I have visited VASO for happy hour twice now, and keep raving about it to friends and coworkers!…read moreThe first time was in July for my birthday, and we ordered most of the happy hour food menu as well as some drinks. They paced our food very nicely, the next few tapas would come out right as we were finishing the current ones. The second visit was with a few clients, who both loved the experience. We sat inside but had a great time chatting, eating tapas, and enjoying cocktails. My favorite tapas are the truffel potatoes, Cilantro hummus, and Brazilian cheese breads. But we loved all of it (crab cakes, chicken florentine salad, spanish grilled cheese, and more). I also really like the Sparkling Sangria, as did my clients.

A fine experience at Vaso- great drinks, food was wonderful. The dessert was a little dry in my…read moreopinion, but went very well with the ice cream. There was a bit of a snafu at the beginning, where the fire alarm was going off when we arrived. We had to go back down 8 flights of stairs and come back up for our reservation when we could come back in (which was as soon as we got to the bottom). It was fine for us, but I can see 8 flights being a challenge for a lot of people. Otherwise, the ambiance was lovely and the view was great. My only major gripe was the service. Our server didn't check on us very often, and we had to ask for the dessert menu when we heard last call was coming up. I'm chalking up the service mishap to an odd evening with the fire alarm. Definitely would love to come back and try it again!

Knowing the power that online reviews can have and taking some experiences with a grain of salt…read morehere and there because sometimes you hit that one off day where maybe a place that's normally epic just doesn't quite have their stuff together, I find that I end up giving 5 stars in a range that goes from "really good" to "Michelin needs to stop in here (or already has)." This is definitely on the latter end of the spectrum. I popped in here tonight for a late dinner (830ish on a Saturday) to find the place relatively busy but with plenty of open seats. The decor was a nice mix of dark and light with the bright green accents plus a big screen TV cycling tropical getaways (I assume from places in Latin America). I was seated and tended to quickly by a hostess and server, respectively. I got my order in for a coconut mojito and a chicharron arepa right away. My mojito came shortly thereafter with my arepa not long after that. The mojito, as you can see, was garnished with a generous amount of shredded coconut on top and was heavier and creamier than a normal mojito, lighter on the mint flavor and pushing closer to a piña colada than a mojito. All in all though, still quite a refreshing drink after a hot and humid day. The arepa though was really the star of the show. The flavors and textures and everything about it were just mind-blowing. The handmade cheese, the incredibly seasoned and cooked pork, and the crispy arepa were all just *BOOM*. The avocado had a little bit of surface darkness on the one end that could have been polished up a little bit but not the end of the world. One I finished with these, I waited patiently for a while for my server to come back but alas I had to pop up to the bar to get my caipirinha. This version was slightly sweeter than some versions I've had and I don't mind sweet, but just be aware for those who may be considering it. Eventually, my server came back and apologized for being gone so long as she was conversing with her boss. Like I said... grain of salt. Aside from a minor inconvenience of having to walk 10 feet to the bar myself, this place absolutely blew me away and I will absolutely come back if I ever find myself in town again. Bonus points for having gluten and allergen callouts on their normal menu as well!

Only my second time at Cilantro but I really need to come back more! Came for lunch with some…read morefriends. Every day they have specials and it was drink special day so we all decided to treat ourselves with some fun cocktails, they had a great selection and my Caipirinha was delicious! They also have a good happy hour I see that I'll need to check out sometime. For lunch I got the breakfast arepa- gluten free and vegetarian. With that cilantro sauce- so yummy! Another friend also got an arepa she loved, and another got bandeja paisa which she loved but couldn't finish. Love the decor and ambiance in there, it's really lovely, and we were well looked after by our waitress. Definitely recommend!

After we were seated, one of the folks in our party said they had just learned that the restaurant…read morewas not as good now as it was with the previous owners (or previous chef?). When the server--"Yana"--approached us, I grew less optimistic that all was well. I ordered a martini. When I asked if they have blue cheese olives, she told me "they cost extra." I thought she was joking, but she was not. (I learned when the bill came that my small martini cost 21 bucks. When I told the server at one point that I've never seen a martini in a cordial glass before, she informed me with some attitude, "It's still three ounces." I confirmed that I wasn't challenging her, but simply commenting on the non-traditional glass. Later, I ordered a diet coke. "We have Boylan's" she told me. "If it's a diet cola, that will be fine." When she brought it, she twisted the lid, poured most of the soda in my glass and took the bottle away with the remaining soda. I called her back after I'd taken a sip and said, "This tastes like rootbeer." Again with what seemed like attitude, she showed me the bottle and told me "it says diet cola." The server interrupted us at our table multiple times, reached over us to serve us, and took away plates we were still using. It felt less like fine dining "service" and more like what you would expect at a church dinner. The server was abrupt and seemed disinterested in trying curate a positive experience. The food, to be clear, was quite good, but that was the extent of the success for the evening. The menu prices would make sense if the service was above reproach, but it was NOT excellent service. Had the place been packed out, it might have made more sense that the service was compromised, but we actually commented on how light the attendance seemed to be for a Saturday evening. My hope is that the management might consider more staff training (or adjust their "fine dining" prices to match the service.)

