St. Patrick’s Day in Cleveland: Irish Food, Drinks, & Fun
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They say everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s day. Whether you hail from Ireland or you are just looking for an excuse to celebrate, there is plenty of fun to be had around the Cleveland metro this time of year. Amongst the top 100 metro areas in the US, Cleveland ranks #16 in terms of highest percentage of the population claiming Irish ancestry. I grew up on the southside of Chicago (one of the most Irish areas in the country), so I am used to the holiday being a big deal. If you are ever looking for a good roadtrip this time of year, the Windy City’s annual dyeing of the river green is pretty spectacular.
Throughout Cleveland, you will find so many pubs especially in Kamm’s Corner, which is a heavily Irish neighborhood with lots of local pubs and restaurants. You will find a number of great celebrations on March 17th including pub crawls, live music, and bag pipers. The city also hosts one of the oldest, biggest, and best parades in the country. It started back in 1842. You can read more about the history of the pardade if you are interested in being amongst the 400k+ people who attend each year.
Whether you are seeking to relax in a cozy bar with a pint of Guinness and Fish and Chips, enjoy the American tradition of drinking green beer, listen to live music and watch step dancing performances, or attend one of the country’s biggest parades, Irish Shenanigans are in full swing throughout the metro. Here are a few of my favorite places to get into the spirit throughout the month of March.
Five Points Coffeehouse
I love supporting local coffeeshops over Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. Not only does it help the local community, but the vibe is typically cozier and the pastries and food ten times better. I’ve been exploring a lot of the city’s great coffee scene since moving here a few years ago. One of my favorites (especially in the weeks leading up to St. Patrick’s Day) is Five Points, a small cozy Irish coffeehouse in the 5 Points neighborhood of West Park.
I love the decor and cozy interior which includes a lot of Ireland based decor and knick knacks. The space is small but it is decked out with plants, shamrock decor, and I love the full size wall mural. The coffee is top notch (although on the dark side for sure – even the light roast is really dark).
The food here is great – the fresh pastries are made just across the street in the Five Points Bakery. I really love the pistachio muffins and the curry cauliflower pastry. You can look forward to a lot of specials leading up to St. Paddy’s Day including:
- Irish soda bread
- Irish roots pasty
- Corned beef pasty
- Irish raisn scone
- Lucky charms poptart
- Guiness rye bread
- Barry’s & Cream (Irish breakfast tea with cream)
- On the Shamrocks (Latte with vanilla & mint, topped with mint whipped cream and sprinkles)
You can also look forward to live entertainment in the weekend leading up to the big day. Great music + a great ambiance + friendly staff + Irish treats….really, it’s the best choice this time of year! For 2026, St. Paddy’s Day weekend event lineup includes: Ballinloch Duo on 3/14, Crawley & SoFranko on 3/15, and Shindig on 3/17.
P.J. Mc Intyre’s Irish Pub
This is the best pub in Kamm’s Corner in my opinion. I love the decor, the food, the dark ambiance, and the live music. I dine here throughout the year – not just on St. Patrick’s’ Day. The ambiance is just amazing here and this place feels the most local of the pubs I’ve visited. There is a huge bar, frequent live entertainment, and a beautiful stone fireplace.
Best Fish and Chips in the city plus they serve some amazing appetizers. I recommend the spinach artichoke dip, curry chips, and the mega pretzel. They also offer a great Lent menu which includes cheddar pierogies and gouda mac and cheese bites. Sometimes, Mike and I come here just for beer and appetizers because they are so delicious. Even the sides like the onion rings, tater tots, coleslaw, and yukon gold mashers are fabulous.
Be on the lookout for the awesome specials each day of the week. I like visiting on Fridays for the “Irish Power hour” which includes $3 Guinness and Harp. As beer usually runs 7-9 bucks today, this is a great deal. Note that this place can get really noisy on weekend nights.
Sunday afternoons are perfect though if you are seeking a quaint vibe. I like enjoying a meal at this time. You can really appreciate all the beauty like the exposed brick, stained glass, festive Jameson tree, and Jameson chandeliers when the place isn’t too busy.
