Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Service Bar, Columbus, OH

Service Bar

4.7 (676)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
1230 Courtland Ave, Columbus, OH 43201

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 9 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for business meals
Humbly innovative. Fueled by a passion to draw deeper connections between food and spirits, Service Bar delivers an experience that is refreshingly innovative, much of that due to carefully placed hints of nostalgic flavors and techniques. Housed in Middle West Spirits, one of Ohio’s first craft distilleries, the stunning main dining room is both intimate in size and lively in energy.

Full dinner service is available first-come first-serve at the main bar, and by reservation at a variety of smaller individual tables that accommodate 2-6 guests.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Comfort Food, Distillery
  • Hours of operation
    Bar Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    James Tuckey
  • Private party facilities
    Service Bar has a Private Distiller's Room that may be booked for up to 14 guests. Please contact servicebar@middlewestspirits.com for more information, or call (614) 947-1231.
  • Neighborhood
    Short North - Arena District
  • Cross street
    E 5th Ave
  • Parking details
    Customers visiting Middle West Spirits may park their cars in a shared off-street parking-lot adjacent to the main distillery. Parking is free of charge for customers and offered on a space available basis.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

What 676 people are saying

Service Bar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Columbus

    Lively

  • Columbus

    Contemporary American

  • Columbus

    Lively

  • Columbus

    Contemporary American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Service Bar, nestled within Middle West Distillery, offers "creative cocktails" and "absolutely delicious" dishes like beef ragu and pork chop Milanese. Guests praise the "cool vibe" and "great location." While service can be hit-or-miss, the standout flavors and unique dining experience make this a "hidden gem" worth visiting.
676 Reviews
  1. Nathan

    Columbus11 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on July 16, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We got there early. While waiting for our companions, a friendly waitress for us a drink an appetizer. Food was good, we had a nice time. We had several cocktails from the distillery and they were tasty! Minor issue - one guest is a vegetarian and one a vegan. The options are pretty limiting. There were no choices among the appetizers and only the Chef vegan special on the main course. So even though we had a nice time, this will remain an only occasional destination.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Lori VIP

    Tampa / Central Florida West87 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on July 11, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    From a food and ambiance perspective, this was a great dinner. Cannot beat the creative cocktails here. Flat white and Manhattan's were excellent. Absolutely delicious. Each of our meals was stellar from juicy burgers to calamari bolognese to chicken sandwich. However, what really killed this meal was the most obnoxious, overbearing server. The restaurant was about 2/3 full and we knew the table was not about to be flipped, yet the server felt the need to "check on us" every 5 minutes. We were clearly still enjoying our first round of drinks, still eating dinner, still eating dessert and another round, yet she was oblivious to this. Her "are WE needing anything else", "are WE enjoying our french fries", are "WE liking our drinks" got to the point that we were ready to reply "WE would like you to back off" without being totally rude. It literally destroyed the entire vibe of the evening, given how insistent and invasive her interruptions were. She should be given the book "Setting The Table" to learn the difference between service and hospitality. I would give Service Bar 5 stars if not for this.
    Service BarResponded on July 15, 2025
    Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re very grateful for your kind words about the food, cocktails, and overall ambiance. It means a lot to hear at least those hit the mark. That said, I want to sincerely apologize that the level of service you received otherwise. Our intention is to be attentive and available but it’s clear the balance was off. Not the experience we aim to deliver. We take feedback seriously, and we’ll use it as a teaching moment with our team. Hospitality is about reading the room and knowing when to step back, and we’ll reinforce that in our training. We hope you’ll give us another opportunity to welcome you back and show you the kind of service we pride ourselves on — one that enhances the meal rather than interrupts it.

    Is this helpful?

  3. OpenTable Diner

    Columbus1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Bartender was polite and informative about the cocktails and whiskey flights.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Arthur VIP

    Nashville7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was absolutely fantastic. My wife and I ordered simple appetizers and entrees (Macaroni and cheese, Caesar salad, Pork chop Milanaise, and beef ragu paradelle) but each was prepared with a distinct flavor personality that sets it apart from other restaurants. I am looking forward to returning to tryout other menu items.
    Service BarResponded on June 9, 2025
    Thanks Arthur! We're so glad you enjoyed your time with us. And yes, we would love to have you back. Our menus change seasonally, so expect to see some new summer items in the coming weeks!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Mathew VIP

    Columbus15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Drinks and food were excellent. The Caesar salad alone is worth the stop. Great hidden gem.
    Service BarResponded on June 9, 2025
    Thank you for your kind words Mathew. We strive to put out our best work in both front and back of the house and it's comments like this that motivate us to continue to do so! We hope to see you back soon!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Bryan

    Columbus12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Middle West's Service Bar. As expected, our drinks were superb. Unexpected, on the other hand, was the red snapper - it was absolutely delicious and probably the best I have had in quite a while (better than fish I have had in coastal cities and restaurants specializing in seafood). The fish was delicate and had the perfect amount of spice/heat. Also delicious was the pork chop Milanese. The pork chop was very tender and had exceptional flavor. The confit duck wings (small plate) were a treat as well. In addition to great food and drinks, we truly enjoy the staff and vibe at the Service Bar. Abby, our server, was helpful and engaging, as were all of the staff with whom we interacted. Don't pass up this hidden gem.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Dave

    Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding dinner after a tour and tasting at Middle West Distilling.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Melissa

    Charlotte3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were celebrating our daughters graduation. It was such a perfect place to go, great food, great service, loved it!! Will definitely go back!!
    Service BarResponded on May 6, 2025
    Hi Melissa, We're so glad you came to celebrate graduation with us! Thank you for your kind words and we look forward to having you back soon!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Bryan

    Columbus12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    After a great tour of the distillery, we dined at the Service Bar (which is an impressive space highlighted by a turn of the century bar). Abby, our server, was delightful and guided us through the menu. We began with a smoked trout small plate - simply outstanding. As entrees, my wife had beef neck ragout which she described as very tender with flavorful vegetables. My spring pea gnudi was exceptional, with very fresh peas and delectable gnudi. Our son had the calabrian honey chicken, which he described as flavorful with a balance of savory and sweet spicy. The drinks, as one would expect, were superb as well. The old fashioned and Ireland's call worth the trip in themselves. The Middle West Service Bar, and the distillery tour, are hidden gems.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Jim

    Columbus2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 25, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Staff was busier talking to each other than taking care of tables.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Service Bar is rated 4.7 stars by 676 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Columbus
  4. Columbus
  5. Short North - Arena District

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Google Map for Service Bar

1230 Courtland Ave, Columbus, OH 43201

Additional information

  • Cross street
    E 5th Ave
  • Neighborhood
    Short North - Arena District
  • Hours of operation
    Bar Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Comfort Food, Distillery
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Customers visiting Middle West Spirits may park their cars in a shared off-street parking-lot adjacent to the main distillery. Parking is free of charge for customers and offered on a space available basis.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    James Tuckey
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo