If you're looking for a local dive bar with an eclectic clientele, this is the place for you. This is not a fancy upscale bar, it is a place to go meet new people and reconnect with friends. The crowd varies from night tonight, even sometimes hour by hour depending on how the flow of the "crowd" migrates from bar to bar. If you like karaoke, there were a couple nights of the week where you can get up on the stage and sing. The best option is going on a warm evening where you can enjoy the back patio and fresh air. The inside gets a little stuffy and hot, especially when the bar is crowded. read more

Two weeks ago I watched a stripper assault a customer. The stripper was definitely coked out and was told numerous times to stop touching the customer. The stripper threw his shirt at the customer while he was seated and then literally pushed him off his seat and the customer fell to the ground. Was sad and pathetic to see that the stripper was allowed to finish his shift and even went after the customer again when told to leave him alone. If I could give 0/5 I would. This bar was mentioned to be a good time by some regulars, but I will not be going back. I also saw the stripper in the restroom snorting coke with another guy when I had first got there. You could tell they were all friends because I heard the stripper tell his friends to side with him so he doesn't get sent home. Hoping that the establishment has cameras so nothing like that happens again. read more

comme ci, comme ça. Initially came for the show which had its moments of hilarity but fairly low end stuff. Bartender was cool. Made an excellent mixer. Prices will see you, alright. Musta picked an "off" night. Only a handful of people and pretty uneventful. The ambiance would never be confused for Studio 54 in its heyday, but it is what it is and that's good with the regulars. Very divey. Still, it's not in the best of neighborhoods. 06/24 read more

Fun drag shows and have a fun time I can't wait to be on the stage and they have karaoke nights

It's a trashy bar in a dodgy neighborhood. If that doesn't scare you away, the drinks and service sure will. I overheard a person return a drink after finding something black floating in it. The same bartender also served one of my friends a bottle of beer that was sliced near the top. He didn't notice and ended up cutting his lip. He had blood gushing out of his lip and the bartender seemed indifferent when he was notified of the broken bottle he just served. I didn't feel comfortable drinking anything here. Even if trashy dive bars are your thing, I'd say skip this one. read more

Was one of my favorites in town previously. Under new ownership. They've ruined it. From the arrogance and dysfunction of the owners to the poor choices around the environment, staff, and business decisions. Quickly going downhill. If you're all about a trashy trade bar, it's for you. I love a seedy bar -- but we can't even rate it that. read more

I've been going to the Toolbox for almost a year now on a semi-regular basis... and it definitely deserves an updated review. Let's get a few things out of the way first: -The area is a little sketchy, but I've never been scared. There's a lot of street lighting, and there's plenty of parking. -Look, this is the diviest of dives. It's not Level or Union, and I mean that in the best way possible. Now that we got that out of the way, here's what I'm loving about the Toolbox: -It's a dive; I think that's worth mentioning again. When you just want a place that's a littleore low-key and casual, this is the spot for you. -The bartenders are super friendly, and the drinks are strong and cheap. -They have strippers! (Scandalous, I know) -They are active on Facebook and update often. It's not fair to compare the Toolbox to bigger gay bars and clubs in town, but as for dive bars - it's a winner for sure. read more

The Toolbox Saloon - the logo of the toolbox saloon - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Been going to the toolbox for a year now good entertainment cheap strong drinks the bartenders are great me and my wife love coming here most accepting and friendly bar I've ever been to never had a problem with service or price. read more

