CIRCUS!

Great space recently remodeled and new management. The menu is limited but the two sandwiches we had were a delight. Pulled pork sliders with chipotle slaw. Yum. Cuban was just as good sweat potatoe fries that came with a brown sugar sauce Nice selection of drafts to go with everything. May come back Sunday for drag brunch! Saving room for banana fosters French toast for dessert

I’ve been here for bands back when it was High 5, and nowadays for the same — mainly because one of my friends is involved with their burlesque shows, which are awesome. 2^nd and 4^th Fridays. I try to catch them because the girls are amazing!
The bartenders… are hit and miss. Kind of prickish on slow nights (he was telling my friends and I to «move off the bar, because we were blocking others from ordering.» The dance floor was empty. We were the only people drinking at the bar. Whatever.
The crowds: always changing. It’s truly a weird experience, and it doesn’t get crowded until later.

Despite being overran with underage kids due to their 18 and over policy, Circus! does have a few saving graces. First of all, they are one of very few places offering genuinely non-​mainstream electronic music in the city. They host a handful of monthlies, my favorite being Juicy. It’s a bass music monthly. That’s a genre, not just meaning there is bass in it. Sometimes I have to put up with trap, which I don’t really care for, but other times there is some UK Bass, UK dubstep, future garage type stuff being thrown down, all of which I’m glad to have as an option in Columbus.
Unfortunately, these same monthlies and events are what draw in the underage crowd. Punk Rock Karaōke on Mondays is another plus, although the catalog is less punk rock than you’d imagine. The patio is humongous, although the furnishings aren’t the best. There are decent draft and bottle options, and one of the regular bartenders, I think her name is Lisa, is a super cutie.
Now that Clever Crow in North Market shut down, this is once again your only haven for some of the best pizza in Columbus. Seriously, please don’t pay $ 3 – 4 a slice for Mikey’s drunkfood pizza when you can get Clever Crow for $ 3.

They successfully managed to chase out every good thing they had going for them EXCEPT PRK! Which now has a cover charge. Yeah… suck it.

Circus has gone through some interesting stages but as it is now I give it 5 stars because every night I’ve gone I haven’t been disappointed. The sound quality has improved so much that I enjoy listening to even the worst of artists here. The food and pizza are incredible if you get in before 9. Bar service is great. Unless they’re incredibly busy you won’t spend more than 10 seconds waiting at the bar. Prices are just a little better than most downtown bars. Cover charges usually sit around $ 5, pretty cheap compared to some other places. All in all, it’s a great place to bring some friends and kick back for a night.

I love the clever crow pizza. The bartenders are great and know how to pour a drink. Though I don’t frequent as often as I used to when I do I have a great time. No matter what night I’ve gone I always feel like the atmosphere is laid back. Get there for happy hour and stick around for comedy on Tuesday or Karaōke on Monday. I’ve had good experiences with live bands there so I’d definitely go for a live show. A nice lil place that needs a bit more word of mouth.

Went there for the first time last night for Monday night karaōke. It was fun, not too crowded, but definitely had its own scene going on. For what few people that were there, it still had a weird-​kid party vibe that was open and outgoing.
Easy to get a drink, easy to sing a song without feeling like a piece of shit. The bar itself is spacious and accommodating.
The bartenders were friendly and service was excellent. The back patio was a nice place to hang out when you wanted to escape the volume.
punk rock karaōke!

I went to the UKF Dubstep concert with KOAN Sound and Gemini. I have never been to a concert at Circus because it is such a small venue and I usually do not like super crowded areas. I heard from most people that the music sound quality is horrible at circus, but for a dubstep concert the music sounded incredible.
DIGITAL XTC, Magua, Gemini and KOAN Sound were the lineup for the event. Magua who usually hosts THUMP Wednesdays put on a great live show. When Gemini went on the crowd went wild and the entire crowd was jumping and dubstepping the entire hour and a half set he put on. I haven’t been to a concert yet with the energy that was around the venue.
Beer was average price downtown 3.50 a small glass, but 4 bucks for Pabst Blue Ribbon tall boys. Great place deff a place to come back to.

I love this place. I always go to see my friends play and am always greeted with friendly bartenders (usually Mike or Lisa) and am given strong ass drinks.

