The name may seem strange, but the concept is quite familiar. Ethyl & Tank, located at 19 East 13th Avenue on the campus of The Ohio State University, is poised to fully open this February. It’s a combination bar/restaurant/café/arcade, a formula that should sound familiar to fans of recently-opened 16-bit Bar+ Arcade.
What will set Ethyl & Tank apart, however, is the attention that will be paid to the food. The menu will feature southern-influenced dishes, like pork rinds, burgers, and catfish, among other country-style offerings. Dishes should cost anywhere between $2-$12.
Specifically, Ethyl will be the coffee side of the operation. Owner Ali Alshahal, who’s also behind Fourth Street Patio Bar & Grill and Crest Gastropub, and his team will serve espresso, pour overs using a state-of-the-art Chemex machine, and a selection of fine coffee drinks from beans ground and brewed on-site.
Tank refers to the drink. The two-level spot will carry about 20 taps, serving both local and favorite brews. The multiple room layout means there’s a separate space for the arcade room, which will be packed with classic games like Mortal Kombat, Ms. Pac-Man, and Terminator 2.
The interior of Ethyl & Tank was completely refurbished with the assistance of Opal Stackhouse, a local creative consulting firm that specializes in interior environments. The spot used to be home to both a pet store as well as Viking Beverages.
Ethyl & Tank opened their café for business today, and hope to open completely by the weekend. Their hours of operation will be 7am – 2am daily. Ethyl & Tank will be 21+ after 9pm nightly. For more on their progress, follow them at www.facebook.com/ethylandtank. Photos courtesy Ethyl & Tank.