Starting at 7am on St. Patrick’s Day, you can enjoy Irish step dancing and bagpipe performances. The first 100 people get a free t-shirt. The 2026 entertainment lineup includes Shindig from 2-6pm and Mary’s Lane from 6-9pm.
The Harp
The Harp opened in 1999 in the Ohio City neighborhood. I often stop here after visiting Edgewater Beach or anything other attraction/park in this vicinity. While the ambiance isn’t as cozy as P.J.’s, I really like the food here. This is more of a family friendly restaurant vs. a pub. You will find a beautiful small wooden bar and a nice patio for the spring/summer months with a hint of a water view.
They are most known for their corned beef sandwiches and boxtys. They incorporate both Irish and local influences into their menu so there is a lot to choose amongst. One highlight is the Irish soda bread, which is the owner’s grandmother’s recipe. Finding anything local today when chains dominate the dining scene is always a bonus.
I really love the Vegetarian Boxty which includes sauteed spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, carrots, and squash topped with a really delicious creamy spinach based cream sauce. Kind of pricey at $17, but worth the splurge! The Fish and Chips here is really delicious as well and I love the coleslaw. For apps, you can try everything from locally made perogies, to soft pretzel rolls with beer cheese zip, to corned beef rolls. Bonus points for clearly marking gluten-free and vegetarian choices for the convenience of guests with different dietary preferences.
For 2026, they open for breakfast from 8am-10am on St. Patrick’s Day and then serve a limited menu the rest of the day. Special entertainment takes place in their heated tent from 2:30pm til close. On the lineup for this year’s event is The Kilroys and the Boys from the Country Hell. I visited this restaurant on March 17th last year and the wait was so long. Unfortunately, they do not take reservations.
Cleveland St. Patrick’s’ Day 5k
This year, I signed up for the annual Irish themed 5k downtown. This event has been going strong since 2018. I love running themed 5ks because after months of training you can look forward to a really fun and festive time. It feels more like an event rather than just a run.
This year’s race took place on March 14th. Everyone was really decked out in green despite the freezing temperatures (I even saw a guy dressed as a Leprechaun complete with a red dyed beard). What’s really cool about this race (besides the free shot of Jameson or Guinness at The Barley House or Ivy post-race) is that it is the Guiness World Record holder for largest kilt race in the US. For a few extra bucks, you can run in a kilt and keep it. Some runners wore kilts, others crazy costumes, while others just kept it green.
Bagpipers starting off the race was a nice touch. Seeing the city sights along the course and the cheerful nature of the crowds (some guy was even playing the Rocky theme music from his apartment balcony!) kept things interesting. The course is tough with 2 major hills, but there are some motivating views of the city along the way. I managed to place 3rd in my age group despite the hilly course, so I’m happy with that!
Registration is a bit pricey, but they give out cool Leprechaun themed medals and t-shirts. Everyone receives the finisher medal and age group award winners receive a special medal. This race is chip timed. I encourage everyone to sign up for a 5k – it really helps motivate you to keep up an exercise routine especially during the cold and dreary spring and winter months.
Other themed 5ks this time of year include: the St. Malachi Church walk and run, a 47 year old tradition, the Shamrock Run in Medina, and the Time to Paddy 5k, 10k, and half marathon at Brecksville Reservation.
Joe’s Deli
I passed by this West side diner in Rocky River like 20 times before I finally decided to stop in. I am glad I did because the food was so delicious and the staff so friendly. This is a really big space and it was totally packed which I’m guessing says something about its’ popularity with loyal locals. They serve the best appetizers and I love the old-school vibe (they even have those old time comment cards that you fill out about the service and your experience!). The ambiance is very homey and traditional, just a great place to enjoy classic food in a neighborhood setting.
On my last visit, I overheard a waitress say that the truck was arriving and they were getting 20,000 pounds of corned beef for the holiday! She said they ran out last year with 18,000 pounds! Pretty crazy – I’m sure this place is packed all day.
