jdhummell

Absolutely Wonderful

My boyfriend and I had dinner here on New Years Eve. We made a reservation and were seated at the best table in the house- a table on the second floor surrounded on three sides by windows with a panoramic view of High Street. I had the Sinless Chicken and he had pasta- both entrees were wonderful. Our server was polite and prompt and didn't try to rush us one bit, even though it was New Years Eve. The second level feels much more intimate than the first. Level draws an upscale crowd. The music was the perfect level for the dinner hour, 7pm, and the restaurant was very clean. The prices stand out, too: between the two entrees, plus a Blue Moon and a Bud Select, our bill was under $30! I can't say enough good things about Level. If I'm ever looking for a nice, upscale dinner in the Short North at reasonable prices, I'll look no farther than Level!

All About It

oh Berlin... the sweet, sweet night club of my baby gay days during my summer in Boystown a few years ago. We went here just about every night. Berlin is legendary cash only after-hours dance club. I've seen (and done) some of the wildest things I've ever seen and done in my entire life here. Berlin is a safe space to be who you are, no matter where you fall in the queer community. The music is very loud, the club is very dark, the crowd comes from all across the country, the place is generally insane, and it stays that way until 4am every night. Berlin is open just about every night of the week. There's no place else in the country with as many awesome monthly features, either. Check their website to see what's going on- it could be anything from a disco night, to an 80's or 90's night, to a Madonna-themed night. DJ Chester plays a little more mainstream music on Saturday nights and Tuesday nights, which I like, but one of the best weekly features is Cosmix Fridays with DJ Greg Haus. I've seen it all at this club. Berlin is for anyone out of the mainstream who happens to find themselves in Boystown and ready to dance until an hour or two before the sun comes up. It stands for anything alternative, for equality, and for an unforgettable time. I can't wait to go back.

Videos and Slushies

I wasn't at Sidetrack for long when I was in Boystown, but I did enjoy myself here. The slushie I had- I can't remember what it was since it's been awhile- was delicious. Seating is ample and comfortable and we had a great time singing along with music videos on the numerous screens. Definitely worth a visit, just beware of the Ogre!

Great happy hour

I haven't been to Woody's after the sun has gone down. However, they do have a great happy hour. Can't beat $2 pints in the Philly Gayborhood. They also have the best daytime bartender east of the Mississippi River.... "just put some vaseline on it and you'll be fine!" I hope I can go here to dance sometime.

Love this place!

Tribe is a great place to start your night. The crowd here was friendlier than the crowd at gay bars in many other cities I've been to. The place had a lot of class and the music provided by legendary DJ Ron was awesome. The staff was great too. If you find yourself in Nashville for a random weekend, I'd recommend doing Tribe earlier in the night, then Play for dancing until late. You won't be disappointed.

Fun Drag Race

I was here earlier in the evening on one of my nights in Boystown. Roscoe's is a legendary Chicago establishment that I've heard people all over the Midwest talk about. Frida Lay was hosting a fun drag race the night I was here. We went to Berlin to dance after the show ended, but it was definitely cool to stop in to this place that I hear so many people mention.

1/2 Price Food and Martini Night

Kit-Kat has a lot of class. Enjoy delicious martinis and food that are half off on some nights. Also enjoy outstanding drag performances on regular time intervals... about every 20 minutes. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Boystown!

My first gay bar

Just John holds a very special place in my heart as the first gay bar I ever went to. I had a great time here. The staff was great, the place felt safe, I liked the neighborhood, the crowd was friendly and social and not stuck up, and the patio and the patio's house DJ were amazing. I haven't been back to St. Louis since then but I'll never forget my night here!

Afternoon on Mass Avenue

I went here on the afternoon of Pride Saturday just to check it out. I can't comment on the food, dance floor (if it exists... I never saw it) or the patio. But the staff was great, the drinks were reasonable, and I made some new Indy native friends here. I loved the Mass Avenue neighborhood as well.

Character

I LOVE THIS PLACE... but only on a good night. The first night I went here was a country night on a Saturday when they randomly had Levi Crocker from A-List Dallas as a guest. Levi was fun but by 12:30, the place was still relatively empty and no one was dancing, so we left. The second time was another Saturday night. The music was MUCH better on this night and I discovered some awesome Moto Blanco club mixes. People still didn't start showing up until after midnight, but we ended up staying and dancing until the place closed. The crowd was mostly gay men and their ladyfriends. There were a few 'scene queens' but they never bother me. One unusual straight man was there with his girlfriend and I overheard him saying some cruel things about some other people at the club. Go somewhere else, please. Interbelt has an unusual set up. There's a large and seemingly empty, unusable space in the middle of the club- surrounded by the bar on one side, the stage on another, the relatively small dance floor on another, and a raised seating area on another. Cover was $5 both nights we were here in 2011. Drink prices were on the expensive side for Akron but it is a night club. Although I suppose it could use a face lift, I liked the place. It had history and personality. Think of all the generations of LGBT people who have danced at this downtown spot for so long! After my first two visits in 2011, my boyfriend and I came back here a few times in 2012, and our nights were even better. The night before St. Patty's Day was a "hip hop bash" that was thumping and awesome... I usually complain about high covers, but the $10 was totally worth it... although I will admit, I wasn't sure what to make of the police walking around. St. Patty's night here was even more awesome, with amazing drink specials and thumping music and a sweet drag show. Interbelt's resident DJ, ScottyK, rivals my favorite DJ in the state, Michele Chaney, from Wall Street in Columbus. The music is always thumping and I always discover new songs that I love. I haven't been to a hip-hop Monday but I wouldn't mind coming back here again for a fun dance night. I'm starting to develop an emotional attachment to this place... which sounds pathetic lol. Interbelt has character, and I like that. When it's slow, it's not a good night... but when it's on, it's really on and provides a fun night of clubbing unrivaled by just about anywhere in Ohio. Plus it stays open right until 2:30- unlike most clubs in Ohio that close at 2 or, in bigger cities, start funneling people out at 2:15- so you can get your dance on. Those extra 15-30 minutes are usually the best!

