Very disappointing. For the price, we were expecting better food. At least for our order to be right. I ordered the chop steak w/o onions. It came out with onions. It was returned to me only a minute later so I assume they were just picked off. My companion ordered the burger well done w/o tomato. It came very pink with tomato. The waitress was very friendly but obviously the kitchen staff weren't paying attention to the orders. It was a waste a money. We won't be going back. We could have went to Logans and gotten better food for a lot less money.
(1)
Chibi C.
Just overpRiced food as the dishes aren't that great. I have been there twice because I usually give two chances before I stop going. But I will never go back there again.
(1)
Becky T.
Great food. Got a filet mignon for under $20 with really good mashed potatoes and asparagus. My friend's cheesy grits side was sinful with its richness. Everyone enjoyed their steaks and the ambiance. We went on a Friday night and there was even live music playing at the bar! Fun place to go with a large group and nice enough for a romantic dinner.
(5)
Melanie B.
I visited this restaurant with high hopes after looking at the menu. Based on the prices, I expected to have a really nice meal in a nice restaurant, but was disappointed when I arrived to see it was on the same level as a Ruby Tuesday's. Also, I was hoping to enjoy some grilled salmon, but they were completely out of fish! All that to say the service was very good and the food I ordered came out just the way I ordered it. I just think this place was overpriced. Also I recommend ordering extra sauce for the fried green tomatoes. Otherwise, they are sort of bland.
(3)
Christina Z.
Me and my husband came here for valentine's day. The service was TERRIBLE. We had to wait so long for everything...we waited so long that they gave us free drinks. The steaks are just OK ...over priced and very small portions. Never coming back.
(1)
Chantelle H.
I thought this was a nice restaurant in Columbus GA. I was in the area as a tourist so I'm not able to compare Ben's to other restaurants in the area. The quality of the steak was great. We were there as a party of four and all ordered steak. The pricing is comparable in my opinion for a finer dining steakhouse. We looked at the menu and the pricing ahead of time and knew what to expect. Sure you can get a steak dinner for less at some of the (loud) chain steak restaurants i.e. Outback/Texas Roadhouse, but you do not get the same dining experience in terms of atmosphere and the welcomed slower pace of the meal, and also the more gourmet side options. It's nice that Ben's gives it customers a salad with the meal and you are able to choose one side from a listing of many great options. I ordered off the Chef's special menu and was able to order two sides rather than one. Everyones steak was cooked to order and even though I ordered a 8 oz. Filet, I feel that my steak was larger than that. They offered a Champagne salad dressing, which something different and tasty. The warm rolls were actually really delicious, as were the grilled brussel sprouts. The service was warm, professional and attentive. Our drinks were constantly topped off as far as water and soda, and we were asked occasionally if we would like more wine/beer, etc. The server was knowledgeable about the menu. The only thing to critique would be they need to update their wine/beer menu so it's accurate. The ambiance was soothingly quiet and inviting. However, over in the bar area there was a musician. I liked the music and would have stayed longer if I could have. Also, the bar and the music were not able to be heard at our table and we had a nice quiet meal over drinks and conversation. Lastly, we checked in on Yelp and received a 10% discount on our food. So that was a nice surprise. I was almost swayed by some of the recent lower star reviews. However I'm glad we tried them. It was a great meal and I want to share my opinion with whoever is reading this, in case you are concerned about some of the 1-star reviews.
(4)
Curtis B.
It was an average restaurant. No major complaints, nor anything to rave about either. However, I guess that's not a great thing for a high end (price-wise) place. My wife and I went to celebrate her birthday. We both had steaks which were good. (A-/ B+) It was nice to go to a high end place and have an entree that came with sides and salad vs. ordering a la carte. I was less pleased with the service - again, it wasn't bad, but when we are used to dropping similar coin at a Capital Grille or Fogo de Chao (for example) we have come to expect THAT level of service. It was noteworthy that I mentioned it was my wife's birthday when I made the revervation - and while the hostess wished her a happy birthday, the server didn't do anything special to acknowledge it. Again, not a big deal, but a little something I have come to expect at the "nicer" restaurants we have been to (especially since we heard them singing Happy Birthday at another table). We will likely go back, but we have adjusted our expectations.
(3)
L M.
I would love to leave a review talking about the food, service, and what-not...however I never experienced any of these! My husband and I chose to try Ben's this past weekend as we are new to the area and heard wonderful things about it. It smelled delightful as we walked in around 7:15 and we were quickly seated in the middle of the dining room. It was loud but I get is was a Friday night so it is to be expected. We sat down and began to go over the menu. Once we had read EVERY item, some multiple times, and were ready to order we sat, and sat, and sat...for 10 minutes. Yep, sat there for 10 minutes, no server came over, no water was offered, it was if we were invisible. Finally a young man approached us, asked if we had been to Ben's before to which we replied "no, it's our first time". He responded with "ok, are you ready to order drinks?". We asked if we could put our entire order in as we had been there for 10 minutes already and he obliged. Confident our long wait was simply a mis-hap, we were glad to be moving forward....at least we thought!? 10 MORE minutes went by and we once again wondered what was going on??? No drinks, no water, NO SERVER!! He apparently had vanished since we didn't see him anywhere. My husband now famished and frustrated asked another server passing by if it was possible to get something to drink because our server was MIA. He said ok and walked off. Next the hostess seated a table next to us and stopped to ask if we had been helped so we told her our server took our order but hadn't been seen in 10 minutes. She apologized and walked away. With this we thought it would all be taken care of...WRONG!!! At least, 5 more minutes went by, (we are at a total of 25 minutes now), with no acknowledgment from anyone regarding anything. Enough was enough, we had been more than patient....it's time to go. We got up and walked out as we had entered....invisible. I have never written a review such as this, and hope I never will again. (In case you are wondering....we went down the street to Buckhead and had a wonderful dinner with no waiting!!!)
