50 Best Cocktail Bars in Columbus

“We are from Kentucky and were in Columbus for a concert. I’ve always wanted to try a place that has been featured on Triple D, and this was the best decision ever! High Bank exceeded all expectations! We left with a full belly and A bottle of whiskey to remember them by. Food was incredible. Service was incredible. From now on, every trip to Columbus will include a stop at High Bank Distillery!“

“simply the best plant based restaurant in the country and probably the world. This is the spot my wife and I go for all of our special occasions even though we live in Indianapolis.“

“my name is Tony Bussa and I thought the atmosphere was amazing. staff extremely help full. the food was more than good it was exceptional. this place is 5 star.“

“Food is good, though it is the only place I know where you have to sit at a high top or a bar stool to get discounts on appetizes during happy hour. Not everyone can sit on a high seat.“

“Great old school jazz venue!“

“Had a great evening. Fabulous food and service. Will be back soon.“

“Okay, so last semester I was going to Columbus State and I discovered this neatly kept, hidden away gem of excellence. I tried the fish tacos. Unfortunately this semester they did not have them on the menu. (I know! Womp, womp, womp!!!) But I found something else that'll take your appreciation for your taste buds to the next level!!! So I chose the Blackened Salmon Club. My oh my, was it delicious!!! I also had the french fries (delicious), the asparagus (fresh), and the house salad. All blew my expectations away. I love the way this restaurant sits on Cleveland avenue in Mitchell Hall very unexpected. Also the natural lighting just sets a unique ambience for not only dinner dates business means branches and lunches but also just a great stop in to get a drink. Extremely pleasant and helpful and informative staff wonderful smiles who do not hesitate to provide very hospitable accommodations. A must visit.“

“Very chill lucky place which was exactly what we were looking for to start our evening out even though they don't technically sell flights of bourbon they accompated our desire to taste many different ones and the pricing was fantastic“

“I ordered a gift card as a birthday present and there was a mix up (my end) in which they went over and above to correct for me. We don't live in Columbus but I can certainly see why my kids LOVE LawBird and their staff. We'll certainly make it a point to stop in on our next visit down.“

“A group of friends and I had an amazing time at Denmark's Cocktail 101 class! Garry made the craft of cocktail-making fun and approachable, and had great recommendations and tips and tricks -- even for those in the group who like to think of themselves as cocktail aficionados!

Denmark is one of the best cocktail bars in Columbus, and experiencing a class here is a memorable experience! Highly recommend booking a class.“

“Love this place. What a hidden gem. Tracked in down on a recommendation from a friend, and glad I did. Bohemian with a hip, homey vibe. If I lived in Columbus, this would be my hangout.“

“Dueling Axes made for an awesome double date night! It was our first time throwing axes and knives but John gave us a great intro and coached us girls through it! He was hilarious and so approachable, willing to give more tips when I was struggling miserably LOL. We loved the variety of games, including a cornhole-style scoring game (1st to 21 or 51). The bar is very nice, and they serve an excellent peach mint mule- great work, Dan. We will definitely be going back!“

“Greatest Karaoke in town. Not too fancy and with plenty of good talents to keep you entertained. John in the Karaoke is super nice and hadles it very well. Non like other places where there's no tip, no singing. (Tip him anyway😎)
Pizzas are super good and wings rules!!!“

“One time I had a little too much fun here. Bartender politely cut me off and gave me coffee for free. He also made sure I had a ride home. I’ve only been here a few times but every time ive been the atmosphere was very lax and entertaining. If I were to start drinking again… I would be here every night. Amazing service!“

“"Be Nice To Each Other" -Sheila Ann SteuberHometown atmosphere with down to earth people. Relaxing and entertaining, known to many as the local Cheers! Everyone knows your name and are happy to see you! My mother loved this place and its owner until the day she died. May the wind always be at your back, may the sun always shine down upon your face, and may the wings of destiny carry you off to see the stars.“

“For such a small bar, Black Brick offers a large selection of craft beers and high quality scotch, bourbon, gin, vodka, and rum. There are always tasty and creative seasonal drinks to try. The patio is connected to the bar by a large door so in the summer time they open the door and the bar is basically outside! Another bonus is that they dont allow any smoking on the patio because of that.“

