We came in before a Blue Jackets game. We got here pretty early. My husband ordered mozzarella sticks- they were just ok. Let me tell you about our bartender, Ryan! He was amazing!! He didn't let us have an empty glass and made sure our food came out hot. This absolutely IS a game joint! It's loud! Increasingly louder closer to game time!!If you come 1-2 hours before or directly after the game, you may not get things off the menu and you may have to go to the bar and get your own drinks. We had a great time here though. Know what you're heading in to and enjoy it!! Go Jackets!! read more

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Love this place. By far best blue jackets pregame location. Need more r bar hangouts with the boys. Great location and great food tbh. Really like it. Good service actually for a busy place like omg read more

R Bar Arena - 5 booms! - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

WaitEd 3 hours for food. Portions are terrible. Service was not good - will never return!

Great food good beer and a great sports bar atmosphere. Ryan is great bartender!!!! Wish the had french fries to go with the burger or sandwiches but other than that great place for pizza and wings too read more

I stopped in for a beer around 3 and it wasn't busy at all. The bartender was very sweet and attentive - she gave samples of what was on draft. I would come back before an event. read more

Staff took a while to take our food order, wasn't sure if the kitchen was open but would be nice to know if the kitchen has a delayed opening. Wings are smaller than average but priced more expensive than market. Almost 11 dollars for 6 (half size) and tasted cheap like little Caesar's wingsand skimped on the hot buffalo sauce. But the barbecue wings sauce was good. Added ketchup container for perspective. read more

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This was a close walk to my hotel. First impression was a cool sports bar with all of the hockey decor when I walked in. Quickly greeted by friendly bar staff. Opted for chips and queso which the queso was perfect!! Extremely friendly staff to chat with! If you like sweet, make sure you get the #stingerbomb read more

R Bar Arena - #stingerbomb - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Decent dive bar. Drinks are reasonable. Came for the wings on the menu and was disappointed there was NO food available.

R Bar is my bar. Well, I don't own it, but I am kind enough to make a small monetary contribution to their bottom line about once a week. It's a hockey themed sports bar with plenty of TVs. There's a pretty nice sized patio too where I like to chill with friends - when it's slow. Something going on at the arena? Consider yourself forewarned that they get crushed with obnoxious bros and screechy drunk girls. Their brew selection is alright, nothing much to note and their prices are typical for downtown. The main thing that brings me and my friends there are their food specials. The menu is bar food decent and it's priced right too but go there for the specials. I'm a fan. Addendum: Their Food and Drink specials (Doesn't apply when there's an Arena event): Sunday: A pitcher of any draft beer and a one topping medium sized pizza for $14.00 Monday: 1/2 price burgers Tuesday: $2.50 Corona and Corona Lights Wednesday: $3.75 tall boys and $5.00 wraps with kettle chips Thursday: 1/2 price pizzas Friday: 1/2 price quesadillas Saturday: You're shit out of luck on Saturdays.- No specials read more

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Great fun space in an area of pop-collar PITAs. Prices are right, drink specials daily. They serve Brezel Pretzels!!! (yay! that's really why I go) The mozz sticks are baked not fried - very yum! Often they are out of their food items. Not a fan of the Pizza, might be great with pepperoni as it seems to come with a lot of it. But, I'm a veg and the sauce is scarce and bland, the cheese not the focal point. PLENTY of TVs. Clean restrooms. It's actually fun to watch hockey here!! and, since he's with his own kind, I don't have to censor the Mr. lol read more

went here late after a concert. The kitchen was minutes from closing and they had a limited menu already. There were a couple things that sounded good on the menu but we were only able to choose from the pizzas with red sauce. So we just went with a standard sausage and pep. it was a very good pizza. we just wanted some late night food and it satisfied. It would have been nice not to have been rushed to order food but i guess it all worked out in the end. read more

Stopped her before the Jackets game. It was very busy but we lucked out and found two seats at the bar. The service was decent for how busy they were, the bartender was not very friendly but he got us what we ordered so hard to complain. The food we ordered was good, it is bar food so do not expect 5 star restaurant quality. If you are a hockey fan great bar to check out. read more

I've came to R Bar since before they moved, in the ages of working downtown. The owners are awesome, the beer selection is okay (I mean, it's a hockey bar, so they know their crowd), and the food is often fast, hot, and... typical bar food. I wouldn't bring a date here or anything, but when you're drinking and hungry and it's right there... it's good enough to go with a beer tube with a few friends! It's less douchey than other bars in the area (probably that whole, "no dance floor" thing), and it's great to catch a game out if you want to be surrounded by hockey fans. read more

