I went to Strongwater today and I really wanted to be amazed. I looked at the menu beforehand and saw a lot of really adventurous foods and drinks that I was excited to try. However, I was largely disappointed with my experience. I’ll start with the good: our server was excellent and knowledgeable, and the space is really cool. I went there with 4 other people and we were seated in this semi private room: we had big windows to the main floor and bar, and the door was open, but we were a bit isolated from the noise and it felt more intimate and cozy. I loved this. All of the food options sounded really interesting too. Now what I didn’t like: the cocktails tasted really great, but they were incredibly expensive and not worth the money I’d find. I got a cocktail for $15 and it felt like I should have had at least twice the amount I did for the price. The food was also not great. It was either bland or uninteresting, and portions were not great. The only good thing were the gochujang chicken wings, but the arepa (which my partner and I split for $20) was bland, the hummus was not hummus (coming from an Arab here, I know what I’m talking about), the beet salad was downright bad, and the fried shishito peppers had absolutely way too much breading and were way too greasy. All in all, I really wanted it to be a nice place, and the space was really nice. But the food was overpriced and not worth it. I truly think that the idea they have is great, and they shouldn’t change any of their offerings, they should just make them better. All the food and drink options are adventurous and have so much potential, but they just failed to hit the mark, almost across the board.

We hosted our wedding ceremony and reception at Strongwater Food & Spirits in the fall of 2021. We were pleased to see the venue live up to its reputation. We worked closely with our wedding coordinator, Matt, who helped bring our vision to life with minimal direction. We cannot say enough good things about Matt and his team. Beyond seamless coordination and flexibility, the team also helped us create a custom pancake cake that our guests could not stop talking about (yum). What a great day!

If I could give this place 6 stars I would! We came in looking for a good time spot with a few apps and drinks… we didn’t realize we walked into a top notch restaurant where we needed to try just about everything in the menu…. GAZ - (I hope I spelled that right) took care of us on this Saturday evening and could not have done a better job. The attention to detail and service was unmatched. He took his serving job very seriously and was also killing it as a mixologist on our drinks at the same time. Well done sir! Highly recommend GAZ! Again, we ordered about every entree and small plate we could find, between 4 different palates at the table we couldn’t find a single issue or bad flavor anywhere. Drinks were phenomenal and I recommend eating and drinking here to EVERYONE! PS, I am usually a huge photographer with my food and drinks but I literally was eating and drinking them all so fast and didn’t get a chance to snap them all… presentation was 5 star on everything. 🔥🔥🔥 Great work, can’t wait to return!!!

I made a reservation and went for dinner on a Saturday night with two friends. The reservation wasn't necessary since seating was available, but it was nice to have that ability. Service was prompt and extremely friendly. Great alcohol and craft mock-tail selection. Everyone enjoyed their food, which was also reasonably priced. Worth checking out.

I’ve been to this place maybe three times and each time I’ve been it’s oddly empty. I’m not sure if the restaurant is so large and the tables are separated far apart or what it is but I always feel a bit awkward dining here. Tonight was the most awkward because we were the but people dining here on a Friday night we had a reservation at 5:30 and the entire restaurant was empty until some reservations for 6 arrived. The food is good. A mix of tapas and full sized dishes a variety of alcoholic offerings too. Service attentive. Because it was slow the service felt a little too attentive.

The food here is outstanding. Really can't go wrong. Drinks are good too, and the ambiance is great as the restaurant is an old factory front (I think old fountain pens or something) so it has a mid century modern vibe. Update: it had been a while since we've been to Strong water. They were able to accommodate us at the last minute on a Saturday which we were so thankful for and service was great. However, we were really disappointed with the menu changes. Cocktails were still great, but the move to small plates and a few entrees with no available sides was a bummer. The burger was mid range at best and the fries, which used to be top notch, were just OK. My family who got the tapas were not impressed as size was tiny and taste was just OK for most dishes. Not sure if the culinary team changed or something but we will sadly probably not return until the menu looks more like it used to in recent years. Very sad to be writing this report.

