Best of Cleveland 2026: Our Editors' Picks for Entertainment You'll Only Find in Cleveland

Best Claw Machine Arcade: Claw Boba Snack

Plushies, Pokemon cards and blind boxes fill the machines at Claw Boba Snack, which aims to break up the AsiaTown neighborhood’s density of restaurants as a playful gaming destination. “You have places to eat and maybe shop, and then you leave,” says Sai Lin, the store’s operator. “You don’t have a place that can (give) family-fun entertainment for Asians.” Along with specialty boba tea beverages and an array of Asian foods, its other namesake attraction, the claw machines, were integrated to welcome patrons of all ages into the arcade and cafe. Whether it’s your first, final or only stop in AsiaTown, Claw Boba Snack is a holistic expression of juvenile joys, cultural novelties and the sweetest treats. “We want customers to come in to play the claw machines,” Lin says, “have some bubble tea, and then when they leave, buy something of the exotic snacks.” 3133 Payne Ave., Cleveland, instagram.com/cbs_claw_boba_snack  

Best Genre Blenders: Black Voltron

If you’re looking for something easy to consume, then look elsewhere, Robin “Hyperius” Blake of Black Voltron says in his song “Impression.” Trying to reduce me to bite-sized pieces guarantees that you’ll choke. Blake’s declaration speaks to his life, and also to the Cleveland music collective he’s built. “Fundamentally, the genre-blending of hip-hop with soul and jazz and house and disco — that’s the expression of my Blackness in multiple dimensions, as it intersects with my queerness,” he says. Black Voltron’s singular sound is showcased on its EP Motion, and fans have clamored to experience it at packed Brite Winter and Larchmere PorchFest performances. With his bandmates (Bobby Belairs, Vandarrel Woods, Crystal Burks, Tyler Jasterbowski, Randall Hoyle, Elijah Khalil, Neo Kiio, rotating cast member Morgan Fox and a range of other collaborators), Blake hits audiences with a high-energy blend of funk, hip-hop, club and anime music that’s best experienced live. “The end result that you receive is not only a wave of sound,” Blake says, “but a wave of feeling.” blackvoltron.com 

Best Haunted Sleepover: Franklin Castle

Built in 1883 by the Tiedemann family, Franklin Castle has been home to many — including some ghostly visitors that started being publicly cited in the 1960s. “It’s such an attractive house with such a storied past,” says William Krejci, current tour guide and former resident of the castle. “Reports of paranormal activity are just icing on the cake.” Krejci has heard footsteps and voices, and even saw a sheet of plywood and a stepladder get launched across the room. Not convinced? Man your own ghost hunt as an overnight guest, with reservations available to rent one of four European-style suites (starting at $260) or the whole space ($1,400). Manager Michael Matrone III says that those sleeping over have reported seeing members of the Tiedemann family in their dreams, but interestingly, will leave feeling rejuvenated rather than afraid. Matrone believes sacred mathematics and mystical principles used in the design of the house may be the cause of this positive force, but are you brave enough to find out? 4308 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, 216-759-7383, thefranklincastle.com 

Best In Jest: The Pierogi

It’s not fake news, but it’s not true, either. It’s satirical, but sometimes, it’s scarily accurate. No, the Metroparks won’t open a Buc-ee’s at Edgewater Beach, and West 25th Street isn’t getting a Slip ’N Slide lane, but maybe one day, Justin Bibb will actually spend $45 on a “World’s Best Mayor” mug. And maybe the Guardians’ Hot Dogs are mortified by Happy Dog putting Froot Loops on brats. Either way, The Pierogi has become our most trusted, untrustworthy news source for even the slowest days in the newsroom. The site launched this year as Cleveland’s hyper-specific version of The Onion, known globally for its very unserious but very funny headlines, and its small team of reporters is notably kept under wraps to preserve the integrity of its investigations. “We felt truth and humor were missing from Cleveland’s media,” The Pierogi staff told Cleveland Magazine in an anonymous interview, “so we combined them into ‘tumor.’ So we really consider ourselves to be the tumor of Cleveland.” thepierogicle.com 

