Fat Fish Blue   

Since opening during the Gateway District's revitalization, Fat Fish Blue has created a niche as Cleveland's approximation of the French Quarter. The modern two-story downtown space -- really a restaurant with a bar and stage dropped right in the middle of the plush dining area -- has become the top local spot for the blues. The club features a popular Cajun menu and a stocked bar featuring regular specials on hurricanes. Lending an endless amount of musical credibility is the joint's regular Wednesday night performer, blues legend Robert Lockwood, Jr., reputedly the only person to ever learn guitar from Robert Johnson. The club also brings in top jazz and blues artists from around the country, with previous performers including Shemekia Copeland, Koko Taylor and Levon Helm. If you think you have the chops, Fat Fish Blue also sponsors Tuesday night open-mic nights. If you're hungry, you're really in the best of luck considering the critically acclaimed kitchen is open until doors close. Like everywhere in the area, look for a bigger crowd before and after Tribe games. And while it's comfortable on a regular night, the bigger the musical act, the more packed the space. -- Daniel Rivkin