After months of rumors, speculation, and — let’s be honest — us jumping the gun a little too early, Char Bar is officially reopening its doors this Thursday, April 3rd.
Yes. You read that correctly. This time? It’s real.
If you’ve been following the Char Bar saga, you’ll know we may or may not have accidentally started the “permanently closed” rumors after Google slapped that label on their business listing and their phone line was disconnected. This was after an alleged drunk driver smashed into the facade of the building.
With no updates and no signs of life, we assumed the worst. But behind the scenes, Char Bar wasn’t gone — they were just caught in a bureaucratic limbo, crawling through mountains of red tape to get everything back in working order given the historic nature of the building they call home.
Now, owner Chuck Gordon and his wife Diana (the self-described “Everything Helper and Manager,” which is the best job title ever) have confirmed the news directly to us: Char Bar is back.
Columbus’ Most Haunted (and Historic) Dive Bar
Part of what makes Char Bar so iconic isn’t just the cheap drinks or the loyal regulars — it’s the eerie charm baked into the building itself.
Before it was a beloved dive bar, the space was a funeral parlor dating back to the 1800s. And not just any funeral parlor — it reportedly played a role in the funeral procession of Abraham Lincoln as it passed through Columbus. According to local lore, this very building helped touch up Honest Abe’s body before his viewing in the city.
That might explain the haunted basement — or the busted upright piano that, according to multiple longtime patrons, plays itself in the dark hours of the night. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, Char Bar has always had a certain energy. And it’s the kind of energy you can’t fake or replicate.
We love it. You love it. And we couldn’t be more excited.
Welcome Back to a Columbus Classic
Char Bar isn’t trying to be the newest, trendiest spot in town. It’s not serving $18 cocktails or flipping smashburgers in a food truck out front. It’s a dive bar in the purest and most glorious sense of the word. And in a city that’s constantly evolving, there’s something comforting about a place that just is.
So mark your calendars. Grab your wallet. And maybe tip your top hat to the heavens for good ole Honest Abe.
Char Bar reopens Thursday, April 3rd.
Columbus just got a lot cooler.
See you there.
📍 Char Bar | 439 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215