Saturday, March 16, 2013
Scene Magazine: Best of Cleveland 2013
The battle of the blogs has begun and I need your help. Cleveland Scene Magazine is having their annual best of issue. One of the categories is best blog. It would be cool if I could win it but I can't do it with you. If you like my articles, are making use of the Lakewood St. Patricks Day Guide, or simply want only Lakewood businesses to win go to the site and vote for Every Bar in Lakewood. There are a bunch of other businesses from Lakewood you can also vote for too. Go check it out, thanks!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Bar #30: The Flying Rib
This week's bar was picked because I was hungry. This is one of the few bars that comes right out and says we're good at this one specific type of food. The Flying Rib is bar #30 and I'm eating ribs tonight.
I entered the Flying Rib, which used a
mixture of antique ceiling, dark wood, and modernish designs. The
first room was all bar on the left and all four person booths on the
right. Unfortunately, there were five of us so we moved onto the dining room, decorated with a ton of beer sings and a punching bag machine. In the beginning, we had to order at the bar but both bartenders quickly switched over to serving us directly at the table.
I didn't write down what I drank.
Check back later and I'll have actual information here.
The salad was fine and
Check back later and I'll have actual information here.
The salad was fine and
I ordered a side salad, jalapeno
poppers and a half rack of ribs.
There's a lot to do at the Flying Rib,
most of which is in the third game room that takes up the right half
of the bar. They've got indoor cornhole, ping pong, darts and pool.
The game of the night however, was the electronic punching bag. A
group of guys were going back and forth on it. They were punching
hard enough that little Jurassic Park rings were appearing on the
beers. They started with using their fists. They then, upped the
ante to using their heads. The first head bunt hit as hard as some
of the weaker punches. The second guy slipped and almost put his
head into the machine. They went back to punching after that.
The Flying Rib had good service, food and a comfortable enough atmosphere. Everyone there was enjoying themselves and they had more than enough games to keep the good times rolling. There are plenty of reasons to go to the Flying Rib, their ribs are just the BBQ icing on the cake.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Every Bar in Lakewood's St. Patrick's Day Guide
Buckeye Beer Engine: Opens 6am.
6am-10am: Beer Mary Bar
6am-11am: Corned beef hash and eggs
They will have a corned beef sandwich, their famous O'Fatty melt (a burger between2 Rubens), the St. Patty Melt, The Classic Reuben and beverage specials including a bucket of Genessee Bock (5) for $8, Irish car bombs and Buckeye Brewing Redhead Irish stle Red Ale.
11am: Regular menu begins.
15215 Madison Ave
Merry Arts: Opens 7:30am.
7:30am: All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet
Wash down breakfast with a $4 Bloody Mary or a $5 Mimosa. You can also get a mug of Guinness for $6, keep the mug, and refill it for $4.50.
Corned beer dinners, sandwiches, and Rueben's will also be available.
15607 Detroit Ave
Shamrock Tavern: Opens 8am.
Bane Boy's preparade corned Beef Hash and Eggs Breakfast.
11am: Corned Beef Sandwiches and dinners while supplies last.
Full service liquor service. Loud tunes, ice cold beer and a part time bagpiper.
11922 Madison Ave
Can order food to come to the bar. $2 domestics, $3 Jameson, $3 Fireball Whiskey and other liquors except $3.50 Ketel One and Grey Goose.
15615 Madison Ave.
Plank Road Tavern: Opens 8am.
8am-10:30am: Breakfast buffet will be served from 8am till 10:30am and include eggs, bacon, sausage, hasbrowns, french toast, assorted pastries, a fruit tray.
10am-noon:Traditional Irish Music Session
12pm: Bagpipes march into the Plank's own Mike Sweeney
11am-Midnight: $10 Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner, $6 Corned Beef Sandwich with chips and a pickle, $8 Shepherd's Pie, $5 Fries and Curry Sauce, $6 Ceasar Salad, $7 Chicken Wings (hot, mild, BBQ, Chipotle BBQ, Dry Rub, Spicy Garlic), Plank burger.
3pm-7pm: Live Irish Music from “Tapped Out”
Throughout the day Live Irish Step Dancers.
16719 Detroit Ave
Irish Kevin's: Open 8am-2:30am
Corned beef sandwiches and dinner will be served throughout the day. You can wash them down with $3 pints of Guinness.
10am-1pm: Paul Frank
2pm: Bog Ponies (pipers)
13601 Detroit Ave
Harry Buffalo: Opens 8am.
Kegs & Eggs for breakfast. Corned Beef's on special. Get Das Boot and keep it for $10 plus $5 refills.
