Bar: ZZs Big Top
Address: 35015 Detroit Rd, Avon, OH 44011
Score: 8.7/10
Today, I was told that one of my beloved Cleveland suburb bars was closing their original location and moving to another spot in Avon, OH. In my humble opinion it is sad when your neighborhood dive moves locations. Why? Because it is incredibly hard to maintain the grit and feel of the original establishment. ZZ’s embodies grit. This particular bar was visited by my dad frequently when I used to live in the area. After a fifteen year hiatus he went back when he was in the area and was absolutely shocked at how much the place changed. The place got a major facelift and he was impressed how nice it was. Although he said, the place was such an absolute shit hole that anything would be an improvement.
I got the chance to visit ZZ’s for the first time in my legal drinking years and I fell in love with the bar. I mean the name alone, who the hell opens a ZZ Top themed bar in the middle of Avon, OH? Random as hell but much better than naming a bar some cliche shit that you frequently see.
The outside of the bar is killer, it literally just looks like a concrete block, nothing fancy, just screams dive bar from miles away. Inside the bar is where the place shines. Now, this isn’t your typical WeRateBars, bar. I will be honest, this bar decor is very lackluster, it seems to be missing some much needed signage. They do have a few gems such as the Miller lite and Rolling Rock neon, but other than that it is predominately tin signs.
So by now you may be thinking, alright, minimal decor, why is this bar special? Well first off, the wooden bar top and the copper ceilings are great. I rarely see ceilings of this type in bars and the bar top was a nice wood color. I am not sure if I am not used to this by being from NC, but the fact they have pull tabs absolutely rocks. If you do not know what these are, look these up, awesome gambling game. Additionally, ZZ’s has Touch Tunes, so you know you will always have great music going.
The beer selection at ZZ’s is top notch. From your cheap shit beers to fancy crafts and IPAs they have it all. I had the privilege of trying my first Blatz at this bar, it tasted like motor oil, but hey it was only $3 bucks. Miller Lite will run you only $3.50, very fair prices. ZZ’s also has their own beer, and I appreciate they still offer other domestics, something bars rarely do.
So the real reason this bar is ranked too high is the wings. Dear lord these wings are unreal, I know food does not factor into rankings, but i’d put myself in jail if I did not mention the wings. These are in my top 5 wings I have ever had, the size, crisp, sauce, everything is fucking killer about them. I think about them way too often if I am being honest.
Look, this bar has some tradition and some lineage for my family visiting the place. I absolutely love it and it is one of my first stops whenever I land in Cleveland. Last time I visited, I landed and was at ZZ’s within 30 minutes, no joke. I pray to god that this location move does not affect the atmosphere and feel that the bar currently has. Time will tell. For now, we will rate the OG location.
Decor: Very meh, worst category for the bar.
Price: $3-$5 domestics, very very fair.
Service: A+ service, great conversation.
Atmosphere: Everytime I visit, the people around are typically watching a sport and are as nice as can be.
Cleanliness: Very clean, helps that they have food.
Bonus Points: No bonus points.