My wife and I always try to stop by Columbia Steakhouse when we're in town. Today, I'm sure glad we…read moredid. As usual, we both got their Nighthawk special which is a large steak floating in garlic butter, a huge baked potato and a Diego salad. Though my first steak came out a bit overcooked and I had to have them remake it, the final result was fantastic. Both steaks were thick, hot and flavorfu, just as I remember. The potato was not only hot, it came with a quarter stick of butter on the side and a large cup of sour cream on the side - both of which made the very flaky potatoe heavenly. They also have very good rolls which were not real hot today but were still very good. The decor continues to be on the used side with the seats being lumpy, but the food could not have been better. I hope the return again and again to the Columbia Steakhouse.

When a business trip brought my wife and me to Lexington, Kentucky, we needed a restaurant that…read morecould deliver both efficiency and quality--somewhere we could enjoy an excellent meal without lingering for hours. Columbia Steakhouse proved to be exactly what we were looking for, and then some. Located in the heart of Lexington, Columbia Steakhouse exudes an understated elegance that's perfect for business travelers. The atmosphere strikes that ideal balance: upscale enough to feel special, but relaxed enough that you're not overly formal. The lighting is warm and sophisticated, and the noise level allows for easy conversation--a detail that business diners always appreciate. Our server immediately understood our time constraints and moved things along seamlessly without making us feel rushed. This kind of professional service is rare and deeply appreciated when you're on a tight schedule. I ordered the 14-ounce ribeye, cooked medium-rare, and it was a masterclass in steakhouse execution. The exterior had a beautiful char that provided a subtle smoky flavor, while the interior was perfectly pink and remarkably tender. The marbling throughout ensured every bite was rich and flavorful. What impressed me most was the quality of the beef itself--you could tell this was prime cut meat, properly aged and prepared by someone who knows their craft. The steak came with their signature steak butter, a compound butter with herbs that melted luxuriously over the hot meat, adding another layer of richness without overwhelming the beef's natural flavor. My sides were equally impressive: a loaded baked potato with all the fixings, cooked until the skin was crispy and the interior fluffy, and their grilled asparagus, which had a perfect char and snap to it. My wife chose the filet mignon paired with a lobster tail, and from her first bite, I knew she'd made the right choice. The filet was butter-tender--the kind of cut that practically melts on your tongue. Cooked to a perfect medium, it had that delicate, almost velvety texture that only a properly prepared filet can achieve. The peppercorn sauce she added complemented the beef beautifully without overpowering its subtle flavor. The lobster tail was equally outstanding. Perfectly cooked (no easy feat, as lobster can go from perfect to rubbery in seconds), it was sweet, succulent, and generously portioned. It arrived already butterflied and brushed with drawn butter, making it easy to enjoy. She paired her entrée with the garlic mashed potatoes, which were creamy and indulgent, and the Caesar salad, which featured crisp romaine, house-made dressing, and fresh parmesan. Columbia Steakhouse understands that business travelers value efficiency. From appetizer to dessert, our meal was perfectly paced--we never felt rushed, but we also never experienced those frustrating gaps where you're waiting unnecessarily. Despite being on a schedule, we took advantage of their bourbon selection (we were in Kentucky, after all), and the staff provided excellent recommendations. The bread service deserves special mention--warm, crusty rolls with whipped butter arrived promptly and were outstanding. Small touches like this set great steakhouses apart from good ones. While we were focused on our entrées given our time constraints, we couldn't resist sharing their chocolate lava cake for dessert. It arrived warm with a molten center, accompanied by vanilla ice cream--a perfect sweet ending to an exceptional meal. The Bottom Line Columbia Steakhouse demonstrated why it's a Lexington institution. The quality of both our meals was outstanding, the service was professional and attentive, and the restaurant accommodated our business travel timeline without compromising the experience. The prices reflect the premium quality--this is not a budget option--but for a special business dinner or important client meeting, the investment is absolutely worth it. Whether you're a local or just passing through on business, Columbia Steakhouse delivers on every front. We left satisfied, impressed, and already planning a return visit the next time work brings us to the Bluegrass State. Highly recommended for business travelers, special occasions, or anyone who appreciates expertly prepared steak in a refined yet welcoming atmosphere.

Great staff and a delicious drink that made me crave the beach - so much fun on a lazy day with…read morefriends! The Oscar style steak rocked!

Kitchen staff- you all ate that up!!!!! our food was so so amazing…read more Unfortunately, our server Morgan left a sour taste in our mouth. We did not see her for at least 25 minutes. She comes to the table right beside us asks how they are, we wave at her, she then proceeds to turn around and walk the other way. Okay, accidents happen, whatever. What really started to rub us the wrong way was we watched her spend 10 plus minutes at a table of boys who looked a little young for her talking and twirling her hair. At this point we all finished our drinks 30 plus minutes ago. I'm starting to get thirsty af! We see her on her phone in the corner still refusing service to our table. Eventually food is ran to us by some kind young gentleman (thanks!!!). Missing all of the sauces we requested (usually not a big deal but considering we had no clue when we would see her again lolol). Also, still no new drinks. Time goes by and we eventually have to ask another woman to go find her. Almost 10 minutes later, Morgan returns!!! Yay!!! She takes our drink orders. We wait a bit. That's never a big deal because I understand that bartenders are busy. She eventually brings them out, unfortunately missing 2! Great! FINALLY, we get the rest of our drinks. Proceed to sit there and wait. Eventually have to ask another older gentleman to get our checks. He then waves down Morgan and she finally gets back to us. I get having a bad day, but watching you treat other customers with 10x more respect and attentiveness is just frustrating. Lack of consistency. Terrible experience, just happy I was with my besties!!!

