Intimate venue to take in your favorite artists! You could hear and see everything. Plenty of service at the bar to fire off your favorite libation. Would definitely visit again =] 10/10 absoloodle read more

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This was my first visit to Skully's and I enjoyed it. It really does have a good vibe. It's small but has some nice sightlines and even some limited seating with no upcharge. The sound on the night I attended was excellent.However, I subtracted a star because this "Diner" doesn't serve food. C'mon guys! A late night snack would've been pretty awesome. read more

The atmosphere here holds real authentic music blasting through your ears- it only lives in this building. So much history here. You can plan your next event here! read more

This place had a great vibe and was a fantastic venue for the show I went to tonight with a group of friends. The staff also had great vibes- joking and chatting with concert attendees and getting into the music as much as the rest of us. The staff was also great sports when the band we were seeing did a conga line out of the venue and body surfed a band member up and down to and from the balcony level. As the concert was wondering down, I noticed how careful the bartenders and staff were about disinfecting and keeping the bars clean. Was a little disappointed when I found out that they don't do food anymore, but over all the experience was pretty great! I'll definitely check out this venue for events in the future! read more

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Oversold BoogieT last night! Even the employees were complaining about the amount of people inside the venue. Prior to the show, after all the tickets were sold out online, the promoters were messaging people to Venmo them $30 for a spot on "the list" to get in...that list was over 2 pages of names...completely unsafe and no fun to be sardined into that small of a venue, no room to dance whatsoever! read more

Great venue to catch some live music! Good beer selection, good service, and great vibes all around. I'd definitely come here again.

Visited this venue a handful of times now and have always had a great experience here. Quality sound, great service, good memories. Can't wait to be back. read more

I can't tell you how many times I've been to Skully's over the past decade, but I can assure you that it's more than just a few. The music venue is right off High St. in the middle of the Short North. It has the tiniest patio ever but when you walk inside it's bigger than you might think. In the front there's some seating, and a long bar that bends around the corner as you inch closer to the back of the building. As you make your way through you'll pass the nasty bathrooms on the right and the bar just follows you to the back, making drink access solid no matter where you are. Once you hit the dance floor you'll find the stage, which is small but it's the right size for the venue. It's cool to see an artist here if you're a big fan, because you can get really up close and personal with the entertainers. I don't think there's a bad view in the whole house. There's also a balcony and a bar up there too. If you don't want to be in the middle of a mosh pit or rowdy crowd this is the area for you. I've never had a problem with the service and the drink prices are average for this area of town. I will say that they don't allow re-entry (at least I've never been given that privilege) and there isn't a ton of parking nearby... although there is a small lot right next door. They host traveling dance parties like Orange Soda, throw their own Damn Girl dance party every third Friday of the month, and they always have a solid line up or artists... generally a little more underground but of all genres. If dancing and music is your thing, then you gotta catch a show at Skully's, it's a Columbus staple. read more

Went to a show here a couple months back and had an amazing time. For a small venue, the sound was incredible and there's more than enough room for everyone - even when the show is packed. You can either be in the crowd and close to the band or you can hang out on the balcony where you'll have more space and still a great view. The drinks were reasonably priced as far as concert prices go. The bartenders were quick and friendly and with both a downstairs and upstairs bar, you really don't have to wait to get service. As previously mentioned in other reviews, the bathroom situation isn't great. One door didn't lock and another stall didn't have a door at all but instead had a curtain. Regardless though, we will definitely be catching more shows at Skully's! read more

So, I've never eaten here. Ever. The photos don't help. It doesn't look appetizing ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I come here for shows. And I have for... decades. Halloween parties. CHVRCH. Ladies' 80's. Various dance nights. Drunken shenanigans of my youth. Random acts that fill the place with sound. They don't have the best sound, but they're better than a lot of the bars. They tend to land acts that sound great in their intimately sized venue - you can be front and center, or you can sneak out front and hear them crystal clear while you leave the crowd (if the crowd isn't in the front as well). Their questionable history of handling credit cards haunt them ("they over charge, add phantom drinks"), they've had employees call out questionable alcohol handling (check Reddit for stories). But as an entertainment venue? It's solid. It's a fun place. I'm hoping they outlast their rumors and the employees speak highly of the happenings here. read more

