I was in town for THE GAME with my dad from Chicago and wanted to visit an old favorite. We had been to Rigsby's a few times, oh about 25 years ago...and I will say that it has changed though only how fine dining needs to adjust things as they grow to even stronger and finer restaurants. The amazing flavors and impeccable service has not changed. We had the spicy oysters as an appetizer and they were inctedible. I ordered the glazed pork chop and it was delicious. If you are looking for a wonderul meal that you can go by yourself or a small group of ftiends it is the best choice you could make in a city with so many options.
Bread salad was done well but bread need to be toasted. Entree Cod was overcooked and bitter on top of sauteed bitter radiccio didn't taste good for $30 entree. Didn't like Waiter's attitude at all I am allergic to alcohol so I told him that I will have water like I always do then he gave me smurk like I was too cheap to order anything. I can't drink alcohol and I HATE FLAVORED DRINK. We were very disappointed with food only good thing was my husbands drinl and my water. when you charge $30 entree at least you can do is serve nice warm bread but again bread came out COLD. We are Washington DC professional eat out 3 times a week. 1 star might be more than enough.
(1)
Katie R.
Wonderful atmosphere and even better food! Made a reservation for a Saturday night and we were seated as soon as we arrived. Started with a sample plate of Antipasti. Deviled Eggs with Truffle Oil, Smoked Salmon, and fried olives. It was a great small plate. OH - then we had the most amazing bowl of butternut squash bisque. Sweet and creamy - wonderful for the cold evening. Main dish was duck that was perfectly cooked. Was complemented very well by a tart cherry sauce. My husband had the scallops which were also perfectly cooked. Will definitely be back!
(4)
Rory B.
For years I have regarded Rigsby's as of the best places to eat in Columbus. I moved about 3-4 years ago and have not been back to Rigsby's since. That is until last weekend. Once again they deserve to retain their crown. I want to order one of every small plate on the menu, every time I go in there. All delicious. Every time. The octopus was the best I've ever had. The only sad part for us was that the Catch of the day was shrimp. I would have preferred a nice slab of fish.
(5)
Robert H.
Happy hour is sort of a disappointment the one time I tried it but that doesn't make the food, service, wine, and ambience bad. Ignore the 3 star reviews as they are almost all people disappointed in the happy hour. Food, wine, service and ambience are excellent from top to bottom. Oysters Diavolo are fantastic as are any pasta dishes. Actually, i've never had a sub par meal at Rigby's. Wine prices are reasonable, too, and the service is great.
(4)
Michael C.
From the greeting by Valet, Host and Server thru service, all is awesome at Rigsby's. The atmosphere is inviting and the experience is well rounded. Service was spot on and seamless. Our meal was obviously prepared with care and Love. With Kent Rigsby in attendance you will be assured of a wonderful dining experience and know why Columbus is so fortunate to have this world class restaurant as an institution.
(5)
Jen R.
Woohoo!!!! Oyster happy hour!!! $1 per oyster on Mondays. So happy that Rigsby's has this. In addition, I find that oysters pair perfectly with a cold Peroni which they also have on special for happy hour for $2. Best deal in the world (IMHO).
(5)
Sara C.
I'm a little surprised that not many Cbus regulars have Yelped this place, although I'd walked past it plenty of times myself. A recent best of Columbus list prompted this visit, and we were joined by Lori S for a dinner meet-up! I'd browsed the menu online and was really looking forward to the small plate of grilled octopus and the main entree of scallops. The waiter was extremely enthusiastic about the specials and almost diverted me to a creamy mushroom soup, but I stuck with my original choices. The grilled octopus was served with fennel and lemons, and was a nice sized portion. I was expecting it to be a bit chewier, like calamari, but it had almost a snappy texture, not unlike good fresh lobster. The fennel and lemons were a nice contrast. The scallops were amazing. Delicate, tender, and lightly cooked, served over a sweet potato and shiitake mushroom hash. I also managed to make a good dent in a piece of carrot cake. There's great people watching here -- diverse crowds and charismatic waitstaff-- and I would tag along to sit at the bar and share small plates (especially grilled octopus). However, the main dining room experience just isn't my thing (or in my budget - even with a Dine Originals discounted certificate).
(4)
Ali W.
A Monday night happy hour review. You can't beat $1 oysters although I think other happy hours have tastier oysters. The vingrette was good. The menu says craft beers $2 ... False. They choose one beer that is $2 and they have no beer menus so this was confusing and I didn't find this out until I received my check. I also had the deviled eggs which were very good and 3 for $5 which seems weird... Just give me the second half of my egg please. I also appreciate that they gave us bread service at the bar. I would come back for the oysters some time but I'd also go to the pearl or 89 fish and grill first.
(3)
Bridgett E.
Exceptional service, food spot on. Best dining experience by far in Columbus. Scallops were the best I've had since visiting Maine.
This is a great "I want to spoil myself - or someone else" - restaurant experience in Columbus. It has taken me years of living in Ohio's capital city to finally dine at this delicious place, but it was well worth the wait. My crew and I went on a Monday. While they offer $1 oyster deals on Monday, we arrived too late as they were all sold out. So that gives me a good excuse to come back! This is just an all around solid, fine dining restaurant. The wait staff was definitely attentive and helpful in recommending various dishes. I went with the sea scallops, which I'm told is a staple of the restaurant. They were very good and the presentation looked like something straight out of "top chef"! The prices don't seem like much, but things can add up quickly as you realize things like salads don't automatically come with meals. So just a word to the wise. The dishes are also not that large. I would say after an appetizer, entre of sea scallops and a few scoops of a shared desert I was not full, but my waistline probably appreciated that! To me this isn't the "oh my god, best restaurant ever in Columbus"; but it's not that far down the list. Look forward to going back again.
(4)
Josie G.
The ambiance is great and our waiter was decent. For how much we paid for our meal, you would think the food would be better. Nothing was amazing. It was just okay. I would not go back again. But I am glad I tried it.
(2)
Patrick B.
Excellent meal with a number of very good options. Mussels and the gnocchi with pesto and bacon were very good. Our server was very helpful and was able to offer good alternatives when the wine we ordered was not available. Space was busy and had a nice upbeat atmosphere. Will be back to sample other dishes!
(4)
JJ S.
$1 oysters happy hour special!! Need I say more. I am not a huge fan of raw food but my friends wanted to try this place out! The happy hour specials were great!! My friends and I spent about $30 altogether and we got a good fix of oysters, beer and well drinks!!
(3)
Ken D.
Always a wonderful time at this place. Order the greek salad, it's amazing. Then, split the capellini natasha, next course bistro steak, then the grande finale---the vacherin! And the wine list is full of delicious bottles. You can't lose here.
(5)
Jason P.
Amazing drinks. My wife and I split the scallops - they were just ok. not much flavor for a $30 dish. Also had the pate which I was a fan of.
Chef Silas Caeton created the most exquisite and memorable meal of our lives on June 29, 2015. My father celebrated his 70th birthday at Rigsby's that night and our time as a family, enjoying delicious food and wine, was perfect. Rigsby's is headed in an amazing direction with Chef Silas and his expert taste, skills, and creativity. I highly recommend Rigsby's for anything from a happy hour snack and drink to a date with your partner to a family affair. I can't wait to see where Chef Silas Caeton takes Rigsby's over the next 28 years!!
(5)
Stephen D.
Really wonderful experience! Excellent food and fantastic service! My favorite dish was by far the oysters diavalo on crispy eggplant. It is a unique combination that works beautifully! Also loved the bar happy hour fried olives...another surprising dish that was incredible! And the truffle oil deviled eggs three ways--need I say more? I loved my capellini natasha with smoked salmon and capers and my husband loved his risotto. We split the butterscotch budino and chocolate mousse- go with the butterscotch- even a chocolate lover like me could appreciate the superiority of the budino dessert. Both came with amazing biscotti. In the future I will skip the octopus appetizer.
(5)
Werner S.
In 20 years we have never been to Columbus without going to Rigsbys. Last night will be our last meal there. While the food was average to above aveage the portion size and cost were not. The $17 sausage, cheese and vegetable plate was adequate but not sensational. 3 scallops over a 1 ich by 4 inch portion of Lyonnaise style potato was not worth $29. The pork shank whoud have been 2 pieces not the one small maybe 4 ounce worth of meat (after it was off the bone) that was served. Butterscotch pudding at $7 was average. We used to look forward to the great meals but will find someplace that is a better value. Next time we are in Columbus we will be looking for a new favorite restaurant.
(2)
Danny R.
A Shorth North original! It's hard to find something NOT to like at Rigs! Great deviled eggs. The capellini Natasha is amazing! I typically don't care for scallops but Kent and Forbes seemed to have learned how to perfect them!! The service always outstanding and the staff is wonderful! If you are in the Shorth North a night at Rigsby's is a must!!
(5)
Amanda L.
Went here for their $1 oyster Mondays, can't miss a deal like that. The oysters are decent, I mean you can't ask for too much when it's $1. It satisfied me oyster cravings sufficiently. I also had their grilled calamari salad which turns out has changed to grilled octopus. No complaints about that substitution here. The octopus itself was great and it paired well with the tomatoes. The service was good, our server kinda lingered for a bit too long but who doesn't enjoy a bit of awkwardness with happy hour. The only down side was the portion of the grilled octopus salad was pretty small for the price. For a college student, this was nice to just have some quality food but definitely not too get full while staying on a budget.
(4)
Shellie E.
Rigsbys is one of our go to spots when we are entertaining guests to Columbus. They strive to use fresh, local food vendors and switch up the menu constantly yet keep our faves. Always a great group of people dining and staff is wonderful.
(5)
Hannah B.
Went here tonight and got a good meal. We ordered the calamari, ravioli and the burger. We both thought the food was very good!!! However we were disappointed with our drinks. We tried a couple of cocktails, but ended up feeling like wine would have been a Better option. My suggestion: go with wine to pair with your food. I would have given it a 4 if the drinks were better.
(3)
Jan Z.
Excellent service provided by Anthony. It's great that they will modify the listed items to suit individual tastes. 04 dinners were served hot & n price althougho a little high was well worth it. We highly recommend Rigsby's which should be around for a really long time
(5)
James D.
RIGSBYS deserves it's new Crave number 1 ranking, says this 1st time visitor. the atmosphere has a good vibe. so what if it might be a little loud on a busy nite-it's supposed to be that way. enjoy the buzz, it's not supposed to be a funeral parlor. it was a weekday evening, not crowded, and we chatted with most of the staff, all of whom were friendly. our waitress very patiently answered our many menu questions. we started with a glass of prosecco for THE GUEST; and, for me, "ares," a medium red they are introducing. good nose, fruity to the taste buds, no alcohol tasting finish. then came steamed mussels and pork belly. full bowl of mussels. in 1 word: excellent! i wanted to bring the bowl to my lips and drink down the juices [i have no pride, but THE GUEST stopped me]. 2 words for the pork belly: order it. our large plates were the pork chop [TG] and pautice pasta [me]. the chop was big, thick, tender and cooked just right. very good mashed pots. i loved my choice. very flavorful. generous serving. could have licked this bowl, too, but she [TG] was giving me this threatening look. finished with butterscotch budino. dont overlook this treat. had to pass over many small and large plates that also appeared tempting. finally, want to thank Exec Chef Forbes Rigsby for spending several minutes chatting with us. this was not just eating out. it was the dining experience we hoped it would be.
(5)
Melissa M.
I have heard about Rigsby's since moving to Columbus and it has been on our long list of places to try. I was under the impression this was one of the nicer restaurants in Columbus, however the atmosphere and decor did not seem to match the menu. The restaurant looks as if it has not been updated since opening. The restrooms were behind a curtain and the area was not very pleasant-it was an afterthought. The service was amazing and I felt that the server truly wanted us to have the best experience possible. We loved everything that we ordered except for the carrot cake which the server spoke about as a dessert that we must have-I highly disagree with that. The food was delicious. The only exception was the bread on the table-it was cold and really lacked anything special.
(3)
Carly W.
Couple of things to preface: my husband and I went for $1 oyster night. Upside: the oysters were good. Downsides: they had 5 oysters left, so the 3 dozen we ordered were out of the question. Also, they were served with cocktail sauce (bleccch) and vinegar. The service was okay... Not as crappy as some others have rated, but I wouldn't call it astounding. We had gone craving oysters, so we decided not to order other food, but did grab a couple cocktails so as not to totally stiff our waiter. The cocktails were pretty ho-hum and watered down. As for atmosphere: basing our outing on Yelp reviews, which recommended "dressy" attire, I was quite embarrassed to arrive in a cocktail dress with heels and a nice clutch. Half the patrons were in jeans and flannels!! You are totally cool to arrive in white collar work clothes, or else opt for dress casual. It's more hipster than classy.
(3)
Carl A.
Eating this raisin nut bread that they put on the table. If you like raisin nut bread, come here.
(5)
Rick F.
Try the Lamb!!! Took clients here on a business trip. Atmosphere was fantastic as was the menu options. Been twice and have not been disappointed.
(5)
Tiffany W.
Their oysters are $1 for happy hour on Monday (starts at 4 pm, ends when the oysters are out), which is why my group of friends went. That's a pretty decent price that you can't beat, especially for being in the middle of Ohio. The oysters weren't the best, but they were oysters and they were $1. The cocktail sauce was a decent addition. We had a couple beers as well as some items off their happy hour menu. Their Sicilian meatball was alright, but nothing out of this world. We also had the crispy calamari which tasted pretty standard as far as fried calamari goes. The service was friendly and the meal was not too expensive.
(3)
Dr R.
I went here w. a friend for restaurant week and it was great! I had never been, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The staff were welcoming and wait staff attentive. I typically ask about signature drinks and dishes, and the staff was very accommodating and shared their favorites. As if they knew me for years, our waiter recommended their "Old Fashioned", which is a personal favorite of mine. I think they did a nice job with it. My friend ordered the "New Fashioned" and liked it, though we both agreed it was a touch too sweet. The highlight of the food was the beef carppachio. The garnish was superb (and definitely get some fresh ground pepper) and it melted in your mouth. We were tempted to order another one. The main dishes were good (sausage and white bean w. duck confit), and the desserts well done. I had the choc. dish w. raspberry reduction. It was a HUGE serving, so I'd recommend splitting it bc of the richness. I'm not a rice pudding person, but I was told it was well made. The timing on the service was spot on. We enjoy taking our time (multiple cocktails throughout), and we never felt rushed. All and all it was about two hours and we left satisfied and sure that we'd return. On our way out we were told about $1 Oyster Monday...which sounds like a great option for the next time out at Rigsby's.
(5)
Cynthia W.
Good was great - loved the smoked trout risotto! Service was poor and server had no energy and seemed bored waiting on us.
(4)
Pink C.
Rigsby's is one of my absolute favorite places in Columbus. The food is always excellent. I especially recommend their homemade pastas: gnocchi and ravioli. Their flavors are so sophisticated and well-balanced. It's not just traditional Italian food, it really is modern and updated (which is not to say I don't also enjoy traditional). There are always several vegetarian options and the friendly servers will always offer to make something off the menu too. The restaurant has a great atmosphere. The rooms are quite large and the tables are nicely spaced. The exposed brick walls are covered with modern artworks. There's a full bar, but it's separated from the main dining room.
(5)
Emily L.
My boyfriend and I decided to come here for Valentine's Day. We've been trying to work our way through what's considered "Columbus' Best". We chose Rigsby's because we had heard good things and it was another to cross off the list. This place is gorgeous. I loved the ambiance. There were beautiful paintings and large photographs of Columbus hanging on the back brick wall. I don't know if it's there all the time, but there was a pianist playing a baby grand piano. Our table had rose petals on it(which I'm almost positive would be for Valentine's). Our waiter was really friendly and helpful and made some good suggestions. For drinks, I had to go with one of the cocktails, the Trees Outside the Academy(by the way, all the cocktails have awesome names). It was delicious. My boyfriend had a locally brewed beer...that I can't remember the name of...I never can. Anyway, for starters, we shared the salumi tasting. There were 4 different types to taste and they were all delicious. For entrees, I had the balsamic marinated flank steak. My steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly and came with sauteed leaks, polenta, and Parmesan broccoli. It was such a perfect plate of food. My boyfriend had the braised pork shank, which I tried and it was heaven also. It came with polenta as well and prosciutto wrapped green beans. Like so many other reviews say, we did not get dessert because...Jeni's is a block away and we couldn't resist. I really liked Rigsby's and I would recommend it, but there were 2 things that were not great. One was the price. Our entrees were great and the price was fair for them, but the salumi tasting was $15.00 and I thought that was overpriced for what we got. I also thought my cocktail was overpriced, as one was $13. The other thing I was disappointed with, and this was mostly because it was Valentine's Day, was they didn't offer their full menu tonight. I had looked at the menu prior to us going to dinner and was kind of looking forward to getting an awesome pizza to start. But they weren't offered tonight. Hopefully I'll get to come back to try one, but it's always kind of annoying when restaurants don't offer their full menu in addition to holiday selections. Just my opinion.
(4)
Larry H.
Business dinner on a Thursday night and it was wonderful. I had pasta , shrimp and clams. Other 2 has gnocchi and seafood stew. Flynn was a wonderful server. This is one of the best in Columbus.
(4)
Tom L.
Tonight was my first visit here having heard good things about this restaurant. I must say I'm disappointed. The food is OK but overpriced for what it is. The service was terribly slow and the decor reminded me of something from the late eighties. I don't see a return here in my future.
(2)
SaRea S.
Can you believe I have never been here? I have walked past this place more times than I can count on my way to other destinations. Rigsby's has always been unattainable or least in my mind. So yesterday I broke down and went to happy hour. This place is pricey, bottom line - so don't come here looking for 1/2 price cocktails and appetizers. However they do have specials that change each night , just ask the hostess. Try the house made tonic with your Gin or Vodka and don't forget the small plates. We feasted on Oysters Diavolo, Pork Belly, and several cocktails. I will definitely save my coins and come back for a sleek after work drink!
(4)
Karin G.