(1)
H P.
Good local steakhouse in the columbus area. Worth the drive up from post to have a nice meal once in a while. Granted, Ben's gets 4 stars relative to the other Columbus options, but it is a nice place if you're willing to spend the money and get a reasonably priced, nicely prepared steak. Service was great, Lindsay was a real gem. Steaks are well proportioned, mine was overcooked, so next time I'll shoot low and send it back if it is too bloody. Lots of differet topping options that looked tasty or you can just get the plain steak that comes with some type of garlic butter melted on top. No bad option here... The fried brussel sprouts are a must-try. Lightly pan fried to a delictible crispyness and then lightly salted, they were awesome. Very well proportioned bar with a generous bar tender. Most of the top-shelf selections seemed to top out in the $10-12 range. Large bar to sit at if you're solo and there was a local band playing when i went. Good atmosphere and not full of the overly obvious military types. They also have expresso and a full desert menu.
(4)
Alex B.
Love love their food !! Best scallops in town, they truly know how to prepare them! Steak is always cooked to your personal preference , great service , awesome staff and never disappoints ! We keep going back and I am a hard to please when it comes to good food.
Excellent!!!!!!! Travis was the best & a delight to chat while dining. Food is suberb!!!! BEAUITFUL & INTIMATE environment with soothing music in the background. Loved everything about this place!!!
(5)
David L.
Service was very very good. Atmosphere was OK...a little worn. 10 oz filet mignon was chewy. Not a very good cut of meat at all. Order the NY Strip and you will be happy. Scallop appetizer was slightly under cooked. Tasted frozen not fresh.
(3)
Chelsea P.
The steak was heavenly! Enormously portioned, yet carefully prepared! Tenderly grilled asparagus with light seasonings. Was particular as a guest due to iodine sensitivity, yet my server gave her all to suit my needs. You must try those grits... My oh my!
(5)
Adam J.
This is probably my favorite place in town. I almost always bring guests here when they visit from out-of-town. I have been here for lunch and dinner, and it's always an excellent experience. The service is great. I was always seated promptly, and did not have a reservation. The food is outstanding. Quite possibly the best steaks in Columbus. I can't comment on any other dishes, because it's a steakhouse...so I'm going to order steak. The staff even went out of their way to setup outside tables for us to enjoy after-dinner cocktails and cigars. I will be visiting this place again sooner than later.
(5)
Sean S.
Update May 2013: It's been a while since I first posted a review. Ben's went through a rough patch during the past year, and the quality was a real roller coaster. True story: We had a steak order go so wrong one night that we had to order takeout from Outback while waiting on our check. (The manager *did* comp the steak, for the record.) For some reason we kept giving this place a chance (well, OK, because our options are dwindling fast in Columbus), and I can honestly post that the management seems to have really turned a corner. The menu has changed, with more specials and a wider range on prices (which a lot of people seem to comment about here). The quality has improved, too. The staff seems much friendlier. And the manager no longer scowls at us (which once seemed the case). In fact, he's downright friendly, checking on our experience and thanking us for coming in! Do please give it a try at least once. They really do make an effort to bring quality and service up a notch, and there's live music on the weekends. That in itself is a bonus. The vibe is upscale-Jimmy Buffett - a nice place to impress a friend, but you can still wear cargo shorts and your favorite Hawaiian shirt and still be comfortable.
(3)
Christine O.
Fantastic! Went here for our anniversary & the food was amazing! And the service was excellent! Would come here again in a heartbeat!
(5)
Tina H.
The food was fantastic. 5 out of 5 stars! The atmosphere was great. 5 out of 5 stars! The service was not good...not good at all. 0 out of 5 stars. :-( My husband's order was screwed up and the waiter realized it just as he was bringing food out. So two of us got our food and my husband waited another 20 minutes to get his food. For a $150 dinner we were comp a lousy $6 dessert. And the wait staff hovered like nobodies business, it was not good, not good at all. They made a mistake and just kept making them over and over and over again. Felt like I was being stalked.
(3)
Nathan S.
Service was excellent, with a friendly hostess and an attentive and friendly server. He kept my soda full (which I'm embarrassed to say is quite a chore as I can do some damage on the diet soda), and was quite knowledgable of the menu items and drink (wine, beer, etc) selections. I was quite disappointed that, coming from a chophouse, my filet was over cooked. More medium well than medium (very, very little red). I did not bring this to the staffs attention as, even though it wasn't as I ordered, I didn't mind the medium well. Also, as far as presentation goes, every dish that was served to my wife and me was chipped. I really don't like being nit picky, but for the menu, the atmosphere, and the obvious intention of being a more "upscale" than average steak house; chipped plates, salad bowls, and appetizer dishes should be unacceptable. This, and my over cooked steak cost a star each. Fix the presentation to match the service, and be sure to prepare the steaks to order and it will be a little harder to talk the wife out of going elsewhere for steak! Looking forward to another dinner, and hopefully more stars in the near future.
