For their second monthly meeting, The Eaters of Lakewood sank their teeth into Lakewood’s Buckeye Beer Engine, a locally owned restaurant and bar known for their gourmet burgers which perfectly compliment a wide selection of over a hundred different beers (some of which brewed right in their own basement). The Beer Engine prides themselves on their unique and ever-changing draft list, which creates a new dining experience for their patrons on a nightly basis. They are constantly putting new beers on tap, holding special events, beer dinners and glass promotions.

On Saturday, January 23rd the public chapter of the Eaters of Lakewood held their first monthly meeting at 56 West, an area restaurant located at the intersection of Detroit and Westlake Avenue. They came with a similar drive; to eat and eat well. The Eaters of Lakewood was originally a club started in Lakewood High school and has since extended its influence to include a chapter available to the public. Since its inception the club has only met with success so, naturally EOL expanded to not only include the students of LHS but all people of Lakewood. It’s easy to see why EOL membership has been on the increase when you look at the core ideals the group was founded upon: if you like to eat, you’re in. EOL is about food, friends and a good time. Their members scour the city, searching for the places with the best food and atmosphere. Their goal? To keep their friends and neighbors informed on all the best eateries, where they are and what they can hope to find (all while getting in a good bite of course).

With so many young, trendy bars, the Waterbury Coachouse contrasts as one of those neighborhood fixtures that the regulars refer to as the Lakewood Cheers.  Owner, Hoss Ashofteh, prides himself on providing outstanding customer service in a clean, comfortable and welcoming setting. The focus is home cooking and every day has a $5.99 special. As I visited there last week (live music on Wednesdays and Fridays) I randomly asked some of the many customers for their thoughts:

The Winchester Tavern & Music Hall in Lakewood has been voted the Number One and BEST Live Music Venue in the Cleveland area by the 67,440 voters in the FOX 8 Television Hot List.  The results of the 2009 voting were released a few weeks ago and The Winchester came out on top over the 2008 winner, The House of Blues finishing second! There were thirty seven venues to vote for in the Live Music Venue category.  

The Lakewood High School Pool is featuring a new schedule of daytime programming, including Adult Swims, to compliment the existing schedule of Open Swims and evening programming.  The Pool features convenient hours, very affordable admission and monthly pass rates, and plenty of close parking.

If you drive west out of Lakewood along Detroit Ave., there is a sharp right turn just before you cross the bridge into Rocky River, and around that corner on your right hand side is a little bar and café called…Around the Corner.    

     “I was trying to come up with a name for the place when I first got it,” says owner Mickey Krivosh,“ and people kept saying, ‘ya know, it’s right there around the corner,’ or ‘it’s just around the corner,’ so that’s what I decided to call it.”            And if you have lived in Lakewood or the surrounding area at any time in the past 35 years (and are of legal drinking age!), you have probably been to Around the Corner.          

  This September marks Krivosh’s 35th year in business, and to celebrate he is having a larger and longer-than-usual anniversary bash. From Thursday, Sept. 17th until Sunday, Sept. 20, the party will roll on with food and drink specials, contests, live music, and other entertainment.