The Tastiest Bars in Columbus

Matt and Tony's Kitchen x Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (285) • $$

"My husband and I stopped in for a late dinner the night before Labor Day. The service was great, and the food was fantastic. We ordered the pimento cheese fried chicken sandwich as well as the portobello mushroom sandwich. The fries were hot and crispy. Everything was seasoned well. Just superb. Reasonable prices and great ambiance. We shall return!"

City Tap & The Attic

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (38) • $$

"Spent great time at City Tap!Nice staff, great affordable drinks! You have a pool and other things you can enjoy w your friends!"

Denmark

★★★★☆ 4.2 (162) • $$

"This is a pretty dope cocktail lounge. It's in a prime location, making it really easy to get to and I'm honestly surprised it took me so long to get here for a drink. It's located right off High St. across from the Convention Center and it's on the second floor. Once you make your way up the staircase, your greeted with a rather large, open space. The bar can be found directly ahead with plenty of seating to the right near the giant windows that face the street. The décor is modern and sleek and there's a mix of comfy lounge seating and tables. The lighting is somewhat romantic and you definitely get a good vibe while you're here. The cocktail menu is rather large and ranges from whiskey drink to vodka drink (gosh, now I'm singing chumbawamba in my head) and everything in between. They also made a lot of the syrups they use in house, which is pretty special. Both times I've visited Denmark the staff was extremely welcoming and helpful. I like to ask the staff for drink recommendations because after all, they're the experts, and they definitely pointed me in the right direction. The most recent drink I got had gin and concord grape. It wasn't too sweet and I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely be back!"

Cameron's American Bistro

★★★★☆ 4.2 (214) • $$$

"We've been coming for thirty years and it's always a pleasure. Great menu, great food, great drinks and wine list. Always great service and always excellent bathrooms. Thanks for both!Prices are at a new level, but everything else remains constant. Dinner only. Make a Rez!"

Bristol Republic

★★★★☆ 4.1 (286) • $$

"We always have a great time at Bristol Republic! It's a great spot for a hearty meal. Service has been pretty consistent so far. I always try to get something different everytime I go and I haven't been disappointed yet!"

Ruby Tuesday

★★★★☆ 3.9 (43) • $

"For starters, this is not your family style restaurant. Look closely at the details here on Yelp people. You don't want to arrive hungry and completely confused. Instead, this is a badass dive bar not far from campus. They have live music often, cheap drinks, friendly bartenders, a couple pool tables, a small patio, and a handful of televisions. When I arrived, I immediately felt like I was in my happy place. I mean c'mon, a round of top shelf tequila shots for four people was only about $22. Rejoice, rejoice!I'm sad it took me so long to visit but I know I'll be back. This is definitely a hidden gem for those that appreciate a good divey spot."

Wing Bar

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (25)

"My wife and I stopped in to try it out for an early date night. Service was good. Food was good. Atmosphere was good. We really enjoyed ourselves and the restaurant wasn't too busy so we were able to converse and not have to yell.Its a great little joint close to everything, but far enough away to make it adventurous. Keep up the hard work!"

Double Barrel Bar And Grill

★★★★★ 4.8 (26) • $

"This is a perfect example of why I love Yelp! We were in town and looking for a place to eat. Looked on Yelp and saw the star rating. We pulled up and without the reviews we never would have gone into this place.We walked and and were greeted quickly. The four of us, two youngins and two seniors, ordered from a surprisingly large menu. Three ordered burgers and one ordered a turkey club. The food was amazing. Simply delicious. The prices were CHEAP and the portions were huge. The burgers were fresh and everything was wonderful.The bar is your basic neighborhood bar with a great menu and from what I know of beer (which is nothing) a decent selection. If you are looking for a great place with prices from the 90's, check this place out."

The Thirsty Parrot

★★★★☆ 4.1 (21) • $

"Circleville's secret. A co-worker told me about this restaurant. It's tucked away in Circleville. It's definitely a local's place to eat and converse with friends. Pulling up after dark I was a bit concerned but then saw a couple my age walk into the restaurant. Once inside I was surprised. There were quite a few people and even someone we know. This has to be the cleanest restaurant I have eaten in quite some time. I ordered the bourbon chicken and wow! Really good. Our waiter asked me if I would like the onions on the side and surprisingly onion was really good sprinkled on top. It comes in a plastic container that you can take home which is good because it's so much food. It comes in a small size for $8 and a large size for $12 or $14 (I forget). I got the large size and have made 3 meals out of it. My husband got the burger and a side of fries. He said the burger was really good. The fries are definitely made at the restaurant with fresh potatoes. They are thin strips and the portion is HUGE. The only disappointment is that there is no beer on draft. But they do have bottled beer and mixed drinks. Overall: Very Clean, Great Atmosphere, Friendly Staff and Delicious Food."

