town. Deadbox Games, a Cleveland startup, is hoping to ride that wave, after launching its…
Best College Radio Station
With every other terrestrial radio station in town playing the same three Stone Temple Pilots hits ad nauseum — not that there’s anything wrong with 1994’s achingly winsome “Purple” — the only real bet for great music on the dial in Cleveland is college radio. We’ve got a couple of good ones in town, and…
Best Beach
Whether it’s the depths of winter or the scorching peak of summer, all somehow endured in a single week it seems, Cleveland’s weather is a fickle beast. But we’re a hardy folk, and no matter the temperature we’re always up for a day at the beach. Maybe we’ll bring a picnic. Maybe we’ll swim. Maybe…
Best Gentleman’s Club
Christie’s wins this category almost every year and for good reason. The women are beautiful, the bar has a good television setup for watching the Cavs or Tribe, and you can play XBox or sing Karaoke with friends in a private room all while having the best talent in the business dance around you. Christie’s…
Best Tattoo Shop
Safe and clean? Check. Amazing artists specializing in a variety of styles? Check. Cool, comfortable shop where you wouldn’t mind spending a few hours? Check. Located in the heart of Ohio City? Check. This place has everything you want in a tattoo shop and that’s why it again takes the ink crown from the readers,…
Best West Side Market Vendor
For more than 25 years, Ohio City Pasta has been quietly, painstakingly doing its thing: making high-quality artisanal pasta in a variety of traditional and unexpected shapes and flavors. Nobody could fault you for sticking with that finely textured angel hair while shopping at the West Side Market stand (E3), but for variety’s sake, mix…
Best Indian Restaurant
India Garden has long been rightly famous for its daily lunch buffet, a feast of epic proportions. For just $10.95, the buffet offers dozens of dishes off the menu, and does so in a modest but lovely restaurant on the Lakewood and Rocky River border. Whether it’s at the lunch buffet or during regular dinner…
Best Late-Night Eats
It’s 2 a.m. in Cleveland. You could Lyft home and cook up some Easy Mac. Or you could raid the fridge for leftovers, eating them cold from a Styrofoam container while standing over the sink. Or you could do what you really want, which is make your way to Edison’s for some delicious pizza. The…
Best Mac and Cheese
Deagan’s pioneered the gastropub concept locally, which pretty much requires that you place a gourmet version of macaroni and cheese on the menu. You can’t get more gourmet than lobster, but most restaurants offer that shellfish in name and spirit only, perhaps goosing the cheese mixture with a ladle of stock fashioned from leftover shells.…
Best Place to Buy Seafood
This fourth generation, family owned business has been serving the Northeast Ohio community (and beyond) since 1944. Now a wholesale distributor that reaches Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, this local institution offers a huge selection of fresh seafood, fully catered clambakes and even prepared foods. Where else can you leave with a complete clambake for 20,…
Best Cover Band
Billed as “the ultimate ’80s new wave show,” this local group keeps plenty busy performing at local bars and clubs. The group plays everything from Browns draft parties to ’80s nights and rib cook-offs. Singer Davie can really wail, and the band capably covers hits by the likes of Bon Jovi, Queen, Bryan Adams and…
Best Filmmaker
Well, call it a dynasty. The movie savants at Turnstyle have now won Best Filmmaker honors for four consecutive years (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017); and with Cleveland as an emergent filmmaking hot spot — including the creation of a new film school at CSU in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission — the competition…
Best Billiards
This enormous sports tavern at the Eastgate Shopping Center in Mayfield Heights (or at the Parma location) was made to accommodate enormous numbers of billiards players. There are tables on tables on tables. We should expect as much, as Fox & Hound is a national chain devoted, at least in part, to pool. They make…
Best Hip-Hop Club
We’re frequent guests at Sanctuary, the awesome, monthly dance party in the basement of Touch Supper Club, and we think that’s a big part of why Scene readers insist that this is the best hip-hop club in Cleveland. In practice, it’s part proving ground for the city and region’s best DJs (like Scene fave p.stoops!),…
Best Tea
From organic Dong Ding oolong to Genmaicha matcha, Cleveland Tea Revival stocks an extensive offering of teas for all tastes and whims. But these folks also have a sense of humor. Take their list of tisanes, hand-blended medicinal-grade herbal teas with names like Yo Mama, Get Right and Shark Week! From traditional British teas to…
Best Salon
It’s important to note that Crazy Mullets isn’t famous for giving their clients mullet haircuts. But that crazy name does catch your attention, doesn’t it? Thankfully, the hairstylists at both the Coventry and Lakewood locations are trained to give you the most up-to-date and fabulous cut around. And the truth is, you probably need some…
Best New Bar