The food was good. I got a chicken bacon ranch wrap. Around 10$ a meal. The place was clean and cool that there's a patio. They were very short staffed for the events in the area happening. read more

Great atmosphere around Blue Jackets games, but it just gets too crowded. No flow to move around and everybody just runs into each other like broken video game characters. On off nights, it is easier to move around but there is still a stench of beer from the last game. A lot fried bar foods, but they are really good! read more

R Bar Arena - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I mean beers on draft are shite. Pick it up R bar, you are better than this. Kellie the bar tender? Grumpy woman. Jackets tonight: 3/10. R bar: 0/10 read more

We were her for the Blue Jackets / Blackhawks game and the bartenders were fantastic!!!! Constant making sure my beer was filled, our pizza was good, but the cheese sauce for the pretzel was disgusting. And the pretzel was either overcooked or super soggy in different sections. Now as a hockey fanatic I love this bar bar for the atmosphere it exudes. As a single woman, I appreciated the clientele of the male species that came in. I can't wait to return to Columbus and the R Bar for another game read more

R Bar Arena - Came here before the Blue Jackets/Blackhawks game bartenders were FANTASTIC - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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We didn't go inside the bar, just made a quick stop after dinner to check out the hockey game, so I cannot comment on the entire experience. Packed outdoor seating area with the hockey game projecting on a huge inflatable screen. There were other televisions screens to watch, as well. I will update my review when we come back again read more

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Stop in for a cheap beer before a Jackets game, do not order food. We waited 1.5 hours for some pizza bread thing and what appeared to be a frozen pretzel reheated. read more

This is the place to stop before a Blue Jackets game. The atmosphere is really fun and filled with both new and experienced Jackets fans alike. They have a lot of cool hockey items on the wall - one thing I noticed last time is they have the handwritten roster for one of the Jackets games framed. It's little things like that that truly allows fans to connect with the history of the team, and shows the authenticity of this bar. The staff is pretty on top of it considering how busy it can get. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for drinks. I even ordered an appetizer last time I was there, called the Enforcer, and even though it's essentially just chips and blue cheese it still came out faster than I expected and was really good. One thing I will say is, although there is some seating, you should go into it with the mindset that you may have to stand. Seats fill up fast before the games. However, is is without a doubt worth it to stop in here if you're a hockey fan. read more

Great, fun atmosphere. This is our go to when we are in the arena district! They have lots of beer on tap and always good service. Menu is pretty standard, but good dependable food. Best place to watch the hockey game aside from having tickets to the game. They have lots of seating inside and outside and many TVs. read more

Our server was absolutely strung out on cocaine or some other substance. It was bizarre. His energy was contagious and uncomfortably anxious. I asked him to bring it down a notch and he told us that 100 Republicans would be arriving soon and he was preparing. Not joking. Bizzaro. Food was fine - bar food fare. Other-worldly-weird. read more

Came here with 7 of my friends after a blue jackets game and it was a perfect t place to do that! It's a good size sports bar with a great crowd. The atmosphere is awesome and the shape of the bar in the middle is different so it was fun to be at! The drinks are reasonably priced and certainly a place you can stay at for hours watching games. It was very busy the night we were there but you didn't feel overwhelmed given the service of the staff and the layout of the bar. Excited to go back and try the food and experience game night! Thanks again and I look forward to going back ! read more

Horrible service only got half of our order and couldn't seem to charge the correct card ....hope this was just an off day for them. Probably will never return. Food wasn't anything to get excited about either read more

This place gets a 0 for food, a 2 for drinks, a 2 for value, and 4 for location. If this place weren't in very close proximity to the Arena, I'd never go here. The food is awful. The drinks are weak and don't even think about trying to order something like a vodka gimlet or a martini. read more

You like hockey, huh? You fancy, huh? R-Bar is where it's at. This is your typical sports bar, with hip enhancing food and every domestic beer America has to offer. No craft beer in this joint, but I'm sure hockey fans aren't crying about it. Hockey players don't cry. No, I am not Ohio's biggest hockey fan, but I know a solid sports bar when I see one. The beer tubes on display tickled my pickle--I look forward to drunken nights messing around with those contraptions. I thoroughly enjoyed a series of pool and countless games of 4-person Pac Man. To top it off, R BAR HAS A POPCORN MACHINE. America! MY only qualm: no french fries. If someone had told me that there is an American restaurant/bar that does not sell french fries, I woulda thought that person is on hallucinogenic drugs. Oh well. I'll settle for nachos. read more