Papa Boo's

★★★★☆ 3.9 (102) • $$

"Always a good time. Always good food.Always good pricing.Lots of great seating.Will always make room for more.Drive up your boat, order out and sit on your boat and enjoy while docked. Drive-in that's fine too.The entire experience has always been great. Haven't ever had a bad time It's lake life, I hope you wouldn't have a bad time. Music is good. Entertainment is good.Enjoy yourselves!"

Buckeye Family Pizzeria

★★★★☆ 4.1 (58) • $$

"Yelled "go Michigan" in here and someone across the room muttered a death threat but other than that everyone is really friendly!"

Alpha Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (10) • $

"When you walk into a bar, and it turns out to be more than 100 years old with an authentic Brunswick (made in Cincinnati) carved wooden bar, massive drink selection, and friendly staff - you know you've hit a homerun. And what's this? The place has the highest health department inspection rating year after year because they are so diligent about cleanliness and food safety? Yes! What's that? A Touchtunes jukebox? Indeed it is. Pool tables, electronic darts...if this place had cots or hammocks, we'd never leave. We got here too late in the evening for food, but based on the looks of their menu, I wish we had eaten dinner here. If you never been here, try it. If you have been here, come more often. If you're a regular, congratulations. You knew all along."

Malcuit's Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.7 (38) • $$$

"Never disappointed with Malciut's! We usually try to get there to eat at least once a year or so. My husband and I had a nice date night enjoying the delectables: steak, fish, and pasta. They have great steaks and for some reason, I love the spaghetti side! Will be back, as always!"

Trails End Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (65) • $

"Awesome place! Saddled up at the bar since the dining area was full. Great menu options! I went with a small pizza. Don't go with a six inch unless you are a child. Great beer selection and service. Definitely recommend it if you are in the area."

Pete's Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3 (7)

"Well...this is a little town bar, but the drinks....wow!! Lol...the most stingy pours I have ever witnessed in my life!!!! A double is still a WAY smaller pour than what you would get almost anywhere else I have EVER been!! My aunt warned me that theirpours were small, but my gosh!! It was likeDrinking water!! We got a good laugh...as we walked out the door! We would have stayed, but between it being so quiet in there, and the pours being so weak, we decided to leave. I would go back, but stick to wine or beer where your drinks are already "pre-measured!" Also, the bartender wasn't very friendly at all, so boo to that!"

Downtown Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (8)

"Very good food drink and service. Pet friendly out front on the sidewalk tables. Great atmosphere and tunes not too loud. Plenty of TV's for watching or brew for drinkin!A new spot worth a check out!"

Hog Heaven

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (94) • $$

"Ambiance - 5The ambiance was perfect for a BBQ restaurant. Everything was clean, even the restroom. The dollar bills on the walls and ceiling are a fun touch. Lighting was good and decor was perfect for the type of restaurant.Service - 5We were met with friendly staff and were seated right away. Our waitress cane to the table right away, but we weren't ready for her and asked for more time. She returned in a timely fashion and she took our order. She was pleasant, funny, had a cute personality and was dressed as Wednesday from Addams Family for Halloween. She brought our old in a timely manner, as well, and returned after an appropriate time to check on us.Food - 3For an appetizer we had the potato skins with pulled pork and jalapeños. The pulled pork lacked the flavor it should have had and the regular BBQ sauce didn't help it. For dinner, My wife ordered the 1/2 rack of ribs (with their new hickory BBQ sauce) and beef brisket with cole slaw and macoroni and cheese. I ordered the 1/2 rack of ribs with their regular BBQ sauce with Cole slaw and potato salad. The ribs with the hickory sauce were quite good; however, the regular BBQ sauce was fairly tasteless. The brisket was fair and luke warm. We both liked the Cole slaw and potato salad, but the macaroni and cheese were bland and luke warm.Price - 4The price for our combined dinners was $62.20, a bit high for only having water with dinner, but not ridiculous.SuggestionsOne thing all BBQ restaurants should offer are beef ribs in addition to pork ribs. Good meaty, rip-off-the-bone-with-your-teeth ribs are a must. Also, make sure your cooked food comes to the table hot and tasty. Otherwise, good job."

