The Toolbox Saloon

Casual chill corner saloon. Great patio space. Entertaining shows. Attentive, efficient bartenders, especially Jim.

its on the south side, what could one expect, in a terribly run down area of the city with high crime.
This place is just plain nasty. Nothing more than a gathering place for some really scuzzy people.

If I could own a bar, it would be like The Toolbox Saloon in Columbus, OH. The people and staff are friendly. I went there for the male dancers. They were sexy, hot and interacted with the customers. My group of three had a great time and recommend the bar it to those who live in, or are visiting the Columbus area. I wish this club was in my neighborhood.

Interesting place.
I went to see a coworker perform and that alone was pretty amazing, but there was another performer who danced so hard that they broke a very heavy metal bracelet that was on their wrist and it went flying into the crowd. I have a bruise on my arm from last night to prove it. Let’s call it a souvenir.
Every one was friendly. The only downside is that it was like a sauna. It was probably 90 degrees indoors and packed full of people. For some, this wouldn’t be a problem, but I kept going outside so I didn’t die.
Also – the drinks are very very strong.

It’s a gay dive bar with carpeting throughout, $ 3 drinks (even craft beer & ciders), free drag and strip show, shirts and pants are completely optional, and everyone who works/​MCs here will refer to all the patrons as ‘bitches’, and it’s 100% acceptable and hilarious.
Honestly, I’ve never enjoyed being a called a ‘b*tch’ more. I don’t know why I found it so funny, but I did and I would have been willing to pay up to $ 15 for cover to come drink, be referenced as one of said ‘bitches’, and see this absolutely hilarious show, but to my surprise, they charged nothing for literal butt-​loads of entertainment.
I never saw Magic Mike and I really only like to see people naked for scientific purposes, so this was a pretty different experience for me and I had an absolute blast. Please note that if you’re male, shirts (and pants) are entirely optional but underoos gotta stay on.
The drag show kicked things off and the ladies/​alter she-​gos here really put on a damn fine show. So.Much.Beyonce, countless high kicks, even a back flip in stilettos into a split. Truly ridic and even I was willing to part with a single dollar bills in the name of a grand drag queen with metallic leotard and probably 9ft wing span.
Betwixt the drag performances are male strip shows to all your favorite hits, with ‘Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy’ being particularly popular. Before today, I thought it was the most annoying song I’d ever been forced to listen to, but with a gay spin on it the song was practically tolerable.
As far as the performances go, my group of regulars did a great job of preparing me for what I was about to see and answering my many questions regarding the things I did see. The dancers will go around after the show and have friendly chit chat with everyone in the bar. To my knowledge, this was the first full-​ish conversation I’ve had with a person who had an erect penis in public. What do you talk about with someone with an erect peener? Essentially, traffic and weather. Same thing you’d talk to someone in an elevator about. So there’s that. To be fair, I didn’t do much talking, or have much eye contact (I don’t even like bodies but it’s really hard to look away), but I didn’t feel uncomfortable at any point… probably because I was invisible to everyone else in here, and I think I kind of like that. As touchy, feely, grabby as everyone else was/​is, it’s a pretty safe place for females. You’re basically kryptonite.
I left impressed and honestly could’ve stayed all night just listening to the drag queen banter and hilarity. I’d go back in a heartbeat.

So my first experience at the toolbox was agreeing to accompany a friend out around 10pm on a Wednesday night to see strippers — you know, typical weeknight. When I found out that it was the Toolbox Saloon I was a little apprehensive. I had heard things as you tend to hear, but hey, strippers and cheap drinks were at stake, and who am I to pass on that?
I was expecting super divy, like stick to the floor no lights divy, which was fairly close, but not quite accurate. It was comfortably divy. Smallish, with strange partitions and bathrooms directly off the main floor with a stage facing the bar and a dj booth in the back corner. Outdoor patio is actually pretty fabulous. There was an upper floor I think, but I dunno, cause I had drinks.
Speaking of drinks — cheap, good, and strong. I think we had five liquor drinks between us and it was in the ballpark of $ 20. Later on my boy went to pick up another round of drinks and was understandably distracted by cavorting naked man meat. When he got to the bar he ordered the wrong drink for me, but the bartender remembered what I had ordered last time and corrected him. I left a good tip (I hope, cause again, drinking) for that one — if you find a bartender that remembers your drinks on the first time you show up you pay that man, you hear?
Two thumbs way up for this hot box.

I’ve been going to the Toolbox for almost a year now on a semi-​regular basis… and it definitely deserves an updated review.
Let’s get a few things out of the way first:
–The area is a little sketchy, but I’ve never been scared. There’s a lot of street lighting, and there’s plenty of parking.
–Look, this is the diviest of dives. It’s not Level or Union, and I mean that in the best way possible.
Now that we got that out of the way, here’s what I’m loving about the Toolbox:
–It’s a dive; I think that’s worth mentioning again. When you just want a place that’s a littleore low-​key and casual, this is the spot for you.
–The bartenders are super friendly, and the drinks are strong and cheap.
–They have strippers! (Scandalous, I know)
–They are active on Facebook and update often.
It’s not fair to compare the Toolbox to bigger gay bars and clubs in town, but as for dive bars — it’s a winner for sure.

Dive gay bar in a pretty shady location in Merion Village. Throws a lot of special night events and drink specials. Their Facebook is a good resource to find out what’s going on any night of the week.

I visited this place yesterday, and it was a wonderful experience. I saw people I hadn’t seen in ages, and the 70’s and 60’s music was excellent. I talked to the afternoon DJ and he said from now on, he will be there every Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00 to play the classics. You should give it a try.

Some friends and I went here a couple of weekends ago and were soo pleasantly surprised because we weren’t sure what to expect. Cheap drinks, fun bartenders, CLEAN BATHROOMS (the ladies’, at least — I didn’t sample the men’s), diverse clientele, and a great-​but-​not-​too-​intimidating karaōke setup on Fridays.