I understand this is a bar and food is not their main focus, but the food served was concession stand food. They no longer have queso (still on menu), nachos were bagged chips that were stale with that pump-able nacho cheese and some jalapenos, pretzel and pizza also tasted frozen. I have a feeling their kitchen is comprised of a freezer and a microwave only. There were also a ton of rules, no pushing tables together (even though we had a group of 10), no leaning on the pool table, and the waitress kept leaving without getting everyone's drink order so 1/2 our group was constantly waiting to order. They looked at us like we were crazy when we tried to order PBR (they have numerous PBR bar lights on the wall so one would think they serve it). There are better places nearby with better service and actual food! read more

Whenever I'm checking out new bars, especially new bars that I can watch hockey in, I ask for a lot. I want the ambiance to be exciting with cool bartenders and patrons to talk to, I want an exciting menu full of delicious bar food to pair with a long list of draft beers. I knew prior to going to the R Bar I wasn't going to be receiving all of that, so I lowered my expectations to receiving kick ass service in the Blue Jacket's official bar. The bar set up is a little strange; it's not a square, not a line, triangle, etc. It's a blob. A blob semi plopped into the middle of the room, awkwardly making enough room on one side for a pool table and some chairs on the other side. The patio is definitely the place to be on gameday. I've seen the bar fill up many times with the most fervent Blue Jackets fans standing on the patio ready to rile up any opposing team fans they see. My dad and I sat at the bar in anticipation of the Stanley Cup final. The bar had a decent turnout for a Wednesday night, with quite a few Blackhawks fans abound. (Blackhawk fans are really good at travelling EVERYWHERE.) There was 1 1/2 bartenders working...I say 1 1/2 because 1 was actually decently attentive while the other one seemed more interested in how her hair looked than serving people. The poor bartender (who I also believed to be the manager) looked as though she was running around ragged trying to serve all these people. The food we ordered took FOREVER to come out, almost to the point where we felt embarrassed that we ordered anything besides beer. When the food came out, it was subpar at best. The burger looked frozen and my buffalo chicken sandwich was literally tyson frozen strips with some Frank's on a roll. They don't have anything besides potato chips to serve with it either. I don't like chips and beer. I didn't eat chips with beer. Actually, I didn't even have any beer. The selection was so poor I opted for a water and decided to get a beer down the street. All in all, this bar knows its clientele: hockey fans who want to pregame. However, there are so many options between the Arena District and the Arts District that it'd be a damn shame if this were a top choice for you. read more

I have to couch my review a bit. If you are a hockey fan - or even a sports fan in general - the R Bar is a 5 star slam dunk. If you're the type who likes a quieter bar with little to no sports stuff, you should really consider a different one. R Bar has been one of the big hockey bars in town since they opened, and following their move to the other side of the Arena plaza (they were formerly off Marconi Blvd.), if anything, they've kicked it up a notch. The staff is friendly, and either a hockey fan or more than capable of keeping up a conversation with one as they go about their business. Seating is good and the walls are covered with hockey memorabilia - not just the Blue Jackets and Ohio State, but also the old Columbus Chill, Checkers, and other former minor league teams who once played in the capital city. (Even a framed jersey from the 'Columbus Mad Cows' stunt the Chill did back in '98!) In addition to 4 massive big screens for each side of the actual bar area, there are smaller sets located around the bar and a large projection screen at the far wall for large events. The beer and liquor selection is more than reasonable, and the recent addition of food turns them from being a pre-game or after game stop to a full service destination in the arena district. While the menu is relatively basic (sandwhiches, pizzas, burgers, nachos, etx), the food itself is good for what you're getting and quite reasonably priced. If there is a word of caution to anyone looking to check the place out, it is that R Bar is one of, if not the, main post-game desitnation for a large group of CBJ fans. On game nights, expect the bar to be packed, loud, and for service on both food and drinks to slow down appropriately as the staff deals with the heavy attendance. read more

While I'm not a fan of Frog Bear and Wild Boar after a hockey game because the crowd isn't hockey fans (and that kind of annoys me after a fun game), this place is definitely a hockey fan's type of place. There are plenty of sports memorabilia on the walls and the TVs are tuned to hockey and other assorted sports. The beers are cheap and on game nights they have portable bars set up so you don't have to go all the way to the bar. The drawback of this place is that all the other hockey fans know its the place to go. On a game night, it packed. Standing room only and sometimes not even breathing room. I just wish it were a little bigger so I wasn't annoyed with all the people so close. read more