So, we're new in town, which means we haven't quite grasped the ropes of life in a big city. The Short North area is a very unique and modern part of town, with many eclectic eateries that we have been eager to try. We made the trip down from Clintonville - chose to drive because we assumed the bus trip would take too long. With it being our first time out in Short North, we weren't sure what to do about parking. My husband chose the restaurant as a surprise for our anniversary, so I didn't know where we were going. If I DID know, I would have been involved in the whole researching-where-to-park-in-the-big-city part of going to dinner, but this was on the husband's proverbial plate. So we drove around looking for a free parking spot and after about 20 minutes of searching side streets, we finally found a sign that felt like free public parking to us. Fast forward to the end of our dining experience, we were greeted with a $40 parking ticket - now we know to valet park wherever we go in Short North. I assure you, it will be more affordable than a $40 parking ticket. Rewind, back to the beginning of our dining experience in Rigsby's Kitchen - with the added time of finding our perfect "free" parking spot, we were happy to find that we made it to the restaurant before happy hour was over. Our server was kind enough to serve us drinks from the bar in the restaurant area - which we now know is a big city no-no. We appreciated the $4 glasses of wine, as opposed to the restaurant side;s $13 rate. We order the butternut squash ravioli, which was wonderful and the octopus, which was not so wonderful in my opinion - too rubbery for my taste. I would have like to have had sides served with the entree, but you had to purchase those separately if you wanted them. As the evening went on, more people filled the restaurant, which slowed down our service. The lava chocolate cake was a great topper to the end of the meal, but I still felt hungry, so I finished off our basket of bread. I already told you how we ended the evening. So, yes, I would go back to Rigsby's, but I'm looking forward to visiting other Short North restaurants first.
(3)
Phil S.
Ignore anyone who give this less than 4 stars. The food is solid and service is spot on. Great vibe, excellent spirits and clientele. We are from out of town and first tried a cute wine bar up the street that would rate zero stars. Defiantly will come back!
(5)
Joe G.
Consistently inventive & great tasting food. Nice to see a restaurant of this caliber amongst the wannabes. I always sit at the bar. Jack never steers me wrong.
(5)
Denise Y.
Rigsby's is definitely one of the better places to eat in Columbus. The restaurant itself is high end but relaxed. Service was polite but not invasive (who likes a pushy or inattentive server?) My table had a little of everything, and all of it was well prepared. Out of the table's entrees, I would recommend the duck which was served with sweet figs or the giant seared scallops which were generous size and well prepared. With a side of brussel sprouts with pancetta for the table, the meal was complete (and I made my mom a brussel sprout lover).
(4)
Hannah V.
My boyfriend and I went to the restaurant last night before we went to gallery hop. My parents said they really liked Rigsby's so we decided to give it a shot. Once we sat down at our table, we weren't greeted for 5 minutes. Finally, the server came by with waters and said she would be right back. They were very busy so it wasn't a big deal, at first. 5 minutes later she comes back with bread and oil and says she will be right back again. After yet another 5 minutes she comes back and says "so are you ready to order?" No, we weren't ready to order because we've never been there and she hadn't explained the menu. So before I could even ask any questions she left and I think the only reason she remembered my boyfriend and I were there was because I had to WAVE HER DOWN to come back after 10 more minutes of waiting! We ordered the meatballs for an appetizer and they were honestly very underdone. I got the quail and my boyfriend ordered the crab ravioli and they were both excellent. I'd give this place another try but only because the food was good. The service was absolutely terrible. Edit: I got an email from the owner asking me to come give Rigsby's another try. I've get to go back but I am eager to try again!
(3)
Melinda S.
My husband and I moved to Columbus from NC a few months ago and are trying out a new restaurant almost every weekend as we get to know the area. I really wanted to like Rigsby's Kitchen. It was recommended to me by several friends and colleagues and gets high marks on most restaurant review sites. Unfortunately, I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. Unlike what other folks have written in their reviews, we didn't find the service unfriendly or snobbish -- quite the opposite. Everyone we interacted with was extremely friendly and accommodating. We sat at the bar to enjoy Happy Hour and then moved to the dining room for our dinner reservation. Here's a blow by blow, brief description of everything we ordered: Deviled egg trio (at the bar): Quite good and well executed. Would be even better if they had used those yummy, delicate quail eggs instead of regular chicken eggs (we go to a restaurant in Boone, NC that uses quail eggs and that was a revelation in terms of what deviled eggs can be). Still tasty, though. Caesar salad: Much too fishy for a Caesar salad ordered without anchovies. Cream of watercress soup with Parmesan: Absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, it wasn't served at a hot enough temperature. Gnocchi bolognese. Good, but the sauce was too sweet to make it great. Brussels sprouts: Good, nice al dente texture with delicious crispy pancetta. Needed acid. Sauteed spinach with garlic: Also needed acid. We asked for some vinegar to be brought to the table for both the Brussels sprouts and spinach. Pork Belly: Nice and crispy, but again, there was a sweet taste that was a bit off-putting. I asked the server if there were cloves or something in it and she checked with the chef who said it was probably the cooked apple. Anyway, it wasn't bad but a bit too sweet for my taste. Finally, the bread basket (with bread from their own bakery) was good but the bread was stone cold. In my opinion, bread should be served warm. We ran out of room for dessert so can't comment on that. My husband and I concluded that we would go back to Rigsby's for Happy Hour (great drink prices Mon-Sat and $1 oysters on Monday) and probably order from their bar menu, which is different from the restaurant menu. They have those good deviled eggs, plus some yummy-sounding dishes we haven't tried yet such as homemade meatballs and homemade sausage pizza. However, I don't see us dining in the restaurant again. It's too pricey for the quality of the food.
(3)
Allison B.
My husband and I tried this restaurant for Restaurant Week, but we won't be going back. The service was excellent and the ambiance was nice, but the food was not great. We chose French Mussels for the appetizer, and those were delicious. Unfortunately, this got us excited for the main course, a trio of meatballs, calamari, and a cheese/bread/bacon kebab. The kebab was weird, sort of like food you might sample at a catered work lunch or someone's graduation party, it the pieces were not bite sized and the overall effect was too rich. It was also partially charred, which may have been intentional but felt burnt. The meatballs were dense and appeared to have whole pine nuts in them (nuts made a weird texture)- I am no expert on meatballs but these did not encourage me to eat more. The calamari, which is normally one of my favorite foods, was far too salty- my husband and I both felt this way. I could not finish the calamari. It was difficult to get over the salty calamari with the tiny glasses of tepid water they gave us. The dessert was nice- a macaroon, piece of pistachio biscotti, and Jeni's ice cream- but then why didn't we just go to Jeni's, which very close? Again, the service was lovely, but we can't justify choosing to eat here when there are so many other, better places in Columbus!
(2)
Tony Z.
I sat at the bar for 20 minutes this Saturday only getting a water with a piece of food in it. The bartenders could not even come back to get our drink order. We finally went to Martini's and got exceptional service.
(1)
Kara K.
Finding a nice restaurant open for lunch in Columbus is a bit of a challenge. My top choices (Spagio, Z Cuchina, & Vino Vino) aren't open for lunch & some not even open on Mondays. So, my family ended up at Rigsby's on Monday for lunch to celebrate my bar passage & getting sworn in as a lawyer. The restaurant was almost deserted at noon on a Monday. But it was okay since there were still 9 of us. They seated us at one table which was obviously two tables pushed together. Unfortunately the two tables they chose to push together were different heights, leaving those in the middle of the table forced to either eat with their plate at an angle or pushed in a very small area. The bread was delicious. My mother referred to it as the best bread she's ever tasted (and trust me, my family loves our bread). My gnocchi was perfect. Since there were 9 of us, I really don't remember what all was ordered...I believe the arctic char, salmon, lobster roll, steak salad, grilled cheese, & cheeseburger (yes, my 18 yr old brother cannot go anywhere without a cheseburger). The only complaint about the food was that they wanted more. As good as the food was, I wish the service was better. Our reservations were for 12:15, allowing us (we thought) plenty of time to eat & get to the Ohio Theatre by 2pm. I'm not sure if our waiter thought we were all still deciding or what the deal was. It was nearly 1pm before we ordered. I had to scarf down my gnocchi & leave in a hurry. I would have loved to try their desserts, but their simply wasn't time.
(3)
Tommy M.
it's been a while since I've been back to Rigsby's. When I sat down to meet with a friend, Kent Rigsby kindly came over to say hi and welcomed me back into his wonderful establishment. You see, I had written an unfavorable YELP review about an experience that myself and my friends had in the summer of 2011. This year, my review was addressed by Kent himself. His email was kind and apologetic. The next week I took another meeting (happy hour meeting) at Rigby's [you see, I like to take all of my meetings at restaurants that I patron often and that provide good food, drink, and service...it's how I give back to my favorite establishments]. My guest, my partner, and I opted to sit at the bar. The bar has a wonderful tasting menu as well! Our experience was wonderful, and the service was great too. Joe does an excellent job tending bar (he's a Rigsby's fixture) with his wonderful cocktail creations and his humor and charm. Needless to say, I'm a fan of Rigsby's again!
(4)
Craig M.
It was a great dinner. The specials were priced well and the quality of food was wonderful. Fine dining in a casual setting.
(4)
Sofia D.
We went for Dine Originals Week, so we tried the three course meal which was great. Out waitress was nice and attentive, but didn't hover. The place wasn't packed since it was mid-week and the live music was a nice touch. The risotto was great. I would return for another nice dinner.
(4)
Lisa M.
Stopped in to Rigsby's today as part of a Columbus Food Adventures tour. After 25 years, it is amazing how this place stays fresh and current. We had the pleasure of meeting the new chef and his creations did not disappoint! The others on the tour had a beautiful grilled salmon served on black lentils with a red wine reduction. They raved! And since I am allergic to fish, they were very kind and made a special pasta dish for me - sometimes we forget that the most simple preparations can be the most delicious. I had linguini tossed with butter, garlic, basil and sun-dried tomatoes and could not have been more delighted. It is really refreshing and nice to see someone who was a pioneer in the Short North back in the scary days, continue to enjoy such success. Kudo's to Kent Rigsby and his entire team!
(5)
Ellen F.
Holy cow, wow. I can't even pick out favorites from this menu. Everything, I promise, everything is spectacular. Okay, so I haven't actually tried everything, but what I have tasted was wonderful and what I've heard from dinner dates have shared the same opinion. The weekend nights are jam packed. know this in advance. If you want dinner, try going early or do a call-ahead. I actually like the bar, and don't mind waiting there. I've been able to meet a number of very interesting people just chilling at the bar. The uber high ceiling and fairly new modern decor creates a nice environment for open conversation, meeting new people and happy people. Yeah, sure, high ceilings have wonderous affects on the human psyche.
(5)
Kat A.
This was our third try for Rigsby's. We are always reading/hearing how great it is but that was not my experience the first two times we were there. We visited at the time of the recent Dine Originals menu which gave us choices from a pre-fixe menu. The best part of the meal was the wine that was part of the deal. Santa Lucia Vigna del Melagrano, a very nice fruit-forward, highly-drinkable wine. First course was some "assorted small bites" which consisted of crostini (cold) with cold tomato-y relish on top, some small, lukewarm meatballs and a spoonful of pickled veggies. A little warmth would have added to the flavors for sure. I had salmon on some fava bean puree with broccoli raab and cherry tomatoes. I don't normally spend a lot of time evaluating the composition of my plate, but I do notice when it's badly off. This was fish plopped on a gray pile of bean puree with some raggedy looking bits of parsley straggling around on the plate. Just not what I expected from a place of this supposed caliber. Dessert was a completely flat, bland tasting apple crostata that was supposed to have a caramel-cocoa sauce. How can something like that not taste great?! It is rare for me to not finish a dessert- I gave up on this before I was halfway through. Hard to believe. Our waiter was a gem, though, all smiles and genuine attentiveness. Sorry Rigby's, we tried, we really tried.
(2)
Colin S.
A nice dinning experience. The ambiance is pleasant and there is little background noise making conversation easy. The wait staff is OK. Excellent wine list. The menu is interesting and diverse, but the food lacked a sophistication that I expected given the restaurant's reputation. The flavors of the dishes I tried lacked harmony. The textures were interesting but one flavor dominated each dish even though the dishes appeared to constructed to showcase multiple ingredients.
(3)
Michael D.
Very nice. Solid dining experience. Went with a party of 6, great service, everyone raved about their meals and deserts. They ran out of the rib-eye special my friend wanted but he was very satisfied with the pork loin. I had the stuffed chicken which was cooked perfectly with a very nice and light sauce. The gnocchi looked fabulous. For deserts, it seems the cheesecake with lavendar petals was the favorite desert. Good wine list, no complaints, but wouldn't rave about it either. I'm personally more interested in California wines and their list was at least 1/2 Italian wines from many different regions. So if you are looking for that, you'll probably like the list better than me. A good atmosphere for dates, friends, or business alike. I travel a lot and get to go to the best places all over the world, so it's tough to give Rigsby's 5 stars, but you won't be disappointed.
(4)
D H.
Magnifico! There must be some residual Italian left in me from dinner :) What a great restaurant. Great space, not overly cramped with a nice mixture of clientele. As a group we had: Lasagne - wow, this is how it should be, a really robust dish Scallops - cooked to perfection Salmon - again, cooked to perfection and very sweet Go back??? hell yeah, I may even travel to Columbus to go here ( well,if i were staying in Dublin,OH) but I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Onwards and upwards
(4)
tobin m.
The best dining experience I've had in the three months that I've been in Columbus. 1. The food is great - well prepared, creative and interesting options 2. Great atmosphere 3. The desserts were excellent.
(5)
Rich P.
Tough parking. Good host/hostess. nice ambiance, but VERY loud. very marginal service. Average Caesar salad. Nice scallop entree. Very good sicilian meatball pizza. relatively small wine list, but with pretty nice selections. Major dtractor was the marginal service. I didnt think it was fair to give it 2 stars, but i also wouldnt call it "A-OK" which is what Yelp calls 3 stars. We would go again at some point, but we'll explore other dining establishments first.
(3)
deb k.
The service was terrible. We sat for 15 minutes after being seated before anyone brought us water. Then we waited for another 10 minutes before getting the menu. Then another 15+ minutes before getting our order taken by a server who spoke quietly and seemed jumpy and scared and completely unsure of everything she was saying and doing. It was EXTREMELY loud - we almost had to yell across the table to be heard. The tables were very close to one another and one side was a long bench seat. So each time the person next to me moved or got up, I felt it. For the price of the food it was not good. The food itself was okay, but for the cost, it sucked. I wouldn't waste your time or money. For a nice meal go anywhere else.
(1)
J S.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in C-Bus. The food is excellent and always reflects the best seasonal produce. The bar has been remodeled and is a great place to sit and watch the oddities of the Short North through the large glass windows.
(5)
Beverly R.
I have been here several times. I have never been disappointed! The price is a bit more than most, but we'll worth the cost. Wine selection is great as well. Service was also exceptional.
(4)
Kym Z.
Walked by this restaurant a thousand times going to other destinations. This place just kind of blends in with the rest of the quaint restaurants along High Street but the food does not. Worth keeping an eye out for this place. Food, staff, atmosphere were all beyond good.
(4)
Stephen B.
Love this place. Best Monday happy hour around. Dollar oysters, great drink prices, amazing food and always great service. I've never had a bad experience.
(5)
Shelby L.
Rigbys was excellent! Our server was very attentive, knowledgable on the menu, and answered any questions we had. We shared the deviled eggs appetizer, which was great, and my boyfriend had the porkchop. Oh my goodness was it amazing, definitely recommend! I had the butternut squash ravioli, which was good, but on the sweeter side which I wasn't expecting. Overall, great place!!!
(4)
Michelle L.
Food was okay but nothing to write home about. Service was adequate at best thanks to our server Ben. Got over cooked pork that was tough but did have nice flavor. Gave it two stars instead of one because the gnocchi was cooked perfectly as was the chocolate cake which was pretty great. Also, the decent sized pours for wine by the glass bumped it up a bit. Our server was neglectful however, and walked by our table several times without asking if we wanted to order, have refills on our water, etc. Also, our bread basket was absolutely filthy (picture uploaded) and turned us off from eating any of the bread once we noticed it. Once we pointed it out to Ben our server he gave us an attitude stating "well they do wash them but I guess we should throw this one away" and scooped it from our table. He did not offer to comp anything for us and did not have a supervisor come speak with us. Overall very disappointed especially considering the price. We will not return here.
(2)
Aaron F.
I like the fact they are farm to table and buy local! The food is very good, not great. The pork belly appetizer and potato gnocchi bolognese are very good, and priced well. Have not been there on Monday's for $1 oysters, but here great things. How can $1 oysters be bad? I have the same issue with this place as I do with many other Cbus restaurants. Since you cannot "legally" bring in your own wine, I would hope and expect for the restaurant to have a great wine list, commensurate with the price of food. Wine list here is mediocre at best.
(3)
Long H.
Great place for dinner! We came here as a very big group, and our server was delightful and attentive. The food was great, especially their scallops. During happy hours, you can get wine for $5, and their wine is pretty decent. I didn't like their deserts since they were a bit too sweet for me.
(4)
Christine N.
Rigsby's. Why is it so loud in here? I can hardly hear myself think. I miss your more robust happy hour offerings. Simply dollar oysters on Mondays? Great deal, except that I can't convince raw oyster novices to come with me because the happy hour menu doesn't offer anything else. Aside from that, the noise is awful at Rigsby's. The wall decorations are nice but there's nothing on the ceilings to help absorb some noise. Just harsh acoustics all around. The food was ok. Nothing amazing. The crispy pork belly was heavy on the salt. I had the pappardelle with rabbit ragout, orange something and olives. I couldn't really taste the orange that the waiter insisted created more of a zesty flavor rather than a sweet flavor. The rabbit didn't taste exceptional. It could have been chicken for all I know. The sea scallops with lemon risotto. They make sure you know there's lemon in that risotto if you catch what I mean. Overwhelming doesn't quite begin to describe. I was initially upset because the hostess chose to seat us at a table next to the kitchen entrance with all the runners bustling past. I know space is at a premium but I don't think it's a good idea to place a table there. I requested to be seated elsewhere and after a few minutes we were moved to another table. I really appreciate their hospitality in that regard.
(3)
Sean T.
