The Tastiest Cocktail Bars in Cleveland

The Pavilion Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (64)

"My wife and I had lunch at the Pavilion restaurant today September 5 of 2024. We like the food at the at the grill. However, it is expensive, Some of the sides are a little bit on the small side and they're pricey also."

Larb Thai Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (209) • $$

"The food and service was great. The only issue I have with my experience there is that they have lunch prices, and I went during lunch time. When ordering. I got charged dinner prices. So please specify when you go there for lunch that you want lunch prices."

Grigio Wine & Cocktail Bar.

★★★★☆ 3.8 (13)

"Went here with some friends and had a great experience! The drinks were delicious, and the atmosphere of this bar was very cool. I loved the sitting area with lots of couches and chairs. Nice, roomy, clean bathroom in the basement. Kind, helpful, and informative staff. Affordable, as 3 drinks were $27. Would definitely go back!"

Divine Food Spirits Wine

★★★★★ 4.5 (34)

"This place is a gem - their butcher block steak and pork chop as well as chicken was amazing So fresh and moist. Staff is incredible. One of our new favs"

Mad Jack's Grill & Pub

★★★★☆ 4.1 (158) • $$

"One of very favorite spots here in Aurora! Quaint inside and out. While the parking situation could be improved, the wait staff and the great food make up for it! Just love Mad Jacks!!"

Summer Place

★★★★☆ 4.4 (391) • $$$

"Came here for my friends birthday this time and it was, again, delicious!We got a pizza and burger to share!! The short bread pizza was so yummy!! You kind of get a steak for cheaper in my eyes... right? either way it was good and the entire pizza was gone!!The burger was the perfect counter part!! Cooked perfectly as we asked and the fries were so crispy...(the best way to eat fries!!!) We even got a cheese cake to celebrate our friend's birthday!!! And we of course... all got espresso martinis!!! Delicious and gave us more energy to keep yapping all night!! Thank you summer place for another great birthday celebration!!"

Hibachi & Mexican Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (20)

"Great attitude staffs makes you feel very welcoming. Great taste of food, my baby barely finished his portion which was so tasty and filling. Tortilla chips and fresh salsa were free while waiting. Can't be better!"

Birdietown Mini Golf + Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.2 (18)

"A great way to spend a cold Cleveland day! Inventive drinks and old classics that you take with you while you play. There is also a waitress/waiter on the course to get refills. Upstairs is bright but a little cramped with the 9 holes and dining tables. The downstairs 9 was more spacious but darker and a different vibe. Both floors have bars too. Upstairs has more tables and downstairs lounge seating. The wings to start (not pictured) had just the right level of spice and came 6 to an order. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the short rib grilled cheese was delicious with a tomato jam. Drinks run 14-18$, apps 12-16$, entrees 17-20$."

Navarro’s Bar & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3 (35) • $$$

"Navarro's Chophouse is newly opened in Grove City and I took a large group to taste the new menu. Located in the former Cannon's Chophouse location, the Navarros have offered a very accessible menu with juicy steaks, burgers and pastas all with a bit of Spanish and Latin American flavor added in. The restaurant itself is quite nice inside. Outside there is a covered patio with a fireplace perfect for dining alfresco while the weather is nice. The service is also fantastic even while new. Kudos for everyone handling our crowd of 20 with smiles!I enjoyed the 12 oz Sirloin which was very tender and cooked perfectly to temp. All of the appetizers were delicious - especially the Papas Bravas and Fried Green Tomatoes. I heartily recommend Navarro's - not just for a special occasion but also for a fun night out and tasty meal on a regular day."

The Green Dragon Inn

★★★★★ 5 (6)

"I had an amazing experience at the green dragon inn. The game list was endless and easy to navigate. The drinks were unique and well priced. The food was good and had a decent number of options. A special shoutout to my bartender/gamemaster Zach for making sure that we always had what we needed and could find even the most obscure game/drink request nearly instantaneously. I wish there was some way you could see how great this place is from the outside of the building because wow you really are transported when you go inside and I would have been here sooner had I known how great it was."

