Ugly Tuna Saloona
1546 N High St, Columbus, OH, 43201
Ugly Tuna Saloona Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Columbus for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1546 N High St
Columbus, OH, 43201 - Phone (614) 297-8862
- Website https://www.uglytunasaloona.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 2:3
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Late Night
Parking : Garage
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Very Loud
Good For Dancing : Yes
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Wed, Thu, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Zach M.
I'm too old for this place now, so the review is mostly based on my undergraduate days a few years ago. That's the first strike against it - it's not one of those bars I feel comfortable going in when I'm on campus for a football game now. I didn't grow up in Sandusky, Ohio, but I imagine if I did it would be a lot like this bar. That's been on ongoing joke with my friends since this place opened. It's just a weird mix of things for something in Central Ohio. It's sort of packaged as a tropical florida-ish type tourist joke, but also rather hillbilly and raucous. A lot of drinks and they type of place 18-22 years olds go to get fall down drunk. My favorite memory of the joint was before the 2006 TSUN game, they started at 6 AM with 50 cent drafts and increased the cost like 25 cents every half hour or hour or something. Supposedly they ran out of draft beer by the 330 start. Definitely a place where youth is wasted on the young.
(2)Doug O.
This is probably the worst place I've walked into in Columbus. My wife walked in on a Thursday night around 7 to have dinner. I swear, there wasn't another customer in the restaurant. We stood and waited to be seated for a couple of minutes and no one came over, so we walked over and sat down at the bar. We were there for a few uncomfortable minutes where no one acknowledged us, and then got up and left. There were a couple of bartenders there chatting with each other, but neither one gave us the time of day. The only person who acknowledged us at all was the cook from the kitchen. He gave us a sad look as we walked out, as if to apologize, or perhaps lament that he had nothing to cook. Strange, strange place. I expected a tumbleweed to blow across the floor. Perhaps they didn't want any customers. They certainly made us feel that way.
(1)Sagarika D.
I would only come here early on in Ugly Hour, before the floor gets sticky and the place gets crowded. That too I would only for the cheap $2 drinks, which is probably why it is one of the only Gateway establishments that has lasted longer than 5 years as of 2013. They do have some of the best nachos here though, served in a skillet - go when they're $4. Oh and trivia night too. The liquor used for Ugly Hour is bottom shelf, so the only thing you can't go too wrong with there is rum. Don't bother with the fish bowls - they are full of sugar.
(2)Jackie P.
Believe it or not, Tuna is one of the go-to places for us college folk. I tend to steer clear of the place, but it is pretty popular amongst the young 20s crowd. You can't go wrong with Ugly Hour and a fish bowl (watered down, I might add). The patio is nice, and they have a good karaoke night but service is slow, the patrons can vary from cool and laid back, to frat and douchey, to gangster and tattooed. I would advise going with a huge group of friends, that's the only way you'll have fun.
(2)Ian K.
Tuna is the campus watering hole, considering how cheap Ugly Hour is and its location in the Gateway. Not a favorite of mine, since I'm not big on the music, the crowds, or just general stickiness, but I'll come here with friends when it's time to throw all caution to the wind. For some reason, Tuna just makes me think of the horrible hangovers that you'll get after slamming sugary drinks all night. Oh wait, that was the fish bowl I drank. Nevermind, then.
(2)Nicole W.
I'm probably much too old for this place and shouldn't tell people that I like it, but doggone it, I DO! I got there as the place was beginning to fill up but was lucky enough to score 2 seats by the bar. The place filled up with a crowd that spanned the gamut from 20 - 30 and appeared to have a fairly diverse crowd (well, maybe not diverse, but I did expect all popped collar frat boys and was pleasantly surprised to find it was not overloaded with the like). DJ Ant was rocking some amazing music video/dj mashups which were talented and incredible. My date and I had planned on doing a mini bar crawl to explore the OSU area but I couldn't tear myself away from the music and people dancing -- I even had to join! Bottom line, you know what you are getting in to if you choose this as your watering hole for the night, but sometimes its fun to kick back and be goofy. Plus I need to go back and check out the lobster tank (a toy crane that captures lobsters -- and you can eat it!).
(4)Jessica C.
Ugh, yet another bar everyone frequented and said was incredible before I was 21. In reality, this bar is terrible. My friend had a bag stolen, the food is bad and the drinks overpriced. Girls here seem to think that the "saloon" aspect means they act like they're on spring break with beads and all, and you'll often see them in next to nothing even in the dead of winter. A large part of this behavior is probably due to the fact that Ugly Tuna is right off campus, but I've never had a good experience here. Save your time, money and sanity for somewhere else.