They offer a special limited menu on March 17th which includes corned beef sandwiches, Rueben Classic, Beef and Latkes, and even a Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake for dessert.
I also recommend visiting anytime as the menu is huge with options for everyone. I really love their apps especially the potato pancakes, fried mozzarella, and the Mediterranean Veggie platter which includes hummus, baba ganoush, pita bread, tabbouleh, and stuffed grape leaves.
Tip: While you are in the vicinity, check out Casey’s Imports, a cute little Irish gift shop where you can find decorations, clothing, and home decor.
Parade
The annual parade is held on March 17th every year which is a bit different than most cities I’ve lived in which hold it the weekend prior. In all honesty, I would prefer a weekend date, but I guess it’s another excuse to take a day off work!
The parade’s origin began in 1842, making 2026 the 184th anniversary of one of the country’s most festive celebrations. The festive fun kicks off at 1:04pm at Superior Ave. at east 18th Street (see parade route). The city recommends public transportation as obviously traffic and parking will be a hassle.
If you do decide to drive, you can find parking for under 20 bucks in the Willard Street garage. If the thought of crowds, freezing 26 degree temps, and the parking nightmare keep you away, simply tune into channel 1020 on Spectrum or download on Youtube.
2026 parade review: We arrived about 2 hours pre parade and parked for 12 bucks in the Willard garage. It was pretty empty at this time. We walked about 15 minutes over to the Arcade area and ate beforehand. There are a number of pubs and restaurants (Flat Iron, Flannery) as well as some common chains like Chipotle in the area.
We got a pretty decent view across the street from the Public Library. This was the first parade I’ve actually watched in person in a few years. It was absolutely freezing and even snowing at times. I heard on the news that it is the coldest St. Patrick’s Day since 1941! It was so cold that I had a hard time taking my gloves off to take pictures and I have a pretty high tolerance for cold! A lot of fun though with a lot of energy and festive Irish pride in the area.
The Arcade
This historic building (which opened in 1890 as a shopping mall), known as “Cleveland’s Crystal Palace,” was the country’s first indoor shopping mall. Today, most of the storefronts are empty and it serves mainly to house the Hyatt Regency. Regardless, I think it is worth a visit just to admire the gorgeous architecture (it looks gorgeous around Christmas).
For parade day, you can enjoy live music and drink specials are offered throughout the day. Basically, if you want to keep the celebration going much longer, definitely stop here to join in on the fun.
2026 review: This is the place to be pre and post parade. It was packed from Noon until well after the parade was over (packed so much that it was hard to move). There was no shortage of green and Irish flags!
Shamrock Shakes
Who could forget McDonald’s minty green shake? Although it made its’ debut in the 70’s, it really rose in popularity in the 90’s. It was limited to select markets until going nationwide in 2012. Growing up in Chicago in the 90’s, these shakes were so popular and I can still remember being excited to see the big colorful banners advertising the return of this long awaited treat. It was select locations only at this time so it was super exciting to pass by a location that had it on the menu.
Today, I make my own version at home. It’s actually pretty simple (2.5 cups of ice cream, milk of your choice, green food coloring, and about 1/8-1/4 tsp of mint extract). Top with whipped cream and some sprinkles for a delicious treat. For nostalgic sake, it’s still my tradition to drink one of these shakes while watching The Luck of the Irish (Disney Plus) and the Leprechaun series.
For more info on St. Paddy’s day events, please check out this article. Also, if you are a first time tourist to the city, take a look at my visitor guide for the best attractions not to miss! Besides the well known tourist sites like the Rock N’Roll Hall of Fame and the Christmas Story house, there are tons of great parks, easy access to Lake Erie beaches, and a wonderful natural park. Depending on the weather, I recommend staying a bit longer and checking out some of the wonderful natural sights just outside of the city. The quick access to beautiful recreation is what I consider to be this city’s prime advantage.
Also, if you are up for traveling, there are great Irish pubs to enjoy throughout the country. You can take a look at some of my favorite finds after years of traveling.
