Agave & Rye Short North — Restaurant in Columbus

Agave & Rye – Downtown Columbus 📍 479 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 🗓️ Visited: July 12, 2025 (Second visit) ⭐ 4 out of 5 stars (Service boost)

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🪑 Seating

Indoor only — booths, standard tables, and bar seating.

💰 Price per person

Around $20–35 depending on how you order. Cocktails will tip you toward the higher end.

⏱️ Wait Time

Walked in on a weekend with no reservation and was seated in about 10 minutes.

🔊 Noise Level

Definitely on the louder side — music, conversation, and the decor all contribute to a high-energy space.

🅿️ Parking

Metered street parking nearby, with garages within walking distance.

♿ Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible entrance and seating.

🥗 Dietary Options

Vegetarian-friendly, with a few customizable options. Mocktails available.

👶🏾 Kid-Friendliness

Yes — though the environment leans more toward adults and groups.

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Experience Overview

We didn’t plan to come here. It was a last-minute decision after circling a few spots with nothing landing. But it ended up being a solid choice — not perfect, but definitely memorable.

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Atmosphere

This place doesn’t ease you in. It’s all bold color, graffiti walls, chandeliers, and bubblegum-blowing animal portraits. It leans loud and dramatic — intentionally over-the-top, and not trying to hide it. It’s a place you come to notice, not blend in.

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Service

Ava was our server — confident, calm, and easy to work with. She didn’t try to upsell us or hover, but she knew her menu and made navigating choices easier.

Pro tip: If you’re unsure on drinks, ask questions. She offered a few sips to help narrow it down, and it made a difference.

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What We Ordered

Hot & Juicy Margarita Watermelon purée, lime, Tajín rim, jalapeño – Balanced heat and sweetness, refreshing – Can run sweet, so ask for less syrup if needed

Birria Tacos – Looked great but underdelivered on flavor – The consommé was oily and lacked depth – Not terrible, but didn’t stand out (especially if you’ve had great birria elsewhere)

Street Corn (Off the Cob) – Served on the husk with cotija and chili – Good presentation, missing a bit of brightness – A squeeze of lime or pinch of salt would’ve helped

Carne Asada Egg Rolls – Crisp, filled well, and good to share – The chipotle-BBQ sauce was a win – The ranch-style sauce felt random, but overall it worked as a shared bite

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Weekly Specials Worth Knowing

• Margarita Monday: Half-off house margs, $8 mocktails • Taco Tuesday: Half-off margs, $2.50 domestic cans • Whiskey Wednesday: $8 bourbon cocktails, $4 carne asada egg rolls • Happy Hour (M/W/Th/F, 3–6PM): Discounted drinks + tacos

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Would I Go Back?

Yes. This wasn’t a perfect meal, but the overall experience was enjoyable — especially for something unplanned. The food has highs and lows, but the drinks, service, and atmosphere pulled it together.

If you’re looking for quiet, this probably isn’t the place. If you’re in the mood for something loud, colorful, and flexible with drink options? It does the job.

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Helpful to know before you go: – Ask for light syrup in drinks if you’re sensitive to sweetness – The birria wasn’t their strongest dish – It’s a good spot for groups, but can be a lot if you’re looking for a laid-back vibe – The service was a...

Overall 7.3/10, I would go back if someone else paid.

There were 2 spots that you could pay and park adjacent to the restaurant. There is a valet for the Hilton across the street. A few cars parked next to the restaurant, but theres a sign that says “no parking”. The atmosphere was amazing, hands down 10/10. There was beautiful art everywhere,clean bathrooms and tables. The staff and my server were nice also. I got the House Carne Asada Egg Roll and it was disappointing honestly. The outside had a beautiful golden crust and the inside had a decent flavor combination, but the meat was very bland 5.3/10 . Now, that SAUCE that was served with it is a 10/10. Its the perfect combination of spicy and sweet, but has a helluva kick (which i LOVE) without trying to burn your tastebuds. The Elote was pretty good 8/10. I was excited for Jedi, but was met with the same problem as the egg-roll with bland chicken, so the whole taco relies on all other ingredients 6.6/10. Fish tacos 6/10, i did like the strawberry salsa, but it is very overpowering on the taco and covered the unseasoned fish taste. Lastly, the Birria Burrito 7/10. Really good cheese and rice, but the worst consume I’ve ever had, tasted like warm broth and fat 0/10 do not recommend the broth. If they did a better job with meat preparation or got a Southern Cali cook back there,all of those dishes would have easily been 🔥🔥🔥. Im sure the restaurants in other locations are probably amazing, and maybe today was just a bad day for the cook, but for the price point and portion size, its not worth it. Highly recommend this place for a drink with friends, but as a restaurant, its pretty mid. Great people and...

The Agave & Rye Experience (Dine-in Edition). While away visiting Columbus, Ohio, for a work conference, I dined at Agave & Rye. This establishment was the buzz from many people who had already eaten there. So, I had to try it out. I must admit I was initially apprehensive because, from what they serve, the restaurant's name threw me off. However, this place is a vibe! Upon sitting down, I was unsure of what to order. The server took their time to explain the menu to me and let me know what their likes were.

I ordered the frozen OG Margarita made with House Silver Tequila, Triple Sec, Fresh Lime Juice, Sugar Water, and Secrets. I also ordered Chips with Chunky Salsa. For my meal, I ordered the Birria, which comes with three tacos filled with Slow-Braised Beef with Guajillo Chilies, Oaxaca Cheese, Cilantro, Onion, and Dipping Consommé ( as I type, I am getting flashbacks of that fantastic taste). While waiting for my meal, I visited the restroom, which appeared clean.

My drink came first, then my chips with salsa. Both were so good! The Birria I ordered was amazing! The meat was so tender, and the taco was so juicy. Although the tacos came with dipping sauce, I did not need any because everything was so tasty. The tacos had a lot of meat in them. So much that I needed a box to take some chips and a taco home. So would I go back to Agave & Rye? I would most definitely go back! The service was good, and the server was so patient with me. The cooks did their thing in the kitchen, and I am glad I got this...