(3)
Jason W.
Been to Ben's twice, and the second time was by far the better of the two. Service was great with a friendly waitress. The food was amazing once cooked to a proper temperature, the steak came out severely underdone. I prefer medium rare but the steak was served easily rare. After a second shot the flavor and steak were spot on. Would love to give five stars but simply can't because of inconsistency for the establishment.
(3)
Neta D.
In town for work and my coworker and I wanted a nice dinner. What a great choice. Expect to spend $20-30 for dinner without drinks. Most entrees include a side and salad. Nice varied selection. Highly recommend this place.
Just not impressed.....the salad wasn't very good and I wasn't impressed with the dressings.
(3)
Jake W.
Went on a Tuesday and we were seated promptly. Our waiter was prompt and took our wine order which was served in short time. Our dinner orders were served in acceptable time even with two very large groups nearby. My Grouper was so so. Nothing special except our food was served nice and hot. My wife's prime rib was huge and again she said it was so so and okay. They only had medium well and well which we were told that all rarer slices were gone. To get more rarer cuts you must come Sunday or Monday. All in all the food was acceptable but a bit expensive. Service was excellent. We may return.
(3)
Lucas V.
Wow what a great first experience! From the minute we walked in to the last sip of wine before we left, the service was amazing! When you first sit down ask the waitress or waiter about the wine and dinner specials. When we went the wine special price was $15 a bottle. I had the NY Strip cooked medium and it was one of the best steaks I ever had. With your salad try their house dressing it is good and also as a side try the garlic mashed potatoes!
(5)
Steve M.
This was actually VERY good! And, it was a short walk from the DoubleTree hotel (which is also great). I had a steak, and a colleague had fish, both of which were very good. The salads were top-notch, and the service was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised with my experience here.
(4)
Chris M.
I travel to Columbus quite a bit & am always in search of non-chain, non-fried food. Ben's is one of the fairly consistent places for a good meal. They like to put a lot of sauces on your fresh fish or steak but if asked will simply grille and which is great. And their food - meat, salad, veg sides is always fresh. Good wine options. Decor is tired and seriously needs some brightening up --
(4)
Odell M.
Ben's Chophouse is decent. Tried the Fried Green Tomatoes as an appetizer; couldn't tell if they were fresh or frozen out of a box, but they were pretty good. Dinner comes with a house salad and a side. We ordered the 8oz Filet (med rare) and the New York Strip (med). Both were cooked well and the sides of the loaded baked potato and garlic mashed potatoes were tasty.
(3)
sovia l.
I was in Columbus for work with a group of 12 and one of them celebrating their birthday while on travel. So we organized a group birthday dinner at Ben's. We didn't know much about it although several people at the hotel recommended it. We were pleasantly surprised! I made a reservation on Opentable and when we showed up, they'd reserved a table for us! I thought that was nice. The menu selection is a great and includes steak and seafood. One person ordered the lobster bisque which was really tasty. We all ordered various items which everyone really loved. I, on the other hand, ordered the seafood risotto. I don't recommend it. The risotto wasn't creamy like it should be and the seafood wasn't fresh at all. It was rubbery. Someone ordered the special which was fish over cheese grits - it was soooo good. It was definitely rich but oh so tasty. I wish I had gotten that instead of the risotto. The overall atmosphere was great, other people's food delicious and service was great. I definitely recommend going.
(4)
K S.
I had the blackened salmon and shrimp special with a caeser salad. The food was good and the service was decent. I liked everything about the restaurant except the prices. I thought it was slightly over priced. Most of the patrons dressed casual. If it is raining make sure you have an umbrella because you may have to walk a little bit like I did. Overall good experience. I would go back and reccomend it to others.
(4)
Peter G.
Overpriced for the food you are getting. The food is not that great, not for what your paying. It actually hinges on the Grand Opening theme ( A restaurant is great the first month or so, then flops bad ) and that is exactly what has happened at this one. The first visit the food was good, almost worthy of the price. On subsequent visits the food in particular has gotten worse along with the service (and I am not talking table service). Over priced and poor food.
(2)
Nancy D.
Tried Ben's for the first time last night. Our server was pleasant and gracious, however, he would leave for long periods of time, prompting us to wonder if he had forgotten about us. The atmosphere is nice, low-lighting, etc. The salad was quite good. The bread was fine. The crab cakes we ordered as an appetizer were thickly coated with bread crumbs (a cheap way to do them). My "beef" (no pun intended) lies with the entree my husband and I shared. We ordered the "tournedos of filet mignon". Well, this entree cost about $30.00, and you get two almost bite-sized pieces of filet with some crab meat surrounding them. I could have overlooked the tiny pieces of filet, as the side dishes (cheese grits, loaded baked potato) and the vegetable included (asparagus) were quite fantastic. But one of the "tournedos" was inedible. Fat and gristle abounded in that minuscule morsel of meat. Yuck. We showed it to our server and they deducted half of the price of the entree off our check. But will be back? Highly unlikely. So, visit Ben's at your own risk.
(3)
tommie r.
Oh Ben, you podunk bastard, I love ya. Your steaks are a little charred and fatty, but it's all made with love. Your decor is all "down home" and you're location might as well be on the median strip of a freeway, but you're the most authentic thing in that town. Good on ya'.
(4)
Marshall C.
