What’s Up: Columbus sports bars to check out during Ohio State football away games

Ohio State football is gearing up for its first away game of the season, taking on the Michigan State University Spartans Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in East Lansing, Michigan. 

The matchup is exclusive to streaming service Peacock, making it difficult for fans who don’t have — or want to pay for — the platform to watch the game.

Check out these Columbus sports bars for some alternatives to watching Saturday’s matchup. 

Parlay Sporting Club + Kitchen (570 N. High St.) 

According to Parlay Sporting Club + Kitchen’s website, the bar offers VIP table reservations on game days. The private dining rooms — which include the Board Room, Crew Room, DJ Booth, OSU Room and Sky Lounge — can seat groups ranging anywhere from 8-30 guests and cost between $100-250 to reserve. 

According to the bar’s website, Parlay — which includes a full dinner menu, over 100 TVs and two patios — was named OpenTable’s “Diners’ Choice Award” winner in 2024. 

Parlay is open daily from 11-2:30 a.m.

Varsity Club Restaurant & Bar (278 W. Lane Ave.) 

Established in 1959, Varsity Club Restaurant & Bar offers a full menu that includes subs, burgers, pizzas and more. 

Varsity Club is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 11-1 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. 

R Bar Arena (415 N. Front St.) 

Though R Bar Arena may be best known for showing every Columbus Blue Jackets game, the downtown Columbus sports bar also contributes to Ohio State game days. 

According to its website, the bar offers a full menu that includes burgers, wraps, sandwiches, pizza and more, along with a rotating draft beer menu. 

R Bar is open 11-2:30 a.m. Monday-Friday and 12 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

Homage Bar (750 N. High St.) 

In September 2023, Homage, a Columbus clothing brand, opened its first-ever sports bar, Homage Bar — located inside the Graduate Hotel in the Short North. 

According to the Graduate Hotel’s website, Homage offers a sense of nostalgia, with vintage sports memorabilia and posters lining the walls. The bar also serves a full menu of both food and cocktails in the afternoon and evening, along with breakfast and coffee in the mornings. 

The bar is open 6 a.m. to noon and 5–11 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 6 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday-Saturday and 6 a.m. to noon and 5–11 p.m. Sunday. 

Saturn’s Sports Bar (1288 N. High St.) 

Saturn’s Sports Bar, according to its website, offers table reservations and drink specials — which includes $3 well drinks, $5 bottled beer and $25 pitchers and buckets — during Ohio State football game days. 

According to its website, Saturn’s also offers private room rentals, which include a private mini bar, three TV screens and access to over 30,000 games from classic systems such as Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Gameboy, Sega CD and Playstation 1.

The bar is open from 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday-Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Friday-Saturday and noon to midnight Sunday. 

Village Idiot (1439 N. High St.) 

“Following a brief closure over the summer, Village Idiot reopened in June with new hours of 3 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. everyday, according to an Instagram post from the bar.”

The bar also offers earlier hours depending on Buckeye football kickoff times, which can be found on its Instagram page.