Plank's Bier Garten   

888 S High St
Columbus, OH 43206
614-443-4570

Directions   Email   Send to Cell  

This German-inspired open air watering hole opened a few years before America's last war with die Deutchland. In the six decades since, it's become home to successive generations of amateur athletic teams and arguably the first place in Columbus to offer patio dining. With a surplus of beer, breeze and Plank's ever-popular pizza, the large (and covered, because the owners know Ohio weather) courtyard is an ideal adult party spot. Those willing to sit down with a plate can grab old-school appetizers like garlic cheese bread and onion rings, a selection of healthy salads and Dagwood sandwiches with choice of cheese and meat and topped with coleslaw and fries. The "Willy" burger, named after founder Willy Plank, is a favorite, as are the authentic bratwursts. The dark woodwork of the interior -- festooned with photos of Woody Hayes and other OSU oldies -- seems almost untouched by time. You almost expect the long-departed gridiron warhorse to come striding around a corner. Not to worry, though: the beer selection is decidedly 21st century. -- Sandra Gurvis