This review is a long time coming as I've gone to Bodega periodically since around 2010. I've generally been pleased with the venue though it isn't quite the place it used to be. These days it can be incredibly difficult to get a table and depending on how packed it is the system for finally getting one can be most frustrating. These matters aside the service has generally been decent and the beer selection excellent. And obviously the grilled cheese is quite good.
My last visit was for their trivia night. The event was well run and despite the fairly large crowd we managed to get a table and attentive service. The only strange thing that occurred that evening is that a group of juggalos decided to stop by as we were arriving (which of course supplied humor for the trivia host the rest of the evening). Once settled in I was able to enjoy several rounds of drinks and trivia-ing including a try at their Manhattan and Old Fashioned cocktails. The ratio of mixes was pretty much correct and they chose to go with the tumbler style of presentation for the Manhattan (and of course the same for the Old Fashioned). I've received a better make of both of these drinks at other places in town but certainly have also seen far far worse (and it's mostly a beer place so this is forgiven).
As always the beer selection is truly the best part. Each visit has allowed me to explore various sorts of brews from dark delicious stouts and porters to flavorful ales and IPAs. As long as they continue this tradition I will continue to return from time to time.
Good things never last.
I use to visit bodega multiple times a week back when it was a quiet hipster hang out where you could actually sit down and have a conversation. Now the crowd has been taken over by loud college kids.
The beer selection has always been amazing and still is! When you are there for happy hour the prices are good but over priced otherwise.
The food has only gotten better over the years, more gastropub/involved dishes.
I will still visit this bar but i will never forget how amazing it was.
I've just got to be honest, this was not good. Ordered the beer braised wings, which were good. But the pizza, was mediocre in taste, and shortly into it, I noticed something metallic. Looked at it, and noticed on the bottom little slivers of some sort of metal foil baked into the pizza. Like steel wool from a cleaning pad. Problem is, I'd already swallowed some of it, and couldn't get it down my throat or out. Was very frustrating. To be fair, I showed the server, he apologized and took care of our ticket. However prior to the pizza incident, the service was slack, the hipster guy hung out over at the bar with friends, and I thought he'd never come back so I could show him. I'll say the wings were good, and the rest was meh. I'm sorry, Bodega, I wanted to like you.
Review Source:I'm very late to this party. Â Been wanting to go for a long time and finally did. Â LOVED it. Â Ordered way to many "small" plates as they weren't small.
Had the jerk chicken wings, the blue cheese and bacon potatoe chips (yum!) the tilapia and veggie tacos. Â All wonderful. Â Great beer selection and great service. Â This was at noon on a Saturday.
I see some of the reviews are complaining about the crowded conditions at happy hour. Â Geesh...really? Â So don't go during their very crowded happy hour. Â Seems reasonable. Â
I will be back but probably not during happy hour.
I've been to their Monday Grilled Cheese 4-5 times. We always had a looong wait. Bodega has a great happy hour deal, I get it, but it's not an excuse to mistreat people.
We're breaking up for the last time. That's it. I vowed to never go back.
We got there at 5 pm. There were 4 groups ahead of us and we expected to wait. An hour went by. We were still waiting. Nothing from the host, by the way. One of my friends finally asked where we were on the list. The host basically said that we're waiting on this one table (3 people at a table for 6) who had long finished their meals and paid. The host told us that they should be leaving very soon, so we decided to wait a little longer. She also added that Bodega has "the best happy hour" and long waits should be expected. No apologies offered.
Another 30 minutes went by. We were still standing by the bar. At this point, we were ready to go get food elsewhere, but we thought we'd give it one more try. I approached the table and very politely asked if they were planning to stay. The host immediately came up behind me, interrupted and told me that they "don't appreciate us talking to their guests". So yes, we're taking our business elsewhere... for good. Â
Bodega, your happy hour is turning everyone into selfish table campers, who spend $3 to sit for 4 hours. You're creating cranky enemies out of your potential customers. You're stressing out your waiting staff. This system cannot be sustainable! From now on, I'm getting my bacon grilled cheese + tomato soup from Surly Girl for a few bucks more without having to beg to be seated.
