Refectory Restaurant & Bistro

Great food with nice rice , people are friendly. and we like to eat different food. please go there. because it's good place to chill. i will bring my grilfriend there sometimes. and it's closed by.

Pros: great wine

Cons: expensive

Posted 06/08/09

This is the best restaurant in Columbus for fine dining. You have all the elements of a wonderful experience. The atmosphere is romantic, the service is exceptional without being over-bearing and the food is always great with a beautiful presentation. Did I mention the fine china you eat off of? The owner and his assistant will do anything to make you comfortable. They truely strive to make you go home feeling well taken care of. Lastly, if you don't feel like dining in the restaurant, the bar is almost more romantic with a great menu, too. I love the fireplace in there!

Pros: They also do a nice job using the internet to confirm reservations and tell you about upcoming events. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and will guide you about anything on the menu/wine list.

Cons: Some people may be put off that there are not HUGE plates of food--this is not Mortons and doesn't pretend to be. It is fine dining!!!

Posted 02/22/09

From start to finish, an amazing meal and service experience! The service staff anticipated our every need and delivered everything in an unobtrusive manner. They were knoweledgeable and the food was melt-in-your-mouth good! Seriously, they may have served to me the best filet mignon I have ever had. Oh, and I loved the table visit from the owner at the end of our meal--not sure if that's the norm, but it made us feel special. I can't wait to go back!

Pros: Amazing wine, service and food!

Cons: Decor

Posted 04/08/08

My hubby and I went to The Refectory for our anniversary in March. By the time dessert came i was full and had the waitress box up my brown sugar pudding.
The next day i went to put my pudding in a regular bowl so i could enjoy it when i look down and see some sort of cable adaptor laying in my pudding. My hubby tells me later its some sort of network cable plug.
I call the restaurant and explain to them what i found. They were very apologetic and quickly got my name, number and address and told me their manager would be giving me call.
in a few days the manager calls and lets me know that he wants to personally bring a dessert to my house for me to enjoy. I'm thinking "wow...okay!" We set up a date and a time. The time comes i'm waiting around the house for a while....he never shows up. I call the restaurant a liitle while later. I'm connected to the manager he tells me that he forgot. He offers no apology and tries to set up another date and time with me. I tell him not to worry about it.

I guess i half expected to receive something in the mail after that or to have my original dessert cost credited to my credit card or something but none of these things happened. If the manager hadn't gotten my hopes up with the thought of a hand delivered yummy dessert and then not following through with his committment I wouldn't have been as disappointed by my experience but he did and I am.

To this day i have yet to receive anything from them for the inconvenience. I will be honest and say i didn't expect that.

I'll probably not go back.

Pros: wonderful food

Cons: stuffy and dark

Posted 06/17/07

i don't get out to anything this fine quality that often. i love to eat out and consider myself a bit of a food snob. that being said, i can only afford to eat out at a place like this only every once in awhile, and i never felt a hint of snobbery one might expect from such a fine dining locale. our main waiter, Kevin, was fantastic, although I'm sure we threw him off, us not being your run of the mill average customers. I was with Jeremy, and he asked for a second bottle of a british pale ale. it took a long time for kevin to get back, apologizing for the delay and had the news that they were out of that particular ale. So, Kevin first suggests a replacement that would be similiar, and then brings it out, saying, "first take a taste, the i will be back to tell you the story of that beer"

it turned out to be actually one of MY favorite beers, 'La Fin Du Monde', and he didn't charge us for it.

Such a fantastic place, and when i feel the need, i will definetly be back. Thank You Kevin for the laughs!

The best part about the whole occasion was that it was only the two of us, and we had literally a corner to ourselves. (although something was a little wonky w/ their heating that evening)

Pros: good parking, personable staff, and DEFINETLY the setting/amibience

Cons: the heating was off, pricey (duh), this type of attentive service is not for everyone

Posted 12/31/06

the food was good. service was too stuffy - had dinner for party of 12. we're all in our 30's, young professionals and would have liked it to be less stuff - definitely for an older crowd. i made reservations for 12 ppl but we weren't seated until 1/2 hour after the reservation because they were getting the wine cellar ready. should have done that prior to us showing up. the place was not busy.

Pros: good food

Cons: long wait though we had reservations, stuffy service

Posted 08/19/06

I took my husband to this restaurant for his birthday. We requested a private booth (on the recommendation of another reviewer). The stainglass remodled church is beautiful and the service impeccable. The food is high class dishes you cannot find anywhere else. I orderd the duck and my husband the elk; both were incredible. If you are looking for a special occasion location with a romantic ambiance, this is the place. Not recommended for large groups--much better for an intimate gathering.

Pros: Unique Dishes, Privacy, Excellent Service

Cons: Small Menu, Pricey w/ small meals

Posted 04/19/06

The Refectory is, undoutedly, one of the best restaurants we have ever dined. Our relocation from New York City could have been a more difficult experience, but the presence of this true gem of an establishment has made Columbus infinitely better!

We have dined in fine restaurants all over the world and found that the quality of cuisine, unparalleled wine list and the attentiveness of the staff (and owner) places Refectory among the best.

The dishes are uniquely and creatively prepared, the blend of ingredients creates a harmony for the palate, while the cocktails and wine list are a perfect complement.

In short, this upscale restaurant has an amazing cuisine and wine list, and the ambience of the converted church adds so much character to an already amazing establishment.

Pros: Amazing food, Great wine list, The best!

Posted 10/02/04

I have dined in many fine restaurants in numerous places but this is still my favorite. The Refectory has delivered a consistently great experience over the last eight years we have dined there. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly, the food is prepared to perfection, the wine list is unmatched, and I have not experienced better service anywhere else in this area. Furthermore, we have found that because The Refectory is so fair with their wine prices we can enjoy a great multi-course dinner with wine for less than we could at some of the more well-known 'chain' restaurants. Also their Bistro menu allows for more frequent but less 'extravagant' dining. Truly a superior restaurant!

