Have you been to Mikey’s Late Night Slice downtown?
If you’re not a night owl, you may not realize how epic Mikey’s is. Food is clearly a must after the bars and clubs close, yet dining options used to be pretty grim in the wee hours. I’m talking Waffle House and Denny’s.
But since about 2009, Mikey’s has been serving up New York-style pizza from lunchtime well into the early morning hours in central Ohio.
And while I’m not a late-night person or a club-goer anymore, I am a pizza lover and a sucker for great branding – and Mikey’s has both.
Late Night Slice (Mikey’s or LNS to those in the know) is a fairly legendary local institution at this point. They have a few locations around downtown Columbus, one in Cincinnati and a mobile food truck.
They sell pizza by the slice, which is great because everyone can get what they like. And, they have tasty sauces as well – including my personal favorite, their signature unicorn sauce, which used to be known by a much less family-friendly name.
I don’t get downtown as often as I used to, and I rarely seek out boozy hangouts. But a recent Yelp Elite perk sent me to the Olde Towne East location of Mikey’s Late Night Slice during lunch hour. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised!
First of all, the pizza was hot, fresh and delicious. Mikey’s pizza of the week is usually amazing and uniquely named, and this was no exception: The Silence of the Buffalo Chickens. All LNS pizza comes with a delightfully seasoned crust (toasted garlic, I believe?) and the buffalo chicken sauce and lil chicken nuggets on board my slice were perfection.
Second, the staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. Lunchtime is not a busy time at the OTE location, so Tyler and Latrice had time to chat with me and appreciate how much I was digging the rock n roll vibes.
Third, you might come to the OTE location for pizza, but you will also get amazing vibes! It’s part old-school pizza joint, part late-night rock n roll bar – and it all comes together thanks to amazing, colorful artwork. My favorite part was all the vintage Pizza Hut decor pieces that made my GenX heart super nostalgic – we loved the ‘Hut when I was a kid.
The murals and decor adorning the walls are so fun to admire while you’re eating or waiting for your ‘za. The music is great and the neon sign in the kitchen shining bright with “Sex, Drugs and Pizza” just kind of sets that late-night mood no matter the time.
I already liked Olde Towne East – I’ve blogged about other great spots to eat here, and honestly, OTE deserves its own blog post. Now that I’ve been to this Gen X-approved LNS location, I love this quirky area of downtown Columbus even more.
Sometimes it’s good to get out of your usual stomping ground and go where absolutely no one knows your name – and where you can see, eat and experience some new things. Lunches in cool places are especially appreciated by a suburban mom like me who rarely gets a night off, but can sometimes steal away at lunchtime while kiddo is in school.
I’m so happy to be a Yelp Elite for this exact reason. I never would have discovered the epic OTE location of Mikey’s Late Night without the nudge of a free perk or two!
Thanks to Yelp Columbus – and Mikey’s in OTE, especially Tyler and Latrice – for my fabulous Friday lunch. I can’t wait to return soon and bring a friend or two.
