Gato Barbaro
I’ve always enjoyed my visits to Cobra, and for a long time it was one of my favorite spots in Columbus. The atmosphere has a cool, slightly different vibe that makes it stand out from other places in the area. The menu has also been a big draw for me, offering unique dishes that you don’t always find elsewhere, and in the past those dishes were consistently excellent. On my more recent visits, though, the food quality has slipped a bit. It’s still good and definitely enjoyable, but it doesn’t quite reach the same level it once did, which makes it harder to justify a full five‑star rating.
One thing that has always been a little inconvenient is the ordering setup. Even though there are plenty of friendly staff members walking the floor to clear dishes and check on tables, you still have to go up to the bar every time you want to place a new order. It’s not a deal‑breaker, but it does interrupt the flow of the meal.
To be fair, my most recent visit happened on an unusually busy night, with the Columbus Crew, the Blue Jackets, and the Arnold all going on at the same time. That likely contributed to the slight dip in quality. Overall, Cobra is still a good spot—I just think it’s settled into more of a solid four‑star experience than the five stars it once earned.
… moreMichael Chan
Love this place! I would give it 4.5 stars for food and atmosphere and 3.5 on service as it is a casual place with casual food and order at the bar and go sit down kind of place. The bartender was very good though. But because it exceeded my expectation and I’ve not been to anyplace like this in Columbus, I give it an overall 4.5-5 stars for Columbus. The cocktails are great (my favorite was the Astronomer and interesting wines by the glass (mostly natural type wines from around the world), like the natural orange wine from Austria I had. The four of us had all five of the items from the Yakitori, the clams liguine, the dumplings, the popcorn chicken, and the chicken sandwich. Nothing compared to my favorite places in Asia, but the best offerings of this kind of food and drinks in Columbus!
… moreH
Draft selection subpar and not printed like cocktails – you have to go to the crowded bar multiple times to get any food or drink (yet there may be alot of employees wandering around who are very nice but chomping at the bit to grab your plates).
The seasoning was not in the room with us for the seasoned fries, but the texture was on point – had great cronch.
The noodles were just not very good. Vegerarian options don’t add any vegetables, they just take away the meat that I assume held all of tbe plates’ character. What you’re left with is eating drunken noodles in a gelatinously thick soy and that’s about it. It did have a hint of ginger but was largely just plain soy taste.
I’d say come here if you just want the bar side and a small draft selection but maybe cocktails which I did not try but looked good.
… moreLauren Lemmon
Really impressed by the food here, definitely worth stopping and trying out! Super fun and upbeat atmosphere + kind staff. The sweet potato dumplings were my absolute fav 🙂
… moreMadison Hernandez
The sweet potato dumplings and drunken noodles are a must! I also got the snake bite cocktail, which tasted like fruit punch! Solid meal and great vibes. Nice indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a bar. Plus…free parking on the premises!
… moreBrad Jurgensen (Murdoc)
As I stumble across America, I’m lucky enough to be able to stop at some “hip” joints of the towns that’ll take me.
Rarely does the experience surpass the hype. Everything about this place cleared the high bar. The food, the vibe, the music, the weird conversations…
I learned how to have empathy for a Juggalo, drank excellent tequila, ate 2 bowls of dumplings and would trust the barstaff with my kids.
Hats off, my friends.
… moreBethany Swedberg
I love Cobra. but why the light up bar of liquor when everything is pre batched? i asked the bartender which of the cocktail list was pre batched and he was irritated and said everything was I wanted an old fashioned that wasn’t pre batched and literally got side eye. So we went to antiques on high and somehow got better service and attitude, which to be honest, i’d never expect. I still love your dumplings and think that Cobra should work on their cocktail menu and weekend rush management. it’s a total mess right now. xoxo
… moreJeffrey Beier
The food was delicious. Dan Dan noodles and Shanghai Burger were my favorite. The noodles were like a Thai peanut flavor and a little spicy. And the burger was juicy and had a bit of a sweet flavor. The atmosphere was dark and lively. A great spot to be out with friends. Good place to get drinks.
… moreLesifer
Me and a friend came in on a Monday in late December shortly after they opened at 4 PM. Holy cow! A lot of businesses downtown do not even open on Mondays because it’s so slow, but this place filled up fast. By early dinner time, every table was full, and it was crowded at the bar. It’s totally worth it to come in here during happy hour though. The deals are fantastic.
We loved the Dan Dan noodles, and the potstickers were great too. My friend really liked the pork ones and I really like the sweet potato ones. The potsticker sauce was so good, that I saved it to also dunk my Dan Dan noodles in. We tried several cocktails off of happy hour and they were all really good. I enjoyed the Negroni the most. $4 beers during happy hour (half price) was also a steal. You order all of your drinks and food at the bar and then a server will bring the food to your table. There’s a big parking lot attached to the building as well. There were people of all ages and group sizes. It seems like a very popular spot and I will definitely be back to try more dishes and enjoy happy hour again.
… moreTabbi Ghulam
Love this place. The parking situation isn’t stressful. The atmosphere is cute, I love the outdoor patio seating. A great place to go with friends. I went with my girlfriend, and we ordered a variety of food to share – nothing was a disappointment!
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