Doc's Big City Saloon / Cameo Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.5 (12) • $

"This is a college bar. The service was good. Your drink will come in a plastic cup. There wasn't much seating. Looks like they have a stage for some live performances, maybe open mic nights? There's a lot of floor space. There wasn't any entertainment when we were there on a Friday night. Do people dance? Or just stand around in herds? If people dance, I could see the abundance of floor space. Otherwise, they'd benefit from more high top tables for gathering. The place was clean. There were a few pool tables. They seemed to like their jack Daniels and had honey jack available. They even had a statue of Jack in the corner. Ha!"

Plank's Bier Garten

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (120) • $$

"We popped in on a Sunday to grab a bite and a few drinks. We sat at the bar and the service was pretty standard. The place was fairly busy with people there watching the Eagles v. Commanders game which added a nice energy. However, our dishes were especially great. I would definitely recommend the Chicken Santa Fe and the Philly Cheesesteak!!"

The Walrus

★★★★☆ 3.8 (602) • $$

"I kept hearing about this place, and hearing how good it was, but it didn't quite seem like my kind of place, and it wasn't quite in the neighborhoods frequent. Today, I figured what the heck, and stopped in when I was passing nearby. It's joined to a bar, and the inside has a very old-school bar feeling with brick walls, etc. I happened in on a Monday, which is burger day, and they talked me into trying one. And it was excellent. $5 burgers, all toppings a small extra charge. I ended up spending $7.50 for one with lettuce, tomato, sautéed onions, chipotle mayo, and queso fresco. It came out and looked pretty small, but also pretty tall, and paired with a side it was plenty for lunch. Nice meaty burger, excellent bun, perfect toppings. Just a really good burger all around. At a really good price. Get two if you're super hungry, although by the time I ate it and my side of excellent Brussels sprouts topped with a ton of bacon, I was full. Service was excellent. Prices were good, but of course it was a super deal so I'm not sure about the rest of the menu. And the rest of the menu is very interesting, with essentially upscale bar food. The beer and cocktail menus also look interesting. The place is cozy and comfortable; the restaurant area in the front doesn't seem that big, but in the back it is bigger, and there's a bar, and there's a whole 'nother side of the building. There's a pool table, a stage, an interesting booth/dining nook, and more. Excellent fast friendly service all around. I will definitely be back to try some of the other options, andheck, if I am hungry for a burger on a Monday."

Local Cantina Brewery District

★★★★☆ 3.9 (205) • $$

"I am so glad we found this local cantina! The interior vibe is very "dive bar" but with classical music in the background. The walls are covered with exciting eye candy and the menu has all the Mexican must eats.They have their house made "Baby Spice" hot sauce that they sell and lemme tell you, it tastes like: mild sauce met citrus. It's fantastic. I am visiting from California and had wanted to take a bottle home, but sadly, they are out of stock. Thankfully, they are giving us two containers to take back to our hotel! Yippee! We ordered a smothered burrito to share (red chili pork) and it's delicious! Perfect size to share with someone if you don't want to end up with a takeaway container.Service was extremely friendly and helpful and invited us back tonight after 9pm for the $2.22 tacos (Thursday only) and all day on Tuesday specials. Thank you Savannah for all your help with the menu and encouraging us to call other locations to see if we can get a bottle of the sauce to pack in our suitcase! We just might have to come back to watch the Celtics game"

Black Hat

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (16) • $

"The majestic Dylan with the luscious beard is the best bartender in Dublin. The bodacious "Bekah" (aka Rebekah) is ALSO the best. They are the only two bartenders that I allow to pour my adult beverages."

