Fun and funky but only been there once so I'd need to go back a few times and want to know if there is a happy hour

Hubs and stopped in the Oracle yesterday on our way to visit our oldest daughter. It's the first week in September, so the pandemic is still looming and of course we respect all the precautions every business is taking to stay safe and prevent the spread. That being said, upon opening the door we were told we couldn't come in without masks. Mine was in my pocket, no problem. I haven't left my home (in Tennessee) often enough since the beginning of the virus for it to become habit to automatically put on a mask when I get out of my vehicle. But 9/10 times I remember before entering a public place. The male bartender just seemed rude in the way he told us to put one one. I had read the raving reviews, and being a Yelp Elite myself I know I can and do trust their reviews above others. So....I was really looking forward to trying something new and enjoy watching a bartender do their thing. The bartender pointed to two framed menus on top of a cooler containing seltzer's and canned drinks, and some glass bottles of pre-made cocktails, I think. I would've appreciated the bartender ask me what I liked, and help me decide, but it was easier for him to point to the sign. Customer service absolutely sucked hippo balls. I asked if I could just order a Knob Creek and Coke in a short glass, and a Blanton's for my hubs. Sure!! What I got was a shot of each in a to-go plastic condiment container with a lid, and two big paper go cups (like Burger King) of ice, and a can of Coke, which I told him never mind I had a soda in the truck. We also got two bags of Cheeto's, to make the sale legal. So....we poured our bourbons over the ice in the paper cups. I drank a few sips of mine, yum, even in paper. My husband was just about to take a sip and noticed something stuck in his ice that looked just like a maggot. He walked back across the street and told/showed the bartender, who vehemently denied it came from the ice because it was a brand new bag. Then I noticed 3 of the maggot looking things in my ice, so I went back in and showed my husband and then the bartender. He told my husband it was probably from the citrus he was cutting on a board near the ice bin. They were frozen INSIDE the ice cubes. I'm upset with myself that I didn't take a picture of it, it was gross. I'm upset that a bartender would try to make it seem like it was nothing. After seeing it all in my ice my husband just asked for our money back, and the bartender said, "But I've already poured another." Ummm, sorry, but no thank you. He did give the refund, but I most assuredly won't give them a second chance when I visit Columbus. read more

My sister and I traveled to Olde Towne East specifically to check out The Oracle and the DJ set they had scheduled for the night. Had our friend not mentioned it, we would have never even known this place existed, let alone the fact that they have great DJ's here sometimes. We walked in to be greeted by a warm ambiance, and friendly faces. The space has a witchy vibe, in all the best ways. It sort of reminded me of Curio before it sadly disappeared from the German Village. After checking out their cocktail menu, we both settled on Moscow Mules. The bartender was great and whipped these babies up in a jiffy. I swear on my life that this was the best Moscow Mule I've ever had on this planet! What made it stand out? The heavy amounts of ginger. Not ginger beer, actual ginger. For those that don't like spicy, skip out on this drink. However, if you're like me and like spicy, especially ginger, you'll fall in love after your first sip. Two of these suckers and I was dancing the night away. The DJ was on point the entire time we were there, and I loved that they had a giant projector playing old school music videos alongside the songs. All the patrons were having a great time and I'll definitely be back. While it was slightly in the middle of nowhere, there are a couple other bars, restaurants a couple blocks away. You could easily walk from place to place if that's the type of evening you were going for. read more

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I really like this bar a lot. My only complaint which I've never come across before is the incense. It was SO strong last time I went. It gave me a horrible headache. My friends hated it also and we ended up leave because of it. Our clothes wreak of the smell the next day. The one great thing about no smoking in bars is your clothes don't smell so this kind of plays against that. I really hope this was a one off as it's one of my favorite places to take friends from out of town. read more

Unique cocktail bar in Old Town East - hidden gem criteria. Great craft cocktails - their Old Fashioned is top notch. Relaxing backyard, jazz music, incense, great staff and occasional tarot card readers = one-of-a-kind place in Columbus. read more