Had a blast at this place last night. Went to go see a metal show and can't wait to go back. The bar was open but nothing for food so I guess that's for smaller shows because it was packed last night. The sound quality was great and my wife said the drinks were delicious. I'll definitely be back for another show. read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I was shocked by how large this space was. I had driven past Skully's so many times and had heard about it a lot but never got the chance to come for any events until a Tuesday evening to see Pale Waves perform. The line outside was barely a line. Most people were inside since the performances started at 7 and we had arrived around 7:30. The people helping to check names, IDs, and give wristbands were not overly personable but they weren't rude. The girl giving wristbands did make a bit of some conversation about how cold her hands were. My friends and I had ordered our tickets as "will call", which meant that our names were on a list and we didn't have physical tickets. It was the cheapest option. Parking is not great here. There's a lot next to it but I'm not sure if it's theirs. Otherwise, parallel parking is your best bet. We didn't want to do the meters on High street, so we turned down a side street and found free parallel easily. It was almost an 8 minute walk to the venue. When we got in, it was dimly lit. The front area is the eating area. There were people sitting at the bar and others eating at the booths. Bathrooms are also to your right. Walking towards the back, there was another bar and a medium-sized room which is where the performances take place. It wasn't overly packed as we stood near the back and then later moved to the front by the left side of the stage. You can definitely get a good view from most anywhere if you get here early enough. They also have an upstairs area to stand as well. The mirrors on opposite ends of the walls was interesting. It made the place look a bit bigger. There were ledges on them on which people placed their jackets and empty cups. Overall, great venue! You can hear the music pretty well. Acoustics are still better at Newport, in my opinion, but I don't mind coming back for another concert! I can't speak for the service at the bar since I didn't order anything. Tickets seem to not be all that expensive. My ticket was less than $20 and I saw The Candesecents and Kailee Morgue open for Pale Waves. read more

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Awesome music venue Took an Uber to Skullys to see SMASH INTO PIECES from Sweden It was a packed house Great venue , Bartenders were great too Hoping they book more live bands ! read more

This place is terrible. They charge 5$ for water. That's really weird honestly. I was at an EDM show and they didn't allow re-entry (so people could go buy water at a corner store) I don't drink much but had sweat alot dancing. They really said I had to buy a 5$ water bottle! How shitty, petty, and greedy do you have to be to stoop that low??? I'll never give them a dime for the rest of my life and recommend nobody else does... But you're plenty welcome to go find out yourself how greedy and inhumane these a**hats are! I'm lookin forward to the day they go out of business honestly! read more

Rude bouncer. I showed him my ID and he refused to stamp my hand. I was confused and had to guess what he wanted from me. I showed him my ID for the 2nd time and then he stamped my hand and yelled at me. read more

The staff is rude. The bathrooms are dirty. Every time I've gone the drinks have been weak. So the last time I went, I ordered doubles just to get a real drink... 42$! Beware of the drink scam they charged me separately for my mixer! I go to support local musicians, I no longer support that venue. read more

I don't want what I read in other reviews to impact my opinion of this place, but I really wasn't impressed. For me, it was the service that really disappointed me. Again, I was there, photographing a concert and I can't say I was given the warmest welcome. I had just finished a long, labor-intensive day at my job, so I was pretty exhausted when I reported to shoot. I introduced myself and someone told me where to go (upstairs) to set up. No one escorted me or gave me any special direction. I went upstairs and told them that it was pitch black up there and I couldn't get to a central position to shoot. I was told that that section would not be opened up and that the lights would be off. I couldn't see a thing, so I had to use my flashlight to set up. I later told them that I needed a chair, instead of a stool, having had knee replacement surgery and suffering from dehydration. I wasn't given one. I asked for a glass of water and was given one. When I asked for a second, explaining that I was feeling dizzy (the air was stuffy up there), I was told that I would have to purchase water. I would gladly have paid for it, but I was taken aback to learn that the bartender was more concerned about the sale, than my health and safety. After speaking with the promoter that hired me about the setup, he became upset about the situation and made arrangements for me to get water frequently. Knowing that I couldn't go up and down the stairs and shoot the event, I was pleased to know that he took care of me. I also had to set the timer on my watch to remind me to run out and put more money in the meter, in the parking lot, so I wouldn't get towed. Being there for a concert, with a meter that expires after a few hours, its very easy for customer to forget. If a business owns a parking lot, parking fee should be a one-time thing. I didn't enjoy the experience and opted out of an offer to shoot there, weeks later for a different event. Normally I take gatorade with me to events to prevent dehydration, but I could see them telling me that I had to purchase their drinks. By the way, I'm not a cheapskate, but most venues are more than willing to accommodat me, knowing that I'm on assignment. Don't think I'll be going back. read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Super unique place. The bar tenders really hustle. It's intimate enough where you can watch the bands up close, but turn around and order a beer. I love skullys. read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Rev Horton Heat with my love - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I go hear a lot they play decent music . (From a worldly perspective) a good place to party if you like metal or themed nights. I went for the 70s and 80s and 90s events and I went a metal night . They play other music outside of metal depending on the themes . It's usually a decent amount of people. I don't like that they charge more for adults under 18 felt like I was paying way to much. The alcohol is decent priced I don't know if they have food or not. I mostly go for dancing the dance floor is nice . Good place to go in my opinion for worldly fun. read more

