The Refectory Restaurant & Bistro

Great food and service!

Tried this restaurant based upon someone else’s recommendation. Food was good, not the best I have ever had, and definitely not for the price point this restaurant is at. I have eaten at Michelin star rated establishments in NY, LA, and definitely consider myself a foodie. It is most definitely a foodie spot. If you aren’t an adventurous eater or foodie, don’t try this spot, the menu is too limited otherwise. For the menu and price I expected much higher quality than was served. As a party of two we had the escargot turine appetizer, fried goat cheese appetizer, and arugula salad to start. The best part of the entire meal was the salad, it was superb. Entrees were Filet Mignon croquettes (only beef on the menu) and Wild Boar Chops. Filet was tough and moderate flavor, not cooked as requested, vegatables and sides that accompanied it were cold (but were supposed to be hot). Wild Boar was tough and sinewy. We didn’t eat dessert. Service was not great, server was barely there, though busboys were very attentive. Don’t know if it is the norm or not, but we had a 6:30 reservation. When we didn’t have our entrees out by 8:00 p.m. when our server glided by and said she would check on them, we were shocked. Make sure you plan on being there all night for appetizer, salads, and entree!

Which was best — the bisque, the quail, the venison, or the red Rhone chosen by John? I’m not sure, but it was a memorable evening. The new game menu is a must.

We had a fabulous anniversary dinner at The Refectory Restaurant. Our server Sam was very good. The food selection was unique. Each course was exceptional.
We enjoyed our special evening.

To my taste there is no better restaurant in Columbus. The service is a step away from having your own fleet of servants, their dotage so complete that it's rare to make it more than five minutes without being presented things you've ordered or complimentary dishes or sides to pass the time while you wait. The ambience is immensely comfortable and quiet. Though there are other patrons in the room, it feels like you've got the place to yourself.

The food itself is, without exception, amazing. You pay a premium price for premium dishes. Full stop. Antelope, elk, ostrich, beef fillets, seafood; every option will upset your metric for what that thing should be.

My only ding is that the desserts, while lovely, have never been the match of the entrees or appetizers (or drinks, which are fabulous). That said, the desserts are not nearly as expensive, and so still provide quite the value.

Take a date, be prepared to spend $150 on your courses, leave a legend. Can't say enough about this place. Go.

The food is amazing, but it is the service that keeps us going back for more. Joseph's service is outstanding!!

The Refectory is a Columbus Dining Institution. If you have not been there, you are missing out on one of the most attentive, delightful, scrumptious meals, Columbus has to offer. The service is out of this world. We were celebrating our 17th Wedding Anniversary. They had our reserved table ready when we arrived with a congratulatory card. From our bar drinks to our dessert, it was an extraordinary experience. We haven't received that kind of service since we dined at Alinea in Chicago. If you don't want to travel that far, this is right in our backyard. Go. Eat. You won't regret this experience.

!00% amazing experience with experts on wine and food. Dom, our server was helpful and informative. He recognized our needs and adapt his service to match. I purchased 2 bottles of wine from the new wine store. I was provided great advice on the types and tastes and was matched with affordable bottles. Very awesome experience and can't wait to return for dinner and music events.
Thank you

The food and the service are exceptional at the Refectory. I had a mesclun salad and the Kühlbarra Barramundi Meunière. The fish was perfectly prepared, with a crust on the exterior and moist inside. The sauce was subtle yet full of flavor. I had the charlotte for dessert, which was exquisite. Everyone who I interacted with was attentive and friendly. My only suggestion is that the decor might be updated.

This is a five star restaurant. You will never be disappointed in the food the service or the atmosphere. This is the finest restaurant in Columbus Ohio.

The staff was very attentive. For our entrée I had the Dover Sole which was absolutely amazing. My wife enjoyed the filet. Can’t wait to go back.

The chef's fall menu made up primarily of game was an over reach for my taste. The razorback boor was tough though flavorful. The wild arugula salad with blue cheese, walnuts and maple vinaigrette was superb on the other hand. All in all it was an overpriced pretentious experience.

What an excellent experience we had! The food was outstanding: some of the best flavors I've had in a long time. Service was, of course, on par with a Five Star restaurant. Joseph was instrumental in getting us a front-and-center table for the Music Series that night. We hosted a guest as a Thank You dinner, and she continues to text us about how well the meal was, how well she was treated, and what a joy our meal and evening was. Highly recommend this excellent restaurant for a true dining experience.

My wife and I went to the Refectory for her birthday. We received special treatment all the way. From a Happy Birthday card on the table, complimentary bubbly, a visit to our table from the owner Kamal, to a candle on her dessert. The experience was wonderful, the food was superb, the service was excellent. We've been coming to the Refectory to celebrate special occasions for over 34 years and will return for many more!

Great everything! Food, service, environment, and drinks were all spectacular.

