Char Bar

Walking around the convention center area on a Wednesday 9:30pm (no NHL game night) and, while a couple of places already had chairs piled up on tables, the Char Bar bar area was packed and high energy. I had in mind the place caught up on fire, thus the name, but it actually had a drunk driver just crashing into the bar and damaging everything. Now became a story to tell (nobody hurt) and a picturesque place in town.

Before the incident, this was my favorite and constant must go-to of Columbus. Since the repairs and renovation, it's gone from the warm, dive-y atmosphere to a well-lit mainstream common-collage bar. Every time we came to town, for years, Char was my go-to, must stop and highest recommended for a charming dive-bar feel with a classic warm environment. This recent visit in 2026, since the renovation, felt like some of the warm energy had been lost. I was excited to see the beautiful historic entry on top of the welcoming community environment we/I felt before but it felt very lost on the most recent visit. We were so excited to show our friends this place on our recent visit upon re-opening, but it didn't have the same historic energy. Hoping it's a transition into settling into renovations, but I missed the grime-dive-charm it had prior to the accident. Maybe it was an off day, we'll try again.

Great little dive bar close to our hotels. The staff was attentive and friendly. Drinks were generous and really reasonable prices. We’ll be back. Okay … went back every night. Best value around. Bartenders were the nicest. You can get 3 beers here for what it cost for one drink at close by places. Every time I was here everyone was friendly - met people from all over. Go check out this “dive bar.” Yes, their bathroom smells like my grandma’s basement.

Great dive, and a great vibe. Crazy that it is right in the heart of the convention center area, and still thriving, and not bought out by some corporation.

Great, semi historical dive bar, one of my top ten bars still around in cbus

This place is so damn cool, I can’t believe it. It’s chill, the music is chill, the vibe of the locals that come is rad too. Cheap drinks, and good service. 5 stars all around

A perfect true dive bar found right across the convention center.

Grab your bros and hit up Char Bar. First of all, I love the classic vibe and the fact that they have a back patio. This place deals out great drinks but be careful taking down too many of those long islands. The bathroom is down in the basement which makes for an interesting slightly drunken stumble around and a spooky brick basement spelunking once you break the seal. Overall the price is right and I have no complaints. You fee welcome but also don’t find the need to dress it up at Char Bar. Major points for their CBUS authenticity and sticking to their guns on not selling out to the corporate landings building up in their immediate vicinity.

A proper and perfect dive bar! Fast service and darts. Haven't eaten there, I am not sure if they have food. If you are looking for g for a drink in a dive bar--this is it!

Definitely a vibe, fun atmosphere, amazing bar staff, they have touch tunes so you can play your own music! It looks kinda closed because the window is boarded up, but it's very much open! (Spooky piano and locked doors in the basement)

Old-school charm at its best! The Char Bar has been serving up good times since 1960, and it shows in all the right ways. This classic Columbus dive bar has a laid-back, welcoming vibe that instantly makes you feel at home. The prices are great, the service is friendly and fast, and the outside patio is the perfect spot to relax with a drink. If you're looking for a no-frills local gem with character, this is the place!

Everything went well at Char Bar. In fact, I regularly bring all of my guy friends to this dive bar because we like playing darts, drinking long islands, and not talking to any girls. This is the place to do that. Good drinks and good times at char bar. I'm glad to be able to go here especially after someone drove into it. They're so back!

Absolutely the best bar in Ohio without question! Friendly people and great drinks and you have to have their world famous Long Island Iced Tea!

Shout out to this spot for real - love a great dive/local bar.. and what's crazy is a grew up in this town and NEVER heard of it until recently moving back into the state . Service was awesome, the folks mad friendly and good beer selection, that's all I need.

This place is a dive bar institution! Glad to see it's not been replaced by something horrible ! Char Bar is a must visit!

Char Bar looks cute from the outside, which ultimately was what brought us in - plus it was right next to the Hilton where we were staying. It's a simple dive bar, but simple in a good way. A small bar, a few tables and some pool. It's a really convenient spot to pop into while you're downtown, and didn't get too crowded on a Saturday night.

This is a cool hang out joint! Only one pool table unfortunately and it gets taken really quick. The service is good, drinks are strong, and it's gets crowded very easily!