"You're too good for me"... or so you think. Â It takes too much effort to get along with you, so I'm moving on.
I waited a while before posting a review of this spot. Yes, the draft menu (and the bottle selection) are insanely great. Yes, it is a Hipster hangout, and may scare some away. But Bodega has won me over. Â
Staff & service are consistently courteous and high-quality. Knowledgeable and friendly ... but not over-the-top. Â Some of the food is hit & miss ... but the weekly specials are inventive and generally good. And some menu standards are outstanding.
The pretzel starter is nice, Â for those of you who are picky about them. Samosas are good ... etc, etc. But for me, the 'hook' is the Mac & Cheese.
I am a sucker for trying the dish almost everywhere that offers it ... and 90% of the time I end up leaving it on the plate with a yawn. I have tried *many* other versions in Columbus ... some highly-touted. Bodega's is the ONLY one for which I am a repeat-customer.
It is simple. Pasta shells (the best choice unless you are making Kraft) ... a nice cheese sauce ... a bit of red pepper flakes (not too much) ... and Panko. Â
And damn, is it good.
Along with one of the BEST happy hours around (4-8 ... are you kidding me?), Bodega is well worth a stop.
Enjoy.
Listen, I've Been to some great places here in Columbus! Sadly, my first experience (2/2/2013) at Bodega Cafe in the Short North was not at all a good one. I went last night hoping to meet a few friends for an evening filled with good food, great brews, and fantastic friends. This was not the case; we walked in to a packed bar (there wasn't even any room to push our way up to the bar), a rude semi-host, and lots of uncomfortable judgement stares.
Needless to say we ended up leaving after twenty minutes of no greeting.
Don't get me wrong, a good "hipster joint" should be  in everyones bar catalog, but I didn't feel all that welcome.
I did however, enjoy the the atmosphere, and feel of the place, the bad experience won't deter me from trying Bodega again!
I'LL BE BACK!!!
What I love about Bodega is that it's inventive & different. Â Great beer selection, good cocktails, and really flavorful food. Â
Been there twice and found that some items are excellent and others are weak. Â Tandori chicken pizza was beautiful, spicy goodness. The mac + cheese was really fantastic. Portobella tacos were tasty. Â Chicken Tikka was weak - don't waste your appetite on it.
The service is hit or miss and it can definitely get loud and crowded. Â If you, like me, really just care about the food + drink, go check it out.
Best beer selection in Columbus. Â They always have amazing seasonal beers. Â Food is pretty damn good. Â I always opt for a panini and am never disappointed. Â Guacamole and salsas are always fresh and delish. Â Only con is its basically impossible to wait less than 20 min for a table after 5:30.
Review Source:While this place has a better than decent beer selection, it tries too hard to be cool to be a legit beer bar. Â I had the $5 shrimp and grits and they tasted like $5 shrimp and grits should taste like. Â The molten chocolate cake is pretty solid, though. Â This place is very hipster-friendly. Â Three and a half stars is about right.
Review Source:Bodega is one of those places in Columbus that everyone has been to, recommends, but they always forget to mention the negatives.
Bodega: come for the great beer selection. Stay for the hit-or-miss service and food. And the hipsters. For the love of Jebas, the hipsters. The people watching is often golden, and more than once I've been hassled by passerbys on the patio during the warmer months.
I go here when one of my friends insists we should, or they plan on meeting people here, but I've never once felt compelled that going here was a "good idea."
Loved the atmosphere :) Staff was super friendly, very laid back and helpful.
Beer selection is the real reason to come here! My fav was a bottled Belgian white beer. Â
Food was decent, the artichoke spinach dip was not as good as other reviewers stated, the Shrimp + grits were delish, also the chicken arrabiata is good.