It's a gay dive bar with carpeting throughout, $3 drinks (even craft beer & ciders), free drag and strip show, shirts and pants are completely optional, and everyone who works/MCs here will refer to all the patrons as 'bitches', and it's 100% acceptable and hilarious. Honestly, I've never enjoyed being a called a 'b*tch' more. I don't know why I found it so funny, but I did and I would have been willing to pay up to $15 for cover to come drink, be referenced as one of said 'bitches', and see this absolutely hilarious show, but to my surprise, they charged nothing for literal butt-loads of entertainment. I never saw Magic Mike and I really only like to see people naked for scientific purposes, so this was a pretty different experience for me and I had an absolute blast. Please note that if you're male, shirts (and pants) are entirely optional but underoos gotta stay on. The drag show kicked things off and the ladies/ alter she-gos here really put on a damn fine show. So.Much.Beyonce, countless high kicks, even a back flip in stilettos into a split. Truly ridic and even I was willing to part with a single dollar bills in the name of a grand drag queen with metallic leotard and probably 9ft wing span. Betwixt the drag performances are male strip shows to all your favorite hits, with 'Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy' being particularly popular. Before today, I thought it was the most annoying song I'd ever been forced to listen to, but with a gay spin on it the song was practically tolerable. As far as the performances go, my group of regulars did a great job of preparing me for what I was about to see and answering my many questions regarding the things I did see. The dancers will go around after the show and have friendly chit chat with everyone in the bar. To my knowledge, this was the first full-ish conversation I've had with a person who had an erect penis in public. What do you talk about with someone with an erect peener? Essentially, traffic and weather. Same thing you'd talk to someone in an elevator about. So there's that. To be fair, I didn't do much talking, or have much eye contact (I don't even like bodies but it's really hard to look away), but I didn't feel uncomfortable at any point... probably because I was invisible to everyone else in here, and I think I kind of like that. As touchy, feely, grabby as everyone else was/is, it's a pretty safe place for females. You're basically kryptonite. I left impressed and honestly could've stayed all night just listening to the drag queen banter and hilarity. I'd go back in a heartbeat. read more

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Interesting place. I went to see a coworker perform and that alone was pretty amazing, but there was another performer who danced so hard that they broke a very heavy metal bracelet that was on their wrist and it went flying into the crowd. I have a bruise on my arm from last night to prove it. Let's call it a souvenir. Every one was friendly. The only downside is that it was like a sauna. It was probably 90 degrees indoors and packed full of people. For some, this wouldn't be a problem, but I kept going outside so I didn't die. Also--the drinks are very very strong. read more

I get it. A trashy bar can be fun but this one is not. The people are exactly who you would expect at a place like this. At least you can get cheap, strong drinks right? No. I couldn't even taste the vodka in my vodka sprite. The inside is super loud. read more

If you ever have a day that you want to kill yourself just come here and you'll feel sooooooooooo much better than what you think. read more

The Toolbox Saloon - It's a cleaned up better lighted Bowow - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

A favorite of mine. Folks at the bar our friendly. Bartenders always sweet. Immaculately clean. Not too crowded. An underrated place.

Chris made my birthday a night to remember, thank you guys so much!!! The pantie dropper was amazing!!! And thank you for the birthday shots!!! read more

The Toolbox Saloon is a great bar to watch the OSU FOOTBALL games on Saturday. With free food at half time.The bar is exceptionally clean. Happy Hour drink prices are very reasonable, in fact the cheapest in town. It is now open on Sundays, would be a great place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with friends or get to meet new one :) This defiantly is a far cry from a dive bar....................Come try it out, you will be impressed with how nice a place this is.. read more

Great place to hang out with friends and make new ones. Drag shows on Saturday's are Amazing! Bar tenders are very friendly and make great drinks! read more

Best place in columbus, love the bartenders they make you feel like family. Cheap drinks and the performers never disappoint.