Best Lake Restoration: Hinckley Lake

When Cleveland Metroparks first planned to renovate Hinckley Lake, it was going to be much more than some maintenance. Beyond silt removal, modernizing the dam and installing valves for flood management, it has been resuscitated as an outdoor recreation hub. “We have been working since about 2016,” says Sean McDermott, chief planning and design officer for Cleveland Metroparks, “so nearly 10 years to reinvest into the dam and rehabilitate it to meet modern standards.” After about two years of renovating the lake and several weeks of refilling it, it was finally back and open to the public, with lifeguards on site and kayaks, paddle boards and canoes available to use. But it’s not stopping there — in the fall, the Metroparks plans to fill the lake with more fish in order to bring back the lake’s reputation as an esteemed fishing spot. “We really encourage water recreation as something that everyone can do,” says Jacqueline Gerling, director of communications at Cleveland Metroparks. 1822 East Drive, Hinckley, clevelandmetroparks.com 

Best Mahjong Studio: Mahjong Maison

The tile-based draw-and-discard game has changed a lot since its origins in 19th-century China, diverging into Japanese, Taiwanese and Filipino variations, among others, then becoming standardized in the United States in 1937. A domino effect of a pandemic and an analog movement sparked its recent revival in cities such as Austin, Texas; Los Angeles; New York City; and now, Cleveland. While many teach the game through local pop-ups and private sessions, Amy Myers offered the region its first brick-and-mortar teaching studio when she opened Mahjong Maison in Woodmere in January. Group lessons and open playing sessions keep things competitive, while skill-based leagues preserve traditional mahjong’s communal aspect even as the game evolves. “Not everybody comes to this game with a group,” Myers says. “It’s played with four people. I want this to be the space where you can learn, and if you want to keep playing, you can also find people who want to play.” 28601 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 730, Woodmere, 216-342-4260, mahjong-maison.com  

Best Neighborhood Artist: David Witzke (The Sign Guy)

“Who is the sign guy?” is the question a Tremont-based forum was asking two decades ago. The sleuths were referring to an influx of bird art around the neighborhood; their wide, cartoonish eyes, pointy beaks and even pointier legs took many colors, shapes and poses. It’s a form that fits swimmingly with the area’s abstract, hipster culture. David Witzke, who’d quietly done graffiti for years, publicly came forward to adopt the Sign Guy moniker ahead of his first art show in 2006. He’s since become one of the most notable vendors at Taste of Tremont and the Tremont Arts & Cultural Festival for his prints, stickers and statues. His feathered friends also grace murals on garage doors, fences, telephone poles and walls of local businesses such as Steak, Flower Child and Prosperity Social Club. Some play golf; some bear the body of a bumblebee. Others are holding hearts or signs spelling city names. “I hope it’s putting smiles on faces,” Witzke says. “If you live in Tremont and don’t have a bird at your house, do you really live in Tremont?” instagram.com/the_sign_guy_1972 

Best New Lakefront Development: The Galley and Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center

Since opening in June, The Galley at the East 55th Street Marina has become a hot spot for live music, food and, of course, beautiful views of the water. “It’s exceeded all expectations,” says Cleveland Metroparks chief operating officer Joseph Roszak. “It’s really something people have been clamoring for.” The year-round restaurant is the centerpiece of the new $18.5 million Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center. It features patio views, indoor and outdoor meeting spaces and on-site programming — including the Charlie Britton Sailing School, which teaches boating and sailing for those who might be typically underrepresented on the water. The center is the latest part of the Metroparks’ efforts to continue to improve public access to the lakefront. “We want to connect them all with trails that go back into the community,” Roszak says. “Getting Clevelanders access to the lakefront is always something we’re working hard on.” 5555 N. Marginal Road, Cleveland, 216-716-6028, clevelandmetroparks.com 

Best New Multi-Venue Facility: The Hive

The Hive builds on co-owners Kimberly and Jimmy Gibson’s years in the local food scene, from opening Hungry Bee Catery together in 2011 to reviving Timberfire, where Kimberly got her first cooking job. At 66,000 square feet, The Hive packs a lot into the former Chagrin Cinemas property, with distinct spaces designed to work independently or together. “This isn’t simply a restaurant, and there is nothing else like this in Ohio,” Kimberly says. “We’re approachable and have something for everyone here.” Beyond farm-fresh dining options at Hungry Bee and Timberfire, The Woodshed hosts live music and private events, while Screens puts the building’s movie-theater roots to use for films and gatherings. Honey Hill offers indoor and outdoor space for weddings, galas and larger community events, and the Broom Closet adds a secret speakeasy experience. Guests can also explore Goods, an artisan marketplace, then stop at Midway for quick concessions. “It’s my living love letter to the community I adore,” Kimberly says of the project. “It’s my heartbeat outside of my body.” 8200 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls, 440-692-4483, thehivechagrin.com 

THIS VS. THAT: Best Niche Gatherings

Cleveland Arm Wrestling

Clubbing Since: 2020

The Origin Story: This sort of thing isn’t a first — Kevin Palko started his club in Berea to maintain a regimen after his training group in Huron broke up in 2019.