(1)Freddie Laurara K.
I used to go to ugly tuna after hanging out at mad mex with my friends. My friends knew a couple of Tuna's bartenders so it wasn't too bad.... this past Saturday, June 1st, my friends and I were out for my birthday. To reminisce we stopped in toward the end of the night. It was by far the WORST experience I've ever had. My friends ordered 2 rounds of shots and paid an extra $4 for the second round of the exact same shots. The dj was an absolute jerk who thought he was a big shot...and the "security" that was by the dj booth was just as much of a prick. We were closing out the tab at the end of the night, and my boyfriend was chugging the last of his beer so we could get out of there, and Mr "Security" came and stood inches from us yelling at us to get out when it was clear we were trying to but the 30 or so customers on the patio clearly were not. It's Monday and I'm still heated about the experience.....thanks security skinhead and douche bag dj, for ruining my birthday night out.
(1)Chelsea M.
Just went here for drinks while visiting Columbus. The frozen drinks were pretty tasty and priced reasonably. It's within walking distance of the fun places and I bet this place it pretty sweet when it's warm out. Other than the people behind the bar the staff seemed rude. I'm sure it's as a result of dealing with drunk college students but none the less. They should def. have a better attitude. I can't speak for the food or the music really but the drinks were a-ok!
(2)Rachel R.
I really think this place seems to be one of those depends on when you go kinda places. I've gone a few different times and i haven't had any problems. And no, I'm not a prissy girl who has to be all done up, so we can clear that out of the way right now. And I'm well out of college. I'm fine in my jeans and a sweater, no heels kthanks. Anyways I've been here on a weeknight, a weekend night and for the OSU/michigan Game. Every time it's definately been crowded but hasn't been overly packed in my opinion. I could still walk about, and the line for the womens restroom only got to be 4 people deep lol. Their drink specials are pretty amazing, and their fishbowls are pretty bad ass. 1. you can get an extra shot of 151 for $1, 1.5. and it comes in a plastic alligator to keep 2. You get to keep the fishbowl. Most places aren't cool like that anymore. Their food isn't bad, well at least the appetizers aren't. Their fried pickles are delicious! And their ranch dressing is different yet really good! And I'm picky about my salad dressings. The music is your typical bar music. You'll hear the classic 80's, the current dance music the old school dance music, but nothing really out of the ordinary that you wouldn't hear elsewhere really. The game, if you go on a Saturday afternoon) is shown on all their screens and a giant screen they pull down in front of the stage. The sound is good in there to listen to whats going on as well. All in all its a pretty fun joint to hang out in. Nothing crazy over the top, minus their awesomely cheap drink specials, but nothing entirely crappy either. Theres a mix of all kinds of people in here, so I'm not really sure where the ppl are picking out these horrid sterotypes but whatever. You'll find all different ages, drunk levels, and class levels. And on warm nights the patio with the garage doors up is the best place to check them out.
(4)Michelle N.
The main reason I go to ugly tuna is that its right next to my work. The staff is awesome! The reason for the 3 star rating is that I only like to go there during happy hour or daytime because of the douche bag crowd. It's a total meat-market frat guy kinda place. The food is ok.
(3)Michael U.
The only reason this place survives is because it is located near a college campus.......that is actually unfortunate IMO in that the food is better than you get at most "saloona's." While McFaddens and the Mexican place downstairs sling unoriginal and poorly contrived 'ethnic' foods made with the worst ingredients, Ugly tuna focuses on a healthy food that can be prepped in both healthy and unhealthy ways. Unfortunately the crowd and servers leave a lot to be desired. Ordering a salad without cheese or without croutons is hit or miss.....and I've actually found dirty lettuce in my salad once. Hep A? No thanks. The quality of the tuna is clearly frozen, but then again so is Haiku and pseudo-sushi-fans seem to think they are "teh rox0rz," so I guess I can't complain there....it is at least well prepped and affordable (unlike Haiku.) The patio is great and the constantly refilled soda is a bonus since I'm a non-drinker, plus my buddies like the fact that you can smoke a cigar and get a good beer while watching the game. Add onto that a soundtrack during the day of Pearl Jam, Zeppelin, Deftones, and more? No complaints there. Overall, this is bar food.....but the briney shrimp, decent tuna, and refillable drinks are nice. The crowd and servers? Not so much. The $15 bill for a good night out watching the game? Nice.
(3)Nick L.
