Johnnie's Tavern — Restaurant in Franklin Township

Good food, good prices.

Stopped in for lunch with some friends this past winter. "CLOSE THE DOOR!" Everyone yells at the latest person to enter. A space heater going in the corner.

This isn't Max & Ermas, Red Robin, etc. You can only rate this with other taverns. It's dark with a long bar and scattered tables and booths. Neon lights and bar signs with alcohol promotional signage.

Food is a big customer draw here. That's why there's tables instead of pool table, darts, and pinball. The limited table tent menu is brief with solid bar options. Fryers and flat top.

We're all here for the burgers. One gets the coneys(see pic), because it was a Wednesday. The 11oz beef patties are a good mixture of texture and flavor. Grilled bun(see pic). Super fresh, crisp produce toppings(see pic). Don't even bother asking for your burger cooked to a certain degree of doneness. You get what you get. No pink, no dryness.

Crisp hot fries, onion rings, or onion rings. All fried appetizers for a cheap price. Keep it simple. Order what you want initially, and shut up. This is not a place that visits your table 6 times during a meal. It's a bartender up front waiting on everyone in there. Placing your orders and bringing them to you, while cleaning tables and making drinks. Huge glassware avoids chasing water refills. Most beer refills were bottles waved in the air.

Are you on the westside with some friends looking for a hang? Your dollar has a bigger value here for food and drinks.

My only drawback was the bathroom, some wobbly furniture, and the fact that I do know a comparative Tavern that does do more creative chef menu in this same setting. Search dive bar Reynoldsburg.

I will return & recommend...

Used to love this place and the family that owned it...hadn't been in since the new ownership took over....wow big mistake and will never be back....they started doing breakfast on Sundays...so we thought hey let's give it a try....our waitress was very nice...well that was the only good part of this entire experience....my wife ordered the breakfast that was just eggs, bacon and a biscuit...I ordered three biscuits with egg and cheese simple enough right? My wife asked for her eggs scrambled.....after 30 minutes the cook comes out and tells us she made a mistake and didn't put the biscuits in it would be another 15 minutes...ok no big deal people make mistakes....another half hour later we get cold biscuits, eggs cooked awful and my wife's eggs weren't scrambled...we said "excuse me we ordered scrambled eggs, the lady literally looked at us and said the eggs are scrambled on the inside lol that was the final straw....lol absolutely a joke....we all make mistakes but dont lie and think we are idiots....I was a chef for 20yrs...below is a picture of the "scrambled on the inside eggs " lol needless to say this place is not worth your...

Dropped by Johnnie’s Tavern on Trabue Rd, and let me tell you—this spot is a whole vibe. Classic no-frills bar with checkered tablecloths, a laid-back crowd, and friendly staff that make you feel like a regular even if it’s your first time.

I went for the Johnnie’s Burger and it hit the spot—juicy, flavorful, and made fresh. The fried mushrooms and jalapeño poppers were crispy and perfect for sharing. Drink-wise, they’ve got great options: from local beers to buckets of domestics, and their happy hour (3–7pm) keeps your tab nice and light.

They even have a few desserts written up on a chalkboard, and the pineapple upside-down cake was the sleeper hit of the day.

This is the kind of place where you grab a cold drink, a solid bite, and play a few games on the machine while the game’s on in the background. It’s been around since 1948 and you can feel that old-school charm still alive.

Definitely recommend checking it out if you’re in the Columbus area. Follow me for more local food gems...