Columbus

Skyscrapers rising from flat fertile fields recall the cover of a sixth-grade civics textbook. But this classic American city surprises with its modern attitudes, and the city has been rated as one of the best places in the country for gays and lesbians to live.

Diversity has a long history in Columbus, composed as it is, of many ethnic neighborhoods. The city is also home to Ohio State University. With 60,000 students, this small city within the larger one has helped encourage a certain tolerant live-and-let-live ambience here, and in surrounding areas. Small wonder Columbus has the third highest per-capita population of gays and lesbians in the United States.

 

Getting here

Port Columbus International Airport is six miles east of Columbus. A cab from the airport to downtown costs about $20.

Getting around

If traveling beyond downtown, you’ll need a car to get around. Within the city, espeicially for the bus running down Main Street between German Village and the Short North, find local bus information at the COTA website.

 

Neighborhoods

German Village. The oldest gay neighborhood has narrow brick paved streets shaded by vast spreading elms and lined by graceful houses that are more than a century old. Its architectural treasures were threatened by the wrecking ball in the 1960s, but were saved with the help of outraged local gays. It still has a sizable gay population, and lots of gay-friendly cafes and bars.

Short North. In recent years, gays have spread out across the city, with many moving to the Short North neighborhood. They're creating something special there, as the traditions of Short North, such as an amazing farmers market, blend with more recent cultural offerings like cutting-edge galleries. A good time to visit is the first Saturday of the month, when 40 galleries spotlighting both new and established artists.

 

Local media and resources

Keep an eye out in gay businesses for OutLook monthly magazine for news, events and local listings. Experience Columbus has general dining, arts and entertainment info online, with a GLBT section.

For general news and listings see the Columbus Dispatch, and for alternative coverage, the Other Paper.

CAPA, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, operates a number of theaters around town, presenting a variety of stage entertainments. See the link for details.

Stonewall Columbus is the GLBT community center, with services, films, activities and advocacy programs. They also organize Pride Columbus, with Saturday parade down High Street, and festival in Goodale Park, plus other events throughout the first half of June.

 

Accommodations

Brewmaster's House B&B (1083 S High; 614-449-8298) is a men's B&B in a grand German Village house. It's close to bars, restaurants, hiking, and riverside bike trails. All four rooms have cable and wifi; a few have fireplaces, too.

A local lodging option on the other side of downtown, the gay-friendly 50 Lincoln-Short North B&B (50 E Lincoln St; 800-526-9664) has seven guestrooms located between downtown and the Ohio State campus, just off North High St.

A good general-public option at the center of everything, the Courtyard Marriott Downtown (35 W Spring St) has well situated rooms and serves a hot buffet breakfast.

 

Bars & clubs: German Village & Merion Village

Cavan Irish Pub (1409 S High St), friendly neighborhood bar, covered patio, karaoke, TV sports, Wednesday strippers, Sunday bingo, drag shows.

Club Diversity (863 S High St), piano and martini karoake bar with gay and mixed crowd.

Inn Rehab (627 Greenlawn Ave), men and women, diverse ages, drag shows, karaoke, food, pool table, TV sports, large outdoor summer patio with bar.

Tremont (708 S High St) neighborhood gay bar, food, older friendly diverse crowd welcomes all; jukebox, patio.

 

Bars & clubs: Short North
The Short North is one of the gayest neighborhoods in Columbus, with shops,cafes, and bars on High Street between downtown and Ohio State University, each an easy walk from the next.

Axis (775 N High), weekend dance club, 18-plus college crowds, jocks in the showers, sometimes erotic video stars. Pump Cabart Lounge - all-male revues and female illusionists.

Betty's Fine Food & Spirits (680 N Main), mixed crowd, good jukebox, 1940s-60s pin-up art, weekend brunches; hearty main meals, sandwiches, pastas, salads and starters.

Havana (862 N High) has good martinis, pool games, karaoke, and Sunday night all-male revues.

Exile (893 N Fourth), men's leather and cruise bar, outdoor patio and smoking lounge. Popular Tuesday & Sunday strip shows and special fetish nights.

Union Cafe (782 N High) is known for cocktails, tasty food and Sunday evening show tunes.

