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Marcella's

4.1 (1.1k reviews)
ModerateItalian, Tapas Bars
Closed • 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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MARCELLA'S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Trendy
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Marcella's

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Reviews With Photos

Giant meatball
Nick M.

My favorite restaurant in Columbus, always a perfect time here! Came here for Valentine's Day, so it was definitely busy but still a good experience. I've honestly never seen this restaurant not super crowded. Our server Jacob was very attentive. Food was delicious as always! Had the roasted garlic cheese bread as an appetizer, and the creste arrabbiata for dinner. This was plenty of food for the both of us as we split the entrée. Both dishes were perfectly cooked and very yummy; to be honest I could probably order one of everything off this menu as everything looks and smells so good. Great time here as always, and will definitely be back!

Mushroom pizza
Lee Ann P.

I am a sucker for a good happy hour and Marcella's does not disappoint here. I came here with a large group of friends and dispute our bigger party and the restaurant being packed our waitress did an excellent job of taking care of us and keeping the drinks following. We had a round of espresso martinis which were delicious and I had some wine. My husband and I started with the incredible meatball, which could not have been more tender or flavorful. Then I had an awesome ceasar salad and my husband and I also split the mushroom pizza which was amazing. Our table tried the bruschetta, gnocchi, Marsala, and chicken parm and everyone raved about their food. I will definitely be back!

Brent W.

One of the best happy hour spots around. Half price appetizers, salads, drinks and pizza!! A couple of friends joined me for the first time and they loved it. You can beat the wide range of delicious options. There wasn't a bad bite. Hard to beat this beautiful restaurant right in the heart of the Short North. Our service was good, depending on what you like. Our waiter could have been a little more attentive, but overall it was friendly and spot on! We got a meatball, arancini, and some shrimp. We got a couple of pizzas. And, I had to have some of their mussels. We all had at least two rounds of drinks. All for $100. We thought it was a deal. Check it out!

Chocolate Almond Cake
Jeffrey R.

5 Italian dining. Everything we had was delicious and great service. There personal care was so welcoming. The burrata salad was a highlights as were the desserts. The Chocolate Almond tasted like an olive oil cake so tender and moist. The Tiramisu was so unique and creamy with a light coffee flavor it may have been the best I have ever eaten. Very romantic and cozy vibes.

Marcella's Italian Salad
Greg M.

Great experience! Came in on a Wednesday at 5:30 for dinner. The place was bumping! We had a reservation and were promptly seated. Our server was fast and friendly, bring drinks shortly after we sat down. Started off with a couple of salads that were outstanding. Had the chicken Parmesan which was really, really good. Usually I ask for more red sauce, and this one was a bit skimpy on it as well, but the side of fettuccine Alfredo just made the dish perfect! I was going to stop half way through and save it for lunch tomorrow, but I just couldn't do it and powered down the whole plate. Daughter got the fettuccine Alfredo with a meatball that she said was also very good. With all the people in the joint and the metal ceilings, it can be rather loud, but I never really had a problem listening to my daughter with my hearing impaired old man ears. Didn't know this was a Cameron Mitchell restaurant until I saw it on the check, which surprised me. I know his restaurants are supposed to be top notch, but I've always been disappointed in one thing or another. Not today. With the exception of the traffic coming down town, I have no complaints whatsoever. Looking forward to coming back again before a show at the Garden Theater.

Lasagna
Chris S.

This place is something I have heard about for sometime now. The atmosphere and the bar area is perfect for a date or a night with friends. The staff were incredible and very friendly and overly knowledgeable . The tables are tight so not a fan of that . The food was incredible, had the lasagna and usually I'm afraid it won't be filled with meat and pasta perfectly. I was overwhelmed with joy at how they nailed the portion. Just a perfect place for a great night out.

Marcella's Italian Salad
Dale L.

We attended a private luncheon with a set menu. The interior is cozy and warm with the dark woods and mood lighting. The service was great and the food was served hot. The desserts were some of the best I've had in a lonnng time.

Paola R.

This place was packed last Saturday! We called on our way there and they were able to find us a reservation. Our server was the nicest and she truly did her best! She was running around making sure all of her tables had everything they needed. This is not your typical Italian restaurant. They were playing loud music, playing the football games on their tvs by the bar, and it seemed like people went there to drink and eat their flatbread. The food was delicious but it was missing their "it" factor. I think it's because they are so busy there is really no time to make the food extraordinary. This place is not the cheapest so I'm not sure if I'll be back.

Gnocchi
Michelle C.

I came for a happy hour and dinner on my recent trip to Columbus. We were sat in a window seat along High Street which was lovely. The ambiance in the restaurant was great. We had foccacia, calamari, Italian wedding soup, salad, wine and beer. We shared the gnocchi. Everything was delicious. Our waiter was funny and attentive. The atmosphere was lively.

Sean C.

This is a quick walk from the convention and sports district and is 100% worth the walk and any wait time. We randomly ran upon Marcella's are couldn't be happier that we found it - you will definitely not regret it. Since we arrived early, we were able to be seated immediately (although that changed really quickly) and were immediately greeted by our server who had plenty of recommendations for us to discuss before choosing. We tried a few different drinks and each were great. I'm not sure I can give one as a favorite since they were all so good. Of course, the bread to start was also fresh, warm, and perfection. Any place that starts with fresh bread is a win, for sure. As for food, we had a quick appetizer, burrata, which was great, easy and exactly as expected. Since I couldn't decide on an entree, I went with classic lasagna and was not disappointed. The portion was large, the sauce was perfect, and the filling was delectable. I can't wait to get back to Columbus to go again.

