This is a great place to spend an evening over drinks and some kind of show. For $7 tickets, you can't really go wrong, after all. Service is always friendly, the food is bar food but really good, and the mixed drinks actually have alcohol in them ;-) It's not cheap, but not more expensive than any other Columbus bar. I've seen everything from Columbus Science Pub to stand-up comedy here, and it's always been fun. read more

See all

My group of friends and I visit Backstage Bistro pretty often and usually on Wednesday nights. This is because, we LOVE Hashtag Comedy! HC is a hilarious $5 improv comedy show that is guaranteed to make you laugh. Their show usually includes some other performer who does something in between the comedy acts. We have seen everything from Rappers, stand-up comedians and weird guys from German Village telling awkward anecdotes. The little acts in between the comedy are very hit and miss. Some are awesome and some are awful but the comedy troupe never fails to entertain! The space at BB is very large. They have a lot of seating options and if you're there for a show, I recommend getting there early so you can get a good view of the stage. They have a great drink menu with lots of different options. The food is pretty standard bar food. There's nothing particular to write home about. I often get a sandwich or a wrap and my friends usually get one of their flatbreads. They also have a chips and salsa plate that is large and good. The food is a bit overpriced in my opinion for quality but they make up for it with really good service. Everyone is super friendly and they do their best to make sure you have a wonderful experience. I would definitely recommend to anyone that they stop in for some entertainment and food at the Bistro. I have also come in for lunch and had a really nice soup on a cold day. It was expensive but it was good. I hear that they serve brunch but I have never been. Parking is not included so be prepared to park at a nearby meter or paid lot. The meters are free on Sundays and in this area, most are free after 10pm. read more

I'm writing this review from a lunch perspective... I had always associated Backstage Bistro only with going to Shadowbox, and clearly that was wrong. I had assumed it was a spot to grab a quick bite before a show, and I figured it was more like bar food than a real restaurant. Nope. Wrong again, Bryant. Backstage Bistro is a real-deal full-service restaurant. And it's not "good for being connected to a theatre"--it's genuinely delicious all on its own. Here's what I'm loving: --The décor-- Since I had only been previously before a show, I didn't even notice the beautiful restaurant with its intimate corner dining area--I'm in love with those curtains that help separate the space. It's very lovely, but still casual. --The service-- The service is spot on. Everyone is extremely helpful and upbeat. No snarky customer service here. They made great recommendations and always anticipated my needs (more water, a to-go box, etc.). --The food!-- From what I'd heard, BB made a few changes recently to their menu. They have clearly-marked GF and veg options, and they even source many of their ingredients locally! I had this spicy rice dish that had local chicken, bacon, and a heap of spices that made this dish perfect. I was blown away with how delicious it was. --In the end-- I was teetering between 4 and 5 stars (mostly because I get accused of being too nice), but I'm going with a 5 on this one. But think about it: A lunch spot that gets me in and out in under an hour, less than $10, loads of local ingredients, clearly-marked dietary restrictions, and delicious food... there are very few places in the city that do all of these. Five stars it is! Note: I think if you're coming for dinner before a show, you'll have quite a different experience. Backstage Bistro can get extremely crowded--so just come with the right expectations. read more

Up Front Performance Space - a dining room with white drapes - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

So I usually don't like to go to bars that do breakfast after having some truly dreadful meals at some local establishments but what the heck, I had a 50% off brunch email for the Backstage Bistro. As that it's in my hood we gave it a shot. As with a lot of the "we are a bar that does food" places the tables were too small and the layout not conducive to dining. That said the food was tasty and the service was good. I had the goat cheese herb omelette which was very good. They happily subbed out the potatoes for some toast and served it with some wonderful, and i mean wonderful jalepeno and raspberry jam. More on that later. The lone waiter/barista on staff didn't even know about the promo email but happily honored it. He also had no idea how to make a bloody Mary but accepted some coaching and created one for the nice ladies at the next table over. More marketing FAIL as that the promo email specifically mentioned the availability of mimosas and bloody Marys. But as I said the rather sweet waiter happily followed my directions and learned how easy bartending can be. The jam came from http://sweetthinggourmet.com, a local company I had never heard of. And they told me that they will sell jars of the jam at the BackStage Bistro pretty much at the wholesale price. It was amazing stuff- highly recommended. I think once they work out the pr bugs and bar issues this place will be a fabulous spot for brunch. It's already good, but it can be great. read more

