Great steakhouse!! Service was awesome! Yes, restaurant is old, dark and dated but great good. We were seated quickly and Brian, our waiter, was prompt and very informative about the restaurant, menu and the Lexington area (as we were from out of town). We enjoyed fried mushrooms and lamb fries! My beef tenderloin and twice baked potato was fabulous! Their homemade ranch dressing was great as well. I would give the 5 stars to Brian as he made our experience well worth trying something new!! We will definitely go back!!!
(5)
Bonnie K.
Columbia Steakhouse is one of my favorite special treats to visit. I always get the Nighthawk special and Diablo salad. My steak was cooked to perfection and was very tender. Our service was exceptional and we could not have asked for a better experience. The restaurant is a Lexington, Kentucky favorite. The restaurant decor is very nostalgic and a great place for a quiet dinner for two as well as a large party. Every one should eat here at least once - you won't regret it (unless you are a vegetarian - in that case, I'm so sorry!). The brick walls, red and white checkerboard ceilings, candles on the tables, and many small rooms with a few tables each make this for a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
Ok... so Im a little partial to this place. I can remember as a kid getting dressed up and going to eat here. If you are looking for a really good steak at a great price there is nothing in Lex as good as the Nighthawk Special. Plain and simply put its the best priced steak with their monsterous sides.
(4)
Brittney E.
I had the featured burger for Lexington Burger Week. It had hotdogs on top with some beer cheese which is a pretty cool concept. Not sure how I felt about the burger overall though it was tasty. I'd say if you love hot dogs and beer cheese it's a winner. The restaurant is a bit dark and there aren't windows so you feel like you're in a basement
(3)
Adam B.
Very unique atmosphere. I feel like I need a cigar to sit in the back corner and talk "bidness with my partners." The owner is very nice and will sometimes come out to visit. Get the fried banana peppers for an app, and if you're feeling frisky, the lamb fries are always fun, and they say they are what they are supposed to be...
(5)
Heather P.
This is the worst steakhouse in Lexington. That is really all I have to say, but if you ask, here are details. I used to come here occasionally by location default. My daughter attended LTMS and when there was practice or basketball or football games, I was forced to starve or venture out. Most times, I opted to starve rather than to go there. Fast forward several years, the downtown scene picked up, Columbia's never caught on. They're still the same, less than mediocre steakhouse. My last and final experience explains it. We walked by, no one was on the patio out front, so we walked inside. It's a bit different type of set up, not to mention that it's extremely old and outdated. The bar is there as soon as you walk in. Just as it was at the patio, not a soul in sight. We waited just a few minutes for the hostess, who just so happened to end up being our waiter too. We were seated and given menus. I will spare you details and just say that 47 minutes (thanks to Yelp for the handy dandy time tracker) after ordering our appetizers, the manager Flo came out and asked how things were. I explained that it was nearly an hour after checkin and we still hadn't gotten the appetizers, she rudely informed me that it hadn't been nowhere near an hour and that I should've checked in before seating myself. WOW! Not only did I check inside first, I waited several minutes at the hostess stand. Oh, and then her excuse for part of wait that she admitted to, was that the fries were thick. Really?! I would not come back to this place if it were free! I absolutely hate giving a bad review to a local place, but I have to keep it real and this place doesn't even deserve a half star. Jeff Ruby can't get to Lexington soon enough!
(1)
Jason B.
This place was average. The food was okay, the atmosphere was eh, the lighting was dark. The best part about this place was the service. I don't see why they had to have the place so dark inside. They didn't have anything on the menu that stuck out that I would want to come back for. Cold ribs and kinda warm fries that were cut way too big for some odd reason. I just didn't have a great time here. Maybe it's just this location that was bad, but I don't think I would go back anytime soon.
(3)
Cal M.
cannot beat the burger!!! Service was outstanding!!! This review comes from a 25+ year, former restaurant owner!!
(4)
Jenn M.
