Ever since purchasing the building at 727 Bolivar Road that would become Victory Alley, Kevin O’Donnell was planning to welcome his first customers by Opening Day. Of course, it was the Cavs home opener against the Miami Heat back in October that he was shooting for.

Instead, after 18 months of construction, it turned out to be the Tribe’s [intended] home opener that coincided with his first official day of operation. And given the bar’s proximity to the ballpark, coupled with the fact that the game was postponed, leaving all those fans disengaged and thirsty, it turned out to be a pretty good day for O’Donnell.

“It was a last-minute thing – the final inspections went through yesterday morning,” explains O’Donnell. “Talk about the stars aligning.”

In a previous life, the space was home to Tops and Bottoms Gentlemen’s Club, a place where no true gentleman would ever find himself. That club was shuttered back in 2013 at the hands of former Councilman Joe Cimperman.

Now, the space is home to what O’Donnell describes as “a family friendly, modern sports bar.”

Two of the bar’s main assets are the massive 15-foot-tall HD projection screens. There’s a full bar, 16 draft beers and a food menu, though the offerings are limited to pulled pork, Italian sausage, pizza and burgers until the grand opening in a week or so. When the weather warms up, a pair of garage door panels on the facade of the building will open up.

They’ll be back at it today, soaking up the energy and good vibes that still linger from yesterday.

“It was amazing,” reports O’Donnell. “Everyone was happy, everyone loved the staff. If you can keep your people happy, they’ll make everyone else happy.”

This article appears in Mar 30 – Apr 5, 2016.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.

3 replies on “Victory Alley, Steps from the Jake, Opens Just in Time for Opening Day”

  1. Glad to see someone try to make something out of the space. Tops and Bottoms was an abomination, and a literal danger to the neighborhood with the semi-frequent shootings and other violence.

  2. I stopped in and will be back. OFTEN. Pulled Pork Tacos were AMAZING! VIP area very nice and the staff was even nicer! My new game day headquarters. Victory Cleveland!

  3. Found this place before Indians game. Had a great time enjoying pizza and beer. Staff was amazing!

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