CLE's best kept secret!…read more A few of my friends raved about Smoke & Mirrors, so I finally checked it out. I stopped in during Stargazers Ball hosted by YoreCraeft Productions. It was a fun cosmic costume party at Smoke & Mirrors. Smoke & Mirrors delivers on their promise, there are mirror accents and intermittent smoke. They also have a lot of silver accents that have a cool juxtaposition with the cave look. You can find this nightclub underground at Clandestina on West 25th. Enter the club by going through mezcalería (Clandestina) and going downstairs. The club calls themselves "subterranean catacomb club." I'd describe it as a nightclub giving off speakeasy vibes with some exposed brick, cave vibes, and sultry red illumination. It's a very mysterious dungeon looking club. It's raw and unusual for the local nightclub scene in the very best of ways. The coolest space in this club is the once upon a time coal room that serves as a little private nook to sip your cocktails. The rest of the club has one dance floor, some comfy seats against the wall, and a small bar. It's very intimate. The club is mostly known for its EDM DJs. Don't expect big names but expect good music. You can find their lineup on their IG @smokeandmirrorscle. They're open on Thursdays for karaoke, and Saturdays for DJ and dancing. The party that I attended had a lot of dancing and good vibes. The club seems to have a cover charge, but the amount is not shared on their socials. The menu consists of cocktails, craft beer, and wine, which is a generous selection for a night club. There were some themed cocktails during my visit ranging from $8-$14. I certainly plan to stop by during a regular weekend night to check out the full experience and DJ's. You should too. If you drop in, stop Clandestina bathroom for a selfie with flattering light. Can't wait for my next visit!

The basement bar has the best house/dance music in the city and never has a cover charge. The…read moreneighborhood is safe enough for groups to roam responsibly at night after a few drinks.

We recently tried Velvet Tango Room for the first time and we walked in immediately impressed. Well…read morestaffed, dim lighting, and cozy cocktail tables and bar. I had a margarita and an espresso martini and both cocktails exceeded my expectations! The lime margarita was classic, slightly tart, and made me want another. The espresso martini was enjoyed by all - very smooth, full of flavor without making you feel full like some do because of too much cream, I assume. The space is cool, speak easy vibes, and the gentleman playing the piano was a nice tough with an ideal volume.

Been wanting to try Velvet Tango for forever as I've heard so many good things about it! It lived…read moreup to the hype. The interior is huge and dark, romantic, and vibey. There was a live jazz pianist in every room. The ambiance was great. Keep in mind they don't have dinner food, just bar snacks, so don't come expecting a meal. The drinks were definitely pricey, especially for Cleveland (~$20 per drink, give or take), so I don't plan on coming frequently, but it's a fun spot for a night out.

I liked the prim and proper drink. Pretty dead when we arrived but it was early. Food took forever…read morebut Caesar salad was good

Country music, good drinks, good vibes and great servers!…read moreLove this spot! If you're in the area and love whiskey, it's definitely worth the visit.

Fantastic server and literally everyone working was friendly and greeted us and checked on us…read morewithout being annoying. Great service. The drinks were delicious- the sunbather was like sunny D with a fantastic bell pepper tinge. The salmon with peanut wheat kasha type grain was ok. The fish was very fishy and almost smelled foul at times and had a sort of spiciness to it. Either way the service and drinks were great.

Great food and drinks, cozy vibe with solid music picks always playing, and super friendly and…read moreattentive service. This has become a new favorite spot of mine for drinks with friends on weeknights! The cauliflower is so good as are the rosemary potatoes. The archangel is my fav cocktail so far, but I have many more to try.

The Warehouse District has a new upscale spot in town! Recently opening during NBA Allstar weekend…read morein CLE, it has already had the presence of many celebrities come through their doors. The setup has a wow factor as you enter the basement level of the building through a tunnel covered in plants and leading straight to your first photo opp! The circle with pink bench is a cute preview of what's inside. Once you check in with the hostess, enter through a door and welcome to the social club. Beautiful decor that mixes a level of sophistication with a little drama as you see the bright lights. Plenty of seating and even a private room that can be rented out. The drinks are phenomenal and the staff is friendly! The menu offers a mix of unique cocktails (and can be made as mocktail a too) and small bites. Upon recommendation, I tried the F.W. Marg drink. So good! The most unique aspect is the watermelon ice cube. As it melts the drink flavor changes. Creative & fun way to enjoy a cocktail. They open at 5pm, which would be a great spot for chill happy hour. Later in the evening, you'll experience more of a lounge/club vibe. Great edition to downtown CLE!

