36 E Gay St.
Columbus, OH 43215
614.456.2020
website
Columbus is overflowing with great craft beer bars, and there’s a surging cocktail scene here as well. But if you’re a bourbon fan, your options are considerably more limited, especially around the lively downtown scene. Buckeye Bourbon House, built into the ground floor of a Gay Street hotel, this one has a massive selection of bottles and some of the nicest years you’ll find in town. And a classy, very low-key kinda vibe that’s definitely photogenic to say the least. Columbus bourbon lovers, you’ll find something here to like.
The bar has this wonderful and very charming selection of cocktails to take a look at:
- Old Fashioned: So the theme among these cocktails is they’re going to tend toward simplicity. You pick the exact bourbon you like and they’ll add just a subtle twist to it. In this case, a little bit of sugar, some bitters and singed rhind. It’s all good.
- Rye Manhattan: Vermouth and bitters are all you need to add to this one. Really sweet and a bit more straight a shot than an old fashioned.
When you’re hungry, there’s a brief menu of mostly small plates to enjoy as well. Among them:
- Pickle Board: A charcuterie board with a mixture of pickled things – cauliflower, green beans, baby corn and a little mustard to spice them up a bit. Then drop in a few salty nuts to kind of moderate the dish.
- Roasted vegetable tacos: Pepper, onion, black beans, pico de gallo, lettuce and sour cream top these mini bar tacos, which are good and munch-able for the small group who wants to spend a little time here and enjoy some cocktails.
The bar features a great deal of variety in the drinks it serves, but if you know bourbon, you’re probably just going to want a pretty simple drink, and fortunately they have over 50 varieties of bourbon here, many including a few different years of good bottles. Then lots of varieties of the common ones seen all around American bars. Plus a few Ohio names too, if you’re craving a bit of local.
Altogether this bar is a unique one with a different feel and definitely kind of a quiet presence in downtown Columbus. I’d recommend it as a place to get away and enjoy a good drink, without too much fuss. The people are great and the prices are good.
Recommendations
- This is one of few good bourbon bars in the city, and definitely one I recommend if you have a bourbon lover in a group.
- There are some small plates and pub foods, so this is a place that is worth visiting if you are hungry, too.
- Lots of bar games to enjoy if you’re so inclined.
Another Food Critic 