Tres Potrillos

★★★★☆ 3.6 (279) • $$

"Great customer service, food portions were plentiful and Mexican cocktail drinks were made with perfection! Location is conveniently close to everything nearbyFrom retail plazas, interstate highways and local hospital(s). In overall, the service may be slow at times but always feel free to wave or give a signal for the servers to arrive to your table.other than that, the Tres Portillos restaurant delieversauthenticity, hospitality and good mood food."

Edacious

★★★★☆ 4.4 (38)

"Love this new place! The food done by Chef Anthony is incredible, the sseared halibut had so much flavor, the focaccia bread melts in your mouth. Service is back! Fernando was so good to us and with a smile on hIs face! The atmosphere has a great vibe, fun. Nice wine and interesting cocktail list. New favorIte!!"

The Whiskey Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (3)

"We went here for dinner on a Friday night. We were excited to try this place, however it was very disappointing. The food from the pictures and reviews did not look great so we're not expecting much. It was below average, and definitely not worth the price. The best thing we had were the mashed potatoes, and we had ordered the lamb and steak. The service was slow, granted it was a busy Friday night, but could not even get our water refilled. We got our food before our drinks had even arrived. Overall atmosphere was pretty cool, and the selection of bourbon was great, but this place had a lot of kinks to work out. Bottom line, would not recommend. Go somewhere else."

OH Taco

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (97) • $$

"This is not the best taco joint in which I've ever eaten. In fact, it may not even be the best taco joint in downtown Sandusky. BUT...This place is cool, fun, has a great drink selection, has great atmosphere and has great views of Sandusky bay.AND... The food and service are pretty good too. I, personally, would skip the carne asada taco, but EVERY other taco was, yeah, you guessed it, pretty good.If I gave OH Taco less than 5 stars, my kids would disown me."

Dolce At The Strand

★★★★★ 4.7 (27)

"Great selection of gelato. Prompt service. Fun atmosphere. Adult beverages available but menu is appropriate for families too."

The Richfield Brewing

★★★★☆ 3.6 (22)

"The town has been talking, and the town has been waiting! The Richfield Brewing Company truly delivered elegance, details, and such welcoming aesthetics. I'm not a huge beer fan, but I'm always around for the food. I wish I had a bigger stomach to eat more, but there were so many options on the menu that I didn't have a chance to try. I also have a deadly nut allergy, so I was happy to hear that the kitchen was cautious with cross contamination. And something that caught my eye was the Kimchi dishes. I'm half Korean, and I normally don't mix cuisines much, but when I return, I will be brave and be open minded! What we ordered: * Antipasto Whip * Papas Frescas* Happy Burger with Peppered Fries * Bodega Reuben with Peppered Fries Our server was Kim - and she shared she hasn't tried the food yet! Let her try some to share with your guests! We want to know their personal opinions and their bias choices. Overall, excited it finally opened, and we can't wait to go back when friends and family visit during the holidays."

Chuy’s Tacos and Margaritas

★★★★★ 4.9 (15)