Definitely go here if you're looking for a fun atmosphere and expect to wait for a table, but grab a beer while you're waiting and it'll be worth it.
Doesn't get much better in Columbus than Bodega. One of the best beer selections that is constantly changing. Great food at an affordable price. Homey, intimate atmosphere. Great happy hour. Patio (when you can find a seat), is a fun spot along the bustling High Street. While the space is relatively small considering the flocks of people there any day, any time, dealing with the crowd is the only knock on this gem.
Review Source:Bodega, Bodega, Bodega. Â For years I heard from my friends of your goodness, but until recently I was not personally enlightened as to what I had been missing for all of these years, and boy was it a lot!
Delicious one-off types of food (I tried a meat parfait of sorts with bacon garnish) and all kinds of different specials. Â I love the atmosphere here and the insane amounts of different beers available. Â And to top it off, their happy hour is one of the best in Columbus; half off all draft beers! Â That's access to over 50 drafts at half off; pretty hard to beat.
There's almost always a game or two on the TVs behind the bar, and fortunately (for me) seems that it's almost always soccer.
Parking can be a pain in the ass. Â There are only so many spots on the street in the neighborhood, and finding one can be pretty difficult. Â Also, later in the evening, it does get a little bit difficult to find a seat, and I would like to see them have more ciders on draft (I love Original Sin, but there should be more options!)
This place is always teeming with hipsters! The interior is well-done, the drink menu is perhaps the most extensive that I've seen in the Short North, and the Chicken Pesto panini is BOMB! I like how they're using organic meat now too. Go, but don't expect to sit for a while. Standing around with your drink will not be an issue however as that's what most of the room is doing too.
P.S. sunday night trivia at 8 (but go earlier if you wanna sit!) is fun and not nearly as crowded as Grandview Cafe's...the moderator is an endearing guy with a cool voice :)
The transfusion of Brooklyn culture into modern mainstream America is evidenced moreso at Bodega than just about anywhere else - and it's a beautiful thing indeed.
You can start with the name, 'Bodega'. While I spent only 3 days in Westerville, Ohio (just outside of Columbus), one thing is for sure: there are no bodegas to be found anywhere in or near Columbus, OH. Second, (and this one isn't specifically attributed to Brooklyn, but Brooklyn certainly helped), the sprawling, extraordinary beer list at Bodega reflects the best aspects of the American beer renaissance. The cocktail menu, too, features all of Brooklyn's favorites: the corpse reviver, the Pimm's cup, fresh juice margaritas, etc., all executed with care and finesse, even moreso than most bars in Brooklyn. The only difference between this drink menu and the ones in Brooklyn - besides the noticeable difference in quality - is the pricing, which is universally about 40% lower here... $4.50 draft Southern Tier 'Pumpkings' sit side-by-side with $5.00 'Perfect' manhattans. It's as amazing as it is discouraging for a Brooklyn local like myself.
"No, you can't share your food," said the waitress cheekishly at my stupid question. You can share food, and while the menu is mostly hit or miss, it's all fun - a mix of contemporary American, Mexican and Italian (pizza), the latter of which did not impress, but at $8 a pop, which is less than a pie at Little Ceasars, I'll gladly eat it again.
Bodega makes a strong case for why it makes little sense to live in New York anymore, unless you have a very well paying job or family to keep you grounded. At a time when New York's primary culinary advantage is manifested as a $450 meal at a countertop, it makes more sense for your average gastronome to have a better-quality, accessible meal at a cutting-edge place in Ohio. I'll be back to Bodega, and Ohio.
OMG the Bombay burger is soooo freakin awesome. I also had the English Garden drink which was alcoholic and mmmm...tasty.
I've been twice and on Friday nights it is jam packed!!! Call and reserve a table because good luck finding seating with out a wait.