This is the kind of bar that is littered with thick-necked, polo-dawning males and girls with the latest glittery tops from Forever 21. It is a great place if you are a "typical" college student whose idea of a good party is Jell-O shots, pounding Nati Lights and dancing to a selection of music that must have been hand-selected by your little sister who is a sophomore in high school. I've gone once or twice because one of my friends would end up here, invite a few of us to come, and we felt like we would be asses if we snubbed her based on the bar in which she was located. Well, after going twice I will feel no remorse. Ugly Tuna's is located right next to the Landmark's Drexel Theatre. The most unfortunately consequence of this is that usually drunk chotchballs will wander into the movie theatre (probably mistaking it for a bar) and will laugh at all the inappropriate parts (you know, during uncomfortable rape scenes and such). Ugly Tuna's is the absolute antithesis of class. It's like a skeezy frat party--but in bar form. It is so bad that my friends and I use it as the de facto example of the crappiest bar imaginable, much like one says "Kleenex" when they mean "tissue."
(1)Maggie C.
I have to take tuna down a peg. The last couple times I've been I've walked away disappointed. They advertise they have Bacardi 151, this is not true. Its cruzin bay, disappointing. The DJs lately are playing music that has changed the feel of tuna to more of a bar with annoying music than a bar where you can dance. The bartenders and door people good as always but the wait staff is just a huge frustrating let down. I still love their prices and location. The girls who come also make it still worth a trip.
(3)David L.
Taste: 3 Value: 4 Service: 2 My coworkers and I came here after dinner (Grille 27) for some drinks around 8pm as our first stop tonight. The place was relatively packed, and it definitely got busier up until we left around 10pm. The place is pretty small; it's just a bar in the center of the room, with the DJ/10-square-foot dancefloor off to the corner of the room. I had a couple drinks and spent most of the time just standing around and talking to people. There were a couple people dancing, but not many. It's kind of hard with all the tables in the area. There were only 3 bartenders, so they were definitely understaffed. We had to wait by the bar for at least 15+ minutes before we could order a drink (hence being there for over 2 hours).
(2)Danny F.
Surprised to find the menu is pretty delicious. Theres ALWAYS some kind of drink special that makes up for the lack in beer diversity. Bartender we had on monday was a tall guy with tattoos and glasses, really nice guy. He gave us great service. The server was very sweet. My girl friend and I enjoyed ourselves, felt like we took a trip back in time to our college days.
(5)Ariel H.
i love the atmosphere and the servers are so nice they have a mix of acustic music and dj music. its a very nice layed back bar. the food is really good for such cheap prices and they give nice size portions.
(5)Jason S.
Expensive beer in a plastic cup and completely inedible food. I thought it would be better than the movie theater bar. I was wrong.
(1)Nathan L.
This is a really hard place to review because the experience can be SOOOOOOOO different depending on when you go and what it is that you are looking for. If OSU is in session Ugly Tuna is going to be a meat-market just about every night. Some nights there will be live cover-band music that can rage from downright crappy to whimsically good. Every college town has the bar that takes a bunch of low-end liquor, mixes it with juice and serves it up in a plastic "fish bowel" and the Unattractive Fish is THAT bar for OSU. I am going with two stars, but is you are looking for the kind of fun that Brandon H wanted on his birthday (see his review from 7.21.08) than this could be your place. As for the food... I was completely unaware that they even had food. The three times I have been here must have all been "see how many college frosh we can get in here and see how drunk they can get before they puke" night, and there was no way I was going to consider ordering anything from that kitchen. I also recommend leaving before you have to pee. The one tiny men's room has been one of the more harrowing bathroom scenes I have seen, and it is so small the line was wrapped around half the bar.
(2)Stephanie B.