18605 Detroit Ave.
Corky's Place: Open 8am-1am.
8am-10am: .50 Domestics
10am-2pm: $1 Domestics
2pm-4pm: $1.50 Domestics
More surprise specials will be offered. You can get $7 Corned Beef Sandwiches, $8 Reubens and $7 Reuben Pizzas.
13302 Detroit Ave
Around the Corner: Opens 8:30 am.
Irish Brunch includes green beer, corned beef and cabbage. The first 100 people get a St. Patrick's Day shirt with purchase. They are a Rover's Morning Glory Crawl stop
3pm: Galens Irish Band
6-10pm Pop Rocks
10pm-close a DJ
18616 Detroit Ave
Mahall's 20 Lanes
Kick off your St. Patrick's Day, Sunday March 17th, with a 5K run to support Lakewood H2O celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2013. This year's event includes a great urban route through Lakewood's historic Birdtown neighborhood & is hosted by Mahall's Lanes featuring a post race party & brunch from 9 – Noon.
Online registration is open! www.runsignup.com/race/oh/lakewood/2ndannuallakewoodirisjigjog
13200 Madison Ave
Mars Bar: Opens 9am.
They will be making corned beef gyros; made with pita bread with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss, and thousand island or mustard ($5 corned beef gyros.) Wash it down with $5 green pitchers or some Green Elves (Mad Elf Beer Shots.) There will be tons of music with a Dj.
15314 Madison Ave
The Flying Rib: Opens 9am.
Serving authentic Irish fare including ordering extra corned beef to be sure they won't run out. They will have a full liquor license. They are a great destination before and after the parade, with pool tables, darts, ping pong, and indoor cornhole. Walking distance to the Rapid.
11926 Madison Ave
O'Donnell's Pub: Opens 10am.
Drink specials are: Guinness Draughts, Yuengling Black and Tan Pints, and Killians Irish Red and Irish Stout bottles are for $2.50. Harpoon Celtic Ale and Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale Bottles cost $3. Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey shots for $2.50. Jameson 8 year are $3 and 12 year are $4. The Gold Reserve (15 year) is $5. The St. Patricks Day favorite, Irish Car Bombs, are $4.
Corned beef sandwiches will run $6 starting at noon, while supplies last.
16204 Madison Ave
Lakewood Village Tavern: Opens 10am.
10am-7pm: Happy hour pricing
Corned beef sandwiches and dinners are on special.
13437 Madison Ave
Avenue Tap House: Opens 11am.
2pm-6pm: DJ RharvZ
8pm-Midnight: Dueling Pianos
18206 Detroit Ave
The Red Rose Cafe: Opens 11am.
They will be offering Corned Beef dinners at $9.75, Corned Beef Sandwiches at $6.50, and Reubens at $7 along with their full kitchen. Drink specials include $5 Guiness, $6 Miller Lite & Labatt Pitchers, $2 for the shot of the month.
14810 Madison Ave
Spitfire Saloon: Opens at noon.
Noon-7pm: $2 Jim Beam and $1 canned beer
1539 West 117th St.
The Corner Pub
They will be serving corned beef and and many other specials all day.
7pm: Dj playing 80s and 90s music followed later by old school hip hop. There will also be a contest for the most festive dressed contest.
12301 Madison Ave
Tarrymore Inn
They are offering corned beef and cabbage. Come in for a beer and see if you can find the free corned beef and cabbage at the end of the rainbow!
13356 Madison Ave
Pacers
Corned Beef Sandwiches, Reubens and corned beef dinners will be offered. You can also get 45 cent boneless wings and 50 cent wings all day and night. Shot specials include lil guinness and irish car bombs.
14600 Detroit Ave
Sweet Spot (Not a bar but still awesome)
The Sweet Spot will be featuring our Irish Cream gelato (which we always have...we make the Irish Cream liquor ourselves, it's very good) and a Porter Beer gelato that can be paired together to make a gelato Irish Car Bomb
17806 Detroit Ave
Bottoms Up
9pm: Goth Night!
1572 West 117th St
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Bar #29 Lakewood Village Tavern
Have you ever complained about the news being full of unhappy stories. There's a reason for that. Entirely happy stories are boring. So, I'm warning you ahead of time. I have nothing to complain or be snarky about bar #29, Lakewood Village Tavern.
Lakewood Village Tavern takes up two store fronts. On this cold snowy night the bar was full and we took a table. Amanda the bartender was quick to check on our table offering me a free sample of a beer I hadn't tried. It was recommended by a random woman at the bar. I liked it and ordered a cheaply priced 22oz Shock Top Wheat I.P.A. It was a little dark and had a little spice to it. It also went down smooth and didn't get a funk taste near the end.
