Columbus · Ohio · a toast to the ones that closed
🍺 Last Call
A tribute to the Columbus nightlife that's gone — the High Street campus bars, the dance clubs, the little music venues where the whole town came of age. Raise one, leave a memory, and remember when.
Roll the tape · High Street, 1988
Campus Bars· 11
B.K. Flyers
closed 1996
“A South Campus regular caught in the crackdown.”
South Campus · OSU
The Blue Danube
1940–2018
“"The Dube" — vinyl booths and 2 a.m. breakfast.”
High St · OSU
Coeds
closed 1996
“The South Campus name everybody still remembers.”
South Campus · OSU
Larry's Bar
1938–2008
“Poetry readings and the bohemian corner of campus.”
High St · OSU
Mean Mr. Mustard's
1979–1998
“AC/DC-Cult Sunday nights and the black-clad crowd.”
High St · OSU
Mother Fletcher's
1980s
“Mirrors on the ceiling over a packed dance floor.”
South Campus · OSU
The Oar House
†2004
“A South Campus rite of passage.”
High St · OSU
Papa Joe's Draft House
1970–1996
“Beer by the bucket and kegs-'n'-eggs on gameday.”
High St · OSU
Park Alley
1970s–1990s
“A High Street regular's regular.”
High St · OSU
The Pit
1992–1996
“Sticky floors and a basement full of dancers.”
South Campus · OSU
South Heidelberg
closed ~2004
“The cave-dark basement roadhouse under South Campus.”
South Campus · OSU
Music Venues· 6
Alrosa Villa
1974–2021
“The family-run home of Columbus hard rock and metal.”
North Side
Andyman's Treehouse
1999–2011
“The silver maple grew right through the stage.”
Grandview
Bernie's & The Distillery
1975–2015
“Bagels upstairs, up-and-coming bands in the basement.”
High St · OSU
Little Brother's
1997–2005
“Stache's little sibling — a scene unto itself.”
Short North
Ludlow's
1994–2003
“Cover bands, a patio, and the Brewery District at full volume.”
Brewery District
Stache's
1980–1997
“The tiny stage every touring band remembers.”
High St · OSU
Dance Clubs· 9
Banana Joe's
1998–2005
“Eurodance, Top 40, and dancing on the bar.”
Brewery District
Club Dance
1990s–2000s
“Two rooms: hip-hop on one side, country on the other.”
East Side · Brice Rd
Crazy Louie's
†1999
“A mid-'90s nightlife mainstay.”
Downtown
Crazy Mama's
1970s–1980s
“Columbus new wave before the radio caught on.”
Campus / near-East Side
The Elephant Bar
1980s
“The safari-themed fern bar on 161.”
Northeast · Rte 161
Maxwell's
closed ~2004
“Big-80s Thursdays and Monday goth-night eyeliner.”
High St · OSU
Mekka
1995–1999
“Dancers in cages and world-class techno DJs.”
Arena District
Purity
1989–1992
“The underground alt-dance club spinning Nine Inch Nails.”
South Campus · OSU
Red Zone
†2000
“The biggest floor in the city.”
Downtown
26Columbus haunts so far — and this is just the start. Remember one we're missing — the corner bar, the all-ages club, the one-night-a-week dance floor?
Tell us about it and we'll add the spots we can verify. Nothing goes live unreviewed.