Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge - We're changing the late night vibe

A letter to our guests…  we’re going back to our roots

Hi!  First off, thanks for reading our thoughts!  We seriously appreciate you all so much for all the support over the years.  Without our friends/family/customers there’s no way we’d still be as in love with this business as we are.  You make it all worth it.

Now for the good stuff…. We’re coming up on 15 years of business in August (kinda wild), and we’ve been reflecting on where we started, where we’ve been, where we are today, and who we want to be moving forward.  Room 38 has taken on a lot of different personalities over the years, often night by night or even within the same day, accommodating very different crowds and energies.  We’ve always focused our efforts in living up to our tagline “Afternoon. Afterwork. Afterdark.”, while providing an experience that’s unique for Columbia, MO, and that’s still our goal to this day.

When we opened in 2008, we pushed the limits with eclectic cuisine focused on small plates and quality cocktails, served in a high-energy dining atmosphere built for fun and celebration whether it’s lunch or dinner; and we’ve stuck to that.  Right around 2010 we really nailed down our happy-hour concept, and ever since we’ve been a favorite for after work/after class food and cocktails served with some discounted happy hour love.  While plenty of great new establishments in Columbia have chosen that path, we’ve maintained a unique atmosphere and experience that’s been hard to replicate, and we take pride in that.

Now let’s get to why we’re here… the “Afterdark.” part.  From day one we’ve always focused on providing a nightlife experience that was fun, high energy, and as intended different from anything you could find in Columbia.  We were originally a favorite for the graduate/professional crowd, while still being a blast for the undergrads who loved climbing our walls, dancing on our bar, and turning up the fun.  Over the years, as Columbia has evolved and the downtown student population exploded, we absolutely became a favorite late night destination for the undergrads.  At some point though, we noticed that the energy in the room had shifted, and that our graduate/professional crowd wasn’t quite on the same page.  Don’t get us wrong, those nights are/were fun, but we definitely lost track of our identity in the process.

Today, there are SO MANY options that serve up that atmosphere in Columbia, and while our days and dinners still set us apart, our nights seem to have us categorized as just another spot downtown.  Well folks, that doesn’t do it for us, and we’re (this is where the movie title drops) going back to our roots.

Starting…. now.  Today.  While you’re reading this it’s happening (OMG it’s happening).  Room 38 is changing the late night vibe.  Are we turning into a stuffy, boring, uptight “lounge”?  Absolutely not.  What we are focusing on is being the place you can come to after dinner (or stay after your reservation) to have great drinks from great bartenders and servers, and be able to enjoy an upbeat lounge atmosphere.  We want you to be able to sit, stand, be comfortable how you want to be, and be able to hear each other talk.  We’re pushing good vibes with good people drinking good drinks listening to good music have a great mother-fucking time.

How might one check out this great mf’ing time?  Swing by next time you’re out and grab a drink at the bar, grab a table with friends and let our servers keep your drinks flowing, or you can make a last minute late night reservation online to guarantee the table of your dreams.  However you choose to join us, we’ll be ready for you, we’ll be excited to see you, and we hope you can appreciate the energy we’re putting out there.

Room 38 has evolved with the times year after year, and while we know it took us a little longer this time to make the change, we know this is the right time to do it and we’re feeling really good about the direction we’re headed. We’re back baby!  Come play.

Love always, Billy & Jeremy, and everyone at Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge

P.S. Some things to look forward to….

  • Monday night Martinis and Manicures are coming back!  We’ll launch the first one on Monday, April 24th, from 5-9pm
  • Thursday nights are getting a facelift – New specials + New Music – Half off Martinis + 2 for 1 bottles of champagne
  • Late night apps on Friday + Saturday from 10pm-midnight!
  • Follow our socials for pop up specials, giveaways, and new menu items!