I have to give this place a bad review based on service and attitude. We had a party of 8, and the food was okay, (nothing special to note here). But the service was unbelievably poor. First the waiter was basically rude to every woman at the table. It started with my wife's drink order, she requested a drink that they did not have, and he countered with "have you ever had a Manhattan." Hello, we are in our 40's if she wanted a Manhattan, she would of asked for it. She then tried to describe what she wanted again, and he said "Oh, I know what you want" and left. he proceeded to return with a Manhattan. Not once did he ever ask her if her drink was all right. (it wasn't) Anyway, the rest of the night we never really saw our waiter because another party of ten was sitting next to us and taking most of his time. Water glasses were left empty, no one checked on our meals, and one person had to go find a spoon for his soup. The worst service ever. So here comes the topper, my wife calls to talk to the manager the next day and tell him how disappointing we were. His comment was "well what do you want me to do about it?" no apology, nothing offered, just nothing. She suggested he call the person that paid the bill, and he said why. She told him to apologize. he said ok, took the number and never called. In his explanation of the poor service, he threw out that that the other table ordered over ten bottles of wine and left a $200 tip. So apparently if they think you are a big tipper, you will get better service. Well, I got news for you, since our bill, was over $700, he missed out on another big tip that was out there, because we left nothing. So I hope it averages out well. Finally, and I hope they read this, you never know who your customers are. Sure, they were big tippers, and that is great. Are they even local? Because guess what, i entertain parties of 8-12 three to four nights a month. Almost always in short north or German Village. and guess what restaurant was just removed from my "goto" list. Good luck, because I will never be back.
(1)
Heather K.
I have a special take on Rigsby's. I worked there in college as well as Tasi. It was one of my first jobs in Columbus and their standards for their employees were very high. It was not the easiest job but I was definitely impressed by how much the Rigby's care about what they do. Since, I have returned for dollar oyster night or happy hour. Rigsby's has one of the greatest bars in the city. It's so beautiful with the light coming in from the windows. I definitely recommend it for a first date - their are many great sharable items on the bar menu. Rigby's has a lot of wonderful regulars that I always enjoy seeing when I come in. Rigsby's is one of the few restaurants where I will order pasta. It's worth the carbs - so perfectly delicious I'm craving it just thinking about it! I also always enjoy seeing their specials on Facebook and Instagram. I have a lot of respect for any restaurant who uses social media to engage their customers.
We came from NY to celebrate my sons 21st birthday who goes to OSU. We waited 10 minutes to sit despite having a reservation. Our waiter was excellent. He explained the menu and was both informative and pleasant. Appetizers were all good. Oyster and calamari were especially delicious. We all chose something different for dinner. My duck was excellent. Red cabbage it came with was good. Mashed sweet potatoes were not. My family enjoyed the days special, striped bass, the gnocchi, risotto and the pappardelle bolognese. My sons carrot cake was delicious, the molten chocolate cake was just ok (way to sweet). Yes it is pricey but we enjoyed the atmosphere, service and food. We would return :)
(5)
Natalie H.
Came here with a few friends for Restaurant Week. Our service was prompt and friendly, and we didn't have to wait very long for the food. The environment is lovely and classy, but I felt that the atmosphere alone did not warrant the high prices of the menu items. I consider myself to be an adventurous eater, but nothing on the menu really stood out as being particularly appetizing (it was very heavy on the seafood side) I ordered the Salmon Gravlax and the Wild Boar Sausage with Duck Confit which were both pretty good, but not *awesome*
(3)
Alan R.
This place kicks major ass in the drink and food category! Any dish with the smoked Salmon is to die for! From what I understand they smoke it all in the basement. Huge fan of the ambiance. It is pretty open yet when on a date its very intimate. I have been here with large groups as well (8+) and have a great time! I highly recommend going. Dont let one persons shitty experience stop you from trying it out! Also the owner kinda blocks cell service so people are not on their phones the entire night. I like that!
(5)
Yousra Z.
Pretty good for Columbus - lamb kabobs were good. Fair warning (or tip, depends how you see it) - tons of pork on the menu - even when they don't have it listed in the item description
(4)
ZZ K.
I'll keep this one short and sweet. My friend had told me this place was great. AfterI I finished, I thought great only described the truffle deviled eggs and the stuffed dates. My scallops were cooked nicely and the polenta dish with smoked salmon we had was meh and the eggplant parmigiana my friend ordered was bitter. The service was fine despite our server having minimal social skills and not telling us about any specials - happy hour or otherwise (including their small plates/tapas) until we asked. The ambiance was nice, have to say I was shocked to find out this place had won a prestigious award... I would not go back, too many better options around.
(3)
Jose L.
Really great meal. First, we were greeted by host and also server Yusef, who seemed genuine and helpful. He made many suggestions, one great which included skipping dessert and hitting the incredible Jennie's Ice Cream shop two doors down. When was the last time a restaurant person recommended someone else's food? :) Nice atmosphere, we started with olives and bacon-wrapped dates, I got the Branzino, nicely prepared, no fuss. The oysters looked great, one of my colleagues got the deviled eggs, not what mom used to make. Highly recommend this place in downtown Columbus.
(5)
Elyse F.
I'm torn. The real rating of Rigsby's should be a 41/2. I went to Rigsby's last night with two friends for dinner. We were slightly early but they seated us immediately. We did check our coats at the door and the hostess was incredibly friendly. We were seated at a nice large table in the dining room and I would say the place was 3/4 of the way full. I was wearing jeans, a sweater, and snow boots and I felt slightly under dressed although it was -5 yesterday so I didn't feel that bad. Rigsby's is a little dressy, nice business casual but not cocktail attire. Our waitress was Flynn and her service was absolutely excellent. She wasn't intrusive but was very nice and attentive. She was the right amount of present, taking orders but not rushing us, making sure everyone had a drink, definitely grade A service. The drinks are why this place loses half a star in my book. The cocktails are $12 a piece and they are tiny. I should not be able to drink my drink in five slips. I want something that will last from the beginning of being seated through appetizers and then I want a second drink to last from before the main course to the end of the meal. The drink was just too small. Taste-wise it was fine, I didn't love but I was trying something new. I should mention I got the Amelia. I wouldn't order it again but I'm not sure what I would order because the cocktail menu didn't have anything that sounded particularly good to me. My friend had the Varient. She didn't enjoy it, it was overwhelmingly orange, also very small. She later had a Manhattan and that was much cheaper (only $7) and she enjoyed it more. The other friend had a glass of red and it was a good serving size, lasted her through the meal and she enjoyed it. We started with the antipasto platter and the la tur cheese. The antipasto was good on the small size but we were able to share it so everyone tried everything. The pickled vegetables were everyone's favorite thing. The la tur cheese was fabulous. It was rich and creamy and was a solid serving. I would definitely plan on sharing it, it would be way too much for one person. Also it could have used more crackers but overall it was excellent. The man who brought it to the table said it is his favorite cheese and that you can only find it at the North Market. We each ordered a large plate. I had the potato gnocchi bolognese, one friend had the butternut squash ravioli, and the other had the pan roasted sea scallops. Everyone enjoyed their food immensely. I thought mine could have used more gnocchi. It was a lot of delicious ragu and only 4 or 5 gnocchi so the ratio was off. My friend with the scallops loved them and the vegetables. The butternut squash ravioli was very sweet. She liked it a lot, I tried it and I'm not sure I could have eaten it. Highlights: Excellent service from Flynn as well the man bring bread, busing tables and filling water. His game was on point. Good food, I be back with a different audience. Portion size was excellent. I had enough to be totally full without hating myself. Downside: I love a good cocktail and the cocktails here really let me down. Overall, it ranks high for me and I would totally recommend Rigsby's.
(4)
Jeremy B.
Good food,good drinks. Waitress was always on the spot. A little pricey but definite great food.
(5)
Jared E.
As many reviews have echoed: Rigsby's is okay. The food is fair. It's not bad, but for the price, it's not good enough. Went here last night, so I will start from the beginning. First off, valet was "full" apparently. Being that it was the weekend there was of course no where downtown to park. We ended up heading around the corner to park at level's valet. This wasn't too much of an inconvenience, but for an expensive restaurant don't tell us you can't accommodate my car when I have an 8:30 reservation. I hold expensive, trendy restaurants to high standards from start to finish. We wandered in to the hostess stand and were quickly seated in a good table up front right next to the window. The hostess was as friendly as you would expect for a trendy restaurant--meaning she did her job, but didn't go out of her way to be welcoming. I'm torn on the atmosphere here--I can't decide if I like it or not. Something about it seems cheap or unfinished. I felt like something was missing--it just didn't all come together. We ended up splitting a bottle of really good wine--a pinto grigio and verduzzo blend. The wine prices by the glass are *extremely* pretentious--the average hovered at $13. They come out in those little carafes--and while you may be getting an extra 2 ounces or so from a "standard wine pour," these are really nothing more than a healthy pour of wine you'd get at a place that doesn't ration out their pours. So, that's why we decided on a bottle at $34 as opposed to paying out the rear end for a glass. Here's what else went down last night: Service--wonderful. The server was awesome, super friendly, talkative, knew his stuff. Food-Tasting Plate--underwhelmed. A couple "truffle" deviled eggs--couldn't taste the truffle oil at all. A couple of extremely salty smoked salmon pieces on top of a fried potato cake that had a very heavy oil flavor. Some mixed nuts and fried olives. Overall, come on folks--you can do much better than this. Endive Salad--again, underwhelmed. Very nice greens, but overall I'm embarrassed I paid $11 for this. Red Snapper Special--the actual fish was excellent. The presentation and finish left something to be desired. I had to salt this fish--something I almost never do. When I figured out that's what it needed halfway through it became a much better dish. It came with some pearl couscous that just wasn't interesting. Brick Chicken--this and the snapper were two of the specials tonight. My date and I discussed that a rotisserie chicken from kroger or giant eagle is just as good. This wasn't bad by any means, but we expected more. Coffee, Dessert, After Dinner Drink--coffee wasn't hot, but warm to luke warm. It was good coffee though, just not served hot. Had a molten chocolate cake--have had better, many times, many different places. Ordered some Tia Maria that was served in a snifter that REEKED of Sambuca or some other anise based liquor. The glass had obviously not been washed. The server took this off our bill though. Other--they seem to do a good business here, though I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's another place to *pose* in the short north and is in a trendy location. Overall, totally not worth it. The water served at the table was not cold. Oh, and DRY your wine glasses before they are placed on to my table--totally gauche to lay down glasses fresh out of the washer that have not been polished for wine service.
(3)
Riri A.
One of the best restaurant in Cbus. I enjoy more for their lunch because I like to go there when it's not full. their breads are excellent their tabasco flavor muscles are amazing. their creme brulee and choclate cake with ice cream is the best.
(5)
George Y.
My thoughts run between a 3 and a 3.5. But before I start anything, I must mention the server. She was very friendly and helpful, but that's not what I want to share. She asked what we wanted to drink and I asked for a drink menu. She points to a drink menu on the table, literally inches from my hand. I laughed and said "do you have glasses" and pointed to the ones I was wearing. I was joking as if I needed a new pair of glasses. She said she'd look and left. I was somewhat confused, and thought she's really not going to get a pair of glasses. Sure enough, she returned with a pair of reading glasses. I apologized that I was just joking, but I never knew that reading glasses are something you can request from a restaurant. Now back to the food. We started off with a calamari fritti. I misread the item and I thought it was a calamari fritter, which I thought would have been interesting to try. I was a little depressed to see what was a standard calamari. Now the aioli that came with it was very good, but I was really wanting a fritter. For some reason I wanted meat, so I ordered the balsamic flank steak, medium rare, with wilted leeks, polenta and broccoli romanesco. Pretty good steak, bloody, tender and well seasoned. I would rank this below Ruth Chris and better then Hyde Park. I wolfed the polenta and broccoli, but the wilted leeks was quite sour. Not my cup-o-tea. We skipped dessert and headed across the street to Jeni's. I was expecting more, especially after looking at the bill.
(3)
Cherie R.
I sometimes don't get all the hype about this place. It's good. But not phenomenal. I like Tasi better, although I never get a chance to go because my husband doesn't like going to the Short North - parking's a pain. Anyhow, we've been to Rigsby's about three or four times now - the food is always good - but not REALLY good. And it's a little overpriced - I think I can get a phenomenal meal for the same price at a few other establishments in Columbus. That and I think the service is sometimes sketchy - they messed up my brother-in-law's order and their first reaction was to argue with him that they gave him the correct order. They fixed it after a while - we were also trying to get to a show, so it slowed us down. The waiter was either slammed or flustered, because he didn't drop by as soon as he should have. It's one of those places where I wouldn't go out of my way to not come here - but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. We usually come with the in-laws, who ARE fans of the place.
(3)
Katherine C.
Been a few times when there were not many others present, but service was always surprisingly slow. Maybe they are understaffed? The food I've had here has been really good. fresh and flavorful. Pasta cooked to just the right texture, they have a flavorful, individualized take on all the classic italian dishes, salads are good, but definitely not the highlight. Environment is crisp, modern, chill. It's High Street, so parking can be a challenge.
(3)
Chelsea S.
If I could give 3.5 stars I would. Both Food and Service were good but not great. Deviled eggs were good. Oyster with the eggplant was tied with the stuffed figs as the favorites. Entrees were just okay. Over all just an average meal. I would give it a try again.
(3)
Danny B.
Beyond disappointed! Visiting friends in wonderful Columbus, we decided to go here on the recommendation of a few locals. Amazed at how awful the entire experience was. Asked for a few special dietary changes - nothing crazy and seemed unable to property execute. Burger was way over done and lacking all flavor. Dessert was burnt - and nothing special. While service was ok it defiantly was lacking the special touch. Bathroom was beyond dirty and completely over looked by management. Working in the world of hospitality I was so disappointed on every level with this place. Three courses for 137$ was way over priced for flavorless food and horrible plating. Not worth the price or attitude. Only good thing was have valet parking.
(2)
Doo-Dah W.
Love this place. The dining room is very formal and a great place to go to celebrate something special. However, the bar is much more casual. The small plate menu is perfect for snacking (especially the truffle deviled eggs!) and there are also great deals on drinks (chimay for $4? yes please). Service is usually great, although it can be slow at times (there's always only one bartender working).
(4)
Akira S.
The service was great. The host and hostess were very accommodating and the waitress was very good. Unfortunately, the food wasn't that great and was very over priced. Four small slices of mozzarella was $13. The croutons on my salad were like stale bread and the lamb was chewy.
(2)
lorrin S.
This was one of the worst dinners I've ever been to. The service was rude and very slow, the food was burnt, dry, and wilted.. They messed up 2 out of 3 of our drinks.. How do you mess up a Vodka soda?!?!? I travel all over for work and eat in all different places. From high end to dives. I've never had such a bad experience! Please do not wait your money. There are so many better places to eat with in walking distance!
(1)
Michael G.
I had the in-season egg plant parmesan from the regular menu. Outstanding in all regards and the best red sauce I've had in a long time. Simple and very flavorful. Service was excellent as usual and the bathrooms were perfect, as usual. The bartender however, needs to learn how to make an Old Fashion. It was poor when first delivered, no fruit just the rind, no muddling, little bitters. I sent it back, it was no better on the return.
(4)
Kerry M.
Actually I have gone to Rigsbys from time to time for many years. I am aware of the outstanding reputation of this restaurant and I have been impressed with food and service previously. Tonight, I was disappointed, at best. Service was friendly but inattentive and the food was unremarkable. I believe the kitchen must think that because the reputation of the restaurant is excellent, there is no need to try. I will give Rigsbys one more visit soon, but if the experience is again disappointing, I will anoint Rigsbys as a restaurant that used to be great.
(3)
Mandi D.
I had been wanting to try Rigsby's Kitchen for some time now. I'm a huge Tasi Cafe fan (especially for brunch) and knowing the ties between the two restaurants (Tasi is married to Rigsby, isn't that adorable, read the story here: rigsbyskitchen.com/about… ) I suspected I would be a Rigsby's fan as well. Unfortunately being the poor professional student that I am, it had to be reserved for an occasion. Enter my birthday and a doting (and very tolerant of my pricey food tastes) boyfriend. Overall I was impressed with my experience at Rigsby's. We had a 9 PM reservation on a Saturday evening and were immediately seated. The service was prompt. Our waiter was very attentive and had wonderful suggestions. We started our meal with a shared margherita pizza, in honor of a tradition from our vacation in Rome. The pizza actually reminded me very much of the Roman pies. I had an incredible glazed duck, and he very much enjoyed his lamb chops. My favorite part of the meal was the mashed sweet potato that was served with my duck--it was seasoned with coriander, something that I would have never thought of, and as someone who doesn't always care for sweet potatoes, I thought it made them quite exceptional. Admittedly we didn't stay for dessert, not so much because of the menu but more because Jeni's is a block away. And who can say no to Jeni's? (No one.) Pros: - Easy reservations online (through Urbanspoon) - Quick, attentive service - They are now trying a rotating menu format that changes every few days, so there are no specials (or the specials are the menu). It makes the menu shorter, but gives you a chance to try new things. And they always have their homemade gnocchi and ravioli, which according to other reviewers are worth trying - Very flavorful, thoughtful dishes - Valet (parking in the Short North is often painful) Cons: - Price. But its not outrageous (we paid $70 for an appetizer and two entrees with tip) Honestly, I'll head a block east of the Kitchen to the cafe for my Rigsby/Tasi family fix. But this was a memorable experience for a special night.
(4)
Monty B.
Clearly a business dinner type place. The dishes are fine. Maybe a little pricey for what you're getting, but then again who cares when the company is paying.
Rigsby's is my go to recommendation for anyone who wants a "foodie" spectacular dinner. Great wine list, amazing cuisine! A very creative approach to food. Classic Italian and Frenchie dishes from osso bucco's to cioppino's great prime meats to amazing fish! Fresh house roasted beets and skorthalia to the most classic and inventive salads to amazing creative classics.
(5)
Steve V.
Our daughter has lived in Columbus for five years, first as an OSU student, and now she lives and works there. Every time we visit we go out to eat several times during the weekend. As a Washington DC foodie equally fond of restaurants in NY and Boston, I was doubtful we would find the kind of restaurant experience we take for granted, but I was mistaken. We have dined at some pretty nice places during our visits over the years, and upon the first visit to Rigsby's, I included them among the group of go to places. But after the second visit? Not worth the risk of a third try. I didn't bother writing a review because I often refer to these reviews as more often Yelpful (use your imagination) than helpful, but since we are planning a visit soon, I noticed that Rigsby's has fallen from grace, and so i decided to add my experience because they need to make some adjustments, or they are going to find interest in them dwindle, and I think that they have the foundation to be a really good restaurant. My recollection of the food is more general b/c it was probably over a year ago that we were last there, but all in all our party was unimpressed. The nuanced and flavorful food I remembered from the previous visit was replaced by bland, uninteresting cuisine the second time around. I do specifically remember that my fish was overcooked, which is a restaurant 101 sin, let alone excusable for a restaurant of this purported caliber. But the lasting impression is that Rigsby's seems too focused on its hipster vibe (get over yourselves) and the result is to provide an experience to which many of the more recent reviews refer - rude, pretentious, inattentive service. My family teases me for overtipping, but it is the lifeblood of the server, so it is my pleasure to do so. I probably left around 10% (short enough to send a message) the last time, because I felt ignored, which is bad enough, but I might have left nothing if we had the experience of some of your reviewers. Funny - what is it about Columbus's purportedly hot restaurants? We had a similar experience at the Refectory - meh. Anyway, you're better off at G. Michael's where you will be pampered and the food is very good to excellent. They exemplify a restaurant that impresses without seeming like they're even trying. In the meantime, Rigsy's, get your sh.., ah, act together. Hours later: So addendum to this review several hours later. I got an email from Kent Rigsby regarding my review. He was professional and attentive to my comments, and said he would not only look into the concerns, but that if I came back, he would see to our dining experience himself. That is responsiveness I am not used to that in the past decade or two, and so I am changing my rating to 3 stars as a result. I will give this establishment another shot next time I'm in Columbus, and hope to give it the five stars I would have given it after my first visit.
