Around Progressive Field
Going to a game?
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Progressive Field sits in the Gateway District, right downtown, next to Rocket Arena, where the Cavaliers play. If you come in by train, the enclosed walkway from Tower City passes the arena on the way to the ballpark.
The main place to go is East 4th Street, a pedestrian-only stretch about two blocks from the ballpark, closed to cars and lined with restaurants and bars. It is the natural gathering spot before and after a game, and Thirsty Parrot, a sports bar on Huron Road, is even closer to the gates.
The bar closest to the gates
Thirsty Parrot, on Huron Road in the Gateway District, is about a tenth of a mile from the gates, which is about as close as a bar gets here.
It is not a hidden find. It gets crowded and loud on a game night, and that’s the point of a sports bar this close to a ballpark. If you’d rather have more choices, head to East 4th instead.
Mabel’s BBQ and Great Lakes Brewing
For a real meal before the game, Mabel’s BBQ is Michael Symon’s downtown spot, on East 4th Street a short walk from the ballpark. It’s a good sit-down option in the immediate area, a step up from bar food if the evening is built around dinner and not the pre-game crowd.
Great Lakes Brewing pours all over inside the park, and its brewpub is across the Cuyahoga River in Ohio City, at 2516 Market Avenue. That is about 1.3 miles from the ballpark, roughly a 30-minute walk, so take a rideshare if you are short on time. It is worth a stop on a trip with time to spare.
After the game
The downtown Gateway spots keep serving past the final out, so one more round on East 4th is a fine plan. Heading straight back to Tower City for the train works just as well, especially on a weeknight.
More to do in Cleveland
Cleveland has the Rock Hall, the West Side Market, and the lakefront downtown.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is worth building a day around, a quick ride from the park out on the lakefront.
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For dinner with more of a neighborhood feel, a food tour runs through the old East Side blocks of Cleveland’s Little Italy, about three and a half hours at a mid-range price.
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