The Shrunken Head

Great venue place. But food is overpriced and very scanty. We got a veggie nacho plate and it didn’t have most of the ingredients in the description. Will come back for events but not for the food

DISCLAIMER: my review isn’t very representative of the bar experience here, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
I bought a Groupon for this place a longggggg time ago (don’t even remember why), but kept forgetting to use it until about 10 days before it was about to expire. Didn’t have time to actually come chill at the bar, so I figured I’d just grab a few foods for take-​out and have lunch/​dinner covered for the day.
Unfortunately, they were re-​doing their menu when I stopped in, so they had pretty limited options. I ordered a few veggie plates since none of the other (very few) food options were very appealing to me. The plate itself is a decent size for $ 5, and I don’t really have any complaints with that (veggies themselves were average and typical quality for bar food), but I’m incredibly dissatisfied with their service.
Okay, I came in on a Saturday afternoon. The venue was pretty empty. They had some people working in the kitchen, along with someone at the cash register. I ordered freakin’ raw vegetables, which at most take 2 – 3 minutes to slice! I don’t know why it took them over 20 minutes to make 3 freakin’ veggie plates. Okay, actually, I do. First off, they couldn’t find their usual dressing for the plate, and decided to spend 10 minutes looking for their dressing rather than asking if I was okay with a different one (or none at all). Then, after finally notifying me of that problem, they *still* wouldn’t give me my order. Why? Oh right, because they couldn’t find the lids for the containers they use to hold their dressing. Once again, rather than letting me know, they spent another 10 minutes unsuccessfully looking for them. You know, because it’s really that hard to make sure you have everything you need at the beginning. I ended up leaving with no dressing anyway. Ugh.

I’ve been here several times in the last few months, primarily for happy hour. You can’t really go wrong with 75 cent specials. It’s usually pretty chill when I’m there, which is a nice change of pace from some of the more crowded bars. All of the employees I’ve interacted with there have been super nice. I’m not really interested in any of the performances, but they seem to have live entertainment there quite regularly. Additionally, I really like their spicy grilled cheese sandwich. It’s really simply made, but also quite tasty.

I went to this venue to hear a friend of a friend preform. The bar tender did not come around and check on you nor did they force drinks down your throat. They serving food when they run out so mind your Ps & Qs when getting drunk. The environment was black and red, the air was kind of stagnant and led you to get overheated. I would say if it wasn’t for the entertainment I wouldn’t be my first choice for a dive bar.

This place is full of that subculture of people labeled by a word I have sworn not to use anymore because we have blown it up in so many directions that it lost meaning. But you know the type: they deck themselves in vintage clothing, fedoras or cowboy hats, sometimes in Doc Martens, and wiry John Lennon glasses. Often with full beards, they don teeshirts with the likes of the bunny from Donnie Darko. They like Pabst.
On the side, I don’t understand the venom this subculture generates; I find them no different than any other groups of people; they too span the spectrum from caustic jerkoff to warm charismatic. Be that as it may, it also attracts students to top off it clientele.
Shrunken Head is in the bohemian building on the corner of 5^th and Neil, where Midnight Café once was. The interior is of the type that use to be a mainstay in the Short North as well as north campus. Original exposed brick walls, original stucco square ceilings, dry red paint gives it a nice worn old, underworld comfort. Above hightop chairs at the bar hangs small, cylinder, mosaic chandeliers glowing red and orange. The space is smaller than what it looks from the street, but is roomy enough for a decent low level venue audience.
The bar is nothing great. Few beer were on tap: a couple domestics, a IPA, Guinness. This is not competition for the great mirco brewed selection and IPA hysteria popping up all around. The wine and liquor selection is standard bar choices. They serve enough to keep you positively hydrated during music.
As a music venue it is good. The acoustics are perfect, with the stage no more than 45-​degrees from anywhere on the floor or bar, the sound stays thick in the places walls. (Though there is a window section that is hidden by the doorwell.) the PA system was decent, you heard every instrument and vocals without distortion. The bands that played Saturday night were talented and had distinct sounds and well crafter original songs. I paid a three dollar cover.
Service could use an upgrade. They do great between sets, but they lose a lot of business during play. Serving during music is best done by staggering bartenders to sections; if there’s two, have one cover each half. That way when a customer needs a drink, all he has to do is turn around and make eye contact. Unfortunately, they were all huddled at the opposite end, meaning I went dry for a few songs.
Not a fatal compliant, but a suggestion. It’s a nice little offbeat club.

