The Observer, March 30, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 22
Nighttown's happy hour expensive for students
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Well-known around Cleveland for its live music – especially jazz – Nighttown is not a disappointment if you're only looking for a little night music. Surrounded by décor harkening back to a different time period, Nighttown's smooth jazz pianist George Foley provided an array of aurally pleasing sound throughout the evening. For connoisseurs, this classy yet comfortable establishment is terrific, but the average college student must be aware that the prices are, for the most part, beyond typical budgets.
Over the years Nighttown has expanded from one small and narrow room to a spacious restaurant with an outdoor patio. Each area has a distinct personality, including the dimly-lit but inviting bar. With an appearance that is straight out of the movies, the entrance can seem a bit foreboding, especially after stepping inside on a sunny day in Cleveland. The draft selection lacks range, but is different from most other bars. For a student looking for a bargain-priced drink instead of quality, $2 pints of Labatt Blue are available during happy hour, and all well liquor for mixed drinks is 25 percent off. All the drinks are well-prepared with friendly and attentive care representative of the service in general.
While certainly lacking the low-price options of a standard bar, the menu has a terrific variety of high-end food with a mixture of some wallet-friendly choices which have roughly the same price as a reasonable restaurant in Little Italy. During happy hour, four of the main entrees are reduced to less than $14 a reasonable price for the style and quality of the food. Also, appetizers and salads run around $10 if you are willing to try a more unique dish at the bar.
The highlight of the evening, however, should be the live music – a rarity, and even less commonplace when the quality of performers are considered. Jazz is America's contribution to the music world, and it would be difficult to find a better venue in Cleveland than Nighttown. With acts from down the street and across the country playing, the musical talent surpasses the quality of the food and the drinks.
"This is exactly the type of place I've been looking for," said Case alumnus George Haag. "It's very relaxed and the music is out of this world."
Do not go to Nighttown expecting a bargain, cheap beer, and greasy food. However, if you are looking for a different scene, then this may be your destination. The drinks are good, the prices are manageable if planned in advance and ordered with caution, and the music is superb. Stories about the great jazz halls of University Circle are often told in fond memory as each establishment fades out every couple of years. With the way that Nighttown has flourished, don't expect its notes to fall flat very soon – if you're looking for live music, particularly jazz, it is the place to be.