This is a nice tucked away bar with delicious drinks. I got a Sex on the Beach with Rum ($11) and it was so good. The staff is also really nice.

I love the Charbar I'm a realtor been going there for two decades. We have a meeting here it's wonderful. Just stopped in there. 3 o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday or a good time before Stevie Nicks, Billy Joel concert and the red haired bartender behind the bar if you needed a personality to breathe, he'd be dead. Dude you can do better! Yea

Absolutely incredible! I'm going out on a limb, but this tiny hole in the wall may have the best blacked steak in Ohio. You must try their delectable, fresh caught Shrimp with Bernaise sauce. Fabulous!!!!

We used to frequent this joint back in school. Was back for my 10 year reunion, so had to check it out. Literally nothing has changed here; as it shouldn't. Perfect for a chill bar with lots of drink options, games on the screens, a juke box, pool, and darts. It would be a perfect bar to do the "Cheers" TV show remake--it just has that friendly neighborhood bar feeling. Wouldn't consider it a hole in the wall, but it's definitely not swanky. You can bring a date here if she's down to earth; otherwise save this one for your friends.

A bit more pretentious than I would have liked. But then again the bar is located in a rich college town so I don't know what I really expected. The beer was a bit pricey, but honestly probably fair compared to other bars in the area. I wouldn't go back, not that it was overly bad in any way, just not my type of people.

Everyone is welcome at char bar. Something for everyone- pool, darts and a touch tunes jukebox. Grab some friend, drinks and watch the game here. Great location close to the convention center and arena district. A popular drink is the $7 Long Island.

Char Bar is one of my favorite all time dive bars. It has great drinks and happy hour is among the best. Here the Long Island Iced Teas are mythical and you can't go without having one. One more thing you must check out is the piano in the basement. This is one bar anyone visiting Columbus should be sure to stop at. The best time to come is happy hour. It's from 3 to 7. It usually won't be that busy. The happy hour includes bottles and drafts for $2. The Long Island Iced Tea is $6.50. It comes in a huge glass. This is so big one will be enough for most people. They put more alcohol in than a typical one. It can get crazy on the weekends here. This has a reputation as a guy's bar, so expect a lot overflowing from the Arena District. They for the most part are well behaved. Char Bar seems to bring in those sick of the Park Street bullshit. It has much better prices than the bars there. Additionally, have fun at the pinball machine or pool table. The bar itself is a classic wooden bathat looks like it's seen plenty of passed out patrons. Also be sure to check out the basement. It's creepy but it's so fucking cool. There's an old piano and looks as if it's been there forever. I recommend Char Bar to anyone looking for a dive bar. It's signature is the Long Island Iced Teas. You may order a few when at other places, but here they're so big and powerful, you won't need to order more than one of these.

I come here every time I have to visit the convention center! Always a blast with great staff and a great selection! They will see me again!

I love Michael, the bartender, I love this place, he. So cool, sent me to barleys for food, I love u mike

I like this place, i really do. The bartender was nice and the people there were open. I tried the long island ice tea which was good but it wasn't the best i ever had. It was 8$ on HH and i also had a beer which was 5$. It isn't the best HH in the city but a good divey bar to try.

CharBar is the last chill bar on the block. They have good, strong drinks, a patio out back, two dart boards and plenty of room. If you happen to get one of the tables by the high-street-facing windows, there's really great people-watching too. Honestly every time I walk into CharBar I breathe a sigh of relief that it's still there and hasn't bee replaced by another pretentious artisanal cocktail bar or faux-casual brewpub. It's just a regular bar and I love it.

This place had everything I wanted. I'm a huge fan of dives and this one has pretty much everything you could ask for without going overboard on the decor. It's a dive through and through and that's exactly what we need more of downtown. No frills, no bullshit. Just fun, friendly people and strong drinks. After beating my boyfriend at darts, he whipped me at pool, and by that point, we were tapped out. My only note is that the bartender didn't seem super familiar with some basic cocktails, but it's a dive, I don't expect much. I'd recommend this place to anyone.

