Cavs Fan Guide: Where to Watch, Eat and Drink Pregame

Photo courtesy Barley House Cleveland

Barley House Cleveland: Score four-bottle Bud Light and Budweiser buckets for $14 during games. Plus, the spot's $5 pizza specials every Thursday make tonight's game a tasty throwdown. 1261 W. Sixth St., Cleveland, 216-623-1700, barleyhousecleveland.com

Clevelander Bar & Grill: Celebrate with the $4 Kevin Love-inspired “Droppin’ Dimes” shot, made with Three Olives Cherry vodka. If you’d rather watch the Cavs make shots than drink them, the Clevelander will have $4 domestic 16-ounce cans, $3.25 short and $4.75 tall domestic drafts available for game time as well. 834 Huron Road E, Cleveland, 216-771-3723, clevelanderbar.com

Eat’n Park: Fans decked out in their best Cavs gear will score a free Smiley Cookie with their meal at Cleveland-area Eat’n Park locations, including Austintown, Boardman, Chapel Hill, Medina, Mentor, Parma, Warren and Willoughby locations. Various locations, eatnpark.com

Flat Iron Cafe: Need a lift to the game? The Flat Iron’s Cafe Valet will shuttle you and your friends for free. Plus, fans can score daily specials, which rotate every game, such as 50 cent wings during Game 3 June 8. 1114 Center St., Cleveland, 216-696-6968, flatironcafe.com

Free Cavs Fan Fests and Watch Parties: Need a pregame Cavs fan makeover or a Scream Team pump-up? Head over to these free fests outside The Q. Fans of all ages will enjoy games, live music by Northeast Ohio bands, food trucks, performances by the Cavalier Girls and giveaways for home games June 8 and 10. For away games June 2 and 5, snag a ticket to a watch party inside the arena for all of the entertainment from an actual game expect the players and the game shown on the humongotron. If it goes to more than four games, expect Fan Fests for future Finals home games and more Watch Parties for road games. Fan Fests, Outside of The Q, East Sixth Street and Gateway Plaza; Watch Parties, The Q, 1 Center Court, Cleveland,  nba.com/cavaliers/playoffs/guide

Hodge’s: One of downtown’s largest patios will play host to Cavs fans eager to catch both home and away games on the two 70-inch TVs installed specially for the NBA Finals. During the games, basketball fans can sip on $3 Coors and Great Lakes Brewing Co. Dortmunder Gold on draft. 668 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-4000, thedriftwoodgroup.com/restaurants/hodges

The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland: Both local and overnight basketball fans can celebrate the Cavs NBA Finals appearance at the Ritz-Carlton Cleveland. Viewing parties in the Lobby Lounge will take place every game of the Finals and the special $16 All In cocktail, made with tequila, triple sec and prickly pear liqueur and garnished with a gold sugar rim and gold dust sprinkle, will be available. Guests of the hotel’s Club Level will also receive special basketball-inspired treats. 1515 W. Third St., Cleveland, 216-623-1300, ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/cleveland 

All In cocktail

Winking Lizard: If seeing the King slam-dunk on just one screen isn’t enough, then head over to the Winking Lizard's Gateway location — just under a five-minute walk from The Q — to watch the game broadcasted on about 50 TV screens throughout the restaurant. 811 Huron Road, Cleveland, 216-589-0313, winkinglizard.com/locations/gateway

Yours Truly Restaurant: If — and when — the Cavs win the NBA championship, Yours Truly's Rockside location will serve free food the following day. There is also a Yours Truly six-item special features menu as long as the Cavs are in the NBA Finals that include bites such as the Triple Threat Notso Fries, 3 Point Swish Sliders and Brew Kettle's All For One session IPA beer. 8111 Rockside Road, Valley View, 216-524-8111, ytr.com

Cavs Fan Guide: 8 Bars to Watch the Finals

Around the Corner: Longtime Cavs fans won't want to miss the June 4 watch party featuring a special meet-and-greet with former Cavalier Larry Nance. Chow down on $0.49 wings and swig $3 Miller Lites while ESPN 850 Cleveland broadcasts. 18616 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-4413, atccafe.com

Becky's : Basketball know-it-alls can put their expertise to the test at Becky's Thursday trivia night, which takes on a Cavs theme this week. Bring friends and take advantage of game-day offer: $6 Labatt pitchers starting at 9:30 p.m. Another reason to go? Becky’s recently won our March Madness bar bracket. 1762 E. 18th St., Cleveland, 216-621-0055, beckysbar.com


Brew Kettle: Knock back the All For One brew — a rye session IPA with a citrus flavor and spicy character. During the Cavs game, it's just $3.25 per glass. After the buzzer, you may want to take home a six-pack, it’s a limited release. 8377 Pearl Road, Strongsville, 440-239-8788, thebrewkettle.com


Brew Garden: Home of Timofey Mozgov’s favorite daytime bartender, Liz, from the incredibly awkward YouTube commercial that prompted Bleacher Report to famously dub the duo the next Bonnie and Clyde. Make sure you grab a Labatt draft priced at $2.23, after Kyrie Irving and LeBron James' respective jersey numbers. 18590  Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights, 440-234-1001, brewgarden.com


Brindaliers Bar & Grill: Get ready to rally during the Cavs playoffs with 3-point-worthy specials from Brindaliers Bar & Grill. Drink up with $12 domestic buckets, $2 select beer specials, $3 bloody marys, $4 margaritas and $5 long islands. If you’re feeling a win, go for the slam-dunk with $3 LeBron James shots, a mix of Crown Royal, Sprite, pineapple and grenadine. For buzzer-beating nibblers during the playoffs, Brindaliers has buy one burger, get the second half off on Mondays; $4 boneless wing baskets on Tuesdays; $5 cheese pizzas on Wednesdays and $5 appetizers on Thursdays. 2749 SOM Center Road, Willoughby Hills, 440-278-4486, brindaliers.com

The Clevelander Bar and Grill: Enjoy a wine-and-gold libation in honor of Cavs superstar LeBron James at this go-to sports bar with more than 10 flat-screen, high-definition TVs only minutes from The Q. The $4 King shot features lemonade with Smirnoff ruby red grapefruit vodka. 834 Huron Road E, Cleveland, 216-771-3723, clevelanderbar.com


Flat Iron Cafe: Celebrate the Cavs first NBA Finals appearance in eight years with a five-beer Bud Light bucket for just $13. The cafe even offers a free shuttle to all home games, if you were lucky enough to score some coveted tickets. 1114 Center St., Cleveland, 216-696-6968, flatironcafe.com


Great Lakes Brewing Co.: Before watching the Chosen One dunk, eat his preferred pregrame protein and veggie combo with LeBron's Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo, and then raise a glass of the Timofey Mozgov-named brew, a combination of Stoli vodka, peach schnapps, and Gosling's ginger beer. Bring a team of friends to enjoy the Big Three pork and ham sandwich, $5 mussels, $5 smoked chicken tacos, $3 Dortmunder Gold pints, $4 cabernets and home-game shuttles. 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-4404, greatlakesbrewing.com

By Brielle Gregory and Madeline Smanik