Northberg Tavern

One of the spots that I used to regularly see bands at and occasionally play was the Northerberg Tavern. Though not as storied as Bernie's or Stache's, it definitely had a history:

From a 2001 piece in The Lantern:

Walk down the narrow stairway next to Donatos, get a drink at the bar, enjoy the live band, sit back and take in the atmosphere at the Northberg Tavern. 

The intimate bar, which is now owned by Donatos, has been a part of the Ohio State off-campus culture since the 1950s. It was originally named the North Heidelberg, after the town Heidelberg in Germany, and was affiliated with the South Heidelberg further down High Street. 

Bar Manager Greg Gould said it closed in 1988 for four years because it was in poor condition, and then it burned down. After the fire, it opened as Donatos Downstairs and was used as a party room that also featured comedy acts, he said. 

“At that point in time, Donatos didn’t feel a bar fit in their structure, so to speak,” said Tony Federer, manager of both Donatos and Northberg. Federer re-opened the bar in January 1997 under the Northberg name.

Here's a blog post from Jason McGathey at Lover Letter To Columbus about the Northberg:

The Northberg is located beneath a Donatos Pizza at the corner of Frambes and High. After descending a flight of stairs and handing over the minimal admission to an absent minded doorman, I find most of the gang immediately, probably because they’re clustered at the most prominent table in the room. A long, banana shaped table with holes cut out to wrap around two pillars, it runs through the center of the tiny bar and affords the best possible view. 

A funky, electric blue light suffuses the space, lending it a sickly and garish 1980s worthy hue. That coupled with the poor sound in the early going don’t seem to promise much of a future, and you add a sterile basement vibe into the mix. But man, though we never would have dreamed such at the time, for about a solid year, I and my friends – in various configurations, and numerous reasons – will wind up spending an awful lot of time at the Northberg.

Here's video of The Cusacks playing at the Northberg in 1998: