Mama's Pasta N Brew

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  This place owns the moniker of being lead dawg in the world of counter-culture on the Ohio State / High Street corridor.  And it's not even on High Street.
  
  Mamas Pasta 'N Brew after nightfall makes me think I've been thrust into a Sam Spade private dick novel. Down the alley is where the dame in RFMPs can be rescued but not before a sleazy rendevouz just two steps away from a dimly lit street lamp - a wet kiss and an ass squeeze away from time in the county jail cell.  Don't forget to order me that plate of gooey spaghetti, no meatballs.
  
  A fraternity brother founded Mamas PNB while I was in college.  The first rendition allowed patrons to buy mugs with our names on them, hang 'em up on the wall and use them to drink brew.  That has changed but in the little back alley off High visitors still get home-cooked italian food, a restricted but good choice of brews and a snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug environ.  And going along to boot is that unmistakeable rainbow sign that looks like a high school cheer project.
  
  I lean in the direction of the spaghetti mentioned earlier.  It's simple, the noodles big and the sauce just plain red tomatoey!  The garlic bread is a 3-slicer, always warm and buttery.  Friends of mine like the veggie sub.  Eh.... it ain't my style.  Always, always the plain spaghetti.
  
  Mamas Pasta 'N Brew will seem desheveled to the newbie, feel like you've come home to roost if you're a patron and forever (let's hope) stand the test of time in its hush-hush world of alley way meet-to-eats at OSU and in Columbus.  
  
  Shhhhh...... is that a gun in your pocket or are you just picking up the tab?

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  Posted on 02.19.13 Walt S.

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  I love Mama's. It is simply a solid, neighborhood bar. While it looks super sketchy -- down an alleyway on the OSU campus -- it is one of my favorite places to be.
  
  I go there about twice a week for lunch. The food is good, stick to your ribs Italian fare. Terry (the owner) does a great job taking care of business. He's a great cook and a fun guy to talk to. You can tell that he loves what he does. This love and dedication is evident at Mama's.
  
  Further, everything is very reasonably priced. You get a pretty good bang for your buck.
  
  My only issue is that sometimes the bathrooms can be...well, kind of gross. But it is a dive bar men's room, what do you expect?
  
  While they might not have the highest quality or larges selection of beverages, Mama's is the kind of place where you could go just to hang out. If you can find it, give it a try. It's like being at home.

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  Posted on 07.22.12 John B.

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  love mama's! its just an OSU classic. best alleyway bar you can find. its a great place to chill out w/a cheap brew, and the food is better than you would think! and again, its cheap!

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  Posted on 03.18.12 Amanda K.

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  Literally steps of the bustle of High Street, Mama's is delightfully tucked away in a dark alley where only the worthy will find her. Seriously though, this phone booth of a bar is an all-time campus favorite of mine, serving up the cheapest of drinks and surprisingly good bar food to boot. If you make it past the cloud of cigarette smoke through the front door, you're in for a treat. It's not clean, it's not pretty, but damn it, it's got charm. Tonight, I had three whiskey and cokes, a PBR, and an Italian sub and chips for $16.00. An awesome place to hang out, and the conversations you'll overhear are memorable. Enjoy the pictures behind the bar, the writing in the bathrooms, and the darts. Oh yes, the darts.

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  Posted on 02.04.12 Ian K.

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  Easily one of the best bars in the area. Period. The location just off of High St is enough to keep the O Patio/McFadden's crowd blissfully unaware of Mama's, not that they would be able to appreciate a quality dive bar. In case they do stumble here, the 1AM liquor license serves to ensure that the brahs keep moving along. Mama's is the kind of place where you'll find yourself chatting with other random patrons and the bartender; they also serve food til around 11PM. The diversity of people that frequent this little joint is refreshing. In any other urban nabe Mama's would still be a great choice, but the fact that it serves as a safe haven in college bar hell just makes it even more of a hidden gem.

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  Posted on 06.09.11 Keith M.

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  Every time I walk into Mama's, it feels like I get sniped by a hot bullet into my right temple that sends me straight to my own personal heaven.
  
  They have 2 beers on tap: Miller Light and PBR.  This allows me to turn my head in elitist disgust at Miller Light, while saving me the headache of having to choose between any other choices than Pabst Blue Ribbon.
  
  The place is about as clean as the waiting room at Planned Parenthood, which means it is cleaner than it appears.  The cramped bathroom doesn't even smell and most dust is removed to the shelved walls covered with vintage beer bottles.
  
  The food is good.  No joke.  Their garlic bread is warm and buttery and delicious.  And their lasagna is actually decent.  I rarely venture from that combo, but that combo is what brings me back.  I don't go to Italy for croissants, and I don't go to Gary, Indiana looking for clean air or a stable economy.
  
  The place is austere.  Just a few tables and booths are available for the comfort of sitting, and just a dartboard and 15" TV offer any form of recreation other than dining and imbibing.  
  
  Literally a hole in the wall of an alley behind Cane's near 14th and High, Mama's is a hidden treat.  Filled with the edgy aura of Bernie's, but without the real risk of getting stabbed, it combines character with quality.  Mama's is a largely overlooked pocket of delicious efficiency tucked behind a factory of chicken fingers.

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  Posted on 11.16.08 Dorian S.

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  My dad used to come here when he was young and always talks about it when he comes to Columbus. It's tucked away so there's no riff-raff or typical OSU bar crowds. The food is not bad and the drinks are good and cheap.

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  Posted on 01.31.08 Emily S.

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  Mama's is hidden away down the alley just South of 15th avenue, behind what is now Cane's.  If you walk High Street, you have probably seen their handwritten signs advertising lunch specials.  The food is decent Italian American fare (some swear by it, but I think it's pretty unremarkable).  The lunch specials are generally a good deal.  My favorite entree is probably the lasagna, with bread and a salad for around $6.  
  
  Mama's really shines a nightspot.  It is a tiny place, but they have been packing in regulars for decades.  It has a lot of character, from the clientele to the wall decorations.  It is a fun place to grab a pitcher despite, or sometimes because of, the cramped conditions.  Just be sure to check for flying darts before moving into conspicuously empty spaces.  
  
  It seems like the Ohio State bars that have lasted the longest are mostly off High Street rather than on it (Mama's, Bier Stube, Out R Inn).  These places are definitely worth seeking out!

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  Posted on 01.14.08 Kenley M.

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