We have a long history with the building at the southwest corner of High and Buttles in the Short North. It was the site of our first apartment when we moved to Columbus in 2002, and in later years my wife ran the bygone Paul Robinett candle shop. Nowadays the ground floor has been redone into Forno Kitchen + Bar, and in recent months they expanded and transformed the basement into a speakeasy: The Marmont!
The Marmont styles itself after Hollywood’s famous Chateau Marmont hotel, so there are many details hearkening back to early 20th century Los Angeles.
The transformation almost cracks me up, as I remember this space being the dank basement storage for a business called Baskets By Bonnie.
Now, with its low ceilings and equally low lighting, it’s a cozy spot for sipping drinks.
We started with a round of mini cocktails, which are minuscule versions of the house libations, like this dirty martini and Old Fashioned.
The Marmont features a small menu of snacks and pizzas, so you can camp out for a while with your drinks. We sampled the shrimp cocktail with a house-made cocktail sauce.
And the piquillo peppers stuffed with herbed goat cheese.
For our main round of cocktails, we tried the whiskey sour with Watershed bourbon and a non-alcoholic Mai Tai.
And it’s hard for me to say no to an Old Fashioned.
The menu features the full range of Forno pies, fired in the oven right above your heads. We ordered the classic Margherita.
The Marmont would make for a fun stop if you’re grabbing dinner at Forno upstairs or just exploring the neighborhood on the weekends.
The Marmont is currently open Thursdays from 6-11 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Reservations are encouraged!
The Marmont at Forno
721 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Web: fornoshortnorth.com/private-events/marmontbar
IG: @fornospeakeasy
