More touring, its a tough job but someone has to take one for the team. I'm up to it LOL This is a new winebar, again all in the name Swirl automatically you know what that means. We waited here for our reservation at Harvest.

It's divided in two parts a happening bar and very intimate lounge area furnished tastefully with fireplace, soft leather couches, tables for two, hardwood floor and deck, weather permitting. The menu is light apps that will hold you until your table is ready at Harvest. Thats what I call team work...You guessed it ! We will go back!

Continuing on my sweet sixteen tour, here is a new resturant in Solon, Ohio I visited. It has a great name,menu and atmosphere. I ordered a  rosemary cucumber martini. It had eye appeal but I wasnt crazy about the taste combination of cucumbers and rosemary. However the food and service were quite tasty. I will certainly go here again.

Will is taking the sweet 16 national! Last weekend he was in Orlando and decided to let you guys know all about it. While he was attending the Professional Bartending Schools of America Leadership Conference he visited Brick House Tap and Tavern, every day he was there.

The bar was great, with a large dining room. Every seat was a leather love seat and there were three fire places. The bar was huge and split between the deck and the main dining room.  The service was great every day. The staff was so friendly they even held the doors! The best part was The Brick House was walking distance from the hotel!

Next stop in Orlando was Joe’s Crab Shack.  Joe’s was also very close to the hotel, which is a huge plus.  The food was great and so were the drinks, especially the spiked tea.  The service was a little slow but they made up for it with friendliness and the fun dance moves they had. 
 
The last place on the list is Charley Stewart’s Seafood.  They have a fun gimmick of cooking your food at the table so you can watch them make it. I bet it saves on refires.  Everything was premium and portioned gigantically. There was a large variety of super premium alcohols.
This is the place to go for your last hurrah before you head home, you’ll be full for days.  The dirty martini was the highlight of the visit. They chilled the glass the same way we do here, the old fashioned way of icing the glass while you mix the drink.
 
That’s all for our short Florida recap. Stay close by for more updates and drink recipes and have an excellent first few weeks of summer!

Will is still out on his tour of the sweet 16. His first visit was to BarCento. Its an awesome little bar over in Historic Ohio City. It’s a fun place with a funky ambience and friendly staff that treat you right. The music play list is ever changing and chosen by the staff, Will was happy with the old school feel as he rocked out to “Stand By Me.”  They have an impressive menu and delicious food, think bar food with a black tie.  They have a great wine list and an impressive beer selection, with 99 Belgian beers to choose from. 

 Will’s second stop was at the Lava Lounge.  It’s kind of a small bar with a quaint feel and it’s very inviting. The walls are painted red and you  get a psychedelic feel when you first walk in. The music is fun, kind of a blend of rap and hip hop and the staff is friendly.

Will had their signature drink, Lava Dew. They make it with Midori, Bacardi, Skyy, Patron Citronage, orange juice and 7 up shaken and served in a martini glass. It’s sweet and tasty, but they can really sneak up on you!

We’re still out and about sampling the sweet 16 for you. Keep your eyes peeled you may see us at a bar near you.

The first week of May is winding down and Will has been out touring the sweet sixteen in full force. So far this month he’s been to Barcento and the Lava Lounge and had a great time at both. Be on the lookout for Will at a sweet 16 spot near you.

• We’ve taken our first steps into the wide world of social networking and are now present on Facebook and Twitter.
• You can find us by searching ‘The Cleveland Bartending School’ on Facebook and “CleveBarSchool” on Twitter. We’re up to fifty fans on FacebooK! Help us build our numbers, we’d really appreciate it.
• This weekend is the Kentucky Derby and you know what that means, big hats and mint juleps. May also means Cinco de Mayo, so have a Corona or a margarita for us!
• Milton is still at it placing students at the coolest bars all over the place. Paul V is working downtown at Cleats with Jeff R. it’s like a class reunion.
• Mary C is at East bowling center and Paul S. is behind the bar at Red Lobster in Orange. Way to go grads!
• Our recent grad Jason T. just moved to South Carolina and took advantage of our nationwide job placement. He was placed by the Greensboro Bartending School!
  
  That’s it for the first installment of May. Keep your eyes peeled for more news, more sweet 16 reviews and be on the lookout for Will at a bar near you!

