Picture this: the time is four o’clock in the afternoon on a balmy summer day. You yearn for a dose of adventure with your friends away from the four corners of your home. Be it lounging on a soft picnic blanket exchanging snacks and laughs at a park, or sprawling on a time-worn leather couch at the library, or even sitting engaged at the end of a gaming table discussing strategy in a dimly lit parlor, these are the places where community can come together and strangers can become friends. It is in places such as these that we seek friendship and find our own identities. These locales can be best referred to as “third places,” a term coined by an American sociologist named Ray Oldenburg to label accessible environments distinct from home and work that encourage the fostering of community and identity.
Third spaces might emerge differently depending on the individual and the location. To some, this third space is the local board game room. For those unfamiliar, board game rooms serve as the perfect spot for those seeking the comforting solace of shared community, gaming strategy, and commiseration over the work week. The city of Columbus is no stranger when it comes to the world of tabletop games. Within the city itself, there lie a vast selection of gaming parlors that offer the comforts of socialization, conversation, and hours of uninterrupted game night with friends old and new. If you have been looking to dabble in the quiet world of tabletop games, let this serve as your guide as you play your way around the city
Tabletop Game Cafe
4316 N High St., Columbus, OH 43214
Welcome to Tabletop Game Cafe, home to a library of over 600 board games both trendy and nostalgic. Unassumingly tucked away in a strip mall located in Clintonville, Tabletop boasts a simple concept for those who have been looking to organize a game night. At $6 per person for the walk-in cover fee (or reserve table space at $3 per person to waive the walk-in fee), patrons are given unlimited time to enjoy the vast selection of games within the library. As you play, treat yourself to food and drink from the cafe menu to fuel your gaming strategy. New to board games? Have no fear. Tabletop is an inviting space for gamers of all skill levels and ages. Bring yourself, invite your friends, or meet a stranger and connect over the shared love for board games.
The Forge Tavern
1375 Bethel Rd., Columbus, OH 43220
Come one, come all, and enter into the lair of medieval whimsy paired with a dash of board game fantasy. Salutations to you, weary traveler, for it has been known that you have been in search of a board game solace. Rest easy, for you have come to the right place. Feast your eyes on The Forge Tavern, a board game parlor set on Bethel Road that lives up to its name: this social scene embodies the raucous delight of a medieval tavern with a mix of board game haven. Full of whimsy and hospitality, The Forge is the perfect place for those who find wonder in a land of fantasy and tabletop games. Come for the games and stay for the tavern food, which boasts a menu of themed libations and fare such as the orcslayer burger, the pirate’s plunder burger, the thornslinger (a prickly pear-based cocktail), or even the dragon’s milk (a rich caramel-malt). Anon, until later.
Round Table Games
6185 Shamrock Ct B, Dublin, OH 43016
Are you looking for a new hobby? Then look no further than Round Table Games located in Dublin. As both a hobby shop and a tabletop gaming parlor, Round Table Games is the perfect spot for those seeking to bring to life their latest tour of dungeons and dragons, map out their intricate tournament of magic, or strategize their conquest of the known world.
Columbus Area Boardgaming Society
2141 Indianola Ave, Columbus, OH 43201
To the extroverts, introverts, ambiverts, and homosapiens, young and old, who have been seeking a sense of community and belonging, the Columbus Area Boardgaming Society (CABS) is for you. To CABS members, playing board games is more than a simple way to pass the time. It is a way of life and a niche hobby that introduces new friendships and community engagement. Join the club and gain access to over 1300 games, which you can borrow for up to two weeks. You can also receive discount admissions to gaming conventions such as Origins Game Fair and Buckeye Game Fest.
Beyond the Board
249 W Bridge St, Dublin, OH 43017
For those who find discomfort in commitment but also seek excitement in board games, check out Beyond the Board for the large library of free-to-play games. Bring out your friends, your neighbors, your situationship and test out your next favorite board game without abandon before adding the selection to your own personal library.
The Guardtower
Multiple locations
Available at two different locations, The Guardtower is the one-stop shop for all things in a gamer’s paradise. This is the destination for veteran and novice gamers, both old and new and for those seeking an invitation to find community within the city. As a shop designed for the gamer, The Guardtower honors the time-honored tradition of tabletop game play, organized tournaments, and a professional recording studio.
The Warp Gate
4499 Kenny Rd, Columbus, OH 43220
Fans of Warhammer, come gather your closest friends and foes and venture to The Warp Gate located at Kenny Road. Whether you are a frequent participant of tabletop games, miniatures, or group game play, The Warp Gate could be the third space you have been seeking.
The Soldiery Games & Cards
4256 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214
For those in search of a new favorite board game to tote around to family night at the in-laws, to the lake to visit the grandparents, or to a friend’s house for the inaugural game night, The Soldiery is the place for you. Have you been looking to try your hand at Magic the Gathering or DnD? Try it here at The Soldiery and while you’re at it, peruse the massive inventory of board games.
If games are your thing, Origins Game Fair returns to Columbus each summer as one of North America's largest tabletop gaming conventions, bringing together gamers, publishers, creators and more. Don't miss this year's event happening July 17-21 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
