The best gumbo rue outside of the south Chef KNOWS what he is doing And it shows Best gumbo Best crawfish Best caesar salad Best kitchen staff , bar tender best bathrooms ( clean) You can't find all of those in one spot to often Keep it up And let the good times Roll read more

Where to begin? I went to Columbus from South Beach to visit friends, so I did my usual research and came up with Gallo's Kitchen and Bar. I'd like to think that I know a thing or two about food and restaurants. Gallo's did not disappoint. When I dine out, I'm looking for cleanliness, great food, great service and ambience in that order. For me, 5 stars in areas with the following caveat. This is a restaurant /semi sports bar, so on the night that you're looking for that elegant dining experience, maybe this isn't your spot. If you want great food, drink and service at reasonable prices, don't miss Gallo's. I started with a Caesar salad which was very good. I followed that with the Seafood Creole which was absolutely amazing. The seafood was high quality in abundance and cooked to perfection along with an excellent sauce with a small side of rice. It was a really nice dish. Two other people in our part had the Seafood Creole, as well and were equally satisfied. Another had a sautéed walleye with fried green tomatoes and the other had grilled scallops with asparagus with a fine crab sauce over roasted red potatoes. Again, very satisfied customers. The wine people at the table ordered a reasonably priced Merlot which everybody enjoyed. Chef Tommy Gallo came over to our table a few times and was very personable in making sure that we were happy. All I can tell you is that if I'm ever near Columbus, OH, you can be sure that I'll be making a pit stop at Gallo's and I suggest that you do the same read more

This new location just opened and my husband and I had to check it out. We always liked the food at Gallos on Bethel, but not so much of the sport bar atmosphere. This new location is just cute as it can be. It is very small, not much seating and the tables are CLOSE together. The night we were there (a Saturday) we had a short wait for a table, and were pretty packed in. Before seating us, the manager told us he had an open table, but did caution us that he had just "slammed" the waitress and it might be a few minutes before she could get to us. I appreciated the "heads up", but the waitress really did a fantastic job getting to us. I had the shrimp po' boy and fries. Both were terrific. Loved the hot sauce on the po' boy and the fries were obviously fresh cut-thin, hot and crispy. Usually I am not a fan of skinnier fries. But these were good. I could have had slaw instead of the fries. I love the other location's "apple slaw", but the waitress told his this location had a different slaw. Just wasn't into trying the new kind. That's okay. The fries were great. My husband had the pulled pork sandwich and it was way too spicy for him. That was disappointing, because he had made it very clear to the server that he didn't like the least amount of spiciness. Since she "checked" on us before he had tried his sandwich, we had to flag her down to get her back. (Also, a little disappointing, because they weren't busy any more.) She did apologize, but didn't offer anything to really rectify the situation, except to tell him maybe he should sprinkle a little sugar on the sandwich. He asked her to bring him a slice of tomato and lettuce because he thought that might cool it a bit. She did and he was able to eat the sandwich. However, he would not order it again. Please understand, this would not have been too hot for most people. I'm sure I would have loved it. However, we did feel that he had been very specific about his dislike of spicy food, so her telling him to sprinkle sugar on it was just a little annoying. Dessert was choice of Jenny's ice cream: Salty caramel or Reisling Pear. We both had the caramel. It was great...I mean it was Jenny's ice cream. Would you expect anything else? I liked the fact that Tommy kept his dessert choices simple. We will definitely go back. The high quality of the food was evident in everything we ate, even my husbands spicy (to him) sandwich. However, we will certainly look for slower times to dine there. I didn't really like being so close to a four-top that had two kids at it. (The kids were good... I just would rather pass on their tendency to get loud and silly when they are close enought to get an elbow in your ribs). read more

This place...seriously this place. Cajun (and Italian) in Columbus, this is your stop!! It also holds a special place in my heart growing up as this took over the former Ciao restaurant and just blew it out of the water. The first time I was here I had the best fried green tomatoes I've ever had in my life. How can you make something so simple taste so good!? Spaghetti and meatball here is just as amazing and I can't understand how! Last time I was here I got the Pasta Russo and Calamari...both were mindblowing. I'm not a huge fan of eating Italian when dining out but I would eat here any day of the week. The chef here really cares. You can tell with every meal. The first time I was here I was apartment hunting with my girlfriend. He personally greeted us and was so personable about the area and told his story about how he got cooking. It's a local business that I would support all day!! read more

