A Look Inside 'No Soliciting', A Private Bourbon Bar in Columbus, Ohio

I was recently part of an event put on by Louisville Tourism at 'Columbus's most exclusive Bourbon bar, No Soliciting'. This is one of Columbus's most closely guarded bars so I'm excited to pull back the curtain. The bar is owned by Rise Brands, which also owns Pins Mechanical Co and 16-Bit Bar+arcade.

The way this private bourbon bar works is there is a $1000 yearly membership charge, which grants entry, and then the members purchase their drinks by adding them to their account, which is billed monthly. No cash or tipping is allowed.

No Soliciting is located at 179 Chestnut Street in Columbus, Ohio. The only identifying feature is a door flanked by two fern bushes with an unassuming door mat. Beyond the glass door is an old rotary payphone with the words 'No Soliciting' stenciled behind it. 

Once you enter the door, you'll notice directly to the left of the payphone is a solid black door that opens up to the main bar area. The first impression is of a high-end club. Immediately in front is the bar with the bourbons in alphabetical order (although the top shelf bourbons were on the top shelf). There are a handful of chairs at the bar and several booths behind. 

Beyond the main bar was an area that is more casual than the entrance area complete with couches and less formal tables. The highlight of the back room was an amazing skylight complete with vegetation hanging from above. This really added to the ambiance and contributed a ton of character to the space. 

The decor is representative of what one may imagine a real speakeasy looked like in the time of prohibition. There are numerous vintage Ohio and American flags, as well as photos of famous Ohioians, and what look to be authentic ledgers from nearly 100 years ago. 

Beyond the skylight are some private breakout rooms, a board room, and additional bathrooms. 

In terms of the variety and prices.... No Soliciting had one of the largest collections of bourbon that I've seen in Ohio. However, being a member does not get you any discounts on prices. I snapped a few photos of the price sheets which are broken down by the distillery and you can see that Woodford Rye goes for $16 for a pour and $24 for a pour of Weller Antique 107. 

If you are interested in joining the wait-list for No Soliciting, you can sign up here. They list two locations on the website, Columbus and Dublin, Ohio. As mentioned membership is $1000 annually and drinks are billed monthly. If you are a member or have additional questions, drop a note in the comments below.