Mark Your Calendar For: Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at noon at Berea Rec Center. Plus, be prepared to travel to weekly tournaments as needed.

Current Turnout: About 50 members, mostly men 20-40 years old, and a growing women’s division; one woman qualified for the world championship.

Requirements: An arm might help.

The Agenda: A period of “table time” is for practicing and working through techniques, then leading into “sparring,” when members arm-wrestle each other.

Yes, It’s a Sport: “Anybody can get good at it as long as they put in the time and effort,” says Palko. “We have a member with a traumatic brain injury who has been training with us for less than a year. He just competed in his first tournament and got his first victory.”

instagram.com/clevelandarmwrestling 

Cleveland Scream Group

Clubbing Since: 2026

The Origin Story: Patric Pariano and Megan Ruggeiro of Embody Freedom Wellness in Cleveland have a passion for holistic wellness. The group began as a method to tap into “unfiltered emotionality.” So, yes, this is good for your health.

Mark Your Calendar For: Weekly meetings “as announced,” as the group transitions out of its summer spot at Edgewater Dog Beach.

Current Turnout: About 10 people per meeting

Requirements: Those “willing to work through looking a little silly,” Pariano says.

The Agenda: Meetings begin with breathing instruction, followed by three rounds of screaming. Each is one minute long, guided by the sounding of a gong.

Not a Sport, but Great for Character Development: “People clearly have some resistance to looking foolish,” Pariano says. “I hope our group helps to reframe mental concepts people have about expressing their emotions.”

instagram.com/clescreamgroup 

Best Place To Get Sweaty: The Schvitz

Closing in on a century of history, The Schvitz keeps its old Eastern European roots alive in the local bathhouse scene. The sweltering sauna’s wooden steps are filled with loungers. Occasionally, a high-pitched yelp arrives from brave souls who dip into the icy waters of the cold plunge. Upstairs, visitors grab beers from the fridge, while chefs sear massive, garlic-encrusted steaks on the smoky grill. All of it culminates in one rugged kind of spa day. “There’s five Schvitzes left of this ilk,” says co-owner Billy Buckholtz. “This kind of heat, they can’t be built anymore.” That said, The Schvitz has made a couple of modern updates in recent years. For one, it welcomes women on coed and ladies’ days. And it’s a little less secretive than years past; it’s even got a website for reservations. These changes have boosted the business’s popularity, leading to regular sellouts last season, according to Buckholtz — and new audiences for the most classic form of contrast therapy. $165, 11516 Luke Ave., Cleveland, schvitzcleveland.com 

Best Post-Punk Album: Suitor

Singer Emma Shepard and guitarist Chris Corsi formed Suitor during the isolated years of the coronavirus pandemic, but the project has since blossomed as a five-piece group. With guitarist Stephen Ovak, bassist John Corsi and drummer Ryan Matricardi, the band’s sophomore album Saw You Out With The Weeds is one of Cleveland’s most noteworthy arrivals of the year. “Working with a full band made everything feel more real, more lush and representative of what I believe we wanted to capture all along,” Shepard says. Goth-tinged vocals buoy each textured track, with jagged guitars periodically piercing the dense wall-of-sound approach helmed by Kansas post-punk darlings Sweeping Promises, who recorded and produced the album, and whom Suitor met while playing a show together at the Grog Shop. SYOWTW quickly earned acclaim, leading Stereogum to name Suitor a “Band to Watch” and generating enough ongoing demand for a second vinyl pressing. Expect more; Suitor aims to record its follow-up album in Cleveland in October. suitor.band 