The show we saw was great. The food was great, as always. However the service was atrocious. We arrived at 6:50, well before the 8:00 showtime. A server came around 7:00, and she took our drink and food orders, and then she never stopped by again. We saw her multiple times, made eye contact with her, and did everything short of physically waving her down before the show started. But, we had to go up to the bar to order any drinks before the show started, and had to asked another server to take plates away from our table and for a box. After all of this, our original server was all to quick to drop off our checks, divided incorrectly, once the show was over. We've been at several backstage bistro shows, and have enjoyed the productions, food and service in the past, however tonight was by far the worst service I've ever had an any establishment. I'm not sure if I'll be coming back. read more

The Backstage Bistro is almost like Cheers for me except theatre instead of sports. And with great food. Usually I only tell my good friends how really good it is because I don't want it to become over crowded, but it could be. Not just pub grub either. Crafted sandwiches and salads. Brunch is extra tasty with a side order of Drag Queens and sangria served on the first Sunday of each month. Tuesday night's are also a treat with comedy showcases with Mak and Winks. The Bistro is not just a waiting place for Shadowbox Live but a destination all on its own. read more

Up Front Performance Space - Brunch Punch Drag Brunch. More fun than your high heels can stand! - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The new Backstage Bistro opened by Shadowbox Cabaret is a welcome addition to the Brewery District. The still unfinished space is welcoming and fits in well with the neighborhood and the staff is friendly and enthusiastic. So far only the coffee shop is open with a few limited food options, mostly from local bakeries such as The Angry Baker and Rogue Bakery, both awesome local options. Everything is clean and the wi-fi is an added bonus. I had a Crimson Cup coffee and some cookies from Rogue Bakery. Both were delicious and I appreciated the Gluten Free and Vegan options offered by the bakery. I would like to see more such options from Angry Baker or other nearby favorites. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the Bistro is still unfinished, I hope to see a five star establishment at the end. After chatting with the staff while deciding on my order, I learned that they will soon be opening a full cafe, including a bar and a patio. If the Bistro can continue to offer good service, local food options and a clean dining space, it will be very popular amongst brewery district residents. I am certainly excited to see the renovations completed. read more

Great atmosphere at the Backstage Bistro, everything else is mediocre to me. It is in a beautiful old brick building with lots of class, old looking wood, good mood lighting and plenty of space. It makes you feel comfortable while eating, drinking, and/or waiting for a show. The bar area is nice, but why no draft beer at all? They were out of several beer selections and didn't seem current on the seasonals. I feel like the drinks are anywhere from a little to a lot overpriced. $10 for a glass of Brothers Drake mead is uncalled for. The menu is pretty compact, which is a good thing. You won't get paralyzed by choice here. I ordered a buffalo chicken wrap which is a pretty good dish. Unfortunately it was basically falling apart and the fillings were going everywhere. The kettle chips were good, but the bleu cheese dressing was uninspired. On the service side, I really enjoyed the company of the waitress and bartender however the bartender seemed grossly overworked. Being the only one behind the bar, he struggled to keep up and it wasn't a very busy night either. read more

i started going there for alittle morning eye opener. Crimson coffee, and scones from local bakers. Then it was lunch; the stew is to die for, hearty!! Sauted olives and bread are outstanding. So far everything I've tried has been really fresh and prepared nicely. A dinner then a show afterwards is a great one stop night out. read more

Up Front Performance Space - A little Back Stage Bistro to warm the sole. - Cafes Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

