St James Tavern

St. James Tavern is one of those rare places that feels like it’s meant to be there. It’s got that perfect dive-y charm—dim lighting, strong drinks, good people, and a vibe that just feels right. The kind of place where stories get told, regulars become friends, and no one’s trying too hard. It’s also a space with heart. You can feel it in the way the community shows up here—for causes, for each other, for good nights and bad ones. I happened to catch a recent review that felt wildly out of sync with what this place is all about. You know the kind—vague, dramatic, and more about someone not getting their way than anything real. This bar isn’t built on ego or attitude. It’s built on connection, consistency, and quiet kindness. If you know, you know. And if you don’t? Pull up a stool, order a drink, and give it a minute. You will. Shout out to “Buddy” —best liquid therapist this side of the Scioto River!

*update* most recently was harassed by MICHELLE HILL for a car that was parked in HER empty lot between the hours of 11pm and 6:30am. She came to my back door demanding that I understand that SHE is my landlord because she owns the business next door and her dad owns this home and the land around it or something. She then proceeded to attempt to intimidate me making threatening statements as she drove away and stared out the window at me. Haha so weird. She’s allowed her “regular” patrons to steal my door mat, she’s left nasty notes on my car IN my driveway, and now has come to my door to harass me directly. Signs in windows are highly misleading. I expected a slight HINT of kindness and was met with so much rudeness for no reason. Why is this even necessary? This bar is run by a truly terrible human.

Loved my first time here! Nice pool tables with plenty of spacing and comfortable side seating. Overall a nice low-key cozy little hole in the wall bar. Good selection of spirits and draughts and some of the best prices in the area. Definitely will be back, especially if I need to do some work in a quieter place that serves drinks ;D

I’ve never written a review before until now—Actually one of the worst experiences I’ve had at a bar. The bartenders(a male and female) tried to over charge our cards triple what we ordered, and when we tried to explain there had been a mistake they were extremely disrespectful and hostile. Would not recommended at all

The owner is extremely rude. Claims to be a supporter of women, but her behavior and nastiness when met with kindness says otherwise.

One of my favorite watering holes. Super cozy place with dope staff.

Bar with a pool table and a juke box. Great beer selection. Awesome staff. Locally owned and operated for 23 years and counting. Supportive of the arts community, and community at large. Everybody always welcome. No food. Just booze.

Used to be a great place. Bartenders not great anymore…

St. James Tavern is a good casual bar. It's not pretentious which is a relief. The beer list is pretty good. It has a lot of local brands. The atmosphere isn't party crazy like at some others. If you've thought about going there it may scare you because it's located in a kind of not so nice area. It's not as bad as it used to be. The area is becoming the home of many hipster bars and coffee shops. If you're tired of the hipster shit you may really like it. The outside of the bar looks like a dump and the inside isn't anything special. It's really cramped inside so it's hard to find a seat at the bar. There's a few shaky chairs and tables. It has a great beer menu with local brands like Bell's. The good beers usually are about $5 for a pint. I like five bars so St. James Tavern is among my favorites. It's cramped inside so it kind of sucks when it's busy. The place is more enjoyable when it's not on a weekend.

This is my first time here and I am impressed with how attentive the bartender was. The drinks were poured really well and the bartender was very intuitive and informative about about the different spirits. The jukebox was pretty cool and the pool tables were pristine, although they cost $1.25 versus the standard $1.00 elsewhere in the city. It is a little small but make up for it with the amazing atmosphere. It is nestled right on the corners of Detroit and 4th streets and can easily be missed if you are not paying attention. Then you would be sorry because it really is a lovely little gem.

St. James is a great little divey pub off 4th St. in Italian Village. It's really easy to miss, since the only sign is the lettering on the awning. Just know that it's a block South of Seventh Son, and you can't miss it. You'll need to park on the street or walk. This place is offering up fairly cheap drinks, and they often have some sort of tap takeover running. When I was there, they had all kinds of Revolution Brewing and Bell's on tap. The bartender's really nice, and you'll really feel welcome no matter who you are. It's pretty dark in there, since there's not much in the way of windows, and you definitely get that dive bar feel while at the same time drinking great craft brews. With the direction Italian Village appears to be heading, I hope it helps St. James and doesn't hurt it. This establishment has been here for a long time, and I hope they'll continue to thrive with more residences in the area.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for a classic dive bar. Friendly service, good drinks, and a pool table make me feel right at home. Be sure to check out the changing local art displayed in the walls and maybe even play a game of pinball.

