csudude

Get drunk at a bathhouse?!

It's not a real gay bar. It's a bar located inside a bathhouse. For out-of-towners, Cleveland's 2 baths have suffered a serious decline in patronage over the last several years. Today, most bathhouse customers are the sort of guys who can't get laid at a bar. So, you wanna meet these guys at the Mean Bull? Go ahead and knock yourself out. Just don't bring an STD home.

A Cleveland gay legend

The oldest gay bar in town, the Stallion is famous for its summer Sunday afternoons, complete with DJ and burgers and hot dogs on the grill. This is not a typical gay bar experience- more of a cook out with hot guys. Yes, there is a tendency to stand and model, but most of the bartenders are friendly, and if you can't meet anyone, at least you can enjoy the sunny weather on the spacious patio and shake your rump to some tunes. However the winter months, especially, chase away the customers, and only a few old men patronize the bar in the "off season." Sundays at the Stallion are a Cleveland tradition, but exercise some caution on the street- the neighborhood is deserted at night and men walking alone should be aware of their surroundings. Example: a straight bar a short distance up the street is known as a crack bar, and homeless men often sleep in doorways along St. Clair Avenue.

It's got potential, but not much else.

If any gay bar in Cleveland shows the potential to be a first-class fun and manly bar, it's Cocktails. Spacious, with a patio, basement leather room, and even some limited parking on the premises, in any other city Cocktails would be a hit. Of course, welcome to C-Town! Since the new owner purchased the property from the old owner, who was a legend in Cleveland, loyal customers have deserted the bar in droves. The former "Rockies" (now Cocktails Cleveland) is rapidly being turned into a clone of its sister bar in Akron (Cocktails Akron), instead of being allowed to develop its own unique personality. Unfortunately for the new owner, who does not seem to realize that a city the size of Cleveland does not have enough leathermen to patronize 3 separate leather bars, the hoped-for leather clientele is not materializing. While the former Rockies was a bar with a manly vibe that welcomed everyone, the new Cocktails puts on a veneer of leather to hide its quickly disappearing customer base. Queeny bartenders, and one unfriendly masculine one, also don't keep the leather image honest. In addition, and worst of all, the new owner, when he bothers to appear in his own bar, makes little effort to mix with customers or make them feel welcome. A weekly karaoke night also thwarts the leather vision. In short, the owner needs to make up his mind about what he wants. Meanwhile, a renovation of the leather basement will hopefully improve things.

White trash city

A Man's World represents the image of Cleveland past: the same image that the city wants to overcome. A mishmash of drunk bar flies, hustlers, drag queens, and dirty old men on the prowl. The downstairs is reserved for leather on weekends, but the dress code was recently relaxed, as most leather guys simply don't show up. The bar's name is a misnomer. Few "real" men, and a lot of queens and skeezers. Jukebox blares R and B and hiphop constantly, but for an occasional Motown tune. Not a trendy or a friendly place. Only one bartender had a nice attitude, and he worked on the other side of the complex, which only had a few customers. The main bar room is packed late. Don't bother going early. The neighborhood is combination of poor black, Latino, and gay yuppies. Don't park far away, and keep your keys handy as you walk down the street. You can occasionally catch a whiff of marijuana coming off the patio, so if you don't like illegal drugs, or don't want to get caught in a police raid, go someone cleaner and nicer.

Shiny happy people

Go early and you'll find a few bar flies hanging around. Go after happy hour and the place lights up with sparkling twinks of all ages and races. Definitely a spot for enjoying eye candy, but if you're looking to get laid, go elsewhere. A place with ultra cool decor, standard dance music, and stand-and-model crowd. Nicely located by a bank and a cafe, in case you get the munchies or need some cash. Situated on Clifton Boulevard, Cleveland's main gay drag.

Gray hairs and twinkies

Mostly old men and the twinks who love them. Not a cruising hotspot. An OK jukebox and a pool table and smoking patio. Across from a church and next door to a straight bar. Neighborhood is a little scary. Go with a friend.