It took me too long to check out Gallo's Kitchen, but I finally made it over there this past Friday, and we had a really great meal. I really like the feel to this place. The atmosphere was very welcoming, and you definitely got the neighborhood feel to it. I think the people sitting next to us knew every single person that worked at the bar, and every other patron that walked in. We decided to try the wings as an appetizer, and they had some on special with a spicy honey sauce that was phenomenal. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the sauce really only enhanced it. For the main course, I had the chicken etouffee, and the girlfriend tried out the meatball sub. The etouffee was pretty tasty, but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it as much as the ones I've had from Da Levee. Something about the texture of the chicken was a little off-putting, but the flavor was pretty good. My girlfriend loved her meatball sub, and I had a few bites and had to agree it was the better of the two meals. The service was just okay for us. Our server was a bit slow at getting us refills or really just being at our table. My girlfriend ordered a second drink which never came, so we just decided to go without it. The chef (owner it seemed) was out talking to all the customers, and he seemed to really be passionate about his restaurant, so that made me pretty happy to see. I think we'll definitely be back at some point to try the long list of specials they have there. read more

Everything I've eaten on the menu has been "talk about it at work the next day" good. Try the wings with the daily special sauce, or the po-boy, or the creole walleye, or the steak (with homemade Worcestershire!!) and I would put money on it being the best food you've eaten all week. Tommy comes out and checks on entrees as it's just delivered to the table, and hugs at least 3-5 people on every lap. You can tell he cares about his food, as well as the people that are eating it. If you say Gallos around my family and friends, we run to the car. read more

Always love coming here and this review is long overdue. By far my favorite dish here is the seafood creole. Fresh fish, usually walleye, scallops, shrimp, and clams in a delicious red sauce. This most recent time I tried their special: pan seared walleye in crawfish sauce with polenta. A touch salty but still delicious. There were six of us this time and each ordered something different. All were thrilled. The filet was unreal. We"ll be back! read more

Everything we had for our table of 4 was delicious. I had heard a lot of good things about this place and was starting to wonder if it was overhyped. It is definitely NOT overhyped because it's worth all the hype. It's rated 4.5 stars, which is extremely high, because Gallo's deserves it. All the food we had was delicious - every plate! We started off with the fried oysters (that blueberry aioli is divine) and white wine mussels which were both great. The oysters were amazing! For entrees, we got the pasta russo with meatball, chicken etouffee, jambalaya, and crawfish po boy with tater tots. My friends really liked the jambalaya and crawfish po boy. I tried the jambalaya, and it was really really tasty. The chicken etouffee was really great, I can't even find all the adjectives to describe how yummy this dining experience was. The pasta russo meat sauce was awesome, and you could easily not order the meatball and still be super full because the portions are huge. Seriously, each entree equals two meals. They don't skimp on the food here. The prices are also reasonable for the quality. We all had leftovers to take home. The host, server, and chef were all extremely welcoming and friendly. The chef even came out after we finished our meal to ask us how everything was which was a nice gesture. I'll definitely be back to try out other dishes. I like how their menu is small yet diverse enough, and there's something for everyone. This is one of my new favorites in town! read more

Found this place earlier this year and have already been back several times, even though I like 30 min away. Haven't had a single bad dish and the staff is extremely friendly, including the owner himself. The filet mignon is amazing. read more

We ended up here for dinner mostly because it's open so late (midnight every day!) and all the other dinner options we had were about the close. I was a little skeptical because cajun food is not one of my favorite cuisines, and then there's the whole Italian/cajun thing? A bit confusing. Fortunately, my doubts were unfounded. We started with the Arancini rice balls, which were yummy and just the right balance between light and too-heavy. I ordered the pan-sauteed mahi mahi, which was great! It had this super rich creamy sauce that just made the dish. Boyfriend had the chicken etouffee, which he enjoyed, but I didn't like as much. Service was good. Prices were very reasonable. I'd definitely come back and try some of the other items on the menu. We were there late on a Monday, I think, so we were probably one of two or three tables, and there were some people hanging out at the bar and watching a game as well. The restaurant is relatively big, so I imagine the atmosphere would be louder if it were full. read more