No crap on tap. For reals. Local craft brews. Fat Heads. Flying Dog. CBC. Dogfish. Bells. Jackie O's. $3-4.5 a pint. My go-to neighborhood bar where I always run into great peeps. Great jukebox. Well curated music & drinks. It's a Cbus Cheers.

The St James is one of the all-time great after work bars. It has a relaxed atmosphere, with it's slightly dimmed lighting and warm wood tones in its decoration. But the real appeal is in its wide variety of beers on tap and the friendliness of its staff. The beers are a great alternative to the usual assortment of Bud, Miller, and maybe Heineken or Red Strip. The St. James has a wide menu of local and regional beers, changing with the season. My favorite summer beer there is the Bell's Oberon, my favorite winter beer the gingerbread flavored winter warmer. And, as I said before, the staff is excellent. The owner is a really friendly woman in her late twenties / early thirties who works the bar about three nights a week. Unlike a lot of bartenders who are only interested in you when you're ordering, she seems genuinely interested in having a little conversation with everyone who sits at the bar. And that's pretty typical for everyone who works there. My only complaint with the place is that it isn't on my way home from work anymore.

This is a classic neighborhood bar that wisely embraced craft beer, thus becoming welcome respite from the ever-maddening bullshit on High Street. It's a bar. You walk in that's exactly what you get, there are pool tables in the back, one of which might have a messed up rail that forces the ball to go airborne, but you're not here for pool. This is a bar that was built to serve the poor working stiffs who lived in the area copious amounts of booze. You go here to drink. Maybe you'll talk to people. Maybe you won't. The good news, is that they add craft beer to the no-nonsense feel of this venerable old bar. I like it. Cheap drinks, and not a lot of fuss. If you want to knock back a couple of rounds, and slog through a mind-numbing gallery hop with your lame friends from out of town who insist on it, this is your place.

I've been here more than a few times. It's your local dive bar! I don't live close enough to make it *my* local watering hole, but it's closeness to Seventh Son means it could end up being one I pop into when I want to play pool. It's a cool little joint when you want to grab a beer. The crowd can be hit and miss. One time? Crowded. Another? Empty. It's a gamble. I also don't pay attention to the time or day I go here. So there's that. :D Great beer selection, the staff is sometimes a bit... stiff? But then again, maybe it's me!

St. James is my spot. I have lived less than a block away from the James for three years now and can't say enough good things about this place. If Michelle (owner / bartender with the blonde hair) would ever install a kitchen in this joint it would be a no brainer 5 star rating, and I would probably never leave. With around a dozen Microbrews for $3.50 each, I rarely find myself asking Michelle for anything else (aside from the occasional Jamison shot and more quarters for the pool table). The James has a dark wood panel feel and low lighting. One side of the place has the bar, a few tables and the JukeBox (one of those newer digital ones replaced what was formerly one of the best old school JukeBoxes I had seen) while the other room has two pool tables, a Simpsons Pinball game and a row of tables down the far wall. There is an upstairs room with it's own bar, but I have not seen this room used since Weds. ceased to be Open Mike Comedy night around a year ago.

Very small dive bar with quick bartenders, pool tables and usually a charity event of some sort going on. It's really nice to see small businesses like this giving back to the community. The acoustics aren't the best if you actually want to hear the person next to you but a fun place to go for weekday happy hours.

This place is just too cute.. it may be my new favorite little dive bar. If you go to 7th Son this place is right up the street and worth a try. The outside is a little odd and I will admit it turned me off from this place originally - so keep this in mind! The inside is all wood and its pretty dark. It reminds me of if you went to the bar at a lodge when you were out roughin' it in cabins (not tents - I don't do tents) with the fam. They have a pretty small space so if it was packed I don't think I would enjoy it as much. There are two rooms - front = bar, back = pool tables & pinball machines. They have some really cool art hanging up in the backroom as well, and it's all for sale. Moving onto the drinks... They do tap take overs weekly and my boyfriend loves this! The beer selection has been great every time we have stopped in. They also have some cocktail specials, nothing super fancy but they are cheap and taste pretty good! If you are in the area make it a point to stop in, I think this place is pretty cool :)

Had a very unfriendly "small, hidden $10 minimum." Won't be back. Thanks for the beers guys. Not sure if it's the alcohol or you, but I'm bankin' on what your employees said. "Have a goodnight."