The Caroline

★★★★☆ 4.1 (159) • $$

"Steve (proprietor) and company are always on point. I appreciate their attention to detail and ability to handle a table of 2 and a table of 12 with the same excellence. I recently attended last week for a retirement party with 11 people. It was on point; drinks were full, and food was fast and great. Looking over my shoulder, at 5:30 on a Wednesday, there were 20 people waiting for a table. Glad we had our reservations -- highly recommend or be ready to sit for up to an hour. On to the food. Caroline Steak is a staple for dinner for me. Tangled O'Rings and garlic butter atop a beautiful Angus beef sirloin. You can't beat it with the fresh green beans and a potato choice. Are you a burger connoisseur? Try the Caroline or Russ Burgers. For $1 more the Russ is hard to beat. And when you order your burger medium, no one panics, because the kitchen staff knows how to not kill meat. I find other places are timid to do anything less than medium well, perhaps because their beef is lower quality. Appetizers? Southwestern Eggrolls are fantastic. Also, crabcakes- shareable and I'm talking real true crabcakes like you would get in New England, not filler garbage. These are true to their name 100%! You'll soon be ordering a second order. Sorry no photos but The Caroline deserves a top spot on your list!"

Pawpurr's Bar

★★★☆☆ 3 (24) • $

"I find it difficult to rate based on the staff alone with the turnover rate. I would say 75% of my experiences here have been positive in terms of interactions with staff. The other 25% of the time they overlook you at the bar and question your legitimate ID. ALL THAT ASIDE this is my favorite bar in Athens. They usually play awesome music, and have a killer "happy hour" aka Prime Time (half off everything). I wish their bathrooms were better but hey, its a college town."

City Grille and Bar

★★★★☆ 3.5 (52) • $$

"Hotspot right here. Wandered in on a rainy Tuesday around 630 and bar was full with many tables filled. I was just at another pub and they recommended getting a snack from here. Sat at the bar and the bartender was attentive. Maybe a little too much. You ever have a bartender use your name like every other word? Just a bit annoying.Anyhow, bartender said he only works once/week and wasn't knowledgeable about the beer. I told him IPAs and he started recommending everything but IPAs but he had that charming smile. I switched and got a glass of wine because he don't know whats up. Decent Pinot grigio.I ordered the mac n cheese bites ( must have according to a local down the street) and spinach dip. Now the bites were OK but that spinach dip tasted like a tub of cream cheese. Just bar crap in my opinion.Another spot to me to come for drinks and get eats elsewhere. Music was on point and the patrons talk to you like they met you before. Again no masks so additional star reduction for that"

Dos Lunas Mexican Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (56)

"Awesome. Was so yummy I forgot to take photos of the food and I usually always do! My mom and I stopped by because we're staying at a nearby hotel for the night on our way to CO from PA. It's hard to find places that aren't fast food when traveling. So glad we found this place. Great price and the people working there were sooo nice. We got guac, salsa, chips and shared a chicken quesadilla. It was more than enough to share for only $20! The food was soooo good too."

Chappys Social House

★★★★☆ 3.5 (138) • $$

"Stopped by on Friday night after work, we were seated right away, but the booth we were seated in the cushions were all torn up & there was a flashing light over the table going nonstop so we moved to the bar areaI ordered a beer, they have great craft beer selection, but it took ten minutes to receive it, it was poured, saw it on the counter but had to wait for bartender to bring to where we were seated at the bar to enjoy it.We ordered fish sandwich, as I heard it's one of the best fish sandwiches in town & Buffalo chicken sandwich, both sandwiches were great.& loved the homemade blue cheese dressing it was filled with chunks of blue cheese! Now our sides were cold, fries & Mac & cheese. I sent mine back, hoping for better experience on a future visit."

Blue Agave - Gahanna

★★★★☆ 3.8 (18)

"This restaurante Mexicano off the St. Rt 62 strip is en fuego serving its authentic fare in a comfy, upscale suave. The second store spun off the casa madre in New Albany, it occupies the space of a former Panera, leveling up the environment to a romantic sleek with perfect ambient lighting, clean booths, and a rustic patio. Plastic vines drape the dinning room like MC's Ling Ling. Latino music filled the air in various South American styles at perfect volume. The bar is specially impressive: a wide and long bottom-lit span of earthy crème and white suggesting the colors of the Mexican desert where the Blue Agave grows, the succulent from which tequila is fermented. We came on a noon Thursday after my girlfriend was stressing and needed an escape. We were greeted by a very friendly staff and selected the eye candy of the bar to sit. TV screens above, high-end bottles glistering from the chandeliers behind, and a wall of wine closed off the world and created the sanctuary for which we had searched. The food did not disappoint. Choosing from the lunch menu (served 11:00AM - 3:00PM) I selected Enchiladas Verdes: chicken filled with green tomatillo and sauce--I sensed serrano, garlic, and cilantro--with fried rice as a side ($10.49). This was superb. It tasted so rich and expertly made with the perfect spice balance for my palate. My g/f selected the Speedy Gonzales ($10.49). Named after the classic WB cartoon mouse, it comprises of a taco, a enchilada with two sides--she picked beans. She downed the combo with a fresh Margarita which she flipped for. The menu is worth a check. It has all the Mexican fare. The service is is superb, on-point. The salsa nd chips are plentiful--and the mild spice they gracefully got us was the tops. I recommend this place for a classy lunch or date night. It is the tops."