I've been here twice now with good experiences both times. The cuts and preparations of meat are phenomenal, particularly the lamb pops, and the filets are fantastic. I would stay away from the calamari as it does not distinguish itself, and the side of sauteed mushrooms was pretty rough as well, but the other vegetables were extremely fresh and well prepared. Service was quite nice-- we mentioned our dissatisfaction with the mushrooms to our server, and she very quickly and politely replaced them for us. Nice wine list. Pricier fare for the Columbus area, but well worth it in my opinion. They clearly know what they are doing.
(4)
Laura D.
I went to Ben's a couple of weeks ago for a wine tasting hosted by Empire. For $20, they had a couple of apps and several wines. It was great fun and there was a good sized crowd. The vibe was social and even though I was alone at the bar, I met a lot of people and felt the environment was generally chatty. Babs, the fab bartendress, was very engaging and great at making me feel comfortable. I'm giving Ben's 4 stars because I haven't had dinner there yet. I could definitely see this as a place to have a drink at the bar and unwind. It strikes me as the kind of restaurant where they would remember you and treat their regulars well. Looking forward to returning!
(4)
kelley b.
I am a finicky eater, especially when it comes to eating steak in a restaurant. This is the first place in Columbus that got it right. The waitress was soooo nice and attentive. The portion was huge! I had enough leftover for a big lunch the next day. Yes, it costs more than Outback,but it is more than worth it.
(5)
Lito Q.
mixed feelings... and not just intestinal... this is a tough call. i'm quite torn. on the one hand, i want to give "ben's chophouse" ZERO stars as they've gifted myself and a friend of mine with food poisoning. for 2 people that know each other to be food poisoned by the same place in the same year isn't just a coincidence, it's a sign. a sign of dirty kitchen. and we're not talking mild cramping here. this was full-on, liquids from every orifice, 24-hour, praying to the porcelain gods kind of food poisoning. on the other hand, the food was really great going down. the lamb lollipops are the best prep of lamb in town. the sauteed spinach is simple, but impressive. the cuts of steak are decent, though not as good as hunter's pub. the service is pretty terrible. i want to like ben's. i like the idea and i like the wine list, certainly. unfortunately the kitchen and the staff simply don't seem able to pull off a dinner service without incident. there's nothing like paying $40 for a steak and feeling like your waiter is so deep in the weeds he may walk out on you or sweat on your steak. but everyone is so nice and accommodating. i won't go back, but you should probably try it.
(2)
Ray G.
Excellent food & service. The best in town! You get what you pay for here.
(5)
Irene F.
Yummy yummy in my tummy. Dinner was great, good wine selection (and we enjoyed it, trust). We started off with fried green tomatoes (I guess maybe there is a little southern gal inside me, itching to come out, cuz boy do I love me some fried green tomatoes!!) and onion rings. Both were excellent. I definitely love the Flying biscuit's green tomatoes a bit more, but these were pretty good too. Sauce for the onion rings kicked some serious booty! I got a petite filet, more than enough for me, considering there was also salad and sweet potato fries (another important part of my diet is sweet potatoes, further proof that I may indeed be a slightly Southern Russian Jew!). I couldn't even dream of dessert by the time we got there, but everyone else's looked deeeeeee-lish. I have a feeling we will be back! The jazz band is a nice touch, but be careful about sitting too close or you'll be hollering to hear each other!
(5)
Q L.
Service here is good. Salads and bread were delicious. Lamb chops were undercooked. They were better at Meritage Cafe. The rib eye steak was overcooked. The variety of desserts is seriously lacking. I really wanted to like this place.
(2)
Nicole S.
I remember when this place opened, it gave all the restaurants in the area a run for their money, since then I've been back when I'm in town, but I can't say they've improved. A couple years ago it would have been a five star, now, sadly, only four. The prices are little steep for Columbus, however, unlike places like Buckhead Grill, you feel like you're getting your money's worth in quality. If you're looking for a nicer place to dine with a good wine selection I would recommend Ben's.
(4)
my o.
if the food was better I would give it a better review. The prices are a little steep for Columbus..and the food they serve. The ambiance is great, service is ok and food is just mediocre.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Deana M.
Very disappointing. For the price, we were expecting better food. At least for our order to be right. I ordered the chop steak w/o onions. It came out with onions. It was returned to me only a minute later so I assume they were just picked off. My companion ordered the burger well done w/o tomato. It came very pink with tomato. The waitress was very friendly but obviously the kitchen staff weren't paying attention to the orders. It was a waste a money. We won't be going back. We could have went to Logans and gotten better food for a lot less money.
(1)Chibi C.
Just overpRiced food as the dishes aren't that great. I have been there twice because I usually give two chances before I stop going. But I will never go back there again.
(1)Becky T.
Great food. Got a filet mignon for under $20 with really good mashed potatoes and asparagus. My friend's cheesy grits side was sinful with its richness. Everyone enjoyed their steaks and the ambiance. We went on a Friday night and there was even live music playing at the bar! Fun place to go with a large group and nice enough for a romantic dinner.
(5)Melanie B.
I visited this restaurant with high hopes after looking at the menu. Based on the prices, I expected to have a really nice meal in a nice restaurant, but was disappointed when I arrived to see it was on the same level as a Ruby Tuesday's. Also, I was hoping to enjoy some grilled salmon, but they were completely out of fish! All that to say the service was very good and the food I ordered came out just the way I ordered it. I just think this place was overpriced. Also I recommend ordering extra sauce for the fried green tomatoes. Otherwise, they are sort of bland.