1 star is far too generous. This is the worst restaurant I've visited in Lexington. We wandered in randomly for lunch one weekday out of curiosity and I so wish now that we never did. The entrance actually drops you off in the middle of a bar. Since we had not been there before, we waited for a few minutes foolishly thinking someone who worked there would notice and greet us or help us figure out where to go. Nope, not at all. So, we started walking towards what we thought was the restaurant. At that precise moment, an employee magically appeared and sternly yelled that we were not headed the right direction and that the restaurant entrance was to the left. Shocked and slightly terrified by this, we nervously apologized and proceeded in the other direction. Once in the restaurant, our eyes had to adjust to the cave-entrance-like dim lighting and dust-infested air. We found a table and seated ourselves since, again, we were offered no guidance. At that point, our server appeared and we ordered waters and a couple sandwiches. Fast forward 30 minutes and we still had no food and empty glasses of water. Our server was nowhere to be found so I decided to wander back to the bar/entrance with our empty glasses in hopes of refilling our H20 and putting out an SOS call to look for our server. I didn't even make it up to the bar because as soon as the bartender (man who barked rudely at us when we first entered) saw me approaching, he yelled at me that I could not get drinks from the bar and that I needed to go back to my table and sit down and wait. At this point, I was utterly disgusted. Eventually our food came and it was horrible just like everything else. Our lunch ended up taking close to an hour and a half (and that's not because we were enjoying ourselves and lost track of time in case you were confused). This place is a poor excuse for a restaurant and a complete waste of time and money.
(1)
J. Paul A.
Diego salad & a hot brown with steamed broccoli. I was concerned that my college restaurant had gone downhill from some recent reviews. Rather than bail on them and find a new place, I decided to try Columbia"s to make sure. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Met at the door by a smiling face and shown to my table. Specials explained and order quickly taken. Diego salad was great as always. No idea how they make vegetables taste so good. Hot brown was hot & wonderful. Decor is dark and dated but clean and well kept. It is just as I recall it years ago. I'm sad others had a less pleasant experience, but happy it still serves exactly what I wanted and did it perfectly!
(5)
Barbara H.
Absolutely worst food I've had at at steakhouse. This was recommended by our hotel and I was amazed by how bad it was. The steak tips appeared to be boiled and then were served swimming in a bowl of what was supposed to be garlic butter but looked like grease. The corn pudding was a solid mass of something but was inedible. Very disappointed
(1)
Jason P.
I've been here for over an hour and I have literally not had any one approach me. I just had an older lady approach me saying that I hadn't been here but I wouldn't recognize this place to someone that is looking for a new spot. There is totally no comfort looking for their food. I would recommend going to Wendy's then to waste your time with this place.
(1)
Sycarah F.
My husband recommended this place for lunch so I acquiesced despite the bad reviews. I walked in and while I waited for my husband wanted to use the restroom. Since no one was at the front, I wandered around aimlessly trying to find it. I ran into an older woman and asked if she knew where the restroom and then thinking I had forgot my manners I asked if she worked there since I would have been embarrassed asking a patron. It was hard to tel because I didn't see anyone in any type of uniform. She never answered my question about working there but before she finished telling me where the bathroom was she asked whether or not I was going to be eating there... No lady, I just entered the establishment off of the street after paying for 90 minutes of parking just to use your restroom and leave:::rolls eyes::... I went to the restroom which was really cramped and small and then went back to wait for my husband at the front.. It was then that I realized that based on all of the pictures on the walls that the lady I ran into was most likely one of the owners.... The dust on the pictures the darkness of the restaurant and the creepiness of the bathroom in addition to the rudeness of the owner made me fee like this place would be a prime candidate for Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmares, despite the 98 food inspection report on the wall. My husband arrived and we sat ourselves as requested to do so by the sign on the hostess stand. The waiter came by and was very friendly. I told my husband hat I wouldn't be eating at this establishment because I didn't want to spend my money there after being questioned about my presence in the first place. So we left and went to sidebar and had a great lunch! One tip for the folks here... Be nice to people and learn about customer service.. I will never be back.
(1)
Elvin H.
Very "Old Lexington!" Service is not exceptional, but the Nighthawk Special continues to be amazing. And you can not get a bigger baked potato anywhere in town. The atmosphere takes me back to the old days. Our Diego Salad looked rather sad, but you can't beat the steaks here!
(4)
Rick T.
Columbia's is a Lexington institution and their food is incredible. It's a dark loungey place with amazing food. And decent prices too! Do yourself a favor and go old school!
(5)
Marc N.
