Kafe Kerouac — Restaurant in Columbus

3rd Person -- 1st Person -- 2nd Person

3rd: People line up on bar stools with laptops, sitting in the main room. Conversations wander both sides of the Kafe as people balance getting work done with sitting by old friends. The part barista but always a bartender oscillates between taking orders, cashing folks out and lending an ear to any nearby patron wanting to be heard. And when it is busy here, the storm behind the bar is a whirlwind of refilling a bottomless coffee pot, toasting bagels, serving cookies and pouring enough alcohol to keep things loud and quiet. When different servers DJ, they transform the space from rock halls to lo-fi R&B corners. The customers rolling in are as different as the bartenders ranging from quiet to talkative and serious to funny. There’s always someone or something interesting at Kafe Kerouac. When you’re lucky you get both.

1st: The big question, “Why am I here?” is perpetually unanswered, but I’m not surprised. The good bare bones of hot coffee, nippy cold brews and cocktails as entertaining as luaus make it easy to forget the question. I might get work done on a novella or I might not. I’m bound to see a friend here or make a new one and either way we talk for hours. They got as much done as I did, but we're not worried. We’re chilling. My “whys” “whens” and “wheres” mix in a cocktailed Edgar Allen Poe that resurrects me from the gutter. Time flows differently here and by the time I leave Kafe Kerouac, I’m probably late to something else.

2nd: You might miss it driving south down High street; it’s on the opposite side. If you’re walking the side walk North beside it, then take a chance to step inside. Here, you could grab an authored cocktail or latte, like the peach-vanilla Roald Dahl. Take a seat in a staged room with three-sided wall-to-wall bookshelves or lounge on the other side where art gallery meets a hole-in-the-wall cafe bar. Lose track of time finding the vibe where you pick up easy conversations with strangers like old forgotten friends. Or don't branch out and squirrel away to a corner to sit and get work done. No matter how or even why you come in, there’s more to enjoy here than coffee and booze. Take a moment to be besties with serendipity and come inside to a live performance of poetry slams, open invite book clubs or drunk power-points. You won’t be bored at Kafe Kerouac unless...

I've visited this café twice now, and unfortunately, my most recent experience was deeply disappointing. I came in with two friends, like me, both people of color. While one of us purchased a muffin shortly after arriving, the other two of us were still deciding, having just come from another place where we'd spent money minutes earlier. Since most of the tables were occupied, we chose to sit at the bar area.

Almost immediately, we noticed disapproving glances from the staff. Within moments, we were told not to stay unless we were purchasing something, even though my friend had already bought a muffin. She even held it up to show them, but the staff’s tone and behavior didn’t change. It was clear we weren’t being welcomed.

In many cafés, it’s common for people to sit, get settled, and then place an order. There were no visible signs indicating a strict purchase policy before sitting, and yet we were treated like we were doing something wrong.

To make matters worse, a staff member made a passive-aggressive comment right in front of us: “What do you do if you have people sitting at the bar and you have so many bagels to serve and nowhere to put them?” There were only three bagels, and ample space, but they were deliberately placed inches from my arm, forcing me to move. It felt unnecessary and targeted.

We paid for our item, were treated with suspicion, and made to feel unwelcome through subtle but clear microaggressions. Sadly, I’m not the only POC who’s experienced this at this location. If the drinks or atmosphere had been better, I might have considered giving it another shot. But as it stands, I can’t recommend this place, especially to other BIPOC individuals.

I sincerely hope this business reflects on its treatment of customers and...

A solid 9 out of 10 (4.5 out of 5, rounded up because half stars aren't a thing) ; A gem of a spot nestled in (longish) walking distance from OSU's Ohio Hall / Wexner Center for the Arts / et al, this little coffee/tea/beer/book/record shop is the sort of establishment that could only exist in a college neighborhood or the fever brain of a 90's-era film director. Interestingly, this strength is also its greatest flaw -- with wall art celebrating guys like Hemmingway and Kerouac, and many grumpy-faced patrons and barkeeps/baristas fully owning the vibe, it was like returning to a favorite 90 s film only to realize it didn't age QUITE as well as you expected, and as much as it's still mostly great there are a couple of real cringe moments. It's a space where you can readily expect some unpublished writer to pontificate on their authenticness for not "selling out," etc. STILL -- and this is important -- that's a lasting undercurrent, but it's certainly not anywhere near the entire experience. The atmosphere is, in part, what you make it, and this is definitely one of those old school / Portland-esque cafes in which walking in to see a mohawked punk playing chess against a cardigan-wearing PhD while someone plays a banjolele over in the corner would be just another Tuesday. In other words, like any spot that caters to Lit nerds (like me and, hopefully, you), if you can discourage toxic pretension (from others or self), you're left with a magical unicorn of a fading scene, with great drink choices, plenty of books/games, and a hit-or-miss-but-always-changing...