We went for the First Friday pre fixe menu as we usually do. As always, food, service and wine pairings were on point. We will continue to make it a point to visit this establishment whenever we come to Columbus.

Treated very well - from welcome to departure...

Our first time and we loved it. The sommelier, Chris, was incredible! We will definitely return!!!

The Refectory is a very special place. I had the wild boar chops and my wife had the scallops which were both fabulous. We also had the most decadent desserts - the pear tarting and the chocolate cake. Both are incredible with the suggested wine pairings. As always the service was impeccable and the food stellar.

Food was fantastic, service is mediocre , wine glasses empty and we have to ask for new glasses, wine being delivered to the table and the staff certain what it was, a Merlot or cab, felt like the waiter was stretched between several tables which is OK just need to be attentive to your guests if you want a nice tip

The Refectory never disappoints these days. The food was outstanding and beautifully presented, the staff was helpful without being intrusive. We each had an appetizer (mine the carpaccio, hers the creamy,saffron scented mussel soup), then split a small Caesar (no charge for doing so), and opted for fish entrees (the meats seemed a bit less interesting). The pear tart with pistachio gelato for dessert was a pleasure to the eyes and especially the palate, enought to share, and came with complimentary tastes of a dessert wine!
I especially commend The Refectory for offering some outstanding wines by the glass at fair prices . We began with half flutes of Billecart Brut for $12 (a full 6 oz pour would have been $22, not much above retail). At $10 for a glass, the white St. Joseph was being offered at BELOW the retail equivalent.
A minor glitch in the ambience was the noise level, as there was a jazz event in another part of the restaurant that night.
As return customers, we had received an e-coupon for my wife's birthday, which helped soften the blow a bit when the check arrived.
Bravo! WE WILL BE BACK.

Chris the Sommelier, was outstanding. Great man that understands what you want for a great wine. Thanks again.

We took our daughter, who is attending Denison University, out to dinner here on Parents Weekend. The food is a 10 on a scale from 1 to 10. However, it’s quite pricey so know that going in.

My wife and I celebrated our 40th anniversary. We have been looking for a special Restaurant since we frequented the old Kahiki for our special occassions. We have found it, we thoroughly enjoyed the total experience at the Refectory. We felt special and it was completely wonderful. We look forward to returning!

First time at the Refectory since moving to Columbus a little over a year ago. I’d highly recommend to anyone looking for a great experience.

Beautiful venue with incredible food! The goat cheese is exquisite and my husband and I had a blast at the music series. The drinks were phenomenal and the service is friendly, knowledgeable and so efficient! It is a perfect special occasion spot!

Amazing as always!

thought it was abit louder than we remembered, but we were still able to converse. We went early, and had great service. It’s one of our favorite restaurants in Columbus.

Very good food and service. Really appealing menu. Good appetizers, mains and desserts.

Quiet, charming. Easy to hold a conversation. Food was excellent, portioned to satisfy an appetite without leaving you feeling stuffed. Service was excellent, water glasses filled as the need arises. Definitely got our money's worth.

Server and bartender went out of their way to accommodate our small group. Dinner was delightful, ambiance exceptional and the seating comfortable.

Was amazing as always.

The Refectory is a gem. I’ve dined there a number of times over the years. The food and service have been consistently excellent. I hosted my son and daughter-in-laws rehearsal dinner here last year and it was a wonderful experience.

Mother and Son dinner. This is our 4th year in what hopefully will become a long-standing tradition. Wonderful food, wine and service.

Wonderful, as always with this restaurant. Friend had never been and absolutely loved it. Server was great

Comfortable seating, ambience, noise level. Food was excellent. Restroom access difficult for handicapped.

Very good but not extraordinary. To be honest....I expected more. It was a great meal and service was impeccable. Just nothing really stood out as amazing from the food or drinks. I was honestly hoping for a more private/intimate dining experience.

Again...service was off the charts. Food was very good. Nothing bad to say at all.

We celebrated Mom's 75th birthday and Mom/Dad's 54th wedding anniversary at The Refectory last Saturday night. It was Dine Original's Week, so there was a special fixed price menu to choose from. We started with a glass of bubbly to toast the celebration! The goat cheese salad with beets and the escargot got rave reviews. Even the arugula salad, which is simple but elegant, was deeply enjoyed! We tried different entrees, including the short ribs, the pork tenderloin, and the walleye. All were delicious! For dessert, we ordered creme brulee, opera cake, and chocolate entremet with raspberry coulis. They arrived with candles to celebrate our parents! They even threw in a passion fruit mousse dome and a glass of dessert wine for each of us!

The Refectory is our favorite restaurant to celebrate all family events. It's also our pre-theatre choice of dining off the bistro menu!

Thanks Kamal and team for another wonderful celebratory dinner!

Quality food, great service as expected. One of the best restaurants in Columbus.

Great food and great service. Beautiful setting. We went during Dine Originals weeks and had the preset menu. Great deal!