This is one of those places that is so bad, it's good. Or...just good if you have had several drinks. As others have said, the bartenders are some of the worst ever. Ignore them and enjoy the people watching, random mix of tunes, cheap snacks, and strong (cheap) drinks. I avoided the famous basement bathroom, which probably accounts for my positive review.

Our go to place to drink while in town. We had the best times here! The basement was so creepy and loved every minute of it.

Great little dive bar that we stopped in on our walk through town. Whoever the bartender was on Easter Sunday was so friendly, and we'll definitely be back on our next visit to C-Bus!!

I've been to many dive bars over the years but this one I would stay away from. First, the overwhelming odor when you first walk in smelled like a boy's locker room mixed with the smell of a dirty kitty litter box! There were 2 bartenders and neither looked at us once while we were in the bar. The couple standing at the bar waiting to place their order stood there the whole time while we were there and the bartenders ignored them also. Very weird vibe all around. We left without ordering. I would avoid this place folks!

In town from North Carolina and popped in cause these reviews said it was where "the locals" hang out. Really cool place, and the Long Island is everything the reviews said it was. I can't wait to spend more time here during my trip. Please understand this is a very simple, basic bar where you stop in for a drink and such. They don't serve food, they are not "hip" just your classic bar. Go into it with an open mind not expecting the latest and greatest and you'll have a good time. I enjoyed nice conversation with the locals and the bar keeps. The LIT is so strong and good I could only have one since I'm a lightweight. Maybe another after a meal.

Very low-key, below-average prices. Bartenders were friendly. Consistent service. Pool and darts were open to be played and they had sanitizer out to wipe down everything you were using. Nice hole in a wall experience.

That is an honest description to here, a dive bar. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's kind of what you expect from a dive bar. The set up, the atmosphere, the dart boards, and the people. When we walked in here, it was a tight squeeze just to get in the door. But the people were polite enough to move out of the way. It's not like other places where you have to squeeze yourself through an inch gap between people or shout at the top of your lungs 'excuse me' just to get through. The people were entertaining if not polite. Majority of them were smiling the whole time. I'm not sure how many times I fist bumped people or even "Xed" them as the one guy put it. All in good nature and very pleasant to be around. Now, honestly we just came in here to use the bathroom, two nights in a row. But that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves while we were there to use the facilities. The bathrooms are a scary sight, but usable. While waiting for a friend I didn't mind the mildewy smell, because that awesome old broken down piano with the missing keys was kind of captivating.

The Long Islands here are incredible, and I think everyone knows that. Boy, do those things pack a punch! Great flavor and wouldn't ya know it, there is no iced tea in there. Pool table and darts for some fun activities, but really just a great spot to hang out with friends. As many have probably said, the bathrooms are a little scary. But overall it is a fun spot - great hole-in-the-wall. Always a very interesting cast of characters in Char Bar!

I love old bars with character so Char Bar is a great "last stop" late night bar before heading back to the hotel (or wherever you are from) The regulars hang at the TV end of the bar or out back on the patio. They are pretty protective of the culture of the bar so if you want in on the best parts of being there, be cool to them. I drink rum and coke and am a little bummed that they don't use actual coke. A couple of the bar tenders can be cranky so beware.

I came here after work, just for a drink. I asked for a drink menu & the older bartender proceeds to tell me he has the entire menu memorized so I can ask him if I need something. I order a water while I wait for my friend, & an older black man entires the bar, takes a seat, it looked as if he was calling a ride. The bartender stars at him for a solid 5 minutes. The man looks to the bartender & asks if he is a bother. The bartender begins yelling claiming the man had called him a racist & he needed to leave. I sat there calmly waiting for anyone to step in that also witnessed the bartenders poor behavior & lies. No one did so I jumped in calmly explaining to the bartender that the man had not said or done anything wrong. The bartender was aggressive & honestly probably drunk. He directed his anger at me when I tried to help the situation. Long story short the man left. & I didn't order a single drink nor will I ever be back. I'll be sure to warn everyone of this place. I've never been so disturbed my someone else's behavior. This just happened so it was Monday night, whoever the bartender is SHAME ON YOU!

Was in Columbus for OSU game and stumbled upon this bar after dinner - late on Friday night. Bartenders were super nice and attentive for a very busy night. Known for their Long Island Ice Teas which I didn't have but I watched them make an obscene amount in the 2+ hours I was there. Definitely will be back!

