Road trip to Cleveland; 20 minute drive, barhopping & food
It all starts with me getting into the Kia Seltos (watch out for the Kia Boys). I put on some 90s dub and bass. Roll the opening credits. Here’s another drive up I-77N. I tell myself, “Maybe you should start a business. Maybe you should be a DJ. Maybe you should go bar hopping.” Whatever I want to do, it’s possible in Cleveland, and usually all three of these things can be performed simultaneously.
The roaring of the crowd at Progressive Field gets louder and louder. There’s a growing sense of urgency to win, but will it happen? There’s a growing amount of crime on the east side, there’s a growing amount of drama on the west side. Will this affect my stay here? Certainly not.
To be clear, the city has a seedy past, but you won’t see any of that. The quiet beauty of the city lies beneath its gritty exterior, even regardless of the past. Ohioians are friendly, warm people. They’re open for conversation and enjoy the times. That’s the best part about living here: the food and the stories. Contemporary people still inhabit and populate the environment, together we maintain. So I’ve been spending a lot of time on the west side lately.
The first stop is Market Garden Brewery, situated in Ohio City, immediately next to West Side Market. They have some fantastic beers here, I assure you will enjoy it. I park at the West Side Market or in the neighborhood west. Very easy to park, very easy to drink. Pretty much everything on the beer wall is great. Say hey, there’s a new beer, why not try it? Prosperity is very tasty along with other specials.
Second stop is Old Angle. Currently my favorite wings (wing night is Monday), my kind of people and all around great vibes. Playing familiar 90s hip-hop and RNB, Irish beer on tap, this place is a go-to for me. This is a real Cleveland bar, no games, just a great time out. It’s tempting for me to crack an egg in one of these beers. The food is stellar and you’ll be hard pressed to find a better chicken sandwich anywhere. Rye & swiss, Guinness, Shepard’s pie, lamb tacos. It’s all there.
Heading east, my third stop is Sausalito’s on E9th. Across from the vacant Galleria, Sausalito’s continues to serve up some of the best shrimp jambalaya known to mankind. Thin sliced sausages and tasty noodles, the chefs here know what they’re doing. The bar is also really cool and the people are incredibly nice. Get in quick and call ahead to check on the hours as they are occasionally closed early.
Fourth stop is Double Nickel. Located in heart of downtown, this is one of the rare spots to find. I’ll walk around and try anything. I enjoyed the omelet for breakfast and a mimosa makes for a great compliment. Cool bar and fun times hanging out here. There’s a lot more on the menu I want to try. What should I try next?
