[downtown ]
Barley House
A Warehouse District hot spot that specializes in celebrity sightings and over-the-top fun.41261 W Sixth St, 216-623-1700. barleyhousecleveland.com
The Blind Pig
Nine-to-fivers stand shoulder to shoulder to check out a variety of music — and one another.41228 W Sixth St, 216-621-0001. theblindpig.com
Bob Golic's Sports Bar & Grille
Traditional, upscale bar food in an environment decorated with Cleveland sports memorabilia.41213 W Sixth St, 216-363-1130. bobgolics.com
The Cleveland Improv
Chuckle at the nation's best comedians with a beer-drinking crowd.4Sugar Warehouse Entertainment Complex, 1148 Main Ave, 216-696-4677. clevelandimprov.com
The Clevelander
This watering hole near Progressive Field and The Q turns up the volume on game days. 4834 Huron Road E, 216-771-3723. clevelanderbar.com
The Corner Alley
An upscale bowling alley combined with a fully stocked martini bar.4402 Euclid Ave, 216-298-4070.
thecorneralley.com
Dive Bar
Heading to the basement is a surefire sign you're stepping into a dive bar. Thursday-night Skee-Ball leagues and 42 beers on tap.41214 W Sixth St, 216-621-7827.
divebarcleveland.com
D'Vine Wine Bar
Trendy wine bar in the heart of the Warehouse District offers a break from the dance club scene.4836 W St Clair Ave, 216-241-8463. dvinewinebar.com
Flannery's Pub
The finest Irish food, drink and entertainment this side of the Atlantic.4323 E Prospect Ave, 216-781-7782.
flannerys.com
Gillespie's Map Room
Casual, old-school pub serving pizza, sandwiches, soup, salad and munchies.41281 W Ninth St, 216-621-7747. maproomcleveland.com
Hilarities 4th Street Theatre
Live, national stand-up acts in a 400-seat theater.42035 E Fourth St, 216-735-4242. hilarities.com
House of Blues
An opulent venue that features national and regional music acts on a large main stage and in the intimate Cambridge Room.4308 Euclid Ave, 216-523-2583.
hob.com/cleveland
Panini's Bar & Grill
Laid-back local hangout known for its signature sandwiches.41290 W Sixth St, 216-523-7070; 840 Huron Road, 216-522-1510. paninisgrill.com
Pickwick & Frolic Restaurant & Club
The restaurant seats 220, dinner/show packages are available for the 125-seat cabaret.42035 E Fourth St, 216-241-7425. pickwickandfrolic.com
Shooters on the Water
On the first warm day of spring, nine-to-fivers pack the massive deck.41148 Main Ave, 216-861-6900.
shootersflats.com
The Velvet Dog
Professionals lounge on plush furniture and sip martinis in this three-level club with a rooftop patio.41280 W Sixth St, 216-664-1116. velvetdogcleveland.com
Winking Lizard Tavern
More than 150 varieties of beer are offered at this neighborhood standard.4811 Huron Ave, 216-589-0313.
winkinglizard.com
Wonder Bar
Mellow, intimate music venue with a great kitchen.42044 E Fourth St, 216-298-4050. wonderbarcleveland.com
[ east ]
Barking Spider Tavern
A low-key music venue popular with students and music fans of all varieties.411310 Juniper Road, Cleveland, 216-421-2863. barkingspidertavern.com
Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Main-stage and smaller acts, from indie rock to blues to alt-country.415711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland, 216-383-1124. beachlandballroom.com
B-Side Liquor Lounge
College students and professionals mix in this club with live poetry, rock and electronic dance music spun by local and national DJs.42785 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966. bsideliquorlounge.com
BottleHouse Brewery
A small-batch brewery with five pinball machines, live music, signature cocktails and the largest mead selection in Northeast Ohio.42050 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-214-2120. thebottlehousebrewingcompany.com
Brennan's Colony
The Heights' top neighborhood bar, cozy in the winter with a buzzing patio come summertime.42299 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-371-1010. brennanscolony.com
The Fairmount
Classy wine bar with a huge patio.42448 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland Heights, 216-229-9463. thefairmount.net
The Grog Shop
Hip, uber-cool musical acts stop here on their way to the big time, or at least the next gig.42785 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588. grogshop.gs
La Cave du Vin
Underground wine bar perfect for romance, also has an extensive beer selection.42785 Euclid Heights Blvd, Cleveland Heights, 216-932-6411. lacaveduvin.com
Nighttown
Cabaret club with a 1940s feel.412387 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-795-0550. nighttowncleveland.com
Parnell's Pub
Irish pub where you can catch a soccer game or just hang out with friends over a Guinness or 10 kinds of Irish whiskey.4 2167 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-321-3469
Peabody's Concert Club
Indie bands and local musicians play at this gritty venue near Cleveland State University.42045 E 21st St, Cleveland, 216-776-9999, peabodys.com
Willoughby Brewing Co.