"Not Your Average TacoI don't know about you, but I hate boring, repetitive things. Getting out of bed. Every single day. Fixing your hair. Every single day. Doing laundry. Every single day. Paying bills. Every single day. Mexican Food. (Okay, a lot, but not every single day.)How did Mexican Food make the list? Because it is usually boring and repetitive (like folding laundry). Every plate looks the same. It's all covered in the same sauces with a side plate of rice/beans/lettuce. Nothing stands out. Nothing slaps you in the face. Nothing says carpe diem!! So, when we made a stop at Chuys Tacos I was prepared for what was to come. Yawn. Margarita, chips and salsa and a good but mundane dish. Nope. Chuys slapped me in the face, hard. Like a slow-mo open handed, wake your a$$ up, scorned woman slap. And I loved it. Their street tacos are AMAZING. In Portland OR there is an authentic Mexican food truck I visited and Chuys could give them a run for their money. My fav? The shrimp street taco. Lightly seared shrimp, cabbage, mango salsa, and a gentle sauce. A little side of pickled carrot, fresh radish and cucumber seems like a small thing, but it isn't. So good. My husband got the nachos grande and said they were the best he's had. The word fresh kept coming up. We had cocktails, local bar level...but good! Here's the bow on the package, they have tons (15?) margarita flavors. Ginger, blackberry, prickly pear, mango....Can't make up your mind? Get a flight of margaritas. Yes. A flight. It made me want to travel, see the world, let the laundry lay in the washer, let my hair whip in the wind. Best part, it's all served with a smile and nothing makes food taste better than that. This tiny little spec of a town holds quite the gem. Stop at Chuys. Tell them Kim sent you. It will mean nothing to them, but it'll make me feel cool. If you go at during the right time of the year, you can finish your meal and walk across the street to the Creamery and get some really good ice cream. Now go make your bed and do the laundry."

Volstead Bar

★★★★★ 4.7 (38) • $$

"Absolutely fantastic. Had lovely absinthe served with the drip and a well crafted Ramos gin fizz (aka New Orleans fizz). Small, intimate and cozy. Exposed brick walls and heavy gray curtains complete the speak easy feel. Well crafted Sazaracks - when poorly crafted they taste like cough syrup. This was well balanced and delish. The caipirinha was expertly mixed as well. About four craft beers on tap."

Monarca Cantina

★★★★☆ 4.1 (90) • $$

"This was my second visit, and the service was fantastic both times--they've consistently gotten it right. What makes this place truly amazing is the unexpected charm: you think you're stepping into a small restaurant, but it opens up into a spacious area with incredible ambience. The decor is artistic yet tasteful, striking a perfect balance of quality without feeling tacky. The food is outstanding and authentic, standing out among the Latin restaurants I've tried in the Medina area. This one is a cut above the rest--definitely a top contender!"

The Brick House

★★★★☆ 3.7 (34)

"Everything about this restaurant was fabulous! Our server, Jennifer, we can't say enough about her! We felt like our friend waited on us the whole time she gave us great suggestions and nothing disappointed. Food was spectacular. And, it was the day of the eclipse so it was busy But, you never would've known because she was such a pro and clearly so is the kitchen because the food came out in such timely manner. They had two eclipse shirts left and made sure we got them. We had some very best time. We are from Michigan, and it was so lovely, it's worth a trip back."

Cast Iron Bar & Grille

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (8)

"Amazing food and even better customer service! Love the family style all you can meat crab legs! Was a hit with the family!"

Paloma

★★★★☆ 3.9 (62) • $$

"Sat at a high top table in the bar area. My friend and i made it in time for happy hour so we had good margaritas on the rocks with salt. For our second ones we tried the hibiscus margaritas. My friend liked her hibiscus more, I preferred the house marg more, both great. Lakeisha was our server, she gave us space and had the perfect balance of attentive as well. Never felt ignored but not rushed. She was great and funny We started with the nachos. They were delicious, the cheese was so good but it did make them sort of a challenge to rip out of the nacho pile. I had the mushroom taco and cauliflower burnt ends. Loved my taco but I wouldn't have known it had mushrooms on it tbh. The cauliflower burnt ends were good and so interesting the way they smelled exactly like smoked meat. Cool interiors, neat little spot. This is not a cheap place. A happy hour marg was $9. Nachos without meat were $15. Location of course to be considered."

Los Cabos

★★★☆☆ 3 (3)

"Our family always has a great time dining here. Fast, friendly, and affordable service. Definitely on our monthly dining list! I would also like to mention we are pretty picky, they always deliver!"

Stella's Restaurant and Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (216) • $$$

"Enjoyed this stunning salmon burger that was obviously homemade Delicious and very satisfying. Service was superb and atmosphere lovely. Four stars as the non-alcoholic Stella's was far overpriced at $8."

