Ohio State University Guide: Restaurants, Bars & Hotels (2026)
Restaurants, bars, hotels, and campus landmarks near Ohio State in Columbus, organized into one saveable map for students, parents, alumni, and visitors.
Whether
you're a Buckeye still building your rotation, an incoming freshman learning
Columbus, a parent in town for move-in, an alum back for a Saturday at the
Horseshoe, or a prospective student getting a feel for campus, this guide pulls
together the restaurants, bars, hotels, and campus landmarks worth knowing near
Ohio State.
Columbus
makes it easy to get oriented once you know the spine. Campus sits just north
of downtown, with High Street running along its eastern edge and the Olentangy
River along its west. High Street ties everything together: the student strip
and South Campus Gateway at the south end of campus, the Short North arts
district a bit further down toward downtown, and Lane Avenue crossing the north
end toward Upper Arlington. Game days pull all of it together, with 102,780
fans filling Ohio Stadium, so everything below is organized to help you find
what you need fast, whatever weekend you're planning.
Best Restaurants Near Ohio State
Ohio
State eating spreads across a few pockets: the High Street strip along the east
edge of campus for the student staples, Lane Avenue to the north and west for
game-day breakfasts and pizza, and the Short North down toward downtown for
nearly everything nicer. A couple of neighborhood classics are worth the short
hop off campus.
Featured restaurants to check out
Varsity Club Restaurant & Bar
278 W Lane Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A Buckeye classic on Lane Avenue since 1959, roughly a quarter mile from Ohio Stadium and packed on game days. The pre-game and post-game tradition for generations of fans.
Tommy's Pizza
1350 W Lane Ave, Columbus, OH 43221, USA
A central Ohio pizza institution with roots going back to 1952, holding down its Lane Avenue home on the west edge of campus. Old-school, unfussy, and beloved by students and alumni alike.
Buckeye Donuts
1998 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A 24-hour campus institution on High Street since 1969, turning out hand-cut donuts by day and gyros to a very different crowd late at night. As close to a required stop as the strip has.
HangOverEasy
51 Parsons Ave, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A hearty campus-area breakfast and brunch spot built for the morning after, popular with students and with parents starting an early game day. Casual, filling, and walkable from the south end of campus.
Northstar Cafe in the Short North
951 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
The Short North branch of the Columbus-born cafe, serving organic New American plates, bowls, and a well-loved brunch since the concept started in 2004. Bright and approachable, and an easy parent-friendly meal.
Brassica in the Short North
680 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
Fast-casual Eastern Mediterranean from the Northstar group, built around pitas, bowls, and mezze. Quick, fresh, and a dependable lunch when you want something lighter on High Street.
Forno Kitchen + Bar
721 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A trendy Short North kitchen built around a stone-fired oven, good for brunch, dinner, and drinks in equal measure. Works well for parents, alumni, and a livelier night out.
The Pearl
641 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A polished tavern and oyster room from Cameron Mitchell, open in the Short North since 2012, with a raw bar and a long beer list. The easy call for a nicer brunch or a parents-weekend dinner.
Adriatico's New York Style Pizza
1618 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
Oversized New York-style slices and thick Sicilian pies that have been an Ohio State favorite since 1986. A student-group and game-weekend staple just off the south end of campus.
Cazuelas Mexican Cantina
2321 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202, USA
A colorful, lively Mexican cantina on the north end of the strip pouring big margaritas alongside tacos, fajitas, and enchiladas. The move for student celebrations and larger group dinners.
Moy's | Chinese Restaurant
1994 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A no-frills, family-run Cantonese spot next door to Buckeye Donuts that has fed students for decades. Reliable roast pork, duck, and egg rolls, and an easy call for cheap takeout near campus.
Best Bars Near Ohio State
Ohio
State nightlife starts on the High Street strip, where the classic student bars
run on cheap drinks and game-day energy, then spreads out from there: the Short
North for a more polished night, the Arena District and downtown for bigger
rooms, and a set of Columbus breweries for the beer-focused afternoons in
between.
Featured bars to check out
Out-R-Inn
20 Frambes Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A classic Ohio State dive in a converted house that has been an institution just off the strip since 1969. Cheap drinks, a big patio, and the kind of campus nostalgia alumni come back for.
Threes Above High
2203 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A high-energy college bar on the north end of the strip that has landed on lists of the country's best dive bars. Loud, student-heavy, and built for a bigger night out near campus.
Standard Hall
1100 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A big, social Short North bar and restaurant with a standout patio and a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. The group option when you want Short North energy over campus-bar grit.
Brothers Bar & Grill
477 Park St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A straightforward, high-capacity sports bar in the Arena District, good for watching games and meeting up with a crowd. An easy landing spot before or after a downtown event.
Seventh Son Brewing Co.
1101 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
An Italian Village brewery that opened in 2013 and helped anchor the neighborhood's beer scene. Relaxed and local, and a good calmer hang for a beer-focused afternoon.
Jackie O's On Fourth
171 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
The Columbus outpost of the well-known Athens, Ohio brewery, in the Discovery District downtown with a rooftop and roughly two dozen house beers on tap. A good craft-beer stop for alumni and visitors.
Lincoln Social Rooftop
711 N High St 9th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A stylish rooftop lounge from Cameron Mitchell with a retractable roof and skyline views over the Short North. The 21-and-up upgrade for alumni, parents, and a more polished night out.