Occupying a large, modern space on Detroit Avenue in the Gordon Square Arts District, Old City Libations is an expansion of the Old City Soda company that got some help from CNBC’s LeBron-produced Cleveland Hustles reality show. With a menu full of cocktails that include Old City’s original sodas, the concept is both original and…
Best Wine Bar
Located in a quiet spot right in the heart of downtown Rocky River — in a grotto of sorts off Linda Street — Rocky River Wine Bar has long been a westside gem. Credited informally with kicking off River’s Linda/Detroit development boom (see Bomba, Whole Foods, Market, etc.), the place is upscale without being snooty,…
Best Bakery/Pastries
Established by Tom Clark in 2009, Blackbird was one of the early entries into the craft bakery category. At this hip Lakewood shop, each rustic loaf is a one-of-a-kind creation, with loaves and loaves of focaccia, ciabatta, baguettes, challah and soda breads inhabiting the shelves. In the sweets department are airy delights like fruit tarts,…
Best Sandwich/Veggie Burger
Just how Cleveland is Melt Bar & Grilled? The decor is a delightful mix of iconic Cleveland knickknacks and memorabilia that sends nostalgic locals right down Memory Lane. Even sandwiches like the Parmageddon, a grilled cheese and pierogi masterpiece, scream Rust Belt Gourmet. And while a person expects great grilled cheese at a place called…
Best Movie Theater
What more is there to say about the Cedar Lee? This beloved Cleveland Cinemas flagship, near the corner for which it’s named, hits a sweet spot for local movie-goers. You can see first-run fare (mainstream arthouse cinema to wacky fringe one-offs) and partake in the fun of late-night cult classics. In leafy Cleveland Heights, Cleveland’s…
Best Hip-Hop Artist/Group
Better known as Machine Gun Kelly, rapper and actor Richard Colson Baker just might be the most popular act to come out of Cleveland in the past decade. Last year, the guy kept plenty busy as he produced and starred in The Land, the gritty drama from up-and-coming director Steven Caple Jr., and he had…
Best Actor
Looking back in our extensive theater archives, it’s stunning how often we’ve praised Aled Davies. Well, maybe not so surprising, since the audiences have bestowed this honor upon him. Over and over, our theater critic has noted how Davies can squeeze the very best out of a role, even if the character isn’t a particularly…
Best Bowling Alley
For more than 100 years, Mahall’s 20 Lanes has been a bowling-and-local-hangout institution. When locals Kelly Flamos, Colin McEwen and Joe Pavlick took the place over in December 2011, they cleaned it up a bit (emphasis on “a bit”) and helped transform the venerable bowling alley into a popular concert venue. Pretty much any night…
Best Jazz Club
Acts such as Benny Green, Hugh Masakala, Brad Mehldau and Joe Lovana are just a few of the names that have helped build the Cleveland Heights-based jazz club’s remarkable rep with quality jazz acts. Down Beat, the bible for jazz readers, has voted the place one of the 100 best jazz clubs in the entire…
Best Local Furniture Maker
Joe Kastelic, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, runs this local furniture store that specializes in pieces that bridge the gap between city and country with a combination of industrial and rustic materials. Kastelic frequently uses recycled metals and woods that he finds around Northeast Ohio and remakes them into a modern design.…
Best Spa
Everyone loves to be pampered for a day. For Scene readers, there is no finer place than Ladies & Gentlemen Salon when that is the mission. Treat yourself, as our fine friend Tom Haverford would say. Get some damage remedy treatments done on your hair, because it badly needs it. Then move on to a…
Best Irish Restaurant
Sometimes folks just don’t know how good they have it. Take the Harp, a quintessential neighborhood pub that would succeed in any city of America, if not Ireland. The best pubs treat guests like family, filling them up with good drink, good food, and good cheer. That’s been the formula at this Cleveland mainstay for…
Best First Date Spot
Dating in the 21st century is a confusing, daunting, swipe-filled process, but one thing remains a constant: Meet your date at Luxe and you won’t run out of things to talk about. No other restaurant in town does a clashing-cool aesthetic quite like Luxe, so whether it’s the rope curtains, the faux-cowhide booths, or the…
Best Mexican Restaurant/Margarita
Can a spot ever approach Mexican restaurant greatness without spectacular margaritas? Judging by the two-category crushing Momocho, apparently not. This Ohio City hotspot’s motto might as well be: Come for the margaritas, stay for the modern Mexican cuisine. Why order one margarita when you can kick things off with a sampler, a trio of fruit-and-tequila-filled…
Best Florist
Located on West 29th Street and Church Avenue in Ohio City, the Urban Orchid was one of the first businesses to venture into the incipient Hingetown area. Like other florists in town, Urban Orchid offers a diverse array of floral arrangements for all occasions — for a florist, Valentine’s Day is like Christmas, Urban Orchid…
Best Neighborhood/Place to Buy a House
