Midwest Bests is a small site that picks nights, rooms, and sandwiches worth showing up for in the Midwest. The 2026 cycle focused on Columbus, Indiana — mostly because that’s where the good nights were happening.
How a pick gets made
1. Did the room fill without a corporate campaign?
2. Did the host / DJ / kitchen do the job?
3. Would we send a friend?
4. Did it feel like Columbus at its best?
Conflicts
We know these people. We go to these nights. That’s the model. If your karaoke, comedy, trivia, margarita, or tenderloin is better, nominate it — or yourself — and then beat them in public.