It was 8pm on a Sunday before Labor Day. Me and my buddy (we're from out of town) called to make sure this place was open because every place we walked passed was closed. The owner said they were closed but because we were 5 minutes away she offered to stay open until 9pm. That is customer service!! My buddy was being very difficult when ordering food. He couldn't figure out what he wanted and when he did figure it out he was being picky. Our waiter was extremely nice and extremely patient. Again, I was impressed with the customer service! The food. I ordered the blackened salmon and my buddy order the NY strip. Both were very tasty. The salmon was very flavorful and I ended up not using the dipping sauce. The steak had an at home feel taste to it. We were both overly satisfied. With the service and food combined it felt like we were family at this restaurant! I really wanted to hate this place and Lexington as a city because I'm a die hard IU basketball fan, but this place made me love Lexington. If I ever come back to Lexington I will be back for sure! I still hate UK basketball and Calipari, but I love Columbia Steak House!
(5)
Sarah V.
I've eaten here a dozen times or so now, always for lunch. I've tried their burger lunch special, which was tasty and a good-sized portion for $5-6. My favorite lunch is their French dip with Swiss, with the corn pudding as my side. Their corn pudding is pretty good, just the right amount of sweet. I've also sampled the broccoli casserole that my boyfriend ordered, and it was quite tasty. The French dip is just a darn tasty sandwich, served with au jus and and horseradish sauce. It's a very filling meal for $7. This is one of the few places I've found downtown with good sweet tea, which is silly--this town should be practically drowning in sweet tea, but unfortunately a lot of downtown restaurants seem to screw it up. Not Columbia's, fortunately--they have it down pat. The atmosphere is nice. A waitress informed me they're the oldest restaurant in Lexington, and their old-fashioned style has a charm to it. It's nicely dim inside with candles at each table. I end up with the same waitress each time and she's great; very friendly and attentive. Another reason to choose Columbia's, at least at lunch time if you're downtown, is they're one of the cheaper downtown options. Honestly, they're serving a meal for $6-9 that you'd pay $11 for elsewhere downtown, and it's tastier to boot. The only downside to Columbia's is that it takes a little longer. I go maybe once a week because it'll usually be a 45-minute to an hour trip. The food arrives hot, though, and I haven't had a problem with drinks running out, so it's not a bad experience.
(3)
JJ B.
Place is garbage. Nothing about this place was good.
(1)
Z D.
ordered the french dip, says thin sliced roast beef, ummm, it was 1 yes one, slice of roast beef, I'm sure it was sliced to weight so umm yeah, it was a little thick and chewy and the cheese slice was gummy as it cooled
(1)
Michael J.
My wife and I ate here before a concert. We both had steaks, she a prime rib and me a ribeye. We both thought the steaks were good. The salads before the steaks were pretty good and their steak fries are very big and you get several of them. I would recommend this place and would eat there again if I am ever in Lexington again.
(4)
Josh M.
food was fine. Service tried to be fine and was ok. Company was the best part. In short not sure I would go back
(2)
Sarah K.
An old favorite is not even on my long list anymore. Went there Saturday night as i wanted the great Diego salad. It was not so great. First one came with no dressing that I could detect. Got more, added it, it was really just oil, no vinegar, no seasoning at all. No taste. The baked potato I got was cold, sent it back, second one was not hot and not done. Two of my party got fish sandwiches and said they were pretty good, but the tartar sauce was tasteless. They used to serve crusty bread and rye slices, but now yeast rolls - they had no taste either. Service was just so so; it was after the UK and Texas A&M game, but not that crowded. Anyway, it was a bust.
(2)
Sharon B.
As usual the lamb fries were fabulous exceeded only by the friendliness of the waitress.
(5)
Steve L.
Absolutely disappointing on many issues--AVOID at all costs My wife and I were in Lexington to visit nearby distilleries. We wanted to eat local over chain restaurants. After a long day of touring bourbon distilleries, we wanted steak. Columbia is hyped as a local favorite. We were intrigued when we entered and immediately seated in the rear of the restaurant--only one other couple enjoying their meal. We ordered a rib-eye to split between the two of us and each ordered sides. The broccoli casserole was lukewarm on the sides and cold in the middle. The steak was at best an average cut of meat and thin. Service was "good" up to that point. About half way through our meal and very loud, intoxicated, and obnoxious group was seated in the back dinning room with us. We were startled at how loud they were talking while carrying on a conversation--we literally could not carry on a conversation between ourselves at our table. I thought as loud as they were surely the staff would intervene. When we asked to see a manager, we were told the staff was aware at how loud they were and we were offered an apology and an opportunity to move. I politely told the manager we were finished with our meal (as much as we wanted to eat at that point), and requested the bill. There was no effort by the manager to speak to the group. I'm amazed that if the staff realized just how disturbing the group was to the rest of their patrons, they would have taken charge of the situation. Clearly they sat the group in the back dinning room to spare the majority of patrons, but their strategy demonstrated their indifference to us and our privacy. I wouldn't visit their restaurant ever again, no matter how hungry I was!!