See all

Bad food period. In addition, way overpriced as well. They even require that you give them a credit card before ordering. Name another restaurant that does that? Very unprofessional. As for the Brunch Punch thing, don't bother. I have seen better entertainment at a 6th grade talent show. On a side note: this establishment had my last review removed because they did not like constructive accurate criticism. My understanding is that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and review. That is what Yelp is about. This is not the only one star review on here! read more

I enjoy coming to this place for the atmosphere--it's a beautiful old brick building located in the Brewery District. The restaurant is pretty crowded about 1-1.5 hours before show time at Shadowbox, but if you come in and grab a table just as a show is about to start, no problem, in fact the place was empty by 7:30 on Saturday evening. Menu prices seem to be about average, however the menu selection is rather small, I think, due to the fact that some dishes are also prepared for the dinner theatre. The menu has a few pasta dishes, some pizzas, and some sandwiches. I will say the crostini are always good. I love the partitioned off dining area--the wispy curtains add a touch of romance and seclusion to the place, making it a great date spot. The bar area is nice and has gorgeous large windows looking out to Front St. If I recall correctly, the drink menu is fairly large. All in all, nothing stand-out when it comes to the food, except for the crostini. But would be a fun place to grab a drink with friends or a date. read more

I adore this place. Delicious food, well-poured drinks, friendly staff, and great live music. I've been here a handful of times both before Shadowbox shows and for other events and I've never been disappointed. All of the food I've tried is fantastic and relatively reasonably priced. If I had one complaint it would be this: There is not much in the way of seating on nights before shows, it gets really, really packed. So if you want quiet and intimate, go someplace else. read more

Great entertainment, Sangria, and food!! The drag brunch is awesome! Great entertainers who don't take themselves too seriously. I've been twice and they had national level entertainment both times. read more

Last night my girlfriend and I went to World of Beer with my brother and sister-in-law to watch an OSU football game. About an hour after we got there a nice young woman came over to out table and handed us a menu from Backstage Bistro and said she would be back to take an order if we were hungry. We were hungry! So when she came back we ordered nachos and a 10 inch pizza. The young woman brought our nachos first and they were pretty okay but when she brought the pizza it was completely burnt black. my girlfriend and I both took one bite and had no desire to eat sny more. I walked to Backstage Bistro to let them know IMMEDIATELY after receiving the burnt pizza and they were closed. Called them with no answer (probably because they were closed) and the young lady never returned to our table. It's like they dropped the terribly burnt pizza and ran. We will not be ordering from them ever again. It's a cool idea and a great service that they offer for the hungry customers at WOB but that situation was pretty unpleasant and not inexpensive. read more

I've wandered in here to eat a couple times, but both times it was completely empty so I ordered my food to go. I also order it on occasion when I'm drinking next door at World of Beer. It's pretty mediocre. The pizzas are consistent, which is to say, underwhelming. The steak sandwich I had was chewy and pretty gross. I give it 3 stars because it's the definition of average. Nothing is particularly good about this place. I only get it on occasion when I'm drunk and hungry and it's the easiest thing available. read more

The food here is just okay. The crostinis are very good but the salads are TERRIBLE and honestly how do you mess up a salad? The sandwiches are okay as well. read more

Nice little bar. Good beer selection. They have a nice little patio outside where u can sit and drink. It was dead on a Saturday afternoon (7/20) and since we were visiting from Los Angeles we thought it would be cool to sit outside and the nice weather. Unfortunately, I had to move inside when there were three people who came out to smoke on the patio. Very unattractive. One of them appeared to be an employee because she came in a short time after we did and went behind the bar to help herself. Not cool to inhale cigarette smoke while you're outdoors. I'm assuming they don't enforce the no smoking rule? Anyways, I would return again, but this wasn't a good first impression. (Review has been reposted to show the correct business which is presented by, and the same building as, Shadowbox Live) read more

