The iconic neon sign outside of Hubbard Bar and Grille illuminates the Short North. Credit: Courtesy of Abby Greene
Although the appearance of the Short North has changed dramatically since 1924, certain locations like the Hubbard Bar and Grille have preserved the authenticity of the time period in a uniquely modern way.
Opened in 2010, Hubbard Bar and Grille offers a constantly evolving menu of American cuisine to the Columbus community. The restaurant preserved aspects of the original automotive company that inhabited the building in the ‘20s, and coupled with contemporary accents, it cultivates a distinct atmosphere with both historical and modern touches.
“You can get everything, from something simple like a light appetizer or happy hour, and then you can get a nice steak or seafood dish — something for everybody,” Abby Greene, marketing director for Taste Hospitality Group — of which the Hubbard Bar and Grille is a part — said.
The most recent addition to the menu is a $5 happy hour special from 4-6 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and on Sundays.
“$5 will get you a flatbread — we’re offering those — and then a couple appetizers and drink specials, and also we’re doing $10 bottles of wine,” Greene said.
Although the menu rotates, Green said staple items have remained unchanged, including famed brussel sprouts and burgers.
Tyffany Connery, general manager of Hubbard Bar and Grille, described the restaurant as a monument of the city.
“We’re one of the few that has been here for a while. I think that’s our crowning jewel in a sense, that we have become a landmark staple to the Short North,” Connery said.
Hubbard Bar and Grille is a “landmark staple” in Columbus not only for its established status, but a its building’s history dating back to the 1920s, according to Urban Order Architecture. The original building housed an automotive showroom called Winders Motor Sales company, according to the restaurant’s website.
While the restaurant didn’t encounter any major issues in its formative years, it experienced foreseeable challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Greene said. She said despite the setbacks, Hubbard Bar and Grille adjusted to the best of its ability.
“I think we did adapt to the changes,” Greene said. “We had some fun, little different to-go options, and people could get drinks to-go, too.”
Greene and Connery said they hope to cater to larger audiences in the future while continuing to elevate the restaurant.
“Keeping up still with the times, we’re excited about launching this new happy hour menu and introducing some new menu items, keeping the classic favorites,” Greene said. “We mentioned we’re looking to do some updates to the look of the place.”
Connery said the combination of old and new elements help create the restaurant’s appeal.
“It’s that nice, happy marriage with the historical American aspect to the restaurant, with bringing the Short North energy of Columbus,” Connery said.
