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    The Thirsty Scholar

    4.4 (30 reviews)
    InexpensiveBars, American, Karaoke
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Thirsty Scholar Photos

    Business Info

    THE THIRSTY SCHOLAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Juke Box
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

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    Thirsty Burger
    Drew S.

    Ahhhhhh..... The Scholar. You have my heart. This little dive is conveniently located near Tommy's Pizza on the corner of Lane and Neil. Despite its prime location, The Thirsty Scholar is a low-trafficked campus bar. And that is just how Bubba (the owner) likes it. Bubba is an incredibly laid back dude that runs his bar the same way. This is an awesome spot for a chill evening with your friends. You can get the campus vibe without all the crazy hype. Bubba also whips up some MEAN burgers. They are huge and delicious. He makes the fries fresh in front of you by slicing up an entire potato. Strike up a conversation with him about country music or baseball and he will talk your ear off in the best way. If you grew up outside of the city like me, this bar will take you home. Important: Thursday nights are trivia night and are definitely the busiest of the week. Tons of fun!

    Inside
    Steve A.

    The Thirsty Scholar is one of the bars not talked about much when heading out on a crawl. It's easy to forget about since there's so many options. The bar is usually quiet when there's no OSU game so it's not a typical party spot. It has some good drink specials and classic greasy bar food. The inside is kind of small but it's usually not packed. A reason why it's not as popular as other bars is the impression it gives. It's located next to the gas station at the corner of Lane and Neil, and it's hard to see unless you already know where it is. The outside doesn't exactly look inviting if you do see it. Another reason it gets overlooked is there's the more popular Varsity Club just a few blocks away. The inside is kind of small but it's not usually crowded unless there's an OSU game. I like bars like the Thirsty Scholar. It's much better if you're looking for something low key. The drinks are cheap and they have great service.

    The Thirsty Scholar
    Shawnie K.

    Back when I attended Ohio State, we thirsty scholar's were in search of cheap drinks in a non-trendy setting... this was it. Off the beaten path, yet accessible. Busy, but never too rowdy. Even after I graduated, we met here regularly for cheap food and beer --- and here I am, rapidly approaching 40 years old and I still relive my Thirsty Scholar days from time to time. The bar features incredible happy hour specials every day of the week, but the prices are very reasonable even during non-happy hours. I used to come here for my regular order: grilled cheese, french fries and pitcher of beer- with a total tab under $10! Does it get any better? I've read some reviews commenting on how small this bar is, but perhaps they have never seen the lower level where the bathrooms are located. It's easy to walk in to this 'house" bar and think there is only one floor. The first level can become crowded, but the bar area is spacious and we've always had enough elbow room. If you need to spread out a bit, head downstairs where the restrooms and pool tables are located. Be warned... the "eye in the sky" sees your every move! Video cameras are planted around the lower level and shown on small a surveillance-like television upstairs for all the bar to see. So, no monkey business in the basement!

    Drink specials
    Harris K.

    Make sure you ASK for the special on special night. You have to have the mug on mug night so don't just ask for a Coors. There could be some more seating and cheaper food, but it's a great joint. Trivia night is pretty fun too. Specials and food prices as seen in the photos. Burgers are $7-13 and apps are $4-8.

    Karaoke Mondays!
    Kelli C.

    I only ever come on Monday because my buddy hosts karaoke. But I tell you what, if you just want to go out and meet people, this is the place to do it. Small bar with ample seating. The stage area sort of forces people to pay attention and unlike some places there's a strong chance you'll be able to get a song in. There's a downstairs area with pool tables but I've never seen it used. That's probably because I only come for karaoke, though. They have plenty of tvs and it's usually sports but one of the tvs had comedy central on it. This is a place where you're a regular after a few visits...this is a place where you can leave your purse and it won't get jacked. It never gets old. :)

    The Bar

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    8 years ago

    Cool place to hang out on game day. Good food and don't forget to get a peanut butter shot.

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    Ask the Community - The Thirsty Scholar

    Review Highlights - The Thirsty Scholar

    Back when I attended Ohio State, we thirsty scholar's were in search of cheap drinks in a non-trendy setting...

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Mickey's - It'll get busy later

    Mickey's

    2.8(50 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $

    This place is a fantastic dive bar! They don't serve food but I had amazing first experience…read morethere! Everyone was welcoming & friendly. Their karaoke nights are the bomb! Check it out for a great time!

    I've driven by this little dive bar numerous times and I'll be honest, I've never even noticed it…read more Not even for a hot second. While it may be right off 5th avenue, it doesn't necessarily stand out. However, a few friends of mine pointed it out to me and insisted that we go for karaoke night. I thought sure, why not? When I walked in I was surprised at how spacious it was. I was even more surprised by how many people were packed in there. This place was poppin! I got a cider at the bar, which was on par with how much I normally pay for it, and I took a front row seat so I could watch my friends take the stage. The folks organizing the karaoke were obviously professionals. It all went very smoothly. Bravo! While I was there for roughly two hours, I never really made contact with the staff except when I got my one drink. Therefore, I can't really speak to how they are customer service wise. I can say that the restrooms were literally falling a part. This is somewhat expected in a dive bar but there was line for the ladies room because only 1 of the doors would close to the stalls inside. This is the every day pain of a woman going to a bar and needing to pee. Sigh* Anyways, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up here again in the future. However, I can't say that I'll be rushing to get there. I did love how diverse the crowd was though. It was really fun seeing which songs people would sing.

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    Mickey's - Pop star theme night. Love!

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    The Thirsty Scholar - bars - Updated May 2026

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