R Bar - a hockey haven. LOVE this place for a different "downtown bar" vibe. Especially when you want to escape the raunchiness of Park St. The beer tubes are a given, and the food has taken a surprising turn for the BETTER! It really has become great bar food, rather than just "meh"-typical bar good. Seriously. While I can't say there are great drink specials, it is very reasonably priced.. and I find myself visiting R Bar on the reg. Especially with the many many TV's - it's the perfect place for that Hockey fix that sometimes you just need... especially when you want to be surrounded by other fans. Oh Blue Jackets... when will you be good enough to warrant MORE people wanted come to this bar and being interested in hockey?! read more

John is the best bartender i've ever had! He goes above and beyond in his services. He was so friendly and also so welcoming. He is the reason i'd come back! read more

Perfect sports bar for the Arena District. I would never usually enter a bar like this, but we wanted to stop in for a drink during the FMMF this past weekend without getting involved in the even bro-yer bars on Park Street. It serves it's purpose with televisions on every nook and cranny and memorabilia (especially BJ heavy--surprise!). On a Saturday night the inside was pretty packed so we chilled on the patio which was great for people watching! The food smelled good although we did not order any--just drinks. Bartender wasn't carding which doesn't set a good precedence since OSU just started the semester up again. If in the area again, I'd stop in for a drink, but would definitely never choose R Bar as a drinking or eating destination. read more

Come for the hockey, stay for the beer towers! This place is always hopping; especially on nights when the CBJ are playing. There are TVs all over the place with various sporting events always televised. If hockey is in season (not locked out!) there will be NHL games on all of the screens. In the back corner there's a 4 player PacMan arcade game that is an absolute blast to play. There's also a free popcorn maker to satisfy your cravings for salty food. read more

I love R Bar for the fact that it claims to be one thing--a hockey bar--and it's really, really awesome at being just that. The walls are covered with museum-like Blue Jackets memorabilia. I've been there a zillion times and I still don't think I've seen everything. The service is fantastic, even when the place is packed, and the prices are pretty good. I think my favorite part about R Bar, though, is the crowd. A bunch of crazy hockey fans all in one room usually makes for a pretty entertaining night. read more

Headed here to meet up with others before going to the hockey game. As all the other reviews will tel lyou, this is a true hockey bar. If you do not like loud crowds, too many tvs and guys in ill fitting shirts this is NOT the place for you. fast service for our large group. Reasonable prices and easy stroll across the ped bridge to get to game. read more

Cheap drinks and average burger after a ride on the pedal wagon. Nice patio and friendly servers. The hot blonde beer had a kick of jalapeño and was very refreshing. We had s great time. read more

So this bar is definitely not nice. Nothing fancy. 100% sports bar. All of that being said, it's not bad. There is popcorn, which everyone loves. You can also get a big spout/pitcher object for your Labatt. If you're into that. Big patio, magnetic ashtrays. Someone was yelling loudly about buying drugs and buying their freedom. Not awesome, but it's that sort of crowd. Most importantly there are plenty of televisions, and my drinks were cheap and arrived very quickly (despite the bar being VERY busy). Solid 3 stars. I'll be back. read more

How have I never reviewed this place? I could have sworn I had done so after I read the review from 2011 from someone who complained about having to watch baseball on a smaller screen. In a hockey bar during hockey season. But I digress. So as the décor indicates, this is a hockey bar, so it's great for pregame and postgame hangouts. Or if you don't have tickets, during the game as well. I don't get here as often as I'd like anymore. It DOES get crowded... and it's arguably better on non-weekend nights when there are fewer students around. The pictures all along the walls are an homage to Columbus Blue Jackets history, and there's some stuff from the sport's history as well, of course. They'll typically open in the morning for special hockey events abroad, too (Sochi Olympics, for instance). If hockey's your sport, this is your mecca. If not... your "other sport" will probably at least be along the wall somewhere when hockey's in season. read more

Not the greatest draught selection. They had no local beers on tap which makes me sad. I had to go Leinenkugels and Yuengling. They have special until 8 but of course I cam after 8 on a Tuesday so no specials. The TVs were all turned to hockey and we had to ask to get them changes to the Indians vs Reds. They didn't change the big screens even though we were the only large group (15+) in the bar. They do carry bottles of Columbus Brewing but that isnt enough for me. We have so many awesome craft brewers in Columbus, you would think any bar downtown would carry at least one of them. The food was eh. My friend ordered the nachos which was corn tortilla chips with nacho cheese (the cheap kind). The salsa was spicy which was one of the good things. I also ordered a pretzel which was good but that was because I needed some heavy carbs to go with my beer. I hadn't had much to eat earlier so i try to be safe. Service was good but it should of been since we were over 75% of their customers that night. They have a nice little patio but I won't be planning a trip back here. (One caveat-I guess it is a hockey bar so i shouldn't have expected Baseball, but we were over 75% of their client base) read more