My favorite bar in Columbus. Drinks are reasonable, they have a patio, and the basement MUST be haunted. I also love the jukebox, the pool tables and the darts. Even though my buddy got sloppy drunk and stuck me in the butt with one (real funny BW).

What a hole in a wall! Our Columbus friends brought us here for the Long Island as it's their staple item- well let me tell you- they did not disappoint. This thing was loaded with alcohol and for $8 you can't go wrong with it! We were feeling it by the end of the night- and the next morning. You won't find anything fancy here, I promise. The bar is very divey and had a mix of customers- everyone from college kids to adults and even a bachelorette party. All are welcomed to the Char Bar. The one thing that gave this review a 5 star is the creepy AF basement, which is where the bathroom is. Now I knew what I was in for when walking down those steps, but if I didn't I would think I was about to get murder. The basement has sketchy stairs, with rock walls and a old piano without keys in it- SO CREEPY! I also heard it use to be an old crematory BUT I'm into freaky/halloween style stuff like that so I loved it. Great conversation starter with strangers... Long story short- If you go into Char Bar with an open, judgement free mind you will have a blast. They have a nice patio, a pool table, darts, a touch-play music system and strong drinks- what more do you need? Enjoy!

I'm giving five stars because this place has a cigarette machine (although I don't smoke I just love the old analog ones with the pull levers), a funky downstairs that looks like a great place to waterboard or otherwise torture someone, and of course cheap strong drinks! There's also an awesome inflatable baseball glove beer promo thing from the 90s I think that's still inflated - I don't know how it hasn't deflated after all these years but that's gotta count for something...

One of the worst bartenders I've ever seen. This is the place where if you want 2 people at your bar and to make no money; come here. The bartender can't manage more than 10 people in this place. He YELLED multiple times at customers to form a single file line to place orders. If i wanted to go to Starbucks and order here/pick up here then I'd go there. After he yelled at everyone half the bar walked out. So i hope he's happy that instead of maybe making more than $20 bucks tonight; he'll scare away customers from ever coming again and we'll leave crappy reviews. From one service industry member to another - learn how to get it together dude - you made this a miserable experience for me and my friends.

We stayed at the hotel right next door to this place, so we went in to check it out. It reminds me of a typical dive bar, nothing special. The first thing I immediately noticed was a musty smell, probably due to the fact that the building is older. My friend and I each got a rum and coke. The bartender was not very approachable or friendly and seemed like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Hers tasted like straight rum and mine was the opposite, completely watered down. The bathrooms in this place are some of the most out of date I've ever seen. You have to go down rickety stairs to get to them and the musty smell intensified by going down there. I will not be returning to this bar the next time I am in Cbus.

This is my favorite bar in Columbus, hands down. I moved from Chicago a couple of years ago and this has become my new go to.9 The bar has a great space for pool and darts, as well as a decent amount of tables and stools. Out back, there is a less well known patio with 4 tables...great for getting some fresh air. The bartenders are super friendly once they warm up to you and make you feel at home. The drinks are strong and very reasonably priced. The 'go to' is their Long Island, poured in a fancy tall glass for around $9. Best bang for your buck in the city and a down to earth crowd.

I've always steered clear of Long Island Iced Teas, for many reasons. And I usually think that the people that order them don't know what a good cocktail is. But this place.... God to they make a MEAN Long Island Iced Tea. My boyfriend had me try one a while ago, and now i'm hooked. They really do them right. Other than that, the bartenders are super friendly, and there is a lot of space in the back to spread out and have a small group of people congregate. If you like dive bars, you're gonna love this place.

If you are looking for a classic dive bar, this is the place! They are known for their Long Island Ice Teas, get two and you'll be feeling no pain. The prices are great. Fairly typical dive bar they have: Bar, table seating, Jukebox, pool table, darts, and bathrooms in the haunted basement... I used to come here while I was a student at The Ohio State University and recently stopped back many moons since I graduated. Nothing has changed, in a good way.