The crowd is an ecclectic/eccentric mix of preps and bohemians. Not much diversity as far as race/minorities, but it is Columbus, OH so thats a given.
I will become a regular here!
I am here to discuss about their food and service, not much of a drinker here.
second review:
Love mondays because it is dollar grilled cheese! Now the grilled cheese is a lot of bread and a little bit of cheese, can be a bit dry and crumbly. That is why you get the really yummy tomato soup with it.
How the bar is set up, it feels a bit crammed to order from the bar, but you just need to suck it up and make it work.
1st review:
It can be very busy at times, and it is already hard enough to get good attentive service when it is not so busy.
Monday nights is 1$ Grilled cheese nights! You can say YUMMMM!!! The only thing though I end up getting the tomato soup, and it is not 1$ anymore. You kind of need to get the soup too because the grilled cheese can be a bit dry and stingy on their cheese amount. Also this goes until the cook feels like stopping... so it is always a hit and miss when I am there. Some nights they are cooking till 1, and other nights the kitchen has closed at 12.
Other nights that I have gone I felt the prices were a bit high for the size of the food you are getting. The Tomato, basil, mozzarella pizza is delicious, but for the price I did feel kind of ripped off.
My favorite thing to eat here is the Pretzel with this one dipping sauce that I was told has alcohol in it (sorry forget the name). I guess this is the only time I enjoy alcohol when it is in my food. Half the time though the pretzel either has salt on it or does not. I assumed it was just one that never came with salt until, one time I had it with salt. I hate salt, and that ruined it for me.
Now every time I go i request for it to not have any salt. But maybe it is just me, I feel like by just asking that simplest of a question I get a dirty look at. The people in general that work there and hang out there have this unapproachable vibe to them, as they stair you down.
Ok food, decent drinks and a really solid beer menu as well, otherwise it is "Faux-dega" over the 15 plus times that I have been there. Â The problem with Bodega is that it has gone into the dreaded "hipster overdrive". Â The popularity of the place drives business way, way, up and the staff, who likely feel over worked by the sheer volume, start to feel less inclined to serve everyone at the bar, but tend to serve those who fit into the hipster image they share.
Bartenders and staff at Bodega clearly share a tattoo-beard-stache-anti/fashion (but clearly following fashion)-art-hipster vibe and all the power to them. Â But watching them treat someone who doesn't fit this mould with disdain and disrespect, by rolling their eyes, making snarky comments and outright ignoring patrons, makes you cringe. Â They aren't even discreet about it. The kicker is watching them pander and fawn over the person with 1/2 sleeve tattoo, a few seconds later. Â
Seen this in Philly and New York and the cycle is the same. Â A place gets to a point of popularity where the staff control the environment and cater to their own crowd. Bartenders act like pseudo-celebs in their environment and as the problem grows, negative feedback from those who have been slighted starts to bubble up in social media outlets and a negative reputation is "born". Â
Eventually, fashion, styes and scenes all change and a bar like Bodega is stuck with the rep of being a certain "type" of place. Â It might take 5 years, but you see the evidence of bars that were once "in" and are now barely hanging on or have closed their doors for good. Â Does a good business model include planning on closing because you let your staff alienate your potential customer base? Â No, it does not.
Perhaps management a) doesn't see it, b) can't identify it or c) doesn't care that this is going on. Â Bodega is making money and lots of it.
Bottom line, Faux-dega can be a really good time, but you have to be Ok with a possible high shcool judging contest and if you don't fit the scene, you may wait for service.
Tried out their happy hour on a Tuesday, which offers $3 well cocktails and $2 off glasses of wine and cheap drafts... plenty varieties of all of those to choose from. Â Food specials weren't as plentiful; just a single daily special each day of the week, which tend to be unfriendly towards us vegetarians. Â Still, we'll be back on a future Monday to try the $1 grilled cheese.
And the crowd? Â loud.
