January 22, 2012
Stopped in here on a Sunday and it was hoppin.Service was average, the waiter took care of us but nothing out of the ordinary. The food was very good and the beer selection was slightly above average. For the newbie beer person this would be great. I would definately revisit for the food.

January 22, 2012
This place was a bit hard to find for us. We had parked down by the Cap and walked up. It didnt really align to where it was supposed to be on the maps. This could just mean we arent that bright. Hah! The interior rocks. Period. We went on a Sunday afternoon and had to wait a mere 15 minutes. The place is small and there is NO room to wait so I imagine it gets crowed at peak times. Our waiter, while friendly, was not overly attentive, but I think this is just how servers are in the Short North. To hip to be bothered. The food was fantastic. Not overly large portions. I had the Ranchero quesadilla and it was divine! I was not overly impressed with the beer list to be honest, but I guess I have just had too many beers at this point. They had the usual suspects. Stone. Barleys. Left Hand. Etc...If in the area I would definitely stop in, but probably wouldnt go out of my way to get there. I think I preferred Bettys overall.

January 16, 2011
This is one of the bar/restaurants that is owned by the same people who have Betty’s, Tip Top and Dirty Franks. These people know their stuff. This is a small place, like all places in Short North. Its hard to find, but they have parking off to the side which is very convenient for the area. Rock-a-billy is the best way I can describe the decor here. There are crazy chandeliers, cattle skulls, and scorpion print wallpapers. Its mostly black and red throughout. The taps are right at the end of the bar. Obviously they rotate but I have seen selections from Barleys, CBC, Great Lakes and some of the other usual Ohio beers, some Founder’s, Bell’s and some interesting Belgians you dont seen too often like Piraat. This place has a focus on female and organically brewed beers as well as Ohio brewed selections. The menu, like most of the other sister bars, features vegetarian and vegan options. The food menu isnt expansive (mostly wraps) but it is still all very good. This place has a lot of that edgy Short North charm to it. I enjoy visiting here and seeing what beers have rotated into their taps.

December 29, 2010
Small but happening restaurant with many great beers on draft. Nice regional, national, and international beer selections Beer prices teeter on high side. The menu is not huge but somewhat unique in its offering of comfort foods. You can get an entree, side and cupcake all served on an old school plastic lunch tray. The food is good. A nice combination of good food and a good beer selection

December 1, 2009
By far one of the best places to go. Sundays are great, weekdays are great, just good food and great beer.

November 16, 2009
I’d say this place rocks. Tons of beers on tap (15+?); not a lot of hoppy beers though. Great selection of food, service is great.

July 13, 2009
Being a new C-bus resident, I’d heard about this place as a local gem, famous for its good food, ’tude, and ambiance, but I didn’t recognize it as having a good beer selection until my wife dragged me into the place before the Doo-Dah parade in Columbus. For those familiar with Milwaukee, this place reminded me a lot of the Comet Cafe there. Sort of a hipster-crowd and a genre-bending atmosphere...sort of kitsch and saloon-y. The tap selection was good - maybe 15-20 beers on draft, with a pretty good representation of what’s available locally. I had a Columbus Brewing Co 90 Schilling, which tasted fresh and good. The food was OK; I seem to remember when I first heard about the place it was in reference to burgers (which they didn’t have) and cup-cakes (which my wife informed me were disappointing), but the menu is varied and eclectic. I just wanted a snack, and found the Frito Pie to be novel for a restaurant. Service was prompt and friendly (especially toward my toddler son, which I wouldn’t have expected), but we didn’t have a big conversation about beer. The beer menu was out of date (no longer matching what they had on draft) which is a personal pet-peeve of mine. Still, the experience was decent, and I’d go back when we’re in the Short North, although more likely I will make a case to hit Bodega.

May 20, 2008
Very very cool pub. This is obviously the happening place in town as far as good beer bars are concerned. I toured Columbus on a Wednesday night so most of the places were rather empty except for this one which was packed. Underground counter-culture vibe and crowd. Tap selection is quite acceptable with almost 30 taps although 2 or 3 of them are occupied by Miller and a few of its evil friends. I had a pint of Columbus 90 Schilling that I didn’t have the Columbus brewpub because I was too much in a hurry. Other interesting selection were BR Hop Rod Rye, Bell’s Tow-Hearted and more. The place has a front section that sits about 60 people and a back section behind a curtain that can fit another 30 or so. Alternative upbeat rock music at medium volume. I don’t know their weekly schedule but let me tell you that on a Wednesday night I witnessed the worst (and I mean THE WORST) stand-up comedy in the back section. So bad, so f***in bad that it was great. Imagine a dude pointing at his genitals and orifices with a flashlight without saying a word. I’m not shitting you. That bad. If was a local I’d go there every Wednesday night.

January 8, 2008
(Visited 03/2006): Surly Girl, which is an offshoot of the excellent Betty’s, is situated near the corner of High and 5th Street on the northern fringe of the Short North. Street parking is available in all directions. The atmosphere is really good, it employs a cowgirl kitsch. Deep maroon tones with candlelight, cowgirl art and a big chandelier make for a really cozy and eye-pleasing visit. The building is pretty narrow, with the bar along the left side and high tables in the front and right. There is also a stage area in the back where local bands regularly play. The beer selection is really good. They have around 25 taps, with a great variety. Brewers such as Bell’s, Rogue, New Holland and Avery are represented. They usually have one or two big beers like Southern Tier Jav-ah or Stoudt’s Double IPA on draught too. They only carry a couple bottled beers, and next to no imports though. Service here is friendly and efficient, and my visit was on a Monday night. Surly Girl has a pretty good array of foods from appetizers to entrees. The Chips & Queso and Surly Girl Salad were both very tasty. I will definitely try more of their grub when I visit again. All in all this place is fun with a great beer list, good food and live music. It is hard to find much wrong with an establishment like this.