Probably my most visited bar by far. I mostly come here for dance parties and i also often DJ here myself (
, shameless plug.) During popular acts this bar can get a bit crowded and traffic is heavy right by the bathrooms. Patio area has plenty of room and tables, and sometimes they have a mini bar setup back there too. Mondays i believe they have punk rock karaōke, which sounds like a blast, if i ever go ill be sure to update this. The bar also serves Clever Crow Pizza which is glutton free and very good. I think they stop serving around 9 or 10 to setup for the late night rush.

I went to Circus recently when I was visiting family in Columbus.
From the Unilocal reviews, I thought I’d be walking into a place comparable to Bernie’s on campus. When we arrived I had to check the sign outside to make sure we were at the right place. This place seemed very clean and generic. Black table and chair combos that look like they were purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond dotted the muted tile floors and aside from the somewhat hokey «circus» picture bordering the ceiling, the place looked like it could be a sports bar where 30 and 40-​somethings hang out. Definitely didn’t get any «scene» vibes from the place AT ALL. The most hipster thing about this bar was the fact that it’s next door to an American Apparel. And I DEFINITELY could not picture any kind of goth/S&M night taking place here.
Also, in the reviews on here, I’ve seen a lot of complaints about the bathrooms. They were perfectly fine when I went. I mean, they weren’t swanky or nice but they were just normal bathrooms. I don’t know if it’s because I live in New Orleans so I’m used to bar bathrooms that look like they’re located in the seventh circle of hell, but I just didn’t see what all the fuss was about.
You can’t smoke inside, which is kind of a bummer for all of us tobacco fiends out there, but they have picnic tables set up out back.
The sound quality there was SHITTY! My cousin’s boyfriend’s band was playing and their singing was completely drowned out by the audio. I’ve seen a few other complaints about this so I’m assuming it’s due to an unskilled sound guy.
Parking was difficult. We ended up parking a few blocks away and walking.
Lastly, they stamp your hand if you’re OVER 21 with horrible, indelible ink that takes days and multiple showers to come off. It doesn’t help that the stamp is huge and says CIRCUS! Might want to switch to wristbands or try marking the underage kids instead.

Circus is definitely not some classy, upscale joint, but I really enjoy this place. The cover is low and reasonable, the drinks are strong and cheap, the music varies from night to night and variety is the spice of life, they say. The bathrooms are downright gross and the doors don’t lock, but that’s pretty typical of dive-​y bars in general. The back patio/​smoking areas is nice, even for us non-​smokers. If you’re a beer drinker, they have a pretty decent selection for this type of bar. If I’m in the mood for some strong refreshment, dancing, and I’m low on cash, I’m definitely gonna pick this place over some of the other, way more expensive places in the area.

Circus is a decent bar. They have a good beer selection. but I can’t justify more stars because as a music venue, they are not living up to their full potential, to say the least.
I’ve been here for a few shows and a during non-​show times (for Clever Crow pizza), and it’s been good. The service is always pretty good (even if the pizza is slow). The ambiance is a little weird because it’s such a huge space and usually isn’t super-​full.
So why the two stars? Because the sound sucks. They can take an indie-​pop group and make them sound like Sonic Youth, and not in a good way. Everything turns into a wall of sound because they crank the levels on everything and it gets distorted. I nearly walked out last night during a band that I really like because each song had at least 10 instances of feedback, which is unacceptable. My ears are still ringing today. I know that feedback happens, but if it’s happening 3 songs in and you haven’t figured out what’s wrong, you need to turn down the levels on everything and take a time out. seriously.
The thing that’s the most frustrating is that the sound shouldn’t suck. They have a good setup in here, but they just can’t handle it. Or their sound person doesn’t enjoy music with subtleties and would prefer noise metal rock.

What a bunch of cheapskates.
I went in at Saturday night at 11 pm. The place was dead, but I couldn’t see that because they had a curtain at the door. So I paid the $ 3 cover and walked in. Ten seconds later I knew I did not want to be there and asked for a refund. The door lady refused, even though she let some other dude in with no cover to «Talk to Red» after he promised he wouldn’t stay. I didn’t argue or get unpleasant, I just decided to tell the truth on Unilocal.
Stay away from these cheapskates.