If this place didn't have good drink specials there would be no saving it. This place is downright crazy and way trashy. But for some reason I've been here countless times, lured by the cheap drinks. I've definitely had some good times here, but it's not necessarily because of the bar, rather who I was with. The staff seems to be alright here. Some of the bartenders kind of suck and it can take you a long time to get a beer and then they aren't very friendly. But it's not usually too bad. Parking is not bad since there's a parking garage right in the Gateway complex. I've never eaten here because I don't like seafood, but I have tried their french fries and they were really good. The plus side is that I think a big basket of fries was like $3 or something like that, and they were great with beer. But this place kind of smells funky so I don't have much of an appetite when I walk in. Ugly Tuna is located in the South Campus Gateway above Mad Mex. To get in, you walk in the doors shared by the Landmark movie theater and go up stairs or an escalator and turn right. There's Tuna! I have to mention that anytime there are stairs to get out of a bar I've seen people fall down them. Here is no exception. And if you've seen these stairs, you know they'd hurt. They're cement and there's quite a lot of them. Be careful when you leave! I recommend to take the escalator. The walls are painted with crazy cartoon pictures of fish and sea creatures and the bar is right in the middle of the place so you can go all the way around the bar. That's good because there are plenty of places to sit if you want to sit at the bar. There are tables around the bar and there are some outside on the patio. I really like their patio when I'm able to snag a table out there because you can look down on the whole Gateway and it's really cool at night. They had to make strict rules about dropping anything off the balcony so you don't hit someone below and you get kicked out if you throw something "overboard." But it's really cool up there, especially if you're waiting for someone to join you - you can watch them go in from up there and wave to them. The patio is really popular, though, so come early to ensure that you get a table. The beer specials are awesome here. During happy hours I think on Tuesdays they have $1 pitchers of Bud Light, and that's a lot of beer for $1! The prices just can't be beat. The well drinks are also cheap during happy hour. Then on Wednesdays they have their famous fishbowls for $10. They take plastic fishbowls and fill them with ice, then proceed to fill them with liquor and sugary fruity juice stuff. They come in 3 colors: green, red and orange, I believe. They have slightly different flavors. They stuff about 10 straws in the fishbowl because they are obviously meant to be shared. Then they stick a plastic alligator in the fishbowl. I love these things and I have a collection. The alligators are filled with a shot of 151 that you can either pour into the fishbowl or take separately. And you keep the alligator! Fishbowls are really pretty fun to share with friends. People say that there's a ton of alcohol in them, but I don't think they're that strong. It just depends on how much you drink. They are also pretty sweet, so if you don't like that, these probably aren't for you. The bathrooms here are atrocious. Such a mess. There are only 2 stalls in the women's bathroom, and there's always a line and you have to wait forever. Most of the time there's toilet paper and soap, but one of the toilets is usually all nasty and backed up. If you're spending your night here the bathrooms are probably unavoidable, unfortunately. Tuna has live bands and karaoke on certain nights of the week. I do not like the bands that play here - it's pretty much all cover songs of stuff that drunk people like to sing along to. And the karaoke can get obnoxious. They have a little stage in the corner of the bar for the band when there is one. But when Tuna is just playing their own music over the speakers, it's pretty loud and skanky music that people start grinding to in the middle of the bar. And the kind of people who go to Tuna are usually frat boys and sorority girls. There's a lot of that. I mean, it is a campus bar, so that is to be expected. And as the night goes on, people get more and more rude and difficult to put up with. They run into you or knock your drink over and get in your face if you say anything, stuff like that. I've seen a few fights here, but at least the police are closeby to take care of any incidents. If you come here with a bunch of friends, have a table and keep to yourselves it's really not that bad of a time. It just sucks when you have to pee. But I really do like the patio here and the cheap drinks are pretty hard to beat. I recommend coming here in the summer months. That way it's a great time to sit out on the patio and relax, and many of the students are away from campus so they're not around.
(3)Morgan D.
If you're going to Ugly Tuna, go for the drinks. I went to support College's Against Cancer for purple beer night. You don't have to ask me twice to drink for a good cause. Granted, the beer wasn't all that purple. The foam was purple, and you had to be careful so you didn't wind up with a purple mustache. But the prices were good. I think I got a glass for one or two bucks. We sat out on the second story patio where we enjoyed some pretty classic people watching. The place was packed, but the service was still on par. The crowd was decent. No one was really dancing. The music was...'eh. Greg accidentally spilled a girl's beer - she had sat it on the corner of our table near his elbow. Luckily, he didn't get punched, only fussed at a little. Really, it was her own fault. One major drawback, the bathroom had like three stalls, so I had to wait in line FOREVER to go. And the line formed near the entrance, so there was a lot of bumping and jostling as people tried to make their way past. Still, I have to give major kudos to the place for creating several varieties of the fishbowl, a hodge-podge of liquor dumped in a plastic fish bowl and guarded by a plastic alligator that has an additional shot in his tummy. Not a vodka drinker, I can respect any mash up that doesn't include the stuff. An 84oz fishbowl costs $17. You can choose from the Chum Bucket (Bacardi O, Bacardi 151, orange, cranberry, and pineapple juices), the Reef Diver (Bacardi Coconut, Bacardi Razz, Midori, Bacardi 151, sour mix, and pineapple juice) or the Bottom Feeder (Bacardi Apple, Bacardi Vanilla, Buttershots, sour mix, pineapple juice, and a float of Bacardi 151). Bring some friends; you'll need to share. *Note, I'd give this place half a star more if I could. I wavered between two and three. The dirtiness of the bathrooms and the fact that they had no toilet paper settled me on two.