Pins Mechanical Co.
141 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A downtown bar built around duckpin bowling, pinball, and yard games, made for groups who want something to do with their drinks. An easy, activity-driven night for students and alumni alike.
Ethyl & Tank
19 E 13th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A campus-area bar, coffee shop, and arcade rolled into one, open since 2014 just off High Street. Good for brunch, casual drinks, and student meetups without leaving the neighborhood.
Midway
1728 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
A loud, student-packed bar directly across from the Ohio Union, open since 2012 and known for DJs and crowded dance floors. One of the strip's go-to spots for late nights and big groups.
Ugly Tuna Saloona
195 Chittenden Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
An unapologetically rowdy campus bar known for fishbowls and cheap-drink nights, now in its Chittenden Avenue home just off High Street. Firmly a student spot, and it leans into it.
Land-Grant Brewing Company
424 W Town St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A spacious Franklinton brewery with a large taproom, a sprawling beer garden, and rotating food trucks in a 1920s industrial building. The easy pick for sunny afternoons and larger groups.
Best Hotels Near Ohio State
Only
one hotel puts you directly on campus – the Blackwell – with the rest fanning
out along the Olentangy corridor just west of campus, up and down the Short
North, and into downtown. When Ohio Stadium's 102,780 seats fill, so does much
of the city, so book football and graduation weekends refundable and early.
Featured hotels to check out
The Blackwell Inn & Pfahl Conference Center
2110 Tuttle Park Pl, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
The only full-service hotel actually on campus, sitting at the Fisher College of Business with 151 rooms and an easy walk to Ohio Stadium. The natural choice for parents, alumni, and campus visits.
Graduate by Hilton Columbus
750 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A college-nostalgia hotel in the Short North with 179 rooms and full Buckeye flavor, walkable to High Street's restaurants and bars. A fun base for alumni and parents who want to be in the middle of things.
Hyatt House Columbus OSU / Short North
633 W 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
An apartment-style, extended-stay hotel just west of campus, handy for families and longer visits that want a kitchen and more room. Easy access to both campus and the Short North.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Columbus OSU
1421 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43212, USA
A dependable all-suite hotel on the Olentangy corridor, about a half mile west of campus and the Wexner Medical Center. Roomy and practical for parents and families.
Marriott Columbus OSU
3100 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43202, USA
A full-service Marriott about a mile from campus with 212 rooms and the on-site Moda Restaurant. The reliable upscale-practical pick for game weekends and campus visits.
Hilton Columbus Downtown
402 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
The largest hotel in Ohio, with 1,000 rooms across two connected towers attached to the convention center at the south edge of the Short North. The full-service base for downtown weekends, events, and big groups.
The Junto
77 Belle St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
An independent, design-forward hotel that opened in 2023 on the Scioto Peninsula near COSI, with 198 rooms and a rooftop bar overlooking downtown. The stylish pick for parents and alumni who want a polished Columbus weekend.
Moxy Columbus Short North
808 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
A playful, social Marriott hotel in the heart of the Short North, built around a lively lobby bar and an easy walk to nightlife. The pick for younger parents and alumni weekends.
Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph
620 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
An art-forward boutique hotel in the Short North with 135 rooms and the well-regarded Guild House restaurant downstairs. The refined choice for a special occasion or a nicer graduation-weekend stay.
Aloft by Marriott Columbus University District
1295 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43212, USA
A modern, casual Marriott on the Olentangy corridor near the Schottenstein Center and Wexner Medical Center, with 164 rooms and the W XYZ lobby bar. A convenient option for campus visits and game weekends.
Ohio State Campus Landmarks
You
don't need a full campus tour to hit the essentials. These six anchor any first
visit to Ohio State – and they're all on the map.
Featured campus landmarks
Ohio Stadium
411 Woody Hayes Dr, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
The Horseshoe: college football's unmistakable centerpiece, holding 102,780 fans since it opened in 1922 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Even empty on a weekday, it's the first stop for most visitors.
The Oval
181 Oval Dr S, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
The roughly 11-acre central green at the heart of campus, framed by historic buildings and crisscrossed with paths. The best single place to get a feel for everyday student life.
Thompson Library
1858 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Ohio State's main library, first built in 1912 and reopened in 2009 after a major renovation, overlooking the west end of the Oval. Step inside for the Grand Reading Room and the views from the upper floors.
Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
A quiet, picturesque pocket of campus ringed by walking paths, benches, and historic buildings. A calm counterweight to a game-day visit and a favorite spot for photos.
Orton Geological Museum
155 S Oval Mall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
A small, free museum inside historic Orton Hall, which opened in 1893 as the first building in Ohio built to house a museum. Fossils, minerals, and a genuinely charming stop between classes or on a campus tour.
Ohio Union
1739 N High St, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
The center of student life on High Street, with dining, lounges, event spaces, and a steady flow of campus activity. An easy indoor stop that shows prospective students where campus actually gathers.
Related guides
Michigan State Guide (2026): Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in East Lansing
Notre Dame Guide: Best Restaurants, Bars & Hotels (2026)
Penn State Guide (2026): Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in State College
University of Michigan Guide (2026): Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in Ann Arbor
University of Wisconsin Guide (2026): Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in Madison
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