Best Psych-Cumbia Band: Hello!3D

In 2019, musician Jake Fader felt an itch to resurrect a psychedelic style of music emulated in one of his earliest projects called Los Terrificos. He’d need some help, so he reached out to bassist Ed Sotelo and guitarist John Gálvez to make the vision a reality. Their musical chemistry sent sparks flying and fueled the start of Hello!3D. The band’s first show, after only a handful of rehearsals that year, was opening for Los Mirlos, a huge Peruvian band that recently performed at Coachella. Influenced greatly by Los Mirlos and other bands on the Roots of Chicha compilation album, Hello!3D mixes musical styles from all over the world with the nontraditional sounds and effects of the psychedelic genre, coalescing into what Fader calls “global-psych.” There’s few lyrics — mainly chants layered into instrumental tunes — as Fader likes to think of vocals as another texture, rather than a vehicle for storytelling. “We make it so that people feel permission to dance, have fun and let go,” says Fader. instagram.com/hello3dband 

Best Special-Effects DJ: Wassim AlJurdi

Have you ever looked at a wedding DJ and thought, I could have done this with my phone and an aux cord? Well, Wassim AlJurdi must not have been at the helm. If he was, you’d know by the fog pluming around the couple’s feet during the first dance or the colored smoke shooting from the bride and groom’s CO2 cannons. Maybe you’d notice the laser lights hitting the disco ball as confetti fell. Likely, you’d go home with a photo with your date from the booth or the 360-degree special effect camera. Smoke and mirrors don’t overshadow the most important element, though. “Music is my passion,” AlJurdi says. The international DJ has built his reputation by asking himself, Who is on the dance floor? Sometimes the answer is a standard playlist of American pop. Other times, an Arabic or Spanish wedding might call for a multicultural mix. “Every wedding is something different,” he says. That awareness combined with immersive technology adds up to a one-of-a-kind affair. instagram.com/djwassim_official 

Best Sports Mural: Easy Out

A random Saturday night game for the Guardians in 2023 spawned a legendary brawl. After a play at second base, José Ramírez and White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson scuffled, with Ramirez landing a punch to Anderson’s jaw that left him staggering. When Easy Out opened in Lakewood in February, the sports bar’s patio wall seemed like an ideal spot to immortalize the moment. And operations director Jeffrey Siefer knew who to call: Cleveland native Aaron Sechrist. Known professionally as the artist okPANTS, Sechrist has also done graphics for Ohio Pie Co. and Six Shooter Coffee. “He was the one and only person on the short list,” Siefer recalls. Rightfully so, Sechrist’s colorful, cartoonish art style was the perfect medium for the action-packed frame. “It’s the most well-received piece of art I’ve done in my career,” Sechrist says. “It spoke to the fabric of what being a Cleveland sports fan was: a little rowdiness, a little underdogness.” 11822 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-712-4223, easyoutbar.com 

Best Way To Paint Outside the Lines: Cuts N Curls 

As a mom, Lindsey Terry gets how stressful it can be to take your kids to the salon. That’s why the motto at Cuts N Curls has become, “Where haircuts become adventures.” What started 20 years ago as a standard spot for kids’ cuts has evolved into a place for entire families to have fun together. In a designated “paint splatter room,” visitors can suit up in full-body ponchos and let the paint fly. The result is one-of-a-kind, kid-made artwork … and a mess that parents don’t have to clean up themselves. Book the splatter room solo or choose the “Primp N Paint” package option to pair your art session with a haircut; either way, all paint, supplies and protective gear is included. “I’m always asking myself, What can we do next that would make this even more special for a child?” Terry says. “That mindset has really shaped what Cuts N Curls has become.” $26-$80, 6025 Kruse Drive, Suite 112, Solon, 440-542-1750, cutsncurls.net  

Best Women-Only Gym: TFIT Studio

Growing up in gym culture, Tori Hvizda noticed a disturbing trend. “I saw how uncomfortable it was to workout with men around, how stressful,” Hvizda says. She’s not alone. In a 2023 survey, 56% of female gym members said they have been harassed while working out. So in 2024, Hvizda created a space for women to comfortably meet their fitness needs. TFIT Studio isn’t just decked out in pink. The gym offers one-on-one coaching, small group training, full-body HIIT bootcamps and strength-based pilates. With more than 50 members, it serves all ages and fitness levels. “No one wears makeup, no one goes all out,” says Hvizda. “I wanted to build a place where women feel supported and encouraged, and we have that here.” 19630 Center Ridge Road, Rocky River, TFITstudio.com 

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