(3)
Char M.
Service is fantastic...they definitely make you feel fantastic from the minute you walk in the door... Branzino...first time I had this fish and it was great...thanks to the recommendation of my server The chocolate souffle with ice cream was excellent!
(4)
Mike B.
Harsh.... Harsh is how I'm reviewing Rigsby's. I expected a lot more, but was generally disappointed. Let's start off with Valet service, well, there wasn't really any service there. I pulled into the street on the south end of the building where there's a stand, waiting five minutes, valet never showed up. Parked myself in one of the valet spaces, finally found someone as we walked into the restaurant from the high st. stand, "oh yeah, that guys never around", well, why bother having a stand there then? Upon entrance, met by the host who was rocking the canadian tuxedo. Seriously, when a place lists a dress code on openTable, I figured at least he wouldn't be wearing jeans. We made our reservation on openTable, "intimate table for two, as we're celebrating our anniversary", we were sat awkwardly side-by-side in a booth in the main thoroughfare into the larger dining area, so that everyone walking by to be seated could look at us straight in the eyes. Waitstaff was generally pleasant, all be it slow. We were there for 1:15 for an appetizer and main course, we had to skip any dessert due to needing to catch our show at the Ohio Theatre. Also they played "swap the table", as in the person who took our order was different then the person that brought us our food. I did enjoy the overly ambitious gentleman who filled my glass of water practically between sips. Wine menu,, adequate, not blowing me away, and certainly not worthy of the "wine experts" sticker on the front window. Staff had no clue on recommendations really, ambitious water boy even commented that he "hadn't seen that rosato before, and it was a lovely color",, really? The food was the only highlight, and it seemed to start strong but finish weak. Breadbasket was good, with a variety between soft/crusty, sour/sweet. "the tour" appetizer had a fantastic smoked salmon affair, and was the highlight of my meal. The belgian endive salad was good, although the components didn't seem to "mix" well. The sweetness of the walnuts was clashing a bit with the (very) tart vinaigrette and bitterness of the herbs. I had the gnocchi, which was actually fantastic, it's a shame the ragu (what I referred to as Italian Chili), was just a bit over-salted. I tasted a bit of my wife's special, the soft shelled crab, and it was just ok. It seemed like something I could get at any fish-fry takeout in the ghetto, and that more attention was paid to the quality of what was underneath it. I honestly thought it would have been better steamed than deep fried. Lastly of note, was the spinach side, which just had a completely off flavor to it. It was hard to describe, but it was as if the spinach was just there for texture, and not for flavor, the latter came from the toasted pine nuts. After waiting patiently for our original hostess to take an order from another table of 7, we were in a hurry to get our check. Our small affair came out to $110 ($90~ + tip), for two quattros of wine, a split appetizer and salad, plus two entrees. Let me put this simply, this is not a restaurant I would pay $50+ a person to eat at again. After waiting patiently for our valet to idly get our car (from the time we asked for the check to the time we got our car: 18 minutes), we were on our way. Rigsby's will, for me, become a distant memory after this review, as I will not be recommending it, or attending it, anytime soon. PS - when someone says they are celebrating their anniversary in their reservation, it would be nice if at least one of the 5 people we dealt with would have taken a second to say congratulations, as all of our other anniversary dinner reservations were given. I get the last laugh, as they were proudly displaying their "people love us on yelp" sign in the window. HA! Also, Gordon Gee, or someone that looked exactly like him, happened to be eating there, I wonder what he thought?
(2)
Stephanie B.
Went last night for Valentine's Day. Had never been and had heard good things. Meh, I thought it was just ok. ATMOSPHERE was very nice but almost a little stuffy. I liked the guy on the piano. FOOD was good, but I prefer Lindey's, Ocean Club & Hyde Park's. We had: (APPS) - The Eggplant/Oyster app, which was spicy and actually really really good. Impressed w/the creativity. Also got the calamari. Good. (DINNER) - Got the pork shank, which was disappointing. I thought there was very little meat on it for as $$ as it was. The tomato jammy-chutney stuff on the side was good though. I would've given that dish a 5/10... just underwhelming. SERVICE was friendly on everyone's part - host, bartenders, waiter etc. EXCEPT when we filled up on the 2 apps and decided to split an entree, you should have SEEN our waiter's face. And then he repeated it about 3x: "So wait, you only want ONE entree?? Surely you mean you want to order 2 but have one come first and the other come later." And then scoffed off after we politely told him we just wanted 1 entree. I mean shit. I waitressed for years and I get it - Valentine's Day is a big money night - but we made up for it by drinking our weight in prosecco / red wine, and really? 1 entree = $5 extra on your tip, buddy. Settle down. Plus we tipped you well and would've tipped you well regardless. Our guy was great up until that point, but totally checked out after that, which was just annoying and unprofessional / pouty behavior. And then the biggest faux-pas came at the end... after we signed our bill but hadn't gotten up yet, he picked it up off the table before we'd left (tsk tsk - this is rule #1 no no for servers, especially in a place like Rigsby's) and then looked at it in front of us. Just bad. I'd probably try it one more time down the road, but last night was underwhelming. Would've given it a 3 if it hadn't been for our waiter's temper tantrum. And to be truthful, Lindey's Ocean Club AND Hyde Park have better food, better service, and a better atmosphere. Sahhhree.
(2)
Jessica F.
I have never been disappointed with anything I have had here. Excellent service, wonderful food prep, nice wine selection, relaxing atmosphere, and I love when they have a pianist there! Appetizers, entree's, and dessert- 5 stars across the board every. single. time.
(5)
Michael U.
Having completed a hectic month on the hospital wards, my intern, medical students, and myself decided a celebration was in order. Hailing from different states, countries, and cultures (two of them arriving in the states only months ago) with the additional caveat of a vegetarian in the group, Italian seemed a safe bet and while Lindey's is certainly more "Columbus," we settled on Rigsby's based on its long history of positive reviews and focus on local/seasonal ingredients. To sum up the experience in a word? Fantastic. Finally I've found an Italian place worth getting excited about in Columbus. As a matter of fact, without overselling, I can honestly say there were moments of this meal that rivaled the mighty Babbo in quality, taste, and texture and while the service wasn't the best ever, it was certainly on par with anything I've found in Columbus outside of M at Miranova. Arriving at 7:00pm on a Friday without reservations a table was quickly preparred and we were seated immediately. Arriving at the table there was already 3 delicious breads present as well as ice cold water. Per usual, three breads is the perfect number and all three were superb: a soft yet crusty italian, a sweet yet salty basil poppyseed, and a hearty and lucious whole grain with raisins and walnuts. The butter was unremarkable, but smooth and warm enough that spreading did not tear the bread. Our waitress arrived shortly and after declining wine service we were told of the nightly specials, 5 in total, all sourced from products bought that day locally, and all sounding delicious. For an appetizer I selected the Squash Blossoms stuffed with Ricotta and topped with Arugala with Tuscan Tomato Sauce. While the dish was pricey at $8 for a mere two blossoms, the flavor was intense and the dish was wonderful in flavor. In retrospect I wish I would have opted for the freshly cracked black pepper, however, as the dish could have used just a little more oomph. For our mains a number of dishes were selected including the Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage (great per my student,) the Basil Ravioli with Tomato and Parmigiano-Reggiano (mmmmm, wow per another student,) Spaghetti D'Angelo with Sundried Tomatoes, Garlic, and EVOO (kinda plain per another student) and the Free Range Chicken alla Mattone, Panzanella, Buttered Scallions (Awesome according to my intern, notably not a fan of 'fancy' food.) As the biggest (IE only) foodie of the group, I opted for the half order of Tagliatelle with Pesto Genovese, Fingerling Potatoes, and Green Beans and half order of Potato Gnocchi with Prosciutto di Parma, Basil, Tomato, and Balsamico. While the Tagliatelle was flavorful, perfectly al dente, and a great contrast with the crispy potatoes and clean/snappy greenbeans, the show was entirely stolen by the BEST Gnocchi I've ever had in my life. Toothsome, hearty, thick yet completely cooked, and covered with a perfect tomato and balsamic sauce while complimented by a thin piece of perfectly textured prosciutto......my only complaint is that I didn't get the full order. Better gnocchi than the mighty Batalli......wow. After a meal like that dessert was a no brainer and like many other Cbus standards, Rigsby's does it right by pairing their complex desserts with Ms. Jenni's stellar icecreams. As two of my colleagues had never experienced Jenni's, this was a treat in and of itself. While others opted for Lemon pannacotta, Molten Chocolate Cake w/ Jeni's Vanilla (noted by one to be the best chocolate cake ever,) and a Cookie plate with espresso semifredo and Jeni's Salty Caramel, I chose the seasonally inspired Blueberry, Plum, and Peach Crostatta with almond clusters and Jenni's Honey Vanilla Icecream......once again, better than Batalli with a crispy yet airy purse of dough lightly cupping a generous serving of fresh berries and berry puree served along with crispy almond clusters and that glorious icecream.....amazing. Admittedly the TVs in the bar were slightly offputting and the kitchen was a little slow with the meal taking well over 2 hours for only three courses, but bread and water were refilled rapidly and repeatedly throughout the evening and the conversation was good so I've certainly no complaints there. Noise level was pleasant for conversation and certainly not the roar or Tucci's or Trattoria, which was a welcome suprise for Cbus Italian, as well. Regardless of these minor flaws, the food MORE than made up for any atmospheric shortcomings and the meal was stellar. I'll certainly be back as the winter squashes come in and will hope that the oft-raved pumpkin ravioli makes a return. For now, 4.5 star food and 4.0 star atmosphere......and the best Italian in Cbus, by far.
(4)
Keo S.
If you know the saying about "putting lipstick on a pig" then you'll understand my review. We visit our friends in the Short North every few months and as we were walking around last night, we thought we'd stop in for Happy Hour/Apps & Drinks. It looked so cute inside, great ambience, etc., but I should have looked at the reviews before we stepped inside. The Maitre'd was a hot mess - couldn't keep track of tables, service, or even stop to ask us if we wanted drinks after sitting at one of the bar tables for over 15 mins. We kept trying to go up to the bartender to order our own drinks, but he kept saying "someone" will come over to your table. Maybe if I was waiving hundred dollar bills would I have gotten service from anyone there. I don't know how this place stays in business with such poor service and staff that clearly needs to be trained on customer service and accountability in general. Really sad especially since it's in a great neighborhood and seems to have the right polish from afar.
(1)
Paul F.
I swear I don't know why I come back here. Well in this case it was because I had a Fudha certificate. So I showed up about 5:00 which is when they opened and fifteen minutes later the whole staff disappears for a meeting. They get out of their staff meeting and now everyone has to eat their dinner. Geez, can't you do that before the customers get there!!! So my first dish was salume plate which consisted of some sliced luncheon meat and a piece of toast covered with garbanzo beans. The bean were hard enough to be raw and that was most of that course. My second course was cappelini with tuna. This was pretty good and the tuna wasn't canned either. That sort of saved the day but it'll be quite a while before they get me back there.
(2)
Shawde A.
If I could rate with no stars I would. This was the worst place ever. Stay far away!!!! The service was horrible, I was there with 3 other couples that night. The bread was never replenished. The prices are outrageous for the portion size and the service was less than favorable. At the end the waiter put our whole check on one bill, instead of splitting it up amongst the couples. They are scam artists and trying to get this highest bill to get more bang for their buck. They will screw you over, beware! I will never go back, we left hungry and sober with a $100 bill.
(1)
Mersin C.
Overpriced and the single worst crab cake I've ever had in my life. Shoulda been called a breadcrumb cake. It cost me $60 to never come here again.
(1)
Toni K.
Bottom Line: Rigsby's is just OK. I took my aunt there for dinner. Completely dead for starters; maybe 3 other tables the whole time we were there (~6-7pm on a Tuesday). Decor is very nice, chic/industrial with mirrored walls that make it seem bigger and floor to ceiling front windows good for people watching. The server was very nice and well trained as per fine dining protocol. They advertised a happy hour special on drinks but then wouldn't let me take advantage of the offer unless I was physically sitting at the bar and not a table (weird, right?) Anyway, as per the food. $35 for 3 courses, which is the most restos are supposed to charge for restaurant week tasting menus. My aunt got the cream of mushroom soup (very good, but I was put off by the name "Christine's [Sex in a Bowl]"); shrimp and penne pasta with crumbled feta (good, small portion); and bitter orange cake with blackberry sauce (good). I got the chopped liver on crostini (ok, but could have used a little more flavor); sea scallops (slightly chewy but not bad) with like a crumbled gnocchi type side (best thing about the meal); and Tuscan doughnuts for dessert, which is a fancier way of saying "bite sized elephant ear." Don't get me wrong, I love a good elephant ear, but when you can get virtually the same thing at your state fair for $2, it seemed somewhat underwhelming (and the choc dipping sauce was not so good). Basically, the food was decent, but for a meal in Columbus for 2 people that cost $100 (including tip and 1 glass wine), I was expecting more. My advice: sit at the bar and order a round of drinks and an app or two. (We wanted to try the calamari in particular, but were turned off by the idea of it being seasoned with banana chiles and jalapenos.)
(3)
Brieanna H.
I didn't realize until today when I was telling some coworkers about my dinner at Rigsby's on Saturday night that I was actually pretty upset and offended by the experience. I had never been there before, and neither had any of my friends. We decided to try it for my birthday. I made reservations, and we showed up on time. We ordered our first round of drinks. This was the last time the waitress acknowledged our drinks. The drinks were good, but I wouldn't pay $12 for the French martini again. We proceed to order, some of us from the Dine Originals menu. After our order, I don't think the waitress came back to our table more than three times. Someone else brought our first course and second course, and as I mentioned above she never came back to see how we were on drinks. One of us had to stop her as she was leaving the table next to us to ask her if we could order some more drinks. When we finished those, someone took the glasses away and never asked us if we would like to order more drinks. We were there for 45 minutes to an hour after this. My first course was the calamari salad. It was ok. Kind of sad looking, but ok. The calamari could have been better. I don't even remember what I ordered for dinner and it was only four days ago. At a place like this, I expect to remember the dinner. I do remember what I ordered for dessert: the creme brulee. After the main course, our plates had been cleared for about 10 minutes when the waitress came over and told us, "I'm sorry. I put your order in hours ago, but we're out of creme brulee. I can offer you our other option, a scoop of Jeni's ice cream and some cookies." At the point, she was right: We had ordered our creme brulee two hours ago. Did she acutally put in the order? Who knows? Friend, "Do you have any other dessert options?" Waitress, "No." I was pretty upset because I love creme brulee and one of the reasons we went to Rigsby's was that they had creme brulee. Also, I can't believe Rigsby's only had ONE dessert option on a Saturday night at 9. Before we said yes or no about the ice cream, the waitress walked off. When we finally saw her visit the table next to us for the millionth time, we told her we just wanted the check. Ten minutes later, she comes back with a tray and three bowls and says, "I don't know how or why this happened, but here is your creme brulee." She walks away. We look at each other, shocked. We try the creme brulee. It is terrible. Terrible! The carmalized sugar was not hard but mushy, and the custard looked lumpy, more like rice pudding. I refuse to believe this is the creme brulee Rigsby's serves to everyone. It cannot be. It was awful. I've never had such sad, dissappointing creme brulee in my life. If this is the standard creme brulee, I would advise against ordering it. Anyway, when we finally get our checks, she has charged my brother for two DO meals instead of one. She leaves for ten minutes, returns for his credit card, and leaves for another five minutes. Finally, finally we were ready to leave. We had been there for two and a half hours at this point, each person had only two drinks, one salad/soup, a main course, and a dessert. This is not okay. If the dining experience had been more enjoyable, two and a half hours would have been fine. But by ignoring us and making us feel like were weren't worth her time, it was a very long, depressing two and a half hours. I will never go back.
(1)
Megan B.
This place is really lovely on the inside. They certainly know how to space the tables in the room. It's a larger room, but it still fit like an intimate restaurant without being right on top of the next table. The atmosphere was definitely a huge bonus. Everything on the menu looked delicious. I love when it is incredibly hard to narrow down to one choice among many many good ones. I ended up splitting the mozzarella and roasted red pepper appetizer. I can say I have never had anything like it. It was very good with super fresh mozzarella. For dinner, I had the risotto and my husband had the gnocchi. Both were equally deliciousness. I will say the proportions were on the small size for the price. Our main server was very friendly and knowledgeable. Overall a great experience. The only negatives were the speed with which they brought out the food. They had just brought the bread to the table and the appetizer arrived. Then, the food came out almost immediately after clearing the appetizer. In all, we had ordered drinks and eaten in 45 minutes. I prefer to have the meal paced out a bit more especially when the dinner is not cheap.
(4)
Lisa D.
visited here while in town for a work event with 2 co-workers. we all enjoyed our meal, but it wasn't awe inspiring. service was pleasant.
(3)
Diana U.
This review is just for their happy hour, so I don't know much about their regular menu or table service. Happy hour is great! Rigsby has happy hour 4-7pm Monday through Friday - $2 beer, $4 cocktails...MONDAYS $1 oysters! I really enjoyed the small tapas plates (3 plates for $10). My favorites are the deviled eggs and the polenta fries. I love oysters so I'm a little bias about how much I enjoy their oyster Mondays. They get their oysters from MA - yum! My only issue is they didn't shuck them that well and there were little pieces of the shell in my oysters.
(4)
Nush C.