This place is hip but in a good way. I mean they're trying, but they're succeeding. Urban Jazz Coalition played tonight and they were fantastic. Can't speak to food, but... next time... read more

While I was originally a little disappointed that we were going to the Bistro for lunch since I was starving and knew they hadn't yet opened their full menu/lunch, I still wanted to go. I just decided I would probably get a cookie and then get lunch on the way home but even without their full lunch menu there was no need! A berry smoothie accompanied by a bacon & swiss scone (recommended by the lovely baristas) turned out to be a perfect lunch even for an already hungry stomach. The reasonable prices and perfect portion sizes or baked goods available make this new place an ideal stop for some coffee or a light lunch with others or by yourself. Like most nice coffee shops, Bistro is a comfortable place to dine, sip or sit by yourself. You can grab a "Columbus Alive!" magazine off of the counter by the door and sit by the large window to read or sit at the bar and engage baristas in some conversation. They have all been more than happy to explain what is going to happen to the space being renovated. Of course the Bistro is part of the new Shadowbox Live space so the mentioned renovations are going on right now in the building (Worly) and even right by the coffee counter. Surprisingly though, there have been no loud noises or crashing when I have been in there and there is usually a large canvas curtain hiding any ongoing construction. They may say "pardon our dust" but I have seen no dust to pardon! Many of the baristas are actually part of the show (if you've been to the show you probably noticed everyone in the show does everything) so you might recognize them. Though if it's someone in the band then you might not see the same bold wardrobe and makeup. Don't be surprised if you occasionally notice someone looking slightly confused walking in and looking for CD101 since the local radio station recently moved out of the space. If it does happen you'll get the additional chance to notice the people behind the bar are more than helpful and polite and willing to answer questions. If you are worried about parking, don't be. There is plenty of street parking as well as a garage for the location. The site has more information about where to park but if you know the area or have trouble finding it (once you visit a couple times you will be able to confidently spot it. I am notorious for parking in a garage I know rather than in the closest and correct location.) there are plenty of other nearby garages. Just make sure they allow outside parking or as mentioned before, feel free to feed the meter or go on a Sunday when street parking is free! If you don't have change on you, the meters around this part of the Brewery District have the feature where you can pay with your card so no worries. If you work in any of the buildings close by then especially try the Backstage Bistro out but even if you don't, I strongly suggest this new place for lunch or coffee. Whatever you decide to get when you go there, consider grabbing a cup of Crimson Cup coffee or some tea on the way out! They have everything you want to dress up your drink (nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, etc.) and a Rogue Bakery cookie to take home! My point of this long review is that you wont be disappointed if you stop in and you should stop in! read more

Though I still have yet to visit Shadowbox, I had the opportunity to try the food at Backstage Bistro when I was consuming some adult beverages at World of Beer. I have to say - the food is slightly mediocre, and it took about 30 minutes to actually get it. But the reason I'm writing an extremely positive review of this place? The customer service. After waiting for a long time for some seemingly simple pizzas, someone from Backstage Bistro approached our table - proactively! - to say there was a mix-up in the kitchen, and our pizzas weren't made. Before we even had a chance to complain, she was not only honest about the mistake and apologized, but gave us three passes for a future Shadowbox show (a $30 value - not bad). Everyone is entitled to mistakes - it's how you handle those mistakes that sets you apart. And for this reason, Backstage Bistro just made a HUGE fan out of me. Thanks for the valuable customer service lesson. read more

Came in for brunch today. The Bartender was our server and she did a good job. Unfortunately the food was extremely cold. We had French toast with sausage, French toast with bacon and a Tex mex omelet. The omelet was adequate but not worth 22.00! Both orders of French toast were ice cold and so was the bacon and sausage. It tasted as though the bacon and sausage were cooked either early that morning or the day before and put in the refrigerator. Then today it was just set out, because when you bit into the sausage it was very cold. The only saving grace was the fruit that came with the French toast was very good. Will not be returning. read more