The Best Cocktail Bars in Cleveland

For much of its modern history , Cleveland has been ashot - and - a - beerkind of townspeople . But as the city ’s culinary lead has risen , so has the lineament of its interracial drink . You do n’t need a courting or fancy frock to get into these cocktails parallel bars ( though we always commend suiting up ) – just an adventurous roof of the mouth and an appetency for intoxication .

Society Lounge

If you may imagine The Strokes play a party at F. Scott Fitzgerald ’s star sign , you ’ll get a jolly good picture of the vibe at Society . Its mission is to render the class of Prohibition - style cocktail crossed with the origination of 21st - century culinary badassery . You ’ll see presume experimentation behind the bar – there was once a drink made with cigar - infused simple syrup – as well as strange theatrics : decree one of the smoked drink and you ’ll be treated to quite a show . In improver to intoxicants , there ’s a nice " moderation " menu for the DD in your party : a charcuterie board with the most advanced late - night munchies in town ; and a cigar selection .

Velvet Tango Room

1996 : Cleveland turns 200 , the Indians have the estimable record in the MLB , and a small bar called Velvet Tango Room open up in the no - man’s - domain between Ohio City and Tremont . There was no guarantee that an upscale , pricey cocktail cake would last more than a month in a gritty , working - class city like mid-’90s Cleveland . But VTR has live on , and thrived , as a bar committed to classically made drinks and a grown - up vibe , even grabbing national attention fromEsquire , which named it one of the full bars in America in 2012 . you may sway to hold out jazz every night , enjoy the verdant back patio garden when it ’s affectionate , and gain access to the occult back room – as long as you tip your bartender well .

Porco Lounge & Tiki Room

Porco is Cleveland ’s first Tiki bar since the Kon Tiki closed in 1976 ( and – disclosure here – the bar where this writer works part - clock time as a barback ) . A night at Porco is like the most fun Hawaiian wedding you ’ve never been to . The drink , known to be some ofthe best , most imaginative in the city , are potent , launch the gamut of citrus and sourish flavor . The house Mai Tai and its sweeter , more limy cousin , the Martinique , will wash off memories of the watered - down , overpriced disappointment you place on your last beach holiday . Listen to your bartender when they tell you not to order the Concussion , a weekend - killing monstrosity of a drinkable ; share a Scorpion Bowl with some friends alternatively . If you ’re wondering what it would be like if it had a theme vocal , you ’re in fortune : italready does .

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge

Luxe bestow the funk to its hodgepodge setting : exposed brick , cow - model booth , bric - a - brac interior decoration . There is a hurdle – a literal , sometime - timey banking company hurdle – that houses observational pot liquor infusion like basil - and - ananas - infuse vodka for the darling Simplicity cocktail . The solution of this creative approach are seasonal cocktails that are so fresh , the stave picks the ingredients from the expansive , closely tropical terrace out back . A summer deary is a cocktail simply address Heat that coalesce reposado tequila , simple sirup , and an in - theatre mixture called " substance of habanero " that gives the drink a sane flush of spice . When it gets cold , hear stronger concoctions like the Kingston Negroni or the Barbados Manhattan , which barkeeper Joe Reid says will charge " yellowish brown angels singing down your throat . "

The Black Pig

Two years ago , The Black Pig moved from Ohio City ’s main drag on West 25th to an understated violent brick building about a block away . It was a move just as symbolic as it was physical : Black Pig has since elevated itself above many of its trend - go after peer in terms of intellectual nourishment and drink lineament . It ’s a grown - up place to get recherche , European - work food and strong , spirit - forward cocktail . Drinks like Black Lightning take an assertive liquor like Johnnie Walker Black , bait fragrancy and nuttiness from it with Luxardo ( a cherry cordial ) and Benedictine ( an herbal one ) , and ease the drink ’s finishing with lemon juice ( always hand - squeezed , always fresh ) . These bozo love the taste of hard liquor so much that even the house mojito contains a perk up trace ofFernet .

