A (Really) Good Night Bar

Columbus’ newest bar, Cobra, embraces a laid-back atmosphere, complete with late-night noodles, Asian-American inspired fare, and cool cocktails

By Sav McKee / Photos by Jen Brown / Story Design by Atlas Biro

If I told you there’s a new bar in town, owned and operated by a quartet with cumulative experience spanning decades in the realm of food and beverages, who have won numerous awards, who have traveled the world and lived abroad, and who have been trained by Michelin Star chefs and James Beard winners, it could sound a little intimidating.

But what if I then told you that this very establishment serves popcorn chicken and a cocktail called “Above Ground Pool,” that intentionally resembles the greenish tint that accumulates atop an untended pool during the winter months? Way less intimidating, I hope.

Cobra, the latest addition to the Brewery District, located in the former home of Panera at 684 S. High St., aspires to embody the quintessential, casual, latenight, neighborhood hotspot, all the while maintaining a commitment to craft and quality and an unmistakable coolness.

“With some of our backgrounds, people expect full service, fine-dining restaurant touches, but that’s not us. We’re going to give top tier hospitality, but this style of hospitality we’re trying isn’t ‘white table cloth,’” said Jack Dale Bennett Jr., one of Cobra’s co-owners.

There’s no host guiding you to your seat here, or a server taking your order – Cobra breaks away from the conventional dining experience. Instead, you’ll find a walk-up counter with paper menus, where you simply place your order, grab a number, choose any open spot, and sit back and bask in the ambiance, which is often enhanced by the dim lighting, exciting chatter, and a good playlist or tunes by the resident DJ as you await your noodles and cocktails.

“We don’t want to be stuffy. We’re stripping away any pretension from the food and drink scene, while still offering very intentional dishes and cocktails,” said Bennett Jr.

“What we really want is to be known for our reliability, our atmosphere, and our product,” added David Yee, another Cobra co-owner.

What sets Cobra apart is its multifaceted allure. It’s a destination for the pre-game, the party, and the after-party. It’s the spot for an invigorating espresso martini before your Downtown dinner reservations, or the ideal setting for a group of friends to gather together for dinner and drinks, or the final stop for the night – a place to unwind with a nightcap and chow down on a Shanghai Noon Burger after being out all night elsewhere.

Alex Chien, another co-owner, fondly recalls his time residing in New York City, one of the many places in the world that inspired Cobra’s concept. “One of my favorite bars is in New York, and I love that bar because it’s the kind of bar that you go to kill some time while waiting at the really busy restaurant next door. But then when you’re at the restaurant, you’re thinking, ‘Wait, let’s just go back to that bar.’ That’s how I want people to feel about Cobra,” he said.

Cobra’s also a reliable, late-night refuge for those in the service industry, when the only other option after midnight is Taco Bell. With its doors open until 2 a.m. and a special latenight food menu served until 1:45 a.m., Cobra is a dependable option, and with owners who also worked in the service industry for years, it was designed to be a haven for these workers who work late into the night. While there’s certainly no disdain for a Taco Bell run at 1 a.m, as Bennett aptly points out, “Where else can you get a Ribeye up until midnight besides Cobra?”

“It seems like everything has already been done everywhere, but not yet in Columbus. We’re taking concepts from places we love back home with us. We’ve traveled a lot, we’ve lived in other cities, we’ve consulted with some of the top bars and restaurants in the entire world, and we realize that there’s just no reason Columbus shouldn’t have something like this, where people can gather late into the night and enjoy really good food in a casual setting. A lot of our decision making is what’s been done in other places, but with a very Midwest mindset,” emphasized Yee.

Yee, Chien, and Josh Spiers, the fourth co-owner, have a plethora of experience in the Columbus cocktail world. Spiers and Yee both honed their skills at Oddfellows, while Chien and Yee previously held the positions of Beverage Directors at Watershed Distillery. Their expertise extends beyond the city’s limits, too, with Chien and Yee even competing in Bombay Saphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender competition. With these talented, experienced individuals behind the cocktail menu (and bar), it’s no surprise that Cobra is jam-packed almost every hour they’re open.

Many of Cobra’s cocktails highlight Asian spirits, influenced by Yee and Chien’s Asian-American background. Take, for example, the Cobra Old-Fashioned, a blend of Toki Japanese Whisky, Jim Beam Rye, Barley, and Cocoa, or the Hey Chico! cocktail, crafted from Roku Gin, Lychee, MSG, Grapefruit, and Manzanilla Sherry. Beer aficionados also get something unique – there’s a 20oz bottle of authentic Taiwanese Beer on the menu, too, plus an extensive array of other cocktails, beers, and spirits.

Chef Jack Dale Bennett Jr. has orchestrated a food menu that harmoniously compliments the Asian-inspired libations, but infused with his own experiences at James Beard Awardwinning restaurants, like Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.

He’s also trained by Michelin Star chef, Andrew Carmellini, specifically in learning how to hand-make and hand-pull pasta. “Our food is cuisine that’s stuck with Jack throughout his cooking career, but filtered through the Asian-American experience. It’s food that you’d find at a Taiwanese or Chinese street market, but also inspired by other cities,” explained the Cobra crew.

You’ll discover crowd-pleasers like the Crab Rangoon Dip and a Chicken Patty Katsu sandwich on the menu, but also, Dan Dan Noodles and a Taiwanese Ragu, with fresh, impeccably hand-pulled noodles. Chien’s mother’s renowned dumplings are even on the menu too, showcasing a secret family sauce recipe that Alex boldly claims is the “best in the world.”

The humble slogan displayed on their hard-to-miss sign hanging high above High St. reads: “a good night bar.” However, this hip establishment, with a vibrant, unique food and cocktail menu designed by one of the brightest culinary teams in the city, isn’t just “good.” They could change their slogan to “a fantastic bar,” but bragging isn’t really their style. ♦

View menus, restaurant hours, and more at cobrabarcolumbus.com