We were the only people eating. We were a little early for happy hour. That's okay as we weren't drinking anyways. I got onion rings and breaded mushrooms with garlic aioli. The mushrooms were great the breading was very light and flaky. The aioli was interesting, not my favorite. They would have been just as good served with ranch dressing. The rings were good even had a couple that had more than one onion in them. My man got the Skulky burger..."the best burger in town" with seasoned curly fries. The fries were good even without ketchup. He said it was "excellent and a damn good burger". read more

They attempted to steal my overnight bag the last time I was there and only gave it back because it had my emergency medical equipment in it. Shame on them! read more

Started coming here for Ladies 80s Thursday nights nearly a decade ago. Great scene - people from all age brackets, income levels, and parts of town come here to listen to DJ Chuckstar's musical stylings, which, of late, have included way too much non-eighties, but I am straying from the point. Excellent food served before 9 or so - brunch, lunch, and dinner. I have had burgers, hummus, french toast, nachos. One gal I worked with swore by the steak and eggs before dancing the night away. We've seen bands here on other nights. Good stage/ dance floor, patio out back for smokers, and cool little upstairs bar area for crowd watching. A Columbus gem. read more

I went there for the first time on a Sunday and they have live band reggae performances and that alone was worth 10 times what I paid to get in. People are litt and lively too. read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Live band performance - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Great venue with wonderful space for seeing intimate live shows. Bartenders are good too! Have seen several shows here over the years and always have a good time. Not sure if they still have food since Covid. read more

So I don't usually give a 2 score but I go to many concerts and many different venues in many different cities and this rating is right on point. First, the can make the check in process quicker for concerts by having more staff checking people in rather than just 2, since they are also checking vaccine cards. Check-in took a long time as tickets were all will-call, they should upgrade to electronic in order to speed up the process, it took and long time to get through the front door. The lay-out for concerts is not great. There is a wall on the left side which really blocks view and it makes it harder to get to the front and there is a smaller gap to get towards the stage. If the knocked out some of the wall on the left that blocks view and access to front area that would open the space up so much more so people can move around and have a good view if you are up front towards the door. The lay-out was bizarre to me. The sound was decent so that was the only reason I gave a 2 and not a 1. They really need to renovate and change the space to create a better experience for people who want to go to concerts. read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Me and Rich Aucoin - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I've been to Skully's twice! Once for House of Heroes around 2011, another more recently for Anamanaguchi! Both experiences were great! The bartenders are kind, and the stage is easy to see even if you are in the back. It's an overall cool venue and I always appreciate venues that do not charge for water when it is hotttttt! read more

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I haven't been to skully's in about a decade. I came recently for a concert and it looked just like I remembered. The venue is a decent size, drinks were good and the bartenders were friendly. read more

Much smaller than I thought it would be, but a typical bar venue vibe. I did like the outdoor area in the back that you can freely come and go from read more

Holy Fistbump, Batman, we aren't in LA anymore. It's Friday night. My first weekend out of LA in a long long time. So when my cousin (the local who is taking my sister, her girlfriend and I out on the town) asks us what we want to do after our bar crawl, the lil sis and I decide dancing is the way to go. We were concerned that my sisters paramour wouldn't make the cut as she is only 20, but the friendly bouncer assured us it was 18 and over and only 5 bucks. After the not-so-friendly boucer took our money, we walked into our first offical dance club in Ohio. Holy Shit. Lemme just put this out there....I am no stranger to hipsters. PBR, skinny jeans and tattoos are not deal breakers to me in anyway. I have shopped at American Apparel, I listen to indie rock, hell I even have had scene hair. However, I have never before seen what my eyes beheld this night. Hipster Douchebag hybrids. It's kinda like the girls from Jersey Shore had babies with (insert hipster band name here). And, I know it sounds like I'm talking shit....but it was ironically beautiful. As we shuffled our way to the dance floor, my sister (who is, in fact a big old lesbian hipster) turned to me in glee and shouted "Oh my GOD! They're FIST PUMPING!!!" That's right kids. I wanted to hate it. I wanted to pretend like I was appalled. But it was totally giggle inspiring. Fuck yeah. Columbus Shore up in this bitch. And it got so much better. While we were dancing to electronic breaks and beats, I glanced up to the stage and noticed something else that let me know I was a stranger in a strange land...There were 3 DJs. And I don't mean over the course of the night either. Three. At. The. Same. Time. And the best part about them were that, unlike all the djs I've seen in LA (and I've seen my share) these guys weren't just jockying the discs, they were performing. One was flashing signs...I didn't know Ohio guys flashed "westsiiiiide" but hey, I'm open to new things. Another was so into himself I thought he was gonna start rubbing his own nipples. And the third one couldn't stop himself from stopping, turning to a friend and discussing what I'm sure was a deep discussion on Brechtian theater, before fist pumping some and getting back to his turntable. People, it was a perfect storm of awesomeness. If it wasn't for one of the less hipster-more douchey guys in the crowd starting not one, not two, but three fights which resulted in my sister getting clipped in the face and almost kicking his ass after pushing him across the floor one handed, with out even one security guard batting an eyelash, we'd have danced there all night, and continued to have a fucking blast. I sincerely hope and pray that i get to come back to this place if only for the Alice in Wonderland like quality of seeing this acid trip of a crowd again. read more

