Three Columbus haunts boast the term “Little” in their name, in some cases an appropriate description for their space, but otherwise not befitting their reputation. From beer and food to great entertainment, these businesses impact their neighborhood in a large way. These establishments prove the old adage true: it’s not the size that matters, it’s how you use it.
Read on for reviews of three Columbus bars making the most of their space.
Little Palace Bar and Restaurant: Downtown | 240 S 4th St.
Little Palace has great food, a balanced jukebox, and cheap, tasty booze. It’s conveniently nestled between El Camino Inn and Dirty Frank’s. This cute retro-diner-bar-restaurant-lounge is a perfect venue for drowning workday sorrows and eating food that’s terrible for you. While their Brussels sprouts are exceptionally delicious, what you really should come here for are the foods your doctor tells you to avoid: their fried cheese curds and house cured bacon are satisfying in a comforting, visceral kind of way. And if you’re not so hungry, order a mini gyro or chicken slider – both are small and just as good as their much larger-in-size menu brethren.
If you’d rather indulge your inner alcoholic (as opposed to your inner fatty), they make a mean Moscow Mule and have some decent happy hour prices (M-F, 4-7pm): half off drafts, $2 wells and wine and martini specials to boot. Craft-obsessed neckbeards may be unsatisfied with the draft selection, but they’ve got more than domestics, a couple of local brews, and a decent liquor selection.
Little Rock Bar: Italian Village | 944 N Fourth St.
Former co-owner of Andyman’s, Quinn Fallon, opened Little Rock in June 2013 with music and beer in mind. He executed the concept well, the quaint bar’s 30 taps and a well curated jukebox are a welcome addition to Italian Village. When I finally had a chance to stop in here on a chilly weeknight, there was a guy spinning vinyl and a handful of neighborhood locals at the square bar that sits in the center of a surprisingly spacious area. It only took me thirty seconds to recognize that Little Rock is my kind of bar.
Little Rock doesn’t have food, but it’s not uncommon to find a food truck close by. They have a decent patio, karaoke on Tuesdays, Black Gold – spun vinyl – every Thursday, and live music on Fridays with no cover – ever. If that’s not enough to sell you on this rock n’ roll locale, Little Rock has a happy hour M-F from 4-8pm featuring $3 drafts. This is a great stop on your way to neighborhood watering holes St. James Tavern and Seventh Son, but it’s an even better place to end your night.
Little Bar: Campus | 2195 N. High St.
I don’t know how to begin a review about Little Bar, or if a review about Little Bar is somehow something one should spend time reading. I’ll keep it short- if you like Ohio State sports, barely legal ladies (or budding cougars), and domestic beer then this is your next stop. Chances are if you’ve attended OSU, you’ve been here before, and if you haven’t then you’ve at least cursed the patronage as you tried to drive down High St. on a weekend evening. It’s constantly packed ass-to-boner, constantly loud, and constantly cheap – Monday through Friday from 4-9pm you can get wells and drafts for $2. The place lives up to it’s name – it’s narrow and leaves much to be desired in terms of space, but there is no shortage of televisions, beer, or short skirts. Leave your judgment at the door and bring your drinking pants (preferably not elastic-waisted) if you venture this way.
editor’s note: if you read the word “little” too many times it starts to look like nonsense.
