Marcella’s happy hour runs from 4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday at its Short North and Polaris restaurants in Columbus, Ohio. Both offer discounted Italian food, but the drink prices and seating rules are not identical. Choose your location below before comparing a pizza, appetizer, or cocktail.
Table of Contents
Quick Answer: Marcella’s offers selected half-price food on weekdays from 4–6 p.m. Short North advertises half-price selected drinks in the bar and cocktail lounge. Polaris lists $6.99 handcrafted cocktails and sangrias, $3.50 beers, and selected half-price food in the bar, lounge, and patio.
Marcella’s Short North Happy Hour Food Menu
Short North lists antipasti, appetizers, soups and salads, and pizzas among its half-off categories. The tables pair its current regular-menu prices with the calculated 50%-off amount. These are calculations for eligible items, not a separately published item-by-item happy-hour price list. Confirm that your choice is included when ordering; selected-item exclusions, additions, tax, and tip can change the bill.
Appetizers
| Item | Regular price | 50% off if eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Sea Salt Focaccia | $6.00 | $3.00 |
| Roasted Garlic Cheese Bread | $12.00 | $6.00 |
| Arancini | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Sweet Italian Sausage | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Shrimp Oreganata | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Mussels | $20.00 | $10.00 |
| Beef Carpaccio | $21.00 | $10.50 |
| Fritto Misto | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Bruschetta | $18.00 | $9.00 |
| Braised Veal Meatball | $19.00 | $9.50 |
Soups and Salads
| Item | Regular price | 50% off if eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato Basil Soup | $9.00 | $4.50 |
| Italian Wedding Soup | $9.00 | $4.50 |
| Marcella’s Italian Salad | $12.00 | $6.00 |
| Caesar | $13.00 | $6.50 |
| Pear & Gorgonzola | $13.00 | $6.50 |
| Caprese | $15.00 | $7.50 |
Pizzas
| Pizza | Regular price | 50% off if eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Margherita DOC | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Four Cheese | $18.00 | $9.00 |
| Giardiniera | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Pepperoni | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Crispy Potato | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Chili Rossa | $18.00 | $9.00 |
| Mushroom | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Veggie | $18.00 | $9.00 |
| Prosciutto | $19.00 | $9.50 |
| Sicilian | $18.00 | $9.00 |
The regular menu also has cheese dishes, pasta, and entrées. Their presence on the dinner menu does not establish a happy-hour discount. In particular, do not assume a pasta dinner or a Formaggio dish receives the same reduction as the named happy-hour categories.
Marcella’s Short North Happy Hour Drinks
Short North’s drink offer covers selected specialty cocktails, house spirits, sangria by the glass, and bottles and cans. Its wine restriction is glass pours priced up to $9; this is not a promise that every wine on the list is discounted.
| Drink | Regular price | 50% off if eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Citrus White or Primitivo Red Sangria, glass | $11.00 | $5.50 |
| Tuscan Limonata | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Milan Manhattan | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Grapefruit Basil Fizz | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Elderflower Spritz | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Pine Fin Cosmo | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Espresso Martini | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Strawberry Balsamic Martini | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| CBC IPA | $6.00 | $3.00 |
| Peroni | $6.00 | $3.00 |
| Miller Lite | $5.00 | $2.50 |
| Michelob Ultra | $5.00 | $2.50 |
The sangria deal is specifically by the glass. Do not apply the same calculation to a liter. Ask which house spirits and wine pours qualify rather than assuming a premium spirit, bottle of wine, or larger wine serving is included.
Zero-Proof Options at Regular Menu Prices
| Drink | Regular price |
|---|---|
| Strawberry Fields | $11 |
| Il Finto Espresso | $9 |
| Citrus Spritz | $11 |
These give non-drinkers something beyond a cocktail list, but the happy-hour page does not explicitly confirm a zero-proof cocktail discount. The prices above are regular prices, not claimed specials.
Marcella’s Polaris Happy Hour Menu
Polaris uses a fixed promotional drink price rather than Short North’s half-price cocktail calculation. Its food offer names selected small plates, pizzas, and sandwiches. The regular bar menu below helps you compare those categories.
| Polaris drink offer | Posted happy-hour price |
|---|---|
| Handcrafted cocktails and sangrias | $6.99 |
| Selected house spirits | $6.99 |
| Domestic and imported beer | $3.50 |
| Craft beer | $3.50 |
| Selected wine by the glass priced up to $10 | 50% off |
For the following food tables, the discounted column is an approximate calculation for eligible items. Polaris’s regular prices often end in odd cents, so a 50% calculation can produce half a cent. Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent here; the restaurant’s checkout may round differently.
