OSU Campus Dive Bar Guide

Milling around a college campus doesn’t have to involve crippling debt and awkward, formative social situations. THE Ohio State University sits just north of downtown Columbus, an urban campus with the rare mix of a high traffic location in a major city and the physical space typically afforded more rural university settings.

And because of that space, an attempt to canvas the entire footprint is daunting and likely not possible if any level of alcohol is involved. The itinerary suggested here maximizes immersion in Ohio State’s culture while tailoring recommended stops to visitors (meaning, anyone over the age of 22).

One element to keep in mind is the sweeping change the area has seen over the past three decades, a slow and sometimes painful transition from gritty, low-cost retail and bars into chain after chain after chain. Time may yet claim some of the gems on this list, just as it did Mean Mr. Mustard’s and other amazingly-named haunts of Buckeye classes past, but for now, resist the urge to grab a panini at Panera and appreciate what grit the area has left.