I should preface this review by stating that I am only rating Circus based on Saturday nights at «Church» — the semi-​weekly goth/​industrial/​EBM dance party run by local DJs Kevy Kev and brokenboy.
I’ll be honest and admit that I am not a live music fan — I know, I know… the abundance of hipsters and live music junkies on this site will crucify me, but it’s true. I’d just much rather prefer to spend an evening at a bar or club that has a good jukebox or good DJs playing good music, instead of hearing crappy local bands butcher classic songs, or play their own «original» tone-​deaf, banal recordings. And that’s what you’ll find at Circus on «Church» nights. (Good DJs, that is — not insipid live crap.)
Yes, ’tis true that this place doesn’t really get going until after 11:00 or so — although I give them credit for trying to pull people in earlier, with frequent «no cover» specials before 11. It’s usually $ 3 — $ 5 after. The crowd for Church is decidedly un-​goth for what is supposed to be a goth night. I’m shocked to read that people have been scared off by the clientele — I’ve seen scarier crowds at Buckeye Donuts at 3 a.m.
You’ll find a mix of suburban couples who may or may not be looking for a bit of the ol’ swingin’ action, Short North hipsters, people dressed in black trying their damndest to be goth, and, surprisingly, a lot of nerds who seem to be looking to be dominated. All in all, a harmless group. Church was much more intimidating when it was held at the old Outland.
As for the interior, it still retains a lot of the divey, grimey feel of High Five, but with a bit more of a playful, «I’d actually like to spend some time in this space instead of wanting to snort a line of coke in the bathroom, pound a shot of JD, and get the fuck out of here» feel. Yes, the murals/​art on the walls is kinda cheesy, but it’s not so in your face that you’re distracted by it. You’ll probably be too drunk to notice it anyway. Bathrooms are predictably shitty… but who cares?
There is also a stage for either dancing or watching live «shows» of semi-goth/bondage/S&M goings-​on. Just to let you know, it’s usually not titillating or arousing by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve seen better girl-​on-​girl performances in the parking lot at Meijer. Again, this kinda stuff was much better at the old Outland. Alas.
On a positive note, the bartenders are spot on. I walked in, ordered a Tanqueray and tonic, and the dude had one waiting for me every time I approached the bar for the rest of the night. Now that’s what I expect when I go out for a drink or two. Service. It’s a dying art. I can’t remember how much my drink was, but I don’t think it was that bad. I’ll pay anywhere up to $ 7 for a T&T, so it must have been lower than that.
I won’t be here for Punk Rock Karaōke on Mondays, as I don’t do karaōke either, so you’ll have to trust the other reviews for that. Sounds like it could be fun if you’re into that kind of thing. I do, however, urge you to check this place out on Saturday nights. Kevy Kev and brokenboy play a nice mix of gothy/​industrial music — you’ll hear some classics from New Order, Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Joy Division, along with some newer stuff like She Wants Revenge, VNV Nation, Covenant, Apoptygma Berzerk, and Assemblage 23.
Circus is harmless fun — plus you can impress your friends and say you went to a «goth bar» and survived.

My first time at Circus was on a Saturday during «Church» — goth/​industrial/​darkwave dance party. I arrived around 10, and there were no more than 3 people in the bar until well after midnight. Even then it never really got crowded — but hey, I kinda like that. I had a great time. (Though notably there wasn’t much «dancing» for a «dance party»)
My second time at Circus was on a Monday during «Punk Rock Karaōke.» I arrived around 9, and there were no more than 3 people in the bar until well after 10. Even then it never really got crowded — and hey, I kinda like that. :de ja vu: The atmosphere for punk rock karaōke is fantastic — it’s not the usual douchebag karaōke crowd singing «Don’t Sop Believing.» And it’s not all punk rock music, either, so don’t let the name fool you. I had a great time.
I dig the décor of the place — dark, open. A little circus-​themed artwork on the walls. A handful of tables, two booths and a few bar stools. A tiny little room off the side of the stage with a couch for…? A decent sized patio for the smokin’ crowd. A decent beer selection.
Apparently this place has some «I’ve died and gone to heaven» grade pizza that I need to try.

