For more than 50 years, Brothers Lounge has been a westside mainstay for kick-ass drinks and top-tier blues. In the past, it was a quaint hole in the wall tucked into the corner of Cleveland. With a full-on renovation about a decade ago, the bar took on a new life and established itself as the central nerve for good music on this side of town.
Surely, the neon lights and the promises of live music inside are enough to reel in even the most unsuspecting passersby. Once inside, the mood is familiar and welcoming. The atmosphere is bluesy and upbeat.
Perhaps it's Wednesday night and you're in the mood for a melange of local songwriters. Brent Kirby will have your wishes treated with talent and care in the Wine Bar. On Thursdays, you would do well to saunter into the Music Hall for a night of awe-inspiring musicianship, courtesy of the Bad Boys of Blues' jam night. Tip your server well, as guitarist Michael Bay will surely remind you. And on weekends, there's no telling what sort of act - local or national - you might find holding down the fort.
G'head and order yourself a Manhattan—up, of course—and sidle up to a seat along the wall. Regardless of where in the week your trip to Brothers is landing, you're in good company here. This is the essence of Cleveland, distilled through a six-string melody on ice.
And it's a great spot to initiate the uninitiated. For the wayward traveler ambling out of Cleveland Hopkins at dusk, the only answer to the age-old question, "Where can I find good music?" is, of course, "Brothers!"
11609 Detroit Ave., brotherslounge.com