While it’s not a neighborhood at all but rather a densely populated, complex city of its own, Scene readers insist year after year that Lakewood is Cleveland’s best neighborhood. And why not? It certainly feels like a neighborhood, what with its walkable charm and dynamic commercial offerings. Couples can walk hand-in-hand from the Detroit Avenue…
Best Bar/Club for Local Music
This Detroit Shoreway concert club and restaurant boasts a cool vintage look and takes a band-friendly approach that both national and local acts admire. Unlike other clubs that ask bands to play for little or no money, the club requires that bands simply play for the door money. It’s just one of the reasons that…
Best Metal Club
This Lakewood hard rock club has gone through a number of iterations over the years but has seemingly found its footing as a westside joint specializing in hardcore and heavy metal. On occasion, the metal savvy folks at the Agora have used the club as a room rental when they can’t accommodate a touring band.…
Best LGBTQ Bar or Club
Located in “Hingetown” (or, as we say, “Ohio City”), Bounce has long been a beacon for both the city’s LGBTQ scene and anyone who likes dancing and good times. This is the most inclusive spot in town, regardless of your orientation — and it’s nice to have a welcoming spot for like-minded people. We’re happy…
Best Thrift Store
Shopping at secondhand stores can often be overwhelming, what with the excessive selections and mixed quality of the wares to browse or dig through. But the Common Threads resale shop, which opened just last summer, takes away some of that stress by offering shoppers a more boutique-type experience, with plenty of high-end designer fashions to…
Best Antique Shop/Vintage Store
Flower Child’s labyrinthian space is packed floor to ceiling with cool finds — for those willing to do a little digging. Of course, digging is half the fun here. Flower Child is a perennial winner in this category, so it seems you all agree. Catering especially to those looking for a little retro flair, the…
Best Place for Arcade Games
If you’ve got that sneaking suspicion that you were born 20 or 30 years too late … if you are a child of the ’80s and want to relive your childhood … if on the weekends all you want is a bar that lets you play arcade games to your heart’s content … if your…
Best Latin Restaurant
As Cleveland approaches Peak Taco, arepas are steadily gaining in popularity. We have Barroco Grill, an immensely fun Colombian restaurant in Lakewood’s Birdtown district, to thank for that. A distant relative to the taco, Barroco’s arepas are substantially thick, corn-based tortilla pockets that become tasty vehicles for a variety of meat (our pick is chorizo)…
Best Brunch
Getting lucky at this Tremont gem means scoring a weekend table without much of a wait. Our pro tip? Hit this place up Monday through Friday when the same delicious food comes without the lineup. After all, there’s no rule that says brunch can only happen on Saturday or Sunday. While the weekday menu is…
Best Wings
Ah, the humble chicken wing, an almost mandatory inclusion on every menu in town, from your corner bar to higher-end restaurants with big-name chefs at the helm. And why not? They are inarguably delicious, easy to dress up, easy to dress down, and basically hard to screw up — even bad wings tend to be…
Best Hotel
You could argue whether or not Cuyahoga County should have spent $272 million of taxpayer money building the new downtown Hilton Cleveland hotel, but you can’t argue with the class, comfort and style that resulted. Six hundred rooms of sleek style joined the downtown hotel construction boom, thanks to this chic glass high-rise that boasts…
Best Dance Party
You’d be forgiven for wandering into FWD and thinking you were in Vegas or Florida. The outdoor club on the banks of the Cuyahoga River in the Flats East Bank exudes summertime chic. A pool, a stage, a dynamite lighting system and the classy design all combine to offer one of the best places to…
Best Club for Electronic Music
They attract top-notch national talent as well as the local DJs slinging head-throbbing drum-and-bass beats. If you’re in the mood for EDM, get thee to Liquid immediately. It’s Cleveland’s oldest and longest-running genuine nightclub, and they’ve really taken up the mantel of EDM supremacy in the past few years. If you don’t know what “EDM”…
Best Actress
Audiences this year got to enjoy This is NOT About My Dead Dog, an apparently autobiographical one-woman play written and performed by Amy Schwabauer. The loosely related string of vignettes was largely about drinking and vomiting, and it’s exactly as witty and interesting as it sounds. The talented actress can definitely spin a worthy anecdote…
Best Outdoor Wedding Venue
Getting married outside in the Midwest can be a risky business: There’s no predicting what sort of weather will befall you and your guests. But for those willing to brave it, the best place to get married outside in Cleveland, as selected by readers, is the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. Featuring 10 acres of impeccably groomed…
Best Local Beer And Best Local Brewery
The competition for this particular award gets steeper every year with the absolute explosion of local breweries in Northeast Ohio. On the near-westside alone, Great Lakes now competes with the likes of Market Garden, Platform, Hansa House, Bad Tom Smith, Terrestrial, Forest City, Brick and Barrel and more. Other new brewpubs are opening up downtown.…
