CBUSGuide
Where To Eat & Drink Before A Columbus Crew Game
photo credit: Maria Siriano
Presented by
Chase
There are plenty of great places to eat near Lower.com Field and in the Arena District, and none of them involve “meat Twinkies”—we still love you Betty’s Bar. That means you can tear into a cheesesteak while walking down Nationwide Boulevard towards the stadium, or drink an IPA and snack on a big pretzel at a brewery in the hours leading up to kick-off. So, get your friends together, pick one of these spots, and go watch some grown men slide tackle each other.
Where To Eat & Drink Before A Columbus Crew Game is presented by Chase®.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Wario's Beef & Pork
Wario’s is an East Coast-style sandwich shop that’s your best option before a Crew game. They do a tight menu of six subs with no substitutions—no, really, they mean it (and please, don’t try and ask for ketchup on anything). The puffy semolina hoagie buns are what make these sandwiches so great. The must-order is The Steak Wario’s Way, in which that wonderful bread is topped with eight ounces of thinly sliced roast beef, plus grilled onions, house cheese whiz, provolone, and white american. No order is complete without the house spuds, which are smashed, crispy, salty, and totally perfect.
photo credit: Maria Siriano
If you’re trying to satisfy a huge, hungry, and indecisive group (lucky you!), come to North Market, which is just a 20-minute walk to the stadium. They have more than 25 vendors, so you can get tonkatsu ramen at Satori Ramen Bar, Tibetan dumplings at Momo Ghar, or Hot Chicken Takeover’s near-perfect fried chicken. You cannot leave without a waffle cone from the original Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream scoop shop, too. The Barrel & Bottle is also a great pregame spot where you can sip some local craft beer or glass of wine. Plus, you won’t have to wait in the unwieldy beer line at Lower.com Field.
photo credit: Maria Siriano
Moran’s in the Arena District is a good place to pregame with fellow Crew fans on their sunny patio. There’s plenty of space to hang out indoors as well, plus multiple flat screens, and an impressive draft list. Pair your beer with fried sauerkraut balls and spicy mustard, or the buttermilk-fried spicy chicken sandwich. Moran’s also stands out from other sports bars in town thanks to its generously sized salads, which are served in laughably large metal bowls. We like the one that comes with that same delicious fried chicken, or the spinach salad loaded with bacon and honey mustard dressing.
photo credit: Maria Siriano
Before joining the paradelike march to Crew stadium, you’ll want to visit Creole 2 Geaux for quick, affordable, and comforting New Orleans-style cooking. The casual spot is great for grabbing some sticky-sweet bourbon chicken to go, or sitting down with a quick bowl of gumbo and rice loaded with chunks of andouille sausage at the small bar. They also do great sandwiches you can house on the street during your walk—don’t miss their crispy catfish po’boy.
photo credit: MARIA SIRIANO
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The menus at so many hotel rooftop restaurants read the same, with sad hummus platters and overpriced calamari. You won’t find anything of the sort at Goodale Station. This spot at the Canopy By Hilton hotel has things like venison tartare, pan-seared scallops with dark chocolate mole, and a killer prime strip steak. It’s open later than many restaurants near the stadium, so head here to celebrate a Crew victory by the firepit drinking a Now You Seaweed cocktail with garlic-and-peppercorn roku gin and wakame.
Since opening nearly a decade ago, Land-Grant has become much more than just a brewery. Don’t get us wrong, it’s still a lovely place to drink a sour and watch a game on a big screen. But it’s also a community hangout with a dog-friendly beer garden and mini-golf, and during the colder months, a wintertime fun park with igloos and beer keg curling. The best part might just be their food trucks: Ray Ray’s Hog Pit and Mikey’s Late Night Slice. Ray Ray’s does incredible dry-rubbed baby backs, Texas-style brisket, and waffle fries, while Mikey’s serves thin-crust pizza that seems scientifically perfected to pair well with beer and fend off a hangover.
photo credit: Maria Siriano
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The decision about where to have brunch before a Crew game should start and end with Wolf’s Ridge Brewing. Go to the greenery-filled dining room for brunch dishes like steak and sunny eggs and their toad in the hole with fluffy brioche that’s stuffed with eggs and topped with beer-cheese sauce. They have a more casual taproom that’s solid too—there are old-timey, factory-style windows, communal tables, and shareable plates like big pretzels, crispy truffle fries, and pierogies.