(3)Christina Z.
Me and my husband came here for valentine's day. The service was TERRIBLE. We had to wait so long for everything...we waited so long that they gave us free drinks. The steaks are just OK ...over priced and very small portions. Never coming back.
(1)Chantelle H.
I thought this was a nice restaurant in Columbus GA. I was in the area as a tourist so I'm not able to compare Ben's to other restaurants in the area. The quality of the steak was great. We were there as a party of four and all ordered steak. The pricing is comparable in my opinion for a finer dining steakhouse. We looked at the menu and the pricing ahead of time and knew what to expect. Sure you can get a steak dinner for less at some of the (loud) chain steak restaurants i.e. Outback/Texas Roadhouse, but you do not get the same dining experience in terms of atmosphere and the welcomed slower pace of the meal, and also the more gourmet side options. It's nice that Ben's gives it customers a salad with the meal and you are able to choose one side from a listing of many great options. I ordered off the Chef's special menu and was able to order two sides rather than one. Everyones steak was cooked to order and even though I ordered a 8 oz. Filet, I feel that my steak was larger than that. They offered a Champagne salad dressing, which something different and tasty. The warm rolls were actually really delicious, as were the grilled brussel sprouts. The service was warm, professional and attentive. Our drinks were constantly topped off as far as water and soda, and we were asked occasionally if we would like more wine/beer, etc. The server was knowledgeable about the menu. The only thing to critique would be they need to update their wine/beer menu so it's accurate. The ambiance was soothingly quiet and inviting. However, over in the bar area there was a musician. I liked the music and would have stayed longer if I could have. Also, the bar and the music were not able to be heard at our table and we had a nice quiet meal over drinks and conversation. Lastly, we checked in on Yelp and received a 10% discount on our food. So that was a nice surprise. I was almost swayed by some of the recent lower star reviews. However I'm glad we tried them. It was a great meal and I want to share my opinion with whoever is reading this, in case you are concerned about some of the 1-star reviews.
(4)Curtis B.
It was an average restaurant. No major complaints, nor anything to rave about either. However, I guess that's not a great thing for a high end (price-wise) place. My wife and I went to celebrate her birthday. We both had steaks which were good. (A-/ B+) It was nice to go to a high end place and have an entree that came with sides and salad vs. ordering a la carte. I was less pleased with the service - again, it wasn't bad, but when we are used to dropping similar coin at a Capital Grille or Fogo de Chao (for example) we have come to expect THAT level of service. It was noteworthy that I mentioned it was my wife's birthday when I made the revervation - and while the hostess wished her a happy birthday, the server didn't do anything special to acknowledge it. Again, not a big deal, but a little something I have come to expect at the "nicer" restaurants we have been to (especially since we heard them singing Happy Birthday at another table). We will likely go back, but we have adjusted our expectations.
(3)L M.
I would love to leave a review talking about the food, service, and what-not...however I never experienced any of these! My husband and I chose to try Ben's this past weekend as we are new to the area and heard wonderful things about it. It smelled delightful as we walked in around 7:15 and we were quickly seated in the middle of the dining room. It was loud but I get is was a Friday night so it is to be expected. We sat down and began to go over the menu. Once we had read EVERY item, some multiple times, and were ready to order we sat, and sat, and sat...for 10 minutes. Yep, sat there for 10 minutes, no server came over, no water was offered, it was if we were invisible. Finally a young man approached us, asked if we had been to Ben's before to which we replied "no, it's our first time". He responded with "ok, are you ready to order drinks?". We asked if we could put our entire order in as we had been there for 10 minutes already and he obliged. Confident our long wait was simply a mis-hap, we were glad to be moving forward....at least we thought!? 10 MORE minutes went by and we once again wondered what was going on??? No drinks, no water, NO SERVER!! He apparently had vanished since we didn't see him anywhere. My husband now famished and frustrated asked another server passing by if it was possible to get something to drink because our server was MIA. He said ok and walked off. Next the hostess seated a table next to us and stopped to ask if we had been helped so we told her our server took our order but hadn't been seen in 10 minutes. She apologized and walked away. With this we thought it would all be taken care of...WRONG!!! At least, 5 more minutes went by, (we are at a total of 25 minutes now), with no acknowledgment from anyone regarding anything. Enough was enough, we had been more than patient....it's time to go. We got up and walked out as we had entered....invisible. I have never written a review such as this, and hope I never will again. (In case you are wondering....we went down the street to Buckhead and had a wonderful dinner with no waiting!!!)
(1)H P.
Good local steakhouse in the columbus area. Worth the drive up from post to have a nice meal once in a while. Granted, Ben's gets 4 stars relative to the other Columbus options, but it is a nice place if you're willing to spend the money and get a reasonably priced, nicely prepared steak. Service was great, Lindsay was a real gem. Steaks are well proportioned, mine was overcooked, so next time I'll shoot low and send it back if it is too bloody. Lots of differet topping options that looked tasty or you can just get the plain steak that comes with some type of garlic butter melted on top. No bad option here... The fried brussel sprouts are a must-try. Lightly pan fried to a delictible crispyness and then lightly salted, they were awesome. Very well proportioned bar with a generous bar tender. Most of the top-shelf selections seemed to top out in the $10-12 range. Large bar to sit at if you're solo and there was a local band playing when i went. Good atmosphere and not full of the overly obvious military types. They also have expresso and a full desert menu.