(2)Matthew B.
This place... wow. It's the sister store, apparently, to one in the Florida keys- or is that a fake backstory? I couldn't tell you, but wherever this place came from it could go back and I wouldn't shed tears. Often overcrowded, usually too loud, very rarely worth it, the reason you go to Ugly Tuna Saloona is to get fishbowls full of liquor. Tons of liquor. So, so much liquor. Whether you begin your night at Ugly Tuna or end it there, if you go with the fishbowl- and why else would you go in this place- you probably won't remember your night very well. Now that kind of drinking is basically in my past- a relic from a different era in my life I feel little nostalgia for- but sometimes a person needs to celebrate. Grandly. Or forget. Aggressively. There's food here but the little I've tried of it left me very underwhelmed. There's also beer and cocktails, of course, though in my experience most cocktails are served in tiny plastic cups- Dixie cups really- that are almost comical in how little you're getting for your money. But man, those fishbowls. It doesn't even matter which one you get, because they all taste the same- like liquor! Don't forget to empty the plastic alligator into the bowl: he's full of Bacardi 151 if I remember correctly (or at all).
(2)Pete C.
After precariously choosing Columbus for their second location (with the first being right on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale), Ugly Tuna became quite a hit with the locals. With insanely cheap happy hour deals, a plethora of deep-fried digestibles, over the top music, and a vibe that's so tacky it's almost endearing, how can you blame them? I can see how a lot of people can get annoyed with this place, and I don't blame them. The bar takes up about 70% of the real estate of the place, the bathrooms are tiny, and I swear to god if I hear some terrible cover band's take on "Sweet Caroline" one more time....Argh! But when all is said and done, this place is just what the doctor ordered if you're looking for a rowdy night out with friends. There's not a single thing about this place that's quiet and reserved, which is exactly the way I like it. The food is nothing to write home about, and after seeing what goes on in this place after 1 AM, I'd steer clear of ordering anything from the kitchen that was alive at one point in time purely on principle. The drinks are uber-cheap on weeknights, and you're guaranteed to black out if you go anywhere near one of their (in)famous neon-blue fishbowl concoctions. The crowd can get obnoxious, but that's what the bar is for. Like I always say, don't stop drinking until this place is fun. Once you do, you're in for quite a ride at Ugly Tuna.
(3)Jay D.
The Place: Tuna is located above Mad Mex in South Campus Gateway, across a large sidewalk from McFadden's. To get into Tuna, one must go in the glass doors shared with the Gateway Film Center, go up to the second floor, and turn right. Tuna's a fairly large space, although it doesn't often feel that way because it's almost always packed. The bar is quite large - it's a rectangular bar with stools on all 4 sides. Around the bar there are tables. A few on the east and south sides of the space, more on the north side of the space, and quite a few on the west side of the space (the "far end" of the bar). The west end of the bar also contains a small stage and a small dance floor. Two sets of doors lead outside to a patio with 8-10 tables. The patio is great in nice weather for smoking and people watching. There's all kinds of crazy art on the walls - and the whole place is done up in a south-Florida/tiki type theme. The tables are nice. Most of them are bar-height with stools, but there are some regular-height tables here and there. I like the large bar and the plentiful seating, but, as aforementioned, this place is almost always packed, so it can be difficult to navigate. The bathrooms are ATROCIOUS. Some of the worst in Columbus, I reckon. They are VERY small, and almost always soaked in urine and vomit. Parking is best accomplished in the South Campus Gateway garage. The Drinks: this is where Tuna shines. They've got FABULOUS specials. During happy hour M-F, they've got $2.50 domestic drafts and $2 well drinks. During "Ugly Hour," (M-F from 8-10), there are $1 well drinks, shots, drafts and long islands. In addition to these specials, Wednesdays feature $1 Natty and Busch tall boys and $10 fish bowls starting at 8 p.m. Sundays feature $2 Budweiser drafts all day. Tuna offers Bud, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and Light and Bud Select on draft. They've got frozen drinks, margaritas, and a few wines available. The featured items, and the real reason to climb the stairs to Tuna, are the Fish Bowls. There are several different flavors - but they're all variations on a basic theme: an 84 oz. plastic fish bowl with Bacardi flavored liquors, fruit juice and sour mix. A plastic alligator or shark comes on top of the drink with a shot of 151 in its belly. Add 10-or-so neon-colored giant straws, and you've got yourself a pretty fun drink. Although opinions vary, I believe these drinks are normally fairly strong. They don't taste strong at all, but you tend to feel a buzz come on pretty soon after diving in. By virtue of their good flavor, one tends to drink A LOT of this stuff, and that, combined with their strength, equals a pretty sloppy