87 West at Crocker Park
287 Crocker Park Blvd, Westlake, 440-250-2334, 87west2.com. Comfortable furniture and a coffee-house feel, featuring 2-ounce wine pours rather than cappuccino.
806 Martini & Wine Bar
806 Literary Road, Cleveland, 216-862-2912, 806cleveland.com. No TVs, no games, no distractions. Just romance in the air.
ABC Tavern
1872 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-861-3857, abcthetavern.com. This renovated Ohio City standard is raising the bar on the dive-bar scene.
Around the Corner Saloon & Café
18616-20 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-521-4413, atccafe.com. One of the West Side's most happening places. The large patio is a must-visit spot on summer nights and has heat lamps for chilly ones.
Beer Engine
15315 Madison Ave, Lakewood, 216-226-2337, buckeyebeerengine.com. An extensive beer list that connoisseurs will love, plus gourmet burgers and vegetarian options.
The Brothers Lounge
11609 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-226-2767, brotherslounge.com. Three-venue establishment: upscale wine bar with a piano stage, neighborhood pub and music venue.
Clark Bar
1201 Clark Ave, Cleveland, 216-344-9999. Its location has kept it out of the way of Tremont's hipster influx.
The Cornerstone Brewing Co.
58 Front St, Berea, 440-239-9820, cornerstonebrewing.com. This relative newbie to the microbrew scene (it's been open just six years) features eight beers on tap, including the house rootbeer.
Dragonfly Lounge
1865 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-669-7774, dragonflycleveland.com. From the couple who brought us the Garage Bar comes a hip, sleek club right next door.
Edison's Pub
2373 Professor Ave, Cleveland, 216-522-0006, edisonspub.com. Squeeze into the small barroom, spread out in the booths in back, or bring the whole gang and take over the backyard patio.
Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon
24581 Lorain Road, North Olmsted, 440-801-1001, fatheadscleveland.com. A Pittsburgh import, but Cleveland seems to have forgiven them: The place is always packed.
The Flying Monkey Pub
819 Jefferson Ave, Cleveland, 216-861-6659, flyingmonkeypub.com. Corner bar with a laid-back vibe and tons of regulars.
Garage Bar
1859 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-696-7772, thegaragebar.net. The happy-hour crew congregates with rockers and bikers. In warm weather, the large patio is a big draw.
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
2516 Market Ave, Cleveland, 216-771-4404, greatlakesbrewing.com. The landmark city brewery has heavy-hitting beers and features an indoor patio and outdoor seating.
The Harp
4408 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-939-0200, the-harp.com. A laid-back Irish pub with a large patio and live music.
Happy Dog
5801 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-651-9474. This Detroit Shoreway spot gels grit with grooves and serves a killer hot dog. Live music on weekends.
Hotz's Café
2529 W 10th St, Cleveland, 216-771-7004, hotzcafe.com. A down-home neighborhood establishment with plenty of locals and a shuffleboard table.
Johnny Malloy's
17103 Detroit Road, Lakewood, 216-529-1400; 33475 Lake Road, Avon Lake, 440-933-7000; 34263 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville, 440-327-5300; 11636 Clifton Blvd, Cleveland, 216-961-9818, johnnymalloys.com. A local sports bar chain where the game's always on the big screen.
Kenilworth Tavern
18204 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-226-6882, areyoukenilworthy.com. A Lakewood bar through and through. Old, relaxed, everyone knows your name.
Lava Lounge
1307 Auburn Ave, Cleveland, 216-589-9112, coolplacestoeat.com. DJs spin some of the hottest music every night of the week. Enjoy martinis, wine and an eclectic menu in an intimate living room setting.
Lincoln Park Pub
2609 W 14th St, Cleveland, 216-621-2240, lpptremont.com. Legendary taco Tuesdays and a vibrant, communal dining room contribute to the always-convivial atmosphere.
Major Hoopple's Riverbed Café
1930 Columbus Road, Cleveland, 216-575-0483. The spot for regulars, with a fantastic view of downtown and the Cuyahoga River.
Market
1137 Linda St, Rocky River, 440-799-4292, marketbeer.com. The upscale sports bar offers a hearty craft beer selection and a bar food menu.
Market Avenue Wine Bar
2521 Market Ave, Cleveland, 216-696-9463, marketavewinebar.com. Tiny, Victorian-style wine bar with a knowledgeable staff and a fantastic wine selection.
McNulty's Bier Markt
1948 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-274-1010, bier-markt.com. A sleek bar open 364 days a year, serving 99 types of Belgian and Belgian-style beer.
The Old Angle
1848 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-861-5643, oldangletavern.com. A classy, low-key Irish pub that often features live acoustic acts.