Mahall’s

The more you discover about Mahall ’s , Lakewood ’s bowling alley / cake / indie concert venue , the weirder and better it gets . It ’s over 90 days old , making it the honest-to-goodness bowling bowling alley in Ohio . It process the best damn fry poulet in Greater Cleveland . Itmight be haunted . And , perhaps most surprisingly , it can sway up some splendid cocktail . Mahall ’s goes local and seasonal whenever possible on both the food and cocktail bill of fare . For summertime , do n’t hand up deglutition like the novel Cucumbersome , a Tom Collins - comparable mixture with a distinctly vegetable - y wrench . Or get your Billy Pilgrim on with the So It Goes , a drink that adds festive grapefruit and Champagne to the bar ’s already delightful Jalisco Express formula . Whatever you say , just verify you bring your bowling horseshoe .

The Spotted Owl

We at Thrillist Cleveland still are n’t convinced The Spotted Owl is n’t Satan ’s own cocktail reefer ( justlook at this fucking stained glass behind the streak ) . Or maybe the vibe ’s more Hogwarts than satanic . Either manner , The Spotted Owl is deserving checking out for the air alone ( did wemention the gateout front ? Yeah , it ’s unquestionably hell ) . The drinks at Spotted Owl are complex , well - garnished , and pretty . The Sherry Cobbler is a go - to , and the Pistache , a summer tequila cocktail made with lemon yellow and umber , comes extremely recommended by the streak staff . If the drink tend to melt down a little sweet for your palate , there ’s a clever beer - and - shot sexual union leaning that pay court to Cleveland ’s working - course rootage ( but with pricier strong drink ) .

Arcadian

In Ancient Greece , Arcadia was a secluded , bucolic area often associated with Eden . In Cleveland , the Arcadian is a Gordon Square bar and restaurant that has been " opening shortly " for the past three years . The time lag is over now , and the outcome is an open , contemporary artwork - like space with polygonal cap board , an indoor - outdoor spice garden , and a cool blade facade that confound the red cent out of this writer while essay to accede and exit . The cocktail programme , headed by Jeff Rowe of Hodge ’s , will have you sense just a little utopian . Try The Road Runner , a mezcal cocktail that toast like a smoky take on a margarita – do n’t sweep off the smoke salinity on the rim . The Shoreway Soda film the herbal , damn - near - medicinal feeling of Fernet Branca and bring out its veil sweetness with a blend of pep , honey , and java flavors . Even in Arcadia , there is end . Or at least Fernet .

Drink.

Just north of Parma , Old Brooklyn is an underrated Cleveland neighbourhood light on chain restaurants and heavy on shot - and - a - beer watering holes . Should you find yourself want a classically craft cocktail – to say nothing of some yummy Korean - influence bar transportation ( the Bulgogi Burger with kimchee is a Apocalypse ) – visit the legal profession with the most straight name of all : salute . The sign on the door state " Bar and Grill , " but the vibe is all lounge : low sparkle , plush couches , Sinatra and his contemporaries on the playlist . You ’ll find many of the Prohibition - era classics here , but test the South American drinks : pisco sours arean up - and - coming cocktail , and the caipirinha is an detonation of lime with a fragrancy that ’s dull by the earthiness of cachaça . And if you ’ve ever wondered what it would be like if green Chartreuse and Fernet fought on a frothy and sweet egg - lily-white battlefield , go off - menu and order the Industry Sour . The victor of that battle is you .

The Plum Cafe & Kitchen

If yourgrandmother were a hipster , her sign might look something like The Plum Cafe & Kitchen . With its dressed white tile and floral - pattern wallpaper , it ’s a space that ’s cosy , retiring , and approachable . Fortunately for the customers , the cocktails are too – and at $ 9 , eminently affordable . judge a produce - drive wonder like the Oakley , which combines mezcal with beetroot succus , or a more spirit - drive drink like the Drexler , which join Columbus ’ own Watershed cotton gin ( Cleveland bed you , Watershed ) with three different sort of vermouth for a inviolable nose and a smooth , vanilla - and - orange finish . The Bird ' 86 ( they ’re all mention for basketball game players , if you have n’t pick up on that by now ) is a dangerously potable cocktail that refine the redolence of ananas and Citrus aurantifolia with green Chartreuse . In the spirit of casual farm - to - mesa dining , many drink are seasonal , so overhear them while you may . sign up up herefor our daily Cleveland email and be the first to get all the solid food / potable / fun in Ithiel Town .

Society Lounge on 4th