One of the oldest establishments in central Ohio, and an absolute gem of the Pearl/Lynne alley area near gay and high st. My wife and I hosted an after party here for our wedding, and the staff at Ringside did an incredible job taking care of us. I had family and friends in from every corner of the country and everyone had a great time at the after party. We had food catered by "a pizza place around the corner on Gay and High" which was absolutely fantastic. This is a GREAT after party location for anyone getting married downtown Columbus. Easy walk from the Renaissance, even after a few, or many beverages. read more

It's a frequent debate at work who has the better Burger in Columbus. Ringside or Thurman's. I vote ringside. If you get into a discussion with the employees will tell you about the rich history this hidden gem has in Columbus. During their history of over 100 years, they've taken that time to perfect their burger. It never seems too busy when I go in there which leads me to believe people don't know what they're missing. Prices are fair too. read more

The service was super friendly. It was mid afternoon and there were only three other people in the bar. Our food was awesome! Even our daughter ate every morsel! We had a slight problem with our Groupon, but our server was really sweet and understanding. We visited the vape shop downstairs and really liked it. read more

If you are looking for a trendy, foofy, flash in the pan kale bar, don't go to the Ringside. If you are looking for an amazing burger accompanied by a cold beer and friendly staff, this is your place. The Ringside is in an alley, it offers no frills, and I love it! The burgers, fresh cut fries ( or onion rings if you prefer) is American as it gets. If you are in the downtown/ 3rd Street area, check it out! read more

Excellent! Walked in January 10 about 3 pm, the place was empty. Ordered the Cajun burger with onion rings. The burger was cooked perfectly and the ingredients were fresh, even the tomatoes! She brought their homemade aioli sauce, they also have a hot aioli sauce and a buffalo sauce. All made in house. The onion rings were also cooked perfectly. This place seems to be a big place for the lunch time crowd, but if you are in the area it is a cant read more

Ringside Cafe - The Duran Cajun burger - Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

See all

OK - The burgers here are amazing. Dependent on what you are looking for this very well could be one of the best locations in Columbus. The quality and taste of food here is by far superior to the more commercialized burger joints in Columbus. A bit about my background. I have never posted on Yelp. I do not usually make decisions based on Yelp reviews. I consider myself a foodie and I have ate at the best restaurants across the globe. Several of the other reviews on this website denigrated Ringside and I truly believe it is unjust. Again, I will eat here again ... and I will bring friends! Please try it for yourself! read more

I travel. A lot. I'd say I'm in 2 different cities every week, so I've eaten at a lot of places and drunk at a lot of bars and it's the Ringside Cafe I rate most highly. I'll grant you, it's a bit rundown, and it's not in a great location, but Dan, who runs the place, is a really nice guy and recognizes the need to sell stellar beer, but more than that, indeed more than anything, they sell THE BEST BURGER IN AMERICA. I don't mean that in a small way. This burger is not good for you. Lean beef it is not, but hell, that's why it tastes so good. If you have any sense, go running, burn some calories, then spend those burnt calories here - its totally worth it. read more

Such a warm and inviting atmosphere. Stumbled in with a groupon on a Saturday night after some Christmas shopping for some burgers and it did not disappoint! I got the barbecue bacon burger and my mom got the chicken sandwich. Everything was amazing! Fries, onion rings, and burgers all 5 star material. The waiter was friendly and so great. It's a small place but it's just so unique and nice for a casual dinner date or a night out with friends. Love Ringside, I will be back! I will say, if you don't like burgers it's not for you, more than 3/4 of the menu is burgers, with only a few options for anything else. read more

Had the Portobello Mushroom Sandwich today. Delicious! This is an old school pub in one of the oldest buildings in Columbus. It's very cool inside and has a nice vibe to it. Service was fast, food was well cooked and seasoned. There were two mushroom patties, lots of grilled bell peppers and delicious home made potato chips to go with it. Price was reasonable and was a perfect place for a quick bite at lunch time. They have a nice patio outside but I chose to eat inside. It was a bit chilly. This could be a great hangout at night for a beer and some gourmet pub grub. I would go here again. read more

I came with my boyfriend to Columbus, Ohio in August for the MatsuriCon, looking for a burger place to eat and found this on yelp.The cafe was hidden in an alley way which we were surprise to find since we live in New York. They had a patio with many seats and a view of old brick buildings. We went into the cafe and was greeted and got seated right away. Since we came on a Thursday night, they weren't very busy, so they asked us where we would like to sit. Of course, I would choose the booth. As we sat, I looked around the cafe and saw stained glass windows like the ones you see in the church. Very historic features and it matches the cafe. Anyways, the server handed us the menu and it was plain simple. Nothing fancy and the prices were affordable. My boyfriend ordered the Ali Burger with a side of French Fries and I ordered the Duran Burger with a side of Beer Batter Onion Rings. I'd say about 10-15 minutes we got our food. Whatever they had described on the menu were on the burgers. Firstly, I've never been to any burger shop in New York City, so my reaction would be surprised. But these burgers were absolutely beautiful. My boyfriend and I took the first bite and it was DELICIOUS! We tried the French Fries and the Beer Battered Onion Rings. Oh my, I'm not even sure how to describe them, but the Onion Rings were so crunchy. It was the most satisfying meal for the both of us. Secondly, we stopped one last time on a Saturday night and ordered to go. We ate those burger in our hotel and had a food coma. Still satisfying as it is on the first day we tried it. Lastly, I don't think I would go anywhere else for burgers. This would be my go-to burger place. Four thumbs up! I would definitely come back to Columbus to try their other burgers, if I'm in town. read more