(4)Alex B.
Love love their food !! Best scallops in town, they truly know how to prepare them! Steak is always cooked to your personal preference , great service , awesome staff and never disappoints ! We keep going back and I am a hard to please when it comes to good food.
(5)Paul D.
Was there with a group of about 40. There were several long tables and several tables of 4. We were at a table of 4. All orders were taken about the same time. We were served side salads with everyone else. We and 1 other table of 4 did not get our entrées until well after everyone else was served. If fact, many were finished and leaving before we were served. By the way, this was a Tuesday night and the place was not busy at all. When our food came out it was warm not hot - I had cheese grits where the cheese on top hardly melted. Not a place for us to go back to. Would have given 0 stars, but at least side salad had some taste. In addition, although no one at our table needed them, we were not served any dinner rolls. By the time our dinners were served it was so late that we ate what we had and left and did not complain so as not to embarrass our host for the dinner. Even a free dinner was not worth it!
(1)Alex C.
Great steakhouse in Columbus, Georgia. I ordered the New York Strip and expected an 8 oz strip. Suprisingly, I received a larger 12 oz or bigger. The dinner entrée included a dinner salad and 2 sides of choice. I got the grilled asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes, both were great. The salad was mostly iceberg lettuce ... they could've used more of a mixed green ... not to big a deal. The kids ordered from the kids menu and got the mini corndogs & fries, and steak tips & fries. Overall, the place had a great cuisine and great service. Our drinks were refilled multiple times without asking, which is always a plus. My wife ordered a glass of wine, however, she received it late into the entrée as they forgot to bring the glass out sooner. I have eaten at some of the best steakhouses and this lines up just underneath them. So ... I gave it 4 instead of 5. I didn't get any dessert, but they did look delicious.
(4)Valencia W.
Excellent!!!!!!! Travis was the best & a delight to chat while dining. Food is suberb!!!! BEAUITFUL & INTIMATE environment with soothing music in the background. Loved everything about this place!!!
(5)David L.
Service was very very good. Atmosphere was OK...a little worn. 10 oz filet mignon was chewy. Not a very good cut of meat at all. Order the NY Strip and you will be happy. Scallop appetizer was slightly under cooked. Tasted frozen not fresh.
(3)Chelsea P.
The steak was heavenly! Enormously portioned, yet carefully prepared! Tenderly grilled asparagus with light seasonings. Was particular as a guest due to iodine sensitivity, yet my server gave her all to suit my needs. You must try those grits... My oh my!
(5)Adam J.
This is probably my favorite place in town. I almost always bring guests here when they visit from out-of-town. I have been here for lunch and dinner, and it's always an excellent experience. The service is great. I was always seated promptly, and did not have a reservation. The food is outstanding. Quite possibly the best steaks in Columbus. I can't comment on any other dishes, because it's a steakhouse...so I'm going to order steak. The staff even went out of their way to setup outside tables for us to enjoy after-dinner cocktails and cigars. I will be visiting this place again sooner than later.
(5)Sean S.
Update May 2013: It's been a while since I first posted a review. Ben's went through a rough patch during the past year, and the quality was a real roller coaster. True story: We had a steak order go so wrong one night that we had to order takeout from Outback while waiting on our check. (The manager *did* comp the steak, for the record.) For some reason we kept giving this place a chance (well, OK, because our options are dwindling fast in Columbus), and I can honestly post that the management seems to have really turned a corner. The menu has changed, with more specials and a wider range on prices (which a lot of people seem to comment about here). The quality has improved, too. The staff seems much friendlier. And the manager no longer scowls at us (which once seemed the case). In fact, he's downright friendly, checking on our experience and thanking us for coming in! Do please give it a try at least once. They really do make an effort to bring quality and service up a notch, and there's live music on the weekends. That in itself is a bonus. The vibe is upscale-Jimmy Buffett - a nice place to impress a friend, but you can still wear cargo shorts and your favorite Hawaiian shirt and still be comfortable.
(3)Christine O.
Fantastic! Went here for our anniversary & the food was amazing! And the service was excellent! Would come here again in a heartbeat!
(5)Tina H.
The food was fantastic. 5 out of 5 stars! The atmosphere was great. 5 out of 5 stars! The service was not good...not good at all. 0 out of 5 stars. :-( My husband's order was screwed up and the waiter realized it just as he was bringing food out. So two of us got our food and my husband waited another 20 minutes to get his food. For a $150 dinner we were comp a lousy $6 dessert. And the wait staff hovered like nobodies business, it was not good, not good at all. They made a mistake and just kept making them over and over and over again. Felt like I was being stalked.
(3)Nathan S.
Service was excellent, with a friendly hostess and an attentive and friendly server. He kept my soda full (which I'm embarrassed to say is quite a chore as I can do some damage on the diet soda), and was quite knowledgable of the menu items and drink (wine, beer, etc) selections. I was quite disappointed that, coming from a chophouse, my filet was over cooked. More medium well than medium (very, very little red). I did not bring this to the staffs attention as, even though it wasn't as I ordered, I didn't mind the medium well. Also, as far as presentation goes, every dish that was served to my wife and me was chipped. I really don't like being nit picky, but for the menu, the atmosphere, and the obvious intention of being a more "upscale" than average steak house; chipped plates, salad bowls, and appetizer dishes should be unacceptable. This, and my over cooked steak cost a star each. Fix the presentation to match the service, and be sure to prepare the steaks to order and it will be a little harder to talk the wife out of going elsewhere for steak! Looking forward to another dinner, and hopefully more stars in the near future.