I've been there twice now for happy hour. Clearly the servers and bartenders did not get the memo to be nice to even the patrons that come in for happy hour specials and/or the SBB discount. One time I sat at the bar and the bartender came up to me and said nothing. Just stared at me. I ask "What is the red that you have for the happy hour special?". The answer I got BOTH times I went in was "It's just an Italian." Really? An Italian red wine at Rigsby's? I never would have thought. Maybe if someone is asking that question they might want to know more than just a smartass response. The food is ok. The deviled eggs are good but what isn't with truffle oil on it? The oyster special is good ($1/shell on Mondays) but definitely not enough for me to go back. There are plenty of other restaurants in Columbus especially ones with Italian wines.
(2)
Adam J.
Rigsby's has good food and great service but expect to spend a decent amount if you plan on drinking or feeling full since their portions are smaller (you'll likely need to get appetizers and/or dessert). They have an excellent bar. I recommend getting a Manhattan to drink.
(4)
doreen w.
There are few that will disagree with the opinion that Rigsby's is one of the best restaurants in Columbus. Why? They serve traditional dishes with high quality ingredients. I've eaten here several times and have never been let down. I'm sure 9 out of 10 yelpers would agree. Don't even try to read about it..just go. But it wasn't until the other night when some friends and I were fiending for a happy hour close to the office (other than $1.00 PBRs) that I thought of visiting the bar. As expected, Rigsby's features an awesome happy hour. Go between 5:00 and 7:00 PM. Beer is not the main event since they do not serve tap but why would you need to when house pour martini's are only $4.00? Although any beer drinkers in your crew will be happy with the $2.00 bottled imports. They also have 1/2 specials on selected wines and the list is decent. Knowing the quality of Rigsby's food I opted for a $10.00 cocktail that I would have paid for with my right arm if asked. I had the 'Winter Storm' since I am into drinking with the seasons. It was AMAZING! Dark Rum, Ginger Beer, and local OH cider! We also shared a fresh pizza that we watched the sous chef make and he chatted with us about what he was doing. Ken and Tasi Rigsby showed up to chat as well and it was very genuine, unlike the walk through the owner/chef often does at Barcelona. There was also a decent crowd and the bartender did not make us feel rushed and was very forthcoming with information about specials and even gave us a countdown until it ended at 7:00 PM. This is a definate new hang out for me and I hope to meet other yelpers here soon!
(5)
Doug H.
Ate dinner here tonight with a friend. After waiting a while (30) minutes for a table (we did not have reservations), we decided to eat our dinner at the bar. We were sitting there with our drinks anyway. The bar staff was highly attentive and really friendly. From our seats we could see the food prep area and great care was taken in preparing the meals. Some nice artistic efforts were being made on the entrees and desserts as well. Our bar drinks were good (as they should have been). The marguerite pizza I had was really good. Very flavorful and delicious. We did not have dessert. The other thing to mention was that the owner was in the prep area making sure everything was going well which it certainly was. Overall the atmosphere was great. A nice crowd tonight of 20-30-40-50 somethings and there was a happening vibe inside. I recommend eating here.
(4)
Erin K.
I would give Rigsby's 2 stars for service but 4 for atmosphere and food. We arrived at 7:00 for our reservation (I would recommend making one) and stood there for over 15 minutes without anyone acknowledging us. The hostess was seating other parties which is fine but a simple I'll be right with you would have been nice. Then we sat at the table for a good 10-15 minutes before a waitress came over to us. Once she did she was just okay the rest of the evening. For food, we ordered the tasting plate and risotto for apps. Tasting plate was not good and definitely not worth the $12 price tag. Risotto was very good though. For dinner we ordered the eggplant parm, scallops, snapper special, and sea bass. All were excellent as was the bread they served. We didn't order dessert as we had our hearts set on Jeni's but we did see a couple next to us that ordered the chocolate mousse that looked amazing. Overall I would I recommend and probably return. We have heard good things about the service so maybe we just hit them at an off night.
the roasted beets and gnocchi were outstanding but everything else failed to live up to my expectations. there were also 2 or 3 more tables squeezed into that joint than necessary - just too close for comfort.
(3)
Molly B.
I had an excellent experience at Rigsby's last night. In fact, I can't think of a single thing that wasn't wonderful. The ambiance of the place was really neat. I just really enjoyed sitting in there - it was dimly lit, well decorated and filled with interesting-looking people. Our waitress was excellent. She provided informed and enthusiastic recommendations and delivered excellent service. We ordered a bottle of the Remole. For $25 a bottle (one of the cheapest on the menu), it was lovely. I ordered the scallops; my husband had the gnocchi. Both were divine. The scallops were rich and buttery (cooked with a brown butter sauce) and the julienned vegetables were delicious too. It was a simple plate, but well executed. My husband's gnocchi was to die for. The meat sauce was made with beef and pork and was bursting with flavor. Our waitress was quick to inform us that all the ingredients were locally sourced and organic, which is important to me. The bread (sourdough delciousness) is made in-house, fresh daily. For dessert, we ordered a cheese plate. We thought it would be the perfect accompianment to our half-full bottle of wine. The cheese was tart, but slathered in honey. Mmmmmm. Perfect. Also, we were able to eat slow and linger over our wine without being rushed out. Most restaurants only care about turning their tables over. The food here is on the pricey side, but I have no problem paying for quality. A bottle of wine, two entrees and a deseert for less than $100. Not bad for an experience like Rigsby's.
(5)
Sujan M.
I had wanted to come to this place for a while, and finally made it there a few days back. The experience was a bit disappointing. The server liked to take his time. It seemed liked we were always looking for him, and it wasn't even very busy. They were out of a lot of the wines. And we ended up drinking something not of our choice. Though the food was pretty good, there were things that were left out. I got the Pan roasted duck breast that was succulent and cooked right. But we had specifically told the server that my girlfriend was vegetarian. We even had him explain some of the menu items. Then the ravioli comes out with chunks of bacon (you can call it 'pancetta'). He took it back and scraped off the bacon, and some of the ravioli, and all of the presentation/garnish and all that was left was maybe 5-6 sad raviolis at the bottom of the plate. It was a travesty - esp for a 'fine' dining venue. It would be hard for me to go there again and fork up all that cash for a sub-par experience, even though the food is top-notch.
(3)
Amy S.
We went here for happy hour and sat at their bar. I had an SBB card (get one, they are free!) so I was to receive an additional 50% off food. The happy hour is from 4-7 M-F. Beers are $2 and cocktails are $4. After learning the only cocktails we could get were well drinks, we settled on beers. The food we ended up ordering included the small tapas plates and a pizza. The polenta fries were amazing. Overall, it was an ok experience. I felt like there were a lot of older patrons in the area and we were not really given much service because we had a discount card and were just there for the happy hour specials. If you have specials, you should expect people to come for them!
(3)
Whitney S.
It was my second visit to Rigsby's, and it will be the last. My first experience was decent in terms of service and food, however, this time was horrid. I was absolutely appalled by the treatment, or lack thereof, when I was seated for a reservation this past Saturday night, before "prime time" of 7pm. It was not busy, and yes we were seated promptly, but that's when things went downhill. Two tables were seated next to us, and were served by the waiter, ordered cocktails and appetizers, and received cocktails and appetizers, all the while we waited patiently for service and received NONE. After a full 30 minutes, we got up and told the hostess at the front that we were not serviced and were leaving. We instead spent a wonderful evening at Mitchell's Steakhouse downtown for much better service and food, for roughly the same price.
(1)
Nick S.
As my second Dine Originals week restaurant, Rigsby's served as a great foil for my lack-luster experience at The Elevator: Everything about the meal at Rigsyb's was excellent. We had the antipasti to start because we couldn't resist the temptation of the truffle deviled eggs. They didn't disappoint. Next up was a simple salad with calamari and scallops: It was bright and refreshing and both the calamari and scallops were prepared perfectly. The pork ragout was great. The pork was tender and the sauce was very satisfying. Finally for dessert I had the ricotta cheesecake which made for an interesting comparison to the cheesecake I'd had the night before at The Elevator. While The Elevator's cheesecake was fine, it was ultimately forgettable and nothing special. The cheesecake at Rigsby's was citrusy and light and summery and not like any cheesecake I've had before. I look forward to going back to Rigsby's and would recommend it to anyone who can afford to drop a little bit of money and wants a good dinner.
(5)
Des D.
Wine list was the highlight, although staff was clueless on wines. Food okay much like the service.
(3)
James G.
I like it. Some think it's a bit pretentious, but I think e food is very good. Can be pricey, but the atmosphere, location, and preparation are excellent.
(4)
Larry M.
My wife and I went to Rigsby's on a Friday night for dinner. The interior of the restaurant is amazing, and the place has a great atmosphere. I had the Gnocchi, and my wife had a penne dish with pesto. Both were excellent, though a tad on the salty side. They don't have any beer on tap, so you're better off getting wine or drinks from the bar with your dinner. Rigsby's can end up being a bit on the pricey side, but I found the quality of the food and service to be worth it.
(4)
Norman Y.
Food is just ok, but for the prices they charge, it should be amazing. I have only been here once, and the experience was just OK, but the prices will not bring me back.
(1)
Jimmie L.
Rigsby's never disappoints. Ever. My coworkers and I frequent Rigsby's whenever we need a break from the dull restaurants within walking distance near our offices in the Arena District. Granted, a trip to Rigsby's requires one of us to drive when it's a cold, rainy day like today, but it's absolutely worth the hassle! Today I was torn between the Salmon Club and the Beet Salad. I've had both several times, as they're each a "favorite" of mine on the menu. After much deliberation, I ended up with the Smoked Salmon Club sandwich. If I could eat a single meal every day for the rest of my life, this would be the one I'd pick - and that's over anything Grandma makes! (I still love you, Granny!) The sandwich consists of smoked salmon, red onions, avocado, bacon, and fresh mayonnaise on toasted bread. It also comes with a side of freshly fried super thin potato chips and a slice of dill pickle. The chips were glistening with oil today, so they were left on the plate. I never can seem to remember to substitute them for something else. But the sandwich... oh, the sandwich. If you've not tried it, you're missing out! There's nothing I would change, except say, the number of them that come on a plate! :-) Also, for those who complain about the parking on High Street, you can park out back if you hit the timing right. There's a parking lot directly behind the restaurant that's typically reserved for valet in the evening, but is also available for customers during the day. I always try to park here before bothering with a meter because I never seem to have change. You owe it to yourself to try the food here!
(5)
Brad W.
Rigby's is a nice place. I ate here last week with my family to celebrate my sister's boyfriend's birthday. I'll have to say that Rigby's can have a long wait at night on a weekend, but the wait is really worth it. The food was great. I ordered the Gnocchi, which was cooked superbly. It had great tasting potatoes and probably the greatest tomato sauce that I've had in many years. Rigby's also really does well when it comes to the birthday treatment! The birthday boy got a baked Alaska on the house and he shared it with all of us. It tasted GREAT! The restaurant has a fully stocked bar and great table service with very polite waiters. We also shared a bottle of pinot grigio which was served chilled from the bar and very well. When it comes to the restrooms, that was really the only part of Rigsby's that kinda let me down. They need to do some maintenance on their men's restroom door. It was about to fall of the hinges!!! The piano player was very good and also quite talented. I especially enjoyed it when he played the theme from Curb Your Enthusiasm, one of my favorite shows. The prices were high, but that was kind of expected in this area of town and at this kind of a restaurant. I really hope to return to Rigsby's again sometime!
(4)
Jurgen J.
I just got a parking ticket because i VALET my car on Rigsby. i think they didn't park my car properly. After calling the restaurant, they won't take the blame and told me to call the valet company. This is seriously retarded.
(1)
Rick W.
loved it when it opened and still love it after all these years. Iconic
(5)
Joe T.
I went to Rigsby's last Friday for lunch with a coworker. Rigsby's failed me on what I consider the 3 primary obligations of a fine restaurant and chef - 1. be a curator of great ingredients - meaning if you really give a damn about your restaurant then you will seek out the best, freshest ingredients to include in your menu items. 2. prepare those great ingredients with skill that provides the optimal taste for everything on the menu and 3. create an enjoyable atmosphere through attention to the customer's needs before, during and after the meal . Here is how they failed on obligation #1: Ingredients: I chose the $10 Pat La Frieda Hanburger which is served with house made fries. I know without a doubt that a $1 hamburger served at any of the Central Ohio Elementary Schools would win in a blind taste test. The hamburger patty they use is a frozen, pre-pattied, tasteless, tough piece of crap that literally gave me flashbacks of eating the USDA Subsidized Elementary School Factory Farm Food (which at least that hamburger was priced accordingly). #2 Preparation : Despite the fact that the burger they are using is a low grade beef that is probably also the same source that Alpo is using in their dog food - the least they could do for 10 bucks is cook the damn thing correctly! Unfortunately they failed here as well as the "medium" burger I ordered came out charred - to the point where there were black specks of char scattered al over the burger. #3 Service: Look I get it everybody has a bad day , perhaps this cheap hamburger is a new menu item and there hasn't been enough backlash to either 1. chuck it from the menu or 2. get a new beef supplier worthy of the price. (say like the $14 Northstar Nimans Burger which is the opposite on all counts) So when I brought up my displeasure with our waiter (tall hipster looking guy) instead of acting truly interested in my feedback he just repeated what I had said in a snarky tone " oh you didnt like the burger huh?" and then when he returned with my co-workers check he did not return with one for me but didnt offer an apology or even look at me. Truly unprofessional and childish where Rigsby's failed on the first 2 counts at least they could have softened my negative experience with them with helpful, friendly customer service - but no their hipster waiter was as cold and callous as their overpriced burger. Shame on you Kent Rigsby for your attempt at ruining an American Institution.
(1)
Lyndsey M.
Where do I begin with the trainwreck known as Rigsby's? We made reservations for 4 people at 7 pm on a Saturday night (of DOC restaurant week), and showed up promptly. We were seated, and waters poured. So far so good. The waitress took our drink orders while we waited for our 4th member to show up. We received our first drinks, and they were very good. Ok, not too bad yet, right? After our final person arrived, our waitress took our food orders. My dining companions ordered off the DOC menu, and I asked if it was possible to get the spaghetti squash as an entree instead of a side. She gave me a totally crazy look and said no, absolutely not. Whatever. I ordered that and the brussel sprouts to be delivered as my main course, and ordered the Endive salad. The salad was tiny and strangely put together. Very few greens and large chunks of Roquefort, two apple chunks, and a walnut or two. Our waitress then proceeded to ignore us. She doted on the two tables next to us, but we were not even asked if we'd like another drink (our glasses had been empty for a while now). Finally one of my friends asked her if we could get additional drinks. We ordered, and they came. The service between dishes was so unbelievably slow. Our entrees arrived and were ok. Nothing outstanding. We continued to be ignored, once again waiting with empty glasses. The waitress approached our table gave a very half-hearted apology that the creme brulee my friend ordered was no longer available. She said she put it in hours ago (we had been there for about 2 hours a this point), and she said she'd be happy to give us the only option on the dessert menu: a scoop of Jeni's ice cream and cookies. I was never asked if I'd like to see a dessert menu, even though all my friends were getting a dessert. Before we could answer if the ice cream would be ok, she wandered off. When she finally walked by again, we asked if we could just have the check and cancel dessert. We had to leave to get to our next activity for the night. She said sure, and disappeared again. A few minutes later we see her SITTING at the the table next to us. I saw her shake hands and schmooze with one of the guys at the table. Apparently, to get service at Rigsby's you need to be a mover and shaker. Pathetic. Someone came around to refill our waters...and he did. For half the table. Seriously. Two of us got full waters, two of us received not a drop. Wow. After this, our creme brulee (or a terrible attempt at creme brulee) magically appeared! Can you believe it! We were able to make just 3 more! Just for your table! We were horrified and felt a bit insulted, and once more asked for our checks. Once we finally got the check, they were wrong. One member of our party was charged for dishes no one at our table ordered. We asked to put two of the checks together, and when she came back, she said it would take too long to do that, so she just ran my friend's card twice. At this point, we were beginning to feel like prisoners of Rigsby's, and once the bill was settled, we left a small tip and a note and got out of there. I will NEVER step foot in this place again. I don't know if we were treated poorly because we were young-mid to late 20's(the clientele is a bit older) or what, but this was a sorry excuse for an upscale restaurant. I could have had better service at White Castle down the street for crying out loud. With all the great restaurants we do have in Columbus (Barcelona, Basi, M, Third and Hollywood, Hyde Park), do not waste your time and money here. I have never had such terrible service in Columbus...oh wait, yes I did. At Victorian's Midnight Cafe, but at least I didn't have to deal with the pretentiousness there.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Michael M.
I was in town for THE GAME with my dad from Chicago and wanted to visit an old favorite. We had been to Rigsby's a few times, oh about 25 years ago...and I will say that it has changed though only how fine dining needs to adjust things as they grow to even stronger and finer restaurants. The amazing flavors and impeccable service has not changed. We had the spicy oysters as an appetizer and they were inctedible. I ordered the glazed pork chop and it was delicious. If you are looking for a wonderul meal that you can go by yourself or a small group of ftiends it is the best choice you could make in a city with so many options.
(5)Sarah M.
My first time visiting this restaurant was this past weekend. We were promptly greeted by the host, who was able to quickly seat us by our reservation time. The service was wonderful. Our server was helpful and took his time. This is definitely not a place you want to visit when you're on a time crunch. I felt that he wanted us to enjoy our time/experience at Rigsby's, not rush us out the door so he could get more tips. The food was FABULOUS! I highly recommend the espresso creme brûlée. Portion sizes are smaller than a lot of restaurants, but I felt they were what portions should be! We would love to go back here for another celebration!
(5)Yumi W.
Bread salad was done well but bread need to be toasted. Entree Cod was overcooked and bitter on top of sauteed bitter radiccio didn't taste good for $30 entree. Didn't like Waiter's attitude at all I am allergic to alcohol so I told him that I will have water like I always do then he gave me smurk like I was too cheap to order anything. I can't drink alcohol and I HATE FLAVORED DRINK. We were very disappointed with food only good thing was my husbands drinl and my water. when you charge $30 entree at least you can do is serve nice warm bread but again bread came out COLD. We are Washington DC professional eat out 3 times a week. 1 star might be more than enough.
(1)Katie R.
Wonderful atmosphere and even better food! Made a reservation for a Saturday night and we were seated as soon as we arrived. Started with a sample plate of Antipasti. Deviled Eggs with Truffle Oil, Smoked Salmon, and fried olives. It was a great small plate. OH - then we had the most amazing bowl of butternut squash bisque. Sweet and creamy - wonderful for the cold evening. Main dish was duck that was perfectly cooked. Was complemented very well by a tart cherry sauce. My husband had the scallops which were also perfectly cooked. Will definitely be back!
