As a Cbus local who has attended more than few Cons and events in the area I have given some thought to a dinner at GalaxyCon.
The Convention Center is in the Arena District/Short North. There are some sit down options around in the area, several bars, pubs, and small trendier places, but they are, well, smaller, and as such not likely to be able to easily sit a group of probably 30 or so once you add in handlers and friends and the like based on the 16 “Boots on the Ground.” The one place that does come to mind that might conceivably be able to handle a party that large would be Buca di Beppo or maybe Rodizio Brazilian Grill. It will also be a busy Saturday night in the entertainment section of Downtown, so what places that might be able to seat a party that large will be, well, busy, and neither of those two options is exactly a budget option either.
Honestly, in order to accommodate everyone’s different Travel, budgetary, and dietary restrictions I would recommend a sort of Pot Luck approach to a group dinner. There are actually a variety of seating options spread out through out the convention center itself, and there are several grab and go or quick service places near by.
For one, the convention center/Hyatt does actually have a food court attached to it. There is a Subway, Jet’s Pizza, Chicken and Egg, Hamburger Place, Noodle Shop, and a Greek place. Several of the places list a closing time of 5 PM on Google maps, but I know for sure that the Jets Pizza is open later and the Greek place in the past has stayed open as long as their were people wanting to buy food. (I have a story about it being like 11 PM during a Marcon in like 2010 and walking by and the little old Greek Lady still standing behind the counter and my wife asked her if they were still open and she asked “Are you still hungry?” )
South Café & Marketplace - Greater Columbus Convention Center
Across the street from the convention center is North Market. There are plenty of vendors who sell meals, like Hot Chicken Take Over, Ramen, Indian, and there is seating on the second floor and outside, dependent on the weather, but its just as easy to carry it back over as the Market is just across the street from the convention center. Additionally on the way to North Market is Mikey’s Late Night slice, serving Pizza by the slice and a burger place, for example. North Market does close at 7 PM.
North Market | Columbus, Ohio
It does look like the Exhibit Hall is scheduled to stay open until 8 PM Friday and Saturday night, which is surprising to me, and as such it seems like some of these options might not work if we want to have everyone present. However, I know I would be more than willing to stay behind and watch the Booth while the majority of others did an organized dinner earlier than after 8 PM.