Nightlife in Brunswick

For the quartet of entrepreneurs behind Lake City Tavern, there's no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to pub food. Hence the eatery's mostly traditional lineup, ranging from fried green beans to smoked jumbo wings tossed in garlic parmesan. On occasion, though, cooks reassemble classic ingredients in creative ways, such as stuffing fries, bacon, egg, and cheese into a breakfast wrap available all day.

Pints and mixed drinks complement feasts, which unfold amid a near constant stream of entertainment, from dart leagues and sports on flat-screen TVs to live music and karaoke. In the summer, Lake City Tavern unveils its spacious outdoor deck and bar, which surrounds a sand volleyball court where patrons can showcase their spiking or bury their dessert for later.

With a diverse clientele, hearty pub eats, and a broad selection of spirits and beers, "Scoundrels always feels alive," according to Patrick Mayock of Metromix Cleveland. While bartenders keep the libations flowing, cooks smoke slabs of ribs in-house, grill half-pound burgers, and bake pizzas in a brick oven. And nearly 20 sandwiches crowd the menu. Outside, the umbrella-covered patio makes for serene dining on a warm summer’s eve. But patrons can get rowdy inside by dancing to the beats of live bands, taking the stage themselves to sing classic karaoke songs, or acting like a bull in a straitjacket.

Peppermill Pub and Grill combines fabulous fare, delicious drinks, and wonderful WiFi to create an all-around accommodating and alliterative experience for diners. The restaurant's executive chef, John Wright, brings his 10 years of experience at the fine-dining restaurant Chez François in Vermilion to tempt your taste buds, serving up a full menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, daily entree specials, and lunch-buffet bites for those on the go. Start with a savory order of sausage-stuffed banana peppers coated with homemade tomato sauce and cheese ($8.99), or a serving of fresh spinach and artichoke dip with hand-cut tortilla chips ($8.99), before letting your teeth traverse the table to a main dish. Peppermill chicken primavera is a house specialty, with grilled chicken, spinach, roasted red peppers, artichokes, and kalamata olives tossed with herbed olive oil ($15.99). People who like to disguise their protein as a bun will enjoy the inside-out burger, sneaking American cheese, lettuce, and tomato between two quarter-pound beef patties ($8.29).

Buckeye Lanes’ glossy lanes provide a place to foster camaraderie and healthy competition. Easily heftable bowling balls and bumpers accommodate children during normal business hours and birthday parties catered with hot dogs or pizza slices, which can be held in a person’s not-bowling hand. During Rockin' Bowl two nights a week, the alley morphs into a pulsing nightclub from midnight to 2 a.m. with orbs hurtling amid dimmed lighting and cranked up beats. In the snack bar and lounge, pool sticks thwack cue balls on eight billiards tables and patrons devour sandwiches or demolish karaoke tunes.

For Adam Weslek, partying was the key to getting in shape. During his one-hour Zumba classes, he transforms the same Latin-inspired dance steps that helped him shed 120 pounds into a celebration of music, movement, and friendship. International music from Grammy-winning producers powers each class, helping students melt calories with arm waves, hip swivels, and air-marimba solos.