Pros: Outstanding Service, Amazing Cuisine, Extraordinary Wine Se

Posted 07/27/04

A group of eight of us dined at the restaurant to celebrate the graduation of our son's girlfriend from OSU. Only my wife and I had dined here before. The food was superb, and the wine selection was outstanding. All eight of us unanimously agreed that it was a dining experience worth remembering, and repeating. If you want great service, food and wine, don't miss this one.

Pros: great food, great service, nice ambience

Cons: expensive

Posted 01/14/04

I didn't think it was going to be like this kind of restaurant. I'm relatively young and have traveled the world for good food. This place, according to this website was supposed to be top notch.

The food was dressed well but lacked ingredients to call itself 'best french'. The frois grois was extremely heavily and lacked the hint of duck liver. Nonetheless the service was great, but the atmosphere was a archaic barn yard.

Nonetheless, it is not suited for young people.

Posted 11/05/03

there is not a finer place to dine in columbus. the service is impecable and the food to die for... plus the wine is out of this world

Posted 12/10/02

Hands down, the Refectory is the nicest in Columbus. Be warned, though, the Refectory costs a pretty penny and should only be reserved for the most special occasions. This is not a restaurant to take your date to for Prom or for children under 18. This is a restaurant for adults. Everything is expensive, and skipping alcohol will help save money. The atmosphere is incredibly quiet and tables are very secluded. If you're looking for romance, this is the place. But be careful who you take. The service is designed to be slow and sparse to give you time to enjoy yourselves, and you will only talk to the people seated at your table. If everything on the menu seems foreign, try the swordfish... it was the best meal I have ever eaten in my life! Save the Refectory for a once in a lifetime meal, you won't regret it.

Pros: Delicious food, Knowledgeable staff, Quiet

Cons: Expensive

Posted 11/23/02

The refectory is the perfect place for a special romantic dinner. The main dining room is in an old converted church. They have the most attentive and knowledgeable servers. The food and wine selection is second to none. For those on a budget they generally have a specially priced menu in their bistro, and their wine tasting events are a great opportunity to sample some great vintages and some delicious hor d'ouvres (spelling?) Also they do a great job on private parties, I have been to a number of business dinners there and everything was perfect.

Pros: Great wine selection, Good parking

Cons: expensive

Posted 10/26/02

The Refrectory is a consistent winner. Not only is the food consistently outstanding but the service level has always been great. I especially like the way Refectory staff help out with special requests. Recently, we attended their Burgundy wine tasting dinner.Not only was the Refectory able to accomodate an unexpected out of town guest, but they improvised a wonderful white wine tasting on the spot when we discovered the guest had medical problems drinking red wines.

Pros: great food, impeccable service, wonderful ambiance

Posted 10/01/02

This is one of those places that you go on special occasions (unless you are rich).

The Refectory has an outstanding wine selection and is recognized by Wine Spectator as having one of the finest wine lists in the world. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and will help you pick something out. With all that, I still had to get a rare treat when I was there: Ayinger's Celebrator Dopplebock on draught. There truly is no better beer available in the states.

Dinner was excellent as well. The waiter was nice enough to throw in a small piece of cake since it was my birthday, which I thought was a nice touch (there was no singing and clapping either, which was a nice change of pace). I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys a nice, upper-scale meal and a great bottle of wine (or glass of beer).

Pros: Wine selection, Knowledgeable staff

Cons: Expensive

Posted 09/16/02

the last time( and only) i was here the place felt a bit stiff, it was to formal for romantic, it was high power business night, or something. the food was good, just not the warmnest of lantibes(sp).

Posted 09/04/02

I have never had service as wonderful as I had here. PLease understand the The Refectory is dedicated to giving you a certain level and quality of experience that other places do not provide. If you want to pour your own wine or push in your own chair, this is not the place for you. The Refectory treats you as if you are the most important person in the world and it does its job well.
The food is fantastic and the wine list is one of the best you will ever see in America. Yes, this meal will be expensive but remember, you aren't simply paying for a meal-you are paying for an experience.

Pros: Flawless Service, Food, Wine List

Cons: Price

Posted 08/18/02

A Great Place for a romantic dinner and wine! Me and my husband loved it! This place offers history and elite service! Loved it!

Pros: Building, history, elite food, romance

Cons: location?, expensive

Posted 08/10/02

This restaurant has the best French cuisine outside le pais de France.

Pros: Superb atmosphere, Top flight service, Superior wine list

Cons: Location on Bethel Rd, Pricey but not unduly

Posted 07/28/02

There is not much to be said that others have not. This place has consistantly year after year placed at the top. No request goes unheard....best wine list in the midwest and what a nice quite place to enjoy the food. You must be ready to put down some cash to eat here and always make a reservation.

Pros: best ambience in town, service is excellent

Cons: expensive, you must make a, reservation

Posted 07/25/02

We recently hosted a business dinner at the Refectory and were delighted with the entire transaction. The staff went above and beyond to ensure everyone was well cared for. The courses were all on time and the wine glasses were never empty. The Refectory is the perfect place for special occasions when attention to detail is necessary.

Posted 07/24/02

A smooth evening from the stand point of service. Good food and a stellar wine list. Although the room is a bit tired, it is classic in its own right. A visit from the wine steward and the chef shows that the people care about your experience. The only place in town with better food is Black & Blue. Either of these two places are the best choices for the culinarians in town.

Pros: Wine List, Service

Cons: Decor

Posted 06/04/02