A converted rail-car depot that's worth the drive to Lake County.44057 Erie St, Willoughby, 440-975-0202.
willoughbybrewing.com
[ west ]
87 West at Crocker Park
A wine bar with comfortable seating.4287 Crocker Park Blvd, Westlake, 440-250-2334. 87west2.com
ABC Tavern
This renovated Ohio City standard is raising the bar on the dive-bar scene.41872 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-861-3857. abcthetavern.com
The Brothers Lounge
Three-venue establishment: upscale wine bar with a piano stage, neighborhood pub and music venue.411609 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-226-2767. brotherslounge.com
Buckeye Beer Engine
An extensive beer list that connoisseurs will love, plus gourmet burgers and vegetarian options.415315 Madison Ave, Lakewood, 216-226-2337. buckeyebeerengine.com
Edison's Pub
Squeeze into the small barroom, spread out in the booths in back, or bring the whole gang and take over the backyard patio.42373 Professor Ave, Cleveland, 216-522-0006. edisonspub.com
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
The landmark city brewery has heavy-hitting beers and features an indoor patio and outdoor seating.42516 Market Ave, Cleveland, 216-771-4404. greatlakesbrewing.com
The Harp
A laid-back Irish pub with a large patio and live
music.44408 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-939-0200.
the-harp.com
Happy Dog
This Detroit Shoreway spot gels grit with grooves and serves a killer hot dog. Live music on weekends.45801 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-651-9474.
happydogcleveland.com
Lava Lounge
DJs spin some of the hottest music every night of the week. Enjoy martinis, wine and an eclectic menu in an intimate living room setting.41307 Auburn Ave, Cleveland, 216-589-9112. coolplacestoeat.com
Market Garden Brewery and Distillery
Convivial brewpub with an eclectic roster of beers, spacious, earthy rooms and an all-season beer garden.41947 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-621-4000.
marketgardenbrewery.com
Nano Brew
A friendly neighborhood brewpub with 24 beers on draft and an outdoor beer-garden bar.41859 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-862-6631, nanobrewcleveland.com
The Old Angle
A classy, low-key Irish pub that often features live acoustic acts.41848 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-861-5643.
oldangletavern.com
P.J. McIntyre's Irish Pub
An Irish pub in very Irish West Park. Features free Wi-Fi and local bands with an Irish flair.417119 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-941-9311. pjmcintyres.com
Prosperity Social Club
This Art Deco bar features a daily fish fry, local bands and tons of funky tchotchkes.41109 Starkweather Ave, Cleveland, 216-937-1938. prosperitysocialclub.com
The Public House
An Irish pub in West Park that's a favorite among locals.417219 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-252-6608.
The Rush Inn
West Siders have long held a soft spot for the original Rush Inn. Now a second location has joined the fray.417800 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-221-3224; 35840 Chester Road, Avon, 440-937-3252. therushinn.com
The South Side
A huge patio and indie musicians contribute good vibes to this local favorite.42207 W 11th St, Cleveland, 216-937-2288. southsidecleveland.com
Stone Mad
A clay bocce court meshes well with the Irish-themed pub. The stone patio is also a not-to-miss summer spot.41306 W 65th St, Cleveland, 216-281-6500.
The Treehouse
A laid-back Tremont watering hole that attracts locals to its huge patio.4820 College Ave, Cleveland, 216-696-2505. treehousecleveland.com
Tremont Tap House
One hundred-plus beers and killer food make this off-the-beaten-path bar a must-visit.42572 Scranton Road, Cleveland, 216-298-4451. tremonttaphouse.com
Twist Social Club
A hopping nightclub that's a favorite with the hip gay crowd.411633 Clifton Blvd, Cleveland, 216-221-2333.
Velvet Tango Room
Expert bartenders mix classic cocktails found nowhere else in town. You'll enjoy being civilized.42095 Columbus Ave, Cleveland, 216-241-8869. velvettangoroom.com
West End Tavern
West Side bar hoppers come here for a break from the party scene. It's chill but busy, with a fantastic bloody mary bar on weekends.418514 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-521-7684. westendtav.com
West Park Station
Local hot spot for the West Park crowd, a melting pot of ethnicities and age groups.417015 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-476-2000. westparkstation.com
The Winchester Music Hall
Music fans hang at this 1924 music hall that plays host to local and national acts.412112 Madison Ave, Lakewood, 216-226-5681. thewinchester.net
Wine Bar Rocky River
The pickup place and date spot for middle-agers.41313 Linda Street, Rocky River, 440-799-4300. winebarrr.com
Winking Lizard Tavern
More than 150 varieties of beer are available at this neighborhood standard that has great bar food and plenty of televisions.414018 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-226-6693. winkinglizard.com
[ south ]
The Brew Kettle
Restaurant and brewery with 30 beers on tap. Brew your own beer or make your own wine.48377 Pearl Road, Strongsville, 440-239-8788. thebrewkettle.com
The Blonde Martini & Wine Establishment
Classy little joint serving martinis, wine and cocktails.46901 Rockside Road, Independence, 216-328-8780. gototheblonde.com
The Cornerstone Brewing Co.
This brewery features eight beers on tap, including their house root beer.458 Front St, Berea, 440-239-982.
cornerstonebrewing.com
Harpo's Sports Cafe
Packed with 82 TVs that can be programmed to show your game right in front of you.45777 Smith Road, Brook Park, 216-267-7777. goharpos.com
Panini's Bar & Grill
Local hangout known for its signature sandwiches.45530 Brecksville Road, Independence, 216-524-5240; 14952 Pearl Road, Strongsville, 440-878-2200. paninisgrill.com
Thirst & Ten
A sports bar that shares our obsession with every win and loss.415299 Sheldon Road, Middleburg Heights, 216-362-8000; 786 Front St, Berea, 440-234-1010.
Tradesman Tavern
A blue-collar crowd mixes with business professionals at this comfortable bar.45746 State Road, Parma, 440-888-2337.
The Upper Deck Sports Cafe
The $1.75 beer-of-the-month and easy seating keep the clientele coming back.4375 W Bagley Road, Berea, 440-891-7427. theupperdecksportscafe.com