(1)
Martha F.
Ordered salmon. It was literally cold in the middle...really under-cooked. Sent it back and 10 minutes later a new piece arrived that was rubbery it was so over-cooked. 20 years ago, this restaurant was great, but they have really lost their way.
(2)
Tim W.
This is a step back into the early 1960s. If you want to really do well here you need to order the Banana Peppers appetizer and then go with the Nighthawk Special. The Nighthawk Special is what this place is. I go back here often with my wife and the Nighthawk Special cannot be beat. Tremendous value for a very nice steak (cooked with garlic butter - you have to like that or you should probably go elsewhere) with large potato and salad.
(4)
Vicky W.
We went for dinner on Thursday night. There was live music. We were never asked if we wanted to sit near the musician or somewhere quieter. The service was awful. Our salad came out with our steaks. The steaks were cold and tough. We left a comment card for the manager who much to our surprise, called us back. He promised 2 free meals and took down our name and address. Needless to say, they never came in the mail.
(1)
Joy G.
Ok, so this is no fancy steakhouse but damn their food is good. It's consistently delish! I usually order the classic nighthawk. All of their sides are noteworthy so by all means, try them all at some point or another. Another tasty entree is the blackened salmon. You cannot beat the prices here! This a family friendly restaurant that has been in Lexington for many years and there is a reason why. They get 5 stars for food and service. I love the downtown location but the Richmond location is pretty good too.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Loud Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes
Jessica B.
Great steakhouse!! Service was awesome! Yes, restaurant is old, dark and dated but great good. We were seated quickly and Brian, our waiter, was prompt and very informative about the restaurant, menu and the Lexington area (as we were from out of town). We enjoyed fried mushrooms and lamb fries! My beef tenderloin and twice baked potato was fabulous! Their homemade ranch dressing was great as well. I would give the 5 stars to Brian as he made our experience well worth trying something new!! We will definitely go back!!!
(5)Bonnie K.
Columbia Steakhouse is one of my favorite special treats to visit. I always get the Nighthawk special and Diablo salad. My steak was cooked to perfection and was very tender. Our service was exceptional and we could not have asked for a better experience. The restaurant is a Lexington, Kentucky favorite. The restaurant decor is very nostalgic and a great place for a quiet dinner for two as well as a large party. Every one should eat here at least once - you won't regret it (unless you are a vegetarian - in that case, I'm so sorry!). The brick walls, red and white checkerboard ceilings, candles on the tables, and many small rooms with a few tables each make this for a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
(5)Brian K.
Always have my standard meal of Nighthawk special, baked potato and diablo salad. The service was excellent. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Food came out quick, hot and good. It seems that they have done some work on the décor and added the sidewalk tables.
(5)Brian S.
Ok... so Im a little partial to this place. I can remember as a kid getting dressed up and going to eat here. If you are looking for a really good steak at a great price there is nothing in Lex as good as the Nighthawk Special. Plain and simply put its the best priced steak with their monsterous sides.
(4)Brittney E.
I had the featured burger for Lexington Burger Week. It had hotdogs on top with some beer cheese which is a pretty cool concept. Not sure how I felt about the burger overall though it was tasty. I'd say if you love hot dogs and beer cheese it's a winner. The restaurant is a bit dark and there aren't windows so you feel like you're in a basement
(3)Adam B.
Very unique atmosphere. I feel like I need a cigar to sit in the back corner and talk "bidness with my partners." The owner is very nice and will sometimes come out to visit. Get the fried banana peppers for an app, and if you're feeling frisky, the lamb fries are always fun, and they say they are what they are supposed to be...
(5)Heather P.