Stopped in around 5ish on a Thursday to kill some time before a Roaring 20s event and we fit in with the crowd (hipster cool). This was my 3rd time here- but surprisingly the FIRST time I enjoyed myself here.
Previously I had elbowed my way in on a "buck Grilled Cheese Monday" (without success, btw- never did get grilled cheese as I didn't make contact with any servers). And had stood by the bar for a good 30 to 40 min one gallery hop night vying for the bartenders attention (again without luck- and walked out parched).
I had expected this attempt to end in disaster as well, but a friend procured bar seats for us in advance and gave a glowing text of their biscuits and gravy. So (shrug), call me glutton for punishment, but I gave in to peer pressure and stepped through the door for what I swore was going to be my last time!
The place was bustling, but there was a table or two open and the servers were friendly. Our server was a guy that I would not want to make mad- he looked like he could easily bite your head off for breathing wrong. But he was quite pleasant and patient with my ambivalence at getting anything.
The craft beer selection (it should go without saying) simply IS the BEST in Columbus. Hands down! When they hand you a menu for the beer and you have to turn MULTIPLE pages?! Whoa! I am not even a beer drinker and I wanted to try a half dozen of them!
Lesson learned: If you have had a bad experience here- try it again, you might get lucky. I would go back, but only on a night that I think not many people would be there (so I could actually make eye contact with the staff). And I would get that guy who waited on us again!
Since moving to Columbus, I have had a hard time finding a bar that I routinely want to return to. However, Bodega has made the cut.
Sure, it's loud, always crowded, etc., but I still have a good time. They offer an impressive selection of beers, liquors, mixed drinks, and even some meads from down the street at Brothers Drake. Everything is reasonably priced, making it a winner in my book.
I haven't had any of the food here, but I'm curious to try. They have $1 grilled cheese on Mondays though. Sounds like a good opportunity to try it out...
Bodega is a bit hard to navigate on the Friday and Saturday nights, but once you get yourself settled, it is a fun place to spend an evening.
Dude...a great beer menu and a great happy hour? I'm in!
We were parked at the bar, which was packed solid, and after the initial miming to get the bartender's attention we got great service from then on.
It's relaxed, noisy, but very comfortable. I had two people tell me that it was one of their favorite hang-outs in town and I can see why. I don't know how the table service was but I will definitely be back to sit at the bar again.
Ehhh....knocking my review down, and I'm not really sorry about it.
First of all, the ceiling...crawling with dust bunnies. Seriously, when  you walk in, look up. That grey stuff you see off the brown ceiling paint is dust. And that fan circulating it around? Yep, covered in dust. Which is strange that it is only the section of the ceiling  located right at the entrance. The other sections of the ceiling are fine.
Secondly, $1 grilled cheese Mondays - overrated. While I raved before, having gone back and had and/or attempted to enjoy the special, it's nothing to waste your time for. The grilled cheese has become bready and bland. Yes, it's only a dollar and you get chips, but I'd rather just make my own bomb-ass grilled cheese at home -without the hour (or sometimes two) wait.
Thirdly, the noise level. Loud as fuck, any time of the day. Music blasts, people have to scream over each other. Downright annoys me because my friends are constantly saying, "huh? what?" And I hate repeating myself.
Lastly, the space/size. TINY. It wouldn't be so bad if there was a "constant" flow of patrons, as in they go in, order their bar, and then can chill off to the side or on a patio. Nope, as soon as you enter Bodega, you pretty much have to stay cramped in the same spot.
Draft/beer list is still superb - especially during happy hour.
I really wish they would expand the patio - perhaps open one out back the way Rumba Cafe is.
What a strange clientele. I came here all done up in my 20s gear before the Yelp Speakeasy and somehow I fit in. But I digress, we aren't here to review the patrons.
I was only here for about 45 minutes and found it to be a casual and inviting place. The waiter and bartender, while a bit surly, were accommodating and helpful. I ordered some andouille biscuits and gravy which were delicious and presented just fabulously. They really begged to be eaten.