Absolutely my favorite bar in Columbus. The people are awesome, drinks are cheap, the happy hour is great. The food is great and not your standard bar fare. The owners and staff are great people. Service is fast.

This has quickly become one of my favorite watering holes. The staff is beyond excellent and they are very generous. Always a good thing to me.
They are always having different things going on (karaōke, burlesque shows, etc) so there is something for everyone at some point. Patrons are always pretty chill and down to earth.
Nice patio and very large inside. Does have a pool table as well. Check this place out, you won’t regret it.
Just an FYI — it is not open on Sundays.

This bar is really cool. I’ve been here off and on for a while now and have yet to have a disappointing experience. It has that sort of divey vibe but yet it also has that cool/​hip feeling as you are in the place. They’ve really hit the balance of just the right amount of diveyness without going overboard into being a creepy sort of bar.
In any event though one of my favorite things that they do here is the science pub. Last month I believe it was a talk on how the body processes alcohol, and irony aside it was an excellent experience. On other occasions I’ve managed to catch some live music, and on others took advantage of their happy hour (which is usually pretty good I hear).
I have not had the chance to try the food yet, but I’m told it’s some quality stuff. You’ll just have to go and try it out yourself to find out.

I’ve been here multiple times for different events, Science Pub, karaōke, and various concerts. The Shrunken Head is pretty cool in a dive bar sort of way. The pizza is quite good, and there’s some good deals available during happy hour. I thought the bathrooms could use some work, and I don’t like wiping my hands on cloth towels that god only knows how many other people have touched.
So, bottom line: going to cool events here is fun, but I probably wouldn’t just drop in for the food, ambiance, or drinks.

Very cool little hole in the wall venue.
A friend and co-​worker was performing at the open mic here, so we went to check it out. It is a bit hard to find, but once you are there the parking across the street is pretty easy.
The stage is small and the place is a bit of a dive (in a good way) non-​pretentious. Local talent tries out new material on the crowd and they have a full bar, so even when the talent is less than talented, you can have a drink.
My friends band was rockin and we had a great time. I would check it out for local talent and a cool vibe that is both hip and laid back at the same time.

Vastly superior as far as entertainment and drinks to the former occupant, Victorias Midnight Café. But perhaps not as great of a place to hang out in general. Still, it is a decent, cheap spot to check out local and select touring bands. It definitely caters more to a rockabilly crowd on most nights, although there is appeal for metalheads, country boys, and goths on select nights as well. The owner, if I recall, is German, and bought it with the intent of bringing the batcave vibe to Columbus. There is a quaint, but nicely remodeled patio too, and the happy hour specials are on par with other great deals in town, although the selection is not as vast.

Zee Head is taking on new looks and new events.
I haven’t been here since probably early spring, but it looks like The Shrunken Head is doing some minor changes within their place from what I saw this past weekend. The décor has changed from dark and haunted house meets rock n’ roll to something with a slight hint of (hipster) class if you consider a DIY chandelier made of PBR cans within your limits of class.
Ozzy and Johnny have left the building… or at least their painting have left the wall, which has been fitted with circular mirrors, and small sconces of red light guide your way around. The walls are all red now aside from their logo painted on the wall next to their bar.
The back patio has been cleaned up… slightly, but is essentially the same old patio.
The staff is still the same, which means you’ll still get the wonderful service and attention you deserve on the busy weekend evenings.
I’m glad that The Shrunken Head is still one of those places I can go and it still remains consistent and the music they get in here is still pretty great.
The drinks are good and usually still have me wobbling out the door.
I still love the friendliness of this place. It’s like a douche-​bag free zone in my opinion, and everyone is just… cool with each other. I think that’s why I enjoy coming here.
Not to mention. La Galleria pizza which is hosted here is STILL THE bomb!