My husband and I had tickets to see Lucero last night and it was our first visit to this funky venue. It's a bar/restaurant up front, and the live music area/stage in the back. There is a second level with a bar, and it appeared to have a private radio station group there. The bar actually wraps around, ends, and begins again, leading to the back. Since the cool red leather booths and the tables were all taken, we found two seats at the bar and ordered beer, and two entrees. Per the website, the Skully Burger and Garden Veggie Burger, with fries, are Tuesday specials for $6.95, but the bartender told us the special was not available due to the event. We ordered the regular price Fiesta Black Bean burgers and a large order of fresh-cut fries. I'm not sure if the online menu prices are outdated, or if they jack up the prices on show nights, but our burgers were $10.95 each and the large order of fries was $6. We were both pleasantly surprised at how good the burgers were. The fries were fresh-cut. Awesome. We want to return on a Tuesday for the $6.95 special, because someone in the kitchen knows how to make a good veggie burger, and that is a great price. We relaxed with our beers at the bar until the opening act finished, then made our way up closer to see the main act. It was pretty packed, but but we were able to get close enough for a great view of the stage. FYI: They do have a big screen in the front bar so the patrons can see the acts. All in all, this is a cool place, with great food, and the band sounded great. Our bartender/server was pleasant. Tip: A friend advised us to pay cash (which we did) and not run a tab, because they take your driver's license and it takes forever to get it back at the end of a busy event. read more

If you go to Skully's at night, it's awesome. You feel like you're one of those people who's really in-the-know about underground bands. It's easy to get carried away in a dark place like that. If you go to Skully's in the day, it's a totally different vibe. I've been for lunch on several occasions. The food is good and greasy. The fries are tops. The service is a little on the slow side. If you're going on your lunch break, my suggestion is to scope out what you want from the online menu, order your food and drinks as soon as your seated, ask for your check to be brought when the food comes out, and have your credit card ready to hand over. That way, you can just add a tip and leave when you're done eating. Trust me, otherwise, you'll be late getting back to work. If you're a breakfast-all-day kind of gal, like me, you'll be happy to hear that Skully's serves it's pancakes and French toast whenever you want it. It's pretty good too; then again, I don't think I've ever had bad pancakes or French toast. But, whatever. There are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu as well. The bar/restaurant is much larger than it looks from the outside. There's a huge stage/dance area in the back; stairs leading to an indoor balcony view of the stage; a private, upstairs bar; and then, of course the front bar/eating area. The decor is a retro 50s/cheetah print look. It makes the waitresses look like pin-up girls. There's a tiny outdoor seating area in front with just two tables. The bathrooms aren't sparkling, but they're not awful either. The public lot next door is free and usually has a lot of spaces. The bottom line here is that Skully's food is good, but the live bands are better. Check out their online calendar for upcoming shows. They update the calendar regularly. read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Skully's is located just south of Fifth Avenue, in that transitional space which is "not quite campus" and "not quite the Short North". It tends to tout itself as a Short North bar, so do not come here expecting rock bottom campus drink prices- but I still don't find the prices overly expensive. $3 for a bottle of beer and $5 for a glass of wine seems about average for the area. I have been to Skullys a few times and have always had a good time. The burger was acceptable the one time I ate here, but every glass of wine I've ever orderd was awful and I'm not sure why. I saw them cork a new bottle and it still had some weird taste- maybe soapy glasses? I don't know, but I now stick to bottled beers. I will say it is positively the darkest bar I've ever been to. No need worry about how you look because you can't see anything- except the stage! Skully's is home to the annual Elvis-a-thon, which I attended just last night. The $10 cover charge is well worth it to see 15 bands or so cover Elvis tunes... Plus, the proceeds go to a homeless charity. It's fun to see how different musicians and bands interpret The King's music and it's a good way to sample what Columbus's music scene has to offer. read more

