There are many different bars in Athens that Ohio University students and locals over the age of 21 can enjoy. The C.I. and The Crystal are two popular bars that add to the night life on Court Street.
The College Inn, more commonly referred to as C.I., is a popular stop for students looking to have a few cheap drinks and to play some rounds of pool. According to the Southeast Ohio History Center, the C.I. is the longest running bar on Court Street. It was originally founded by Steve G. Tatalos in 1917, with the bar celebrating being open for 107 years in 2024.
From a previous report by The Post, Tatalos opened his restaurant-bar one year after he moved from Turkey to Athens when he was 16 years old. Tatalos owned the College Inn for 50 years and died in 1969, only two years after he retired. The name was shortened to what we know today in the 1960s during a darker time in Athens’s history.
Today, the C.I. still resides at 32 N. Court St. and remains a favorite to the student body of OU. The bar provides many different specials during the week while also hosting Happy Hours. Some of the best specials during the week are the $12 mimosa pitchers on Sundays, $4 Michelob Ultra pitchers on Mondays and $5 mojitos on Mondays.
Students, locals and visitors can enjoy the cozy atmosphere of the C.I. by watching a football game on the televisions, interacting with the friendly staff and listening to music on an updated jukebox. It has lots of seating inside and looks like a bar with the colorful neon lighting. The inside wooden walls showcase pieces of history with photos and memorabilia highlighting how long the C.I. has been around and how many different generations have passed through. According to Shop Athens Ohio, the bar is considered to be the home of the Ohio hockey team.
The only downside to the bar is it is cash only. Despite this, the bar prides itself on being known to have some of the cheapest drinks in town and, according to Shop Athens Ohio, offering free popcorn to fit every college student’s bar budget.
Another worthwhile stop on Court Street is The Crystal. Shop Athens Ohio calls Crystal “a Court Street staple,” and it really is with the unique bright blue and maroon outline to make it stand out among the bars on the strip. Customers can pull open the heavy wooden doors to take a stop into another historical spot in Athens.
Located at 34 N. Court St., the inside of Crystal contains barstool seating, wooden booths, fresh popcorn and pool tables for customers to enjoy. According to Crystal's TikTok page, the bar has exactly 99 mirrors inside. It is also known for its affordable drinks.
Crystal also has lots of televisions for customers to watch their favorite sporting action while offering different drink specials throughout the week. Some of the bar’s specials include $12 mimosa pitchers, two for $5 Vegas bombs and $3 Bloody Marys on Sundays that run all day long. Some other specials offered are $6 Alaskan Amber pitchers, two for $5 nerd shots and the signature Crystal Ball for $4 on Fridays.
Although the bar offers a friendly atmosphere with cheap drinks, it is also a cash only bar. It stands out from other bars on Court Street because it has enough space for a big group of people to hang out in. The bartenders are also attentive to the customers, adding to the atmosphere to make the bar enjoyable. You can make that second stop to an ATM and check out one of Athen’s staple bars before it gets crowded on the weekends.
Both the C.I. and Crystal add to the uniqueness of bars on Court Street, making both bars a fun stop for a night out during the week or on the weekends. Both bars have welcoming atmospheres and have something fun and distinct about them. The only downside you will ever find about these bars is they are cardless, but it is worth the extra trip to the ATM for a great night out with friends.
C.I.: 4.5/5
Crystal: 4.5/5