The Union Bar & Grill

★★★★★ 4.7 (22) • $

"The Union Is back, back from the fire from a few years ago & they have new upstairs bar, with neon lights - really, yes really & new stage to hear great music & the pole is gone - from back in the day there was pole in the middle of the stage hard for musicians to play around & for fans to have good view of the band & now they have windows, yes can you believe windows facing Union street.The downstairs bar is well lit, very different from the old days, but they still have the best prices on beer in town.A visit to the Union is a must for Athens visit if you love good cold beer & indie music!"

Don Tequila Mexican Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (117) • $$

"So, stop waiting until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until winter, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink.... there is no better time than right now to be happy."

Olde Towne Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (249) • $$

"Friendly service, and good food! We both ordered the French Dip and it is absolutely one of my favorites. We had not been here since the pandemic and thought it would be nice to walk down the street and have dinner. We tried a half order of the Tavern Nachos with chicken! These things were amazing!Tortilla chips topped with jalapeno, sour cream, queso, homemade guacamole & pico de gallo.Bill overview:*1\2 CHK NACHOS $13*French Dip (2@$17.00) $34*Cab Bottle $32 *Subtotal: $79.00 *Tax: $5.93 *Credit Card Fee: $2.55 *Total before tip: $87.48Warning that they charge a Non-Cash adjustment (surcharge) to any non-cash payment both credit and debit cards! Personal view as a consumer, this and should be factored into to the cost of doing business. I have seen businesses offer a discount with cash payment which comes across a lot better (personal opinion). This is becoming the norm and is a deterrent for me when I see a business that does this. Of course the Tavern's French Dip has been a favorite for years so I'll be back.I recommend the food, and now those chicken nachos are a new favorite as well.Website: theoldetownetavern.com"

Shelli's Shack

★★★★☆ 3.9 (8)

"This was a bye week for my diet why not. Walked in with 3 hungry kiddos and we were seated right away. Buckets of peanuts on the tables along with condiments and much needed paper towels. Debated about sitting on patio but there were ashtrays so we stayed in. Our server was super friendly took our drink orders, we were able to buy a 2 liter of root beer for the table and they provided styrofoam cups. Then after little debate we ordered:Hot dogChili dogCheeseburgerFried Macaroni bitesFried Corn bites Fried Cauliflower sides of ranchEverything was freshly grilled cooked or fried nice and hot! Kids killed everything. I tried a tiny bite of everything (mom style) plus I like to make sure it taste good. Everything was on point! I would definitely recommend this diner/pub/Florida beach style shack in the middle of Bladensburg. Beer and wine available - prices seem great but did not partake this visit. On that note, I will be returning"

Cushions Billiards & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (30) • $

"Cushions is a great place to hang out, shoot some darts, and play a few games of pool. They have several options for league play for darts and pool. And hold tournaments for both as well. They also have a kitchen and put out some decent eats. The queso dip is killer!! And you won't find a friendlier staff. They always greet you with a smile and a laugh."

Mi Pueblo Mexican Grill And Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (32)

"This place is authentic, food was great. Their chips were super good, salsa was ok.I got the chille relleno (pablano petter stuffed with chorizo). It was huge! But very tasty and seemed fresh. My husband had three enchiladas and ate it all.They also had a la carte tacos and everything was reasonably priced."

Local Cantina - Grandview

★★★★☆ 3.6 (263) • $

"Used them for catering for an event last minute for 18 people. The manager worked with me to create a wonderful taco spread that kept everyone happy. It was fresh, well-packed and made it to location hot and ready. Guests loved it."