night, oftentimes. In short, the fishbowls are fun and the specials are great. The Service: not bad. The bartenders are quick, and the bar is normally very well-staffed. Even though the crowd is often very large, the bartenders manage well and serve up drinks pretty quickly. The Prices: again: not bad. Without any of the specials the prices are average for the area. The specials, however, are some of the best in the city. Go when they're on, and your wallet will thank you later. The Crowd: mostly OSU students - definitely a young crowd. I've been to Tuna tons of times, and I haven't ran into too many douche bags, although I have spotted a few - but no more than would be expected. I've already said it several times, but you can bet that after 10 on Friday or Saturday, this place is going to packed to the gills. There will be a wait for the bathroom and for drinks, and all the seats will be snagged. Overall: the space is decent enough, the crowd is decent enough, the service is decent enough, and the drinks/prices are great. The biggest drawback is the atrocious restrooms. My recommendation is to come during the "Ugly Hour" during the week. The crowd will be much thinner, and for minimal cash, you can get pretty inebriated, and then head somewhere else to escape the massive crowd. I'd give Tuna 4-stars during the week from 5-10p.m., and 2-stars on the weekend (mostly b/c of the huge crowds), so I'll average those and give Tuna a 3-star overall rating.
(3)Valerie G.
How can you hate a place that sells Jell-o shots in a big plastic syringe and puts a plastic alligator in your huge fishbowl o' alcohol??? I don't really get why you'd eat here - I can't tell you what the food tastes like. Wait - maybe I can - do you count Jell-o as food? If so, their food kicks ass.
(4)Lisa S.
I don't know why anyone would ever venture into Ugly Tuna before 10:00pm. The food is horrible, and the wait staff is on par with the food. I was hoping this wouldn't be the case, as there aren't many good places around campus to enjoy seafood. The fish is dry and has the texture of cardboard. The steak is tough and tasteless. The Calamari Fritti was about the only worthwhile thing on the menu, and that was only passable. The staff is as bad as the food. They must have based the hiring on which of the girls from the surrounding campus neighborhood looked most likely to be on Girls Gone Wild. That's fairly understandable for the place that it turns into at night, but for daily service it stinks. That being said, at 10:00pm when the place makes the switch from Restaurant to Bar, Ugly Tuna becomes a tolerable place to hang out. Drink specials are killer, and there are some really crazy concoctions to enjoy. From frozen and fruity drinks, to the 84 oz fishbowl of liquor, the Ugly Tuna has one objective and that is to get you drunk. However, located in the Campus Gateway, the Ugly Tuna should not be your destination if you aren't between the ages of 21 and 25. This place is meant only for students and those wishing to be a part of the college scene to come enjoy loud live music or karaoke, and to get trashed. If that's your scene, than the Ugly Tuna is the best bar in the Campus Gateway.
(2)Kyle R.
Very rude bar staff and impossible to get a drink. People were throwing up in the bar and nothing was done about it. Maybe the worst bar I have ever been to.
(1)M S.
Since I was traipsing around High Street for a good while in the heat, and didn't find anything I liked further down (towards Short North), my gf and I decided to get a beer here. I felt as though I were in a bar in Ft. Lauderdale, or on the set of Coyote Ugly. I will say that the place was empty in the early afternoon, but the beer was good and cold. I would have preferred a nonflimsy container for my beer, but maybe they're afraid people will sustain traumatic brain injuries with flying glasses when this place gets bumping with undergrads.
(2)Carly T.
I've had two types of experiences here. One was at 6 pm on a Monday looking to grab a bite to eat and a drink with friends. One was on a Friday night for their acclaimed Ugly Hour looking to grab a couple (or 5) of their $1 Long Islands. The Ugly Hour wasn't bad. The place was packed, I repeat, PACKED, with your typically OSU Friday night crowd. The floors were sticky. The music was loud. And we waited a good 10 minutes at the bar before someone finally made it over to us. Understandable, considering how busy it was. We hung around for an hour or so, and over that time period, nothing terrible happened to make me hate the place. The food is another story. A girl friend and I went there on a Monday when we were looking to kill some time to grab a bite to eat and a drink. We walked in and the place was dead besides one couple and someone eating who looked like they worked there. I think there was a bartender floating around too. Long story short, a girl came over to get our drinks and then never came back. We asked for a menu so she knew we were ordering, yet the next time we saw her (a good 20 minutes later) she was bringing out food for her to eat. Yes. We were ignored so our waitress could sit down and eat a snack. We paid our bill for our very weak rum and cokes ended up walking out. If you're looking for bad drinks, crowded bars, sticky floors, and fake Floridian charm, this is the place for you. If not, OSU certainly has more to offer than this place.