This is the worst steakhouse in Lexington. That is really all I have to say, but if you ask, here are details. I used to come here occasionally by location default. My daughter attended LTMS and when there was practice or basketball or football games, I was forced to starve or venture out. Most times, I opted to starve rather than to go there. Fast forward several years, the downtown scene picked up, Columbia's never caught on. They're still the same, less than mediocre steakhouse. My last and final experience explains it. We walked by, no one was on the patio out front, so we walked inside. It's a bit different type of set up, not to mention that it's extremely old and outdated. The bar is there as soon as you walk in. Just as it was at the patio, not a soul in sight. We waited just a few minutes for the hostess, who just so happened to end up being our waiter too. We were seated and given menus. I will spare you details and just say that 47 minutes (thanks to Yelp for the handy dandy time tracker) after ordering our appetizers, the manager Flo came out and asked how things were. I explained that it was nearly an hour after checkin and we still hadn't gotten the appetizers, she rudely informed me that it hadn't been nowhere near an hour and that I should've checked in before seating myself. WOW! Not only did I check inside first, I waited several minutes at the hostess stand. Oh, and then her excuse for part of wait that she admitted to, was that the fries were thick. Really?! I would not come back to this place if it were free! I absolutely hate giving a bad review to a local place, but I have to keep it real and this place doesn't even deserve a half star. Jeff Ruby can't get to Lexington soon enough!
(1)Jason B.
This place was average. The food was okay, the atmosphere was eh, the lighting was dark. The best part about this place was the service. I don't see why they had to have the place so dark inside. They didn't have anything on the menu that stuck out that I would want to come back for. Cold ribs and kinda warm fries that were cut way too big for some odd reason. I just didn't have a great time here. Maybe it's just this location that was bad, but I don't think I would go back anytime soon.
(3)Cal M.
cannot beat the burger!!! Service was outstanding!!! This review comes from a 25+ year, former restaurant owner!!
(4)Jenn M.
1 star is far too generous. This is the worst restaurant I've visited in Lexington. We wandered in randomly for lunch one weekday out of curiosity and I so wish now that we never did. The entrance actually drops you off in the middle of a bar. Since we had not been there before, we waited for a few minutes foolishly thinking someone who worked there would notice and greet us or help us figure out where to go. Nope, not at all. So, we started walking towards what we thought was the restaurant. At that precise moment, an employee magically appeared and sternly yelled that we were not headed the right direction and that the restaurant entrance was to the left. Shocked and slightly terrified by this, we nervously apologized and proceeded in the other direction. Once in the restaurant, our eyes had to adjust to the cave-entrance-like dim lighting and dust-infested air. We found a table and seated ourselves since, again, we were offered no guidance. At that point, our server appeared and we ordered waters and a couple sandwiches. Fast forward 30 minutes and we still had no food and empty glasses of water. Our server was nowhere to be found so I decided to wander back to the bar/entrance with our empty glasses in hopes of refilling our H20 and putting out an SOS call to look for our server. I didn't even make it up to the bar because as soon as the bartender (man who barked rudely at us when we first entered) saw me approaching, he yelled at me that I could not get drinks from the bar and that I needed to go back to my table and sit down and wait. At this point, I was utterly disgusted. Eventually our food came and it was horrible just like everything else. Our lunch ended up taking close to an hour and a half (and that's not because we were enjoying ourselves and lost track of time in case you were confused). This place is a poor excuse for a restaurant and a complete waste of time and money.
(1)J. Paul A.
Diego salad & a hot brown with steamed broccoli. I was concerned that my college restaurant had gone downhill from some recent reviews. Rather than bail on them and find a new place, I decided to try Columbia"s to make sure. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Met at the door by a smiling face and shown to my table. Specials explained and order quickly taken. Diego salad was great as always. No idea how they make vegetables taste so good. Hot brown was hot & wonderful. Decor is dark and dated but clean and well kept. It is just as I recall it years ago. I'm sad others had a less pleasant experience, but happy it still serves exactly what I wanted and did it perfectly!
(5)Barbara H.
Absolutely worst food I've had at at steakhouse. This was recommended by our hotel and I was amazed by how bad it was. The steak tips appeared to be boiled and then were served swimming in a bowl of what was supposed to be garlic butter but looked like grease. The corn pudding was a solid mass of something but was inedible. Very disappointed
(1)Jason P.
