1. Mickey's Oldtimers Tavern

1230 W. 5th Avenue, 43212 (map)

Let me just say that this place fits the bill of a place I normally wouldn't have gone into without good reason. The "good reason" this night was the appearance of The 5th Order, or something like that, a reprisal of a high school band from the 70's that was apparently pretty popular in Columbus, back in the day. A friend from my kickball team's husband is in the band, and one of the original two members. The band was pretty good, I must say, for a bunch of old guys. Not that they're much older than me, really, it's just weird to see a bunch of grey hairs rocking out.

Anyway, this is supposed to be about the bar, and not the band, but I couldn't help mentioning why I was there. Driving over, I was a little apprehensive about going in by myself, so I was relieved to see Carol, another of my kickball team mates standing out back talking on her cell phone. Thankfully, Carol is always on her cell phone. I waited a few seconds for her to finish the call and we walked in the back door together. The first thing I noticed was the funky odor that greeted us as we entered. At first I thought it might be because we were near the bathrooms as we came in the back door, but the smell lingered as we approached the bar, and indeed, it was coming from the bar.

Nice.

I ordered a bottled beer, just in case. A bottle of domestic beer was $2.50, a little higher than I thought it might be in a place like this, but maybe was higher because of the band. There was no cover after all.

While listening to the band and talking with some of the other people that had come out to see the band too, I tried to remember to look around and make some mental notes for this entry. Some of the things I noticed:

• Couple making out at the bar near the stage. Are they with their parents? I guess it's a place the whole family can enjoy.
• Female boxing on the television. Not as exciting as it sounds.
• That smell.
• Clientèle lives up to the bar's name. Highlight - guy playing air guitar, on his cane.
• Petite, very attractive woman on a date with a, shall we say, "rather large" man. How does that happen? Why would he bring her to a place like this?
  
• Two pool tables - something to pass the time.
• That smell.
• Large windows to the street behind the stage - people walking by can look in and see the band. Some even made faces and gestures!
• No kitchen, so pretty much just drinking going on here.

Rating:
1 pint


Would I go back?:
Probably not, unless to see a band.