(2)Tim S.
The only reason this place exists is because college students go here to get hammered. If this is what you are looking for then you will be fine here. But if you are looking for anything else then you are in trouble. And to be honest, there really isn't anything appealing about the drinks here either. Go somewhere else to have too many.
(1)Angie P.
It was unbearable being here when I was wasting time before a movie. The beer selection is horrible. Like, really bad. I guess the only good part of it was that it was practically empty and we got to sit on the patio outside and people watch. I don't know what kind of person goes to a bar like this frequently and is all, "I LOVE THIS PLACE!!" Do people like this exist?
(1)Mike O.
For: Location. Decor. They serve beer. Against: Dinner so-so. Cheesecake appeared to be fashioned from wedge-shaped sticks of flavored margarine. Greasy, waxy, unimaginably bad -- sent back. Maybe they accidentally served the display desserts from a restaurant down the street?
(2)Jeremy C.
This place is ok.... It does its job
(3)Kirk D.
Sometimes you want to have a neon communal drink from a plastic fishbowl in a place which perpetually smells like a mixture of axe body spray and stale vomit. No seriously, there is something to be said for a place which continues to sling slightly over-priced Bud Lights in an area where every other bar and club lasts about as long as Brady Hoke's Michigan coaching tenure. Ugly Tuna has achieved the perfect mix a cheap swill-centric happy... er, Ugly Hour, convenient location and I don't give a F*&# attitude. Hey, all I am saying is I understand the appeal of place which totally shucks all pretenses. As one of the other earlier reviewers lamented, " I got my IPA served in a PLASTIC CUP!!! Are you Kidding me?" No, they are not kidding. Though I am probably a little too old for the Tuna now, I will come an visit again during football season when I am three-sheet to the wind and feel like sticking to the floor as I drink on the second floor patio reminiscing about my brother getting kicked out of the place five years ago for "making it rain" lime slices on an unfortunate passerby.
(3)Gina M.
I'm honestly surprised Tuna is still open. It was the place to be a few years ago when I was in college, and maybe there are nights when it still is, but I don't know anyone who has ever actually eaten food there. To me, it's a bar and that is all it will ever be. The drinks are pretty cheap but they're also not very strong. And while I love their fish bowls because they're cute, it is not worth $20 for that sugar-y mess. The last time I was there, on a Saturday night, there were maybe 20 people in the whole place, 5 of whom just came there to dance by themselves and speak to no one. It seems like this place brings out a weird crowd, and I think I know now to skip Tuna, and Gateway altogether, the next time I'm on campus. This might improve once World of Beer opens and they have some more competition, but right now it is nothing exciting. Sorry Tuna :(
(2)Ean B.
Holy hell. First off let me start by saying I'm a huge second chance kinda guy. I was in here last Tuesday with some friends, and the service was atrocious. I came in today thinking things would be different. I was wrong. In an hour and a half all we received was a frozen drink and a pricy one at that. It really seemed like our waitress was avoiding us. By far the worst service I've ever received. I will not be back.
(1)Lee G.
I was looking for a quick drink with my date before a movie. The only bartender working was annoyed when we asked her to clarify the specials. The place smells like puke, and the only other patrons were drunk and loud. This place it's gross, we will not be Back.
(1)Michelle S.
Don't like the music, sticky nasty floors, some girl peed in the bathroom floor.
(1)Matt B.
I was there last night with some friends when one of them became sick so I took her home. I returned to the bar to close my tab and the bartender had given my card to someone else. They ran up a couple hundred dollars in charges so I had to cancel my card and dispute the charges. I complained to a manager and he did not care and would not help. I will not be returning.
(1)Brian P.
In the olden days of leaded gas, wine coolers, betamax, and campus bars, we used to look forward to going to OSU haunts to drink cheaply. We were college students on pre credit card budgets working our way through school. This corporate bar across from the movieplex in the new Gateway development had promise and could have garnered four stars, but alas... I took co workers here for lunch and saw "bucket of beer" on the menu. I declared we were not going back to the office so that these folks could experience the time honored tradition of dipping a plastic cup into a pail of Natural Light until it was time to order another. The waitress turned the corner with a metal bucket holding 5 bottles and some ice. Upon seeing my crestfallen face, she said, "Oh, you thought it would be a plastic bucket filled with beer not in bottles. Yeah, a lot of guys your age think that." What was the food like? Who knows, it all tasted like ashes after that bombshell. Good second floor deck, from which one can toss over a bucket of ice and bottles, if one were so inclined. My advice, ask a seventh year senior what the best campus bar is and go where he/she tells you. Start at the Bier Stube on south campus or the Out R Inn on north campus if no sages are available.