I absolutely love their burgers! Their restaurant is a very quaint storefront in an alley between Broad St. & Gay St. They have great burgers and fries (as well as im sure other things but i only eat the burgers and fries). The only negative I have is they are quite slow! They only ever seem to have 3 employees smack in the middle of heavy lunch hour which seems like a bad idea! I wish they were also a little bit more friendly! read more

I haven't been there for awhile and dropped in yesterday afternoon after a meeting. I love the atmosphere and environment. Too bad Columbus has torn down everything of historic value. I had a great Tyson Bison burger, cooked just like I like it, with tomato, a little bit of lettucde, and blue cheese. It was huge. Also had a Bloody Mary. The bartender told me it was it was only the second one he'd made one in 4 months, but he did a wonderful job. I hae two favorite places to eat downtown, one at each end. The Warehouse and the Ringside. I"ll be doing the Ringside when I'm in that part of downtown. read more

Great burger loved it nice bar go look at down stairs really cool Staff nice but cold read more

This would be a classic dive bar in every since. Walking up we could smell (and see) the smoke from the burgers cooking inside. The oldest bar in Columbus and voted best burger in Columbus it lived up to the burger hype. We did the Brown Bomber and the Ali burgers. AMAZING!! Highly recommend this place!! read more

I have not been to Ringside Cafe in years, but went with a friend. I has the "Smokin Joe" BBQ Bacon Burger ( 1/2 lb patty) with Smoked Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, and Hickory BBQ Sauce; with Beer Battered Onion Rings (extra cost, instead of Kettle Cooked Chips) and a Diet Pepsi. They name the burgers the "Heavyweights" with the name of the boxer such as "Oscar De La Hoya", "Ali", Traditional "Jack Dempsey", "Rocky Marciano" Patty Melt, The (Roberto) "Duran" Cajun Bleu Burger, and "Brown Bomber" Portobello Burger. The "Lightweights" are the salads and "Welterweights" are the other sandwiches that Ringside has. The positives were the burger I had was delicious and the Onion Rings was great; I did like the Chips that I sampled; my friend and I got out quickly; and if you know someone who works for the State of Ohio, the state employee get $3 off their burger on Mondays and Wednesdays (Must Show State ID). The drawbacks are that is not wheelchair accessible because it was built in the 1800's, and heard stories about people waiting too long to get their check. This time my friend and I got our check quick and went out. Ringside has been in business 1897, and it is worth going there more in the summertime because of outdoor seating. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to eat here during the moonlight market. Upon arriving a sign stated that they were experiencing short staff so expect a wait, but that didn't stop us! The food was amazing and the wait was so not bad at all. We were kind of glad that they had the sign as it was busy but not as busy as what it could have been. Outdoor seating was great too. Definitely will be back! read more

Great service, greats burgers and onion rings, ice cold beer. This place rocks and never disappoints. If you are in Columbus and want a great burger. This is your place. Don't miss it read more

A hidden gem in an alleyway! Our party of 3 all had burgers cooked different ways and we were all happy and stuffed. Very cozy and cool inside. Our waitress was friendly. I'll definitely go back and try a different burger! read more

Great place for lunch, best burgers in town parking is a little tough worth the trouble to get here

I used to think that thurman's was the best burger in town, but I could never stand the wait. In hindsight, thurman's burgers were only a good value, but nothing really "wowed" me. This place does. A little hard to find, but well worth it. The ambiance is perfect and the burger I had was amazing. Great flavor, perfect medium rare, and the toppings all tasted fresh. I can tell that they take pride in what they make. Even the chips (which I later found out are made in house) are amazing! I love you decide to make this place a regular stop when I'm downtown. And, I must say, the price is excellent for the quality and quantity of food you get. read more

A very casual spot with excellent T.V.'s. Too bad the air conditioning wasn't working on one of the hottest days of the year!! Watched the Womens' World Cup Soccer and chatted with a local. Bartendress fine except that she asked me "Are you doing a geneological study" when I asked her where she was from. Some of the other kitchen staff looked a little bit like they were on the run from something but this place has real, downtown Columbus character. Pay especial attention to some of the collegiate Gothic detail throughout this quirky, historic sports bar. read more

