Food was excellent and service was even better. Asher was our server and made our first time here one that makes us want to return

I was searching for a good place to eat while on a business trip to Columbus. Thanks to fellow Yelpers, I found Marcella's which seemed to offer great food at reasonable prices in a somewhat casual atmosphere. I decided it would be perfect for myself and my colleagues. It was a 10-minute walk from our hotel. Considering it was 30° outside, we bundled up and headed out. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted and shown to a table near the back of the restaurant. The lighting, decor and abundance of wood throughout the room made it feel very welcoming and the tables of customers chatting and socializing gave it a wonderful ambiance. We chose to order cocktails and an appetizer of arancini. My Old Fashioned was well made and nicely balanced. But it was the arancini that kicked the night off on the right foot. The were nicely sized and crispy on the outside, dusted with parsley and parmesan cheese. Once you bit into the crunchy exterior you were greeted with soft, flavorful rice enveloped in cheesy goodness. They were served with a side of classic marinara and we all debated whether it enhanced or took away from the subtle flavors of the arancini themselves. We agreed to disagree as we lapped up every last morsel. For our entrées, we chose the Fettuccine with Meatball, Linguini & Clams, and a special of the night, Gnocchi with Lamb Ragu. The server told us they are know for their meatball which was validated by the many plates passing by us headed to other tables. Personally I am not a fan of giant meatballs because they can be so dense and dry, relying on the sauce for flavor. All of our mouths dropped when it arrived, as big as a baseball, sitting atop a bed of fettuccine alfredo with a draping of marinara flowing down its sides. I don't think I've ever seen a meatball that large! All I can say is WOW! That was hands down the BEST meatball I have ever eaten. It was tender, moist, and extremely flavorful with an almost cloud like texture. I still ponder how they stay together because once we started cutting into it, it nearly fell apart. Divine! The Linguini with Clams was classically prepared and did not disappoint. It was not overly sauced and the texture of the pasta allowed the sauce to cling perfectly. Thumbs up! The Gnocchi were a different story however. While the lamb ragu was excellent, the gnocchi themselves were tough and chewy. I had high hopes for them because they are made daily in house. But these were far from the soft, pillowy gnocchi I was expecting. I ended up pushing them to the side so I could devour the remaining lamb ragu which was prepared perfectly. We closed out the night by sharing a Tiramisu. It was a huge square, traditionally prepared, and lightly dusted with cocoa powder. We devoured it in less than two minutes. The meal was so good, absent the chewy gnocchi, that we came back the next night with a few other colleagues. The service was very good, the ambiance perfect for a casual night with friends, and the food speaks for itself (except the gnocchi which is why I dinged them a star). If you crave delicious, unpretentious Italian food, this is your place!! read more

Marcella's - Arancini!! - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Was visiting Columbus for a weekend and my boyfriend and I realized too late that it was over Valentine's Day! We did not make any reservations but tried our luck walking down High Street. We chanced upon Marcella's and so glad that we did! It's a large place but has a very cozy and chic feel inside. It was a rigidly cold night but the place was packed with a ton of traffic -- clearly a hot ticket spot! They were of course completely booked but we were able to grab two spots at the bar. We ordered a bottle of wine and got the bruschetta for an appetizer. It was a WARM bruschetta which I was initially surprised by but ended up loving it. For our mains we had lasagna, which was the perfect comfort food on a cold night, and spaghetti arabiatta with meatballs. We loved the food! If we're back in Columbus we'll definitely make our way back to Marcella's. read more

Recently came in for happy hour during the week. Be sure to make a reservation as this place gets crowded!! I got the pesto shrimp pizza (half off), a glass of wine ($4.50) and a few meats and cheeses to split with the table ($3 each). It was all a great deal. I think the pizza was my favorite!! Super yummy and I had a few pieces for leftovers for the next day. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Marcella's - Pesto shrimp - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Great dining experience! Loved the mussels, cheesy focaccia and the kitchen split the spaghetti and meatball for my friend and I! The wine and mixed drinks were very delicious. My only knock was it was a tad too loud so I had a hard time hearing the waiter and it's super tight seating where you sit very closely to strangers. It was fine but it's a bit too cramped for my comfort. Also the table was a bit small and had too much stuff on it so I felt restrained lol. read more