(3)Jason W.
Been to Ben's twice, and the second time was by far the better of the two. Service was great with a friendly waitress. The food was amazing once cooked to a proper temperature, the steak came out severely underdone. I prefer medium rare but the steak was served easily rare. After a second shot the flavor and steak were spot on. Would love to give five stars but simply can't because of inconsistency for the establishment.
(3)Neta D.
In town for work and my coworker and I wanted a nice dinner. What a great choice. Expect to spend $20-30 for dinner without drinks. Most entrees include a side and salad. Nice varied selection. Highly recommend this place.
(4)Beth P.
Don't bother, food is over priced. You pay for atmosphere here. Service was extremely slow and they were not busy. We heard our server clearly across the floor, even though she was in the "back of the house". Our table did not have a table cloth. Salads are a joke. My husband's salad had parmesan cheese out of a can. Not fresh shredded. My salad had a crouton. As in 1. Why bother? Husband's steak was definitely not worth $30. Most of it was fat and he ended up leaving 3/4 of it on the plate. My beef tips and my son's chopped steak were smothered in gravy. The veggies were awesome, but did not make me happy enough to pay over $75 for three meals. This was entrées only. The piece de resistance was when our server marches out of the back with a mop. She goes behind me to presumably mop up something, then comes around with mop still in hand telling us how we missed her falling and spilling something everywhere. Then we hear about how she is ditzy because she was out hiking and sweaty and wasn't even planning on working tonight. Fine dining with a floor show.......I should have listened to my husband who wanted to just go home and find something.
(1)Emily M.
Just not impressed.....the salad wasn't very good and I wasn't impressed with the dressings.
(3)Jake W.
Went on a Tuesday and we were seated promptly. Our waiter was prompt and took our wine order which was served in short time. Our dinner orders were served in acceptable time even with two very large groups nearby. My Grouper was so so. Nothing special except our food was served nice and hot. My wife's prime rib was huge and again she said it was so so and okay. They only had medium well and well which we were told that all rarer slices were gone. To get more rarer cuts you must come Sunday or Monday. All in all the food was acceptable but a bit expensive. Service was excellent. We may return.
(3)Lucas V.
Wow what a great first experience! From the minute we walked in to the last sip of wine before we left, the service was amazing! When you first sit down ask the waitress or waiter about the wine and dinner specials. When we went the wine special price was $15 a bottle. I had the NY Strip cooked medium and it was one of the best steaks I ever had. With your salad try their house dressing it is good and also as a side try the garlic mashed potatoes!
(5)Steve M.
This was actually VERY good! And, it was a short walk from the DoubleTree hotel (which is also great). I had a steak, and a colleague had fish, both of which were very good. The salads were top-notch, and the service was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised with my experience here.
(4)Chris M.
I travel to Columbus quite a bit & am always in search of non-chain, non-fried food. Ben's is one of the fairly consistent places for a good meal. They like to put a lot of sauces on your fresh fish or steak but if asked will simply grille and which is great. And their food - meat, salad, veg sides is always fresh. Good wine options. Decor is tired and seriously needs some brightening up --
(4)Odell M.
Ben's Chophouse is decent. Tried the Fried Green Tomatoes as an appetizer; couldn't tell if they were fresh or frozen out of a box, but they were pretty good. Dinner comes with a house salad and a side. We ordered the 8oz Filet (med rare) and the New York Strip (med). Both were cooked well and the sides of the loaded baked potato and garlic mashed potatoes were tasty.
(3)sovia l.
I was in Columbus for work with a group of 12 and one of them celebrating their birthday while on travel. So we organized a group birthday dinner at Ben's. We didn't know much about it although several people at the hotel recommended it. We were pleasantly surprised! I made a reservation on Opentable and when we showed up, they'd reserved a table for us! I thought that was nice. The menu selection is a great and includes steak and seafood. One person ordered the lobster bisque which was really tasty. We all ordered various items which everyone really loved. I, on the other hand, ordered the seafood risotto. I don't recommend it. The risotto wasn't creamy like it should be and the seafood wasn't fresh at all. It was rubbery. Someone ordered the special which was fish over cheese grits - it was soooo good. It was definitely rich but oh so tasty. I wish I had gotten that instead of the risotto. The overall atmosphere was great, other people's food delicious and service was great. I definitely recommend going.
(4)K S.
I had the blackened salmon and shrimp special with a caeser salad. The food was good and the service was decent. I liked everything about the restaurant except the prices. I thought it was slightly over priced. Most of the patrons dressed casual. If it is raining make sure you have an umbrella because you may have to walk a little bit like I did. Overall good experience. I would go back and reccomend it to others.
(4)Peter G.
Overpriced for the food you are getting. The food is not that great, not for what your paying. It actually hinges on the Grand Opening theme ( A restaurant is great the first month or so, then flops bad ) and that is exactly what has happened at this one. The first visit the food was good, almost worthy of the price. On subsequent visits the food in particular has gotten worse along with the service (and I am not talking table service). Over priced and poor food.