The Garden of Eden

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (29)

"My family has been wanting to come here for a while, and we had a great time! We were worried about it getting too busy, so we came right when it opened. You order food and drinks at the bar, and when it's ready, you grab it and bring it back to your table. I love the rooftop vibe overlooking Cleveland. Loved the neon signs and hanging garland. The food was phenomenal, and the music was definitely dance worthy."

Tiki Underground

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (38) • $$

"My husband and I love the Tiki. It's a great atmosphere with good food and drinks. They have good live music and a nice outdoor area to hang out in. I recommend."

Pineapple Eddie Southern Bistro

★★★★★ 4.5 (435) • $$

"Great place to eat in Erie! Family run business. A variety of creative homemade foods. And a dessert bar to choose from with amazing desserts!"

Boiler Room

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (31)

"I will always root for Lorain. While I didn't grow up here, I've always thought there was so much potential to make this a premier lakeside entertainment destination. The downtown area has long lacked a quality dining experience to draw people to the lakeshore. The Boiler Room looks every bit the part of the kind of place to bring a younger crowd into Lorain. The aesthetic definitely captures the industrial roots of the city built on steel and lake water. Our server, Holly, was very attentive and exceptionally apologetic in breaking the bad news of their empty Oktoberfest keg. We substituted said Oktoberfests for the Shipyards own Strawberry Wheat, which would be exceptionally refreshing on a summer patio, and the local Bascule Brewery Sweet Potato seasonal. I love local restaurants supporting another local brewery. I also tried the Shipyards Pilsner, which packed a little more flavor than a standard Pilsner with floral notes.The food was good, not great. The Walleye filet was exceptional in size, but mediocre in flavor. While the fish itself was well cooked and perfectly moist, the batter lacked flavor of any sort. I will say that I've likely had better tater tots in my life, but I can't remember when. The Chicken BLT was highlighted by its pretzel. The chicken itself, like the walleye, was perfectly cooked though lacked seasoning. You should judge a restaurant's bathroom quality in near the same regard as its food quality. A clean and well decorated bathroom indicates attention to detail, which is obviously vital to the success of any business. The Boiler Room checks this box with authority. The restroom is decorated just as tastefully as the dining space, and I appreciate that more than they know.I'll definitely be back, though I'll be exploring the menu more."

Rox Gastropub

★★★★★ 4.6 (52) • $$

"Wonderful little spot, we had dinner here while visiting Wooster OH. One of the best wood fired pizzas I've ever had! The homemade crust is outa this world!Special thank you to our waitress Colleen for make our experience wonderful and welcoming of service dogs"

Farnsworth Cocktail Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (31)

"We desperately needed a spot like this in the area. Elevated, smaller menu, trendier vibe but still welcoming to all. The food is always fresh, the staff is helpful, and it's a great place to bring friends or just sit at the bar by yourself. Menu staples like the burger or the NOLA shrimp are always good, I love the rotating oysters, and my husband and I agreed they have the best cocktails in town. The menu changes often - some of my recent favorites are the springtime gnocchi, scallops, the caviar and chips app. Thankfully you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Even their little side salad is a favorite of mine! I've made it a habit to come once a week, but if you haven't been before - get there early! Because the food is fresh, sometimes they run out later in the evening."

Elle Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.3 (62)

"Two of us had a reservation during happy hour. On arrival we were told that there were no more tables available for happy hour so we would have to sit at the bar to get the specials- if we wanted a table we would have to order from the dinner menu. We chose bar seating but there were several empty tables the whole time we were there so I'm not sure what that was about.The place was clean and the atmosphere was nice for conversation. This was our first visit so we ordered a few things to share; a burger with fries, a flatbread, and some pasta. Everything was flavorful although I usually like my fries a bit crispy. The drinks were good and all of the staff were very friendly."