I always enjoy this place but oddly have not been recently. I always found the combination of food to be funny but it defiantly works for them. I normally sit at the bar which always has attentive service so I cannot really go into table service. The atmosphere is nice and casual, easy to go in and relax, enjoy your meal. The food I feel is always on par. I have never had a bad food experience or bad dish here. I will note to go in hungry because the portions are decent so you may be taking some leftovers home with you (never a bad thing). Between the two styles of I prefer the Cajun over the Italian. I love both styles but Cajun always wins out for me. As for the beer, a small but decent selection. I don't always get beer when I go as I feel it doesn't pair well with some of the food. Really, beer and Italian food are way too heavy to have both in one sitting. When I get cajun though I will add a beer in to the mix. read more

This place has the best Cajun food in Columbus. Every time I come here and can't go away from the Seafood Creole. The fish is amazing as well. Great menu. Wings are great. Their Sazerac is also awesome. AlwaA must ry in Columbus area. read more

Gallo's Kitchen + Bar - Seafood Creole and a Sazerac... Priceless - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I cannot sing praises high enough for Gallos! My mother and I stopped in on a Friday night and they were slammed, but the aroma was so good we decided to wait for a table. We ended up ordering the special crab cakes to split, I got the fusilli pasta "Liberty Street" style, and mom got the creole seasoned grilled chicken sandwich. All of it was on point. The crab cakes were wonderfully seasoned, the fusilli was rich and absolutely divine, and the chicken sandwich was simply delicious. Chef Tommy (I believe) made the rounds and asked everyone how the food was, if they were enjoying their evening, busing tables to help the busy staff. Grade A joint. The only thing I did not care for was the apple slaw. I like my slaw sweeter. But it doesn't even matter because the rest of the food outshines it. read more

Great service, great food. If you haven't tried the chicken and waffle appetizer, what are you doing with your life? Baked mac and cheese was legit; you can tell the owners here really care about quality and presentation. read more

The best restaurant in Columbus, hands down. The food is excellent & feels well thought out.. I am obsessed with the bolognese (I have dreamt about it & I'm not embarrassed) & the wings are the best in town. The staff seems to really care about your experience. Every time we are there, the chef/owner comes out to the table to ensure satisfaction (we have never had a complaint). The host/manager, Jamie, is really great... He is extremely accommodating & always welcoming. Nothing here seems forced, everyone/everything feels genuine. read more

Very easy to find and is a small place. Menu is small but offers a variety of dishes. Service was very good and attentive. Quality of food was very good and portions were nice size. Beer and wine list is good and can find something for everyone. I recommend this to people who enjoy Cajun food. read more

Unfortunately I cannot leave 0 stars. This may have been the worst dining experience I've ever had. We waited for over 45 minutes for our entrees which were grilled fish and a burger. Once they finally came they were so salty it was basically inedible. Our server never once asked how the food was, never offered to refill drinks, nothing. Once we finally got the food I asked for the check immediately and the server never came back to get it until she saw me walking towards the bar to cash myself out. At this point she had to have known we were not having a good experience, yet there was no attempt to apologize or offer to comp a drink or anything. If they were short staffed or struggling with an unexpectedly busy night; fine, I get that. At least have the courtesy to apologize and explain that to your guests so they can have a decent dining experience. If I'm the owner/chef/manager I'm embarrassed. read more

Service is great, food is amazing. I don't like seafood and I liked their seafood lasagna and crab cakes. I will be returning soon. The downfall is it is small so try not to go on a busy holiday or too typical of a time for dinner on a weekend. read more

Ah! This place, where to begin?! The food is always, always consistently amazing and prepared exceptionally. Service is pretty attentive and friendly regardless of business. The owner is often in there and he is so nice and makes it a point to get to know you. My boyfriend and I come here about once a month and have NEVER been disappointed. If you're looking for some out of this world creole flared cooking, go here! The shrimp po'boys, filet and their sautéed fish dish are all excellent choices. You will not be disappointed. Don't feel ashamed to lick your plate either ;) Its that great! read more

Awful service at the bar tonight. Have eaten here many times and tonight literally not one bartender asked us for anything the entire time we were there. If we wanted a drink, had to flag someone down. Same to order dinner. We asked for the check and then it sat there for 10 minutes while bartender after bartender seemed to not see that our card was out. Every other customer at the bar seemed to get attentive service but not us. Really disappointed as this is one of my favorite places. read more

