The restaurant landscape in downtown Columbus has been developing over the past few years with the openings of several lunch and dinner spots. Among them, Chez du Bon, which is the most recent offering from entrepreneur Yavonne Sarber, who’s also opened de-NOVO Bistro & Bar and Manifesto Tuscan Grato & Scotch Bar Downtown in the last three years.

Sarber is poised to open her latest restaurant this Spring, an upscale sports bar that will cater to Downtown’s urban populace. Olivers will open at 26 North High Street, the most recent site of Thai Lotus Restaurant, which actually lies in Lynn Alley. The plan is an update to the scrapped concept of a barbecue and live blues restaurant that Sarber was exploring.

The Lynn Alley venue originally was called Oliver’s Tavern, and it was a pizza joint owned by the Abraham family, close friends of Sarber. When the patriarch passed away last Fall, Sarber felt compelled to restore some of the lost glory of the original Oliver’s, while still infusing life into Downtown after hours.

This Olivers’ theme is “Burgers. Steaks. Bourbon.”, and will offer a menu filled with said burgers, sandwiches, and large plates. Twelve burgers, including a Turkey Burger with crushed avocado and pomegranate ketchup, made the cut, and they will range in price from $6-$10.

Dinner entrées, like Prime Rib, Cajun Ribeye, and Catfish Jambalaya, will cost diners anywhere from $14-$26, and for the vegetarians, a meatless burger called Save the Cow, and The Fluffnutter, with peanut butter, marshmallow, and bananas, will be offered, among others.

Olivers will carry over 60 kinds of bourbon, as well as a list of hand-crafted cocktails, and 20 beers on draft, many of them locally-produced. There will be lots of televisions scattered around the 3,600 square feet space, ideal for all kinds of game-watching, like upcoming Opening Day.

The restaurant will be able to seat about 90 guests inside, and another 40 on the large patio once the weather permits. Olivers will be open from 10:30am – 2:30am daily, a welcome addition to a very limited downtown nightlife.

“Olivers was the original name back in 1966, and we want to throwback to the original,” shares Sarber about the concept. “We’re trying to pay homage to Downtown while we see where we’re heading, and what we really need in the area.”

Olivers is scheduled to debut in the last week of March. For more on the menu, and their progress, follow them at www.facebook.com/oliversburgers.