We hosted a Young Professional networking event here, which was new for me because typically I only…read morefind myself arriving late on a weekend. I'm so happy we did because Stella made sure we had a stellar time (she put the Stella in Stellar? Sorry, nerd status) and the food provided was super fresh and the staff was so attentive. We had a pretty large group all come in at once and they got us through quickly with our first round of drinks! The ambiance is intimate enough where you can step aside to a table for a nice convo or large enough to create a dancing space where we you're at... which was exactly what some of us did because the music was just too tempting. From a more organized event to a late night par-tay mentality, the subtle and eclectic vibes of Lost put you in the right head space. Highly recommend!

Now this place is a quintessential representation of the term "hidden gem" if I do say so myself…read more It's tucked away in a corner of Tremont on an unassuming street with an all black exterior sitting between apartments and ordinary homes in the neighborhood. It definitely gives off a mysterious vibe, kinda gets you curious as to what's inside. The moment you open the door there's splashes or color in every corner, a sexy marble bar with under lighting, a neon sign lighting up the phrase "forget me not," and as you weave your way through towards the back patio, each room greets you with a fun surprise of unique decor. Butterfly wallpaper, funky art, feather boas, and more. It honestly felt like we weren't in Cleveland anymore. As for the service, our bartender was awesome. He asked if it was our first time in and since it was, he explained the menu in detail and gave us suggestions based on what we tend to like. My friend went with a custom mocktail and I landed on the calla lily cocktail. It came with Watershed gin, lemon bitters, a sparkling white wine, and a few other ingredients I'm not privy to. It was strong, but smooth. It definitely left me curious to try more of the menu but alas, I don't live in Cleveland, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to return. This is 100% a place to take a date if you're wanting to impress, a spot to grab a drink with a small group of friends, or a cool bar to explore if you're visiting from out of town and enjoy a wonderful craft cocktail. I know they are fairly new and I have no doubt that they'll be sticking around.

Flower on Freeman is a super chic cocktail bar on the edge of Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood. It…read moreis impeccably decorated and designed and could easily be in found in someplace like LA or New York. The space is pretty cozy and intimate, which was especially felt as I came in on a cold, snowy December day. The bar had maybe 6 or so seats and the marble on it is beautiful and has awesome underlighting. Their cocktail menu is pretty expansive, with lots of really descriptive drink options. You can choose a drink based on a desired flavor profile and base alcohol. The bartender was super nice and helpful. I wanted to get a mocktail, they had a few on the menu to choose from, but the bartender ended up making me something. The space is small and cozy up front, but they also have another area in the back for a small group. They also seem to have a really nice patio. I'm looking forward to returning in warmer weather to check that out.

Pretty hidden, but the service was great and it was dark and romantic. They had a nice patio…read moreoutside that you walk through when coming in and bar seating table top seating and chair seating inside. The drink menu rotate seasonally, and the pies are made fresh in the kitchen. They do not have a parking lot, but street parking is available around the corner.

I would round up to 3.5 but just had a few things that didn't quite live up to the hype!…read more My drink was really good, and it was really really nice to get welcome shots for our first visit. Unfortunately, some of my friends did not love their drinks. We also ordered guac which was fine, nothing special and we ran out of chips pretty fast. Service was great but the inside, while super cool and unique, doesn't necessarily nail the same vibe as the menu. I also wish they printed out menus since they do put so much work into designing them.

This place is an absolute must visit. I've travelled extensively and this spot has earned one of my…read moretop favorite places to eat. We had the arancini, root vegetable latkes, fried calamari and veal meatballs. The sauce for the meatballs was the kind of sauce you want more of to dip your bread into. The meatball was perfectly seasoned and tender. The star is the calamari. Do not let the idea of kimchi throw you off, it made the dish. My husband does not like kimchi and he polished off more of this than I did. Service was top notch both in service and conversation. And while the tavern is small, it just adds the right vibe.

My favorite find in Tremont!!!! Great outdoor patio and one of the most entertaining cocktail…read moremenus you'll ever see! The cocktails, especially considering that they are batched, were fantastic. Liminal garden was probably one of the most unique I've ever tasted, and my friends really enjoyed the berry jubilee and chase your peach. There's also a very impressive food menu, and my friends said the calamari was the best they've ever had! And if you're looking for a highly efficient and potent tipple- try a clarified milk shot. Service was prompt and pleasant. A true neighborhood gem!