Small Plates
| Item | Regular bar-menu price | Approx. half price if eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach & Artichoke Dip | $9.99 | $5.00 |
| Cheese Bread | $10.29 | $5.14 |
| Arancini | $14.99 | $7.50 |
| Braised Veal Meatball | $14.79 | $7.39 |
| Calamari | $17.99 | $8.99 |
Sandwiches
| Sandwich | Regular bar-menu price | Approx. half price if eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Parmesan | $14.49 | $7.25 |
| Braised Veal Meatball | $14.79 | $7.39 |
| Bistecca Burger | $14.99 | $7.50 |
Pizzas
| Pizza | Regular bar-menu price | Approx. half price if eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Pepperoni | $16.79 | $8.39 |
| Sausage | $18.49 | $9.24 |
| Crispy Potato | $17.49 | $8.74 |
| Roasted Chicken | $17.49 | $8.74 |
| Veggie | $17.79 | $8.89 |
| Margherita D.O.C. | $15.99 | $8.00 |
| Prosciutto | $17.99 | $8.99 |
| Four Cheese | $17.79 | $8.89 |
| Mushroom | $16.49 | $8.24 |
| Pesto Shrimp | $17.99 | $8.99 |
| Pepperoni & Sausage | $18.49 | $9.24 |
| Sicilian | $16.49 | $8.24 |
A Chicken Parmesan sandwich and a Chicken Parmesan dinner are different orders. Likewise, use the Polaris bar-menu price for its promotion rather than a Short North dinner price. Check the eligible selection before adding extra toppings or modifications.
Marcella’s Happy Hour Days and Hours
| Location | Days and time | Eligible seating |
|---|---|---|
| Short North | Monday–Friday, 4–6 p.m. | Bar and cocktail lounge |
| Polaris | Monday–Friday, 4–6 p.m. | Bar, cocktail lounge, and patio |
| Both locations: Saturday and Sunday | No weekend happy hour listed | Regular menus apply |
The promotion ends at 6 p.m.; dinner service continuing afterward does not extend the discount. If you arrive close to the cutoff, ask when the order must be placed. A dining-room reservation also does not automatically put you in a happy-hour seating area.
Choosing a Marcella’s Location and Planning Your Order
| Location | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Short North | 615 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215 | (614) 223-2100 |
| Polaris | 1319 Polaris Parkway, Columbus, OH 43240 | (614) 844-6500 |
For a patio visit, Polaris explicitly includes that seating area in its offer. For a Short North visit, request the bar or cocktail lounge rather than assuming every table qualifies. Neither posted promotion establishes a takeout or delivery discount; ask before placing an off-premise order.
To compare value, start with the food you actually want and then add the drink. For example, an eligible $18 Short North pizza calculates to $9, while a qualifying $11 glass of sangria calculates to $5.50: $14.50 before tax and tip. That is an illustrative calculation, not a restaurant-advertised combo.
For a lighter order, the soup and salad categories are worth checking at Short North. For a sandwich rather than pizza, Polaris’s bar menu gives you options to ask about. A low listed price is only useful if the item qualifies and suits your appetite.
Marcella’s offers gluten-free-friendly modifications, but its kitchen is not entirely gluten-free. Discuss allergies, substitutions, and any added charge with your server before ordering. The menu does not provide verified calorie counts for these happy-hour selections, so no calorie estimates are included here.
If you are comparing an Italian bar visit with a wine-focused alternative, the Cooper’s Hawk happy hour menu offers another guide to review. For a different small-plate and drink selection, compare the Bar Louie happy hour menu. Check the location in each guide before making plans.
Marcella’s Happy Hour FAQs
What time is Marcella’s happy hour?
Both Columbus locations post Monday–Friday, 4–6 p.m. Short North restricts the offer to its bar and cocktail lounge; Polaris also includes its patio.
Are Short North and Polaris drink prices the same?
No. Short North advertises selected half-price drinks. Polaris posts $6.99 cocktails, sangrias, and selected house spirits, plus $3.50 beer.
Is every pizza or appetizer automatically half price?
The promotion says selected food. The tables show current menu choices and what 50% off would calculate to, but your server should confirm eligibility before you order.
Does Marcella’s offer happy hour on weekends?
Neither Columbus location’s current happy-hour page lists Saturday or Sunday specials.
Are wine bottles and sangria liters half price?
The current happy-hour terms specify wine by the glass and, at Short North, sangria by the glass. Do not extend those terms to bottles or liters without a separate confirmed offer.