Here's what you need to know about the St. James: it's far enough from campus to avoid the student crush and has enough good beers on tap to be a favorite destination. Great music, great people, great place. What makes the St. James Tavern so great is that you remember your time there, not any gimmicky shenanigans that the bar has used to make you remember being there. Leave the aggressive theming to the Gateway complex- the St. James Tavern is just a bar, and God bless it for that. Ohio State dorm dwellers, please ignore this review. Stay to your campus bars! They're, uh, great! Y'know Ugly Tuna has fishbowls full'a liquor, eh? Yeah yeah!

Another yelper commented on this place being a little low-key. I agree but that fact makes this bar what it is. It is nothing elaborate, it has the feeling of a small town bar with excellent beer selection. Everytime I have gone the bartenders are fun and attentive. Good place to play pool and chill if you get there before the place fills up for the night.

I am Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite bar on the whole Citadel! Too soon for Mass Effect jokes. However, this really is my favorite dive bar in Columbus. $3.50 pints all the time, great drink prices other than that, two pool tables and two tiny little bathrooms! The music is always good (they have a fancy new jukebox now), the clientele is always funny, and the bartenders are great. This is a dive bar - not a fancy place. The kind of place where you'll become a regular if you aren't careful... it's far too easy to justify going to St. James when the drinks are so cheap! Always a fun time. Can get busy on weekends, to standing room only sometimes. It generally tends to be a little cold in here, so bring a sweater or a hoodie. On Monday nights, they usually have a food truck come by, with $1 mystery beers. ONE DOLLAR MYSTERY BEERS. Who could resist? Parking is on Detroit Ave, in a gravel lot right next to the bar, but it is in a very walkable location depending on where you're living/hanging out in the Short North area. Don't be frightened off by the somewhat plain exterior and somewhat creepy neighborhood. It's a great little joint.

Great local's spot. Drinks are priced well and the atmosphere is very casual. There is seating room both at the bar and in the pool room. This business seems to support local charities and causes too which is pretty awesome. I was there one night when some people in the neighborhood were raising donations and had rented out the pool room. A portion of sales went to the charity which was very cool.

When my boyfriend moved into an apartment at the rather desolate location of 1000 N. 4th Street, I wasn't too impressed by the surroundings--least of all the seemingly abandoned warehouse across the street. I grudgingly agreed to accompany him there, not expecting much from this obscure corner joint that I'd never really noticed before. I was very pleasantly surprised. It's a tiny little bar, but it really feels friendly from the moment you walk in. I've only been there once and it won me over--I honestly can't wait to go back, and I hardly EVER say that about bars. The St. James is just the right mix of dark wood, dust, and dim but warm lighting. I can strategically people-watch without feeling like a complete creep or eliciting unwanted attention. On my visit, it wasn't too crowded, although my boyfriend said it can get packed. The noise level was such that he and I could sit at a table and actually have a conversation but not feel a lack of background noise. The shots of Crown were generously portioned and the $3.50 pints of Oberon and Harp sealed the deal. If you're like me and can rarely muster the energy to strap on your hipster suit and frequent Bodega and the Surly Girl etc, fun as they may be on occasion, this is your oasis.

I've never even noticed this bar before! It's right on 4th St, so I know I've driven passed it a million times, but it's small and dingy and completely underwhelming... especially from the outside. Inside is a lovable, local dive with an impressive selection of delicious craft beers at surprisingly affordable prices ($3.50 for Two Hearted Ale drafts at peek pricing time? $5.50 for Hop Stead (10% ABV!). VERY, very reasonable. Heard a few regulars praise the jukebox selection - didn't get a chance to peep it though.

Local favorite with excellent draft selections. A no frills place to relax with friends and maybe shoot some pool.

