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Strongwater

401 W Town St - Columbus, Ohio
Restaurant Events

Who We Are

Franklinton was the original settlement in central Ohio, founded in 1797 by Lucas Sullivant. The neighborhood is nicknamed the Bottoms because the land lies below the level of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers. The Bottoms flooded in 1852, 1859, 1862, and the Great Flood of 1913 took place on March 25. The wooden levees holding the Scioto collapsed causing up to 17 feet of water to inundate the Franklinton streets. Luckily for us, the Franklinton Floodwall was completed in 2004, encouraging a resurgence of growth and art in the neighborhood.

The original structure was built in 1910 by the D.A. Ebinger Sanitary Manufacturing Company. Ultimately coming to be known as EBCO, the sanitary porcelain manufacturing company eventually invented the public drinking fountain as we know it. When EBCO left in the 1950s the building housed tenants like Sweden Freezer, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Eickholt Glass. 400 West Rich moved into the building in 2011 and shortly thereafter Strongwater was born from the creative spirits of 400 West Rich, with whom we share our historic home.

The event space opened in August of 2013, the bar opened in October, and the kitchen was open by January of 2014.

The Strongwater bar is located in what once was the lobby of EBCO – we still use the administrative offices for semi-private dining. We’ve done our best to preserve and feature the original materials from the building, including the original sawtooth windows in the event space ceiling, the Terrazzo flooring with the EBCO logo, Birch wood repurposed into the bar and tables, displays of strange archaic machinery, and massive tools and bolts that look like they were made for an ancient race of giants.

In recognition of Franklinton’s flood-filled history, Strongwater features an enormous mural of Grace Darling’s famous portrait on one wall of the bar and restaurant. Born into a lighthouse owner’s family, Grace Darling battled some strong water herself in the early morning on September 7, 1838 after she spotted the shipwrecked sailors of the SS Forfarshire marooned on a nearby rocky island. She and her father risked dangerously stormy seas and set out in a rowboat to rescue the men. The courage that Grace and her family displayed caused her to be a media celebrity in her day, and a museum was established in 1938 to commemorate her life and bravery.

Today, Strongwater strives to be the forerunner in innovational communal gathering in the growing Franklinton arts community, constantly expanding and changing to meet the needs required to encompass both an elevated dining experience and an atmosphere that hearkens to our roots as a neighborhood bar. Whether you want a hopping happy hour, your wedding in our event space, a food menu with more than one vegan option, a quick bite before strolling through 400 West Rich, or a relaxing nightcap on our patio, there’s a place for you here.

 

Restaurant

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Event Space

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Photos By Adam Lowe Photography (Strongwater Building), Rosey Red Photography (Couches) and 222 Photography (Street Signs)

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Anita Adkins
Anita Adkins
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)!
Rod R.
Rod R.
We took the opportunity to try their new brunch menu and it was exceptional! The buckwheat crepe was amazing and the Burratta and Shakshuka plate were...
Christina M.
Christina M.
Great first experience at Strongwater!Parking: free & available in the dirt lot right next door.Good: excellent! I got wings, and somehow they were...
Nicole Eisenbrandt
Nicole Eisenbrandt
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.
Romina Huffman
Romina Huffman
The Lamb was really good. A little too spicy for me but still very good. We also liked the scallops. The cocktails were very refreshing and the desserts were delicious. We love the atmosphere as well.
William Clemens
William Clemens
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.
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