Best Thai Restaurant
It goes without saying that to make it 20 years in the ruthless restaurant business is a special sort of achievement. You get there by excelling at the big stuff, the little stuff, and all the stuff in between, which is precisely what Chef Kwan does day in and day out at her popular Lakewood…
Best Barbershop/Barber
With a new westside location in addition to their eastside Cleveland Heights shop, you don’t have to drive across town to get your hair cut at Eddy’s. Not that it’s not worth the trip no matter where you’re from. The maestros at Eddy’s are some of the best around, prepped to give you that sleek…
Best Corned Beef/Deli
There are now more ways than ever to get your Slyman’s fix thanks to the recently opened outpost on Rockside, a food truck that followed that suburban expansion, and a soon-to-debut location in Orange, not to mention the oldie but goodie original on St. Clair that’s been dishing up the famed corned beef for more…
Best Food Truck
If nothing gets your engine revved up quite like tacos, then Fired Up Taco Truck is your kind of rig. In just about five years’ time, this Latin-themed lorry has expanded from one to three trucks, spreading its taco feelers all across the Land. More than just your run of the mill tacos, these well-designed…
Best Middle Eastern/Vegetarian
It’s safe to assume that in 1994, when Aladdin’s Eatery opened its first shop in Lakewood, most local diners were not well acquainted with the cuisine of the Levant. Now, with locations all over the region (and in three other states), Aladdin’s has helped bring healthy, Middle Eastern eating into the mainstream. And it could…
Best Coffee/Coffeehouse
Since its founding by real live rocket scientist Gary “Kim” Jenkins, Rising Star Roasters has gone from garage hobby to local coffee powerhouse. Their coffeehouses, particularly the Little Italy and Hingetown locations, are handsome, dark-wood shops. In summer, the Hingetown shop’s casual patio is the place to be in the morning. The shops feature stripped-down…
Best Artist
It’s hard to argue with the legacy of local visual artist Derek Hess. For decades now, he’s been a force on the local arts scene. A couple of years ago, Cleveland native Nick Cavalier tried to capture what makes Hess, who used to book hardcore bands and metal acts at the Euclid Tavern, so special:…
Best Outdoor Music Venue
Even after four decades, Blossom still stands as the best place to catch a concert under the stars. Set on 200 rolling acres in the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the venue features the perfect atmosphere for those looking to lose themselves in the performance and the serene natural surroundings. The design of the pavilion and the bowl…
Best Bar Patio
With its multiple tiers and massive Jenga tower sentry, the patio at Nano Brew looks like an adult version of those massive wooden playgrounds found in suburban parks. Now that the weather has warmed up a bit, there’s no finer West 25th Street day or nightlife experience than a hang session at Nano. Sidle up…
Best Bar/Club for Underground Music
This Coventry Road concert venue opened in 1992 when owner Kathy Blackman and two business partners took over a Cleveland Heights bar on the corner of Coventry and Mayfield roads. Since that time, the club has moved to a bigger space at the corner of Coventry and Euclid Heights Boulevard but has maintained its roots…
Best Place for a First Date/Indoor Wedding Venue
Ever since the museum’s glorious $300 million transformation a few years back, the atrium has been a go-to venue for a diverse roster of events: the monthly Mix dance; fundraising and annual benefit galas; a pivotal scene in Captain America: Winter Soldier; and yes, of course, weddings. With a vast open area, a perfect floor…
Best Drag Queen
With seriously striking looks, be it in a stunning red wig or a flowing, glowing shock of silver, Aurora Thunder is instantly memorable. We can say more, but sometimes it’s best to let people speak for themselves. Here’s what Aurora Thunder posted on Facebook after becoming a finalist in this category and before voters piled…
Best Pet Shop
If there’s something that you’re looking for for your pet and they don’t carry it at one of PetPeople’s multiple locations around Northeast Ohio, it probably doesn’t exist. This local franchise has it all, and it’s of the highest quality and best value. Every pet toy, treat, leash and cage is available here, and they…
Best Bicycle Shop
You should absolutely own a bicycle by now, whether you use it to commute to work or just to get around the fabulous city on weekend excursions. Your best bet, if you’re still catching up to the healthy, environmentally friendly way to quickly roll to your destination: Get to Eddy’s. Stocked with all kinds of…
Best Italian Restaurant
Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood is a tight-knit community centered around family, faith and food. Relative newcomer Mia Bella has quickly made a home here among legends by reinvigorating authentic Italian dishes with Mediterranean flair and ocean-fresh seafood. If you appreciate pastas and entrees starring lobster, shrimp, calamari and mussels, you’ll love this cozy Italian bistro.…
Best French Fries