I have nothing terribly bad to say about St. James, but it's a far cry from being anything special. They do have a small selection of good drafts that are very reasonably priced, but so do any number of other Columbus watering holes, and those bars beat St. James in other areas. St. James is tiiiiiiny. Teensy tiny. Like, if it's crowded, you do not want to be here tiny.The front bar area is sort of long, but not near deep enough, and the back room could be a good place to hang if it weren't crammed tight with two pool tables that don't fit. I love pool! But seriously, if you don't have room, don't force it. At least remove one of them, then patrons would be more comfortable. The pours are generous, the staff is friendly, and you will likely see some friends here, because it is somewhat popular. I'm not sure that's enough to make up for its drawbacks though. And hey, what happened to open mic comedy night? That was a hit years back!

This is a serious out-of-the-way neighborhood bar. Not as rowdy or crowded as a true neighborhood bar, but given the space that is allotted inside (complete with two pool tables), there's not a lot of room to really stand to start with. Bar seats people who like to talk talk talk, sit sit sit, think think think There's a couple of seats and tables where the pool tables are, along with the ladies' restroom, a jukebox, and one of those arcade games. Oh, and a pretty good selection of beers on the two times that I've gone there.

By appearances alone, this is honestly one of the last bars in Columbus that I would have gone to. Luckily, I had a friend drag me there. It doesn't look like much on the outside. Just a little hole-in-the-wall place on south 4th, the vaguely sketchyish area that I'm not really afraid of but don't frequent nontheless. There's a cutesy little sign marking it, but you could easily drive past without ever noticing it- which I did, for several years. That said, it's a nice little bar. The beer selection is solid, and everything is very fairly priced, if not downright cheap. There isn't much on the menu over $5- even the beers that would run you $8 or $9 down at the Gateway or Arena district bars. I will say that if you don't like beer, this place isn't worth it. They have liquor, but so does every other bar in Columbus. The beer is their real selling point. The bar itself is tiny and can get a bit crowded, but I like the atmosphere. A bit hipster, but not pretentious. Bartenders aren't going to fawn over you, but they're efficient and friendly enough. I actually rather love the jukebox- it's not an Internet one, which may seem like a drawback at first BUT it means that if someone gets drunk and decides they want to listen to every shittastic Britney Spears song from the mid-90's on, they're out of luck. They load some decent music on there, and I've never been stuck listening to a string of godawful songs like I have at other bars. Thumbs up to the James.

St. James Tavern is my bar. I would go as far to say that it's my favorite bar in Columbus without dispute. This is basically all I have to say about it. I actually shouldn't brag so people stop coming in and crowding around whatever awesome craft beer they're offering that I'm drinking and the juke box of my dreams. Two awesome slate pool tables also and the weird art is always fun to look at.

It's quiet unless it's loud. The music (live or jukebox) is usually good. The drinks are cheap and people are decent. It's a dive bar, but it's a damn good dive bar. One amusing story. A friend of mine came with me to the St. James for the first time, walked up to the bar, and ordered an Irish Car Bomb. The bartender looked at him for a minute, and said in an intensely cool tone, "We don't call them those here." That said, after that same friend accidentally left his wallet (including his credit cards!) at the bar, the very same bartender found his cell number off a card in his wallet, called him to let him know, and kept the wallet locked up until he could drive back and claim it.

I definitely dig this spot. After saying for almost a year that I wanted to give it a try, I finally made it in and I'll defintiely be going back. $3.50 beers all the time...good beers. Beers I'm normally paying $5 or $6 for. It's a no frills bar, but you can play a game of pool and crank up the jukebox. Honestly, what kept me from going for so long was the location. It's just plain creepy from the outside and I don't think I would have necessarily parked and gone there myself. That ends once you step inside...it's not the least bit creepy...just a laid back place meant for sipping awesome beers. If you like Beck Tavern, you'd love this place.

Get this straight.. This is a dive bar.. It's a good dive bar but a dive bar none the less.. The beer is cold (except for the guiness which is cellar temp), the music is good and the service quick.. Everytime I've been in here the bar staff is friendly and makes sure my beer is full.. They even have a few good whisky picks... All in all a good dive bar...