Love this place felt welcom could trust that i wouldnt be hounded or attacked, after going here i only go to gay bars and mainly hang out with the gay community becase the people are so honnest and more open and better at communication and friendship and other people in the area are drug addicted and unwollimg to be friends with out useing you all the time. read more

So my first experience at the toolbox was agreeing to accompany a friend out around 10pm on a Wednesday night to see strippers - you know, typical weeknight. When I found out that it was the Toolbox Saloon I was a little apprehensive. I had heard things as you tend to hear, but hey, strippers and cheap drinks were at stake, and who am I to pass on that? I was expecting super divy, like stick to the floor no lights divy, which was fairly close, but not quite accurate. It was comfortably divy. Smallish, with strange partitions and bathrooms directly off the main floor with a stage facing the bar and a dj booth in the back corner. Outdoor patio is actually pretty fabulous. There was an upper floor I think, but I dunno, cause I had drinks. Speaking of drinks - cheap, good, and strong. I think we had five liquor drinks between us and it was in the ballpark of $20. Later on my boy went to pick up another round of drinks and was understandably distracted by cavorting naked man meat. When he got to the bar he ordered the wrong drink for me, but the bartender remembered what I had ordered last time and corrected him. I left a good tip (I hope, cause again, drinking) for that one - if you find a bartender that remembers your drinks on the first time you show up you pay that man, you hear? Two thumbs way up for this hot box. read more

Dive gay bar in a pretty shady location in Merion Village. Throws a lot of special night events and drink specials. Their Facebook is a good resource to find out what's going on any night of the week. read more

June 2 was my 21 b-day and everyone there was so sweet the staff was amazing as was the entertainment food was amazing plus the drinks was cheap but as soon as you walk in you feel right at home and I come in as stangers and leave as friends so I wanna say thank you everyone for making my day one the best birthdays ever read more

The first time I was here with some friends one of the bartenders was very nice and the other was terribly rude (like, "Whaddyawant"?). It was a show night and the strippers and drag queens were invasive and in-your-face. The second time was at happy hour and only the rude bartender was there. It took him quite some time to acknowledge that we were there and was down right nasty about me wanting to start a tab. (we were the only people inside). We left after 1/2 a beer. I don't imagine that I will go back. read more

Some friends and I went here a couple of weekends ago and were soo pleasantly surprised because we weren't sure what to expect. Cheap drinks, fun bartenders, CLEAN BATHROOMS (the ladies', at least -- I didn't sample the men's), diverse clientele, and a great-but-not-too-intimidating karaoke setup on Fridays. read more

This place is a dive, the strippers are not hot and they don't have happy hour prices on top shelf liquors. They even opened for business as usual without running water and taped the water shut off notice behind the bar. You couldn't go to the restrooms (they stunk) because you couldn't flush the toilets. They brought in buckets of water (from God knows where) to occasionally flush the toilets and heat the rest in the microwave to wash the glassware. The location leaves something to be desired and it's pretty bad when one of the proprietors comes in inebriated and gets beligerent with the patrons, and employess in front of patrons. Way to run a business Guys! read more

I visited this place yesterday, and it was a wonderful experience. I saw people I hadn't seen in ages, and the 70's and 60's music was excellent. I talked to the afternoon DJ and he said from now on, he will be there every Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00 to play the classics. You should give it a try. read more

Small, batenders are hit or miss. Prices for shots are outrageously expensive, not in a great area dont go alone.

His dick was inside of me. OOOOOO IT FELT SO GOOD! I ordered his balls in my mouth. It was a

hey all this is a great bar to come to the owners and staff are very family like we have a great time i'm one of the dj's there if you want clean bathrooms and the coldest beer and the best cocktails and some of the hottest bar tenders and the hottest strippers in the southend of columbus come on in for all the fun at the toolbox saloon read more

Toolbox Bar is a nice neighborhood bar. The staff is friendly and hospitable. The deejay will play your request, too! What I love most about Toolbox is that they RECYCLE their bottles and cans which I want all bars and restaurants to follow their lead. Toolbox is not a dive bar....it is located in a South Columbus neighborhood that is near light manufacturing facilities. The neighborhood is called Southside Community Action Network or C.A.N. that has two very active neighborhood civics, Ganthers Place and Edgewood located within its boundaries. The exterior is well-lit and their is sufficient parking, too. read more