“The ambiance of the pub is nice; things are kept clean and pleasant and the lighting is good. However, based on the name you may be under the impression that there is a DnD theme or a English / Irish / Scots influence. There is none. Rather, it's the most upscale you can get a hole in the wall bar to be before you'd end up scaring off the real down and out alcoholics and instead servicing yuppies who know to stop before a third shot. It's the nicest it can get before it transitions from dive to faux-dive.“

“Such an interesting concept and even more thoughtfully executed. It really is a unique little bar that is built around a fun atmosphere for guests. The staff is also extremely nice and knowledgeable. I got an alcoholic slushies and got to sit next to a porthole I'm not sure many people get to say that's something they've experienced in their life so on experience alone 5/5 and once you add in that the drink I had was also immaculate I wish I could rate them higher ☺️“

“Oh how could I NOT recommend?! From creative, always changing cocktails and mocktails, I can choose to drink or stay sober EASILY. There are SO MANY fun events here. From painting, poetry, music, karaoke, trivia, ect. It is a bar that can be completely family friendly if you have children. It's like walking into a magical place where you are immediately accepted and loved.“

“Fantastic dishes. The quesadilla starter is phenomenal. The wild boar sloppy Joe and the octopus are really well prepared as well. Cannot go wrong!“

“We always try to make it fit the holiday pop-up at Citizens Trust. Drinks are fun and very festive, decorations are glittery and gleaming! Always a fun time with friends!“

“My go-to for decompressing after a hard day at work, they have a wide variety of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails that tadre great and all the staff are very tolerant and understanding of all walks of life, making it a very inclusive space to be in“

“Wonderful food in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. I highly recommend the kale chaat appetizer. My wife's chicken tikka and my lamb rogan josh were perfect, complex, and flavorful. Much love and thanks to Jennifer, our friendly and kind server.“

“This place was a highlight of our trip. The food hit all the right spots and we loved everything we had — most of which was recommended by our server, Carl, who truly defined the experience for us. He spoke so highly of the restaurant, the menu, the company, and the city — this man sold everything about the experience. We were left with an indelible impression that we’re convinced will bring us back here the next time we’re in Columbus. Absolute perfection.“

“Great food and karaoke Saturdays are so fun!! You have to have a Mezcal shot at casa mezcal lol!!“

“We love coming here! They have great food, great margaritas, and the staff is wonderful. The service is very quick, but doesn't sacrifice quality meals. Great place for a family dinner or happy hour with friends. They brough back the margarita flight so you don't have to choose just one flavor to try!“

“Just went on the distillery tour. It was super fun, chill, and I learned a lot. I would recommend this- we did the full bottling deal. Totally worth it. Jimmy, our tour guide, was a delight.

I had no idea this hidden little gem was tucked away there in Grandview. Check it out, you’ll love it.“

“There was amazing service, it was fast and the waiter was amazing. They were pretty busy when we got here but got seated right away as well as our food was fast and tasted amazing. Definitely a favorite and will come agin“

“Garret was great! Recommend a Gran Classico and I loved it!“

“I am visiting from Boston and just happen to spontaneously tour the Ohio Statehouse. Here, I lunched at HouseTaco which locates inside the Statehouse itself. The food is quick and fresh. Chef Zach prepared the tacos on-site with passion. They were delicious! What a hidden gem!!!“

“Eight of us went there for lunch and ordered just about the whole lunch menu to create a tasting menu that we could all share. None of us had been to Speck before and we all loved the food, service, and space and all want to go back with our significant others for dinner. We came in from the outskirts of town and was concerned about finding parking but street parking near the restaurant was actually relatively easy. Highly recommend Speck.“

“Not sure how this doesn't have five stars across the board. We drove from almost ten hours away and after scouring places to eat we decided to stop here. The crust is crisp, not soggy or tough with good flavor and thickness. You can't go wrong with fresh ingredients like the mozzarella and mushrooms (fresh not canned, wowee!) either. We also tried Gina's Gem and between the beautiful focaccia and the dip being creamy while also sweet with a small back burn to it, you really can't go wrong. The bar is a great place to sit, no spoilers, but the walls and shelves are filled with awesome and hilarious things that make good conversation. It's a shame this wonderful place is so far from home but we're hoping to make it a yearly tradition. Thanks for the great food, staff, and atmosphere!“

