Bar #28 Bottoms Up (Deceased)

It was the best of bars it was the worst of bars. This week's blog is a story of happy people, charity and shenanigans. I helped sponsor the food for an LGBT event, giving me a chance to meet staff and this bar's community. Bar #28 is Bottoms Up.

Bottoms Up is one of our borderland bars. It faces Cleveland on 117^th with windows full of drink and rainbow neon lights. They have parking in the back and have use of their neighbor's as well. Bottoms Up has two bars, a raised stage area, a VIP section and a stripper pole surrounded by mirrors.

We attempted to find tables in the basement. What we found instead was a second, unused, subterranean bar with a lot of floor space. There wasn't anything we could use for extra table space however. Luckily, someone else had a table in their car we could use.

We set up our tables offering an assortment of Costco sandwich rolls and sushi, both of which, were actually pretty good. Pizza was also provided. The people that came and donated their $10 along with all you can eat also received a free drink ticket donated by Bottoms Up along with the provided unlimited food.

While I was waiting for the event to start I decided to use the bathroom. Unfortunately, their big dispenser was out of tp. I went back out to let them know. Fifteen minutes and three people later a single roll of embroidered paper was found, the kind your grandmother would use. Afterwards, when I went to dry my hands there was only a single piece of paper towel left and it sadly fell to the floor. The women's bathroom wasn't any better. It had a Windex bottle stored in a hole prepared for it in the wall, one stall taped shut and it too only had one piece of paper towel that sadly fell to the ground.

The TVs around the bar weren't running this evening but instead had the graphics used in late 90s screen savers. The rest of Bottoms Up had a plethora of light effects going. These were good additions for people dancing and didn't make you feel like you were going to go blind or have a seizure.

Jonn learns whisky on the rocks
is just a shot with some ice.

The bartending staff was friendly when I arrived but were switched out with new bartenders early on. Their credit card machines weren't working in the beginning. They were able to get people to the bar to fix them that evening. We had used up our tickets before the credit card machines were fixed so my friends, Jonn and Lynn, came with me out into the arctic tundra of 117^th to find an ATM. We found 5/3 Bank a couple buildings up from Bottoms Up. It's only ATM was in the drive-thru. After inserting the first of our three cards into the machine a car pulled up behind us. The guy that pulled up behind us went on to mock us with back in my day style old man sayings as we took out our money. Everything he said seemed to be very funny but the nervousness of making cars wait for us in the drive-thru while slowly succumbing to frost bite might have had something to do with it.

I converted our mini-adventure into Yuenglings. Creamcicles and other such mixed drinks were also had by the group. The none beers all came in plastic cups, which makes perfect sense in this venue. When you see how much liquid is actually in a normal whisky on the rocks you'll probably want to order a double.

The DJ from Pink Flash Productions, kept the music lively. She also works with autistic children doing swimming pool therapy during the daytime hours.

The night was a success. The LGBT Cleveland Delegates going to El Salvador made over $1300. My blog and I was introduced to the crowd. Everyone but one angry man standing out it the cold not wanting to donate money had a great time.

Bottoms Up is a bar that is greater than its parts. They welcome people of all sexualities and genders, celebrating our diversity.  It plans plenty of events to keep its patrons entertained, inlcuding drag shows, girl and guy nights, and is often packed wall to wall. Bottoms Up is for sale and that may if not excuse but at least explain why everything isn't always up to expectations. Bottoms Up isn't just a bar for its patrons to drink and dance at but a place that helps to fuse its community into a stronger, better one. Everyone that comes in usually has a good time and the drinks are rarely a let down. Bar #28, Bottoms Up, is the #1 gay bar in Lakewood and its patrons are making sure that it stays that way. Come check it out and have a night you won't want to forget.

Awesome: LGBT, Dancing, Events

1572 W 117th St.

216-221-0065

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Bar #9, The Church Bar (Deceased)

A preacher, a nun, and a blogger walk into a church. The blogger goes to the preacher, what's good? The preacher answers: Beer! When I look around this house of worship, I see a mixture of gay and straight people with plenty of good beers on tap. At Bar #9, The Church Bar, drinking is a religious experience.

There is a new trend in Lakewood. Bars are beginning to open that really try to be unique and want to be the place you want to keep coming back to. The Church Bar is one of those bars. They invested over 45 thousand dollars into renovating and revamping McGintys Achill Isle Pub. They've created a warm and inviting environment with sofas, a fireplace and a noticeably clean environment. The bathrooms are immaculate. The Church Bar is a good mixture of the cozy and comfortable with random Christian iconography and fanciness.

My beer of the night was another from Six Point called Resin. 6 Point takes what's left over from their pilsner vats and make the beer from that. It tastes like a darker IPA..that's been scraped off the side a vat. But I liked it! Christopher was the bartender of the night, I was told that he makes perfect drinks by a bartender that comes to the Church to drink. They didn't have food, so I had more beer to wash my beer down with.

A man in black had been staring at our table on and off all evening. He eventually put together the courage to come over and talk to our resident preacher. I assume he was looking to get lucky. Unfortunately, once he found out that Aidan's boss is God, he shot himself down with the excuse that Aidan wouldn't like him. He spent most of the rest of the time we were there sitting by himself. Don't be this guy, be social and give yourself a chance to be shot down.

The Church Bar has a nice pool table. They also have a trivia game on Wednesdays that's a lot of fun and isn't afraid to admit that their game is actually for adults.

The Church bar isn't your stereotypical gay bar. This isn't a dance club and you can hear people talking below a yell. When asked why people come to this bar two of the primary reasons were this is a chill and relaxed environment and because this is a bar where everyone feels comfortable coming. The Church bar has made it, its mission to create a space where everyone is equals regardless of gender or orientation. They are currently the #3 ranked gay bar in all of Cleveland. If you want to go to a bar where you'll have a good time and meet friendly, interesting people in a great environment then come to the Church Bar. It's not a bar for gay people, it's a bar for people. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Awesome: Craft Beer, Atmosphere, Customer Service, LGBT

13751 Madison Ave.

(216) 226-1770

https://www.facebook.com/thechurchbar