Welcome to Service Bar at Middle West Spirits
At Service Bar at Middle West Spirits, a gem in Columbus, Ohio, craft meets comfort. This cocktail bar and restaurant masterfully blends New American cuisine with Italian influences, embodying an elevated yet unpretentious dining experience. The menu, featuring large and small plates, showcases local ingredients and standout dishes like the Crispy Calabrian Chicken Sandwich and vegan specials that rotate weekly. Patrons rave about the expertly crafted cocktails made from on-site distilled spirits. With a chic ambiance and attentive service, Service Bar is the perfect spot for a cozy dinner or lively date night, igniting joy through flavorful dishes and welcoming vibes.
- 1230 Courtland Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 Hotline: (614) 947-1231
Welcome to Service Bar at Middle West Spirits, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, at 1230 Courtland Ave. This charming cocktail bar, known for its New American cuisine, seamlessly merges a rustic yet chic atmosphere with a vibrant culinary experience. With a capacity to accommodate around 50 guests, Service Bar offers an intimate setting that strikes the perfect balance between casual dining and elevated indulgence.
At the helm is Chef James, whose creative flair has invigorated the menu, delivering fresh, locally sourced dishes that entice the palate with Italian-inspired flavors. The menu features an impressive array of both large and small plates, showcasing seasonal ingredients and imaginative preparations.
- LARGE PLATES highlight the Tuscan Braised Pork Cheeks, meltingly tender and paired with capers and Boursin cheese polenta for a rich experience at $24. The standout Middle West Burger comes laden with Black Hawk Farms beef and black garlic truffle aioli—an absolute must-try at $20.
- SMALL PLATES like the Pastrami Smoked Trout and Duck Fat French Fries present flavorful bursts of creativity, offering something delightful for every palate, all priced accessibly.
- For dessert, spoil yourself with the Sticky Toffee Pudding or the decadent Gjetost Cheesecake, both of which cap off the meal beautifully.
What truly sets Service Bar apart is its dedication to crafting memorable cocktails using spirits distilled on-site. Customers rave about the bourbon flights, offering an exploration of flavors that showcases the artistry behind Middle West Spirits. The Old Fashioned, crafted from their in-house bourbon, is a crowd favorite, embodying the bar's ethos of quality and creativity.
The ambiance at Service Bar is another highlight—think chic and moody with a sprinkle of whimsy, ideal for date nights or casual gatherings with friends. The interior design combines elegance with a friendly vibe, making it the perfect backdrop for a joyful dining experience.
But don’t just take my word for it. Diners like Greg M. and Jenny Z. have shared their delightful experiences, especially praising the attentive service and the atmosphere that allows for easy conversation amidst subtle music.
Whether you’re here for the vibrant cocktails, the seasonal dishes, or the welcoming atmosphere, Service Bar at Middle West Spirits promises an unforgettable dining experience. Make your way here, and indulge in the culinary creativity Columbus has to offer!

Came in on a Friday night before heading over to the Short North Theater to see Rocky Horror Picture Show (which was most excellent!). Was immediately seated at table 42, the best seats in the house! Everyone was very friendly and the service was fast. We had the Curry Fried Quail and the Beef Neck Ragout. Never had fried quail, but it was okay. Tasted like dark meat chicken. The Sweet Potato Waffles and bourbon syrup were excellent. The pasta was also good. I think they are doing themselves a disservice by calling the dish 'Beef Neck'. Who the hell wants to eat a cow neck? Regardless, the meat was very tender and reminded me of a beef short rib, without the bone. Before any of this I tried the two bourbon flights. Had both the Founders Flight, which are all run of the mill blended 80 proof or so spirits, and the Cask Strength Flight, which is the really good stuff, each one checking in around 125 proof. Each flight had a bourbon, a whisky and a rye. Ended up liking the rye best and bought a couple of bottles to bring home. The ambiance is a casual chic, decked out mostly in black and white. Bar area seats about a dozen and the rest of the restaurant holds another 30 or so, so not a big place. They have a gift store where you can buy everything they sell. There were a few whisky's even better than their Cask Strength that you can try. I ended up buying one of those too.

We celebrated my wife's birthday with the family here. Cocktails were very good and the food. We had the vegan special and it was amazing (watermelon on top of avocado smashed, with lime and almonds) the flatbread was good too. With our group I think we tried everything in the menu. Great ambiance.

I think people in Columbus are stupid. Stupid for not making Service Bar far more popular now. Yes I know it had a famous chief pre-covid and he was great. But you are foolish not to give Chef James, who has been running the Kitchen for the last 8 months, a chance. I have attached the menu from June 2024, as well as some photos of the food, decor and the chef himself. Probably one of the best meals we have had this year. I had an Old Fashion made with the bourbon they distilled on site (I case you forgot Service Bar is a distillery as well as a bar/restaurant) and my wife had the Strawberry Fields cocktail. Both were excellent. For diner I had the glazed pork chop and she had the salmon. Again both were outstanding and generous portions. The menu prices struck me as very reasonable compared to other places with similar quality and style. Even more so once we tasted them! Our waiter was knowledgeable, attentive and professional. Not only did he personally know all of the dishes, but he could explain the ingredients in them as well. One of the best service experiences we have had in a long time. Parking was easy since after 5:30pm the largish shared parking lot it is pretty much dedicated to SB customers. The interior is elegant and tables well spaced out. I wouldn't call it "fine dining", but I would call it "elevated dining" which is exactly what we were looking for. We wanted a great atmosphere and wonderful food without having to get too dressed up. This fit the bill. It's the kind of place where they have music playing just loud enough, you can hear it, but you could easily have a normal conversation without it interfering or making you talk louder. All in all it was a fantastic night dining out and I hope Columbus embraces Service Bar once again. They deserve it. Highly recommended!