Ok, so it’s not High 5 anymore, at least on paper. But a lot of the staff, about 80% of the regulars, the drinks, prices, and events remain the same. The décor has changed slightly but the layout remains the same. So basically it’s as close to still being the bar we knew and loved as one could possibly ask for given that it’s under completely new ownership.
They treat artists performing there quite well and work great with bands on budgets. They are super-​friendly and make a decent number of interesting mixed drinks I have yet to find anywhere else. And their goth night is a perfectly acceptable substitute to keep the scene going while it is «homeless» if you can even call it that– Church has been alive and well long enough at Circus to almost call it a semi-​permanent home– it even outlasted the 6-​month existence of a larger, arguably nicer dedicated goth club.
2 minor complaints– their sound isn’t always the best during live shows, but certainly not the worst in Columbus. And they caved in to their moronic neighbors who moved in next to a club and complained that it gets noisy at night, so now they sometimes close their smoking patio at 1.

So this past weekend was my second trip to Circus. If I would have reviewed it after the first trip I would not have given it 3 stars.
The first trip I went with my brother who though his friend was going to be there. Little did we know that it was «goth night» which is not our scene. The place was overly crowded and after drinking a beer we decided to leave.
The trip this weekend my fiancé and I went to see a friend’s boyfriends band play and WOW what a difference. There were a good amout of people there but was not overly crowded. The bar tender was on top of his game and knew what I was going to order by the second time I went up to get a beer. In fact the bartender alone made me bump up the stars to 4.
The band & vibe was great even though there was a drunk older woman attempting to dance with everyone. I will most likely be going back to Circus if there is a band that I want to watch but will most likely not go during «goth night» or any of there other nights. Just not my bag of tea.

This is a great venue. Sure, everyone thinks Circus is a stupid name, and it is. But it’s also a name that reflects the kind of night that you’ll have at Circus, a night full of surprises. On Monday night’s, you have Punk Rock Karaōke. which is ALSO a stupid name, considering the Gothic rollover clientele from the previous Saturday night Gothic night.
One thing that stands out is the inconsistency of the crowds that show up here. You don’t wanna show up early unless you wanna get shit faced fast and leave bored. No, no, you wanna show up around 10:30pm to get a good look at the crowds that end up in the center ring.
Finally, I’d like to address that if there’s no music, event, or karaōke, there doesn’t seem to be a reason to visit Circus. Sure, Happy Hour is great… but drinking alone sucks.
Live bands? Awesome. More of that, plz. The sound is great and you can see from anywhere in the bar.

Like everything else in Columbus, High Five has left the material world and has been replaced by Circus (CIRCUS!).
Now, I’m not going to drown on about how ridiculous I think the name «CIRCUS!» is, or how I’m totally not down with their blurb on MySpace that states, «Take your sideshow ass and join CIRCUS, where you belong, and be part of the newest, best looking dysfunctional family in Columbus». I think those things speak for itself and CIRCUS teeters on being a one trick pony.
I had to check out what possibly could have replaced High Five, so I went during the FUNKDEFY soul and funk dance party. I was desperate to get out of the house, and there was no cover. That’s something CIRCUS seems to be doing at least during these first weeks while they are open, and shoot, I don’t care how lame a place is as long as I’m not paying.
Well, CIRCUS isn’t lame, but it’s not exactly the hip place I think they were hoping to be. At least not yet. I think it’ll be awhile before some people get over High Five. I saw some confused hipsters walk into CIRCUS that night. Where at High Five I started feeling too old to be going, all of a sudden at CIRCUS I felt to young. There was definitely an eclectic group gathered, but no one was hitting up the dance floor! And this was by no means the fault of FUNKDEFY, because they were spinning some great tunes.
Now about the bar itself. Other than a paint job, new tables and booths, and circus themed artwork, this place hasn’t undergone many cosmetic changes. That’s fine, because what they have already works. And the bathrooms still look like people do massive amounts of coke in them.
16 beers on tap, along with Strongbow is a star in my book. Strongbow for $ 5 a glass is minus a star in my book. It looks like they got rid of the cooler of beer that High Five once had, unless it moved somewhere else.
I’ll be interested in seeing if they open up the kitchen again, High Five had some of the best flat bread pizzas I’ve ever had.
All in all, CIRCUS will need some time to establish a strong fan base and I’m hoping more people will show up on the dance floor. It has potential.