Met a friend here for a few drinks. Out of all the bars I had been to in Columbus, this was the one that was most my speed. It seemed like mostly neighborhood folks, the drinks were fair priced, the bar maid called me hun, the beer were slightly less than cold, and drink specials were written on poorly washed dry erase boards that looked a decade old. My friend and I hung out for a couple hours and it was a good relaxed time. I like the fancy selections, and pretentious bartenders at some other places just as much as the next guy. I just don't want it all the time, you know? Some night you just don't want to rub elbows with a bunch of hipsters racking up bar tabs more expensive than my laptop and talking about their new edgy art project. Some nights you just want a damn beer. Get yourself a damn beer at St James Tavern.

Man this place is great. Kinda was made fun of for my Vespa though, but I ride it with pride no matter what.

They had Maharaja on draft, always a good thing to walk into. The bartender was kind of a weird dude. Not too personable. It somewhat reminded me of Edison's bar in Cleveland, which is a big compliment. The beers available were awesome. This would be my go to if I lived in Columbus. Nice and dark. People generally kept to themselves. A nice place to go.

An earnest, neighborhood dive bar but craft beers. The real deal - this is the genuine pub atmosphere, rooted in love of its neighborhood and grown over years like the patina on the bar, that the new guys try to manufacture.

What a nice surprise. I was invited here with a group of grads I drink with occasionally, who wanted a switch up from The Library. The drafts are great and very fairly priced. I think Oberon's were like 3.50. Pool was cheap, they have two tables and it wasn't that crowded when we played so games were plentiful. I liked the jukebox, it had lots of variety (Waits, Muse, Redding). We stayed till close and enjoyed ourselves. My one complaint is the tables aren't good if you have a group of four or more. But it's small, so it was expected. Otherwise, nice little hole in the wall.

We started a little Dive Bar Summer group and I'm trying to get a group of fellow students to hit up some local bars every week. This was the first stop. It was strange walking in, partially because there weren't many people there and also because there was no music playing....so it was a bit awkward. They had a fine beer selection, but oddly they weren't allowed to give out sample when I asked to try the Green Flash Imperial Rye. Beers are priced fairly at 4-5 dollars a pint. There is no Monday mystery cans anymore. Overall my friends and I played a game of catchup and left. If this was next door to my house I'd probably come for the convenience sake but I am not sure if I'd go out of my way to come here since the vibe is a bit lacking.

Wonderful, intimate tavern. It's a clean, small place that's dark but not too dark. It's quiet during the week, and its location, away from busy High Street, makes you feel as if you've escaped the raucous college crowd. I strongly recommend, especially for groups.

The owner is a wonderful person, and though I've only been here twice to date, she seems to recognize me and welcomes as if we are regulars! LOVE the pinball!!! Nice selection of brews on tap. Nice to see food trucks joining the evening scene!

I really adore St. James Tavern. The bar is totally my speed - not on the OSU student radar, a community space and no TVs. When you're there, you're able to just be there and enjoy the people, drinks and jukebox music to your heart's delight. It's pretty wonderful. The bartenders have always been incredibly friendly and helpful, and they are always willing to help me decide on what to get. Additionally, they have great happy hour deals, and their draught selection is changing regularly. I wish I lived a bit closer, but otherwise I'm all thumbs up!

My favorite dive in Columbus. The door's entrance is wisely situated behind a wall so that anybody who opens it will not shower the unsuspecting bar patrons with natural light (get it off me!) The bartenders are great, the drinks are cheap, there is always space to sit and the glowy red lighting in the side room of pool tables is reminiscent of a photographer's dark room. In fact, the space is usually so sparsely populated I never have to worry about brushing past another person, my 3 foot radius intact. Good for the spindly hermit or mole people.

I just posted an unrelated review the other day stating I don't really bring up service unless it becomes an ongoing issue. .... it's an issue. the draughts are inexpensive, they have pool tables (a rarity these days), and it's a good location. but seriously guys. two weeks ago when I was in and was told "we don't do draught samples" (literally verbatim), my response was annoyed but "ok." but it just kept going since. I've honestly never had what I can describe as a great experience here, and am usually only here at the behest of others. I honestly don't know if it's an attempt at ironic hipster elitism or just genuine poor hiring, but seriously guys, cut it out. it's ruining an otherwise rad bar. that being said, I'm sure you'll see me here from time to time.... cheers!