(4)Rory B.
For years I have regarded Rigsby's as of the best places to eat in Columbus. I moved about 3-4 years ago and have not been back to Rigsby's since. That is until last weekend. Once again they deserve to retain their crown. I want to order one of every small plate on the menu, every time I go in there. All delicious. Every time. The octopus was the best I've ever had. The only sad part for us was that the Catch of the day was shrimp. I would have preferred a nice slab of fish.
(5)Robert H.
Happy hour is sort of a disappointment the one time I tried it but that doesn't make the food, service, wine, and ambience bad. Ignore the 3 star reviews as they are almost all people disappointed in the happy hour. Food, wine, service and ambience are excellent from top to bottom. Oysters Diavolo are fantastic as are any pasta dishes. Actually, i've never had a sub par meal at Rigby's. Wine prices are reasonable, too, and the service is great.
(4)Michael C.
From the greeting by Valet, Host and Server thru service, all is awesome at Rigsby's. The atmosphere is inviting and the experience is well rounded. Service was spot on and seamless. Our meal was obviously prepared with care and Love. With Kent Rigsby in attendance you will be assured of a wonderful dining experience and know why Columbus is so fortunate to have this world class restaurant as an institution.
(5)Jen R.
Woohoo!!!! Oyster happy hour!!! $1 per oyster on Mondays. So happy that Rigsby's has this. In addition, I find that oysters pair perfectly with a cold Peroni which they also have on special for happy hour for $2. Best deal in the world (IMHO).
(5)Sara C.
I'm a little surprised that not many Cbus regulars have Yelped this place, although I'd walked past it plenty of times myself. A recent best of Columbus list prompted this visit, and we were joined by Lori S for a dinner meet-up! I'd browsed the menu online and was really looking forward to the small plate of grilled octopus and the main entree of scallops. The waiter was extremely enthusiastic about the specials and almost diverted me to a creamy mushroom soup, but I stuck with my original choices. The grilled octopus was served with fennel and lemons, and was a nice sized portion. I was expecting it to be a bit chewier, like calamari, but it had almost a snappy texture, not unlike good fresh lobster. The fennel and lemons were a nice contrast. The scallops were amazing. Delicate, tender, and lightly cooked, served over a sweet potato and shiitake mushroom hash. I also managed to make a good dent in a piece of carrot cake. There's great people watching here -- diverse crowds and charismatic waitstaff-- and I would tag along to sit at the bar and share small plates (especially grilled octopus). However, the main dining room experience just isn't my thing (or in my budget - even with a Dine Originals discounted certificate).
(4)Ali W.
A Monday night happy hour review. You can't beat $1 oysters although I think other happy hours have tastier oysters. The vingrette was good. The menu says craft beers $2 ... False. They choose one beer that is $2 and they have no beer menus so this was confusing and I didn't find this out until I received my check. I also had the deviled eggs which were very good and 3 for $5 which seems weird... Just give me the second half of my egg please. I also appreciate that they gave us bread service at the bar. I would come back for the oysters some time but I'd also go to the pearl or 89 fish and grill first.
(3)Bridgett E.
Exceptional service, food spot on. Best dining experience by far in Columbus. Scallops were the best I've had since visiting Maine.
(5)Fred B.
Kent Rigsby - please read this review. Rigsby's has been one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus for many years. We were in the Short North last night, looking for a place to eat. I suggested Rigsby's. My fiancé, who had never been there, looked on Yelp and said "wow it has a LOT of three star reviews". I looked at them, and was very surprised, but my good past experiences swayed me and we went anyway. We glanced at the menu in the window, and were in time for Happy Hour, so we went in and sat in the bar area. Little did we know that Happy Hour really isn't very happy these days at Rigsby's. More like Crappy Hour. Kent's Crappy Hour had no specials on food, a discount on 2 crappy wines - a Pinot Grigio and a Merlot - and half-priced well drinks. Why didn't you just offer me Franzia Chillable Red from a box?!? Come on, Kent, don't be such a cheapskate. If you're going to do a happy hour, MAKE THE CUSTOMERS HAPPY. Give them a discount on decent wines, offer a little discount on the bar food, or offer a drink special or two that aren't well pours. Make it a happy hour, not crappy hour. Beyond that we thought the value wasn't quite right. We had small plates, and an entrée, and drinks. I don't object to the prices, but I do object to the portion sizes for the prices - that's called value. You're no longer the only good restaurant in the Short North. There are tons of fantastic restaurants all around you now, and you really should increase the portion size of everything we had about 20%. For example... $23 for 5 butternut squash raviolis is a little pricey. The food was good, as it always is, but for $23 the plate should have had 7 raviolis. The same applies the portion size of every other item we had. I promise this is meant constructively - you need to rethink your portion sizes, and you need to fix your happy hour. It's broken. Do these things and I'll change your review back to 5 stars and return often. Don't, and you've probably seen the last of my business, which makes me sad... 'Tell you what I'll do - the next time I'm walking outside your restaurant, I'll look again at the menu in the window. If I see a more interesting happy hour, I will assume that you've taken this constructive feedback to heart. I'll come in, and spend a bunch of money, and give you another chance. But if it's the same crappy Pinot Grigio and Merlot, I'll keep walking and so will everyone else... As I mentioned, there are plenty of other great restaurants all around you. It's your choice, and the future of your restaurant.
(3)Joe G.
This is a great "I want to spoil myself - or someone else" - restaurant experience in Columbus. It has taken me years of living in Ohio's capital city to finally dine at this delicious place, but it was well worth the wait. My crew and I went on a Monday. While they offer $1 oyster deals on Monday, we arrived too late as they were all sold out. So that gives me a good excuse to come back! This is just an all around solid, fine dining restaurant. The wait staff was definitely attentive and helpful in recommending various dishes. I went with the sea scallops, which I'm told is a staple of the restaurant. They were very good and the presentation looked like something straight out of "top chef"! The prices don't seem like much, but things can add up quickly as you realize things like salads don't automatically come with meals. So just a word to the wise. The dishes are also not that large. I would say after an appetizer, entre of sea scallops and a few scoops of a shared desert I was not full, but my waistline probably appreciated that! To me this isn't the "oh my god, best restaurant ever in Columbus"; but it's not that far down the list. Look forward to going back again.
(4)Josie G.
The ambiance is great and our waiter was decent. For how much we paid for our meal, you would think the food would be better. Nothing was amazing. It was just okay. I would not go back again. But I am glad I tried it.
(2)Patrick B.
Excellent meal with a number of very good options. Mussels and the gnocchi with pesto and bacon were very good. Our server was very helpful and was able to offer good alternatives when the wine we ordered was not available. Space was busy and had a nice upbeat atmosphere. Will be back to sample other dishes!
(4)JJ S.
$1 oysters happy hour special!! Need I say more. I am not a huge fan of raw food but my friends wanted to try this place out! The happy hour specials were great!! My friends and I spent about $30 altogether and we got a good fix of oysters, beer and well drinks!!
(3)Ken D.
Always a wonderful time at this place. Order the greek salad, it's amazing. Then, split the capellini natasha, next course bistro steak, then the grande finale---the vacherin! And the wine list is full of delicious bottles. You can't lose here.
(5)Jason P.
Amazing drinks. My wife and I split the scallops - they were just ok. not much flavor for a $30 dish. Also had the pate which I was a fan of.
(4)Phil A.
Don't listen to the naysayers. Excellent dinner from start to finish. A real foodies' dream come true. Reasonably priced Italian wine of good quality. Oysters Diavalo were outstanding and creative. Bread was exceptional! Special heirloom salad of tomatoes with sweet onion and basil was perfectly dressed with a small amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. My gnocchi entree was super--perfect little pillows of pasta swimming in a delicious Bolognese sauce. My dining partner thoroughly enjoyed his quail. We had vegetable sides, both the sautéed spinach and zucchini were good, but the zucchini was much better than it needed to be--packed with loads of smoky flavor. For dessert we shared the Vacherin glacee. Your server will tell you that it is large enough for two, but I think four would be more accurate. A wonderful finish to a superb meal. Kent, you did it again!
(5)Duncan F.
Chef Silas Caeton created the most exquisite and memorable meal of our lives on June 29, 2015. My father celebrated his 70th birthday at Rigsby's that night and our time as a family, enjoying delicious food and wine, was perfect. Rigsby's is headed in an amazing direction with Chef Silas and his expert taste, skills, and creativity. I highly recommend Rigsby's for anything from a happy hour snack and drink to a date with your partner to a family affair. I can't wait to see where Chef Silas Caeton takes Rigsby's over the next 28 years!!
(5)Stephen D.
Really wonderful experience! Excellent food and fantastic service! My favorite dish was by far the oysters diavalo on crispy eggplant. It is a unique combination that works beautifully! Also loved the bar happy hour fried olives...another surprising dish that was incredible! And the truffle oil deviled eggs three ways--need I say more? I loved my capellini natasha with smoked salmon and capers and my husband loved his risotto. We split the butterscotch budino and chocolate mousse- go with the butterscotch- even a chocolate lover like me could appreciate the superiority of the budino dessert. Both came with amazing biscotti. In the future I will skip the octopus appetizer.
(5)Werner S.
In 20 years we have never been to Columbus without going to Rigsbys. Last night will be our last meal there. While the food was average to above aveage the portion size and cost were not. The $17 sausage, cheese and vegetable plate was adequate but not sensational. 3 scallops over a 1 ich by 4 inch portion of Lyonnaise style potato was not worth $29. The pork shank whoud have been 2 pieces not the one small maybe 4 ounce worth of meat (after it was off the bone) that was served. Butterscotch pudding at $7 was average. We used to look forward to the great meals but will find someplace that is a better value. Next time we are in Columbus we will be looking for a new favorite restaurant.
(2)Danny R.
A Shorth North original! It's hard to find something NOT to like at Rigs! Great deviled eggs. The capellini Natasha is amazing! I typically don't care for scallops but Kent and Forbes seemed to have learned how to perfect them!! The service always outstanding and the staff is wonderful! If you are in the Shorth North a night at Rigsby's is a must!!
(5)Amanda L.
Went here for their $1 oyster Mondays, can't miss a deal like that. The oysters are decent, I mean you can't ask for too much when it's $1. It satisfied me oyster cravings sufficiently. I also had their grilled calamari salad which turns out has changed to grilled octopus. No complaints about that substitution here. The octopus itself was great and it paired well with the tomatoes. The service was good, our server kinda lingered for a bit too long but who doesn't enjoy a bit of awkwardness with happy hour. The only down side was the portion of the grilled octopus salad was pretty small for the price. For a college student, this was nice to just have some quality food but definitely not too get full while staying on a budget.
(4)Shellie E.
Rigsbys is one of our go to spots when we are entertaining guests to Columbus. They strive to use fresh, local food vendors and switch up the menu constantly yet keep our faves. Always a great group of people dining and staff is wonderful.
(5)Hannah B.
Went here tonight and got a good meal. We ordered the calamari, ravioli and the burger. We both thought the food was very good!!! However we were disappointed with our drinks. We tried a couple of cocktails, but ended up feeling like wine would have been a Better option. My suggestion: go with wine to pair with your food. I would have given it a 4 if the drinks were better.
(3)Jan Z.
Excellent service provided by Anthony. It's great that they will modify the listed items to suit individual tastes. 04 dinners were served hot & n price althougho a little high was well worth it. We highly recommend Rigsby's which should be around for a really long time
(5)James D.
RIGSBYS deserves it's new Crave number 1 ranking, says this 1st time visitor. the atmosphere has a good vibe. so what if it might be a little loud on a busy nite-it's supposed to be that way. enjoy the buzz, it's not supposed to be a funeral parlor. it was a weekday evening, not crowded, and we chatted with most of the staff, all of whom were friendly. our waitress very patiently answered our many menu questions. we started with a glass of prosecco for THE GUEST; and, for me, "ares," a medium red they are introducing. good nose, fruity to the taste buds, no alcohol tasting finish. then came steamed mussels and pork belly. full bowl of mussels. in 1 word: excellent! i wanted to bring the bowl to my lips and drink down the juices [i have no pride, but THE GUEST stopped me]. 2 words for the pork belly: order it. our large plates were the pork chop [TG] and pautice pasta [me]. the chop was big, thick, tender and cooked just right. very good mashed pots. i loved my choice. very flavorful. generous serving. could have licked this bowl, too, but she [TG] was giving me this threatening look. finished with butterscotch budino. dont overlook this treat. had to pass over many small and large plates that also appeared tempting. finally, want to thank Exec Chef Forbes Rigsby for spending several minutes chatting with us. this was not just eating out. it was the dining experience we hoped it would be.
(5)Melissa M.
I have heard about Rigsby's since moving to Columbus and it has been on our long list of places to try. I was under the impression this was one of the nicer restaurants in Columbus, however the atmosphere and decor did not seem to match the menu. The restaurant looks as if it has not been updated since opening. The restrooms were behind a curtain and the area was not very pleasant-it was an afterthought. The service was amazing and I felt that the server truly wanted us to have the best experience possible. We loved everything that we ordered except for the carrot cake which the server spoke about as a dessert that we must have-I highly disagree with that. The food was delicious. The only exception was the bread on the table-it was cold and really lacked anything special.
(3)Carly W.
Couple of things to preface: my husband and I went for $1 oyster night. Upside: the oysters were good. Downsides: they had 5 oysters left, so the 3 dozen we ordered were out of the question. Also, they were served with cocktail sauce (bleccch) and vinegar. The service was okay... Not as crappy as some others have rated, but I wouldn't call it astounding. We had gone craving oysters, so we decided not to order other food, but did grab a couple cocktails so as not to totally stiff our waiter. The cocktails were pretty ho-hum and watered down. As for atmosphere: basing our outing on Yelp reviews, which recommended "dressy" attire, I was quite embarrassed to arrive in a cocktail dress with heels and a nice clutch. Half the patrons were in jeans and flannels!! You are totally cool to arrive in white collar work clothes, or else opt for dress casual. It's more hipster than classy.
(3)Carl A.
Eating this raisin nut bread that they put on the table. If you like raisin nut bread, come here.
(5)Rick F.
Try the Lamb!!! Took clients here on a business trip. Atmosphere was fantastic as was the menu options. Been twice and have not been disappointed.
(5)Tiffany W.
Their oysters are $1 for happy hour on Monday (starts at 4 pm, ends when the oysters are out), which is why my group of friends went. That's a pretty decent price that you can't beat, especially for being in the middle of Ohio. The oysters weren't the best, but they were oysters and they were $1. The cocktail sauce was a decent addition. We had a couple beers as well as some items off their happy hour menu. Their Sicilian meatball was alright, but nothing out of this world. We also had the crispy calamari which tasted pretty standard as far as fried calamari goes. The service was friendly and the meal was not too expensive.
(3)Dr R.
I went here w. a friend for restaurant week and it was great! I had never been, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The staff were welcoming and wait staff attentive. I typically ask about signature drinks and dishes, and the staff was very accommodating and shared their favorites. As if they knew me for years, our waiter recommended their "Old Fashioned", which is a personal favorite of mine. I think they did a nice job with it. My friend ordered the "New Fashioned" and liked it, though we both agreed it was a touch too sweet. The highlight of the food was the beef carppachio. The garnish was superb (and definitely get some fresh ground pepper) and it melted in your mouth. We were tempted to order another one. The main dishes were good (sausage and white bean w. duck confit), and the desserts well done. I had the choc. dish w. raspberry reduction. It was a HUGE serving, so I'd recommend splitting it bc of the richness. I'm not a rice pudding person, but I was told it was well made. The timing on the service was spot on. We enjoy taking our time (multiple cocktails throughout), and we never felt rushed. All and all it was about two hours and we left satisfied and sure that we'd return. On our way out we were told about $1 Oyster Monday...which sounds like a great option for the next time out at Rigsby's.
(5)Cynthia W.
Good was great - loved the smoked trout risotto! Service was poor and server had no energy and seemed bored waiting on us.
(4)Pink C.
Rigsby's is one of my absolute favorite places in Columbus. The food is always excellent. I especially recommend their homemade pastas: gnocchi and ravioli. Their flavors are so sophisticated and well-balanced. It's not just traditional Italian food, it really is modern and updated (which is not to say I don't also enjoy traditional). There are always several vegetarian options and the friendly servers will always offer to make something off the menu too. The restaurant has a great atmosphere. The rooms are quite large and the tables are nicely spaced. The exposed brick walls are covered with modern artworks. There's a full bar, but it's separated from the main dining room.
(5)Emily L.
My boyfriend and I decided to come here for Valentine's Day. We've been trying to work our way through what's considered "Columbus' Best". We chose Rigsby's because we had heard good things and it was another to cross off the list. This place is gorgeous. I loved the ambiance. There were beautiful paintings and large photographs of Columbus hanging on the back brick wall. I don't know if it's there all the time, but there was a pianist playing a baby grand piano. Our table had rose petals on it(which I'm almost positive would be for Valentine's). Our waiter was really friendly and helpful and made some good suggestions. For drinks, I had to go with one of the cocktails, the Trees Outside the Academy(by the way, all the cocktails have awesome names). It was delicious. My boyfriend had a locally brewed beer...that I can't remember the name of...I never can. Anyway, for starters, we shared the salumi tasting. There were 4 different types to taste and they were all delicious. For entrees, I had the balsamic marinated flank steak. My steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly and came with sauteed leaks, polenta, and Parmesan broccoli. It was such a perfect plate of food. My boyfriend had the braised pork shank, which I tried and it was heaven also. It came with polenta as well and prosciutto wrapped green beans. Like so many other reviews say, we did not get dessert because...Jeni's is a block away and we couldn't resist. I really liked Rigsby's and I would recommend it, but there were 2 things that were not great. One was the price. Our entrees were great and the price was fair for them, but the salumi tasting was $15.00 and I thought that was overpriced for what we got. I also thought my cocktail was overpriced, as one was $13. The other thing I was disappointed with, and this was mostly because it was Valentine's Day, was they didn't offer their full menu tonight. I had looked at the menu prior to us going to dinner and was kind of looking forward to getting an awesome pizza to start. But they weren't offered tonight. Hopefully I'll get to come back to try one, but it's always kind of annoying when restaurants don't offer their full menu in addition to holiday selections. Just my opinion.
(4)Larry H.
Business dinner on a Thursday night and it was wonderful. I had pasta , shrimp and clams. Other 2 has gnocchi and seafood stew. Flynn was a wonderful server. This is one of the best in Columbus.