My review is based primarily on how nice Chef Tommy is. I just moved back to Columbus after seven years in Chicago; it's been an adjustment and I'm in need of restaurant recommendations. Chef Tommy took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to write out a variety of places to try and also sat with us for a bit to get to know my parents and I. It's not too often that the Chef comes out to greet his/her patron's like he does. It's a nice touch and for that, combined with the quality of food, I'll be back for sure. Our food was excellent. I enjoyed the special pumpkin habanero wings while my parents enjoyed the jambalaya and pasta russo. I'm kicking myself for not getting the fried green tomatoes, guess I'll just have to return soon to get some! read more

The meal was rich and very comforting, not to mention delicious! The environment was warm, intimate and relaxing!! The meal wasn't even the best part... the owner and entire staff were personable and welcoming! It was a great experience!! read more

Gallo's Kitchen + Bar - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

We had the etouffee and jambalaya and it was delicious. The portion was also very generous. I'm definitely coming back to this place. read more

Gallo's Kitchen + Bar - Jambalaya - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

See all

A friend of mine is a huge fan of Gallo's, and I'd heard good things, so I was glad to have the chance to try it. I enjoyed my dinner, but I came up short of being blown away (although these days it takes a lot to blow me away with all the competition for awesome restaurants around here). The vibe of Gallo's is very much "neighborhood hangout." It's a nice place, not divey or pub-like, but it's tucked off in a corner just off Riverside Drive near the not-rich-people part of Upper Arlington. The atmosphere was casual, with a dining room and a bar with TVs. They had pretty impressive daily specials, with several appetizers and entrees just for that day. We had a fried clams appetizer, which was delicious - crispy and fresh-tasting. I had one of the daily specials, a seafood etouffee. It was very tasty, but some of the clams hadn't quite been washed enough, I definitely got some grit and sand. My friends had the jambalaya, which I scored some of as leftovers, and it was very good. It's an interesting fusion of cuisines - Cajun and Italian. I've been in a very Italian place lately, so I'll be eager to go back and try one of the Italian dishes. read more

Unbelievable flavor!! The seafood creole will take you to a very happy place. I actually crave it and have a hard time ordering anything else when I dine here. Lol. Always like to start off w the fired oysters too! Mmm m. read more

Gallo's Kitchen + Bar - Crawfish Fusilli!! Best ever. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Hello from California. Dined at Gallo's and we'll be back. Food and owner are outstanding. read more

Gallo's Kitchen + Bar - With owner Tommy. A stand-up guy with a huge heart and a true moral compass. An excellent meal. A wonderful staff. We'll dine here again. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Made my 1st visit to Gallo's. Super easy to get to located off Riverside (33) just S. of Fishinger Rd on Nottingham in Upper Arlington. The atmosphere was fun and casual but not too loud. They offer and solid selection of brews both bottled and several on tap plus a good wine list. It's one side of the menu! I choose their "apple Cole slaw" as my side to a delicious chichen sandwich which was generous and tasty. The slaw was excellente! Crisp, fresh, and really not "appley" but had a surprising peppery zip. Curteous and timely service (sat at the bar). As Arnold says: "I'll be boch" #Gallos #GallosKitchen #UA #greatfood #99DayRealtor read more

Very tasty food all around. All of the food is fresh and with the open kitchen you can see the preparation and work that is put into the meal. I got the jumbalya and it rivals any I've tasted. It has the great flavors and true New Orleans style roots to it. The chef came by our table once or twice and was very friendly and open to telling his story. The atmosphere, the people, and the food all come together to make this a great restaurant experience. read more

Average food and service. Second time there and we probably won't do a third. Felt a bit unwelcome since male waiter seemed stressed. Owner or chef who came around to tables was very nice. Definitely a neighborhood place where the focus is the bar seating and crowd. read more

This place is fantastic. Friendly staff and great food. A little small, but it just started so I expect that. We had the creole chicken sandwich, jambalaya, and gumbo. All were great and plenty to take home and have for lunch the next day. I like how they use a lot of local ingredients with their food, and give it a Louisiana kick. read more

Love gallos! The people and owner are always friendly and take care of the guests. Food is great. The wings and fussili are my favorite dishes read more

