Hi Guys -

I'm visiting a girl I've been seeing in Columbus in mid-May.  I don't want to ask her to plan out the whole weekend, so I wanted to figure out some creative things to do.  Anything that sticks out that I shouldn't miss?  Anything that would be good to "wow" a cute 27 year old?

Thanks!

There are lots of great places to eat in Columbus. If you want to wow her on a food-front, try taking her someplace that's off the normal path. I recommend a brunch at a place like Tasi or Katalina's.

It's a but difficult to give you complete date advice, but what kind of stuff are you guys into? What area does she live in (we don't need her address) and what does she like to do?

If you're going a bit nerdy there's 16-bit arcade and bar (games are free) or if you wanted to take he shooting you could head up to Blackwing Shooting Center and bust some clays or rent something full auto.

Columbus isn't too far away from some very nice camping and cabins and things like canoeing in Hocking Hills.

Ok, and now for just the list of some good local dining:

Ray Ray's Hog Pit is for sure the best BBQ in Ohio, and some of the best in the country. It was recently named as the place to get the best ribs in the country. Only open Fri-Sun and it is just a truck, but they're at the back of a bar that shares their patio or inside with them. Eat there and get a beer or take it to-go.

Thurman Cafe is known for having gigantic and delicious burgers.

Kitzingers is a delicious deli and has free, whole, delicious pickles which is often a favorite of the ladies.

Skillet does local delicious food.

Northstar Cafe is another place chicks love and has a veggie burger a carnivore would love.

Los Guachos is a SUPER delicious Mexican place in a taqueria style. If you go make sure to try the al pastor, it's what they're known for and it's really good. Expect that most people will be speaking Spanish and not English. Even lifelong Columbus folk don't always know about this place.

Eleven is a bar attached to Hyde Park in the Short North area that's more bar then restaurant. It also has a great patio right on High Street and a good cocktail menu that includes some absinthe drinks. It's a nice place for some drinks after dinner if you're in the area.

Schmidt's is a Columbus staple in German Village and has great German food and beer. It's touristy but it's damn good.

There's lots of great places for food and drink in the Short North area and in German Village, as well as throughout the Columbus area. I'm sure if we get some better idea of your and her interests plus a better geographic idea of where you'll be we can nail down some more places and things to do.

Pretty much whatever is in any other city, plus we have a minor league baseball team, an NHL team, and a soccer team

Also many microbreweries/brewpubs

My Favorite Restaurant Recommendations - 5 Stars

Best Chinese: Panda Express


Best Mexican: Chipotle


Best Burger: McDonalds




You're Welcome!

Never left the airport, huh?

You could head to Hocking Hills, There is the Zoo too.  


I suggest leaving IL and not going back that is what I did.


 

ETA


ArmoredSaint forgot Italian, we have Fazoli's for that.  

If you go the 16 bit cafe' you have go next door to Dirty Franks... best dogs around. anyway you could imagine them they have it...

Thank you so much for putting this together.  Huge help!

She lives in Westerville and doesn't go into Columbus a lot.  I definitely will hit up a few places on your list, they sound great.  I'm looking for some ideas of what activities to do.  She definitely is the try-anything-once type.  It would be nice to spend a day outdoors and then figure out some fun things to do in the evening that don't revolve around drinking (though we aren't opposed to having a few beers).

I used to work up there, here are a few other places.

The Best is a great little diner-type place that's good for breakfast. THey also make their own corned beef in-house that's damn good so lunch is good there too.

Jimmy V's has a location in Westerville on the main drag of Rt. 3 through town with a very patio, perfect for a sunny day. Many working lunches were had here.

Graeter's is an Ohio ice cream place recommended by all and they have a Westerville location. I recommend getting ice cream in Columbus, and your 2 best options Graeter's, or...

Jeni's is the most famous ice cream in Columbus. Don't come here expecting Dairy Queen soft serve (or DQ prices) and women love the place. Love. It.

Hoover Reservoir borders Westerville. I never hung out there much but there might be stuff to do there.

Also for outdoor stuff you can check out Franklin County Metro Parks and because Westerville is on the county border there's Delaware Parks.

North Market is near downtown where Short North meets Arena District but is a call place for lunch and to get some fresh fruit and vegetables. It's a bunch of little shops and very neat.

For some more reference, here is  Columbus ALIVE! best of 2015.

Feel free to ask questions if you want to know about any places

If she likes the outdoors:

Park of Roses is really close to OSU; just walking around the OSU campus when things are actually blooming and alive is fun; and I forget the name of the place behind Bexley where they had the huge outdoor show years ago, but now it is a HUGE topiary park...Tough being away except for the occasional visit for almost 30 years,,,,The zoo is actually in Powell, north of Cbus...Fairly short drive, and if you go up 315, a little scenery.

 
I'm pretty sure you're thinking of the Franklin conservatory. Beautiful place.

In Westerville, you could easily have dinner at Old Bag of Nails, walk to Graeter's or Dairy Queen, and hang out at Jimmy V's. Then walk to all the stores throughout Uptown. Then, Schneider's Bakery late at night for donuts. It has a cult following with the local Otterbein University students. Hoover Reservoir is a short drive away. If she's into flowers, Inniswoods Metropark is also nearby. It's quite pretty there.

Oh yeah Schneiders most def. I think they open around midnight or 1am? Bring a half gallon of milk. Been a while since I've been there...get a dozen fresh doughnuts, find a city bench, and nom.