(4)Tom L.
Tonight was my first visit here having heard good things about this restaurant. I must say I'm disappointed. The food is OK but overpriced for what it is. The service was terribly slow and the decor reminded me of something from the late eighties. I don't see a return here in my future.
(2)SaRea S.
Can you believe I have never been here? I have walked past this place more times than I can count on my way to other destinations. Rigsby's has always been unattainable or least in my mind. So yesterday I broke down and went to happy hour. This place is pricey, bottom line - so don't come here looking for 1/2 price cocktails and appetizers. However they do have specials that change each night , just ask the hostess. Try the house made tonic with your Gin or Vodka and don't forget the small plates. We feasted on Oysters Diavolo, Pork Belly, and several cocktails. I will definitely save my coins and come back for a sleek after work drink!
(4)Karin G.
So, we're new in town, which means we haven't quite grasped the ropes of life in a big city. The Short North area is a very unique and modern part of town, with many eclectic eateries that we have been eager to try. We made the trip down from Clintonville - chose to drive because we assumed the bus trip would take too long. With it being our first time out in Short North, we weren't sure what to do about parking. My husband chose the restaurant as a surprise for our anniversary, so I didn't know where we were going. If I DID know, I would have been involved in the whole researching-where-to-park-in-the-big-city part of going to dinner, but this was on the husband's proverbial plate. So we drove around looking for a free parking spot and after about 20 minutes of searching side streets, we finally found a sign that felt like free public parking to us. Fast forward to the end of our dining experience, we were greeted with a $40 parking ticket - now we know to valet park wherever we go in Short North. I assure you, it will be more affordable than a $40 parking ticket. Rewind, back to the beginning of our dining experience in Rigsby's Kitchen - with the added time of finding our perfect "free" parking spot, we were happy to find that we made it to the restaurant before happy hour was over. Our server was kind enough to serve us drinks from the bar in the restaurant area - which we now know is a big city no-no. We appreciated the $4 glasses of wine, as opposed to the restaurant side;s $13 rate. We order the butternut squash ravioli, which was wonderful and the octopus, which was not so wonderful in my opinion - too rubbery for my taste. I would have like to have had sides served with the entree, but you had to purchase those separately if you wanted them. As the evening went on, more people filled the restaurant, which slowed down our service. The lava chocolate cake was a great topper to the end of the meal, but I still felt hungry, so I finished off our basket of bread. I already told you how we ended the evening. So, yes, I would go back to Rigsby's, but I'm looking forward to visiting other Short North restaurants first.
(3)Phil S.
Ignore anyone who give this less than 4 stars. The food is solid and service is spot on. Great vibe, excellent spirits and clientele. We are from out of town and first tried a cute wine bar up the street that would rate zero stars. Defiantly will come back!
(5)Joe G.
Consistently inventive & great tasting food. Nice to see a restaurant of this caliber amongst the wannabes. I always sit at the bar. Jack never steers me wrong.
(5)Denise Y.
Rigsby's is definitely one of the better places to eat in Columbus. The restaurant itself is high end but relaxed. Service was polite but not invasive (who likes a pushy or inattentive server?) My table had a little of everything, and all of it was well prepared. Out of the table's entrees, I would recommend the duck which was served with sweet figs or the giant seared scallops which were generous size and well prepared. With a side of brussel sprouts with pancetta for the table, the meal was complete (and I made my mom a brussel sprout lover).
(4)Hannah V.
My boyfriend and I went to the restaurant last night before we went to gallery hop. My parents said they really liked Rigsby's so we decided to give it a shot. Once we sat down at our table, we weren't greeted for 5 minutes. Finally, the server came by with waters and said she would be right back. They were very busy so it wasn't a big deal, at first. 5 minutes later she comes back with bread and oil and says she will be right back again. After yet another 5 minutes she comes back and says "so are you ready to order?" No, we weren't ready to order because we've never been there and she hadn't explained the menu. So before I could even ask any questions she left and I think the only reason she remembered my boyfriend and I were there was because I had to WAVE HER DOWN to come back after 10 more minutes of waiting! We ordered the meatballs for an appetizer and they were honestly very underdone. I got the quail and my boyfriend ordered the crab ravioli and they were both excellent. I'd give this place another try but only because the food was good. The service was absolutely terrible. Edit: I got an email from the owner asking me to come give Rigsby's another try. I've get to go back but I am eager to try again!
(3)Melinda S.
My husband and I moved to Columbus from NC a few months ago and are trying out a new restaurant almost every weekend as we get to know the area. I really wanted to like Rigsby's Kitchen. It was recommended to me by several friends and colleagues and gets high marks on most restaurant review sites. Unfortunately, I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. Unlike what other folks have written in their reviews, we didn't find the service unfriendly or snobbish -- quite the opposite. Everyone we interacted with was extremely friendly and accommodating. We sat at the bar to enjoy Happy Hour and then moved to the dining room for our dinner reservation. Here's a blow by blow, brief description of everything we ordered: Deviled egg trio (at the bar): Quite good and well executed. Would be even better if they had used those yummy, delicate quail eggs instead of regular chicken eggs (we go to a restaurant in Boone, NC that uses quail eggs and that was a revelation in terms of what deviled eggs can be). Still tasty, though. Caesar salad: Much too fishy for a Caesar salad ordered without anchovies. Cream of watercress soup with Parmesan: Absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, it wasn't served at a hot enough temperature. Gnocchi bolognese. Good, but the sauce was too sweet to make it great. Brussels sprouts: Good, nice al dente texture with delicious crispy pancetta. Needed acid. Sauteed spinach with garlic: Also needed acid. We asked for some vinegar to be brought to the table for both the Brussels sprouts and spinach. Pork Belly: Nice and crispy, but again, there was a sweet taste that was a bit off-putting. I asked the server if there were cloves or something in it and she checked with the chef who said it was probably the cooked apple. Anyway, it wasn't bad but a bit too sweet for my taste. Finally, the bread basket (with bread from their own bakery) was good but the bread was stone cold. In my opinion, bread should be served warm. We ran out of room for dessert so can't comment on that. My husband and I concluded that we would go back to Rigsby's for Happy Hour (great drink prices Mon-Sat and $1 oysters on Monday) and probably order from their bar menu, which is different from the restaurant menu. They have those good deviled eggs, plus some yummy-sounding dishes we haven't tried yet such as homemade meatballs and homemade sausage pizza. However, I don't see us dining in the restaurant again. It's too pricey for the quality of the food.
(3)Allison B.
My husband and I tried this restaurant for Restaurant Week, but we won't be going back. The service was excellent and the ambiance was nice, but the food was not great. We chose French Mussels for the appetizer, and those were delicious. Unfortunately, this got us excited for the main course, a trio of meatballs, calamari, and a cheese/bread/bacon kebab. The kebab was weird, sort of like food you might sample at a catered work lunch or someone's graduation party, it the pieces were not bite sized and the overall effect was too rich. It was also partially charred, which may have been intentional but felt burnt. The meatballs were dense and appeared to have whole pine nuts in them (nuts made a weird texture)- I am no expert on meatballs but these did not encourage me to eat more. The calamari, which is normally one of my favorite foods, was far too salty- my husband and I both felt this way. I could not finish the calamari. It was difficult to get over the salty calamari with the tiny glasses of tepid water they gave us. The dessert was nice- a macaroon, piece of pistachio biscotti, and Jeni's ice cream- but then why didn't we just go to Jeni's, which very close? Again, the service was lovely, but we can't justify choosing to eat here when there are so many other, better places in Columbus!
(2)Tony Z.
I sat at the bar for 20 minutes this Saturday only getting a water with a piece of food in it. The bartenders could not even come back to get our drink order. We finally went to Martini's and got exceptional service.
(1)Kara K.
Finding a nice restaurant open for lunch in Columbus is a bit of a challenge. My top choices (Spagio, Z Cuchina, & Vino Vino) aren't open for lunch & some not even open on Mondays. So, my family ended up at Rigsby's on Monday for lunch to celebrate my bar passage & getting sworn in as a lawyer. The restaurant was almost deserted at noon on a Monday. But it was okay since there were still 9 of us. They seated us at one table which was obviously two tables pushed together. Unfortunately the two tables they chose to push together were different heights, leaving those in the middle of the table forced to either eat with their plate at an angle or pushed in a very small area. The bread was delicious. My mother referred to it as the best bread she's ever tasted (and trust me, my family loves our bread). My gnocchi was perfect. Since there were 9 of us, I really don't remember what all was ordered...I believe the arctic char, salmon, lobster roll, steak salad, grilled cheese, & cheeseburger (yes, my 18 yr old brother cannot go anywhere without a cheseburger). The only complaint about the food was that they wanted more. As good as the food was, I wish the service was better. Our reservations were for 12:15, allowing us (we thought) plenty of time to eat & get to the Ohio Theatre by 2pm. I'm not sure if our waiter thought we were all still deciding or what the deal was. It was nearly 1pm before we ordered. I had to scarf down my gnocchi & leave in a hurry. I would have loved to try their desserts, but their simply wasn't time.
(3)Tommy M.
it's been a while since I've been back to Rigsby's. When I sat down to meet with a friend, Kent Rigsby kindly came over to say hi and welcomed me back into his wonderful establishment. You see, I had written an unfavorable YELP review about an experience that myself and my friends had in the summer of 2011. This year, my review was addressed by Kent himself. His email was kind and apologetic. The next week I took another meeting (happy hour meeting) at Rigby's [you see, I like to take all of my meetings at restaurants that I patron often and that provide good food, drink, and service...it's how I give back to my favorite establishments]. My guest, my partner, and I opted to sit at the bar. The bar has a wonderful tasting menu as well! Our experience was wonderful, and the service was great too. Joe does an excellent job tending bar (he's a Rigsby's fixture) with his wonderful cocktail creations and his humor and charm. Needless to say, I'm a fan of Rigsby's again!
(4)Craig M.
It was a great dinner. The specials were priced well and the quality of food was wonderful. Fine dining in a casual setting.
(4)Sofia D.
We went for Dine Originals Week, so we tried the three course meal which was great. Out waitress was nice and attentive, but didn't hover. The place wasn't packed since it was mid-week and the live music was a nice touch. The risotto was great. I would return for another nice dinner.
(4)Lisa M.
Stopped in to Rigsby's today as part of a Columbus Food Adventures tour. After 25 years, it is amazing how this place stays fresh and current. We had the pleasure of meeting the new chef and his creations did not disappoint! The others on the tour had a beautiful grilled salmon served on black lentils with a red wine reduction. They raved! And since I am allergic to fish, they were very kind and made a special pasta dish for me - sometimes we forget that the most simple preparations can be the most delicious. I had linguini tossed with butter, garlic, basil and sun-dried tomatoes and could not have been more delighted. It is really refreshing and nice to see someone who was a pioneer in the Short North back in the scary days, continue to enjoy such success. Kudo's to Kent Rigsby and his entire team!
(5)Ellen F.
Holy cow, wow. I can't even pick out favorites from this menu. Everything, I promise, everything is spectacular. Okay, so I haven't actually tried everything, but what I have tasted was wonderful and what I've heard from dinner dates have shared the same opinion. The weekend nights are jam packed. know this in advance. If you want dinner, try going early or do a call-ahead. I actually like the bar, and don't mind waiting there. I've been able to meet a number of very interesting people just chilling at the bar. The uber high ceiling and fairly new modern decor creates a nice environment for open conversation, meeting new people and happy people. Yeah, sure, high ceilings have wonderous affects on the human psyche.
(5)Kat A.
This was our third try for Rigsby's. We are always reading/hearing how great it is but that was not my experience the first two times we were there. We visited at the time of the recent Dine Originals menu which gave us choices from a pre-fixe menu. The best part of the meal was the wine that was part of the deal. Santa Lucia Vigna del Melagrano, a very nice fruit-forward, highly-drinkable wine. First course was some "assorted small bites" which consisted of crostini (cold) with cold tomato-y relish on top, some small, lukewarm meatballs and a spoonful of pickled veggies. A little warmth would have added to the flavors for sure. I had salmon on some fava bean puree with broccoli raab and cherry tomatoes. I don't normally spend a lot of time evaluating the composition of my plate, but I do notice when it's badly off. This was fish plopped on a gray pile of bean puree with some raggedy looking bits of parsley straggling around on the plate. Just not what I expected from a place of this supposed caliber. Dessert was a completely flat, bland tasting apple crostata that was supposed to have a caramel-cocoa sauce. How can something like that not taste great?! It is rare for me to not finish a dessert- I gave up on this before I was halfway through. Hard to believe. Our waiter was a gem, though, all smiles and genuine attentiveness. Sorry Rigby's, we tried, we really tried.
(2)Colin S.
A nice dinning experience. The ambiance is pleasant and there is little background noise making conversation easy. The wait staff is OK. Excellent wine list. The menu is interesting and diverse, but the food lacked a sophistication that I expected given the restaurant's reputation. The flavors of the dishes I tried lacked harmony. The textures were interesting but one flavor dominated each dish even though the dishes appeared to constructed to showcase multiple ingredients.
(3)Michael D.
Very nice. Solid dining experience. Went with a party of 6, great service, everyone raved about their meals and deserts. They ran out of the rib-eye special my friend wanted but he was very satisfied with the pork loin. I had the stuffed chicken which was cooked perfectly with a very nice and light sauce. The gnocchi looked fabulous. For deserts, it seems the cheesecake with lavendar petals was the favorite desert. Good wine list, no complaints, but wouldn't rave about it either. I'm personally more interested in California wines and their list was at least 1/2 Italian wines from many different regions. So if you are looking for that, you'll probably like the list better than me. A good atmosphere for dates, friends, or business alike. I travel a lot and get to go to the best places all over the world, so it's tough to give Rigsby's 5 stars, but you won't be disappointed.
(4)D H.
Magnifico! There must be some residual Italian left in me from dinner :) What a great restaurant. Great space, not overly cramped with a nice mixture of clientele. As a group we had: Lasagne - wow, this is how it should be, a really robust dish Scallops - cooked to perfection Salmon - again, cooked to perfection and very sweet Go back??? hell yeah, I may even travel to Columbus to go here ( well,if i were staying in Dublin,OH) but I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Onwards and upwards
(4)tobin m.
The best dining experience I've had in the three months that I've been in Columbus. 1. The food is great - well prepared, creative and interesting options 2. Great atmosphere 3. The desserts were excellent.
(5)Rich P.
Tough parking. Good host/hostess. nice ambiance, but VERY loud. very marginal service. Average Caesar salad. Nice scallop entree. Very good sicilian meatball pizza. relatively small wine list, but with pretty nice selections. Major dtractor was the marginal service. I didnt think it was fair to give it 2 stars, but i also wouldnt call it "A-OK" which is what Yelp calls 3 stars. We would go again at some point, but we'll explore other dining establishments first.
(3)deb k.
The service was terrible. We sat for 15 minutes after being seated before anyone brought us water. Then we waited for another 10 minutes before getting the menu. Then another 15+ minutes before getting our order taken by a server who spoke quietly and seemed jumpy and scared and completely unsure of everything she was saying and doing. It was EXTREMELY loud - we almost had to yell across the table to be heard. The tables were very close to one another and one side was a long bench seat. So each time the person next to me moved or got up, I felt it. For the price of the food it was not good. The food itself was okay, but for the cost, it sucked. I wouldn't waste your time or money. For a nice meal go anywhere else.
(1)J S.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in C-Bus. The food is excellent and always reflects the best seasonal produce. The bar has been remodeled and is a great place to sit and watch the oddities of the Short North through the large glass windows.
(5)Beverly R.
I have been here several times. I have never been disappointed! The price is a bit more than most, but we'll worth the cost. Wine selection is great as well. Service was also exceptional.
(4)Kym Z.
Walked by this restaurant a thousand times going to other destinations. This place just kind of blends in with the rest of the quaint restaurants along High Street but the food does not. Worth keeping an eye out for this place. Food, staff, atmosphere were all beyond good.
(4)Stephen B.
Love this place. Best Monday happy hour around. Dollar oysters, great drink prices, amazing food and always great service. I've never had a bad experience.
(5)Shelby L.
Rigbys was excellent! Our server was very attentive, knowledgable on the menu, and answered any questions we had. We shared the deviled eggs appetizer, which was great, and my boyfriend had the porkchop. Oh my goodness was it amazing, definitely recommend! I had the butternut squash ravioli, which was good, but on the sweeter side which I wasn't expecting. Overall, great place!!!
(4)Michelle L.
Food was okay but nothing to write home about. Service was adequate at best thanks to our server Ben. Got over cooked pork that was tough but did have nice flavor. Gave it two stars instead of one because the gnocchi was cooked perfectly as was the chocolate cake which was pretty great. Also, the decent sized pours for wine by the glass bumped it up a bit. Our server was neglectful however, and walked by our table several times without asking if we wanted to order, have refills on our water, etc. Also, our bread basket was absolutely filthy (picture uploaded) and turned us off from eating any of the bread once we noticed it. Once we pointed it out to Ben our server he gave us an attitude stating "well they do wash them but I guess we should throw this one away" and scooped it from our table. He did not offer to comp anything for us and did not have a supervisor come speak with us. Overall very disappointed especially considering the price. We will not return here.
(2)Aaron F.
I like the fact they are farm to table and buy local! The food is very good, not great. The pork belly appetizer and potato gnocchi bolognese are very good, and priced well. Have not been there on Monday's for $1 oysters, but here great things. How can $1 oysters be bad? I have the same issue with this place as I do with many other Cbus restaurants. Since you cannot "legally" bring in your own wine, I would hope and expect for the restaurant to have a great wine list, commensurate with the price of food. Wine list here is mediocre at best.
(3)Long H.
Great place for dinner! We came here as a very big group, and our server was delightful and attentive. The food was great, especially their scallops. During happy hours, you can get wine for $5, and their wine is pretty decent. I didn't like their deserts since they were a bit too sweet for me.
(4)Christine N.