Gallo's Kitchen + Bar - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

We love this place, so we go back when we can! This past Saturday we visited, meeting some friends, but had a slightly different experience this time...i am not sure if our server was simply having a bad night, or not feeling well, but he was not friendly at all...It seemed like we were putting him out to order more drinks, or ask for anything. I don't think he smiled even one time... not the norm for service here. It was actually very uncomfortable. The food is always amazing, but one of the dishes we ordered this visit was advertised as having Stone Crab claws.... now we have visited Cedar Key Florida regularly during Stone Crab season... getting to experience them fresh. The claws in this dish last evening were not Stone Crab, there is no way they could be. When we asked about them, we were told it was another part of the Stone Crab.... but there isn't another part of a Stone Crab. It should be one large meaty claw. The dish was not bad in any way, but we disliked not getting something we expected, based on other experiences in Florida and being told something untrue. read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place before. Hands down one of my favorite places to go. We always sit at the bar and love being taken care of by Jamie, Paul, AJ, Jason and Christian. They are perfect examples of what a friendly, good, polite, respectful, attentive group should be. We are always impressed by them. The bar gets PACKED and we like to go early to make sure we get our favorite seats. The wings are to die for. Salt brined and amazing sauces. Nothing on this menu will disappoint you. I often order from either the daily menu or the regular menu because both have amazing options. They have a good selection at the bar and we always enjoy our time here read more

Yeah, it's a little pricey, but Tommy Gallo is a true gem in this city. He absorbed some mad skills training under chefs in New Orleans, and he's making top shelf creole dishes here in Columbus. The Gumbo is good enough to take a life over. I hate to be that way, but i the last bowl of gumbo was just set down in front of the guy at the next table, stab him in the face with your fork, and take it. This sort of thing is not encouraged, but it's accepted as a cost of doing business. Jokes aside, nothing really misses the mark. The staff is really good, too. They'll tell you what's awesome and you should take them up on it. Even if you don't, it's hard to go wrong. Especially with anything from the sea. The cuisine is adventurous enough without being challenging, and the portions are fair. It's worth it. Whatever you order, is worth it. read more

We had a reservation for 7:30 and there was no table for us until 7:50. I don't know why they have reservations if they can't seat people in time and we couldn't wait as we had to pick our daughter up at 9! If your restaurant is that popular, perhaps make it on first come, first serve basis, and don't accept reservations if you can't commit to them. Thank you read more

I've had the opportunity to meet Tommy Gallo a few times. Instantly you pick up on Tommy's intensity and passion which he pours into his restaurant and dishes. The cockfight sauce on anything is amazing! I would recommend getting it with the wings (even if it's not on the menu just ask). I'm addicted to his filet w/ house worcestershire sauce. I would put his filet up against any other steakhouse. One can never go wrong with the pasta dishes... Happy dining and a must go to! read more

Gallo's Kitchen + Bar - The filet is amazing! I would put it head to head with any steakhouse... - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The Cockfight wings . Oh my god, they are absolutely amazing! A little sweet but have a good kick of heat! Wings are fairly large and their appetizers and such are great as well! Because I know if you try the Cockfight sauce you'll be addicted, you can also now purchase the sauce by the bottle for home grilling!! read more

My husband and I attended a funeral viewing in Columbus and needed to grab dinner afterwards. We searched Yelp and found Gallo's. So glad we did! It was a cold snowy night and when we walked into Gallo's we felt warm instantly because of the cozy and friendly ambiance. The menu here is awesome. Cajun and Italian dishes are the chefs specialty's. Along with several fish dishes that looked yummy. There were so many choices on the menus that we had a hard time picking something. (There were 2 menus- the daily specials and the regular menu) My husband had jambalaya. So good! I had Pasta Russo. Delicious! And they had Peroni on tap. All around a great experience! read more

Have been wanting to try for a long time. Unfortunately, I was highly disappointed. Pasta was undercooked on one meal and the meatballs on another were not impressive. Food is way overpriced for the quality. The only thing I halfway enjoyed was the cup of gumbo. I don't mind paying for great food, but sadly that was not the case tonight. read more

I would have given 5 stars, but i am still upset that my server took my left overs!! :( UGH. ...and he brought me white wine when I ordered Red!? Didn't love the service at all, our waiter was odd. But the Bartender was awesome! That being said....... The Food is A-Mazing! Hands down the best Gumbo in town! And I would highly recommend the meatball & sausage appetizers! Can't wait to go back and try their Happy Hour Menu! .....wishing I had my left over puller pork sandwich now. :( read more