I've been here for over an hour and I have literally not had any one approach me. I just had an older lady approach me saying that I hadn't been here but I wouldn't recognize this place to someone that is looking for a new spot. There is totally no comfort looking for their food. I would recommend going to Wendy's then to waste your time with this place.
(1)Sycarah F.
My husband recommended this place for lunch so I acquiesced despite the bad reviews. I walked in and while I waited for my husband wanted to use the restroom. Since no one was at the front, I wandered around aimlessly trying to find it. I ran into an older woman and asked if she knew where the restroom and then thinking I had forgot my manners I asked if she worked there since I would have been embarrassed asking a patron. It was hard to tel because I didn't see anyone in any type of uniform. She never answered my question about working there but before she finished telling me where the bathroom was she asked whether or not I was going to be eating there... No lady, I just entered the establishment off of the street after paying for 90 minutes of parking just to use your restroom and leave:::rolls eyes::... I went to the restroom which was really cramped and small and then went back to wait for my husband at the front.. It was then that I realized that based on all of the pictures on the walls that the lady I ran into was most likely one of the owners.... The dust on the pictures the darkness of the restaurant and the creepiness of the bathroom in addition to the rudeness of the owner made me fee like this place would be a prime candidate for Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmares, despite the 98 food inspection report on the wall. My husband arrived and we sat ourselves as requested to do so by the sign on the hostess stand. The waiter came by and was very friendly. I told my husband hat I wouldn't be eating at this establishment because I didn't want to spend my money there after being questioned about my presence in the first place. So we left and went to sidebar and had a great lunch! One tip for the folks here... Be nice to people and learn about customer service.. I will never be back.
(1)Elvin H.
Very "Old Lexington!" Service is not exceptional, but the Nighthawk Special continues to be amazing. And you can not get a bigger baked potato anywhere in town. The atmosphere takes me back to the old days. Our Diego Salad looked rather sad, but you can't beat the steaks here!
(4)Rick T.
Columbia's is a Lexington institution and their food is incredible. It's a dark loungey place with amazing food. And decent prices too! Do yourself a favor and go old school!
(5)Marc N.
It was 8pm on a Sunday before Labor Day. Me and my buddy (we're from out of town) called to make sure this place was open because every place we walked passed was closed. The owner said they were closed but because we were 5 minutes away she offered to stay open until 9pm. That is customer service!! My buddy was being very difficult when ordering food. He couldn't figure out what he wanted and when he did figure it out he was being picky. Our waiter was extremely nice and extremely patient. Again, I was impressed with the customer service! The food. I ordered the blackened salmon and my buddy order the NY strip. Both were very tasty. The salmon was very flavorful and I ended up not using the dipping sauce. The steak had an at home feel taste to it. We were both overly satisfied. With the service and food combined it felt like we were family at this restaurant! I really wanted to hate this place and Lexington as a city because I'm a die hard IU basketball fan, but this place made me love Lexington. If I ever come back to Lexington I will be back for sure! I still hate UK basketball and Calipari, but I love Columbia Steak House!
(5)Sarah V.
I've eaten here a dozen times or so now, always for lunch. I've tried their burger lunch special, which was tasty and a good-sized portion for $5-6. My favorite lunch is their French dip with Swiss, with the corn pudding as my side. Their corn pudding is pretty good, just the right amount of sweet. I've also sampled the broccoli casserole that my boyfriend ordered, and it was quite tasty. The French dip is just a darn tasty sandwich, served with au jus and and horseradish sauce. It's a very filling meal for $7. This is one of the few places I've found downtown with good sweet tea, which is silly--this town should be practically drowning in sweet tea, but unfortunately a lot of downtown restaurants seem to screw it up. Not Columbia's, fortunately--they have it down pat. The atmosphere is nice. A waitress informed me they're the oldest restaurant in Lexington, and their old-fashioned style has a charm to it. It's nicely dim inside with candles at each table. I end up with the same waitress each time and she's great; very friendly and attentive. Another reason to choose Columbia's, at least at lunch time if you're downtown, is they're one of the cheaper downtown options. Honestly, they're serving a meal for $6-9 that you'd pay $11 for elsewhere downtown, and it's tastier to boot. The only downside to Columbia's is that it takes a little longer. I go maybe once a week because it'll usually be a 45-minute to an hour trip. The food arrives hot, though, and I haven't had a problem with drinks running out, so it's not a bad experience.
