Game Day Destination: Urban Meyer’s Pint House offers food, fun, and football

Head coach, decorated collegiate champion, and the reason Jim Harbaugh probably can’t sleep at night; these are just a few of the many hats former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer wears. Though Meyer has stepped down as head coach of the Buckeyes’ football team, his tenure with the program has grown roots in the Columbus area. And now that Meyer is fully into his life after football, he’s added the hat of restaurateur to his repertoire.

Now open in Dublin Bridge Park is Urban Meyer’s Pint House—a joint venture between the former Buckeye coach and Corso Ventures. According to Justin Kintz, Corso’s Marketing Director, the restaurant will riff off the concept of Corso’s Short North Pint House with Meyer calling some of the shots just like he did on the sidelines with the Bucks.

“It’s still a pint house, a great place to come and watch the game, we just gave it a Dublin twist,” Kintz said.

This Dublin twist and location comes from Meyer himself as he and his family currently call the suburb their home. The restaurant’s interior matches this Dublin description as it features a simple and approachable setup that still manages to feel quietly chic. Multicolored wood paneling on the walls gives way to strings of simple but tasteful exposed bulbs across the ceiling, as rows of high definition TVs line the walls, playing sports.

The new eatery’s menu contains the expected (and solidly crafted) slate of sandwiches and pizzas one would expect from a sports pub, but with an elevated twinge. One of the Pint House’s featured dinner entrees is linguine with clams which is a borrowed recipe from its sister restaurant, Forno Kitchen + Bar. Kintz explained that Meyer had become somewhat of a regular at the Short North bar and restaurant.

“Urban loves Forno, and his favorite thing there is the linguine with clams,” said Kintz, “So he brought it over.”

The dish is made up of littleneck clams on linguine with Roma tomatoes, white wine, garlic, and lemon, and is available for $19. Other dinner entrees include salmon, petit filet, house battered buttermilk chicken tenders, and Pasta Forno, a rigatoni dish in vodka sauce.

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Another menu item borrowed from Forno is their arancini appetizer. The fried risotto balls with Fontina cheese and San Marzano sauce, are now also a favorite appetizer at the Urban Meyer Pint House as well.

“It’s the best-selling item there,” said Kintz.

While the eatery serves lunch and dinner currently, they will soon be rolling out a brunch menu of their own as well. Additionally, each Wednesday the restaurant will feature a special of beer-broiled chicken, fries, and beer for $10, with drinks coming from a rotating series of breweries that is scheduled to change bi-weekly.

Take one look at the restaurant’s name though, and you should know that it isn’t just known for its eats. In fact, it’s in the establishment’s libations that patrons will find the most direct nod to the former Buckeyes football coach. 

In a collaboration with the Columbus-based Land-Grant Brewing Company, the pint house worked to create its very own beer in tribute to Meyer. 7-0 Ale is a 5% ABV Kolsch-style Ale that’s light-bodied, crisp, and easy drinking. The beer is available in both cans and on tap.

It’s name, 7-0 Ale, is a figure that appears frequently throughout the taphouse, one that diehard Buckeyes fan will likely catch. It references Meyer’s perfect 7-0 record in tilts with the rival Michigan Wolverines during his seven seasons in Columbus.

Additionally, the pint house features over 20 $7 craft pours alongside a list of canned and bottled beers and ciders for $4.50 and $5.

And beer isn’t the only thing on the drink menu either. In addition to a litany of champagne and wines with both glass and bottle prices, a menu of fun cocktails are available for purchase.

According to Lintz, the Frosé cocktail at Forno (made up of frozen rosé wine, Absolut Grapefruit, fresh strawberries, and lemon) has become a favorite of Meyer’s wife, Shelley Mather Meyer, so much so that it’s been given space on the menu at Urban Meyer’s Pint House, referred to as Shelley’s Frosé. Beside a list of signature and custom cocktails, the restaurant offers the Monster Mule, a 96-ounce Moscow Mule; a jumbo martini that serves four; and Shelley’s Punch Bowl, a mixture of Belvedere, Lustau rose vermouth, lemon, hibiscus tea, Peychaud’s, raspberry, and cava, served out of a giant flamingo vessel.

The restaurant, located at 6632 Longshore Dr. in Dublin, is Monday through Thursday from 3 pm until closing, Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m., and on Sunday from 11 a.m. until close.

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