The 20 Best Cleveland Bars and Breweries That Opened in 2018

Flight Cleveland

5712 Detroit Ave., Cleveland

Flight Cleveland, a wine shop and bar, opened in the former home of Latitude 41n in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. The property features two distinct spaces, one devoted to a large bar and soft seating like sofas, armchairs and banquettes. The opposite side is dedicated to the tasting room and retail bottle shop. Flight is one of the most attractive and appealing spaces around in which to explore and enjoy wine.

Photo by Douglas Trattner

Wild Eagle Steak and Saloon

5001 East Royalton Rd., Broadview Heights

Since March of 2016, Wild Eagle Saloon has provided a rambunctious setting downtown for young and young-at-heart folks in search of pub grub, craft beer, bar games and music. This past summer, they expanded out to the suburbs and also tweaked their concept a bit, keeping their saloon feel but adding steaks to their name and their game.

Photo via Wild Eagle Steak and Saloon/Facebook

Fatheads Middleburg Heights

17450 Engle Lake Dr., Middleburg Heights

A new outpost from this popular microbrew is all the rage in Middleburg Heights. There's fresh-brewed beer, dispensed from a mile-long bar that runs parallel to a sturdy drink rail and you can take it to go on your tour of the brewery. And much like the Olmsted Falls location, the barbeque food offerings are top notch.

Photo via @FatHeadsCle/Instagram

Distill Table and Western Reserve Distillers

14221 Madison Ave., Lakewood

Out in Lakewood, these two independently operated entities share a fully renovated 100-year-old building long known as the Fridrich building. The distillery started production in June and already is turning out vodka, gin, rum, rye and bourbon.

Photo via Scene Archives

Bookhouse Brewing

1526 West 25th St., Cleveland

Differentiating itself from both the rough and ready garage-style brewhouse and the cavernous factory-size production facility, Bookhouse is delightfully cozy, with fine carpentry softening exposed brick walls, tile floors and tin ceilings. Bookshelves line the walls, lending a snug reading room vibe to the 100-seat space.

Photo via Bookhouse Brewing/Facebook

Akronym Brewing

58 East Market St., Akron

The microbrew wave sweeping the nation is alive and well in Akron, and Akronym Brewing is a great addition to our neighbors to the south. With fifteen beers on tap, there’s a great beer for every beer drinker, including their Windigo, a double red IPA and their Kernel of Truth lager, which both won the 2018 Ohio Craft Brewers Cup Silver Medal.

Photo via Akronym Brewing/Facebook

True Cocktails and Bites

1051 West Tenth St., Cleveland

Taking over the former Wileyville space, True opened this past August, from the same owner as the Warehouse District's Take Five Rhythm and Jazz club. With an extensive and creative cocktail list, in-house DJs, and an eclectic food menu, Flight Cleveland has been a welcome addition to the East Bank of the Flats.

Photo via True Cocktails and Bites/Facebook

Tributary

5304 Detroit Ave., Cleveland

A "neighborhood bar" in a former art gallery at the border of Detroit Shoreway and Ohio City? We’re in! The 50-seat bar, that combines cocktail lounge and dive bar, has a small kitchen that turns out straightforward but high-quality snacks like dips and flatbread pizzas. They also have four draft beers – including PBR – and a cocktail list.

Photo via @ATrus1411/Instagram

Southern Tier Brewing Company

811 Prospect Ave., Cleveland

Occupying the space of the shortlived 811, this Lakewood, New York-based brewery opened towards the end of summer. The two-level brewpub features a brewhouse, tanks and barrels that are visible upstairs and down with 30 beers on tap, mostly from their own brewery and from sister brewery Victory Brewing. The lunch/dinner menu, described by executive chef Richard Sinwald as “upper-scale pub grub,” is designed to complement the beer.

Photo via Scene Archives

Shale Brewing Company

7253 Whipple Ave. NW., Jackson

While Shale Brewing Company has existed in the Akron-Canton area for awhile, they existed without a tap room. That changed in July when they opened up their beautiful space outside of Canton. They offer nine beers brewed in house and also operate as a brewpub with some good grub.

Photo via Shale Brewing Company/Facebook