I will be in Cleveland for the first time in 7 years for a short 1 day visit. I’m looking for a couple of recommendations:

 

Restaurant - A nice casual place to take family with kids out to eat downtown?

 

Gay Bar - A place to have a cocktail after visiting family.

 

Just out of curiosity, are there any gay night clubs in Cleveland? I couldn't find anything but "closed" clubs on the internet.

 

A fun place to take family down town for dinner is noodlecat. http://www.noodlecat.com

 

Sophisticated for adults who like a creative meal, but Jonathan sawyer has also made nutrition for kids a priority in the last year and has used this restaurant to engage them. It's a fun spot too. Don't know how old the family is but this place would probably be good for almost all ages.  Right near East 4th for a drink as well.

 

I can't speak to the gay clubs, I believe bounce has closed. All of my gay friends enjoy Luxe in Gordon Square, but it's not specifically a gay bar.

Kids are welcomed at Noodlecat. I recommend the college ramen for those not used to different tastes of their noodle dishes. All of Sawyer's restaurants are family friendly. Though it can be tough to get in at Greenhouse Tavern on a weekend evening without a reservation, that's also a good rec. The fries and wings are both unique and excellent and if the kids will eat spicy, there is a current special of a bucket of fried chicken that's very good. Noodlecat often has cartoons running though, which is nice.

 

I like the Leather Stallion but it's not what I'd call a casual cocktail bar, it would be more of a cross between bar and club. I'm sure other UO peeps can make recs here as that's not my wheelhouse.

 

Hope you have a great time!

The Leather Stallion?  Steakhouse....no wait Gay bar. I am horrible at this..

http://www.steakhouseorgaybar.com/

When I was home for Christmas, I stumble on to the Hawk near Lakewood, on Madison and 110?

 

A modest little bar but it had a great mix of people in it.  A few drag, leather guys, but mostly neighborhood people.  Friendly bartenders.  Twist is around the corner.

Bounce is reopening this weekend under new ownership:

 

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2015/06/10/act-ii-for-bounce-nightclub-officially-begins-pride-weekend

 

Leather Stallion is a leather bar (go figure.)  You might enjoy Prosperity- it's Tremont's unofficial gay bar, and it basically screams "Cleveland."

When I was home for Christmas, I stumble on to the Hawk near Lakewood, on Madison Detroit and 110 114?

 

A modest little bar but it had a great mix of people in it.  A few drag, leather guys, but mostly neighborhood people.  Friendly bartenders.  Twist is around the corner.

 

Fixed that for you - crazy the things you can confirm via Google Maps!  :-D

Thank you for the recommendations. I may try Greenhouse if I can get a reservation. If anybody has any backup suggestions, please post.

 

I have been to the Hawk. I wasn't sure about Twist since it has changed hands. How about Vibe?

Zocalo is always a hit with my kids

Hate to be cliché, but the Market Cafe is a good family place as is wandering the West Side Market, touring the Mitchell's ice cream factory and the Glass Bubble Project for a glass-blowing demo. They can also make a glasswork for you. Then there's the Great Lakes Brewing Company tour with free samples. All of this is within a couple blocks.

Trip Update:

 

I couldn’t get my brother the leave suburbia, so we didn’t go out to eat downtown. My sister in law said that he rarely goes north of Strongsville!

 

I arrived downtown about 11 PM and I was amazed at what I saw. From the crowd out front of the 9 and the expensive cars to the people out and about around Public Square and the Warehouse District, this is not the Cleveland of yesterday.

 

After a brief tour of downtown I headed to the re-opening of Bounce. It was a little too crowded for my liking but it was nice to see such a happening scene. I met several people that were visiting from Columbus for Pride and we had a great time.

 

Although the pride event was cancelled due to the weather, this wasn’t the focus of my trip (didn’t know it was happening until posted above). It was nice to see family and I wish I could see them more often. With that said I may be in town next year for pride as it looks like it is a great event!

 

Thank you all for the recommendations, after all these years Urban Ohio is still one of my favorite sites on the internet!

 

Thank you for reporting back! So glad you loved our vibrancy and enjoyed yourself.

Trip Update:

 

I couldn’t get my brother the leave suburbia, so we didn’t go out to eat downtown. My sister in law said that he rarely goes north of Strongsville!

 

 

 

 

 

What do they do in strongsville? Lol

^ They live in a city south of Strongsville which makes it all the more pathetic. Although neither had heard of E 4th Street, at least my sister in law is a bit more “cultured.” She has taken the kids on the rapid downtown to Tower City and has been to the casino and several other downtown hotspots.

 

My brother is just a lost cause. I can understand he has a very comfortable lifestyle in the suburbs but he just doesn’t get the city. I can enjoy both; we had a nice dinner in his large back yard by their pool, neighbors far away, and saw a family of deer. Oh and moles everywhere, not something I’m used to seeing after 26 years in South Florida!

 

It will not be another 7 years before a visit Cleveland again. I’m looking forward to the next visit soon!

I feel sad for people like that. Such a small, bland box to live in day after day.

 

Glad you had a good time and enjoyed the changes. I hope you can spend more time in the city next visit. Maybe you'll kidnap your siblings and not tell them where you're going. Just say it's a great restaurant they'll never forget. Then drop off the car at The 9's valet parking and take them up to the Azure rooftop deck. Their minds will probably short circuit from sensory overload...

 

^ I actually was considering going there until I looked up the menu prices on-line. I don't have a problem with that but knew my brother would complain even though he can afford it.

 

I think the only way to get him down there will be to an Indians or Browns game. Indians were not in town and it rained in buckets so that wasn't an option.

 

KGP were you walking down Clifton Blvd. with a female last Saturday afternoon?

KGP were you walking down Clifton Blvd. with a female last Saturday afternoon?

 

KJP? No, I walk alone. :)