“Yusuf is quite possibly the best waiter we have ever had. We have dined at The Avenue many times, but this was our first time with him. He went above and beyond in every way. You can tell he genuinely loves his job and making customers dining experience excellent. I would not only recommend The Avenue to others, but I would tell them to ask to sit in Yusuf's section!“

“Great Bourbon and Great Food!“

“Best sours i have ever had“

“Great food , great service clean fun . Hard send“

“There is a lot of average Indian food out there but Rooh is on another level. It is one that we have only experience at restaurants like Deshoom in London. The hostess was so wonderful her personality is the best way to walk into a restaurant. The wait staff was perfection and unlike so many restaurants nowadays the pacing of the 3 course meal for restaurant week was perfection. Each course more tasty and beautifully prepared than the next. We don’t come to Columbus often but I would consider coming back just to eat here, and we will for sure be back next time we are in town. I just wish we would have Indian food this good anywhere near where we live. This place is a gem.“

“The sweet potato crockpot.“

“A really cute spot we just stumbled up a few months ago and just recently went back. They make some really awesome cocktails and have pretty much all the classics you would expect along with a solid selection of beer. Honestly its just a hella cute bar, nice little patio with a fire pit and really awesome inside with exposed bricks and a lot of plants and retro decor everywhere. Wish I found this spot sooner!“

“It's been a while since we've been to The Rossi and we are so glad we dined there yesterday. First, they have one heck of a Happy Hour both for their food and beverage offerings were fantastic, I mean how often do you see French 75s and Palomas on a Happy Hour menu. Second, their staff, front of the house, bartenders and servers all have the impeccable timing as far as knowing when to check-in which made the whole experience relaxing & leaving us truly happy! Finally, the restaurant itself has character in a good way... the rays of sunlight dancing thru the windows and the sparkle off of the lighting fixtures leaves patrons with the impression the owners of this bar care about the ambience! We'll be back for sure!“

“very elegant, stunning views, reasonable prices for the luxury you get“

“I bought 5 kg of tortillas for an event last Sunday and everyone love them !!
the best tortillas we ever had!! the texture was perfect
recommended 100%!! we will definitely buy from there from now on! and the location is so easy to find ! GOOD LUCK TORTILLAS LA REYNA !!“

“I’ve never had a bad time at Eight and Sand. The food is beyond impressive and it is reasonably priced. You will not catch me missing the $1 wings every Tuesday and the veggie wrap is incredible. Don’t sleep on the weekly food specials they are always a tasty little surprise! Friendly outgoing staff all around, an awesome patio, and a chill vibe inside. It’s my very favorite bar, there isn’t another like it!“

“The Open Mic hosted by Zach Whitney is a welcoming space. On July 3, they had hip hop, a magic act, several acoustic guitar sets and closed off with impressive piano performances by Matt Murphy and the Rambling House's Jeff Strong. The holiday potluck and overall supportive atmosphere make this a great spot to build your chops and play in front of an audience.“

“Amazing fresh and spicy pizza, I had the chorizo pizza and my friend had the al Pastor both were very delicious but mine had some fresh jalapeño peppers that made an extraordinary experience for me. Not super spicy but it had a quick that I really enjoyed.“

“Easy going space with upscale vibe. They have live music with various Iocal artists on Thursdays, 6-10pm. The service was great. The wine list was ok and they serve local drafts. The food offerings were a good variety for a hotel bar. Great for a date night or even a solo night on the town. There is paid street parking all around as well as a reasonably priced garage.“

“The Lamb was really good. A little too spicy for me but still very good. We also liked the scallops. The cocktails were very refreshing and the desserts were delicious. We love the atmosphere as well.“

“We went through the drink menu and you should too🥳“

“It’s the best cocktail bar in Grandview“

“Great atmosphere and service bartenders are great. I had them mix me up something cute. I don’t remember what it was but it was good. Whatever makes drink it was it cost me $14 and then Tito‘s and something my friends drink so like quickly $24 and two drinks which I guess it’s fine. You know we went to go listen to the reggae with Pete Funkso good times.“