(3)JJ B.
Place is garbage. Nothing about this place was good.
(1)Z D.
ordered the french dip, says thin sliced roast beef, ummm, it was 1 yes one, slice of roast beef, I'm sure it was sliced to weight so umm yeah, it was a little thick and chewy and the cheese slice was gummy as it cooled
(1)Michael J.
My wife and I ate here before a concert. We both had steaks, she a prime rib and me a ribeye. We both thought the steaks were good. The salads before the steaks were pretty good and their steak fries are very big and you get several of them. I would recommend this place and would eat there again if I am ever in Lexington again.
(4)Josh M.
food was fine. Service tried to be fine and was ok. Company was the best part. In short not sure I would go back
(2)Sarah K.
An old favorite is not even on my long list anymore. Went there Saturday night as i wanted the great Diego salad. It was not so great. First one came with no dressing that I could detect. Got more, added it, it was really just oil, no vinegar, no seasoning at all. No taste. The baked potato I got was cold, sent it back, second one was not hot and not done. Two of my party got fish sandwiches and said they were pretty good, but the tartar sauce was tasteless. They used to serve crusty bread and rye slices, but now yeast rolls - they had no taste either. Service was just so so; it was after the UK and Texas A&M game, but not that crowded. Anyway, it was a bust.
(2)Sharon B.
As usual the lamb fries were fabulous exceeded only by the friendliness of the waitress.
(5)Steve L.
Absolutely disappointing on many issues--AVOID at all costs My wife and I were in Lexington to visit nearby distilleries. We wanted to eat local over chain restaurants. After a long day of touring bourbon distilleries, we wanted steak. Columbia is hyped as a local favorite. We were intrigued when we entered and immediately seated in the rear of the restaurant--only one other couple enjoying their meal. We ordered a rib-eye to split between the two of us and each ordered sides. The broccoli casserole was lukewarm on the sides and cold in the middle. The steak was at best an average cut of meat and thin. Service was "good" up to that point. About half way through our meal and very loud, intoxicated, and obnoxious group was seated in the back dinning room with us. We were startled at how loud they were talking while carrying on a conversation--we literally could not carry on a conversation between ourselves at our table. I thought as loud as they were surely the staff would intervene. When we asked to see a manager, we were told the staff was aware at how loud they were and we were offered an apology and an opportunity to move. I politely told the manager we were finished with our meal (as much as we wanted to eat at that point), and requested the bill. There was no effort by the manager to speak to the group. I'm amazed that if the staff realized just how disturbing the group was to the rest of their patrons, they would have taken charge of the situation. Clearly they sat the group in the back dinning room to spare the majority of patrons, but their strategy demonstrated their indifference to us and our privacy. I wouldn't visit their restaurant ever again, no matter how hungry I was!!
(1)Martha F.
Ordered salmon. It was literally cold in the middle...really under-cooked. Sent it back and 10 minutes later a new piece arrived that was rubbery it was so over-cooked. 20 years ago, this restaurant was great, but they have really lost their way.
(2)Tim W.
This is a step back into the early 1960s. If you want to really do well here you need to order the Banana Peppers appetizer and then go with the Nighthawk Special. The Nighthawk Special is what this place is. I go back here often with my wife and the Nighthawk Special cannot be beat. Tremendous value for a very nice steak (cooked with garlic butter - you have to like that or you should probably go elsewhere) with large potato and salad.
(4)Vicky W.
We went for dinner on Thursday night. There was live music. We were never asked if we wanted to sit near the musician or somewhere quieter. The service was awful. Our salad came out with our steaks. The steaks were cold and tough. We left a comment card for the manager who much to our surprise, called us back. He promised 2 free meals and took down our name and address. Needless to say, they never came in the mail.
(1)Joy G.
Ok, so this is no fancy steakhouse but damn their food is good. It's consistently delish! I usually order the classic nighthawk. All of their sides are noteworthy so by all means, try them all at some point or another. Another tasty entree is the blackened salmon. You cannot beat the prices here! This a family friendly restaurant that has been in Lexington for many years and there is a reason why. They get 5 stars for food and service. I love the downtown location but the Richmond location is pretty good too.
(5)