Magnolia Donuts & Coffee
Entrance into Magnolia Donuts & Coffee’s nightclub requires a password inspired by the pastry-slinging bakery that serves as its deceptive front. Dress your best and text co-owner Bobby Rutter for a code (a la s’mores or candy apple), then pass through a mock freezer for an evening of house music, bottle service, street art murals and a massive steel magnolia tree smack dab in the middle of the 4,000-square-foot lounge. 1167 Front Ave., Cleveland, 216-282-6970, magnoliacleveland.com
Cafe Bon Apetit
Take the stairs of Cafe Bon Apetit’s dining room down to a tucked-away new dive boasting a selection of 250-plus whiskies and bourbons. The cozy, brick and wooden-barrel adorned room seats only 25. But the spirits — from $8 to $80 a glass — and palate pairings are as unexpected as the location. “If you’re willing to pay $50 for a shot of whiskey, you deserve a bite with it,” says owner Jay Novak. 2767 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-1930, cafebonappetitcle.com
Quintana’s Barber & Dream Spa
Getting into Quintana’s Barber & Dream Spa’s speakeasy is pretty hair-raising. The adventure includes heading through a back door, up a set of stairs to a bookcase, and locating a front-facing title. But we can’t say any more. Co-owner Alex Quintana says the bar’s 1930s-style decor, 70-plus bourbon varieties and craft cocktails with house-made grenadines are a nod to the good ol’ Kentucky spirit. 2200 S. Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-421-8380, qbds.net