We have been obsessed with Jonathon Sawyer’s frites since his Bar Cento days, when a humble spud managed to attract diners to that dimly lit enoteca in Ohio City. The story is the same at Greenhouse, where pitch-perfect pommes frites arrive as a side to dishes like hand-ground beef tartar or as the main event…
Best Burgers
When it comes to Cleveland’s burger joints, B Spot has completely changed the landscape. The Land is awash in imitators, venues pushing boozy milkshakes and “edgy” burgers slathered with peanut butter or served between a pair of doughnuts. Our advice? Accept no substitutes. At this Michael Symon establishment, which now has eight locations in four…
Best Polish Boy
The Polish Boy is a Cleveland original — a culinary and cultural mashup in a bun. Few local institutions have done more to sustain and popularize this iconic treasure than Hot Sauce Williams, a destination for such notable folks as Samuel L. Jackson, John Legend and even Charlie Sheen. This barbecue joint doesn’t mess with…
Best Instagram to Follow
These days everyone is a self-proclaimed foodie, and that, of course, means you have to let people know you ate at a certain spot. Everyone loves a good food porn pic, after all. But for all the amateur gourmands out there, few are as helpful as Tricia McCune, co-owner of the Wok n Roll food…
Best Dance Troupe
Le Femme Mystique Burlesque, the burlesque troupe run by hardworking local performer Bella Sin, recently celebrated its 13th anniversary with a show that featured Miss Aurora Matrix and Bella Sin, in addition to local favorites Marley Teenie and Miss Holly Grail and newcomer Trick Diction. And the troupe recently announced it has booked a mix of…
Best Bartender
If you’ve been to Porco, the enchanting and irresistible tiki lounge in a nondescript building on a nondescript stretch of West 25th, then chances are your memory of the experience might be a little foggy. Porco-ed is a term for a reason. But what little you do recall, besides the absolutely powerful and delicious tropical…
Best Art Gallery
There are many reasons to celebrate Spaces, but chief among them right now is its recent debut in its new home in Hingetown in the former Van Rooy Coffee building. Occupying some 10,000 square feet, the new digs have allowed the organization to expand its programming schedule and art production areas and include a dedicated…
Best Place For a Grown-Up Birthday Party
Adult birthday parties can be stuffy affairs. Maybe a nice dinner out, maybe a nice dinner in, maybe a whole lot of let down. Bypass the rote friends’ dinner and instead point your compass toward Punch Bowl Social, a massive 27,000-square-foot adult playground that opened on the East Bank of the Flats in 2015. The…
Best Family Outing
Travel the world in your own backyard at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo — as the saying goes — and do it for a fraction of the cost of a full-fledged African safari or South American rainforest expedition. With new and exciting exhibits like the Rosebrough Tiger Passage, and attractions like the giraffe encounter and a…
Best Vape Shop
Your one-stop-shop for all your vaping needs is inside this Lakewood store that boasts an extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff who make customers feel at home, assuming you vape at home. There are hundreds of flavors, and, yes, they have them all, plus folks that’ll walk you through everything from taste to potency without leaving…
Best Bookstore
Earlier this year, Harriett Logan, the proprietor at Loganberry Books on Larchmere, and her staff marked Women’s History Month by shelving backward every book written by a man. It was a symbolic gesture — one that received mixed reviews — and was an example of the outside-the-box thinking elsewhere on display at this gem on…
Best Rock Club
Before they opened the Beachland Ballroom & Tavern in Collinwood over a decade ago, co-owner Mark Leddy booked garage and punk bands at Pat’s in the Flats while co-owner Cindy Barber worked as a journalist. Diehard music fans, they turned their dream of running a club into a reality when they purchased this old Croatian…
Best French Restaurant
Before Zack Bruell opened this University Circle gem, French food in Cleveland all seemed to fall into the same camp – and by camp, we mean faction of fusty purveyors peddling antediluvian dishes like chilled raspberry soup, trout amandine and beef Wellington. In the right hands, even dishes like those can taste contemporary, but we…
Best New Restaurant/Barbecue
Michael Symon knows meat. In fact, he wrote the book on it when Carnivore came out a few years back. So if anybody could lend credence to the concept of Cleveland-style barbecue, it’s Symon, who also happens to be a great student of all regional forms of barbecue. Thanks to the low-and-slow ‘cue at this…
Best Seafood Restaurant
Unless it’s battered, fried and served up in yesterday’s newspaper, seafood just feels a little bit more special than the average meal. It certainly requires a defter touch in the kitchen than, say, a grilled steak. For decades, this Lakewood institution has been perfecting the art and practice of seafood cookery, and the cliff-side setting…
Best Arts Event