Ignoring the better advice of the friends I was with, I stumbled into the Shrunken Head one Wednesday night. I had read somewhere that this is mostly a Goth bar, so I was afraid I might stick out like a sore thumb. Upon entering the bar however, I realized my preconceived notions about this place were wrong. Goth bar?, hardly. (I think the Goth thing is only one night a week.) More like hipster central, where the PEE BEE RRR flows like water. Heck, there’s even a PBR chandelier. And don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against hipsters. I loved the place. I must have been there on «Open mic» night, where several individuals were performing. The music ranged from really good to mediocre, but I really enjoyed it all just the same. I guess I’m just a sucker for live acoustic music.
The people there were friendly, unpretentious, and just being themselves. A place to hang out and not worry about what others think. The one thing I thought was funny was some of the older guys there, in trying to be hipster, looked more like beatniks, but that’s a different story.
The place is not huge, but it is comfortable. It has a small bar area, several tables and there is a small area in front of the stage for those who like to dance. There is one larger area by the front window which would be good for bigger groups. I hear that Tuesday is karaōke night, maybe I’ll come back and see how that goes.
Only complaint, Yeungling draft was $ 3.50. Maybe I should switch to PBR…

Great dive bar around Fifth and High. Neighborhood is between Victorian Village and Campus but nice. Very nearby local Taco Truck battleground.
Good drinks and friendly staff are the highlights. We have been to Karaōke night twice and had a ball. Small, friendly crowd with a good mix of bikers, hipsters, goth, college and nerds (not sure where I fit in there, but don’t care either!!)
Didn’t have the food, but they serve pizza and taco trucks are nearby. Definitely a good neighborhood hangout and destination on certain nights for a welcome change.
B

Uh, just my yearly update about the Shrunken Head. I pretty much spent every Thursday night (with only one night I can think of taken off) from Jan til June 2011 here, at Enter the Batcave, the Head’s original dark 80s/​gothic industrial/​punk rock/​underground dance party. Aside from other events, such as Church! Presents Communion (Friday night goth dance party that used to be called Church! when it was at Circus) and Adrian X’s Tuesday karaōke night, defecting from various other venues last year in favor of the Shrunken Head, this place is an AWESOME venue for rock n roll shows (their second annual Cash Only: Johnny Cash Tribute night is coming up, and last year it was filled to capacity and was UHMAZING), and it was basically my home away from home the last year that I lived in Columbus. Now it’s on my first-​thing go-​to list whenever I come home.
Andreas and the gang are amazing. Nicole will pour you generous shots and is sweet as pie and totally adorable. It was awesome to witness the coming of age of this venue when I lived in Columbus and I can’t wait to get back home… but til then, I proudly wear my Shrunken Head tshirt around NYC. :)

I pretty much live here. On my nights off, you’ll find me here slamming Pabst and Cherry Bombs, hanging out with the awesome barstaff, and watching the ever-​growing pile of DVDs they have behind the bar.
–Does it have a ‘goth-​vibe’?
Yes, but to me, it’s more of a neighborhood bar that needs more of the neighbors to come in.
–How’s the pizza?
Great by the slice… better if you order a whole pie.
–Hey, don’t you host karaōke there on Tuesday nights?
Shit, fine. yes I do, but don’t blow my cover. I’m trying to write unbiased reviews here.

