babydaddy49

Skeezetown

Mean Bull is located in arguably the worst part of downtown. Homeless men. Car break ins. Carjackings. Drug dealing. A couple of people were attacked a few blocks away during the Chinese New Year celebration at Asia Plaza. Why would any one want to go here, especially at night when traffic is minimal and criminals come out? A strange neighborhood for a bar, or a bathouse. It's black, Chinese, industrial, and poor. Why do the owners think a bunch of limpwristed gays are going to trek over here? Specially when the Leather Stallion is right on St Clair.

Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons are by far the busiest times. Friday and Saturday are hit or miss. Usually when Chris bartends on Saturday nights, business picks up. Tuesdays are sometimes busy, depending on the whim of the rotating barhopping crowd. Few hotties or studs. More than a few trolls. In general, the crowd is OK- mostly regulars who hold court at the bar with visitors taking the tables along the wall. On a sad note, the restroom needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. For whatever reason, a foul stench hangs in the air. Could be a problem from the upstairs apartments or a plumbing thing. I doubt it is a result of smelly customers, although it is not unknown for pandhandlers and homeless men and women to drop by and ask for spare change and drinks. The bartenders tend to be friendly, although some are nicer than others. Everyone who has ever been to the Hawk knows that the regulars adore Chris, the resident tattooed college guy. Troy has his own following- the guys who like a more laidback, quiet evening. When Chris and Mike run the show, the music tends toward alternative and classic rock and straight guy music. If you want a more typical gay bar experience, heavy on the twinks and dance tunes, avoid Thursday and Friday nights. The crowd runs the full range of characters, from men who look completely hetero to guys of ambiguous sexuality to full-on campy queens. The younger guys usually prefer bears and older men- not too many 20 or 30 somethings looking for guys their own age. If you are a handsome daddy or bear type into the younger crowd, try the Hawk. In my opinion, the owner should play up this angle, becaue it is not a bear-for-bear bar, but rather a bear-for-cub bar. If you really are a "straight" type, you can make this little neighborhood the focus of your entire evening. Next to the Hawk, Now That's Class is a newly popular rock bar, full of 20 somethings. Two blocks down Detroit Ave., the Brothers Lounge features jazz, rock, and blues, and sometimes folk-type bands. My Friends deli is also popular with the after-last-call gay crowd. Plus, Twist and Bottoms Up are a short drive or long walk for those into a queenier experience. Since this is Cleveland, exercise a little cautiousness when you visit late at night. Otherwise, you should have a good time if you are an unpretentious guy.

Puke-A-Rama

No hot men, period. Old men. Stinky men with body odor who haven't bathed since 1978. A big place with many corridors, most strangely empty. Most guys congregate in one or two spots and talk. Not very sexy or cruisy. As for these positive reviews, when did they visit? I've been there three times in the last few months, and I never see a good crowd. Skip this place and go to Club Cleveland.

Hustler Central

My experience at Man's World. I tried to use the toilet but an old man who getting blown by a white trash rent boy. The bartender ignored me for reasons uncertain. The tables were dirty and sticky with various strains of unknown residue. The barkeep at The Shed side was friendly- an old guy- don't know his name. But the dumpy twerp who worked the Man's World bar doesn't deserve tips, let alone a job in customer service. The crowd was mostly black with a lot of women. I saw nothing remotely leather or bear about this bar in spite of all the hype and advertising online. Go to Hawk or Cocktails instead. Honest.