Good drinks, but all apps and the chicken sandwich were scorched almost completely black as per the trendy way. I wish restaurants would stop that. Carcinogens are not tasty, yo

I am shook! I love Strongwater—every time I’ve gone for dinner the food has been amazing. The service, ambiance, and drinks have always been, and still are, great too. But we just had dinner there and I am baffled by the serving sizes and prices. I recognize that it’s a really difficult time for restaurants and food prices are on the rise but I have also never left a restaurant having spent $150 for 2, still hungry. It almost became laughable as each dish coming out was more expensive, yet smaller. The burrata starter was half a ball of cheese (I’ve never seen that before) for $18, the scallops main dish included only 3 scallops for $28, and the broccoli side was 4 florets for $13…I’m telling you, insane! On top of all that, the food was just okay. Such a bummer!

Great service, but this restaurant is trying too hard to be like it’s contemporary counterparts. $20 for a burger? Fine. But make it worth the $20. Very average burger, and other restaurants nearby have a better burger for a fraction of the price. Asked for the patty to be medium well, came out well-done. They offer higher-end plates too like steak, but the medium was very chewy, and didn’t melt in your mouth like steak a medium steak should. The pricing and portions are pretentious, while the food is extremely forgettable. Only reason this isn’t 1-star is because of the great food service. If you want good food, go elsewhere.

We have been going here for 8 years, normally once a month. Always great until the past year. Been 3 times in that span and each time was worse then before. It was always a staple and we kept giving it another try but not again. Last visit this week, the menu continues to get weaker. The food quality and staff are down. Waitress didn't even ask how it was after she removed our plates 3/4 uneaten. We cashed out our $75 tab and went somewhere else. $20 flat menu prices, Drinks are still good. But don't waste your money on the food.

I just got married here, overall it was amazing. Just make sure you have a large budget. The staff was so friendly and helpful. All of our guests enjoyed themselves. I am very happy with our choice to get married here.

A wonderful and unique spot. I visited for the Kitchen and Bar. Bold cocktails that pay off in presentation, as well as taste. Food that shares that same boldness. Try the Brussels to start. I finished the night with Shrimp and Grits. It wasn't printed on the menu at the time, but it was available...and fantastic. Worth the visit, and worth the environment that you can't quite get anywhere else around Columbus.

I had my wedding here in March. It was such a great venue. My planner Sara was amazing and helped with anything I needed. The spot has so much history and is a great pick for a couple that likes simple and doesn't want to decorate too much. Food was amazing as well! Well rounded out event thanks to my musician Crawford Entertainment and my photographer Brent Polishak

Amazing venue and amazing staff. This past weekend we were a vendor at this location and the wedding planner mistakenly scheduled us to arrive at 9am and apparently the venue coordinators were scheduled to arrive at 11 am. The cleaning staff helped us tremendously to inform those in charge, and I also got ahold of Melissa at Strongwater. She was extremely apologetic and quick to get us in even though this was not her fault. I would recommend booking this venue for an event. All of the staff went over and above and treated us with the highest respect. The venue itself is extremely unique and it has been added to a favorite of mine. Thank you to all that helped us get in and get our job done. I know the bride and groom loved everything about you as well we discussed how awesome you were after the wedding. Thanks again!

Excellent tapas style restaurant. Creative chef-driven dishes for sharing or indulging in a well-preserved historic space. Super friendly staff and great service. The tunes are rockin and the vibes upbeat. Don’t miss.

Attended a wedding here. There's a courtyard for an outdoor ceremony, a separate area for cocktails / appetizers and then a large area for the reception and a bar. It was nice to have different areas to wander and mingle so everyone isn't in just one place all together all night. Decor is nice, guess I would call it romantic industrial (?). Not sure who catered the apps and main course so can't really say how the food here would be. Staff was very nice. Great place for parties / weddings. Plenty of parking right next to the building.