Coolest place ever. Like stepping into a time warp. Bartenders are a tad full of themselves and not what you would call friendly and welcoming , but the vibr can't be beat. Their cocktails are expensive but creative. Try the Vieux Carre on a coll fall night, you won't be disappointed. read more

What a gem. Electric interior and lovely outside patio. We grabbed to-go cocktails during covid last year and that was a great experience. Each to-go bottle was equivalent to 2 drinks and came with a bag of chips. Now that's both cute and awesome. Yesterday we came in after moving into the neighborhood and enjoyed the back patio. What a nice place to spend an evening. Spacious yard with plenty of tables and seating. There was a tarot reader last night too so you could sign up to have a reading. We sat with our pup and enjoyed a couple drinks each while decompressing from a busy weekend of unpacking and settling in. Ordered the goodnight sweet prince which was mezcal with chartreuse, lime, Prosecco, pea flower (which I learned is purple ha). I wanted the drink not sweet and the bar must have run out of syrup for me lol. It was perfect without it. More on tart side but that's how I like it. Second drink was a negroni with dry vermouth. Predictable and always a fave for me. I also tasted a barrel aged whiskey just for fun and it's saying a a lot that I could sip it. I normally cannot drink whiskey but this tasted amazing and too easy to drink. Creative and interesting drinks for a good price. They have beer and wine too if you're not into cocktail. And cbd drinks too! They really have it all. I had to ask the bartender if the wine prices were glass or bottle (we are used to $17-$20 glasses in Seattle) and to my very pleasant surprise learned they are bottle prices. I also saw they had $5 negronis during happy hour and that really spoke to me. We will return often. read more

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Always a great ambience, great bar and services, comfortable and safe! Haven't try the food yet but usually to enjoy and support the music artist! read more

Absolutely my go to bar, Ben is absolutely the best. I recommend all of my friends to come here when they are here from out of town!!! 10/10 read more

The Oracle - Sour cream and onion chips and a beer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This place was recommended by a friend who left a great review on yelp! The ambiance in this place is amazing, nice and dark with a great bar. It was pretty busy but we managed to get a spot at the bar and were immediately greeted by the bartender, Anna. I asked her how the old fashioned were and she gave me a wink and said the best! Boy o boy was she right! Mixed perfectly and it looked like she used home made bitters. Adrienne ended up with a super fancy lavender drink that also tasted amazing. The bright red drink had some whiskey and a spritz of absinthe on the top of it. I really liked the spritz since it didn't overpower the drink one bit. It left a super nice hint of licorice and really paired well with the whiskey. We will definitely be adding this place to our evening's activities! read more

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Stopped in for cocktails before a dinner reservation at Comune. It was a hot August evening. Cocktail list is in an old hardback novel. But the bartenders will go off the script. Based on his recommendation, I got a Jungle Bird which hit the spot. Sweet, but not too sweet, and refreshing for the weather. read more

This bar is an absolute gem. Excellent cocktails with a lot of variety (classic, Tiki, creative originals). The atmosphere is very moody, witchy, and eclectic. Bartenders are always friendly and attentive. Great place to go on a weeknight to unwind and chat. During the warmer months, the patio is spacious with lots of seating for a larger gathering. read more

What are my favorite crab cocktail bars! Small, quaint, anonymous and great vibes! They have DJs there sometimes And I love the story of the art and the fact that the name is the Oracle! Who wouldn't want to see an Oracle LOL! Great date night spot read more

Was visiting family in Columbus last weekend (Saturday) and stopped by this small neighborhood bar. I saw a Facebook Ad for DJs playing British music so I figured I'd stop for a drink. Nice unpretentious place with every age represented. Not huge, but a comfortable size - big back patio with tables. Nice drink selection and prices, with attentive staff. Music was great with people dancing. This isn't a club though, just enough room to have some fun. The only complaint would be the heat. It was very humid that night and it was pretty warm inside. Cool place. I'll stop by next time I'm in town read more

Everything about this place makes me happy. Knowledgeable bartenders, beautifully made drinks and great ambience. If you are looking for a fantastic classically made cocktail in OTE this is the pace. They do have some drafts on tap, as well as other beers In their cooler if that's more your speed. read more

