Shooters Reopens With ‘Coastal Cleveland’ Menu and Live Music Programming

Shooters, one of Cleveland’s most recognizable waterfront bars, is preparing for a comeback with a new vision for the historic Flats landmark.

The revamped space introduces what chef Ryan Boone calls a “Coastal Cleveland” menu, pairing familiar comfort dishes with waterfront-inspired flavors. Programming includes brunch, live music and a waterfront performance stage.

The longtime Flats West Bank bar and restaurant at 1148 Main Ave. reopens March 18 following an extensive renovation and a new ownership group. The aim is to reintroduce the nearly 40-year-old landmark to a new generation of Clevelanders.

Boone, who has worked in several prominent Cleveland kitchens, leads the culinary program as the restaurant begins its next chapter. The new ownership group reportedly includes musician and Cleveland native Machine Gun Kelly, along with other area investors. 

Those individuals were not named in the press release and Shooters representatives did not respond to requests for comments or clarification prior to this publishing. Decor in images shared to Instagram, however, include references to the Mahine Gun Kelly.

The menu aims to balance nostalgia with a modern edge, Boone says. The “Coastal Cleveland” concept takes cues from waterfront restaurants around the country while staying grounded in the hearty flavors and casual spirit that define the city’s dining scene.

“Shooters is a place that belongs to Cleveland, so the menu reflects that,” Boone states in the press release. “It’s about elevating the classics and creating food that feels fun, familiar and worth gathering around. I couldn’t be more proud of the team we’re building and of the people I get to do this with every day.”

READ MORE: Machine Gun Kelly's Shooters Renovation Is Ready to Get Underway

The renovation refreshed much of the sprawling property while preserving recognizable details that longtime visitors will remember. Avenue Design led the redesign, keeping signature elements like the blue-and-white tile floor that runs through the space while introducing updated bars, finishes and decor curated by Cleveland designers Danielle Pusateri and David Damier.

Additional features will roll out in phases through the spring and summer.

Shooters has long been one of the most visible gathering places along the Cuyahoga River. When it opened in 1987 as part of the Nautica Complex, the West Bank of the Flats was still transitioning from an industrial corridor into a nightlife destination.

The Key West-inspired bar quickly became synonymous with summer on the river, drawing boaters who docked along its decks and crowds who gathered to drink, dance and watch barges drift past beneath the Detroit-Superior Bridge.

READ MORE: The Cleveland 50: Shooters Open in the Flats

At its peak in the 1990s, Shooters helped anchor the Flats’ nightlife boom, hosting visiting athletes, concert crowds and the occasional headline-making moment — including a widely reported altercation involving NBA star Charles Barkley in 1996.

While the Flats has gone through several reinventions over the decades, Shooters has remained a familiar landmark along the riverfront.

“Shooters is more than a restaurant or bar,” the press release read. “It’s a waterfront gathering place that was made for Cleveland.”

Guests will get their first look at the updated space when Shooters reopens March 18.

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