(2)Darius B.
First time going will be my last time going. Bartenders more worried about gossiping and dancing than serving customers. And the cherry on top?!?!?! Their toilets overflowed slipping into the bar and they couldn't stop it. So they had to close early.
(1)Tom B.
I actually forgot that I had been here once. Now I remember why I forgot... THIS PLACE SUCKS! It smells like a urinal mint in here! They have a half-dozen taps with fizzy, yellow beer. And I got my mainstream IPA served in a PLASTIC CUP!!! Are you kidding me?
(1)Karin G.
Came here with my husband for a fun night out and were pleasantly surprised with how good the food was. We visited when school was out, so it wasn't too crazy with students and enjoyed sitting out on the patio. Their "ugly hour" specials are great - $1 wells. Fish tacos are delicious.
(5)Aaron A.
Ugly Tuna Saloona, ok. this place is supposedly themed to a Florida beach side seafood shack. I'm not sure how authentic it is, but its hard for me to imagine the warm breeze of the Gulf when I'm perched above the Gateway in the rain and snow and concrete. Whatever, lets get some Coronas and a Chum bucket, y'all. What's a Chum Bucket? Glad you asked! It's "A heaping crap-load of crispy fried junk. Mozzarella sticks, fried pickles, onion rings, boneless wings, and fries." Do you hate yourself yet? Too bad, fish and chips are up next! Freshness on the fish is usually pretty good, though I have had orders that didn't quite live up to expectations. When everything is right the fried fish is spicy and delicious. I wish I could say more about the menu, but honestly if I see fish and chips I usually stop looking. The bar is pretty rockin, they make good margaritas and they have good happy hour specials. In fact, happy hour is the time I usually visit Ugly Tuna. You see? Writing is a journey of self discovery. Since its in the Gateway you're going to want to avoid it on weekends unless drunk undergrads are your thing, but it's perfectly fine for lunch. I wouldn't say you need to try this place, but you could certainly do worse. I'll be back for more cold beers and hot fried goodies. Fwee stars.
(3)Steve G.
Ugly Tuna isn't really my sort of place, but I understand the appeal to it. The location is great being a nice restaurant/bar close to south campus and the Charlie Bear club for those who want to pre-game. Though I've not been in on weekends after 8pm when it gets crowded and boisterous, I've walked by and am told they don't serve food past that time, in which entry is also 21+. When I've been, service has been ok, food not bad, and the beer selection decent, though none of which what I look for in a place, I see them fitting the appeal for a college adult. My biggest issue with Ugly Tuna though is their hamburgers - a staple of any good restaurant in America. After not being too happy with the quality of my hamburger, I was informed that they receive their burgers frozen and cook them all well done. Not really my idea of a tasty burger, but to each his own.
(3)Nijole T.
Ugly tuna is really almost worthy of 4 stars, the service is excellent and even not drinking we had fun here. I don't drink at all so what was I doing here? In the mood for fish and a bit shocked when I got their menu that had no fish on it? WTF? I was told they just revamped their menu and I asked for tuna, she said they can still make me a tuna steak with a side. With that I was happy, it was cooked well, the veggies fresh and steamed perfectly and I loved the side of ginger soy, a perfect match for both. We were tempted to try the 6 burger and pound of fry challenge after being told 4 people can participate and noone has NOT made it. But I wanted tuna and with that my husband had the single challenge, 6 mini burgers and fries, which he made no problem, so his meal was free. My son had the all you can eat boneless wings for $10 and they let the whole table share which is crazy, between the 3 of us we ate over 30 of them so that was also well worth it. Yes, its smelly and the bathrooms yucky, but thats part of the fun, the food was good, service great and you can smoke on the balcony which is perfect for when downing fishbowls, I could totally see myself getting drunk here a few years back....
(3)Tony D.
We were staying in the University area for work and this was definitely the busiest bar in the area on a Saturday night. Here are some notes: -Drinks were reasonably priced. -The staff was friendly and attentive. -There is a Lobster Zone vending machine. -The crowd is a little "thick" if you are going to meet women. -Drinks are all served in plastic cups, so evidently there is a problem with them being tossed over the balcony. -The place is called the Ugly Tuna, so expectations should be set accordingly.
(3)