The Oracle - French Pop - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Matt omg your cocktail s honey... You had me at my first sip. Your a true wizard behind the bar. The decore is simple and sexy. Love the old classic feel when i walk in. On sundays jazz calls you in and the drinks keep the mood. Love this new place. I will be a regular read more

The Oracle - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The drinks here are fabulous! The flavor combinations are unique but really work. Anna was our bartender and she was great! The overall vibe was inviting and cozy. The kind of bar you'd want to be a regular at. read more

The Oracle - Sazerac - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

We tried this place out on a Friday and were excited to hopefully find a new regular spot within walking distance to where we live. There was a DJ, which was cool, and the interior of the bar has a nice cozy house-like feel. Definitely made me think of several spots in the OTR/Mainstrasse area of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, and had an air of charm about it that many Columbus venues lack. That said, the bartender saw us but didn't make any attempt to even try to take a drink order. I get that it was busy but honestly it seemed like he was more interested in hanging out with his buddies who were there than serving other customers. The other patrons weren't at all self-aware and incredibly rude and the general vibe of the place was pretentious. After waiting about 20 minutes we decided to just walk out and take a Lyft down to the Old North neighborhood. Very disappointed and we likely won't be back. read more

The bartender here is outstanding. The only problem is that they just have the one. They could have ten customers, fifty customers, one thousand, they'll only have one bartender. For them it's a matter of principle. "No matter how busy we are, we'll never have a sufficient number of bartenders!" - The Owner read more

This bar is in a predominately black area that's now being gentrified by the not-black community (I don't subscribe to the BIPOC notion. Black people are independent in our struggles). But this bar is still a safe place that I can come into and still be myself. The staff is pleasant and they have amazing music. I hope that never changes no matter how white washed the community gets. read more

This cozy hangout is a perfect chill spot for the neighborhood crowd. The interior is warm and inviting, looks like they kept a lot of the original hardware on the doors and fixtures. Love the deep navy color of the wall and ceilings. Their cocktail menu is a sophisticated selection, enveloped inside a classic novel (a nice touch). And the bar tenders are flawless. I wish they had a bigger wine selection and some noshy offerings. This is an absolute gem in the neighborhood and I fully intend to return. read more

I've never smelled a bar that smells this good. Seriously. Check it out. How many bars smell like old beer and old nasty? This place puts you in a sweet smell spot. Ever wished you had a psychic connection with a DJ? Well the DJ du nuit played a fantastic set. And their bartender Ben is a MACHINE. He singlehandedly made dozens of chichi drinks in front of us while carrying on multiple conversations. Looking for a neighborhood joint and answers? GO TO THE ORACLE. read more

Not what we were expecting or wanting. With a name like the oracle and the cool decor inside you'd think it would be a cool neighborhood bar. We walk in and the place is cool, music loud, regular bar stuff. Go up to the bar and try to order drinks. Obviously hard to talk in that environment, which I get it's a bar, I'm used to kind of yelling across the bar to the bartender to order. The bartender is telling me what whisky's they have and I'm repeating them to my partner who's behind me and is hard of hearing. After doing this twice he proceeded to place his hands around his mouth like a megaphone and scream the whiskey choices at them. The whole bar heard and looked and it was obnoxious and embarrassing. It was incredibly rude to them, he had no patience to talk to us, and if your reaction is to scream like that in the bar then maybe bartending isn't for you. Also we couldn't have been the first people in to have the drinks repeated twice. Went out side hoping it would be more relaxed and it wasn't. Finished our drinks quickly and went home. read more

This place is a big win for the east side. Very cozy, perfect place to grab a cocktail with friends! Bartenders are great too!

This is theeeeee spot! Bartenders are professional, friendly, and knowledgeable! Music on point. Neighbor bar vibes. Love love love this spot! read more

Stopped going to the tavern down the street in favor of this joint. They have awesome events and live music, the patio is amazing, the cocktails are some of the best I've had in the city, and its always got a great vibe to it. I love love love this place and the bartenders. Top notch service. My only suggestion is having more food trucks come out. read more