For many sports fans, Urban Meyer’s name is associated with an illustrious football coaching career. Soon, it could evoke thoughts of hearty food and craft brews.
Urban Meyer’s Pint House officially opened its doors Friday and seeks to appeal to Ohio State’s more mature audience with a distanced location from campus in Dublin, Ohio; a menu that is more centered on food than drinks; and a casual atmosphere.
The restaurant, located in the former RAM Restaurant & Brewery space in Dublin’s Bridge Park, is an ode to Meyer, the former Ohio State head football coach, who partnered with development company Corso Ventures owner Chris Corso to open the location.
The space is filled with big screens broadcasting a mix of state and national sports, pictures of Meyer, his awards and trophies, and memorabilia that Meyer acquired during his seven-year career at Ohio State.
“When Corso Ventures approached me with this unique opportunity to partner with their elite restaurant and hospitality team on a Pint House in Bridge Park, it was a no brainer,” Meyer said in a press release. “Not only does Urban Meyer’s Pint House allow me to stay attached to the central Ohio community, but it will also make the perfect space to host events supporting our foundation.”
Anthony Blakeman, manager of Urban Meyer’s Pint House, said the bar will provide a venue for The Urban and Shelley Meyer Fund for Cancer Research.
Corso Ventures also owns Forno Kitchen + Bar, Standard Hall, Food Hall, Goody Boy Diner and Short North Pint House, all located in the Short North.
Blakeman said he expects the restaurant to be the favorite spot of Ohio State alumni, parents and fans who don’t want to party with the college kids on game days. Blakeman said this location seeks to appeal to a different subset of Buckeye fans than Corso Ventures’ bars in the Short North.
“This isn’t gonna be some party like it is in the Short North — we’re trying to give Dublin something subtle,” Blakeman said.
The bar offers a wide range of craft beer options as well as an extensive menu featuring customer favorites from Corso Ventures’ locations, Blakeman said.
Featured dishes include white and margherita pizza from Forno Kitchen + Bar, the stuffed avocado from Goody Boy Diner and wings from Standard Hall, according to the restaurant menu.
The 8,500-square-foot restaurant is twice the size of the Short North Pint House, Blakeman said. The ample room allows for a dining space, bar, patio and private event space and dining area named the 7-0 Room to commemorate Meyer’s famous record over the University of Michigan.
The 7-0 Room houses a booth that is always reserved for Urban and Shelley Meyer, who live down the street from the restaurant and are expected to regularly stop by to watch games or grab dinner, Blakeman said. In addition to hosting events for The Urban and Shelley Meyer Fund, Blakeman said the space can be used for bachelor parties, birthday parties and even fashion shows.
Robert Fiorita, a University of Michigan graduate who lives in Dublin and has two sons who attended Ohio State, said he plans to go to Urban Meyer’s Pint House with his wife on game days to cheer on the Buckeyes.
“We live right in the area, so we thought we’d come down and check it out,” Fiorita said. “We are very much a house divided, but we love Ohio State when they’re not playing Michigan.”
During the Buckeyes’ off-season, Blakeman said he expects the space to be filled with Browns, Blue Jackets and Crew fans.
“This is 100 percent [Meyer’s] spot, and he has full rein of whatever he wants,” Blakeman said.
Urban Meyer’s Pint House is open 3 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday. The restaurant is located at 6632 Longshore St. in Dublin’s Bridge Park.