On a bustling Saturday night, I walked through the Short North with my girls, heels and heads high in preparation for a dangerous night. We passed all of the cocktail bars we’d seen a million times, but yearned for something more… Something more intimate.

A friend had told us about The Marmont, a stylish speakeasy nestled just below Forno. As we took our descent, I couldn’t help but wonder how The Marmont had kept itself hidden for so long, and would this become our go-to spot?

The Marmont Speakeasy at Forno is not your average speakeasy, we can promise you that. This underground cocktail bar, located in the basement of Forno and accessible from the back of the restaurant, centers on a retro Hollywood theme but often features creative pop-ups.

On a normal evening, you’ll find old Audrey Hepburn films playing on the screens, picture frames with vintage shots, and moody lighting. Stepping into The Marmont transports you into a 1970s Hollywood dream with intimate booths and a cozy nook beneath the stairs where you can lounge on the couch with a martini.

The Marmont’s concept came straight from One Hospitality’s Director of Brand Experience, Chloe Landers. Landers and her husband were tasked with reinventing the cocktail bar that sat below Forno.

In October 2024, the two dove headfirst into transforming the space. The beginning stages centered around curating a vintage vibe, starting with a “Holiday Chalet” pop-up in November 2024.

This pop-up spanned the holiday season, offering a taste of what was to come: craft cocktails, retro vibes, and an unforgettable experience.

In March 2025, The Marmont had its hard launch, committing to an Old Hollywood aesthetic and drawing inspiration from the famous West Hollywood hotel, Château Marmont.

“We did so much research using public documents to get the vibes right. There’s not a ton of photos of the inside, so I did what I could to mimic it,” Landers says. “Even down to reading Reddit threads of what people said it smelled like!”

Landers is no stranger to curating a vibe. As the Director of Brand Experience, Landers often thinks about little details such as color palettes, scents, and even coasters handed out with drinks.

“My husband and I moved back to Columbus after living in Austin for five years, and we were really inspired by the food and cocktail scene (in Austin). His whole life is food and beverage, so we really wanted to bring that heat here.”

When The Marmont isn’t running one of its iconic pop-ups, it’s serving up all of the Old Hollywood glamour paired with creative takes on classic cocktails. However, we had the pleasure of indulging in one of the flirtiest and most fun themes we’ve ever seen.

Hello, Lover

Bringing a Manhattan feel to Columbus is the “Hello, Lover” Galentine’s pop-up, properly inspired by the hit HBO television show, Sex and the City. If you’ve ever longed to feel like Carrie Bradshaw pattering through the streets of New York in her Manolo Blahniks, make your way in before this pop-up leaves for Paris like Mr. Big.

When you walk down the stairs to The Marmont, you’ll feel like you walked into New York’s newest, most exclusive cocktail club. Where pictures of hot Hollywood stars once hung on the walls, you’ll be greeted by stills of the show, and plenty of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha.

The drinks are flowing, the TVs are playing reruns of Sex and the City, and the vibes are pristine and pink.

When we were seated, we were given an assortment of ephemera, from the special cocktail list to a Sex and the City drinking game that we couldn’t help but participate in as the show played.

Naturally, we ordered every one of the cocktails themed to the main girls. The “Carrie Bradshaw” was a standout play on her iconic Cosmopolitan, featuring citrus vodka, brandy, dry curacao, pomegranate, lime, and bergamot.

Aptly, the “Samantha Jones” was a Dirty Martini made of olive vodka and dirty vermouth, while the “Charlotte York” was a Bee’s Knees, mixed gin, honey, lavender, lemon, and egg white.

In true “Miranda Hobbes” fashion, her signature drink was a Caprese Martini, of vodka, tomato, basil, and olive oil.

“(Hello, Lover) is the perfect girly pop experience.”

And with the four women of the hour, we haven’t even scratched the surface of the menu. Every character (yes, even the men) had elaborate pairings, like the “Mr. Big” Old Fashioned, “Steve, The Bartender” Boilermaker, and a “Stanford Blatch” Draft Collins.

Editor’s Eats
But is this really about the men in the show? The most important part of this is the famed “Girl Dinner”, featuring a martini, salad, and fries of your choice, all for $22.

All the food served at The Marmont comes from the Forno kitchen, with favorites like Arancini, Crispy Rice, and pizzas from upstairs served in the speakeasy.

It’s all preference, but our favorite pizza is the Meatball, featuring a silky vodka sauce, meatballs, pepperoncini, red onion, fresh mozzarella, and basil. The classic Margherita is a close second.

The “Hello, Lover” pop-up experience is still currently running, but you’ll never know what The Marmont has in store, so catch it while you can. And, if you miss it, we’re sure that whatever the crew at The Marmont is going to do next will impress us even more.

“Each pop-up is different because I think it attracts the same crowd, but I’ll notice our reach gets bigger,” says Landers. “Halloween was really interesting because I think we got some of my witchy girls out that maybe wouldn’t normally think of Forno.”

This one’s for the girls, we know that for sure, but the masterminds behind The Marmont are always plotting, so we’re eager to see where they go next.

“Sometimes I could see a world where (patrons) skip over Forno and come straight to the basement for more of an intimate cocktail experience,” Landers says.

Though we love Forno, we love being able to order those delicious Forno pizzas in a slightly different vibe. There’s a charm about The Marmont that exists specifically downstairs.

Landers also shouted out the amazing staff at both Forno and The Marmont, who work to execute each pop-up with attentiveness and care.

Visit The Marmont Speakeasy!

721 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215

(In the Basement of Forno Kitchen + Bar)

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