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.
Campus Bars· 8
The Blue Danube
1940–2018
“"The Dube" — vinyl booths and 2 a.m. breakfast.”
High St · OSU
Larry's Bar
1938–2008
“Poetry readings and the bohemian corner of campus.”
High St · OSU
The Oar House
†2004
“A South Campus rite of passage.”
High St · OSU
Crazy Mama's
closed mid-2000s
“South Campus's rowdiest rite of passage.”
High St · OSU
Mean Mr. Mustard's
1979–1998
“AC/DC-Cult Sunday nights and the black-clad crowd.”
High St · OSU
Park Alley
1970s–1990s
“A High Street regular's regular.”
High St · OSU
Papa Joe's Draft House
1970–1996
“Beer by the bucket and kegs-'n'-eggs on gameday.”
High St · OSU
Mother Fletcher's
closed 1990s
“Mirrors on the ceiling over a packed dance floor.”
High St · OSU
Music Venues· 5
Bernie's & The Distillery
1975–2015
“Bagels upstairs, up-and-coming bands in the basement.”
High St · OSU
Andyman's Treehouse
1999–2011
“The silver maple grew right through the stage.”
Grandview
Little Brother's
1997–2005
“Stache's little sibling — a scene unto itself.”
Short North
Ludlow's
1994–2003
“Brewery District nights and a small stage.”
Brewery District
Stache's
1980–1997
“The tiny stage every touring band remembers.”
High St · OSU
Dance Clubs· 6
Banana Joe's
1998–2005
“Tropical-party nights in the Brewery District.”
Brewery District
Club Dance
1990s–2000s
“30,000 square feet of east-side dance floor.”
East Side
Red Zone
†2000
“The biggest floor in the city.”
Downtown
Mekka
1995–1999
“Dancers in cages and a big-city warehouse floor.”
Arena District
Crazy Louie's
†1999
“A mid-'90s nightlife mainstay.”
Downtown
The Elephant Bar
1980s
“The over-the-top Indian-Raj-themed hangout on 161.”
Northeast · Rte 161
19Columbus 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?
A “request a place” form is coming. For now, keep the memories alive on the spots above — every one has a wall.