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    Eat Right: 10 Restaurants Where It’s More Fun to Sit at the Bar

    At these 10 restaurants, grabbing a meal at the bar can often be even more fun than sitting at a regular table or booth. Eating at the bar often makes for a livelier and more relaxed dining experience. Plus, you have the opportunity to watch the bartender in action shaking those craft cocktails. Dinner and a show, anyone?

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    Barcelona
    263 E. Whittier St. 
    The German Village eatery’s fabulous oak bar dates back to 1907, when the Whittier Street building originally opened as a tavern. These days, the bar is a lovely seating option during the months when it’s too cold to dine on the patio.

    CBC Restaurant
    525 Short St. 
    This classic bar and grill offers plenty of bar seating, with a large horseshoe shaped bar. It’s a fun place to perch and, for those solo diners, makes for great people watching.

    The Crest Gastropub
    2855 Indianola Ave., 621 Parsons Ave.
    The bars dominate the spaces at both locations of The Crest, and both offer a fun peek at the hustle and bustle of the kitchens.

    Due Amici
    67 E. Gay St. 
    Thanks to chic under-lighting, the bar at Due Amici literally glows. This warm and cozy bar is the perfect place to settle in for a leisurely meal.

    Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus
    161 N. High St. 
    Elevator is housed in a historic building dating back to 1897, once home to Bott Brothers’ Billiards. You can still sit at the original hand-carved, hand-split Philippine mahogany bar, where you’ll want to ogle the painstakingly restored décor (including lots of stained glass, a mosaic tiled floor and deco painted ceilings) while you wait for your food.

    G. Michael’s Bistro & Bar
    595 S. Third St. 
    The bar side at G. Michael’s can sometimes feel like a completely different restaurant than the dining room side! So if you’re in the mood for a quiet, romantic dinner date, you’ll want to make reservations for the dining room. If you’re down for a more laid-back dining experience, grab a couple of seats at the bar and order from the fantastic small plates menu.

    Service Bar
    1230 Courtland Ave.
    It’s been hard to secure reservations on weekend nights at Service Bar, the hot new restaurant attached to Middle West Spirits’ Short North distillery. Luckily, first-come, first-serve seats are always available at the bar. You’ll love watching Chef Barua’s inventive dishes come out from the kitchen.

    The Top Steakhouse
    2891 E. Main St. 
    The throwback steakhouse’s regular bar is great, but if you’re really lucky you can snag a seat at The Top’s piano bar. The curvy seating area offers an up-close and personal evening with that night’s live pianist (and usually a fun conversation with longtime Top regulars).

    The Worthington Inn
    649 High St., Worthington
    The best part about dining at The Worthington Inn’s bar is the chance to order from the Pub menu. The Inn’s chefs tend to be more playful with the Pub offerings than on the more formal dinner menu. Two must-order dishes are the Steamed Pork Buns with Char Siu pork belly, pickled cucumber and hoisin; and the Lights Out Burger with Ohio grass-fed beef, applewood-smoked bacon, sharp cheddar, tobacco onions, arugula, tomato and BBQ sauce.

    Zoe Cafe
    2376 E. Main St., Bexley
    Zoe has an amazing bar that looks out over Bexley’s busy Main Street. In the summer, the wall of windows can be opened completely for an unparalleled indoor-outdoor dining experience.

    dine-originals

    Dine Originals Columbus celebrates, supports and promotes the culinary diversity that locally owned and operated member restaurants contribute to the identity and culture of our city. The nonprofit group is committed to strengthening the local economy and enriching the community through education and charitable partnerships.

    A limited quantity of Dine Originals restaurant gift certificates are sold at 30% off face value each quarter. They can be purchased at doc.instagift.com/discount-sale.

    For more information, visit dineoriginalscolumbus.com.

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    Shelley Mann
    Shelley Mannhttp://www.umamicolumbus.com
    Shelley Mann is the executive director of Dine Originals Columbus, a nonprofit group that celebrates, supports and promotes independently owned restaurants in Central Ohio. She's also the founder of Umami Consulting, a company that provides marketing and public relations support for local, independent restaurants in Columbus.
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