This is easily my favorite tried and true restaurant in Columbus. I have been coming here since I was in college a LONG time ago and have loved it through the years. The service is always wonderful and the food seems to get better each visit. The meatball combo on top of the fettuccine Alfredo is totally unconventional but I promise you amazing! We try a different bottle of wine every time we come to compliment our meal and I'm always impressed by their selection. Can't wait to return next time we're in town again! read more

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Be sure to get your reservations - classy Italian restaurant, but don't think you have to overly dress - their patio opens in April and looks so fun. The waiter was very attentive and explained the menu to us and brought a delicious basket of a varied breads to the table. We ordered the calamari, meatballs, & whipped ricotta as appetizers. All of our pasta dishes, lasagna, raviloli "shoes" with balsamic and taggiatelli & clams were fabulous and of the average size - their dessert menu was also unique and flavorful-chocolate 3 tiered cake and lemon tart. We took an Uber since parking is a little tight there. read more

My friends had some gift cards they wanted to use and we said, "Let's go to Marcella's!" I have never been before so it was a welcomed treat! This location is located on 615 North High Street and is known for its chill Happy Hours and Southern Italian food fair. We went around 5pm, just in time to get half apps and drinks. We got great seats at the bar and we could take our time choosing our drinks. I got a nice Sangria, which they had in these cute decanter glasses so I could refill my drink at anytime. We split a Capreze Salad and it was so refreshing and tasty. I also opted for the Italian wedding soup which was so tasty and light. The meddled meatballs were great with the tangy flavor of the broth. Tomatoes, cheese and orzo to match was such a great combo. Our servers were amazing they let us try a lot of the wines and the well drinks which are strong y'all! Dinner for me was the lovely Ravioli Quadratini with Truffle bit on the top was darn good. The hand made pasta is LIFE! I don't think I could go back to store bought after that. 5 stars as always. I never had a bad experience at Cameron Mitchell's Restaurant yet. We love to see it. read more

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Came in on a late night with my girlfriend for a quick drink and bites. She got the calamari which was so good! Highly recommend. I got the tomato soup and i would definitely recommend with the bread. Our drinks were really good. Definitely a place to go for the ambiance. read more

We went to Marcella's Polaris Friday night and we were greatly disappointed. When we walked in, we were surprised that the place was less than half full on a Friday. It had a weird downward spiral sort of feel to it. We were shown to our table and I asked to to be seated at another table before we were seated because there were so many tables open and the table they were seating us literally made us part of the next table's conversation. The hostess mumbled something about waitress and walked away. I don't know if she was telling us no or she couldn't understand English. 'So we stood there awkwardly and finally sat down when no one came back. We both ordered a meatball as part of our meal. I ordered the fettuccine with meatball and the fettuccine looked and tasted like it came out of a box. Thin wet noodles, no taste, nothing creamy or attractive about it. How can an Italian restaurant have such lousy pasta? They would do well to take a trip to Marettis on Sawmill and try their fettuccine. Halfway through the meal the server showed up with a cheese grater and asked us if we wanted cheese. We were so excited to have a nice dinner without kids and now we will not be back. It feels like the end is near unless they improve. There are too many good restaurants in Cbus to accept this below average product and service. read more

FANTASTIC HAPPY HOUR! Enough said. Came here on a Wednesday as soon as they opened for HH. They offer so many deals on their menu for food, it's definitely worth it to stop in. We did their meatball, the calamari, and a meat pizza. All were delicious. The calamari I would pass on next time and do the prosciutto and melon instead. It was kinda chewy and tough. Their bread is so delicious too. Taking a star off because our waitress was quite surly and seemed like she hated her job that day. I understand not everyday is your day, but she seemed annoyed at every request of ours and didn't smile once. It wasn't busy and we weren't asking for much. Just for bread, which others had already received, and then for napkins. Not sure what her deal was, but it doesn't deter me from coming back as their food is so delicious. read more

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Great food, huge delicious meatball!!! Great wine list. 3 stars is for the damn EDM music playing in a somewhat upscale Italian Restaurant. read more

I took my wife for her birthday because they have Chicken Marsala. Guess what? They took it off there menu. Even the waitress said they were upset that it was removed and they stated to make a complaint online. I ordered the Linguine with Clams and it was spicy and could not eat it, had to send back. So in replace of my order I got eggplant parmigiana and it was burnt. I wanted an excellent for my wife's birthday instead I was very disappointed read more

