Daily Doings at the Line of Death Bar & Grill

Earlier this week, I was looking for Houlihan's Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio to have a nice dinner after work. After driving up and down the road it was on, I couldn't find the restaurant. I later did some web searching and it confirmed my suspicions: the restaurant closed, back in 2007.

My first exposure to Houlihan's was back in 1992 or thereabouts, when a group of us from GEnie got together in Columbus for a meet-and-greet. At the time, the restaurant was at the Continent, a plaza built to resemble a small French village or neighborhood. I remember the restaurant having good food -- American fare such as steaks, chicken, and their wonderful "shrooms" (a stuffed mushroom appetizer).

Years passed, and I found that the restaurant moved out of the Continent to a spot on Dublin-Granville Rd. (Route 161) just east of Sawmill Rd. And they still had the same great food I remember. I also remember an active Delta Chi from the Ohio State chapter noticing my Delta Chi fraternity crest sticker on the window of my car and greeting me as only a brother could. (This was rather bittersweet; at the time, the OSU chapter was being investigated for a hazing incident.)

There is a Mexican restaurant on the site of the old Houlihan's. And there are still Houlihan's in the Cleveland area, and one in Buffalo. But I'm not going to drive 2 or more hours for dinner. When I want to eat, I usually want to eat now.

I'll miss the place.