Out-r-Inn, located on High Street by north campus, was voted the best campus bar by Lantern readers. Credit: Christian Harsa | Asst. Photo Editor
Right past the corner of High Street and Frambes Avenue, a flock of excited people dressed in green was carefully filtered by a busy staff. The blasting music was welcomed by the customers and employees alike. Masks were up, but laughter and smiles were easily inferred as St. Patrick’s Day was duly celebrated at Out-R-Inn.
Serving customers since 1969, Out-R-Inn is held up by the same bricks and wood that supported the bar at its opening. Scribbles adorn the walls, serving as visual reminders of decades of memories made in the historic bar.
In 2021, Out-R-Inn was named best campus bar by Lantern readers. Despite mainly serving students, the bar has plenty of regulars from all walks of life leaning against its counters. Billy Parrott, a former Ohio State student who has been a bartender at Out-R-Inn for seven years, said he can recall still his first few trips to the bar as a student.
The bar reopened March 3 after a two-month closure, according to the bar’s Instagram. Mason Darnell, a 2020 alumnus and Out-R-Inn regular, said the bar did a great job of connecting to its customer base through social media during the pandemic. The bar is highly active on its Instagram, boasting more than 2,700 followers.
Parrott said following COVID-19 guidelines slows the serving pace, but longer wait times have not made patrons any less excited to come back to Out-R-Inn.
“We used to get busy at 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock at night and get crushed up,” Parrott said. “Now it’s more just a steady flow the whole time.”
The bar is currently open from Wednesday to Saturday each week. Parrott said people miss their Sunday and Monday “Mug Nights” — during a normal year customers can receive highly discounted beer refills after paying $2 for a full Out-R-Inn beer mug — but can find comfort in the $2 double well night on Thursday where customers can get two mixed drinks for $2.
Darnell said his first visit to Out-R-Inn was for Mug Night, and the presence of Sicilia Pizza and PJ’s Grill nearby completes the experience.
“It’s a very nice little spot over there,” Darnell said.
Parrott said the community built at the bar helps him overcome the stress and fatigue of a busy day.
“We’re almost like a family at this point,” Parrott said.
Familial spirit also encompasses regular customers, and Parrot said he can recognize about 80 percent of the people coming in, making work more exciting.
Amanda Wilt, a 2020 Ohio State alumna, said she loved going to the bar during her college career when she wanted to have casual and fun moments.
“There were a lot of people my age there all the time, it was always just fun to see who you would run into and who you would have a conversation with,” Wilt said. “You can end up in an hour-long conversation with a kid that you had like one class with your freshman year.”
Parrott said Out-R-Inn strictly sticks to its 21-year-olds-only policy, making the experience at Out-R-Inn more special as students turning 21 years old are excited to head to Out-R-Inn after years of waiting.
“Campus can change, Columbus can change, but Out-R-Inn is always gonna be a home away from home for everybody,” Parrott said.
