The Eagle – Short North

During our Columbus, OH road trip Sydney and I got to go behind the scenes with a couple of really neat restaurants.  We love when we can share our passion for food and small businesses with you!  These two restaurants did not disappoint.

We had lunch at The Eagle Short North in Columbus.  The restaurant is very sleek and modern.  The outdoor patio is in the front of the restaurant and sits on High St.  So much to watch while enjoying your meal.  It has awesome seating with a huge covered canopy.  So nice for those bright sunny days.  The day we were there it was around 70 degrees out and sunny.  The patio area was buzzing with a busy lunch crowd and everyone was thoroughly enjoying their food, company and the beautiful weather.

I started with a glass of their fresh squeezed lemonade and Sydney had their house brewed sweet tea.  Wow!  Both were excellent and thirst quenching!  It was perfect on this beautiful day.

An appetizer was a must, but we weren’t sure which one to go with.  Decisions, decisions!  The waitress recommended the Brown Sugar Bacon, so we went with it.  So glad we did!  The bacon was covered in a cayenne and brown sugar sort of glaze.  It seriously had you licking your fingers!  🙂

Speaking of finger-licking good, we both opted for their famous fried chicken.  Another great decision.  It was excellent.  Their chicken is all natural and free range.  It is brined in-house over night and then pressure fried to help keep all the moisture in.  I am a white meat eater and many times the white meat can be dry.  Not in this case, the white meat was very moist.  The chicken is served with a spicy hot honey.  Perfect accompaniment!

Since The Eagle is known for their comfort food, Sydney and I decided to stay along this line when we ordered our sides.  We shared several sides.  Glad we did too, there was so much food!  The portions were huge!

Their famous Mac & Cheese was the first side we ordered.  It is made with five cheeses and topped with garlic breadcrumbs.  Oh wow, it was so good!  It had a little bit of a smoky flavor to the cheese.  If you ever eat at The Eagle you don’t want to miss out on this!

Fries were another side we added.  They are tossed in different herbs and served with a side of aioli.  Again, yum!

Let me tell you about their homemade biscuits.  So flaky and delicious.  They are served with the most amazing blackberry jam and honey butter.  We loved these!

Whether you are looking for some great classic comfort food or just want to unwind after a busy day you can’t go wrong with The Eagle.  This indoor/outdoor eatery has an awesome beer hall.  They serve over 100 craft beers and their cocktails are made from scratch.  What a great way to end a busy day!

You can reserve their second floor for your next party or event.  They also offer catering.  They will bring all of their amazing food right to you!

The Eagle Short North, as the locals call it, is located at 790 N High St, Columbus, OH.  Drop in and try some great food!

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Skully’s Music Diner

Onto our second Behind the Scenes.  We had lunch on a different day at Skully’s Music Diner.  What an entertaining place.  Since we were there for lunch, we missed out on the music portion of this unique venue.

John Vishak is the operations manager for Skully’s Music Diner and was kind enough to give us some background on the diner.  They were established over 25 years ago and have been in their current location for the past 17 years.  They are located at 1151 N High St, Columbus, OH in the Short North District.

Music and entertainment is what Skully’s Music Diner is best known for.  They have local, national and international acts that perform at the diner.  The entertainment completely varies from night to night and that is the appeal of Skully’s Music Diner.  They have a great variety of entertainment and nothing ever gets stale.  John said that the diner is the hub of the neighborhood.  He said that weekly they easily have over 2,000 patrons dropping in for either the entertainment or to have a great meal.

Skully’s Music Diner has around twenty or so employees that help to make the venue a success.  They are known for having the longest running 80’s dance party.  Their hip hop acts are also extremely popular.  Sunday evening is Reggae Night and Thursday evening is 80’s Night.  John shared that the entertainment completely varies and that is what has helped them become so popular.  It is what they are known for!

We will get back to the food portion of our visit now that we have discussed the entertainment side of the diner.  They may be known for their entertainment, but make no mistake, their food is excellent also!  We started with their chips and homemade salsa.  The salsa had great flavor and was nice and chunky.

I have to say though, as good as the chips and salsa were, my Gerneral Tso’s Chicken Sandwich was amazing!  The two, not one but two, chicken breasts had been pounded down to the perfect thinness and dredged in the most delicious breading I have ever tasted.   It was deep fried to a beautiful golden color.  Then it was topped with a grilled pineapple ring, scallions and their special spicy General Tso’s sauce.  It was served on a Brioche bun.  This sandwich was beyond delicious and came with fresh cut fries that topped off the meal.  🙂

Sydney chose the Skully’s Cheese Steak.  Grilled seasoned strip steak that was topped with green peppers, onions, mushroom and provolone on a toasted hoagie bun.  Sydney said it was one of the best cheese steaks she had ever had! Hers also came with fresh cut fries.

We asked John what the customer favorites were for lunch and dinner.  He said most definitely the #1 choice was the Skully Burger and the #2 choice tied with the Traditional Reuben and the Skully’s Cheese Steak.  Another popular favorite at Skully’s Music Diner is that breakfast is served all day long!

Skully’s Music Diner can be rented for different events that you may have.  They had recently been rented out for a craft show and some weddings John told us.

Check both of these neat restaurants out if you ever visit Columbus, Ohio!