For me, Lupo still ticks all the boxes. I love the lively atmosphere, the always changing menu, and…read morethe proper craft cocktails. I think they are doing something unique in Columbus and I am happy to see them as busy as ever. I will say, the menu is eclectic and some of the dishes are more successful than others. On a recent visit, we loved the bacon wrapped dates, the charred green beans, the croquettes, and mixed greens salad. The birria tacos were fine, but not amazing. There are some great birria tacos in this city and they did not compare. The spicy chocolate martini was a perfect finish to the meal. Very spicy, very chocolatey, and not overly sweet.

Came by Monday with friends! Not sure if they take reservations but they weren't busy so we walked…read moreright in and got a table. To start, we got beers and margs. Not bad but nothing special. We also shared the shrimp ceviche. Good flavor but strange texture with the toasted nuts. The food seems like it's fusion as my friend and I both got chilaquiles but the chips were already broken apart and mixed with the meat. Still tasty but not what we expected. My other friend got the patacon, which basically looked like a salad. Far from the usual plantain fritters with toppings. Only one of my table mates ordered something that sounded like what was expected, the Ecuadorian churrasco: sirloin, eggs, fries, rice, and salad. For dessert, we got the flan and tres leches cake. There was a hair on the cake and they quickly gave us a new slice. Good but the flan could've been better. The cake was good though. Nothing was too sweet which was perfect. Overall the food was good but not as authentic as we had hoped. The service was also a bit slow. It was a slower evening but it took a while to get our drinks. Our server was really nice though. We ordered his recommendations. I'm not too familiar with parking around here but there were parallel spots in front. I parked in the garage at the back. Around $6 for two hours.

I ordered food to be delivered. Never received the food and…read moredid not get refund or any communication with the restaurant. I left an unreturned message. Phone goes to a voicemail and unable to talk to a person.

Nice fairly new Venezuelan restaurant. Good food, friendly service. Arepa was tasty, empanadas…read morewere different than I'm used to (Argentinian style). Dough is more cornmeal ish, but very tasty. Would return

The Cactus Restaurant started as a food truck in Marysville in 2020 and opened a restaurant in 2024…read morein a Powell strip mall off the beaten path. The restaurant is bright, welcoming and very clean We were seated in a side room with the bar, a large projection TV screen with the volume on MAXIMUM and two smaller TVs advertising menu items. Those TVs featured some seriously delicious looking items! Service was ok. Drink refills were not offered and I needed one. We both ordered lunch specials advertised for $10.99 but billed at $11.99. Hubs ordered the lunch chicken bowl with rice, black beans, grilled chicken and corn. The corn was served refrigerator cold. The rest of the meal was hot. Overall the food lacked seasoning. I started with a cheese empanada. Expertly made and fried with goody cheese inside. The empanada was served with a dmall side of green sauce that I thought was cilantro based. I ordered the lunch Pabellon Bowl with pork, white rice, black beans and a sweet plaintain Everything on my plate was served hot but also without seasoning making it bland. I used the empanada sauce to add some flavor to the pork and rice. In summary, I wanted to love this restaurant the advrtised images on 2 TVs are gorgeous but the food was bland. The projection TV volume made conversation difficult and service could have been more attentive. This was our first expusure to Venezuelan food and probably our last. I still stand by the fantastic empanada. I would return for that alone.

Ample parking in a busy strip center. Two doors from a BMV. Ambivalent front opening to a spacious,…read moreopen, comfortable interior. Our server was pleasant, helpful, and efficient. Any age would be welcome here. The food for me was mixed. Nothing bad or not fresh. The tortilla chips were thin and excellent. Not overly salty and strong enough to scoop goodly amounts of the tasty cheese dip. Sadly the cheese dip was barely above room temperature which was disappointing. The "bang bang shrimp" had no bang. They were alright as fried shrimp but no spice. The shrimp sauce was essentially mayonnaise. And again lukewarm at best. The two different sandwiches we had were both well stuffed. Among other things we tried both types of chorizo sausage they offered. Neither was what I expected. The French fries were very good. Another place that I'd have no problem going again, but, probably wouldn't choose again.

