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.“

“The food and the service. Both are great.“

“Posted up at Parable Coffee to work on some personal projects on a Saturday for a few hours. First got a loose leaf black tea, and then later a sour beer they had on draft. Both were competitively priced. Loved the staff, and the ambiance is everything! Giving off the big city vibes I've been missing from my last city. I will say it was a surprise they had automatic gratuity, and it was a bit loud because it was busy. I just threw in airpods, and all was well. Next time I'll try a bite to eat. Would recommend simply to check out the interior design and music selection.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!“

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

“This establishment has a lovely modern vibe. Patroned by a nice and friendly crowd, with excellent food choices. This guy was certainly impressed by the Carnita Tacos. So good, I couldn't put them down. This place has a fun and welcoming environment. It was staffed by a pretty cool bartender named Chelsea, who had a kind ear, provided some prompt service, and had a great smile to beat.“

“"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.“

“I only have Wednesdays off and I like coming here because Bahar always takes care of me. She hasn’t worked here long but always gives me great service with a fun smile and I have been in the industry for 15 years. It’s nice to feel like dive Bartener cares and keeps her space organized.“

“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.“

“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 ☺️“

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

“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.“

“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“

“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!“

“Our service was stellar. We were informed of the specials and given ample time to decide between courses. Evan stopped by our table with a warm greeting and ensured everything was to our liking. Stacey suggested 2 phenomenal wines that complimented our meals perfectly. We love the patio seating was superb!“

“This evening my husband and I met my cousins at The Tavern for dinner. Once again another outstanding meal and outstanding server. I so wish I could remember her name but she was so wonderful and very attentive to say the least. The general manager, Rachel as well is an absolutely amazing person. You can tell she genuinely cares for her customers and staff. We highly recommend you visit The Avenue in Grandview!“

“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“

“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!!!“

“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!“

“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.“

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

“Great Bourbon and Great Food!“

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

“The sweet potato crockpot.“

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

“Best sours i have ever had“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“We ordered the chicken and waffles, a Baileys Irish coffee, and a side of bacon. The waffle was amazing the only thing was it may have been maybe sitting under a light for a while becuase there was a portion of it that was crispy like chips, I didn't care for that at all. The coffee was lukewarm, and my bacon was overcooked. But the reason i gave them 5 stars is because the service was SUPERB! We were visiting and didn't know of any places to go so we asked the waitress and they took their time and gave us a list of a couple places we could visit in the city and to me that in itself was awesome. Also the waitress removed the overcooked bacon and the lukewarm coffee from my tab, when she noticed that I didn't eat it, without me even having to ask, although I wouldn't have, I would've just paid for it. This place was clean and it was absolutely, for us, worth it.“

“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 !!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“After reading all the amazing reviews, we were set to be blown away at Forno. Overall, we found the food to be ok. Nothing particularly stood out as great. Nice atmosphere, dependable service. Good for a typical lunch or dinner, misses the mark for a special occasion.“

“Fantastic food and service. Top notch - if your in Columbus this restaurant is a must.“

“They have great beer, great wine and a great atmosphere.“

“Service industry bar ran by service industry people that is a hidden GEM! Late night food menu that slaps which is rare and yummy cocktail and beer selection. Mikey is a bomb bartender. Everyone is super friendly so service is ALWAYS a 10/10“

“Wonderful experience and great atmosphere“

“Rossi Kitchen is a great place to dine on the Short North. Our party of three sat at a high-top and received excellent service. We shared calamari with an excellent pesto aioli. Caesar salads were crispy and briny. Our entrees included the ragu, lamb lollipops and salmon over a mixed green salad. All were nicely prepared and tasty. A good time was had by all.“