This place has been around for a while and has a lot of history, but it's also kind of hidden. A friend from work took me and some other coworkers there for lunch recently and none of the rest of us had ever heard of it or seen it. Some of the old decor is pretty cool, including the stained glass on the ground level. Oh yeah, so there's a basement, which you would never know! Even if you'd been several times. The atmosphere was definitely different down there, and I think the guy who seated us and took our drink orders completely forgot us, so then our waiter had to re-take our orders when he came by. They are known for their burgers and they were definitely really tasty. I had the oscar de la hoya, I think. Most of us got our burgers either overdone or underdone tho. Everyone else at the table thought the sea salt fries were pretty much the best thing since sliced bread, but I thought they were... ok. I was clearly the minority so probably you'll love them. I was very close to giving this place a 4... my friend who took us has always had good experiences here, and the burger was tasty... but it was a little too pink, and the experience didn't wow me. To be fair, I didn't actually complain (since I was starving) so maybe they would've fixed it. read more

At first I thought Ringside was only so good because of all the alcohol I had to drink before my dinner. My husband assured me though that no, it really is that good. I had a plain burger & he went with the BBQ bacon burger. Service was fast and the food was delicious. The husband particularly enjoyed the chips as he ate all of his and half of mine. It looks a little shady (ok, a lot) from the outside, but it's delicious. All the late 90s music playing on the radio quickly made it my favorite burger joint. Plus it's cheap! We went on a Friday night & somehow burgers were $3 off. Still not sure how that happened, but I'm not complaining! read more

Sorry, Ringisde, you do not have the best burger in Columbus like you say you do. I guess I was lured by the sign, the alley, the quaint bar. The burger was kind of...dead. I did enjoy sitting in the alley though. read more

We stumbled upon this place by accident one Friday and have been coming back ever since! The happy hour is what does it, cheap beer and half off burgers. Their burgers are fantastic! I would go as far as to say they are as good as Thurman's but cheaper and without the wait. We ordered the blue cheese cajun burger and the barbecue bacon, both excellent and they come with fresh made kettle chips which are amazing. Service is good, vibe is low key and comfortable. Definitely a good find. read more

Went with a group from work, this place is small so either get there early or be prepared to wait. I'm not a burger person but OMG the Smokin Joe was amazing and so are the fries I've been back several times, food is always delicious and staff is very friendly. read more

Honestly the best burger joint in downtown Columbus. The burgers are always cooked to perfection, the fries are amazing and the atmosphere is great for lunch. read more

Found this gem on yelp while passing through Columbus. It was hard to find because it's off an ally in downtown but well worth the search! Best hamburger I've ever had! The meat was well cook & the lettuce crisp. They also had a nice variety of burgers to choose from. read more

I have eaten close to 10,073 hambugers. This place makes the best. Not just great for Columbus, but for the Country.

I have been here YEARS ago. If I can re-call the food was A-100 and the parking SUCKED and that putting in a nice term!

I'm. Always go to this reasturant.they have a good burger but something goes wrong and the server is charge me over charge. That is not acceptable. So i diside not to go this cafee. read more

It's been a hard morning at work and you need to hide someplace and eat greasy things. Downtown workers head to Pearl Alley and straight in to Ringside to satisfy this need. You'll find a variety of messy burgers and sandwiches that will give you the strength to power through the rest of the day. I like the dive bar atmosphere with stained glass and detailed wood bar. If you're not into the heavyweight burgers, the welterweight BLT and chicken salad still satisfy your messy sandwich needs. Sit back, relax, enjoy some onion rings and boast that you ate at one of Columbus' oldest restaurants. read more

Adrian is the best burgers are to die for great ambiance. I would highly recommend this place in town for business someone told me about Ringside not to be missed read more

Been back quite a few times and this really is the best burger in town. Not certain why I just gave it 4 stars...it deserves 5.

So. I really feel kinda bad for giving this place a 2, cause I know it has a lot of potential and I came on a bad day. Apparently the cook and the backup cook were both out sick so the owner was working the grill. Unfortunately he did a pretty piss poor job of it. All the chicken was over cooked and charred. The fries were overdone too. This dive bar is pretty awesome for a dive bar, however, and I'm sure that it is probably pretty good when the actual cook is there. read more

I just ate the best burger here that I have had in a while the other day. Table was nice and clean....it's just a hole-y hole in the wall with a bomb arse burger. That's all it needs to be. Thanks for the opportunity to update my review. read more

Incredible burger! I had the Oscar de la Hoya and it was delicious! Their burgers are huge and flavorful, juicy like off the hello at home. And their fries are crunchy and handcut sucks of yummy! Highly recommend and I will be coming back to try other menu items! read more

I stumbled upon this place and was very much pleased. Hole in the wall but an excellent hole it is. Dark lighting, plenty of TVs, interesting decor and design (mostly wood). Great beer (especially local brews) and liquor selections. Outside seating during warm seasons is a definite plus. The food portions are filling, tasty and prepared quickly even with a packed house. I barely got through a quarter of my beer before a giant burger was brought out to me. read more

So...the burgers, fries, onion rings and housemade chips were all very delicious and worth the high rating but my favorite thing was the atmosphere and the building, so historical, I felt like I was in a little pub in Europe! read more

Way better burger than the Thurman! Skip the overly trendy Thurman and go have a great burger in a historic setting.