I love the Head. I’ll admit, I’ve only ever been there on Friday nights for Communion (the reincarnated industrial/​EBM/​goth night formerly known as Church that migrated from Circus), but I have an amazing time each and every week. I’m not sure if they still do it, but they had an «unhappy» hour that lasted from I think 10 – 11 on Friday nights, with $ 1 shots of Red Death (think cherry Kool-​Aid) and 50 cent well drinks. Yes, I said 50 cent drinks. Again, I have no idea if they still do this, but I showed up with 5 bucks in my pocket one week and left with zero. You do the math.
The bartenders are amazing, the décor is suitably goth, and the bathrooms are fine if you know what to expect going in. I don’t get the complaints. People take themselves seriously because that’s what goths do. Duh.
Go dance to the beats provided by Kevy Kev and brokenboy and drink and be moody.

I’m going to assume coming here in the daylight when there isn’t a band playing is way different than coming here at dark when there is. That said — I’ll just have to imagine this place in it’s *true* form when the lights are low and the music is loud because this review is from my recent happy hour trip.
Not the most ideal place for happy hour, right? But I’ve recently launched a girl’s dive bar tour and this place was on our list.
The Yays:
— yay beer!
— yay food! (pizza from neighboring/​adjoining pizza joint)
— yay cool dingy dive bar
The Nays:
— we couldn’t order food because the chef was late and then the oven wasn’t pre-​heated
What I’m looking forward to when I go back:
— ordering and eating pizza
— watching a cool band
— experiencing theme nights
All is there for the lookin’ during the daytime — especially the crazy contraption in the side room. Apparently it’s a contraption that used to live in a salon. You just have to go to see and believe. And drink lots of beer, too, of course.

I would firstly like to address the negative reviews that allude to Vic’s (the café/​bar that used to be in that space). The Shrunken Head is not Vic’s. I’m sure everyone is quite sorry that your previous favorite hangout is gone, but slamming TSH for things that Victorian’s used to do, have, serve, or whatever, is like slamming the phở place in Lane Ave. because they are in an old Taco Bell but they don’t serve tacos. It’s a different establishment now. It’s not Vic’s anymore. Move on.
That having been said, I continue to enjoy The Shrunken Head. They have great drink specials (I’m always able to buy melanie b. a PBR or two without it breaking my budget), a new pizza menu (my favorite is the prosciutto – delicious), and friendly staff that I have never had to hunt down for service. Food is brought to my table, even when it’s in «bar» mode rather than restaurant mode. (I’ve had their older food, too – I was served a perfectly serviceable burger that, while not a glorious burger such as you’d get at Thurman’s, was fine for cheap bar nosh.)
Have I mentioned that they have a prosciutto pizza?! They don’t skimp on the pork, either.
The highlight of my Shrunken Head experience continues to be Enter the Batcave on Thursday nights. If you’re tired of experiencing Ladies’ 80’s with a mob of drunken fratboys mixed in with a mob of drunken nostalgic middle-​aged wish-​they-​were-​in-​college-​still office drones, hop on down to Enter the Batcave. Our lovely DJ plays Nick Cave, Joy Division; you won’t hear Love Shack, and I’m completely fine with that.
Listen not to haters living in the past. See for yourself!

Guess I’m going against the trend! I really enjoyed being here for swing dancing last Tuesday. Good live band, cheap beer ($ 1 Michelobs), and swing dancing… can’t beat it! There was a $ 5 cover, but it went to the band so that’s just fine by me. I think they have swing dancing every Tuesday night if you’re into that like me.
Maybe your experience at SH depends on what you’re doing there and when you go. For swing dancing on Tuesday it is pretty much perfect (though if it got busier, things would probably be too crowded). It also looks like a lot of people are complaining particularly about the food and the bathroom. Personally I don’t go to a bar to eat, but if the food is as bad as everyone on here says it is, that’s too bad. I also didn’t go into the bathroom, so I can’t say anything about that.
I guess if you go to SH, have a good reason to go, don’t eat the food, and hold your bladder…