Veggie and potato pizza
Brendan H.

This place is a 5/5 for sure. Asher was a friendly guy that Cameron may have groomed himself. We got a little bit of everything. Muscles, carpaccio, wedding soup, mushroom pizza, fettuccine and meatball. Cocktails wines. Favorites were the carpaccio and the meatball. Pretty tight space, I guess they are trying to get as many people a they can in there. I was ok with it. At one point Marcella came out and bashed some skulls, no biggie. I'll be back for sure!!!!!!!!!!

Bruschetta, Arancini, and Strawberry Fields zero proof mocktail
Brianne C.

We had a 5:15 pm reservation on Wednesday before a Columbus Fury game at Nationwide Arena. A few of our party arrived at 5 and were seated right away. They even ordered some happy hour appetizers which arrived within minutes of when I arrived at 5:10. I'd been to the Polaris location previously, but the vibe of the Short North location during happy hour is different. Service was very quick, there were a lot of small groups enjoying happy hour, and it was a great experience. We ordered the large meatball, arancini, and bruschetta to start. All were delicious and fairly easy to split 4 ways. I had the Strawberry Fields "Mocktail" which had a lovely strawberry flavor with a fun citrus foam on top. The pepperoni pizza was a great thin crust, and the shrimp appetizer had a great lemon garlic flavor. From other members of my party the red sangria had great fruit flavor and the tortellini was split 2 ways.

Spaghetti & Meatball

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Marcella's Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Marcella's

What is the happy hour menu?

Half off most of the menu, except entrees and pastas. Includes pizza, salads, apps. Drink specials.

Can you make reservations?

Yes!

Is it expensive?

Not expensive for the quality and portion size in my opinion - $$ ($ would be like Subway/Chipotle $10)… Read more

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Immediately after being greeted I knew I had made the right choice in making a reservation for my…read moreboyfriend's birthday celebration. The staff made us feel right at home and were very attentive. Our server, Sammy was very sweet and fun! My favorite touch was their pre-printed birthday menus. They definitely know how to make someone feel special. We ordered a bottle for the table to pair with our tapas. We tried the churassco, wine braised chorizo, and ordered a paella de marisco. The tapas portions are enough to have as a meal or 2 to be really stuffed. The paella portions are huge and are enough to serve about 2-3 people. I was pleasantly surprised how good the paella turned out since moving from Miami I have been very skeptical of any Latin or seafood in Columbus (sorry...) but the flavors were delicious!! They also gave us a free dessert for my boyfriend's birthday and it was also sooo delicious. I would definitely return, especially after finding out about their happy hour. It's a great little spot for a date or a celebration of any kind but make sure to let them know ahead of time so they can make your night special.

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We made it for happy hour before the show at the Ohio Theatre. We grabbed a two-top in the bar…read more We had one cocktail each and 3 starters. Great food and awesome service from the staff in the bar. My Old Fashioned hit the spot. The Spicy Potatoes are amazing, as is the Caprese Salad and Grilled Chicken Jalapeno pizza. Tip: they have resumed Tapas Tuesdays and it will be great if I can make it there.

Cento - Woman's hand pulling up pasta from her plate

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My husband and I celebrated Valentine's Day at Cento this year! We had a 5-star experience - from…read morethe service to the drinks to the food! Everything was wonderful! Drinks - my husband had a CBC IPA and I had a Spritzer. Appetizer - we went with the whipped ricotta. This was absolutely delish! The whipped ricotta was creamy, smooth, had a lemony flavor with celery leaves and parsley. Seriously, all of the flavors blended so well together! It was also topped with black truffle and honey (from a local vendor)! The sourdough bread that the whipped ricotta was served with was super fresh and warm (and from a local vendor as well)! Salad - we ordered a Caesar salad as well. I thought that it was super nice that they plated the salad on two plates for us knowing that we were splitting it! Super thoughtful! The romaine was crispy (not soggy), the croutons were freshly made, the dressing had the anchovy flavor that I appreciate in a good Caesar dressing, and the salad was topped with a little lemon zest! I will definitely return just for the Caesar salad! Meals - I went with the Rigatoni and my husband went with the Lasagna. We were informed by our server that the flour used for the pasta is imported from Italy and that the pasta is made fresh daily - LOVE this! The rigatoni was SO good! I love that the pasta and shrimp were all cut into smaller bites! The sauce was absolutely delicious! The flavor was like a mix between a thick tomato bisque and curry! Yum! My husband really enjoyed the lasagna as well! The lasagna was plated into little roll-ups which my husband really liked! Will definitely be back soon - we want to check out the patio once we have warmer weather too!

I've lived in the neighborhood for 12 years now and was excited when I saw this place being built…read more I have been there a few times now - both times I had the Rigatoni and Shrimp with a glass of red. Approximately $45.00. Last night I went and must say - very surprised at what I paid; glass of red $14, ceaser salad $16, added a side of chicken $15.0!!! Thqt surprised me - thats 3 chicken breast at the store lol Each time I have sat at the bar - both inside and out (even in winter). Great ambiance. I love the bar inside - gives an upscale 50s diner with great design and mood. The outdoor bar in winter is very nice and warm - haven't had trouble grabbing a seat at either. Bartenders are nice, very attentive and knowledgeable. Parking is easy, there is valet offered. Overall - a bit over priced for generally good food, but a pleasant night out for date night or girls night out.

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Marcella's - italian - Updated May 2026

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