Pianist Mike Petrone To Play His 7,000th Show at Johnny’s Downtown

As he approaches his next career thousand mark, Mike Petrone has found himself reflecting on his chosen profession.

“I really love it,” Petrone says. “I think more and more I understand that we all think of our careers as something that we have to elevate, or we have to move somewhere, we have to do something to get greater; this or that. But apparently, I really just liked it.”

Petrone is known for his hometown piano performances, playing classic songs on weeknights at Johnny’s Downtown since the bar opened in 1993. At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8, he’ll perform his 7,000th show there, while singing along with regulars and special guests.

Cleveland Magazine previously featured Petrone in our 2025 Most Interesting People feature. There, Petrone spoke about his early upbringing learning music with his siblings and performing live with his family for televised Mr. Jingeling shows when he was just 10 years old.

RELATED: Mike Petrone, Piano Player at Johnny's Downtown: Most Interesting People 2025

He never stopped playing.

“I’m a creature of habit,” Petrone says. “I’m grateful for it, and I think, ‘Will I make 8,000?’ It’s hard to imagine I would, because so much is out of my control in terms of ownership. Will they want to retire? Probably. None of us are getting any younger.”

If you’re hoping to catch one of Petrone’s performances at Johnny’s, he recommends a few dishes to try off the restaurant’s menu — the veal chop ($72.95), potato-crusted grouper ($40.95) or, a personal favorite, the veal-stuffed peppers ($18.95). (“People drive 100 miles for those, and I would, too,” he says. “I love them.”)

As for a drink, he recommends ordering a shot of Patron Silver, in honor of his last name and hair color.

Petrone says he’s thankful to the Santosuosso family for his long-running gig. The Santosuossos also run Johnny’s Bar on Fulton, which has been open for more than 100 years.

“Talk about a Cleveland institution,” Petrone says. “The fact that they've stuck with me that long — I'm just so grateful. You don't expect those kinds of things. It's a family business, and I appreciate them having me a part of the family.”