BoMA: The Bar of Modern Art

05/19/2008 Posted by Sarah4487

I have been to many bars and restaurants in the Columbus area and I have to say I was very disappointed with BOMA. The food and drinks were overpriced for what we got and the drinks barely had alcohol, even the "martinis". We also waited 45 minutes for our food to arrive after ordering. Don't waste your time on this bar when there are so many other great places to try in Columbus!

01/29/2008 Posted by jeremypfunktrain

if you ve been walkin all over columbus stealling coats and happen to be lookin for miami .......well my friends this is not it , as soon as i walked in the door i was told that this is not miami by some guy wearing three stolen coats . Than i guy known as "little fabio'" was seen outside and eating gyros, starting fights and ending them in patrick swayze style.

Pros: electronic music

Cons: stunning realizations that this is not miami

11/13/2007 Posted by amylei333

I've read reviews on here and in local publications that likened BOMA to clubs in Miami. I'm from Miami, and I can assure you that BOMA is nowhere near the clubs on Washington and Lincoln in Miami Beach (not to mention the warehouse district!). BOMA falls WAY short of what Miami has to offer. That aside, BOMA pretends to be a lot of things they're not. They have a red velvet rope and a doorman with a clipboard, but to get in the club all you have to do is get in line and file in (like every other club in Columbus). There's no picking the most beautiful people from the crowd - if you're in line, you will get in (which is totally how it should be - this is Columbus). But it's kind of a poser move to try and act like it's exclusive when it's not. The art is a mixed bag. Some is better than others. I'm not going to rag on the art - it's cool to see it up and I'm glad the artists are getting exposure. However, it's really not a hip gallery atmosphere. The good thing is that they do rotate the art regularly. The music on the main floor is TERRIBLE, unless you like that remixed Top-40 bump and grind s***. The basement area (which is closed during the summer - whaaa?) has way better music, but it also depends on who the DJ is. Regardless, it's WAY better than what's going on upstairs. Mostly trance and house. People actually know how to dance in the basement, instead of the grinding that's going on upstairs. The clientèle is pretty mixed. There's the usual super plastic "better than everyone because I'm carrying a [fake] Louis Vuitton bag" kind of girl (and the guy that's impressed by that), the hip chics and dudes (who know how to dress and dance, thankfully), and then the people who just came to see what it's all about. I've also heard quite a bit of snorting in the bathroom stalls if you know what I mean. Overall, BOMA is just okay. The basement area and the overall awesome decor saves it from sucking.

Pros: Tastefully decorated

Cons: Posers and music

11/03/2007 Posted by slantonboard

This place is an embarrassment for Columbus. For the general public and especially the art community. Any artist who shows here or patronizes this venue, that makes a mockery of gallery culture, should be ashamed. Trend-chasers and wannabe hipsters, please proceed to the generic velvet rope and befriend the pompous blowhard working the door. You'll feel dirty, but comfortable. Boma will be miserable to any self-respecting person.

Pros: Pretty building

Cons: Overwhelming pretention, rude, obnoxious patrons, corrupt, sleezy managment,

10/29/2007 Posted by noh8rzplz

Exceptional in every aspect, food, dancing, drinks. I think a few people here just had a bad experience. Bartenders are friendly (and good-looking), drinks are strong and reasonably priced, I've always had a great time here. Make sure you check out the white-leather room (think they call it the Great Room, and aptly so), and the view of the dancing from the balcony.

Pros: Strong drinks, good-looking people, and fewer college brats

Cons: Umm....none

10/09/2007 Posted by bee2222

The worst service ever! I sent several emails in regard to our experience & they did not even care enough to respond! It took 3 hours to get our meal. We called ahead for reservations & they seated us in the middle of a walkway. Our waiter quit in the middle of our dinning experience. When we asked if the bartender can make an apple martini (pretty basic drink); The waiters response was " is it on the menu". What a horrible excuse for an "upscale restaurant". They are positively the most pretentious people. That attitude will not work in Columbus. When we finally got our food it was cold. The birthday that we were celebrating was to receive a dessert. It NEVER came.

09/14/2007 Posted by deb_b12

I had dinner with several friends Wed. night, my first time at BoMA. Went in with high expectations and was not disappointed. Our waiter was personable, knowledgeable and attentive. Wine selection was not great (like S&W or Burgundy Room), but good enough and quite reasonably priced. Menu choices were interesting and diverse to satisfy everyone; maybe a little heavy on seafood choices, which was fine with me. Food was high quality, artistically plated and absolutely delicious. Not a single one of us had any complaints with appetizers, salads or entrees. My wild salmon was done to perfection. We also succumbed to the desserts. Fire & Ice - awesome. No one should be concerned about the location - parking is plentiful and easy easy easy, especially with the availability of valet parking. When we finished dinner, we enjoyed the salsa music and dancing on the main floor and explored the other bar/seating areas. I highly recommend BoMA as a great alternative to the rather boring in comparison high end restaurants in town.

08/17/2007 Posted by e_johnson

I had a wonderful time at BoMA. I took my father out for dinner for his birthday and the waitstaff took excellent care of us. Our server Nick, I remember because my brother shares the same name. He was constantly attentive and always inquiring of our needs. I had the most succulent salmon I've ever tasted. The chef fused some usual but wonderful flavors together like bloodorange on the salmon. I've been to BoMA before for other functions including some fundraisers and I remember how the rooms always looked so elegant. The room with all the white leather furniture was especially gorgeous. They have drink there called the French Wh*re that's scrumptious (this website won't let me spell the word). My bartender even made me a second one at no cost when someone knocked my drink over. Hi highly recommend this place if your looking to go somewhere unusual with a great atmosphere. This would be a very romantic place too.

Pros: Great service, wonderful food, love the new art

Cons: really big space, hard to fill up with people

07/01/2007 Posted by bmwkobe

Never eaten here or been at any other time besides Fri or Sat night. As a club I think this place is fun, the most fun out of places I've been in Columbus. It's big and roomy. Dance floor is large and doesn't get uncomfortably packed. Lighting effects are cool. Music is good, not too much hip hop and some trancy types of songs. Sometimes this place has a good number of people but occasionally it has been dead, so I've come to not rely on it. I like it a lot more than Arena places, namely Sugar and especially Spice. The crowd has been better here IMO. Staff seems ok, I haven't had probs with them or the bars. Prices are all right, typical of columbus. Bouncer seems ok, I don't know why people are complaining about him. When this place has a crowd it's hands down my fav columbus hotspot. Try it out.

Pros: music, dance floor, big

Cons: unreliable, location

06/21/2007 Posted by jeema

Having eaten at BoMA for the first time, I am unimpressed. I doubt I will return anytime soon. First of all, the service is terrible. Our waiter was almost nonexistant. Expect to spend long interminable periods sitting around wondering where your drinks, food, and bill are. Second, the place doubles as a club at night, which I understand, but they turn on the music at like...8pm; when there isn't even any clubgoers there yet. It's extremely irritating when you're trying to enjoy a meal in a supposedly nice restaurant and you have to yell at the person sitting across from you. On top of that, the entrees are are typically about $20-25 a plate, and what you actually get for that is very underwhelming. More than likely you will leave hungry if you came with any sort of appetite.

Pros: Interesting architecture since it's a church

Cons: Slow, loud, overpriced

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