Food was disgustingly salty. I love my salt but when all I can taste is salt in my Mac and cheese or a pound of salt on pretzels, I know it's too much. It was like eating a mouth full of salt. If you want very small snack sized portions of foods that are super complicated, salty and expensive this is your place. I'll say though the waiter was very kind and great and the tofu dish was decent but other than that I had a horrible experience.

Loved the building and all the vintage details they kept. The modern twists were tasteful! Food was good, I tried the trio. I’m sure reservations are a good idea on busier nights. Friendly service even though he was the only server (he did a great job)!

We recently had our wedding at Strongwater. Simply put, there are not enough positive things we can leave in a review. It was incredible how smooth and truly perfect the day was, and the entire process. Special shoutout to Melissa, our day of coordinator, even though she is so much more than that. She made sure everything ran seamlessly the day of and leading up to the wedding. She was prompt with responses to questions. We would also like to thank the staff, bartenders and those who prepared the meals that evening. We received so many compliments from guests on every aspect of the wedding being flawless, and we feel that should be recognized, so thank you all so much!

Food was ok. Decent tap beer selection

Title: What the F minus?!?! Up until recently (recently being this last visit yesterday), I would have considered Strongwater to be an exceptional place to dine. The environment was lovely, food bordered on divine, the menu and it's selection was top notch. Yesterday, I was taken aback. The menu itself was in a three-ring binder with the pages falling out. The items on the menu?... Hot Dog, Hamburger and Chicken Sandwich were prominent selections. They did have fancy names, but you can't lipstick on a cow and make any better. And honestly, it wasn't that good... especially the uncooked chicken sandwich. What I want to know is, what the hell happened? The food quality and general care has fallen through the floor. And everything had the same price... $20. News Flash... a hot dog, no matter how you build it is NEVER worth twenty dollars. This used to be the place to go to when we came Columbus when we knew that we wanted good food. Those days are gone. Steer clear.

My husband and I got married at Strongwater last year. Our wedding coordinator was Sam in the beginning and then Sam handed us off to Sara shortly before our wedding day. Both Sam and Sara went above and beyond helping and answering all of our questions and coordinating our wedding day. The food was amazing, and they even accommodated my food allergens. The aesthetic of the venue was just what I pictured, it was beautiful. My only complaint with our entire experience with Strongwater is this. So we did a cash bar, however, we still had to meet a minimum amount by the end of the night. In other words, whatever my guests did not spend in alcohol, my husband and I had to pay the difference. Which was fine with us because we were told they would sell us alcohol to take home. Cool. Well, the end of the night comes around and the bartender comes up to me shows me the final tab with what we are required to pay, I agreed and signed to have my card charged. This guy loads up our vehicle with 40 bottles of the SAME wine. I had a few drinks in me, and it was my wedding night, I did not think I had to double check what alcohol they were selling us. Plus, everyone had been so good to us thus far. We tried the wine and it is awful. It all makes sense why they pushed all this wine on us because they cannot sell it. We have given out so many bottles of wine to friends and family and no one wants more because no one likes it. Here we are still stuck with about 25 bottles of this wine. I guess in my head when we were told they would sell us the difference in alcohol, I assumed we would be sold a bit of a variety. Also, my husband and I were still charged for 20 percent in gratuity at the end of the night (which is also fine) however, they still were accepting tips (via card and tip jars) from our guests. If you were collecting tips all night from our guests, don't double up and charge the bride and groom another 20 percent. In my opinion, it should be one or the other? Long story short, if it wasn't for this aspect of our wedding day, I would still recommend Strongwater for your special day, just know what you are getting into with the bar situation. And ask the right questions.

Food and service are both great, we got multiple dishes in addition to the whole chicken. Timing with the chicken was off even though we ordered right away because it takes time to cook a whole bird. Well brined so it was nice an salty which I like, but it was a bit cold, think they over rested it a bit. Also wish we got larger share plates for the bird. All that said, it was delightful, and one of my favorites.

My husband and I love Strongwater. We first visited a couple years ago for an auction supporting a local animal shelter. I told him that day that I would love to get married there. And that is exactly what we did! I absolutely loved our coordinators and everyone that we talked to at Strongwater. They had 3 weddings almost every weekend and they still kept on top of all of my requests and details. They checked in with me and my husband a bunch during the wedding to make sure everything was going well and they were just incredibly helpful and nice people. The venue is so well kept and clean, the guests were seriously raving about it. Everyone loved the food!! It is just such a unique space that you can personalize exactly how you like. I wish I could relive our wedding day over and over and so much of that has to do with how in love with our venue I was. I highly recommend Strongwater!!

Stopped in on Saturday for dinner. It wasn't too crowded and we had a reservation so we were able to sit right away. I was so pleasantly surprised to see a "No Proof" category on their drink menu with a selection of a couple mocktails. My fiance recently became sober and having a menu with Non alcoholic drinks has made it so much easier and puts less pressure on him trying to fumble out a drink order, so thank you so much for providing that! We had the mushroom tostini for an appetizer that was delicious and then he got tacos while I had Mac N Cheese! Both were great but I think the mac could have uses a little more seasoning just to add a bit more flavor. Otherwise we had a great dinner and will definitely be back!

The wait staff was really cool and friendly. They were very accommodating with our large group size. Cool place and decor. Food is pretty good. Recommend any of their burgers and tacos. This was the first time I've been to a place with PBR on tap, the waiter promised me it would taste different as a draft...I was skeptical but he was right! Great times here.

Nice visit. Friendly waiter, interesting, reasonably priced drinks, and decent food. Will certainly return.

I was there on a weeknight. Nice service, and a cool old building in a great location. Had a nice dinner with drinks. The cocktails were a little wet despite specifying dry, and all a little pricey. But overall a good time.

Beautiful ambiance, beautiful people!

Nice spot in Franklin ton just west of downtown Columbus. The building is some sort of old factory turned into a restaurant. Good spot for Happy Hour

Extensive vegan options and good drinks. The atmosphere was fun and upbeat, and they have a very unique building. Love the mushroom & onion jam on toast!

I wanted to love it. One bartender was just so nasty during my best friend's wedding. She acted like we were such a burden, even while tipping $5 per drink. Everyone else there at least had a smile, but she made you feel terrible ordering a draft.

Really interesting and historic feeling space to enjoy a dinner or drinks. They have several partitioned rooms that you can reserve for free. The entree was probably a tad overpriced but the bread of the day appetizer is really fantastic value and was the highlight of our meal. Service is attentive and friendly while not being in-your-face. When we were there it was just the bartenders circling around to the tables, which gave a nice small business vibe to the place. The area and event space are also gorgeous and I'm not surprised they are a popular wedding location.

Strongwater is excellent!! Last night we visited with our friends for dinner. We tried the ricotta and bread—incredible! How can bread and cheese be so tasty! Three of us had the hot chicken sandwich (2 veggie and 1 chicken) all were excellent! Great spice level, tasty sauce, and hot! Catie is an excellent chef and GM! She ensures all the food is exciting and tasty! Our waitress, Lily, was awesome too! Thanks for a great dinner!!❤️

Everything was awesome. Chef Catie was managing the dining room and took the time to make us feel so welcomed. You could tell the passion behind the menu, and we loved every dish we had. We will definitely be back!

Way overpriced and limited menu. We all ordered salads, and there were hilariously 5 leaves of lettuce on our plates. Anyone who got chicken in it had a dried little piece of chicken to the side. They wouldn't even let us do basic things like switch our pita bread for veggies with the hummus. There's better options around.

We were here for a wedding. The space was great, and the staff were amazing. Especially the events coordinator who was on top of everything, even when the event moved inside due to rain! It was absolutely beautiful.

Very eclectic space with delicious food and great cocktails

We came just as the kitchen was closing to transition between lunch and dinner. Thankfully there was just enough time to put our order in and get yummy foods! I got the breakfast sandwich and subbed out the fries for a salad, and my friend got a hot chicken sandwich and a pork taco. 5 stars across the board, food and service were both great!