78th Street Studios is the place to be on the third Friday of each month. It’s then that you can explore the maze of hallways, nooks and crannies that make up the former home of American Greetings’ design team. Now the space is headquarters for more than a dozen local artists and galleries. It’s all…
Best Painter
For the third consecutive year, you voted the talented Frank Oriti as the best painter in Cleveland. And you, wonderful readers, know your art. Oriti’s unique, photorealistic portraits of friends and family have earned him well deserved acclaim from both near and far. A graduate of both Ohio University and Bowling Green, Oriti developed his…
Best Bar Trivia Night
Happy Dog trivia on Monday nights happens to be one of the region’s most challenging. And maybe that’s why voters love it so much. With an all-business format that asks more questions than most of the other company-run trivia nights around town, these rounds focus on themes as diverse as flags of the world, Led…
Best Dog Park
Your pup pal needs food and water and love and all the pets — he/she is a very good dog, of course. But Fido also needs some exercise, some leash-free fun, and a place where he can sniff dozens of strange, new, exciting butts. But where-oh-where to find those butts? No better place than the…
Best Place For a Kid’s Birthday Party
Instead of the regular old backyard party with the requisite cake and shenanigans, give the kiddos something much better when it’s birthday time: Head to one of the two Sky Zones in Northeast Ohio. The indoor trampoline park is not only super-duper fun, but it’ll exhaust the hell out of them and work off that…
Best Festival
There’s nothing quite like a summer street festival, and the annual Taste of Tremont is Cleveland’s cream of the crop. With food and beverages from the neighborhood’s rich array of culinary establishments, it’s a gluttonous celebration street-food style. Local bands play on stages along Professor Avenue and local vendors shop their wares — don’t forget…
Best Vegan
Eclectic, charming and just the right amount of hippy-dippy, The Root Cafe embodies so much of what we love about Lakewood. The kitchen is mostly vegan, with the occasional foray into vegetarian territory (try the addictive Root Tang dressing). And the neighborhood coffeehouse serves up an enjoyably unpredictable selection of foods from day to day…
Best Boutique
Reasonable pricing and an eclectic and unique selection for women of all ages make this Strongsville boutique a wonderful place to shop. Kelly Hirsch opened the store in 2012 after graduating from Kent State University with a degree in fashion merchandising (an esteemed program at KSU, doncha know). From handbags and necklaces to scarves and…
Best Cupcakes
Honestly, who has room for cookies after taking in the delicious cupcake offerings at A Cookie and a Cupcake, now with two new and improved locations? We say skip the flat round things in favor of the rich and fluffy cupcakes, which come in classic flavors like German chocolate, carrot cake and salted caramel, each…
Best Chinese
This Asiatown mainstay often comes to mind when discussing dim sum, and rightfully so. But to ignore the restaurant for other meals would be a shame. Entire meals can – and should – be built around Li Wah’s exceptional roast duck, a copper-colored beauty with deeply rich flavor. Seafood lovers know to come here for…
Best Butcher Shop
Reports of the death of the small neighborhood butcher shop have been greatly exaggerated. At West 32nd and Lorain, you’ll find Ohio City Provisions, which happens to be the neighborhood grocer to a very hip and food-obsessed neighborhood. This meticulously run shop stocks meats that tick off all of the health-conscious requirements: locally reared animals…
Best Gift Shop
If you’re a decent human being, then you find numerous occasions through the year (to say nothing of the week) to give gifts to your children, your friends, strangers on the bus, your dog, your accountant, Dolores who empties the trash cans at the office every evening, Mayor Jackson when you’re feeling really good about…
Best Arts/Film/Music Festival
It’s unclear how CIFF continues to do it, but once again, in 2017, the local film fest broke its own attendance record. It tallied more than 106,000 guests during its two-week run at Tower City and satellite locations in Cleveland and Akron. CIFF, which screens more than 300 feature films and many more shorts, is…
Best Director
For many years, Terrence Spivey was the go-to guy for theater at Karamu House, working his directorial magic on many challenging shows. Since he left Karamu, he’s been kept busy locally directing a slew of excellent productions. In February at Ensemble Theatre, Spivey showed how he could draw resonant performances out of a talented cast…
Best Bar With Games
It’s another Saturday night and you’re struggling to find a place to go. Someone wants to go bowling, someone else wants to go to dinner, another friend wants to drink and watch the Tribe, someone else wants to shoot some pool — and you’re all sick of going to the same neighborhood watering hole. There’s…
Best Golf Course
With sweeping views of the Cuyahoga River valley, Sleepy Hollow is the place to hit up this summer when you’re looking to get out on the links. Don’t trust us? (Though you should, we’ve played there dozens and dozens of times). Trust the experts: The course was named the No. 1 public course in Ohio,…