I tried Service Bar for the first a few days ago. What a cute date spot or place to grab dinner with the girls. The food and drinks were delicious! We tried the: espresso martini satan's whiskers tourist trap stuffed endive cups daily flatbread duck fat french fries middle west burger cedar plan salmon hanger steak seasonal sorbet (yuzu ginger and strawberry) Overall, a great dining experience and would 100% recommend!!

A perfect date night spot. Reasonably priced drinks, food and merchandise at the restaurant. I love the ambience and exterior a lot. There is also a few parking spots attached to the place which was super convenient considering the location! We ordered salad, burger and the pasta. I really wanted to try the lamb shank but it was sold out at the time, a little surprised since it was before 6P on a Saturday. My husband loves the burger and the fries was very very good! Amazing value for the pricing point. My pasta was also tasty but a little salty to my liking. The restaurant is super cozy. I do wish there is more spacing between tables since we can literally hear the whole conversation from the table next to us. Maybe I will ask for the booth next time. Overall we enjoyed it and will consider visiting again for a date.

We really enjoyed our visit to Service Bar. The restaurant is connected to a shared parking lot so parking is very convenient. The restaurant itself is small but the ambiance is lovely. They have a full service bar and excellent bourbon based cocktails. I'm not a huge bourbon fan, but I really enjoyed the cocktail (can't recall the name now). From the moment we walked into the restaurant, the service was fabulous. Our server was super friendly and informative. For appetizers, my wife and I shared their Caesar salad and the wings confit. The wings came with this sauce that had quite a nice kick to it--delicious. For the main course, we shared their lamb shank. It was delicious -- fall off the bone tender, and served on a bed of delicious mashed potatoes. I think the restaurant changes its menu seasonally, but I would definitely come here again to try some of their other offerings and their drinks!

What a treat. We came here for my FIL's birthday and was not let down. I have heard rave reviews about this place so I was very excited to try it out. We were welcomed when we walked in and were allowed to put our coats on a coat rack. Plenty of parking designed solely for the Service Bar which made it very convenient. There was an odd smell but it's likely due to the MidWest Spirits being produced in there. You get used to it. The service was fantastic. We started with the French fries and the wings. Both of them were great. We ordered a bottle of wine for the table. My BILs got the espresso martinis. They were a bit underwhelmed by the size but enjoyed them. They would have preferred them without bitters but they didn't have any problem enjoying them. For dinner, I ordered the pork chop and it was delicious! The pecan crust was a nice touch! I also got lucky being able to finish my MIL's last half of her burger and the leftover fries. Clearly, I came hungry and ready to eat. For dessert, we ordered the apple fritters which also was very good. Overall, this is a very nice restaurant. The ambiance is great. Perfect for a happy hour or date night with your significant other!

I had been wanting to try this spot and it did not disappoint. It is small inside but very chic, and they are making the spirits they craft their cocktails with in the next room which is cool. Our server was really fun, attentive, and helped explain the menu. There was six of us and we tried a plethora of cocktails and wine and they were all good. We started with the chicken wings and duck fat fries. Both of which were delicious. I shared the Caesar salad which sounded very unique but was absolutely awesome. For my meal I had the burger and it was delicious! At the table we also had the pork chop, the chicken sandwich and the linguini and clams and everyone raved about their dishes. For dessert we had the apple fritters and I finished with the flat white cocktail. Overall, everything was perfection and I would highly recommend this little spot

PSA - Service Bar has a new chef and you must try his food asap! This was a totally diff experience from last time I visited about a year ago. Next time anyone asks for a more upscale yet unpretentious dinner, this on my short list of recommendations. I love the ambiance... moody and vibey and elevated. The bar is a work of art in and of itself. The food is beautiful yet totally comforting. Elevated Midwest food with Italian inspiration. My favorite. The Duck Confit Gnudi blew me away and so did the Lamb Shank. Those are must orders. Pappardelle is my go-to Italian dish and this one was excellent. Handmade pasta that had the perfect texture. My friend Rosalie and I had a full-blown conversation about the noodles being "QQ" - a term originating from Taiwan that is basically the Asian version of "al dente." Soft, chewy and bouncy - but not mushy. These noodles were QQ. For starters, both the Lake Erie Rillettes (walleye) and Porchetta & Burrata Toast are worth trying and great for sharing. Cocktails are gorgeous and tasty - all using Middle West Spirits. We both loved the Oaxacan 75. Such a fun take on a French 75 with much more flavor and spice and complexity. Highly recommend you check them out. I went last year around this time, and this time was a different menu and experience! This will be such a cozy spot for the holidays.