Marcella's has the best espresso martinis! One of my favorite restaurants! The chicken parm is amazing. Great happy hour spot as well! read more

Marcella's - Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti & Meatball Arancini - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The ambiance is adorable and makes me feel so cozy! The service is always amazing, no matter what time I come. It's usually busy, but the staff does a great job checking in. When it comes to gluten-free food in Columbus, Marcella's is truly the best! Their gluten-free accommodations go above and beyond everything tastes incredible, and they're always happy to handle special requests. I love coming here for a nice dinner; they're consistently reliable in every aspect. My favorites are the GF bread, GF ravioli, and crispy chicken! Even takeout is great! read more

Everytime I dine at Marcellas, my expectations are exceeded. The food, delicious. The service, fabulous. The atmosphere, charming. How can you not love this place! read more

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Attended on NYE at 6 pm, so of course things were very busy. We had reservations and waited for about 5 minutes for our table to be cleared and to be seated. Love the overall ambiance, but the tables are so close together. The complimentary bread was soft and delicious, but not warm. The Milan Manhattan was delicious and so was the espresso martini. I did wish the wine was served in a stemmed glass, but it was good nonetheless. The melted pecorino cheese came out quickly, but our mozzarella di bufala took another 10 minutes to come out. The pecorino is paired so perfectly with the green apple (sliced to the perfect thickness) and honey. I really loved the tapenade with the mozzarella di bufala; however, if you're sensitive to salt it may be overwhelming. Also my husband had an olive pit in one of his bites. So be careful. :( The hand made pasta dishes are a must. Both the gnocchi and tortellini were cooked perfectly and the dishes were very flavorful. We were not offered any freshly grated Parmesan, which would have been a nice touch. Tiramisu was one of the best I've had! Service was slow at times and it took a while to get our check back, but it was a holiday. read more

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This place was amazing after we were able to get a table on a very busy weekday evening. The food was fresh and hot. The drinks were fantastic and our server was a gem. The tables are too close for a romantic dinner and it was a bit loud for date night conversation. read more

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Loved the atmosphere and the waiter! I would like to try something different on the menu when I go again. The lasagna and pizza's are good. We had a large group when we went so everyone had something different. The penne and sauce just had no taste. The sauce was very bland. I wouldn't recommend that dish, but everyone else enjoyed their meals. There is an extra charge for dipping oil and bread, which is a given at most restaurants. The waiter told us that it was something that they had just started doing. It was a nice place to try while visiting Cbus! read more

I have loved Marcella's and have been coming for years but tonight it gets a 1 due to the service. Thay is how bad it was. From checking in at the hostess, to taking us back to our assigned table, to the waitress, to asking the staff for a bag for our box to go, it was all bad bad bad. I was there a few weeks ago and service was lacking but wrote it off to a bad evening. Tonight it was bad enough to write and leave a 1 star review. Upset I spent even $1 here. read more

Marcella's is my go to place when the weather is fine and their windows are open. Still THE best happy hour in town! I just really love the vibe of the place and the food is consistently delicious. My favorite dish is the linguine with white clams sauce. It's flavorful and makes me hum read more

We get coupons in our university for 10$ off 25$. So thought to give this a try. It was decent. Nothing very exciting not disappointing. Would I go if I would have to pay full price. Probably not. it's felt like a regular restaurant. read more

I had high hopes for Marcellas, but was disappointed in the food. The bread for starters was neither toasted nor flavored -- pretty bland. We also tried the pappedew peppers which come stuffed with provolone. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but they were just okay. The Italian sausage on the other hand was delicious. Everything from the flavor of the sausage to the sauce was top notch. I tried the gnocchi bolognese entree, which comes with lamb and marinara sauce. It was drenched in sauce to the point I had difficulty picking out the gnocchi. The flavor of the lamb was hidden by the marinara. My friend got the beef tortellini and there was only about 8-10 on the plate. Perhaps that's a normal amount for the entree, but the plate looked scarce. Although the food was ehhhh (except the sausage), our server was super friendly and the service was great. I might come back for happy hour, but probably not dinner. read more