Best Place to Take a Visitor
There are thousands of places to take a Cleveland rookie, but if you don’t make the West Side Market your first stop, you’re doing it wrong. Sure the spot is always crowded on weekends, and finding a parking space can seem utterly impossible at times, but the convivial crowds are half the fun. The West…
Best Free Outing
The Cleveland Metroparks has a bit of a leg up in this category. Due to their hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails in Cleveland and the suburbs, not to mention the lakefront parks (which they took over from the State of Ohio in 2014), a “free outing” at the Metroparks is basically synonymous…
Best Pet-Related Business
Fido gives you all the love in the world so you best treat him right. That’s where CLEpets can help. Offering locally sourced and made pet food for your pooch and/or feline, the downtown shop is committed to providing your pet with the highest quality (no wheat, corn or soy) nourishment around. Offering selections like…
Best Cigar Shop
After a night of heavy drinking at a recent bachelor party, a friend extracted six slender cigars from his breast pocket and told his comrades that they owed it to the groom to end the evening like gentlemen. In the parking lot of their wayward Best Western, the six men puffed and reminisced, their memories…
Best Jamaican Restaurant
Diehard Jamaican food fans will put up with more than a few inconveniences to satisfy their jerk chicken jones. Those hassles usually involve securing cash, driving to a part of town they may rarely visit, finding on-street parking, communicating with the owner through bulletproof plexi, and then eating in one’s car or taking it on…
Best Fried Chicken
Six or so years ago when SoHo first opened up in Ohio City in the former Lelolai bakery spot, its name was just a little bit different and its focus a little more broad — SoHo Kitchen and Bar, with a broad focus on New Southern cuisine. You’ll still find Southern staples like deviled eggs…
Best Patio Dining
With an interior that feels like a cross between a West Coast dream house and a rustic lake cabin, Coastal Taco dishes up views both inside and out. Sit on the expansive patio — or just inside the open garage doors — and you’ll enjoy great views of a river that once caught on fire.…
Best Soul Food
Fans of Chow Chow’s batch of comfort food offerings — and they are legion, based on vote totals — haven’t been able to get enough of the Lakewood shop’s hot chicken, cheddar curds, smoked salmon deviled eggs, and chicken fried sausage since the joint opened a year and a half ago. But they’re going to…
Best Local Album
Post Road makes heartfelt country music about Ohio and the people who live here, relying on the harmonies of singers Sarah Marie and Shawn Roland to hammer the point home. And now fans can hear six of the Twinsburg-based group’s tunes on their recent EP, That’s My Road. The six-piece has been rockin’ (at times…
Best Photographer
Professional photographer Kristen Cole believes in keeping it real in Cleveland. Known for her portraiture, the artist can handle anything from band photography to model portfolios. Her award-winning work shows how her camera captures the whole person, from the inside out. Check out her photos on Instagram. kcolephoto/instagram.
Best Activist
The founder of Drink Local Drink Tap has achieved the wonderful goal of changing people’s lives: not just here in Cleveland, but clear across the world in rural Uganda. Her organization provides educational resources and connects people to drinking water — which, worldwide, is scarcer than the average Clevelander might think. “I think it’s important…
Best Gym
Come summer in Cleveland, you’re suddenly surrounded by joggers. Everyone jogs, it seems. They run with their dogs and their children. They run by themselves mouthing the words to Beyonce songs. They wear high-end gear — they call it “athleisure” — and they wear that shit exclusively. You observe this phenomenon among both males and…
Best Radio Show
Whether you tune in as a guilty pleasure or a mandatory part of your morning routine, it’s clear that Rover and his motley crew command a devoted following here in Cleveland and in markets more exotic. The guy’s a pro, and he’s turned goofball antics into a way of life. He and his crew dabble…
Best Spanish Restaurant
The bigger the lobster tail, the better at Mallorca, long known for its traditional Spanish and Portuguese dishes delivered in a fine-dining setting with impeccable service. It is perhaps best known for the mile-long list of specials that touch land, sea and air, but we can’t seem to steer ourselves away from the elaborate paellas,…
Best Wine Store
Sometimes you want a little more help or selection in the wine department than what a grocery store can provide. Yes, you can buy some vino just about anywhere, but the good folks at Rozi’s Wine House in Lakewood make beginners and sommeliers alike feel comfortable. The family-owned shop has kept the vintages flowing for…
Best Cleveland Flea Vendor
Going to flea markets can be a perfect family outing, as it was for Cleveland native Caley Coleff, who first began collecting home goods from flea markets years ago with her Grandpa Heck. Starting Heck’s Revival in 2011, her vintage and custom home operation continues to bring out droves of customers to her brick-and-mortar store…