 

Bars & clubs: Downtown
South of the train tracks that separate Short North from downtown you'll find more gay establishments.

Slammers (202 E Long) bar and restaurant popular with women, men welcome, serves good food, especially pizza.

Trafik (205 N 5th), former Q Bar, small, energetic dance club and lounge, Monday strippers, frequent parties.

Women usually rule at Wall Street (144 N Wall), but the guys take over on Boys' Night every Wednesday.

Score Bar (145 N 5th) and Tradewinds II (117 E Chestnut) both closed recently.

 

Bars & clubs: Rest of Columbus

Other bars in the Columbus area include: A.W.O.L. (49 Parsons), mostly men, karoake and viddeo bar; Blazer's Pub (1205 N High), neighborhood bar, favorite with women; Club 20 (20 E Duncan), with mixed crowd; and South Bend (126 E Moler), mostly men neighborhood bar.

 

Restaurants

German Village has good local restaurants and delis, some going back many years. These include:

The Banana Bean Cafe (340 Greenlawn Ave), exotic new combinations of food from the Florida Keys, Cuba, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands;

Barcelona (263 E Whittier) Catalonian, Spanish and  Mediterranean cuisine.

G. Michael's (595 S 3rd St) memorable evenings over fine meals from seasonal menus.

Lindey's (169 E Beck St), fine American cuisine, lunch and dinner daily, in Upper East Side New York bistro-style setting.

For German fare apropos to the settlers for whom the district is named, check out:

Juergen's (525 S 4th St), bakery, restaurant/cafe, import store landmark of 40 years, with finest German foods. Holidays are celebrated with time-honored style and enthusiasm.

Katzinger's Delicatessen (475 S Third St), big menu that begins in German, then ventures far and world-wide with "crazy good food." They like chocolate, and the wine selections are good, with frequent tastings.

Schmidt's Sausage Haus und Restaurant (240 E Kossuth St), good source for bratwurst, spatzel, sauerkraut, pretzels, chicken noodle soup, strudels and other traditional meals of Bavaria.

 

The Short North also has a good array of restaurants:

Deep Wood (511 N High St), named among ten best by the Columbus Dispatch; New American food worth going out of your way for - lunch or dinner. Desserts are good too, and the good wine list is reasonably priced.

Dragonfly (247 King Ave), unique and quirky vegetarian gem, seasonal local fare to luxury imported goodies. Saturday brunch buffets (until 3pm) feature organic Mimosas and Bloody Marys.

Level (700 N High St), Italian/ Californian cuisine, steaks, seafood, speciality cocktails, Sunday Broadway music/ showtunes.

Northstar (951 N High St), healthy, hearty breakfast from 9am, weekend brunch until 3pm. Muffins to full plates of meat and eggs or pancakes. Lunch and dinner salads, burritos, and sandwiches, meat or veggie.

Rigsby's Kitchen (698 N. High St) Italian service: primi, secondi and contorni courses; pastas, gnocci, risottos, fresh fish and meat, vegetable side plates. Old favorites or new creations, master chef, remarkable in-house deserts too.

North Market (59 Spruce St), a cornucopia of fresh food stands, bakeries, cheese shops and prepared food stands of many ethnicities between downtown Short North. Eat here, or take-out to park, home or hotel. Daily until 5pm (7pm Tues).

Slammers (202 E Long) restaurant and bar, great pizza, appetizer nibbles, salads, subs and wraps. The ambience is always friendly for women, men and everyone else.

Union Cafe (782 N High), very gay crowd favorite, cocktails and eclectic fare for lunch, dinner, plus late nights snacks.

 

Sauna

Club Columbus (795 W Fifth) modern facility whirlpool, gym, outdoor heated lap-pool, Sunday buffets, guest porn stars, steam room, dry sauna, video lounge, and rooms. Men 18-plus, always open.

Flex Columbus - CLOSED.

 

Shopping in Short North

At Torso (772 N High), a dapper store with gifts and latest styles for working out, cruising, or clubbing, gay designer labels, underwear, lubes and accessories at good prices.

Piercology (190 W 2nd), professional, safe, creative and nationally recognized body-piercing, with a big selection of embellishments.

 

See more restaurants and hotels, along with locations and website links for all the above businesses at our maps & listings tab.