The beer menu is hands down one of the best I have found in the area and holy crap... 1/2 off during happy hour! They have something for everyone and a ton of taps. The IPA that I ordered tasted fresh and good. I would have tried several others on the menu if I had time. I guess that means I need to go back!
As far as I'm concerned Bodega is the place to be if you want to "sit" and have some really great and diverse beer. I use the term sit loosely as you need to show up around 3:30 to 4:00 to get a seat before the standing room only crowd shows up. The porch seating seems to fill up faster than that and the parking is typical Short North street parking which is almost non-existant  and still I give this place five stars because their beer is that good.
What helps ruin a place that has great beer are servers who don't know shit about beer. Â After asking about a particular beer I hate hearing "It's good" or "I don't know" or "I'll ask the bartender to see what he knows" or "What's wrong with Budweiser". You don't get those lame ass answers from the servers at Bodega. They know their beer. They will tell you at length about a beer, give you informed recommendations and be up front with you if you're asking about a bad beer or one that may not fit your style. On top of that they know enough that if you tell them that your beer has gone bad or tastes funny they won't tell you "well yeah, your beer is supposed to taste sickenly buttery".
The beer selection is pretty broad but it's not a usual big beer selection. Â If I go to some place that boasts 50 different beers I pretty much know what they are going to have. Â Bodega always surprises me. Â They have beer that you've never heard of, that's low or limited release, or stuff that's new and unfamiliar to the area. Â They will have some staples like Dogfish Head seasonals and such but many of the other choices are just off-the-wall and fun to try.
The food has gotten better since I started going and they've added burgers now that do a better job soaking up alcohol than a plate of humus and veggies. Â I love this place.
Bodega is by far the best place in the short north to meet up with some friends for a drink. They boast a HUGE selection of beers on tap and pretty a decent wine selection for those non-beer drinking friends. Combine that with their pretty decent happy hour deals and you can't go wrong.
Bodega is THE place to be on Mondays for grilled cheese night. With the purchase of a drink you can get a grilled cheese for $1 and any additional sides (tomato soup, chips, etc) are only one more dollar.
Other than Mondays, I wouldn't recommend heading here for a meal. The food is just OK and a little pricey. I'd rather hit up Late Night Slice right outside for a big piece of pizza (in fact I DID do this while my friends were dining at Bodega and was not allowed to re-enter until I had finished my slice...TOTALLY worth it!).
Bore-dega ...
The 2 stars awarded to this establishment are based solely on location and tap selections, both of which are top-notch.  Aside from these, the staff are utterly  aloof to the point of being ridiculous, the food is mediocre and over-priced, the clientele run the gamut from "desperate-to-see-and-be-seen" to "waaay-too-cool-for-school, brah" to  "graduated-from-campus-to-the-short-north" to "cool-mum-and-daddy-out-with-the-kiddos" to "creepy-guy-who-just-happens-to-live-next-door".
The fact that this place is very often standing-room-only, and shoulder-to-shoulder, says it all: "We don't need YOUR patronage!"
Addendum: Â Owners Colin and Sangh are great people, to be sure. Â But the sad truth is that they've created a monster intent on destroying itself, everything it initially stood for, and everything that now stands in its way ... One happy hour, one Dollar Grilled-Cheese Monday, at a time ...
Yes, the road to hell truly is paved with good intentions.
Food is amazing. I love their menu options.
We tried the nachos and the blue cheese kettle chips.
Amazing bar menu and beer selection.
They have specials every single day of the week; I know that Wednesdays are fish taco night for $2, although my pal Mike complained they were just "OK."
I hear rave reviews of the grilled cheese that is offered for a $1 on Mondays; seating is a pain in the ass, you usually have to wait outside or stand in front of someone's table to wait for your own, but you'll have that.
