Friday Night
Soho Chicken + Whiskey
The best fried chicken in Cleveland, with a bar to match.
Ohio City's best dinner spot. Warm, buzzy, not fussy. They do Southern food seriously — the chicken has a crust that holds up, the sides are legitimately made, and the whiskey list is curated not just collected.
Starters
Fried Green Tomato with Elote
The standout of the entire menu — don't miss it
Pimento Cheese
Classic, done well, order with bread
Fancy Deviled Eggs
Better than they sound
Mains
Fried Chicken (bone-in)
Ask for bone-in — better flavour, better crust
Sides: Mac & cheese + Collard greens
Smoky gouda mac, greens with good acid
Steak Frites
Good if you want something different from chicken
🥃 At the Bar
Their hot sauce is exceptional — they sell bottles, buy one.
Ask what bourbon cocktails they're doing — usually a few specials
Don't go too hard here — The Whiskey Bar is next
The Whiskey Bar
A wall of scotch. A bartender who knows it. That's the whole pitch.
Cleveland Heights institution. Not a cocktail bar — a whisky bar. Come with intent. The bartenders have guided hundreds of flights and genuinely enjoy the process. Let them lead.
🥃 Scotch Strategy
Tell them your entry point — "I like Glenfiddich 12" or "I usually drink Laphroaig" — and they'll build from there
Ask for a guided flight of 3 — they'll pick a progression. Palate cleanser between each.
Regions to explore: Speyside (fruity, floral), Highland (rich, complex), Islay (peaty, smoky), Lowland (light, grassy)
If you want to push it: ask for something you've never heard of — they stock bottles you won't find at a regular bar
Saturday
Masthead Brewing Co.
Best pizza in Cleveland. The beer is just as good.
Order at the bar, buzzer tells you when food's ready, find a table. Zero pretension. The pizza is genuinely extraordinary for a brewery — personal-sized, wood-fired, thin crust with serious toppings. Don't let the casual format fool you.
Food
Whatever pizza is on the seasonal menu
Just order it — people describe it as the best pizza they've ever had
Soft Pretzel
Get it. It's somehow perfect.
🍺 Beer
Order the flight — 4 samples, lets you try seasonal taps before committing
Ask what's new — they rotate regularly and always have something interesting
Their IPAs and lagers are consistently well-made
Griffin Cider House & Gin Bar
The gin night. Come with curiosity.
Lakewood neighbourhood pub that takes gin as seriously as The Whiskey Bar takes scotch. Cozy, dimly lit, bar up front and a lounge in the back. Bartenders are genuinely into it — tell them what you know and they'll take you somewhere interesting.
🍸 Gin Strategy
Styles to know: London Dry (classic, juniper-forward), Contemporary (floral, citrus), Old Tom (slightly sweeter), Navy Strength (high ABV, punchy)
Ask for a gin flight — tell them "we want to understand the range"
Cocktail recs: G&T with a specific tonic pairing, Negroni if they're making one well, Gimlet for something clean
Also order: a cider flight — the cider program is legit and worth trying alongside gin
Sit at the bar first, move to back lounge when you've settled in
Sunday
The South Side
The right way to end a weekend.
Tremont neighbourhood favourite. Big windows, good light, weekend brunch that punches way above its price. Don't let the casual neighbourhood bar framing fool you — the food is legitimately excellent. The mini donut flight is somehow the most memorable thing on the menu.
Order These
Smash Burger
One of the best in Cleveland
Nachos
Legitimately great — not an afterthought
Mini Donut Flight
Described as "a spiritual experience" by multiple reviewers
Biscuits and Gravy
Best I've ever had, apparently