The saint is my favorite bar in this town. The owner and bartenders are nice. The drinks are cheap, the people are friendly, the music on the jukebox is good. The pool tables are nice, and you usually don't have to wait forever to play. Unlike many other bars in the short north, you can actually have a conversation with someone without having to shout over annoying music. Also no TV's, another thing that I respect in a bar. I love a great craft brew and St. James may not have the number of taps that Bodega has, but they have nothing but quality. Another reason I love this place is a pint of almost anything (short of chimay) on tap is $3.50! They also will regularly have a cask of something rare and delicious on Fridays. Monday night they have $1 mystery cans. You get a variety of anything ranging from Red Dog to a can of Czech pilsner. It is a good deal and pretty fun. I love this place and hope it can stay a low key bar for years to come. In fact..........this isn't the bar you're looking for at all.

The St. James is a great little hidden gem of Columbus. They have a good collection of Micro-brewed beers on draft, like Avery IPA, Bells Two Hearted, Bells Seasonal (Winter white/Oberon depending on the season), Unibrau Chambly Noire, and Lagunitas Censored Copper. They have quite a few Unibroue in bottles, Unibroue's phmre and Lindemans' Framboise for the ladies. The Prices are nice and reasonable $3.50 for a pint of Micro-brew beer. The atmosphere is usually rather subdued, in the 5-6 years there I have seen one bar fight (between two "friends" over a girl, it was over with the first half hearted punch/shove). A moderately good selection on the juke, much better than most bars I should add. Michelle is the owner of the St. James, if you frequent the place at all she will get to know you, your interests, and what you like to drink. She is one of my favorite bartenders in Columbus.

Oh, a bastion of non-shiny, non-hipster-y glory. It is the sort of place where the bartender shares their pizza with the people at the bar. Just a relaxed, casual place. The beer list is solid; which makes sense given their neighbors. This is a place to spend some relaxing weekend afternoons.

This is a grown up place - whether you're 21 or 51 - and not suited to those who ask to taste beers, ask for the football game on the TV (HA!) or expect bullcrap, cheeseball bubbly, fake-arse MIXOLOGISTS! Come to drink great craft beers, real cocktails, converse - or not - and jam to some legendary tunes. This is a bar for those that love great craft beers (NO CRAP ON TAP) excellent selections of whisky/whiskey and the best damn juke box you'll find just about anywhere. Depending on the outstanding rotation of their 13 taps, you will find Founders, Avery, Ommegang, Bell's, North Coast, Stone, Great Divide, Rogue, and many, many more; excellent local brews including Jackie O's, Brew Kettle, Barley's, Seventh Son and others... AND they are one of the few bars in Ohio where you can find 3Floyds from time to time! They even have a beer glass clue! You can have a great time by yourself - which is usually how I go - or bring a friend or a few and enjoy yourselves but don't expect the barkeeps to entertain your sorry butts if you don't know how to entertain yourselves. If this stuff means anything to you, you're tired of the douches you see at the suburban meat-market wannabe craft beer bars or neighborhood dives, then grab a friend or come by yourself and have a great beer and play a game of pool or just hang out. If you know what you like - read grown up - but don't know craft beers and want to experience some beers (no BL on tap!) with real taste and you can describe your likes to the bartender, they will recommend a good pint to you. I've been going to the James since last century and it is one of those rare pubs that can actually rejuvenate your soul when life gave you a bad time. Sit back, enjoy the outstanding vibe, jam to some kick-ass tunes, have some ridiculously low priced beers and drinks, and learn to like life again.

So I walk into the bar (this is a true story) and this 50 year-old guy is shooting pool by himself. And since my friends hadn't parked yet, we shot a game of pool together and had a beer. And he said, "You know what the best part of getting old is?" "-Umm, you're smarter?" "No, you're not horny anymore." And that pretty much sums up the St. James; if you're just out with the guys or gals and want to drink some great beers you've never heard of and shoot some pool and kick it with the old guard, it's exactly what you're looking for. For my pool-shooting tastes, personally, I'd rather hit Char Bar- a little bit more of the dive-y bar feel: pool tables and Guns 'n' Roses and Budweiser. You know what I'm talking about. When you're shooting pool, you kinda want to feel like Axl Rose.

