Open air food & faire
By Steve Croyle |
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Frog Bear & Wild Boar - Everything to Everyone
It's hard to define Frog Bear & Wild Boar. Hit up the bar around midnight on the weekends and the patio turns into an outdoor nightclub with dance beats echoing off of the arena and surrounding buildings on Nationwide Boulevard and Front Street. Stop by in the afternoon, and it's a breezy patio where you can grab some food and drinks with your buds. On game days it becomes a giant tailgate party.
The patio at Frog Bear Wild Boar in the Arena District
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Live music is standard on the weekends and a lengthy happy hour keeps a steady crowd coming in on weeknights. It can be crowded and loud, probably not the place to take mom and dad when they come to visit and certainly not the right vibe for a romantic date. Some would call it a singles bar, but it's not one of those icky "meat markets" where the smell of Axe body spray overwhelms the senses. Think of it as a party. The vibe might change based on what's going on downtown, who's taking the stage or the time of day, but it's always casual and up-tempo, with a good mix of people.
Frog Bear & Wild Boar's patio is situated just outside of Nationwide Arena's front doors, giving patrons the perfect vantage point to talk a little pregame smack with opposing fans (Keep it friendly, folks. This isn't Lane Avenue). The patio's business remains brisk even when the temperature dips a bit. They have a respectable beer selection, including a couple of craft brews and an assortment of imports, moderately priced pub grub, and a solid service staff that doesn't forget about the outdoor patrons. They've got a full bar and all the mixed drinks you'd expect. Of course, the main draw is the patio, sitting right behind that big neon sign. It's right in the middle of everything and it seamlessly becomes whatever the people on it want it to be.
Frog Bear & Wild Boar
343 N Front St.
(614) 224-9581
www.frogbearbar.com
Haiku: Poetic Food and Art - Feng Shui, al Fresco
Haiku's inviting, Japanese garden-inspired patio draws in people who might otherwise walk by. The outside seating area is bigger than a lot of the dining rooms you'll find in the Short North and it occupies a prime piece of real estate that fronts High Street.
Haiku's serene patio in the Short North
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Seating is first-come, first-served, and patrons will readily pass on immediate availability in the dining room to wait 30 or 40 minutes for a table to open up outside. Unlike most patios, Haiku can readily accommodate large groups.
In spite of the number of seats and the proximity to High Street, each table manages to feel somewhat private. A large pergola is outfitted with screens to take the edge off the sun's rays, and a koi pond with a soothing waterfall sits in the middle of what is best described as an oasis.
Haiku prides itself on sushi that is consistently rated as the best in Columbus, and the staff is known for providing excellent service that is not diminished when you opt to sit outside.
Haiku: Poetic Food and Art
800 N High St.
www.haikupoeticfoodandart.com
M - Not your average patio.
M is Cameron Mitchell's marquee restaurant located on the first floor of 2 Miranova Place, a swanky high-rise development on the southern edge of downtown Columbus. The accolades have been well documented. M is a high-end eatery that, if we're being honest, a lot of people perceive to be intimidating.
Cameron Mitchell's M at Miranova Place
Photo: Christopher Atwood
When I called to investigate, I found the staff to be very engaging. M takes reservations for the patio, which can be made well in advance. The restaurant doesn't impose a dress code, so my "friend" who lives in jeans and a T-shirt would be more than welcome - even though the decor and the attire chosen by the rest of the patrons might make one dressed too casually feel a little self-conscious.
The patio sits on the southwestern bank of the Scioto River, providing diners with a panoramic view of downtown Columbus. The building does a great job of stifling the road noise coming from Interstate 70. You might hear an occasional train rolling along the tracks across the river, see a bicyclist drift by on the adjacent trail, or catch a glimpse of a heron swooping down to the nearby dam for a snack.
Seating is rather plush for a patio. Wicker lounge chairs are outfitted with big cushions making it really easy to linger, which is fine: M is not the sort of place that's in a hurry to turn over tables.
M
2 Miranova Place, Suite 100
www.matmiranova.com
Originally Published: July 1, 2009
