Cleveland recommendations

If the Indians were at home I would've recommended hitting the Flats district. Bar after bar after bar and a good chance of catching ball players out after the game.

A cool story that I like to tell, because it's cool and I tell it every chance I get ...

Years ago (too lazy to look it up but Verlander was either in his first or second season), a group of buddies and I made a road trip from mid Michigan to Cleveland for a ball game. Verlander pitched that night and gave up something like 7 runs in 4-5 innings. Anywho, we were partying in the Flats that evening and ran into some Tigers players like Curtis Granderson, Craig Monroe, Marcus Thames, and the recently rocked JV. Me in my drunken stupor said to Verlander as I past him on the street "nice game tonight!", not being a dick, just being drunk.

Fast forward a half hour, hour, maybe more (remember I am shitfaced) I run into JV at a bar. I just bellied up to the bar and didn't know he was there until my buddy pointed him out. I ordered Jager Bombs for me, my buddy, and JV. We downed the bombs and JV asked me if I wanted him to sign my jersey (a Carlos Guillen #9) or my hat and I told him that I don't do autographs. JV told me "That's cool, man" and gave me knuckles and blew it up.

I like to imagine this encounter made him into a stud

 

It is a cool story

 

In the same neighborhood as Great Lakes is platform brewing and market garden brewing. Both good places to go and you can walk between them all. If you want a craft beer bar hit up a winking lizard there's 2 downtown but a much better one about 15 minutes away in Lakewood with a separate part called a lizardville that sells bottles to go.

 

If you're in Lakewood for Fat Heads then I also recommend Buckeye Beer Engine.

 

Don't go?

Ba dum bump.

I'll be here all week, try the veal.

 

Fat Heads is a must. Platform is my second favorite brewery to visit. Buckeye beer engine always has a good taplist and food, as well as Lizardville and Winking Lizard.

 

You missed the best part!

 

The wings at Brew Kettle are a must!

 

Market Garden, Bottlehouse, Brick and Barrel, Buckeye Beer Engine, all quite good.

 

Heading to town in a few weeks for a night and I think I know which breweries we are going to hit, thanks partly to this thread. But can someone recommend a spot for dinner on a Friday night? Does not necessarily have to be a brewery/beer centered establishment.

 

Nicer meals: L'Albatros, Spice, Plum, Vero, Lola (or any Michael Symon joint), Greenhouse, Pacific East (if you like Asian/Thai).

Greasy good stuff: Happy Dog, Prosperity Tavern, Edison's, XYZ Tavern, Barrio, Noodlecat, Mahall's (for the fried chicken), are all my favorite spots off the top of my head.

There's probably a ton of good stuff I'm missing.

 

Thanks! Extremely helpful!

 

I'm heading out to Cleveland to run the marathon in a little over a week. Looking to bring some beers back with me to PA. Last year I picked up some Head Hunter, White Rajah, and Speed Merchant. Anything new/exciting I should be looking for?

 

Rhinegeist has made it's way up here. They are better than Platform, IMO. Bottlehouse Brewing usually has some good to-go beers at their locations.

A lot of craft beer stores up here will still have quite a few Jackie O's stouts and barrel-aged beers. Those are DEFINITELY worth getting. Wine Spot being one of those shops.

 

New Bodhi shipment should be out by then also, definitely keep an eye out for that.

 

If the shipment will be yon cleveland in a week, does that mean it is potentially out locally around Columbus now, or in the next couple days?

 

I don't think it's getting bottled until 5/15. Hitting stores that week most likely.

 

When was the last time you were in Cleveland? The Flats hasn't been bar after bar for 15 years. The new development down there is much different than the old party scene of years past. Its now just one main complex with a few other places nearby that are closer to upscale than anything. From ~2005 to ~2012, the east bank of the Flats was nothing but boarded up, dilapidated buildings.

 

I'll be in town Tuesday for work and going to the Indians game that night. Any good breweries or bars with a good tap list within walking distance of the park? Thanks in advance.