Panini's Bar & Grill
17209 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-938-8930; 23800 Detroit Ave, Westlake, 440-250-5550, paninisgrill.com. Laid-back local hangout.
The Parkview
1261 W 58th St, Cleveland, 216-961-1341, parkviewniteclub.com. Hard on the outside, music to your ears on the inside.
P.J. McIntyre's Irish Pub
17119 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-941-9311, pjmcintyres.com. An Irish pub in very Irish West Park. Features free Wi-Fi and local bands with an Irish flair.
Prosperity Social Club
1109 Starkweather Ave, Cleveland, 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com. This Art Deco bar features a daily fish fry, local bands and tons of funky tchotchkes.
The Pub Rocky River
19304 Detroit Road, Rocky River, 440-356-6933, luvthepub.com. A vibrant, British-themed bar with a generous helping of fun and flair.
The Public House
17219 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-252-6608. An Irish pub in West Park that's a favorite among locals.
The Avenue Tap House
18206 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-228-1442. Take a break from the frenetic front room, and bowl a few rounds with friends in the back alley.
Reddstone
1261 W 76th St, Cleveland, 216-651-6969, thereddstone.com. Tough meets sexy at this neighborhood spot tucked into the Detroit Shoreway. Loud, crowded and high-energy, with a gorgeous, leafy patio and great bar food.
Rivals' Sports Grille
6710 Smith Road, Middleburg Heights, 216-267-0005, rivalscleveland.com. New sports pub with two separate bars, free Wi-Fi and an upscale neighborhood feel.
The Rush Inn
17800 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-221-3224; 35840 Chester Road, Avon, 440-937-3252, therushinn.com. West Siders have long held a soft spot for the original Rush Inn. Now a second location has joined the fray.
Savannah Bar & Grille
30676 Detroit Road, Westlake, 440-892-2266, thesavannah.com. Big drinks and the blues make a perfect combo. Features live music seven nights a week.
The South Side
2207 W 11th St, Cleveland, 216-937-2288, southsidecleveland.com. A huge patio and indie musicians contribute good vibes to this local favorite. Wear a suit. Wear jeans. Whatever you decide, you won't feel out of place.
Speakeasy
1948 W 25th St, Cleveland, 216-274-1010, speakeasy216.com. A sexy, low-lit downstairs bar serving up culinary cocktails and DJs spinning eclectic music.
Stone Mad
1306 W 65th St, Cleveland, 216-281-6500. A clay bocce court meshes well with the Irish-themed pub. The stone patio is also a not-to-miss summer spot.
Sullivan's Irish Pub
13368 Madison Ave, Cleveland, 216-529-8969, sullivansirishpub.net. Warm up by the stove, eat fish and chips, and ponder the wall covered in Ireland's native last names.
Touch Supper Club
2710 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-631-5200, touchohiocity.com. Dance to nationally known DJs at this modern take on a 1940s supper club.
The Treehouse
820 College Ave, Cleveland, 216-696-2505, treehousecleveland.com. A laid-back Tremont watering hole that attracts locals to its huge patio.
Tremont Tap House
2572 Scranton Road, Cleveland, 216-298-4451, tremonttaphouse.com. 100-plus beers and killer food make this off-the-beaten-path bar a must-visit.
Twist Social Club
11633 Clifton Blvd, Cleveland, 216-221-2333, twistsocialclub.com. A hopping nightclub that's a favorite with the hip gay crowd.
Union Café and Bounce Nightclub
2814 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-357-2997, clevelandcocktails.com. A gay bar to rival Chicago's best.
Velvet Tango Room
2095 Columbus Ave, Cleveland, 216-241-8869, velvet
tangoroom.com. Cleveland's worst-kept secret. Expert bartenders mix classic cocktails found nowhere else in town. You'll enjoy being civilized.
West End Tavern
18514 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-521-7684, westendtav.com. West Side bar hoppers come here for a break from the party scene. It's chill but busy, with a fantastic bloody mary bar on weekends.
West Park Station
17015 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-476-2000, westparkstation.com. Local hot spot for the West Park crowd, a melting pot of ethnicities and age groups.
The Winchester Music Hall
12112 Madison Ave, Lakewood, 216-226-5681, thewinchester.net. Music fans hang at this 1924 music hall that plays host to local and national acts.
Wine Bar Rocky River
1313 Linda Street, Rocky River, 440-799-4300, winebarrr.com. The pickup place and date spot for middle-agers.
Winking Lizard Tavern
14018 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-226-6693, winkinglizard.com. More than 100 varieties of beer are available at this neighborhood standard that has great bar food and plenty of televisions.
