Shae’s Guide to Gay Columbus [A work still in progress]
This list is organized from South to North, with the southern neighborhoods listed first, and the establishments listed from South to North within the neighborhoods. Descriptions of establishments are those of the author’s alone, and do not imply endorsements, statements of actual fact or anything other than my own damn subjective opinion, so #!$$ off. Suggestions, corrections and additions are more than welcome. Send me an instant message on AIM, Yahoo or MSN messengers under the name BoiDolphin, or on gay.com as shae.
|
|
[ |
South of 70
East/West |
|
|
Woofs |
|
443-4224 |
|
|
Bar |
Woofs was formerly Remo’s. It’s now a leather and denim bear bar, and
has drag-free Fridays. |
Small Dance Small Patio |
|
|
Somewhere Else |
|
443-4300 |
|
|
Bar |
A small, friendly, divey
neighborhood bar |
Darts Pool |
|
|
|
126 E. Moler |
444-3386 |
|
|
Bar |
This is the original gay DIVE
bar. Fun for something different to
do. Expect some real characters and real
cheap drinks. |
Darts Pool Drag |
|
|
Tremont |
|
445-9365 |
|
|
Bar |
A small, friendly, divey
neighborhood bar |
Darts (2) Drag Patio Karaoke |
|
|
Club Diversity |
|
224-4050 |
|
|
Bar |
Located in a large Victorian
home, CD is the closest thing to a gay jazz/cabaret bar in the city. |
|
|
|
Club |
|
221-2434 |
|
|
Black Gay & Lesbian Club |
Open Thursday Thru Sunday, 98% |
|
|
|
Flex |
|
252-0730 |
|
|
Bathhouse |
Flex is both the oldest and
newest bathhouse in CMH. It used to be
the site of the original Club Columbus, but closed years ago. It reopened under the Flex chain. It’s cheaper than Club Columbus, and has
play rooms. It is located in a
poor and predominately black neighborhood though, so typically prejudiced people tend to be reticent about going
there, but the parking lot is fenced in, so parking is safe. |
Weekends presumably |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non gay
nightlife south |
Including
restaurants, hotels and stores of note |
Not listed
South to North |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Claremont Inn,
The |
|
443-7866 |
|
|
Hotel |
Not a B&B but a regular hotel,
the average room price is [unknown] |
|
|
|
German Village
Inn |
|
443-6506 |
|
|
Hotel |
Not a B&B, but a regular
motel. Average price for a room is $48 |
|
|
|
|
|
221-5075 |
|
|
|
The German Village Tour of Homes
is every June. |
|
|
|
|
|
224-8888 |
|
|
|
The best Taxi service in the
city, and not limited to |
|
|
|
Book Loft |
|
464-1774 |
|
|
|
There’s really no way to
describe the Book Loft except that’s it’s a bookstore gone Escher Mad –
intertwining rooms everywhere, and thousands of books. Much more interesting than going to Barnes
and Noble. A must see in GV. |
|
|
|
|
|
443-8900 |
|
|
Breakfast diner |
The greatest little breakfast
diner in the city. Waits can be long,
but it’s worth every minute. |
|
|
|
Max &
Erma's |
|
444-0917 |
|
|
Restaurant |
The original location for Max
& Erma’s |
|
|
|
Schmidt's |
|
444-6808 |
|
|
|
The ultimate German food
restaurant and dessertery. |
|
|
|
Easy Street
Cafe |
|
444-3279 |
|
|
Thurman Cafe |
|
443-1370 |
|
|
|
263 East |
443-3699 |
|
|
Old Mohawk |
|
444-7204 |
|
|
Dining Bar and Grill |
German styled Bar and Grill food |
|
|
|
Cup O Joe’s |
|
|
|
|
Coffeehouse |
A local chain, Cup O Joes has
survived the opening of a Starbucks right across the street. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Downtown |
[Central
Business District, Arena District, Discovery District] |
North of 70,
South of 670, East of the River, West of 71 North |
|
|
The Vine |
|
(614) 221-VINE |
|
|
Bar and Dining |
One of the best brunches I’ve
ever had in my life. |
|
|
|
Wall Street
Nightclub |
|
(614) 464-2800 |
|
|
Club |
It’s Boy’s Night on Wednesdays,
Country Dancing on Thursdays and mostly women on the weekends. |
|
|
|
Slammers |
202 E. Long Street |
(614) 221-8880 |
|
|
Women/Bar/Food |
The front half to Club 202
serves food for lunch and bar times. |
|
|
|
Club 202 |
202 E. Long Street |
(614) 469-7526 |
|
|
Club |
The back half of Slammer’s,
there have frequent small up-n-coming musical acts as well |
|
|
|
Tradewinds II |
|
(614) 461-4110 |
|
|
Club |
A chill men’s dance club,
average age is 30 and above, but it really runs the gamut. A mix of regular, preppy, leather and
Levi. Bear happy hours on Wednesdays
are very cool. Cover on Fridays and
Saturdays. Please note that the front
of the bar (on the corner of chestnut and 3rd) is labeled the
Plugged Nickel, the name of the small bar and kitchen in the front. |
Saturdays |
|
|
|
|
(614) 228-2804 |
|
|
Club |
Not a leather bar like some of
the other Eagles (most Eagles I know of aren’t anymore) but a mix of Twink
and other types. The back bar is
called the Birdcage and has drag shows.