Let me tell y'all something…read more.. I've driven past this spot so many times knowing it was a Hispanic/Latin restaurant, but never actually stopped in because I didn't really understand the menu. Today, I finally gave it a shot--and I'm so glad I did. Everything we ordered was AMAZING. The food? Incredible. The atmosphere? Warm and welcoming. Our server was fast, funny, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of the whole time. Even the manager came out to check on us, which says a lot. This place is seriously a hidden gem. The prices are right in that perfect middle--not too high, not too low--and the portions? HUGE. Even the desserts don't play around. I would absolutely recommend this place again and again and again. If you've been thinking about trying something new but weren't sure... this is your sign.

After finally finding myself down in the Grove City/Lincoln Village area, I can justify the short…read moredrives to all the food I've bookmarked down here. I've been craving Peruvian cause aji verde is life. Anyway, this is a little unassuming restaurant in a strip mall. Wasn't too hard to find and plenty of parking. I got the half chicken with 2 sides cause i was HUNGRY. Def could have just gotten a quarter chicken and been fine. For sides I got the sweet plantains and green rice. The sides are what won the show for me. Those plantains were amazing. Crispy, gooey, and not too sweet, just a great dish all on its own. The rice was also flavorful without being too strong. The chicken was good but a little dry. It was great with the aji verde though and I wish I had asked for more sauce haha live and learn! For the amount of food, price, and taste, I thought this was an excellent meal. I'd definitely come back, even if just for some plantains!

I wanted the Pollo a la Plancha with papas a la huancaina but they were out of it; wanted to…read morereplace it with tostones, and it was not available. I asked why still on the menu and was told "Our regular customers know we don't have this available" I guess this restaurant is only for regular customers???? Ceviche was actually REALLY good; fish was fresh and really seasoned well. Last time I came here the ceviche tasted like the rind of lemons. Service actually has improved; if you've come to this restaurant before you know that every plate is made fresh and that the dishes come out one at a time and not all at once. While my dishes came out separate as usual, the timing between dishes to table has drastically improved! When looking up this restaurant on line the cost for meals is listed as $ out of $$$$, however IMO it should be $$ or $$$. These two dishes and one drink (Chicha Morada) cost me $39.59 (3% charge for using credit card) Restrooms are...well they need improvement to say the least. Broken toilet in men's restroom and women's restroom needs cleaning. Overall it was an "ok" experience...I've been here before and because I HAVE SEEN improvement in food quality and service I'll give it 4 stars...otherwise it would be 2 stars if it was my first experience.

There are meals that satisfy, and then there are meals that define an evening. My recent birthday…read moredinner at Sidebar Columbus fell squarely -- and triumphantly -- into the latter category. From the moment we arrived, the service set the tone for what would become an unforgettable dining experience. Our server, Lacey delivered hospitality with the kind of effortless grace that can't be taught. She anticipated needs before they were spoken, guided us through the menu with confidence, and maintained a warmth that made our table feel like the only one in the room. Wine & Cocktails: A Study in Balance and Craft The wine selection was superb -- thoughtfully curated, expressive, and perfectly paired with the richness of the evening's dishes. The cocktails were equally impressive, crafted with precision and a clear respect for balance. Each sip felt intentional, layered, and celebratory. The Paella: A Showstopper But the true star of the night was the paella -- a dish so masterfully executed it deserves its own ovation. The rice was tender yet structured, infused with deep saffron warmth and kissed with just enough socarrat to make any purist smile. The seafood was impeccably fresh, each component cooked to its ideal texture. It was the kind of paella that silences a table, not out of politeness, but out of reverence. When the chef personally came out to greet us, it only reinforced what the dish had already made clear: this is a kitchen led by someone who cooks with both technique and heart. A Birthday Elevated My husband orchestrated the evening beautifully, and Sidebar rose to meet the moment with finesse. Our guests were genuinely impressed -- not just by the food, but by the seamless choreography of service, ambiance, and attention to detail. It felt less like a dinner and more like a curated celebration Final Thoughts Sidebar Columbus delivers the rare combination of exceptional cuisine, polished service, and heartfelt hospitality. The paella alone is worth crossing the city for, but the entire experience -- from Laceys attentive care to the chef's personal touch -- transforms a simple night out into something memorable. For anyone seeking a dining experience that feels both elevated and warmly personal, Sidebar stands confidently at the top.

Very slow service without it being busy! We had a group of five but our server rarely returned and…read morewe waited 15 minutes just for our check!