Review: Bad Medicine Delivers Exceptional Cocktails, Sonic Atmosphere, and Dynamite Bar Food

Just as we sat down at the bar, the unmistakable opening licks of Pink Floyd’s “In the Flesh” began creeping out of the loudspeakers. As the tracks of “The Wall” bled from one to the next, it was like I was listening to the album again for the first time. A killer sound system can do that for you in ways no Bluetooth speaker ever could. Even at a relatively high decibel level, the music was rich, layered and immersive, yet never managed to stifle our conversation.

When Adam McDaniel and Bryan Tetorakis announced their plans for Bad Medicine in West Park, we knew to expect an eclectic catalogue of vinyl played through vintage Hi-Fi equipment. And given Tetorakis’ experience at groundbreaking lounges up and down the West Coast, we also knew we could bank on stellar cocktails shaken and stirred without pretention. What came as a pleasant surprise to many, I would wager, is the quality of the food, which provides a third reason to visit.

It’s easy to drive right past the bar thanks to its low-key façade on busy Lorain Avenue. From the outside, the place is as inviting as a dentist’s office – with the added allure of being surrounded by used car lots. But step inside and you’re welcomed by the warm hug of a library-like décor, but in place of novels and biographies the shelves are stocked with spirits and album spines. Two turntables are positioned on the backbar, just below a nook reserved for the “now playing” selection.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to visit – or chart a return – now is a great time to do so. Open since September, Bad Medicine has been in its “intro” phase, to borrow a musical expression. Like any proper intro, this period set the tone for what we could expect while getting customers excited for what’s to come. In January, management unveiled a new menu – appropriately LP-styled – with new drinks and food. No earth-shattering changes here, simply an expansion and elevation of what we’ve seen.

“We wanted to offer more, we wanted to do it bigger, and we wanted to keep pushing our boundaries,” says Tetorakis. “We didn’t know what we were going to be able to do in this space and now we know. We’re ready to take the next step.”

The cocktails are divided into three categories: House Originals, Rare and Obscure, and Made by Friends. If you’d like to taste a textbook expression of NOLA bartender Nicholas Jarrett’s Prizefighter cocktail, it’s here for the asking. For something conceived closer to home, order the Jackrabbit ($15), the bar’s riff on the Old Fashioned starring the French bitter liqueur Amer Picon. Grilled pineapple adds a savory-sweet chord to an apple brandy-fueled Sazerac ($15). For something a bit peppier, consider Rocket Skates ($15), a fluffy blend of beet-infused gin, pomegranate and hibiscus bitters shaken with aquafaba.

If Bad Medicine was a typical cocktail bar, guests would hit the road when hunger struck. Chef-partner Dennis Davis gives people a reason to stick around in the form of well-executed gastropub-style fare. I’d brave dry January for another Vatican burger ($18), a drippy and delicious double cheeseburger sporting a thin layer of fried salami. The fried chicken sandwich ($18) rivals the best in town thanks to a dark, craggy crust and horseradish aioli. The bar’s take on an Italian beef sandwich ($18) is a two-fisted beef bomb capped with crunchy giardiniera. Veg and vegans are stuck with a patty-style falafel sandwich ($15) that has some of the flavor and none of the texture of the classic form. Every sandwich comes with a large portion of dark, well-seasoned potatoes.

During my first visit I fell for the lamb and rice filled cabbage rolls. Apparently, not everybody loves lamb, so the kitchen now makes them ($14) with pork and beef. In an attempt, perhaps, to counter the effects of the fried Brussels sprouts salad ($12) showered with shaved parm and crispy croutons, Davis added a wholesome beet and arugula salad. If you’re looking for a light snack to pair with a glass of wine, the pimento cheese ($8) – here whipped cheddar topped with roasted peppers and served with a sleeve of Ritz – is the obvious choice.

Thanks to the team at Bad Medicine, West Park residents no longer need to head north to Lakewood or east toward the city center for exceptional cocktails. Better still, the addition of a unique destination-worthy venture will bring outsiders in, serving as a jumping-off point for newbies to explore the neighborhood.

Bad Medicine
13334 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
badmedicinebar.com

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This article appears in Jan 16-29, 2025.