My boyfriend loves to tease that this place has a "hippie" crowd; you know, TOMS-wearing, unwashed hair, thick-black-lens-glasses wearing-type of people. Whatever. All is love.
Fantastic beer selection, great service and good food. We spent the better part of a Saturday afternoon enjoying the company of friends over several beers and several orders of food.
It was crowded when we arrived around 2 pm but  there were a few tables available. The restaurant nearly emptied from 3 - 5 pm. People began arriving around 5 pm for pre-dinner cocktails/dinner.
Our server selected some great beers for our friend who likes to be "surprised." The nachos and bleu cheese chips were fantastic and I should've stuck to these. I was not that impressed with the lamb kabobs - they were a bit dry. The mac n cheese was fine.
The women's restroom is clean and servers are attentive in cleaning tables (this is important info 'cause some places really fail here).
I gave this a three-star merely on the fact that they've got a very, very extensive beer list! The food is also okay - the hummus and pizzas especially (not to mention the $1 grilled cheese on Mondays). Â The happy hour prices are pretty decent as well.
But honestly? Â I hate this place. Â It's always ridiculously crowded for such a small place, and I'd love for someone to fill me in on exactly when is the ideal time to go! Â Another pet peeve is that while the concept of the revolving taps is pretty cool, it seems at times that every time I ask for a beer I get a rude "We're out of that". Â The wait staff seems to be too preoccupied to even smile at times. Â
Maybe someday I'll be back to try again, when I can better tolerate the large crowds!
I have warmed up to Bodega. I have been here a half a dozen times or so, and was always annoyed by how loud/packed this place is. During recent visits though, I have started to dig it because I think that is part of Bodega's charm.
Monday nights tend to be busiest because of dollar grilled cheese night. This isn't that cheap Kraft Singles on Kroger white bread grilled cheese nonsense. Bodega's grilled cheese sandwich consists of three cheeses: white cheddar, Swiss and provolone. All of this cheesy goodness is smashed between two wonderful slices of ciabatta. For under four bucks total, you can add a delicious tomato bisque.
As wonderful as dollar grilled cheese night is, finding a table is almost impossible. Your best bet is to come at 4, when the special starts, or as close to 10 as possible, which is when the special ends. If you show up somewhere in the middle of those times, you may end up waiting an hour or more for a table.
Bodega has other great menu offerings besides the grilled cheese. One of my favorites is the veggie burger, which does not resemble a meat burger in any way, but is delicious anyway. It is a house made patty (not one of those generic Gardenburger/Boca patties), which makes all the difference. Pair the veggie burger with the garlic fries, and you have a wonderful meal.
For as busy as they are, service is solid. I wouldn't necessarily call it friendly, but it is cordial. By the way, don't order a Diet Coke here. It always tastes funny.
This place used to be amazing, but the hipster snobbery has tarnished it.
A few years ago, you could still shop up at Bodega at 8pm on any night and find a place to sit or stand. Â The bar was amazing then - a phenomenal beer and bourdon selection, great food, and a fun vibe. Â Hands down, in 2008, this was one of my favorite bars in Columbus. Â
The crowds have steadily increased year by year, so that now there are times its simply unbearably crowded. Â This, sadly is not Bodega's main downfall (because you can still come early or late and have a good time). Â The worst part of Bodega now is the hipster snobbery that comes from having a staff full of bearded, dreaded, flannelled fixed-gearheads who seem to scoff at anyone who doesn't fit into the upper Short North crowd. Â A friend and I recently stopped in after an OSU basketball game, wearing typical college-sports apparel. Â Our server treated us with barely-covered disdain and was cold and disinterested the entire evening. Â Granted, we weren't wearing our deep-v's and skinny jeans, but our money spends the same. Â I expect this sort of treatment at some of the older Columbus establishments (I'm looking at you, suburban Hyde Park), but downtown? Â Really? Â
Bottom line: Â Get over yourself, Bodega.
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