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Marcella's is within walking distance from where we are staying, a large group of us made reservations. The staff was very patient and accommodating. I had the Ravioli Quadratini and added blacked chicken as added protein. Let me tell you the shaved truffle was the perfect finishing touch and the blackened chicken just elevated the flavor profile. Prices were very reasonable. read more

Marcella's - Ravioli Quadratini w/ Blackened Chicken. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Food was good! We loved the vibe of this place. It was HOPPING on a Friday night but the hostess was amazing and sat the two of us at one of the bar high tops with no problem. Espresso martinis were delicious. You get complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic at the table. Get the arranchini- they are delicious. I tried their fettuccini and meatballs. Personally, I was hoping for way more Alfredo sauce. It was overpowered and covered in marinara that you barely got any Alfredo. I would prefer them more separate personally. Overall atmosphere was fun and our server was lovely. read more

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We had a GREAT time, as always. Marcella's is such a staple in short north and if you have the server, Sam, he is TOP NOTCH. The guy truly cares about his customers and was incredible. I'm going to ask for him every time I come. read more

Sam absolutely crushed it. Highly recommend him to any larger parties. Great with recommendations - great overall dining experience.

Awesome service, prompt waiters, and the quality of the food exceeds the price. Out of three guests we ALL finished our entrees! Very tight seating, I hope you don't have social anxiety or claustrophobic! This is A MUST try Italian Cuisine for anyone in Columbus. I can't wait to go back and try another dish! read more

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Marcella's is a Columbus staple. The food has never let me down. Typically I go for the carbonara, but this time I went with the baked rigatoni. It may not look like a lot of food, but it was so filling that I was not even able to finish it. And if you are a big cheese fan, you will love this dish. I highly suggest making a reservation to this restaurant if you are considering trying it out since it is so popular. Though it is popular for good reason! read more

Marcella's - Baked Rigatoni and Amalfi Gimlet - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Columbus Trip; Located in Short North, parking can be tricky try to Uber is close enough. Super cute place, came for Happy Hour and sat in the bar area, and did not dissapoint. Now everytime I am in town, this is a must stop. Food; Melted Pecorino Cheese platter, you must get!!! It is delicious, little sweet with the apples or crostini's and cheesy goodness. Beverage; Adult beverages were cold and perfect. read more

The food and service were great as usual. I was, however, disappointed going to the restroom. The hallway leading to the restrooms was cluttered with extra tables and chairs. While the restroom was technically accessible, no one in a wheelchair would have been able to use them because access was blocked. I was very disappointed in this disrespect for any customer that would not have been able to use a restroom. read more

A big solid "meh". Had a bite are the bar and the staff was really bad; tough to get their attention to both places and order, refresh drinks and get the check. And the food was mediocre at best - way too overpriced for what you get. Forno and Basi are much better options. read more

I love the ambiance of the restaurant, staff is always great. I was craving spaghetti so I ordered this with excitement. It was good traditional Italian spaghetti and the meatball was tender and a hearty serving. read more

Marcella's - Spaghetti with Meatball - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I wanted to like this place more and concede maybe it's just the dish I got that didn't quite hit the mark. It was between this and the truffley ravioli. The individual gnocchi kinda globes together to make giant ones that i had to cut apart with my fork which wasn't horrible, but still a bit blobby. Also the sauce was kind of plain tomato with shredded lamb, which didn't give me quite the texture I was hoping for against the chewy gnocchi. The portion size was big so that was nice. It was pretty crowded and loud on a Friday night but lovely in a good way. Service was good. I'd go back to try some of the other stuff and potentially upgrade my rating. read more

Marcella's - gnocchi bolognese - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