The Foam parties are held a couple times a year, where they fill the
dance floor with Peter-Brady-Doing-Laundry soap bubbles and everybody gets
dirty and clean at the same time. |
|
|
|
Pyramid II |
|
(614) 228-6151 |
|
|
Men/Bar |
Pyramid recently moved to a new,
much more modern looking space. |
Karaoke (Tuesdays) Pool Strippers (Sunday) |
|
|
Far Side |
|
(614) 276-5817 |
|
|
Bar, Lesbian |
Technically way west of downtown,
but since it’s due west and the only place west, it’s
listed here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
East of
Downtown |
Olde Towne East |
East of 71
North |
|
|
A.W.O.L. |
|
(614) 621-8779 |
|
|
Bar |
An ultra cool and relaxed
neighborhood bar. It’s really a
neighborhood bar, as most of the patrons live within a few blocks of it. |
Darts Pool Karaoke (Mondays) Back patio (small) |
|
|
Elemental |
|
228-5700 |
|
|
Restaurant |
|
|
|
|
Fake Bake &
Backrubs |
|
(614) 228-8001 |
|
|
Tan and Massage |
A massage and tanning salon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Short North |
|
North of 670
along High Street, south of Campus |
|
|
Union Station
Video Cafe |
|
(614) 228-3740 |
|
|
Dining / Bar |
Both a bar and restaurant, it’s
the first gay space in the Short North and pretty much caters to everyone for
food, and the younger crowd for the bar. It’s a video bar, with a large drop down
screen for videos, TV and movies.
Sunday brunches are popular, and they frequently have shows. |
Pool (2) |
|
|
An Open Book |
|
(614) 291-8766 |
|
|
Bookstore |
Gay owned bookstore that’s
merged with Metro Video for video rentals, and Kukhala’s for gay themed
stickers, t-shirts, cards and gifts |
|
|
|
The Coffee
Table |
|
(614) 297-1177 |
|
|
Coffee Shop |
On the corner of Buttles and
High, this is the ‘see and be scene’ coffeehouse of the Short North. Now rumored to be owned by a (*gasp*)
Republican. |
|
|
|
AXIS |
|
(614) 291-4008 |
|
|
Boys/Dance Club |
Axis is the Twinkies and circuit
boys’ club, and everything you'd expect that entails it. Free DJ mix
CD giveaways (X Factor) on the second Friday of the month. |
Weekends |
|
|
Torso |
|
(614) 421-7663 |
|
|
Fashion |
Every piece of club fashion and
accessory you could ever want. |
|
|
|
Spirits on High
[La Barca] |
|
291-6113 |
|
|
|
Spirits on High used to be a
dive bar, and suddenly transformed into |
|
|
|
|
|
(614) 421-9697 |
|
|
Bar |
|
Strippers (Sundays) |
|
|
The Full Monty |
|
(614) 291-3127 |
|
|
Stripper BYOB Bar |
A BYOB establishment that
features fully nude male strippers. Not
the big buff and oiled type, but the Twink and trade type. It’s a 10 dollar cover, and no alcohol
served unless you’ve brought it yourself. |
Strippers |
|
|
Piercology |
|
(614) 297-4743 |
|
|
Body Piercing |
The most professional piercing
salon in |
|
|
|
The Waiting
Room |
|
297-8844 |
|
|
Coffeehouse |
This coffeehouse is below Piercology,
and designed to be the place to hang while you wait for your appointment
upstairs. Wireless internet and food
available. |
Wireless Internet Food |
|
|
Downtown
Connection |
|
(614) 299-4880 |
|
|
Mixed/Bar |
A gay ‘sports bar’ |
Pool (2) Darts (2) |
|
|
The Garden |
|
(614) 294-2869 |
|
|
Adult Store |
Fetish fashion clothing, rubber,
leather and lace |
|
|
|
The Chamber on
High |
|
297-0924 |
|
|
Adult Shop |
Sex toys, videos, and other fun
accessories |
|
|
|
The Joint |
|
298-1384 |
|
|
|
Your one stop shop for tobacco
smoking supplies |
|
|
|
Measure of a
Man |
|
298-0985 |
|
|
|
Men’s high fashion and club
clothes |
|
|
|
Blazer’s Pub |
|
(614) 299-1800 |
|
|
Bar, Lesbian |
|
|
|
|
|
North of
Campus, or not on High Street |
both East and
West of High Street |
|
|
Eagle in Exile |
|
(614) 294-0069 |
|
|
Bar, Leather |
The only tried and true leather
bar in |
|
|
|
Club |
|
(614) 291-0049 |
|
|
Bathhouse |
Bathhouse, very clean and
modern, with a huge modern gym with no lines.
Regular gym memberships are available.
No play spaces. Rooms available. One time and six month membership fees in
addition to room/locker fees. |
|
|
|
Cross Country Inn |
|
267-4646 |
|
|
Hotel |
Hotel near Club Columbus and Millennium. Average price is $49.99 during football
season for a single double bed room. |
|
|
|
Millennium |
|
(614) 291-7867 |
|
|
Mixed/After Hours Dancing |
Where the Short North / Axis
after hours crowd goes to get and keep the buzz on. It’s next to the shopping center on |
|
|
|
|
|
(614) 261-9634 |
|
|
Women/Bar |
Recently remodeled, it’s the
oldest lesbian bar, going on 24 years. |
|
|
|
Blondie’s |
|
(614) 267-3480 |
|
|
Bar |
|
Karaoke Strippers Deck (large) |
|
|
Club 20 |
|
(614) 261-9111 |
|
|
Bar |
Meeting place for the monthly gay.com
meet-n-greets (second Friday of the month) |
|
|