Best Desserts
The saying “too pretty to eat” often comes to mind when discussing this University Circle patisserie’s elaborate French pastries. Sure, brightly colored macarons seem to get all the attention, but Chef Britt’s stunning creations like her Chocolate Triomphe, opera cakes, citron tarts, Carrot Gold, and heavenly goat cheese cheesecakes are like delicious still lifes. But…
Best Local Juice Bar
It took a lot of hard work, sacrifice and home-cooked meals as payment to get Beet Jar open in 2014. Once in business, the juice makers quickly established themselves as purveyors of some aggressively healthy and delicious plant-based foods and juices. It’s not just dreamy concoctions like Cashew Mylk or the pun-titled smoothies like Cayenne…
Best Restaurant
This latest honor is a fitting tribute for a restaurant that just crossed the 20-year mark, a remarkable feat in this industry. Though it relocated from Tremont to East Fourth Street somewhere in the middle, this culinary hot spot still sets the bar when it comes to furnishing diners with the best possible experience. Like…
Best Polish Restaurant
Sokolowski’s University Inn is to Cleveland what the Gumbo Shop is to New Orleans: a much-visited standard bearer for a beloved local cuisine. Chicken paprikash might not share national prominence with jambalaya, but with any justice, it’ll get there. Until then, we can take comfort in the fact that Sokolowski’s dishes up the city’s best…
Best Local Newscast
Russ Mitchell, Sara Shookman, Jim Donovan, Betsy Kling, Maureen Kyle, Hollie Giangreco, Hilary Golston, Tom Meyer, Dawn Kendrick, Andrew Horansky — that’s a helluva murderer’s row of anchors and reporters, and they all call WKYC home. With its crisp on-screen graphics, on-the-ball reporting and assured leadership from newsroom heads, both the morning and evening local…
Best DJ
E-V, a former mixtape DJ for 96.5 FM, has toured the world and helped launch the careers of hometown heroes such as Chip Tha Ripper and Machine Gun Kelly. E-V’s Single “GoodTime” has over 2 million streams on Spotify. Earlier this year, iHeartRadio enlisted E-V, who calls both Cleveland and Los Angeles home, to perform…
Best Anchor
Fox 8 News in the Morning co-host Wayne Dawson is this year’s Best Anchor, so let the confetti fly on South Marginal Road. This witty, snappy and versatile morning show anchor is a living Cleveland legend, one of the most well-known names and faces at the station that old-school Clevelanders still feel the most attached…
Best Place to Hike
Just south of Cleveland sits more than 100 miles of trails among 33,000 acres of nature, diverse plants and wildlife, and some of the best views in the entire region. A gem and a model of conservation situated between two industrial cities, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, also home to the outdoor concert venue Blossom…
Best Radio Station
Oh, how we love the Buzzard. Part talk, part rock, all Cleveland, WMMS is one of the few bright spots on the terrestrial radio dial. Rover hosts one of the city’s most popular morning shows and local comedian Alan Cox takes over in the afternoons for all sorts of fun with co-hosts Bill Squire (is…
Best Home/Garden Shop
Green things are good. They cheer us up and help the planet and a lot of times they’re edible and delicious. You should have a garden, or at least a plant. The professional green thumbs at the multiple outposts of Petitti’s will get you squared away, offering the best chance of keeping your new flower,…
Best Place for a Mani/Pedi
The skin-cracking days of winter are behind us now, and you no longer have to stuff your feet into boots. But with the airing out of spring footwear (aka open-toe season), that means you’ll need a pedicure immediately. With shops in Westlake and Rocky River, Charles Scott Salons & Spas dynamite team has the requisite…
Best Japanese Restaurant/Sushi
“Keep it simple” is a mantra that is valued but often ignored. Not at Ginko, the 6-year-old Tremont eatery that has a monastic focus on raw fish. Here, almost all of the admittedly small subterranean space is dedicated to the sushi bar, where obsessively fresh fish is draped over lumps of steamed rice. If it’s…
Best African Restaurant
If you’d like to experience a meal that will transport you to the other side of the world, look no further than this Ethiopian restaurant in one of Cleveland’s most ethnically diverse neighborhoods. The interior is magical, with an assortment of chairs and tables grouped together under several hut-like canopies. Ethiopian meals are served family…
Best Cakes
Lauren Bozich and Marianne Carroll have had their share of challenges since they became friends in seventh grade. Thankfully, most of those trials were as teammates competing on the Food Network, where their creativity was pushed to the limit. More than a decade ago, the pair opened White Flower Cake Shoppe and have been making…
Get Out: The Things To Do This Week (April 26-May2)
WED 04/26 Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is a weekly series that pairs fine food with storytelling. Through it, the folks at the Music Box Supper Club hope to help raise awareness of the mission of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner…