I have been to a select few music venues in Columbus, but this one has been my favorite so far. I walked in and really, it felt like home (I grew up going to concerts in Detroit). Sure, it's a little dingy, but it's the right kind of dingy. As a music venue, this place is exactly what I was looking for. There is a nice space around the stage with a bar backing up pretty close to it (but not too close). There is a balcony area that you can look upon the stage or look out the other side and people watch at the main entrance. There was a great crowd and everyone seemed to have a good time. The front of the place feels more like a "music cafe" if you will, with a bar and some food. Whereas, you head toward the back and you know you're at a concert. My only complaint is that I'd like to see more nationally known acts, but maybe that's my own problem. I am not familiar with the local music scene here. There are a lot of acts I would see that would fill this place up but not be able to fill up someplace like the Newport. read more

Great venue and bartenders - but terrible bouncers with no people skills whatsoever!!!

me: Why are all those lights out on the new decorative arches over High St? It was kinda cuter last time. mel: Oh, that's our new joke. me: What? the Short North already pretending to be too progressive to use energy or something? It's called ShoNo now? mel: No, they had an artist design it, who didn't know anything about electricity, and so the lights just stopped working for the past 2 years or so. me: Can't anyone fix it? mel: The city doesn't want to pay so they're still fighting about it instead. me: Oh. sure, that makes sense. mel: C'mon, we can get in free at Skully's, it's "alternative ladies' 80's" night. me: ok. -- 4 stars because Skully's had lights, and a loud, working sound system with lots of people spending money on drinks and dancing about not having to pay taxes. -- read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I love Skully's. I am a big rap fan and they always seem to book some of my favorite artists. I love they setup and how close you can get to the stage. And for the most part it is a safe place to party! read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Afroman! - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I was pleasantly surprised last week when I caught the Ohio Takeover tour at Skully's. My co-worker and I saddled up to the bar for a ton of cheap drinks, and hung out on the balcony overlooking the stage. The sound was incredible, it was nice and frosty, and we never had to wait for drinks as the bar was well-staffed (and well stocked!) Drinking the entire show (and fairly heavily too) our tab was only $35. That's all of three drinks at most other venues (or anywhere in NYC). For downsides, the door to the "Camel Smoking Lounge", or outdoor patio, remained open all night. The smell of cigarettes wafted in the entire night. The worst thing for me was the sign that said "Only bottled water after 10." As someone who has been involved in the night club industry, I understand charging for water if you have no bar sales, but seriously... after drinking all night at your bar and really wanting a glass of water to help ensure I don't feel like ass the next morning (that you could shoot from a gun behind the bar) you can't come off a f**king glass of water? Seriously? MINUS ONE STAR! My co-worker and I both grabbed a bottle of water and walked back to the hotel. Pros: Cheap and strong drinks, great sound system, nice outdoor patio, good AC Cons: Ridiculous bottled water policy, smoke wafting in from outdoor area read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Great vibes had a wonderful night with friends can't wait to go back. The music is amazing

I have always loved the look of this place- so funky and wonderful! Whoever decorated Skully's should decorate my apartment as a nice change. haha Anyway, I know it nearly qualifies as sac-relig in Columbus to acknowledge publicly that you aren't a fan of Skully's but I'm going to do it anyway. Granted, my only experience there has always been their infamous Ladies 80's night but I just cannot warm up to this place. There is nothing blatantly wrong with it- the service is good, the place is unique...it's just that it's so loud and crowded and claustrophobic I can't even think straight. And Lord help us if you're with a group of people- forget about it! You will lose them the second you look away never to be found again. On the plus side, I love the wide array of people that come together simply to enjoy good music, each others company as well as the nice selection of tattoos, piercings and pretty people to be observed. read more

Skully's Music-Diner - Diners Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

"Party all the time, party all the time..." Always hopping, if it's late enough. Skully's has a knack for ensuring a crowd and entertainment. But the wild horses don't come out until after the neighbors have gone to bed. Wow, it sure sounds like I'm getting old. There's no hand holding here. When you get to the bar, know what you want, order-collect-pay and get out of the way. I almost have it down. Expect an edgier crowd mixed with Short Northers, Campus kids, Vic Village, and Olde Town Easters. Even though it's the farthest from a neighborhood bar (like I think Grandview Cafe is), Skully's kind of is, for the neighborly rock star appeal. I dig it and encourage you to wear comfortable shoes. You will dance! read more

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