OK, all jokes aside, Cleveland aint that bad. The one thing I miss about the place is the food. Bout the only thing it has on Lexington in my opinion...
Now, your concierge is gonna send you down to E 4th and the Casino, your standard Hard Rock/House of Blues chain type s#!t. So if you're after some fist pumping, run of the mill tourist trap safe kinda fun weekend, who am I to judge. You will have a good time there, have fun. But if you're into some adventure in your life, read on...
First things first. The one CANNOT MISS thing in Cleveland is a corned beef sandwich. Its like nothing you've had before, not even NYC can trump a Cleveland corned beef sandwich. And hands down the king of corned beef is Slymans. CANT MISS!!!
Cheep eats...
Coach Cal is from Pittsburgh, and they have this famous sandwich that's bad ass. Cleveland has a version of it at a place called Panini's. Wash it down with a Yuengling (Pittsburgs beer) and trust me, you'd be in Coach Cal's heaven.
Cleveland has a HUGE black community. And that means good soul food. Hot Sauce Williams is my favorite. Wings, fries, sauce. That's all your gonna need. Close to downtown on a major street...but a rough neighborhood, if you skerd, use the drive thru. Dont expect good service, do expect good food. So ghetto the web site doesn't even work but hey, Anthony Bourdain ate there!!! (the one on Carnegie, the other one is the original, but deep in the ghetto)
The West Side Market. Kinda hard to explain, it's not someplace to eat, its something to do. Think Lexington's farmers market multiplied by 1000. You can walk around and eat a little of this or a little of that from tacos and empinadas to gyros and pierogis. What's a pierogi!?!? Go to the West Side Market, your welcome!
And then there is Sokolowskis. LIKE NOTHING IN KENTUCKY. Eastern European cooking. You will gain 10 pounds, and it will be worth it.
Sterle's is great too. Good for big loud groups who like to drink beer and POLKA!!!
MMMMMmmmm...Beer.
Great Lakes Brewing. If you like Bud Light, this aint for you my friend. But if you like BEER, this is valhalla. Conveniently located directly across the street from the West Side Market...your gonna need a cab back to the hotel. Food is underrated, so there is a little chance to sober up.
Cats won, lets spend some JACK!
Mike Simon is an Iron Chef. Mike Simon is from Cleveland. His flagship restaurant is Lola, located on the aforementioned E 4th tourist trap...dont go. Lolita...do go. It's the original location of Lola and its cheeper, lesser known, and better. If you can get there early and sit at the bar (only like 6 seats) You can order off the bar menu...cheep. If not get a table and fine dine. Reservations recommended.
Hon Mentions
XO expensive steak
Blue Point expensive seafood
Red the Steakhouse expensive steak
Anything in an area called Ralphies house!
Things to do on Friday...
Rock n Roll hall of fame. A must for any rock fan or fan of pop culture. Its a bunch of clothes of rock stars for the most part but its fun if your in the right mood.
Cleveland Museum of Art its FREE! If you have kids, they have knights! Real ones! The place is pretty damn cool and did I mention free! Piccaso Rembrandt Warhol and a bunch of other dudes you have heard of.
If you venture out to the Museums your in University Circle, might as well go across the street to Little Italy. And if your in Little Italy you must stop into Corbo's. Leave the gun, take the cannolis...or better yet the cassata cake!!!
Pizza! Cant for get the pizza! Valentinos both in Little Italy.
West Side Market...see above.
That's it that's all I've got. Enjoy the mistake by the lake, the only town on an Erie lake with a hope the river doesnt catch fire...it really did!
Now, your concierge is gonna send you down to E 4th and the Casino, your standard Hard Rock/House of Blues chain type s#!t. So if you're after some fist pumping, run of the mill tourist trap safe kinda fun weekend, who am I to judge. You will have a good time there, have fun. But if you're into some adventure in your life, read on...
First things first. The one CANNOT MISS thing in Cleveland is a corned beef sandwich. Its like nothing you've had before, not even NYC can trump a Cleveland corned beef sandwich. And hands down the king of corned beef is Slymans. CANT MISS!!!
Cheep eats...
Coach Cal is from Pittsburgh, and they have this famous sandwich that's bad ass. Cleveland has a version of it at a place called Panini's. Wash it down with a Yuengling (Pittsburgs beer) and trust me, you'd be in Coach Cal's heaven.
Cleveland has a HUGE black community. And that means good soul food. Hot Sauce Williams is my favorite. Wings, fries, sauce. That's all your gonna need. Close to downtown on a major street...but a rough neighborhood, if you skerd, use the drive thru. Dont expect good service, do expect good food. So ghetto the web site doesn't even work but hey, Anthony Bourdain ate there!!! (the one on Carnegie, the other one is the original, but deep in the ghetto)
The West Side Market. Kinda hard to explain, it's not someplace to eat, its something to do. Think Lexington's farmers market multiplied by 1000. You can walk around and eat a little of this or a little of that from tacos and empinadas to gyros and pierogis. What's a pierogi!?!? Go to the West Side Market, your welcome!
And then there is Sokolowskis. LIKE NOTHING IN KENTUCKY. Eastern European cooking. You will gain 10 pounds, and it will be worth it.
Sterle's is great too. Good for big loud groups who like to drink beer and POLKA!!!
MMMMMmmmm...Beer.
Great Lakes Brewing. If you like Bud Light, this aint for you my friend. But if you like BEER, this is valhalla. Conveniently located directly across the street from the West Side Market...your gonna need a cab back to the hotel. Food is underrated, so there is a little chance to sober up.
Cats won, lets spend some JACK!
Mike Simon is an Iron Chef. Mike Simon is from Cleveland. His flagship restaurant is Lola, located on the aforementioned E 4th tourist trap...dont go. Lolita...do go. It's the original location of Lola and its cheeper, lesser known, and better. If you can get there early and sit at the bar (only like 6 seats) You can order off the bar menu...cheep. If not get a table and fine dine. Reservations recommended.
Hon Mentions
XO expensive steak
Blue Point expensive seafood
Red the Steakhouse expensive steak
Anything in an area called Ralphies house!
Things to do on Friday...
Rock n Roll hall of fame. A must for any rock fan or fan of pop culture. Its a bunch of clothes of rock stars for the most part but its fun if your in the right mood.
Cleveland Museum of Art its FREE! If you have kids, they have knights! Real ones! The place is pretty damn cool and did I mention free! Piccaso Rembrandt Warhol and a bunch of other dudes you have heard of.
If you venture out to the Museums your in University Circle, might as well go across the street to Little Italy. And if your in Little Italy you must stop into Corbo's. Leave the gun, take the cannolis...or better yet the cassata cake!!!
Pizza! Cant for get the pizza! Valentinos both in Little Italy.
West Side Market...see above.
That's it that's all I've got. Enjoy the mistake by the lake, the only town on an Erie lake with a hope the river doesnt catch fire...it really did!