Visually, Oldfield’s North Fourth Tavern embodies the classic corner neighborhood pub, a simple black awning under a blazing, modern green sign. The space has seen renovation over the years and those improvements are evident inside and out, the exterior walls redone and the interior feeling fresh but not sanitized. The vintage Oldfield’s sign can be seen along the side of the building, a throwback to previous Oldfield’s incarnations. What was once a small parking lot in the rear of the building has been transformed to a spacious back patio ringed with horizontal wood-plank fencing, all of it under string lights.
Inside, Oldfield’s North Fourth Tavern occupies a single room, the layout wrapped around the entrance that juts into the room, creating a small alcove in the front window with relaxed couch seating. Wood paneling runs throughout the space but does so in bands of color, natural wood grain giving way to green paint capped with a white band around the top of the wall, creating a fresh look to timeless dive bar wood. The craft focus of the bar is on display in the form of beer taps displayed along the top of the building paying homage to the countless craft beers at one time on tap here.
A long bar under mason jar lights runs the length of the space opposite a number of high-top tables. The screen game is legit here, a number of televisions not only visible throughout the space but labeled during busy game days so everyone can gather around a specific game of interest. An older looking illuminated sign sits behind the bar with the “classic” version of the Oldfield’s logo and the fresh stamped tin ceiling ties everything together.
Oldfield’s North Fourth Tavern offers the best of multiple worlds in an unexpected, slightly off-campus location, bring together craft beer, student-friendly pricing and a neighborhood vibe. Just a handful of blocks removed from Ohio State proper, Oldfield’s can feel like a world away and that can be a big benefit among many campus-area drinking options, creating a differentiated and compelling reason to visit.