Experience Cocktail Culture at LBM in Lakewood

Located in an unassuming red brick building on the city of Lakewood’s east side, Eric Ho’s LBM strays from the typical cocktail-bar vibe. The result is a space that feels like a lived-in neighborhood spot as much as it does a love letter to cocktail culture. 

“I like to call it a friendly neighborhood cocktail bar,” Ho says. 

Opened in 2017, LBM has Viking-inspired decor and intricately carved doorframes that make the space feel like a cozy hideaway, despite its location along Lakewood’s bustling Madison Avenue. Ho honed his mixology skills working behind the bar at the former Sweet Melissa’s in Rocky River, where he often tried his hand at developing new drinks.  

“I was given the chance to actually just use anything in the walk-in and the pantry,” he says. “I could just experiment to my heart’s content.” 

Then, after crafting cocktail menus as general manager at Melt Bar & Grilled in Lakewood, Ho struck out on his own. After leasing the property where LBM is located, he and his crew of hospitality-industry veterans began building their dream bar. 

“Traditionally, when you think of a cocktail bar, it’s much more quiet and intimate and sometimes, maybe a little pretentious,” Ho says. “We wanted to break that down with the music, art and decor where it could be more fun.”

The vast cocktail menu here spans mainstays like the dry-gin-based Hellhound to seasonal cocktails like the Demiurge made using pistachio-infused mezcal.  

LBM presents a new set of seasonal cocktails four times a year, a process that requires two months of preparation. The bartenders consider ingredients that will be in season and begin experimenting around a theme. A seasonal menu released in April was inspired by retro video games and is set to run through the middle of summer. 

The bar also offers a mindfully crafted menu of small plates and sandwiches. The loaded fries are a favorite, smothered in barbecued pulled pork, smoked cheddar cheese and jalapeño cheese curds. LBM’s burger features a half-pound patty sourced from TJ’s Butcher Block and stacked on focaccia from Blackbird Baking Co., which are both in Lakewood.

What about that name? Ho isn’t sharing but did offer a bit of background.  

“I came up with it while I was on an island in Lake Superior on the Canadian side. I was reading a couple of cocktail books, and that’s kind of when I realized I wanted to open a cocktail bar,” he says. “I’m still not telling what it actually means.”

12301 Madison Ave., Lakewood 44107, lbmbar.com

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