We decided to take a trip off the reservation and visit two places not on our sweet 16 list. First up is The Washington Place Inn in Little Italy.  It’s a beautiful historic place restored with a chic modern décor. The dining room is bright and inviting, a great place to enjoy drinks and conversation.  Everything was very modern, decorated with sleek metals and warm woods.

The menu is impressive, with several eye and palate pleasing choices. The drink menu is just as awe inspiring. Will had been there before and decided to refresh his memory and have a side car. He said it was definitely as good as he remembered, and he’d be back to try it again, third time’s a charm! They make their side car a little different that you may be used to. The use 1oz of Hennessy V.S., 1 ½ oz St. Germain’s, and 1 ½ oz Hendrick’s  Gin, they mix that with a splash of Stirrings Ginger Syrup, a splash of lemon juice and a splash of apple juice. They’re delicious but they can really sneak up on you!

Our other trip was to Burntwood  Tavern in Chagrin Falls. The place is everything the name suggests. The building is all brick inside and out with beautiful wood floors and trim. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the lounge is filled with wood tables to sit at and enjoy company. The copper top bar is eye catching and excellent place to take in your surroundings and have a drink. There are also three decks outside to enjoy the warmer weather. The place has been packed since they opened, which is great because they are the first restaurant to do well in this building.

Will decided to be adventurous and try their signature drink, A Pear of Cukes. This drink is made with pear vodka, 2 slices of cucumber, and sweet and sour mix. The flavors go well together and make a light and refreshing drink. Great to enjoy on one of the three decks while you watch the sun go down. We will definitely visit this fantastic friendly tavern again!

Will is at it again making an effort to get out to as many of the sweet 16 as he can, to sample them for you and let you know how sweet they really are! This time he journeyed to Prosperity Social Club in Tremont. This neighborhood hotspot has an old school feel going on. From the vintage tile floors and all wood bar to Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson on the stereo, you’ll think you’ve been transported back in time. They even hand write tabs the old fashioned way.

They have an eclectic food menu, an affordable wine list, a nice selection of beers and their back bar has a nice variety. They don’t have a lot of super premiums, but they’ve got all their bases covered. Since the place made Will feel like a time traveler he decided to order an Old Fashioned. The bartender made it satisfactory and Will most definitely approved! When you make a visit, we also recommend you try out the Winter Solstice, made with Stoli Oranj, Cointreau, Chambord, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and topped off with club soda, tasty.

This is definitely somewhere we will visit again.  The staff was friendly, and the owner, Bonnie, was there late into the night, like any good owner is. That’s it for now; we will keep visiting the sweet 16 spots and letting you know how sweet they really are.

Spring Madness - Sweet Sixteen

We wanted to know what’s new and happening in the Cleveland area so we decided to ask around! We polled bartenders aged 21-50 in the Greater Cleveland area and asked them what they thought. Here’s what we came up with. We give you Cleveland’s own Sweet 16, the 16 hottest places to have a cocktail in the Greater Cleveland area. You should try one tonight!

• Barley House - Irish Influenced Fare with over twenty Craft Beers On Tap.
• Chocolate Bar - Where everything is better with chocolate!
• Prosperity Social Club - A truly Cleveland experience, with a cool retro style.
• 806 Martini Bar - A very intimate bar that features a wide array of Martini’s and Fine Wines.
• D'Vine Wine Bar - 60 Wines by the glass, 16 Wine flights, and over 150 Wines by the bottle.
• Lola's Bistro - The crown jewel of Cleveland's vibrant culinary scene.
• Water Street Bar & Grill - Conveniently located in the Historic Warehouse District.
• Suite Sixx - A sophisticated lounge with an edgy feel and contemporary design.
• Metro Bar & Grill - Dynamic, energetic place featuring a over 15 craft & micro brews on tap.
• Flemming's - An ongoing celebration of exceptional food and wine.
• Wonder Bar - Located at the center of the Historic Gateway District.
• Barcento's - Serves a Roman-inspired menu, as well as 99 Belgian Beers & 100 Wines
• Garage Bar - The Garage hosts live music every Saturday! Amazing drink specials!
• Map Room - Cleveland Magazine named Map room one of the best bars to hang out at.
• Lava Lounge - Fun and cozy atmosphere with excellent drinks.
• Velvet Tango Room - A classy place with great drinks and live piano.