Yes it's a hole in the wall which is totally cool and can be charming. There are two major turnoffs we experienced at this place last night. The first is that the guy bartender acted like he wanted to be somewhere else. Not an once of friendliness or charm. If you don't like people, bartending may not be the best profession for you. Secondly the bathrooms are in the basement and it smells like absolute disgustingness down there. Gross!

This place is fun for watching a game on a Saturday night! I had a lot of fun with my friends the evening I went. Being that it is downtown, you have to Uber from campus if you're living near or on campus, but due to the fact that it's relatively hidden, it's not going to be insanely busy and you'll get served really quickly on busy game days. The bathroom is located in an odd place and makes for an interesting journey down the stairs and into an empty space. Feels a little scary as a woman because it's not like a "private" bathroom area. Other than that, it's a fun laid back place. There's a pool table and dart board and all around pretty fun.

Cool dive bar with ice cold beer and a decent staff. Glad I found this place in Columbus, need to frequent this place.

Great bar! A nice dive bar hole in the wall right in the heart of pretentious Rich Columbus. The bartenders will talk with you, but they don't try to be your bestie, which is nice. The only downfall I see here is that sometimes patrons yell and shout too much. But they are having a good time and that's what this bar is for! You want quiet? Go pay 11 for a martini up the road a block. One of my absolute favorite things about this place is that it weeds out the pretentious Rich annoying people. And you can tell who they are by the ones who have negatively reviewed this place.

Char Bar is a little dingy, a little sticky but we all love it. Its always busy, but you can always find a place to sit or at least hover. I think most people (including me!) know and love Char Bar for its Long Islands, served in the pretty curvy glass with enough alcohol to knock you on your butt for the rest of the night. The waiters are always friendly and the music is usually good. The bathrooms are in the basement and are a super creepy trip (Seriously, what is with the broken down piano?) but its all part of the fun. Its located almost in the Short North, which makes it a really great place to start a night out in my opinion.

Nice dive bar with a hella' good (and cheap) Long Island! For being practically in the heart of the arena district, this place is nice and chill. There is a pretty good amount of space, considerably cheap drinks, fast service and low key atmosphere. I'd say if you're not big into the whole downtown Cantina-style bar-hopping, this would be a good place for you to squat...or if you like cheap drinks and dive bars of course : ) Definitely worth a visit...or two...or three!

If you're staying downtown, you really need to visit this place. From the Rolling Stones pin ball machine to the creepy basement bathroom...this place is classic. Is it a dive bar...ehhh...not really. It's not trying to be anything other than a place to drink. You are even likely to see some cheese ball Nationwide Insurance Agents in town for a conference trying to hit on some co-eds. Go here - order the Long Island, heck order a 2nd one. Walk back to your hotel and write up a Yelp review of the place!

A great little dive bar in the heart of the Arena District long before the Arena District existed. 'Chateau le Char' during the week is a favorite hangout for many in the service industry, and on the weekend anything goes. The building itself is OLD. This becomes very evident when you need to hit the restroom and descend down the stairway into the super-spooky basement where those are located. It certainly has an underground railroad feel to it, as if you have to smuggle your pee across the Mason-Dixon. The staff in there is alright. Micheal Jenkins won best bartender in Columbus in this years Columbus Alive contest, (congrats, Mike!). The old guy in standing in the corner with the white hair is Chuck; he owns the place and is in there just about every night. Chuck doesn't hear so well anymore so you kinda gotta shout at him if you're going to say HI. Great dude. Just be forewarned... at 2:15am Chuck is going to take your drink and at 2:30 he is going to kick you out. OH, I almost forgot... the Long Island Iced teas!... I wasn't aware that anyone over the age of 18 actually drank these things until I went to the Char. They hand mix their L.I.I.T.'s in a hurricane glass with 5 full shots and they taste FANTASTIC. But beware... after one I forgot my girlfriend's name and after two I no longer had a girlfriend.

It's funny how similar all these reviews are. I like the Char Bar because it's everything the nearby, trendy bars aren't. Go here if you're not interested in clubbing like you're in an Axe Body Spray commercial. The basement is only kind of creepy. I don't know if the broken-down piano is still down there, but I always imagined a ghost played them bones after everyone else has left for the evening. Also, the gal bartender always reminded me of Amélie.