Society Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.1 (326) • $$

"Since moving downtown in 2019, going to Society Lounge's "Miracle on E 4th" holiday pop-up bar on the Saturday after Thanksgiving has become an annual tradition. Usually I go with friends to kick off the season after the annual tree lighting in Public Square. This year, I ended up going beforehand and I'm so glad I did -- otherwise, I may not have been able to get in at all. My friend showed up 10 minutes or so before they opened (at 4pm) and they told her that they were still getting set up. She decided to quickly pop into the 5th Street Arcade while waiting for the bar to officially open. Upon returning, the host stationed outside on E 4th asked if she had a reservation and denied her re-entry when she told him no. She thought this was odd given that she had just been there a few minutes prior. When I joined her, we asked the host if we could in the very least go down to sit at the bar versus at a table. We were told we could only go down to use the restroom because they were all full, and that we'd need to come back upstairs to be officially admitted. We looked at each other and seized our opportunity. Upon descending, I noticed some familiar festive decor, but not as much as past years and that all the lights weren't on like usual. We then turned the corner and realized that they were not crowded whatsoever! This was seriously so strange given that the host had told us there was no room for us. We decided to take a few pictures with the Buddy The Elf display and sit at the bar anyway, where we easily found two open seats. There were definitely not enough bartenders. I had to grab our own menu at the downstairs host stand and it took at least 15-20 minutes for us to get waters and even asked what we wanted. At that point, my friend got a text saying they were ready to seat us, so I guess whatever they were using to gauge wait times was accurate. It was just very surprising given that this is always a busy night and the bar was not even remotely full yet. I ordered the new addition to the menu: Marshmallows and Unicorns. It came with a skewer of marshmallows with a soaked cherry in between. It was delicious! My friend got the Santarex. She also wanted a souvenir pin. After waiting 10 mins or so we were told they were already out but would have more in a few weeks. Between when we ordered and when we got our drinks, I went upstairs to re-add my name to the waiting list so we could get back in after the tree lighting. The host admitted to me that he was new and would do his best to get me back in later but couldn't make any promises. Later that evening, I never got a text about being ready to be seated or anything, so we decided to go elsewhere. I hope all of this was just early holiday season growing pains, but I do worry that these issues could persist. I can't even imagine what it might have been like later that evening with a Cavs game, concert at House of Blues, the tree lighting and fireworks, and Small Business Saturday all happening simultaneously. With 8 other holiday pop-up bars now, maybe skip this one if you've gone in the past or go during the week."

The Last Page

★★★★☆ 4.2 (214) • $$$

"The last page has great ambience. I love coming here. The prices are a little excessive however it doesn't make me stop coming. They have happy hour Tuesday through Sunday from 4 to 6 where they have $10 appetizers. I think half off wine and beer and discounted select cocktails. I got some vanilla pear old-fashioned that I don't know really was unsatisfying, but I didn't send it back. I tried to drink it. I couldn't finish it. The next drink. I had however was delicious. I'm trying to remember the name and failing. I'll update this review if I can remember, it was tequila based with tajin, bitters and came out smoked. Oh! Got it. THE MYSTIC. GET IT!"

La Troje

★★★★☆ 3.9 (16)

"Quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Friendly, attentive staff. Beverages were ice cold. Salsa had that 'Vitamin C' bite of tanginess. Fresh vegetables burst like sweet, succulent flavor-amulets in your mouth. Refried beans are on, like now and laters. Meats melted in my mouth.I can't wait to return for seconds."

Fat Cats

★★★★☆ 4.2 (472) • $$

"Really loved the vibe here although we had to wait for like 30mins or so to be sited because it was fully packed. Keep that in mind as they don't take reservations over the phone unless you are there in person. The atmosphere was great, great lighting and energy all over the place, the service was really good as well and the food was good although I think a bit overpriced for what it is.. We had we pierogis to share which were delicious but we were disappointed to see that we only received 2 pieces.. for $10 we were honestly expecting a bit more than that.. We then ordered the fried chicken sandwich and the crab melt which were delicious but also felt a bit short when seeing their price $13 and $15 respectively. We had a good time and the food was really good but I do think the prices should align a bit more since they felt a bit excessive for what we got"