Most laundromats are lifeless, fluorescent-lit purgatories where you zone out to the hum of washing machines and avoid eye contact with strangers. But what if your local laundromat doubled as a bar? And what if that bar also doubled (tripled??) as a live music venue featuring some of the most chaotic, face-melting punk, metal, and hardcore shows in town?
Welcome to Dirty Dungarees, where you can throw your sweaty laundry in the wash, grab a drink, and — if you time it right — get caught in a full-blown mosh pit while your clothes tumble dry.
Yes, this place is real. And yes, it’s even crazier than it sounds.
A Fun Place to Do Your Laundry… or the Greatest Understatement of All Time
From the outside, Dirty Dungarees looks like an average laundromat. The sign says, “A Fun Place to Do Your Laundry,” which might just be the most hilariously undersold description of all time. Because inside, this is not your average place to fold T-shirts.
It’s one of the rowdiest DIY venues in Columbus.
Bands don’t just play here, they detonate inside these walls. It’s the kind of place where the amps are cranked way past 11, the floors are bouncing from the sheer force of the crowd, and at any given moment, someone might be crowd surfing within arm’s reach of a running dryer.
If you show up expecting some chill acoustic background music while your socks spin, you’re in for the shock of your life.
Laundry, Beer, and Pure Mayhem — In That Order?
Here’s some insight into how a night at Dirty Dungarees might go:
1️⃣ Toss your laundry in the wash and grab a beer.
2️⃣ Midway through the spin cycle, a hardcore band takes the stage. (And by “stage,” we mean whatever floor space isn’t covered in amps and drum kits.)
3️⃣ The music starts. The crowd erupts. Next thing you know, the entire place is shaking, and now you’re wondering if you wasted your money on running the washer because your clothes would’ve gotten thoroughly agitated just sitting there.
4️⃣ By the time your clothes hit the dryer, there’s a full-on mosh pit. Wrinkles are now the last thing on your mind.
5️⃣ You pick up your laundry and leave with one of the best stories of your life.
It’s chaotic, it’s absurd, and it’s 100% unforgettable.
The Best (and Maybe Only?) Reason to Do Laundry on a Saturday Night
Look, we all love a good “remember when?” story. And “remember when we saw that insane punk show at that laundromat?” is one you’ll be telling for years.
Where else can you watch a band rip through a blistering set while washers and dryers keep the beat in the background? Where else might you accidentally get shoved into a vending machine while someone else is crowd surfing mere feet away from the ceiling?
Exactly.
So next time your laundry pile is getting out of hand, don’t just wash it — turn it into a night out. Grab a beer, catch a show, and embrace the chaos at Dirty Dungarees.
📍 2584 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202
(And don’t say we didn’t warn you)