I guess I'm too Square...

I had high hopes for Square. I wanted to like it. I wanted to go and dance and have a good Saturday night. We showed up around 9:30pm and stayed for about an hour and a half. The DJ had not yet started spinning by that point so we left. Drinks weren't unreasonable... I think I paid $6 for two Yuenglings, which isn't horrible for a club... but the crowd was a little odd. On this night, there were a handful of older gay men, a few 20something gays, and mostly women dressed in anything from gowns to sweat pants. I didn't know what to make of it and I didn't feel comfortable walking around Highland Square holding hands with my partner.

Old School

Mary Coyle is truly an old school establishment. Everything about it screams 70+ years old. My partner and I came here around 8pm on a Saturday night. While he enjoyed the vibe more than I did, the ice cream sundae we split was alright. Service was good. The crowd consisted of mostly families, plus a group of high school kids. We were the only gay couple there and although we felt a little out of place after so many weekends in Columbus, no one really made us feel uncomfortable. After the ice cream, we went to see a movie at the Highland Theater, another bizarre place. I'm still not sure what to make of Highland Square.

Delicious

My partner and I split a pizza here on our first visit to Highland Square. We ate in and really enjoyed our experience. The inside of Capri is small, which leads me to believe it's more of a take-out place. However, our cheese pizza was good. The neighborhood was alright- not the greatest and definitely didn't feel like the safest. Worth a visit during daylight hours though.

Love this place!

Dirty Frank's is located downtown and further from the Short North, my usual destination, but it's worth a visit. The drinks were pretty cheap, the crowd was mixed (gay couples, straight families, young and old, etc.) but the staff was great. I wish I remembered the name of the hot dog I ordered... I think it was "the Rhine" or something like that... whatever it was, it was spicy and delicious.. mmmm.

Decent Brunch

I came here for brunch one Sunday after we couldn't find a seat at another restaurant. Betty's is relatively small. The service was decent. The food didn't really stand out, especially for a $12 breakfast (which probably isn't unreasonable for the Short North), but I liked the atmosphere.

Mysterious, but Fun

I've been to Axis on several occasions. It's a big, warehouse-style dance club hidden underneath an archway-style alley off of High Street across from Union. I instantly fell in love with this place the first night I was here because of the fun crowd and the incredible guest DJ, legendary DJ Ron from Nashville, who were there that night. Since then, though, I haven't had a consistent night. I've seen random drag shows and even more random drag spots that happen in the middle of the night. I've been there on nights when the crowd is social and fun, and nights when it's more stuck up. I've been there on nights when the music is happy, positive, and energizing, and some when it's a little more sinister and unpredictable. I've also been there on nights when I've been overcharged for drinks... for some reason, my tab always seems to be $29.99, no matter if I have one drink or five. I'd recommend bringing cash if you're planning to drink. I've also been here on nights when cover is free, when it's $3, and when it's $5... there never seems to be any rhyme or reason to how much they charge at the door. I do, however, give mad props to the female bouncer who's always there every night. She loves her gays and always wants us to have fun. I was out on the patio one night when I saw her kick out an obnoxious bachelorette party... that was pretty awesome. Despite all of this, though, I really do love Axis. It's big, it's dark, it's loud, and it's an important part of the Columbus scene. Come here after your night at Union, release your inhibitions, and have a blast. The crowd really picks up around midnight and by 12:30, the dance floor is filled and the stage is even more filled with mostly shirtless men. The lighting and sound are awesome. I've never seen any of the drugs that other people talk about in their reviews, but I have seen a lot of other crazy things here; an old queer who "woofed" at my boyfriend and I; more than a few zealous drag queens; random guys doing random moves on the stage to show themselves off; and, my favorite, a group of people dressed as Crayola crayons doing an interpretive dance to Lady Gaga on High Ball Halloween night. All in all, I'd give it four stars. I'd prefer if it were a 21+ place, and I also wish they would stay open later- the place definitely has an after-hours vibe- but I've still not had a bad night here, no matter how unpredictable they can be. Come here with an open mind, bring cash, and get ready to dance until the lights come on and you're sure to have a good night.

Fun Crowd, Delicious Food, Great Drinks

Although I'm only in Columbus on the weekends, Union is always on my list of places to visit before I leave. I've never had a bad meal here- I would highly recommend the black bean burger and fries. The morning-after brunch is also delicious. The service is wonderful, too, and the bartenders definitely do not skimp on the drinks. Prices are about average for the Short North. Union is a staple in the Columbus LGBT scene. The music is great, the crowd is social, and I believe there's usually entertainment later in the evening, although we usually head over to Axis around 10:30. Flirtini Friday is one of my favorites and I also love it when the patio is open and Amy is bartending outside. She's a ton of fun!