(2)Nancy D.
Tried Ben's for the first time last night. Our server was pleasant and gracious, however, he would leave for long periods of time, prompting us to wonder if he had forgotten about us. The atmosphere is nice, low-lighting, etc. The salad was quite good. The bread was fine. The crab cakes we ordered as an appetizer were thickly coated with bread crumbs (a cheap way to do them). My "beef" (no pun intended) lies with the entree my husband and I shared. We ordered the "tournedos of filet mignon". Well, this entree cost about $30.00, and you get two almost bite-sized pieces of filet with some crab meat surrounding them. I could have overlooked the tiny pieces of filet, as the side dishes (cheese grits, loaded baked potato) and the vegetable included (asparagus) were quite fantastic. But one of the "tournedos" was inedible. Fat and gristle abounded in that minuscule morsel of meat. Yuck. We showed it to our server and they deducted half of the price of the entree off our check. But will be back? Highly unlikely. So, visit Ben's at your own risk.
(3)tommie r.
Oh Ben, you podunk bastard, I love ya. Your steaks are a little charred and fatty, but it's all made with love. Your decor is all "down home" and you're location might as well be on the median strip of a freeway, but you're the most authentic thing in that town. Good on ya'.
(4)Marshall C.
I've been here twice now with good experiences both times. The cuts and preparations of meat are phenomenal, particularly the lamb pops, and the filets are fantastic. I would stay away from the calamari as it does not distinguish itself, and the side of sauteed mushrooms was pretty rough as well, but the other vegetables were extremely fresh and well prepared. Service was quite nice-- we mentioned our dissatisfaction with the mushrooms to our server, and she very quickly and politely replaced them for us. Nice wine list. Pricier fare for the Columbus area, but well worth it in my opinion. They clearly know what they are doing.
(4)Laura D.
I went to Ben's a couple of weeks ago for a wine tasting hosted by Empire. For $20, they had a couple of apps and several wines. It was great fun and there was a good sized crowd. The vibe was social and even though I was alone at the bar, I met a lot of people and felt the environment was generally chatty. Babs, the fab bartendress, was very engaging and great at making me feel comfortable. I'm giving Ben's 4 stars because I haven't had dinner there yet. I could definitely see this as a place to have a drink at the bar and unwind. It strikes me as the kind of restaurant where they would remember you and treat their regulars well. Looking forward to returning!
(4)kelley b.
I am a finicky eater, especially when it comes to eating steak in a restaurant. This is the first place in Columbus that got it right. The waitress was soooo nice and attentive. The portion was huge! I had enough leftover for a big lunch the next day. Yes, it costs more than Outback,but it is more than worth it.
(5)Lito Q.
mixed feelings... and not just intestinal... this is a tough call. i'm quite torn. on the one hand, i want to give "ben's chophouse" ZERO stars as they've gifted myself and a friend of mine with food poisoning. for 2 people that know each other to be food poisoned by the same place in the same year isn't just a coincidence, it's a sign. a sign of dirty kitchen. and we're not talking mild cramping here. this was full-on, liquids from every orifice, 24-hour, praying to the porcelain gods kind of food poisoning. on the other hand, the food was really great going down. the lamb lollipops are the best prep of lamb in town. the sauteed spinach is simple, but impressive. the cuts of steak are decent, though not as good as hunter's pub. the service is pretty terrible. i want to like ben's. i like the idea and i like the wine list, certainly. unfortunately the kitchen and the staff simply don't seem able to pull off a dinner service without incident. there's nothing like paying $40 for a steak and feeling like your waiter is so deep in the weeds he may walk out on you or sweat on your steak. but everyone is so nice and accommodating. i won't go back, but you should probably try it.
(2)Ray G.
Excellent food & service. The best in town! You get what you pay for here.
(5)Irene F.
Yummy yummy in my tummy. Dinner was great, good wine selection (and we enjoyed it, trust). We started off with fried green tomatoes (I guess maybe there is a little southern gal inside me, itching to come out, cuz boy do I love me some fried green tomatoes!!) and onion rings. Both were excellent. I definitely love the Flying biscuit's green tomatoes a bit more, but these were pretty good too. Sauce for the onion rings kicked some serious booty! I got a petite filet, more than enough for me, considering there was also salad and sweet potato fries (another important part of my diet is sweet potatoes, further proof that I may indeed be a slightly Southern Russian Jew!). I couldn't even dream of dessert by the time we got there, but everyone else's looked deeeeeee-lish. I have a feeling we will be back! The jazz band is a nice touch, but be careful about sitting too close or you'll be hollering to hear each other!
(5)Q L.
Service here is good. Salads and bread were delicious. Lamb chops were undercooked. They were better at Meritage Cafe. The rib eye steak was overcooked. The variety of desserts is seriously lacking. I really wanted to like this place.
(2)Nicole S.
I remember when this place opened, it gave all the restaurants in the area a run for their money, since then I've been back when I'm in town, but I can't say they've improved. A couple years ago it would have been a five star, now, sadly, only four. The prices are little steep for Columbus, however, unlike places like Buckhead Grill, you feel like you're getting your money's worth in quality. If you're looking for a nicer place to dine with a good wine selection I would recommend Ben's.
(4)my o.
if the food was better I would give it a better review. The prices are a little steep for Columbus..and the food they serve. The ambiance is great, service is ok and food is just mediocre.
(3)