The bar had some built in beer signs and wood paneling on the walls. They also had some dried tall grass on the walls, I assume in case some has need of emergency duck hunting. They have a second room with a bunch of TVs and a small stage that they use for karaoke and when a comedy group, the Village Idiot that comes on Wednesdays.
There are three bathrooms, one for ladies, women and men.
Game wise you are limited to the digital with Golden Tea and a mini casino hallway.
13437 Madison Ave.
216-521-0301
Sunday, February 17, 2013
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 117th 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
117th 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
Monday, February 11, 2013
Best Place to Buy Beer in Lakewood
The guantlet was thrown and the
champions nominated to answer the question: where is the best place
to buy (take-out) beer in Lakewood. There were the obvious favorites
known for their large beer varieties. It turned out Ward 4 carries
an extra enthusiasm for it's local beer providers nominating a third
of all the businesses and one more just on the other side of the
border. Each of the stores were friendly and proud of their
nomination. Many of the businesses offered me tours or at least
invited me to check out their beer selection.
Northcoast Wine and Beer took second
place with 13% of the vote. Northcoast beer has more beer per square
foot than any other business in Lakewood. I was given an extensive
tour of his store. Our own beer blogger Johnny Vanderford nominated
Northcoast Wine and Beer.
Our dark horse competitor was Beverage
Square. They came into this competition with no Facebook page and
only a single nomination. Their patrons quickly came to their social
rescue calling for more votes on both Facbook and on this website.
Their votes quickly caught up to a bid for second place. Beverage
Square came in third place with 12% of the vote. They have a beer
supply that will cover everyone's tastes and a better than expected
wine supply. They are also a reminder that good customer service can
keep local customers local. (Not that any of our nominated
businesses have bad customer service.)
The 4th through 9th
businesses are as follows:
4. Sam's Food and Beverage 11%
4. Moon's Food Store 11%
6. Rozi's Wine House 9%
6. Simone's Beverage 9%
8. Mini Mart Lakewood 8%
9. East End Market 4%
All the businesses that I visitted during this contest and previously are well run establishments. Each one has it's own reasons that keeps their customers coming back and reasons that you should check them out. Next time you are heading out to pick up a six pack try a different store than your used to. They might be what you've been looking for all along.
Epilogue
Due to the voting system we used, attempted cheating was rampant. I did have access to a spreadsheet
of all votes including times and IP addresses. The results as posted
are correct. We unfortunately weren't able to leave the graph up as
it refused to not show the cheated votes. This caused some of the
businesses to have hundreds of extra votes. In the future we will
use different voting systems. Thank you for your patience and for
reading!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Bar #26 Taco Tanto's
Nothing gets me in the mood for Mexican food like snow. I approached the small black and white sign with a splash of pepper surrounded by a bleak, monochrome winter scene. As I turned to walk into Taco Tantos it was like walking into Munchkin Land. Bright colors and smiling people were everywhere, empty space was at a minimum. Ten of us came to the taco joint taking up almost a third of the space.
Taco Tantos has all your normal Mexican/American fare. I went with the tacos, as their name suggested. The ingredients seemed fresh. The sauces on the table are a required addition to get the most out of your Taco Tantos Tacos. I liked the red it was a nice mixture of smokey and hot. The tacos are also huge. The chips and guacamole were good.
Taco Tantos strays from your standard Mexican and American domestic beers by giving an interesting mix of craft beer options in draft, bottle and can form. I started with a watermelon beer in a can that amazingly was neither awful nor watermelon syrup poured in the beer post fermentation. I then moved onto my preferred Mexican Domestic choice, Negra Modelo, on tap, which was better than the can-o-melon.
The question is Taco Tantos a bar? The bar is open two hours longer than the kitchen. One person came in while we were there to only drink beer. They have a selection of beer worth drinking even if you aren't eating. The bartender says that Taco Tantos is a restaurant with a bar but she then asked the owner's second opinion. He basically gave his permission for it to be referenced as a bar.
Taco Tantos has good beer and food. It's also small and you order from a line not just at random spots at the bar. This allows for munchkins to find it roomy and aren't looked over when trying to order. It's a fun, colorful environment and someone will probably bring their kids while you are there. It is a restaurant with a bar by design. But can be used as a bar with food without complaint. You should come get some tacos and interesting beer at Taco Tantos. Is it Bar #26? Sure, why not.
Awesome: Food (Taco), Craft Beer, Customer Service
13321 Madison Ave.
216.221.4479
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