The Cornbread Salad, and the French Dip were very good, and our server Livi M did an excellent job…read more she had good recommendations and very personable.

Kalli was very sweet and checked in on a whole bunch of items due to food allergies, which was…read morereally appreciated! Restaurant is pretty big, and the patio has live music at times! The menu is pretty big, and there are so many options. Portions are pretty big - the salads were huge, and there was no room for dessert! The sides are very flavorful, like the baked beans and Brussels. And if you get the chance to try them, the fried and smoked ribs are delicious! The restaurant is in that big lot with Kroger, so there's a lot of people in and around, which means parking gets a little hectic at times.

This was our first time here. We stopped in on our way back to Lexington and it was surprisingly…read moregood!! The food was delicious and the service was good. We ordered the Pork Pot Stickers and the Southwest Eggrolls to start and we loved them both. Their Jalapeño Aioli is very good. I ordered the Fried Fish sandwich and the fillet was huge and I highly recommend it! It was perfectly cooked and the breading was great. Next time I would really like to try the Lobster Risotto.

Fun place to visit when in Midway. Easily located "midway" between Louisville and Lexington. Free…read morestreet parking available. We enjoyed a nice cocktail before dinner from the full bar before enjoying a wedge salad (delicious champagne vinaigrette dressing) and pasta dinner. Portions were healthy and pacing was excellent. Highly recommend Gibson's!

The southern biscuit platter is how you should do brunch!…read more My recent visit didn't feature the best service (except from the hostess... she was not only best dressed, but also seemed to be running the floor!), but the biscuit platter was still fabulous! I requested figs (on another menu item), and my served said 'sorry, the kitchen is out.' Well, the kitchen had given me figs, and the figs, ham, and cheese on a biscuit... perfection. Thank goodness for great hostesses and a fabulous kitchen! Side note: there were also no Bloody Marys because 'the kitchen ate them...' Definitely made my day in terms of language!

EXTREMELY slow service. Lunchtime…read more There were about 5 tables waiting on meals, ours included. Nobody had been served. However, the waitress was chowing down on food at the bar. Not a good look....

This is a cool, rustic place that feels like an Oceanside bar and restaurant. Clean and well…read moremanaged with friendly staff. Everything we ordered was delicious and well prepared including Oysters Rockefeller, Cajun chicken pasta, fish and chips, and steamed crab legs. The sides were just as delicious. Definitely recommend this place!

Packed Friday night crowd for a restaurant that's been open about 40 years. Good signs so far…read more Quickly seated although thought there was going to be a 15 minute wait, which would have been fine. Multiple specials from drinks to appetizers, dinners, and desserts. Atmosphere was quite loud due to the acoustics and everything is hard surfaces. Including chairs. I like a comfortable chair instead of the 'we're going to make it so hard you won't out stay your welcome'. Service was very good and prices equally reasonable especially for the amount of food served. We weren't starving, but had a full to-go box between our two meals. The food was in the average category even though everything was well prepared and presented. (Hot/fresh). Just not a lot of flavor. Hush puppies decent but not much taste. Coconut fried shrimp about the same. Had to use the dipping sauce for flavor. Fries are fries. Cheese grits not very tasty and were bland sprinkled with a little cheese. Thicker than mortar! Key lime pie was excellent despite I'm not sure if they used key limes. Appears homemade with some actual zest on top. Although not 'limey' enough, good crust and custard base. Atmosphere-3. Food-3. Service-4. Value-4. I'd go back and probably try less fried food. Could be they haven't changed the oil frequently enough.

This place is a sold 4 stars. We have bean coming here since the beginning but it has probably been…read moreabout 3 years since we came here last. First of all, I don't remember their salsa being so amazing! The salsa recipe is the best I have had in a long time. In general I order typical American Mexican dishes and all the Mexican restaurants are pretty similar in my opinion. I typically don't think that there is one that is remarkably different than the others. This one is a solid choice.

My family has been coming to this location for many years. It is always clean, bathrooms are clean…read more We are always greeted with smiles. We love the staff, our service is always outstanding. We have been to many other mexican restaurants but to me, no where can compare to Pepe's. Quality food that is consistently great every single time. Never a bad meal!

Great drinks. Food was fabulous and service was great. The fried chicken is super! It's not too…read moreheavy and felt like it was done with a modern twist. Loved it! Good ambiance too.

Dropped in for dinner, and was looking forward to trying this place…read more The food was a little hit or miss, the goat cheese ravioli was fantastic, the veggie pasta was good, the burger was fairly ordinary. In their defense the burger is probably the cheapest thing on the menu, but I feel like there is still room for a really nice elevated burger and this just wasn't really that. The meatball appetizer was ok, I feel like the grits kind of mute most of the overall flavors. The fried oysters were under seasoned but the roumelade was great. Cocktails were fine, nothing to write home about. Dessert was good. Service was fantastic, dishes came out quickly, server was super personable. Honestly I would have gone with 4 stars. But my biggest gripe was the space we were in was REALLY loud. We were seated in their secondary? Dinning area. Big glass room, etc. And when we got there it was fine, mostly empty. But they ultimately seated a ~20 person party in the room and as soon as that happened we just couldn't hear each other at the table anymore. I feel like there were a lot of empty tables when we originally arrived so I'm not sure why they seated us where there was going to be a huge party. The group was louder than average in general but the room just really amplifies the noise. So I feel like even if it was a bunch of small groups it would be pretty unbearable, especially for a place where you are spending $100+ per person between apps, entrees and drinks. So just be careful where you're seated I guess if that is something that bothers you. Overall maybe worth trying.