‘We’re in it with a twist.’ New Columbus restaurant offers bar staples & Indian street food

Mike Patel and his friend, Rajankumar Patel, saw an opportunity to fill a need for people who live near Williams Road in north Columbus.

The business partners already had worked together on other ventures when Raj saw an opportunity with newly built retail space on Williams Road. Two small units could be combined into something bigger — like a restaurant.

Mike began researching the area and noticed a gap in the community that could be filled. Residents in the area travel five to 10 miles away for a dining experience, he said.

“I have a few friends that live in this area that I spoke with,” Mike said. “And they’re like, ‘There’s nothing to eat around here.’”

Co-owners Mike and Raj soft-opened Tipsy Bar & Grill on Sept. 1 to provide nearby residents a space for dining, watching sports and other entertainment.

After Tipsy quietly opened, a steady stream of customers have been trying out the new restaurant, Mike said. He’s enjoyed watching people be open to trying their food.

“The feedback is really good,” he said. “Think someone posted us on the Columbus Foodies (Facebook Group).”

A look at the menu

For the soft opening, Tipsy primarily serves typical sports bar foods, like burgers, loaded fries and nachos, seafood, chicken wings and tenders. Options for vegetarians, like cauliflower wings, are also available.

But Mike plans to add a twist to the menu to include Indian street food.

“We’re going to roll that out very soon,” he said.

The Indian cuisine will feature Indian pizza and ice cream. Traditional Indian ice cream differs from what Americans might be accustomed to eating because the variety of flavors often centers around fruit and may contain ingredients like dried grapes.

Along with the food, the restaurant offers a variety of cocktails and beer at its bar, and customers can expect to see a bigger selection of exclusive Tipsy drinks.

The restaurant will offer free delivery to people who live within a five-mile radius of Tipsy.

“If you don’t feel like paying Uber or DoorDash, call us,” Mike said. “We have our own drivers and our own vehicles.”

Sports and entertainment

While enjoying their food and socializing, customers can watch sports on the televisions throughout the restaurant.

“MLB or NFL,” Mike said. “Everything is going to broadcast, even the Fight Night.”

Mike plans to host watch parties with discounts and activities during big sporting events, like championship games and the Super Bowl . Customers who are trying to catch a specific game are welcome to request to change the TV, he said.

Along with sports, Tipsy also will offer live music with bands and DJs coming in. Customers also can play the Georgia lottery in the restaurant or enjoy a PAC-MAN Arcade game set up on the wall.

Despite the bar and entertainment, Mike said, the restaurant will remain a good place for people to bring their families.

“People are more than welcome to bring kids in,” he said. “They’re enjoying the sports. They’re spending time with their families.”

Anyone interested in hosting a birthday party or another event can call ahead of time or visit the restaurant, he said. Tipsy can offer group pricing and help set up an area for the event.

Tipsy’s social media pages are still in the process of being created, Mike said. But once they’re up and running, customers can visit Facebook or Instagram to learn about special events at the bar and grill.

“I’m going to let (customers) come in and find out,” Mike said. “(Tipsy’s) going to be full of surprises when they come in because this is not a typical bar. We’re in it with a twist.”