TLDR: Great date night restaurant and will split your entrees for you and your date. Decent food and a safe place to eat for those with celiac. As someone who has been diagnosed with celiac for over two years now it is VERY hard to find a place with Italian food worth having. So when I found out most of the items on Marcella's menu can be made GF I knew I had to stop in for date night. The first thing I noticed when walking in is the restaurant is LOUD and crowded. If you're looking for a cozy quiet date spot this is not the restaurant. It's very popular and that space is not very large so expect to be close. We sat on at a table with a booth on one side and a chair on the other. I was in the chair and the aisle was no narrowing waiters and people were constantly bumping into me. We were so close to the other table I could hear their conversations and had trouble and times hearing my girlfriend because the restaurant was so loud. Not necessarily a ding on the restaurant but more just a heads up. Once we were seated the waitress asked if we had any allergies. I told her gluten and she reassured that just about everything could be made gluten free and pointed out which items specifically could not. She did warn us that the food would take a little longer for gluten free which is fine. We were started off with gluten free bread which had good flavor but was very dry. I only ate one slice. For drinks I ordered the Manhattan and my girlfriend had the strawberry balsamic martini. Both drinks were excellent. I absolutely loved my Manhattan it was sweet without being overly dry. I couldn't taste the balsamic in the martini but it was very sweet and had a pillowy foam topping. On to the food we ordered the calamari as an appetizer. If you order it gluten free it will not be fried but honestly not a problem for me. If it was fried I feel it would be too heavy. It had chili flakes for a nice spice and flavor but was still under a medium hot sauce wing level. The zucchini and peppers also paired nicely. The calamari itself was a little rubbery but far from the worst I've had. 8/10. For the mains we were told we could share entrees and they would split for us. A great perk if you want to try different dishes. The kitchen did this so well I would absolutely do it again. Our mains were the fettuccine and meatball and the penne Al vodka. Let's start with the elephant in the room being the gluten free pasta. It's fine. It's a little rubbery and chewy but I'm appreciative they offer it and I don't think it was an extra charge which is big deal. For the fettuccine I thought the sauce was lovely and cheesy and probably the best part of the mains. The meatball was a great portion but lacked flavor on its own. It more gained flavor from being soaked with the sauce. 8/10. As for the penne vodka I feel this was a bit of a miss. It tasted like pasta drenched in Olive oil with mushrooms and crushed tomatoes. Far from bad but not what either of us were expecting. 5/10. And for dessert with go the strawberry ricotta cheesecake. It was hard for me to even get a picture because we ate it so fast. The cheesecake was light and creamy with most of the sweetness coming from the strawberry sauce (delicious I might add). The almond crust provided a nice crunch and is a super underrated way to make a great dessert. 9/10. Our waitress was also lovely and gave good recommendations to what was popular and what were our best options for gluten free. This place is a little spendy and I think it just reaches justification for its price point. I would consider coming back for a date or special occasion. read more

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About 6 months ago I thought the world of Marcella's happy hour. Something has changed. The red sangria is not the same. It used to be exceptional and is now fruit juice. A little communion wine. The arugula salad is still the star. The sausage appetizer was under flavored and overcooked this time. It was just not worth the calories. The tomato soup in contrast was flavorful and spiced well. It was a thick sauce though instead of a soup. I was confused on why I could turn my spoon over and it stayed in the spoon. The bread here has never been significant and it hasn't changed. Marcela's what happened?! You used to have excellence. read more

Went in at 5pm on a Tuesday, the place is empty and they proceed to tell me all the tables are full and they can't get us in until 8pm. Poor management, how does a restaurant not have sit down tables?! read more

We randomly came across this restaurant just walking down the street on high Street They had a line before they opened, which made us super curious decided to stand it once we got in we were a little confused and wide and line was happening, but once we got our drinks, ordered an appetizer and got our Bill. They're happy hours amazing a lot of people in there so I could see why the line was forming first come first serve in the bar area . Had two espresso martinis, espresso, totally worth it read more

Have been there many times in the past but last night and tonight were subpar at best. Thank god for grappa cured salmon - simply delicious. Veal piccata is good but not great. Food presentation is sloppy and not appealing....side of penne arrabiata last night was Olive Garden level at best. Bar seats are way too jammed together... Done goin here - will leave it to the conventioneers and tourists... read more

Even with reservations, table isn't available. A couple in front of me had no reservations and got a table immediately. There was a protest today and screwed things up and they were not going to save tables I'm sure for late arrivals. We were 15 minutes late due to the street closures. The food was delicious. The place is clean and very busy. The space felt tight, but the food was delectable. The strawberry cocktail drink was sweet and tasty. The arancini satisfied my need for a fried crunchy and creamy mouth feel. We had to try the homemade pasta and the truffle ravioli was ever so fabulous. For dinner, I chose the chicken Marsala. It was served over a creamy polenta. I think I prefer a crispy polenta. The dish was good, but chuck full of onion. I wasn't a fan. Regardless, a great meal. The sangria was so satisfying as well. Ask for bread to sop up the sauces in your dish or olive oil! Yum read more

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