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| - Many of the reviews of this place are old. I'm told The Fairmount has changed a lot in the last few years (for example, their cocktail list has expanded greatly). So keep that in mind when looking at reviews.
This is by far my favorite place to drink on the east side. The beer and wine selection is decent, nothing amazing, but you should be ordering one of the cocktails. They have a huge cocktail list, all of which is good (although I stick mostly to the gin and whiskey sections - I don't often drink rum and tequila and never drink vodka), and the bartenders are often willing to concoct a drink if you give them parameters, even if those parameters merely set a mood, as a friend of mine is fond of doing. Their ingredients - that is, bitters, ginger beer, tonic water, etc - are all house-made and they have a good selection of liquor (never have I seen so much good gin in one place in this region!). The drinks are somewhat pricey, but not inordinately so, and they're pretty much in line with the low end of the cocktail prices I got used to living in New York City.
Their food is generally good, but a bit pricey for what it is. I'd recommend eating dinner elsewhere and going to The Fairmount for drinks and possibly appetizers.
The atmosphere is good, but the place can get crowded on the weekends (I once walked in on a Saturday night to find nearly the entire Cleveland Orchestra there, along with others). There's a nice outdoor patio when the weather is good, and there's ample free(!) parking in back (hard to find in Cleveland Heights). Staff is generally courteous, although you may end up waiting a little bit if it's a busy night.
In short, if you like cocktails, get in here. If you just want beer or food, perhaps you should look elsewhere.
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