Jeni's is good for Ice Cream too.  They have some unique stuff.

 
There's an Adam & Eve store on Sawmill & Bethel Rd.

I agree with your mentioning Old Bag of Nails, Graeter's, and walking along Uptown.

I'd suggest you take her to Thai Grill in Westerville, it's a very nice small Thai restaurant in Uptown Westerville.

I used to like Old Bag of Nails and Graeters, now I think they are both high fat greasy & gross.  Heh.

I prefer either Jeni's Ice Cream, or Whit's Frozen Custard; both have several locations, Whit's in Gahanna is close, and yes, women love Jeni's.  Seriously.

This time of year the flowers aren't in full bloom at Innis yet, it's still a nice place to walk around in nice weather.  No picnicing there though.

There is a walking/biking path that runs north/south along Hoover; you can also walk over the damn, we walk/bike both quite a lot when the weather is nice.  There is construction going on now near the damn & Sunbury Rd so you might want to avoid that area.

Forget the rest of the weekend plans and spend all weekend at this place.

HOORAY! Someone else knows about this place!

Never heard of it and they are 10 minutes from me, and I've lived in Columbus 25 years. Menu looks tasty, I'll definitely try it out.

 
It's good, we've eaten there a few times. I just got back from a week in Las Cruces, NM and ate at some kick-ass authentic Mexican joints and it's as good as most of them.

If you want some of the best hole in the wall Italian you can't miss Lola & Guiseppe's Trattoria in downtown Gahanna.

Went for dinner tonight and was rather disappointed. Dry and lacking flavor. I had the tacos, taco al pastor, and gringas. Of those only the gringa was any good. Maybe I'll try the burritos and other things on the menu.

I usually go for 2 burritos, 1 al pastor, 1 suadero.

One for lunch, one for dinner.

WTF      

If she likes the outdoors this is an excellent suggestion. Take a picnic lunch and spend the day. You will think you are somewhere else beside Ohio.

 
Clearcreek Metro Park south of Lancaster is a good place too, that's often not as busy...and a bit closer. I love hiking it, and walking the river. Mohican is a good alternative, too, a canoe ride is a nice waste of a day.

Try Haas on Sawmill just North of 270.   I have had good experiences at both places but enjoy Haas more.  And the owner there is a great guy.

I never got on the Jeni's kick. never enjoyed it.  I like Graetar's, and the Westerville location is good for a stop on a walk through town.

Ok, we are going to do this.  I've been checking it out and it looks awesome!  I actually suggested we stay the night at one of the cabins there.  They seem really legit.  Plus they have a hot tub.  Any suggestions where to stay in the park?  Can you fish there at all or rent boats?

Also - thank you everyone for all the great advice.  You Ohio dudes are pretty awesome.  We definitely have a great list of places to chose from in Columbus and Westerville.  I know we are going out with her sister and her BF to the casino one night, so hopefully it's not an absolute shithole lol

 
As casinos go, it's a pretty meh adventure - no comps, kind of crappy end of town, overpriced, but if you like gambling I guess that part is ok.


Can't go wrong with Hocking Hills tho, some great cabins down there my wife and I stay in one for a couple's weekend every few years.

The casino at Scioto Downs pays better (from those who do that stuff a LOT....)

The Columbus Hofbrauhaus is a great place for German food and beer.

That's not what I was hoping to hear.

Which location did you go to?  I've gotten reports that the one up off Cherry Bottom has had some QC issues as of late.  Not good at all though.  Probably also not good that I obsess over Guachos this much either, but hey.

Cheers,

Spenny

Another thing to do in Hocking Hills: Hocking Hills Zipline Canopy Tours is a very fun time.

The Casino is pretty nice inside but don't expect Vegas-style service. It's in a not-so-great neighborhood so if you win anything have someone else pull the car around. I say this not out of speculation but because of previous issues I've had there.

I've taken a bunch of money from their blackjack and craps tables. The steakhouse there is pretty good but far from the best in town. Their truffle mad and cheese kicks ass.

Just heard Jeni's is being recalled... something to do with listeria

Thnx. Wasn't aware of this place... closer to me than Schmidts.

Wurst und Bier is tasty too

Had a hefe there, but not the food. The beer was good.

For a second I thought you were kidding, here's a news article about it, all the shops are closed too:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2015/04/23/breaking.html

The one in Cleveland (near Playhouse Square) is at least twice as big as this one in Columbus (eight in the chain so far).  You can buy a beer stein and store it there in their stein locker.

"...Stein Masters membership program, which, for a first-year fee of $125, gives members a stein, a locker, drink and food specials, and even provides a fancy copper sink in which to wash their steins. The Columbus location offered 150 such memberships online. It took the Pittsburgh Hofbrauhaus two years to reach 150 Stein Masters. It took Columbus two hours, Plapp said."

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/10/22/hofbrauhaus-columbus-heads-for-tuesday-opening.html

Heard it from someone close to the source. Now restaurants that serve Jeni's are scrambling to find a new source for premium ice cream.

 
holy shit, i completely forgot about this place opening up

Hollywood Columbus is actually pretty nice.

I'd avoid Scioto Downs, not based on payouts, but because it's where people go to die. You'll see more people on lil rascal scooters than you ever have in your life. A lot of people are on oxygen, and it's primarily older folks. Hollywood on a Friday and Saturday night is packed with the young crowd, dressed like they're out in Vegas.

And Scioto Downs is only slots. Boring.