This amazing little bar has everything you need. Good, inexpensive drafts, great service and atmosphere, cool art on the walls, great pool tables. And their commitment to social justice makes it even easier to spend my money there.

When this bar is good, it is the best. The perfect dive. But some nights it is downright weird in there. You need to go on a weekend night or a holiday because if you end up there when there is no music playing and no crowd at all (and it's a tiny place, so that's an achievement), it's not a good time. It is a bar of contradictions. It's biggest strength, the atmosphere, can also be it's biggest weakness. I went there on the first Saturday after Christmas and it was just right. And I don't know if their prices changed, but their gin and tonic's with well gin were only $3 for some reason. Naturally, I had about 10 of 'em. It was great. But the reason why there is sometimes no music is because their jukebox is set to only play music when someone pays for it and they don't know how to change that. I asked the hot, dark-haired bartender about this because I wanted an excuse to talk to her.

This is a favorite hangout of mine. It is a small, unobtrusive, rather intimate tavern located off the bustling High Street. The bartenders are great, the drink selection is surprisingly good, but the prices are the real stand out here. They are very reasonable and have me coming back for more. The clientele is not obnoxious, loud or overly annoying. It's sufficiently dark without being too dark and although it has a nice worn-in feeling, you don't get that creepy, sticky vibe. You used to be able to order food from Taco Ninja which was cool if you needed pub food. I can't remember if they still have some kind of food ordering option or not. If that is a big concern, I would inquire on your first visit. Oh and they also have a good jukebox and a pool table though I have never used either. It's the kind of place you get to feel like you are being adventuresome without the risk. The bottom line is that it's a comfortable place to show up, blend in and enjoy great beer for a great price.

St. James is a good neighborhood bar. From the outside, it looks rather uninviting, but inside, the place is friendly and down-to-earth. They don't have a huge number of taps, but their rotating selection is always solid. They don't generally have cider here -- this matters to me, since I can't drink beer made from wheat -- but their mixed drinks are affordable and they don't skimp you on alcohol (I always get a Bulleit and ginger ale). St. James is not a place I would go to meet people, but it is a place I would go to meet up with someone. The low lighting, the organic, neighborhood feel, and the fact that a new & fancier bar just moved in right up the street (Seventh Son) make St. James a great place to go for a conversation with friends.

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to patron St. James Tavern. Our group had a few requirements while we searched for a place to drink. It had to be close enough to walk from where we live, cheap, and above all not full of raging OSU Football Fans (It was the Homecoming Game). The St. James was able to meet all of our criteria. The walk over was a little sketchy from where we live, and there's really nothing around The St. James that would indicate a good time. But as we got closer there was a beacon of inviting light that led right to the door. Standing outside on the street you might not expect the inviting warmth you are greeted with as you step inside. Cozy, warm, inviting. These are words I would use to describe The St. James. The first floor is divided into two areas, the first being taken up mostly by the bar, along with a jukebox. The second area had two large pool tables and high tables all along the wall. We weren't regulars, and I think everyone could tell when we walked in. Now this is certainly a neighborhood bar if I've ever seen one. Patrons at the bar most certainly had the same seat every night. The OSU football game was on a small TV, but no one paid it much mind. It wasn't crowded or filled with drunk college kids, and I very much like that. Other key points include an upstairs that I did not get to see, but was told hosts a stand-up night, a pretty clean female bathroom, and a jukebox that was actually a little disappointing. Everything about this bar is 5 stars in my book, but I'm taking 1 star away for the sad selection on the jukebox and my surprisingly weak drinks. I'm chalking that up to not being a regular. Just you wait St. James, you'll be pouring me stiffer drinks soon!

Good beer selection, pool, friendly bartender. Great place to sneak on into and grab a beer.

My first few experiences with St James took place on super busy weekend nights. When there's no room to even stand, it colors your perception of a place. Getting served was a joke on those nights. But on Mobile Mondays, St James is a great place to be. They team up with a local food truck and have their gloriously cheap canned beer available. You order, pay, and get your food at the truck, head inside, order a beverage, and enjoy a much more mellow and sedate evening. Lots of space to sit and stand and actually play on those pool tables. It's definitely the night to check it out.