Rigsby's. Why is it so loud in here? I can hardly hear myself think. I miss your more robust happy hour offerings. Simply dollar oysters on Mondays? Great deal, except that I can't convince raw oyster novices to come with me because the happy hour menu doesn't offer anything else. Aside from that, the noise is awful at Rigsby's. The wall decorations are nice but there's nothing on the ceilings to help absorb some noise. Just harsh acoustics all around. The food was ok. Nothing amazing. The crispy pork belly was heavy on the salt. I had the pappardelle with rabbit ragout, orange something and olives. I couldn't really taste the orange that the waiter insisted created more of a zesty flavor rather than a sweet flavor. The rabbit didn't taste exceptional. It could have been chicken for all I know. The sea scallops with lemon risotto. They make sure you know there's lemon in that risotto if you catch what I mean. Overwhelming doesn't quite begin to describe. I was initially upset because the hostess chose to seat us at a table next to the kitchen entrance with all the runners bustling past. I know space is at a premium but I don't think it's a good idea to place a table there. I requested to be seated elsewhere and after a few minutes we were moved to another table. I really appreciate their hospitality in that regard.
(3)Sean T.
I have to give this place a bad review based on service and attitude. We had a party of 8, and the food was okay, (nothing special to note here). But the service was unbelievably poor. First the waiter was basically rude to every woman at the table. It started with my wife's drink order, she requested a drink that they did not have, and he countered with "have you ever had a Manhattan." Hello, we are in our 40's if she wanted a Manhattan, she would of asked for it. She then tried to describe what she wanted again, and he said "Oh, I know what you want" and left. he proceeded to return with a Manhattan. Not once did he ever ask her if her drink was all right. (it wasn't) Anyway, the rest of the night we never really saw our waiter because another party of ten was sitting next to us and taking most of his time. Water glasses were left empty, no one checked on our meals, and one person had to go find a spoon for his soup. The worst service ever. So here comes the topper, my wife calls to talk to the manager the next day and tell him how disappointing we were. His comment was "well what do you want me to do about it?" no apology, nothing offered, just nothing. She suggested he call the person that paid the bill, and he said why. She told him to apologize. he said ok, took the number and never called. In his explanation of the poor service, he threw out that that the other table ordered over ten bottles of wine and left a $200 tip. So apparently if they think you are a big tipper, you will get better service. Well, I got news for you, since our bill, was over $700, he missed out on another big tip that was out there, because we left nothing. So I hope it averages out well. Finally, and I hope they read this, you never know who your customers are. Sure, they were big tippers, and that is great. Are they even local? Because guess what, i entertain parties of 8-12 three to four nights a month. Almost always in short north or German Village. and guess what restaurant was just removed from my "goto" list. Good luck, because I will never be back.
(1)Heather K.
I have a special take on Rigsby's. I worked there in college as well as Tasi. It was one of my first jobs in Columbus and their standards for their employees were very high. It was not the easiest job but I was definitely impressed by how much the Rigby's care about what they do. Since, I have returned for dollar oyster night or happy hour. Rigsby's has one of the greatest bars in the city. It's so beautiful with the light coming in from the windows. I definitely recommend it for a first date - their are many great sharable items on the bar menu. Rigby's has a lot of wonderful regulars that I always enjoy seeing when I come in. Rigsby's is one of the few restaurants where I will order pasta. It's worth the carbs - so perfectly delicious I'm craving it just thinking about it! I also always enjoy seeing their specials on Facebook and Instagram. I have a lot of respect for any restaurant who uses social media to engage their customers.
(5)Anthony K.
Food was good, not great but well above average. Not a large menu which is a plus, after all it's not Olive Garden with 40 frozen options and that's a good thing. The caprese salad with seasonal vegetables and truffle oil as well as the minestrone and espresso creme brûlée were very well done.
(4)Helene C.
We came from NY to celebrate my sons 21st birthday who goes to OSU. We waited 10 minutes to sit despite having a reservation. Our waiter was excellent. He explained the menu and was both informative and pleasant. Appetizers were all good. Oyster and calamari were especially delicious. We all chose something different for dinner. My duck was excellent. Red cabbage it came with was good. Mashed sweet potatoes were not. My family enjoyed the days special, striped bass, the gnocchi, risotto and the pappardelle bolognese. My sons carrot cake was delicious, the molten chocolate cake was just ok (way to sweet). Yes it is pricey but we enjoyed the atmosphere, service and food. We would return :)
(5)Natalie H.
Came here with a few friends for Restaurant Week. Our service was prompt and friendly, and we didn't have to wait very long for the food. The environment is lovely and classy, but I felt that the atmosphere alone did not warrant the high prices of the menu items. I consider myself to be an adventurous eater, but nothing on the menu really stood out as being particularly appetizing (it was very heavy on the seafood side) I ordered the Salmon Gravlax and the Wild Boar Sausage with Duck Confit which were both pretty good, but not *awesome*
(3)Alan R.
This place kicks major ass in the drink and food category! Any dish with the smoked Salmon is to die for! From what I understand they smoke it all in the basement. Huge fan of the ambiance. It is pretty open yet when on a date its very intimate. I have been here with large groups as well (8+) and have a great time! I highly recommend going. Dont let one persons shitty experience stop you from trying it out! Also the owner kinda blocks cell service so people are not on their phones the entire night. I like that!
(5)Yousra Z.
Pretty good for Columbus - lamb kabobs were good. Fair warning (or tip, depends how you see it) - tons of pork on the menu - even when they don't have it listed in the item description
(4)ZZ K.
I'll keep this one short and sweet. My friend had told me this place was great. AfterI I finished, I thought great only described the truffle deviled eggs and the stuffed dates. My scallops were cooked nicely and the polenta dish with smoked salmon we had was meh and the eggplant parmigiana my friend ordered was bitter. The service was fine despite our server having minimal social skills and not telling us about any specials - happy hour or otherwise (including their small plates/tapas) until we asked. The ambiance was nice, have to say I was shocked to find out this place had won a prestigious award... I would not go back, too many better options around.
(3)Jose L.
Really great meal. First, we were greeted by host and also server Yusef, who seemed genuine and helpful. He made many suggestions, one great which included skipping dessert and hitting the incredible Jennie's Ice Cream shop two doors down. When was the last time a restaurant person recommended someone else's food? :) Nice atmosphere, we started with olives and bacon-wrapped dates, I got the Branzino, nicely prepared, no fuss. The oysters looked great, one of my colleagues got the deviled eggs, not what mom used to make. Highly recommend this place in downtown Columbus.
(5)Elyse F.
I'm torn. The real rating of Rigsby's should be a 41/2. I went to Rigsby's last night with two friends for dinner. We were slightly early but they seated us immediately. We did check our coats at the door and the hostess was incredibly friendly. We were seated at a nice large table in the dining room and I would say the place was 3/4 of the way full. I was wearing jeans, a sweater, and snow boots and I felt slightly under dressed although it was -5 yesterday so I didn't feel that bad. Rigsby's is a little dressy, nice business casual but not cocktail attire. Our waitress was Flynn and her service was absolutely excellent. She wasn't intrusive but was very nice and attentive. She was the right amount of present, taking orders but not rushing us, making sure everyone had a drink, definitely grade A service. The drinks are why this place loses half a star in my book. The cocktails are $12 a piece and they are tiny. I should not be able to drink my drink in five slips. I want something that will last from the beginning of being seated through appetizers and then I want a second drink to last from before the main course to the end of the meal. The drink was just too small. Taste-wise it was fine, I didn't love but I was trying something new. I should mention I got the Amelia. I wouldn't order it again but I'm not sure what I would order because the cocktail menu didn't have anything that sounded particularly good to me. My friend had the Varient. She didn't enjoy it, it was overwhelmingly orange, also very small. She later had a Manhattan and that was much cheaper (only $7) and she enjoyed it more. The other friend had a glass of red and it was a good serving size, lasted her through the meal and she enjoyed it. We started with the antipasto platter and the la tur cheese. The antipasto was good on the small size but we were able to share it so everyone tried everything. The pickled vegetables were everyone's favorite thing. The la tur cheese was fabulous. It was rich and creamy and was a solid serving. I would definitely plan on sharing it, it would be way too much for one person. Also it could have used more crackers but overall it was excellent. The man who brought it to the table said it is his favorite cheese and that you can only find it at the North Market. We each ordered a large plate. I had the potato gnocchi bolognese, one friend had the butternut squash ravioli, and the other had the pan roasted sea scallops. Everyone enjoyed their food immensely. I thought mine could have used more gnocchi. It was a lot of delicious ragu and only 4 or 5 gnocchi so the ratio was off. My friend with the scallops loved them and the vegetables. The butternut squash ravioli was very sweet. She liked it a lot, I tried it and I'm not sure I could have eaten it. Highlights: Excellent service from Flynn as well the man bring bread, busing tables and filling water. His game was on point. Good food, I be back with a different audience. Portion size was excellent. I had enough to be totally full without hating myself. Downside: I love a good cocktail and the cocktails here really let me down. Overall, it ranks high for me and I would totally recommend Rigsby's.
(4)Jeremy B.
Good food,good drinks. Waitress was always on the spot. A little pricey but definite great food.
(5)Jared E.
As many reviews have echoed: Rigsby's is okay. The food is fair. It's not bad, but for the price, it's not good enough. Went here last night, so I will start from the beginning. First off, valet was "full" apparently. Being that it was the weekend there was of course no where downtown to park. We ended up heading around the corner to park at level's valet. This wasn't too much of an inconvenience, but for an expensive restaurant don't tell us you can't accommodate my car when I have an 8:30 reservation. I hold expensive, trendy restaurants to high standards from start to finish. We wandered in to the hostess stand and were quickly seated in a good table up front right next to the window. The hostess was as friendly as you would expect for a trendy restaurant--meaning she did her job, but didn't go out of her way to be welcoming. I'm torn on the atmosphere here--I can't decide if I like it or not. Something about it seems cheap or unfinished. I felt like something was missing--it just didn't all come together. We ended up splitting a bottle of really good wine--a pinto grigio and verduzzo blend. The wine prices by the glass are *extremely* pretentious--the average hovered at $13. They come out in those little carafes--and while you may be getting an extra 2 ounces or so from a "standard wine pour," these are really nothing more than a healthy pour of wine you'd get at a place that doesn't ration out their pours. So, that's why we decided on a bottle at $34 as opposed to paying out the rear end for a glass. Here's what else went down last night: Service--wonderful. The server was awesome, super friendly, talkative, knew his stuff. Food-Tasting Plate--underwhelmed. A couple "truffle" deviled eggs--couldn't taste the truffle oil at all. A couple of extremely salty smoked salmon pieces on top of a fried potato cake that had a very heavy oil flavor. Some mixed nuts and fried olives. Overall, come on folks--you can do much better than this. Endive Salad--again, underwhelmed. Very nice greens, but overall I'm embarrassed I paid $11 for this. Red Snapper Special--the actual fish was excellent. The presentation and finish left something to be desired. I had to salt this fish--something I almost never do. When I figured out that's what it needed halfway through it became a much better dish. It came with some pearl couscous that just wasn't interesting. Brick Chicken--this and the snapper were two of the specials tonight. My date and I discussed that a rotisserie chicken from kroger or giant eagle is just as good. This wasn't bad by any means, but we expected more. Coffee, Dessert, After Dinner Drink--coffee wasn't hot, but warm to luke warm. It was good coffee though, just not served hot. Had a molten chocolate cake--have had better, many times, many different places. Ordered some Tia Maria that was served in a snifter that REEKED of Sambuca or some other anise based liquor. The glass had obviously not been washed. The server took this off our bill though. Other--they seem to do a good business here, though I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's another place to *pose* in the short north and is in a trendy location. Overall, totally not worth it. The water served at the table was not cold. Oh, and DRY your wine glasses before they are placed on to my table--totally gauche to lay down glasses fresh out of the washer that have not been polished for wine service.
(3)Riri A.
One of the best restaurant in Cbus. I enjoy more for their lunch because I like to go there when it's not full. their breads are excellent their tabasco flavor muscles are amazing. their creme brulee and choclate cake with ice cream is the best.
(5)George Y.
My thoughts run between a 3 and a 3.5. But before I start anything, I must mention the server. She was very friendly and helpful, but that's not what I want to share. She asked what we wanted to drink and I asked for a drink menu. She points to a drink menu on the table, literally inches from my hand. I laughed and said "do you have glasses" and pointed to the ones I was wearing. I was joking as if I needed a new pair of glasses. She said she'd look and left. I was somewhat confused, and thought she's really not going to get a pair of glasses. Sure enough, she returned with a pair of reading glasses. I apologized that I was just joking, but I never knew that reading glasses are something you can request from a restaurant. Now back to the food. We started off with a calamari fritti. I misread the item and I thought it was a calamari fritter, which I thought would have been interesting to try. I was a little depressed to see what was a standard calamari. Now the aioli that came with it was very good, but I was really wanting a fritter. For some reason I wanted meat, so I ordered the balsamic flank steak, medium rare, with wilted leeks, polenta and broccoli romanesco. Pretty good steak, bloody, tender and well seasoned. I would rank this below Ruth Chris and better then Hyde Park. I wolfed the polenta and broccoli, but the wilted leeks was quite sour. Not my cup-o-tea. We skipped dessert and headed across the street to Jeni's. I was expecting more, especially after looking at the bill.
(3)Cherie R.
I sometimes don't get all the hype about this place. It's good. But not phenomenal. I like Tasi better, although I never get a chance to go because my husband doesn't like going to the Short North - parking's a pain. Anyhow, we've been to Rigsby's about three or four times now - the food is always good - but not REALLY good. And it's a little overpriced - I think I can get a phenomenal meal for the same price at a few other establishments in Columbus. That and I think the service is sometimes sketchy - they messed up my brother-in-law's order and their first reaction was to argue with him that they gave him the correct order. They fixed it after a while - we were also trying to get to a show, so it slowed us down. The waiter was either slammed or flustered, because he didn't drop by as soon as he should have. It's one of those places where I wouldn't go out of my way to not come here - but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. We usually come with the in-laws, who ARE fans of the place.
(3)Katherine C.
Been a few times when there were not many others present, but service was always surprisingly slow. Maybe they are understaffed? The food I've had here has been really good. fresh and flavorful. Pasta cooked to just the right texture, they have a flavorful, individualized take on all the classic italian dishes, salads are good, but definitely not the highlight. Environment is crisp, modern, chill. It's High Street, so parking can be a challenge.
(3)Chelsea S.
If I could give 3.5 stars I would. Both Food and Service were good but not great. Deviled eggs were good. Oyster with the eggplant was tied with the stuffed figs as the favorites. Entrees were just okay. Over all just an average meal. I would give it a try again.
(3)Danny B.
Beyond disappointed! Visiting friends in wonderful Columbus, we decided to go here on the recommendation of a few locals. Amazed at how awful the entire experience was. Asked for a few special dietary changes - nothing crazy and seemed unable to property execute. Burger was way over done and lacking all flavor. Dessert was burnt - and nothing special. While service was ok it defiantly was lacking the special touch. Bathroom was beyond dirty and completely over looked by management. Working in the world of hospitality I was so disappointed on every level with this place. Three courses for 137$ was way over priced for flavorless food and horrible plating. Not worth the price or attitude. Only good thing was have valet parking.
(2)Doo-Dah W.
Love this place. The dining room is very formal and a great place to go to celebrate something special. However, the bar is much more casual. The small plate menu is perfect for snacking (especially the truffle deviled eggs!) and there are also great deals on drinks (chimay for $4? yes please). Service is usually great, although it can be slow at times (there's always only one bartender working).
(4)Akira S.
The service was great. The host and hostess were very accommodating and the waitress was very good. Unfortunately, the food wasn't that great and was very over priced. Four small slices of mozzarella was $13. The croutons on my salad were like stale bread and the lamb was chewy.
(2)lorrin S.
This was one of the worst dinners I've ever been to. The service was rude and very slow, the food was burnt, dry, and wilted.. They messed up 2 out of 3 of our drinks.. How do you mess up a Vodka soda?!?!? I travel all over for work and eat in all different places. From high end to dives. I've never had such a bad experience! Please do not wait your money. There are so many better places to eat with in walking distance!
(1)Michael G.
I had the in-season egg plant parmesan from the regular menu. Outstanding in all regards and the best red sauce I've had in a long time. Simple and very flavorful. Service was excellent as usual and the bathrooms were perfect, as usual. The bartender however, needs to learn how to make an Old Fashion. It was poor when first delivered, no fruit just the rind, no muddling, little bitters. I sent it back, it was no better on the return.
(4)Kerry M.
Actually I have gone to Rigsbys from time to time for many years. I am aware of the outstanding reputation of this restaurant and I have been impressed with food and service previously. Tonight, I was disappointed, at best. Service was friendly but inattentive and the food was unremarkable. I believe the kitchen must think that because the reputation of the restaurant is excellent, there is no need to try. I will give Rigsbys one more visit soon, but if the experience is again disappointing, I will anoint Rigsbys as a restaurant that used to be great.
(3)Mandi D.
I had been wanting to try Rigsby's Kitchen for some time now. I'm a huge Tasi Cafe fan (especially for brunch) and knowing the ties between the two restaurants (Tasi is married to Rigsby, isn't that adorable, read the story here: rigsbyskitchen.com/about… ) I suspected I would be a Rigsby's fan as well. Unfortunately being the poor professional student that I am, it had to be reserved for an occasion. Enter my birthday and a doting (and very tolerant of my pricey food tastes) boyfriend. Overall I was impressed with my experience at Rigsby's. We had a 9 PM reservation on a Saturday evening and were immediately seated. The service was prompt. Our waiter was very attentive and had wonderful suggestions. We started our meal with a shared margherita pizza, in honor of a tradition from our vacation in Rome. The pizza actually reminded me very much of the Roman pies. I had an incredible glazed duck, and he very much enjoyed his lamb chops. My favorite part of the meal was the mashed sweet potato that was served with my duck--it was seasoned with coriander, something that I would have never thought of, and as someone who doesn't always care for sweet potatoes, I thought it made them quite exceptional. Admittedly we didn't stay for dessert, not so much because of the menu but more because Jeni's is a block away. And who can say no to Jeni's? (No one.) Pros: - Easy reservations online (through Urbanspoon) - Quick, attentive service - They are now trying a rotating menu format that changes every few days, so there are no specials (or the specials are the menu). It makes the menu shorter, but gives you a chance to try new things. And they always have their homemade gnocchi and ravioli, which according to other reviewers are worth trying - Very flavorful, thoughtful dishes - Valet (parking in the Short North is often painful) Cons: - Price. But its not outrageous (we paid $70 for an appetizer and two entrees with tip) Honestly, I'll head a block east of the Kitchen to the cafe for my Rigsby/Tasi family fix. But this was a memorable experience for a special night.
(4)Monty B.
Clearly a business dinner type place. The dishes are fine. Maybe a little pricey for what you're getting, but then again who cares when the company is paying.
(3)Al S.
I wrote a tip the morning after eating here. It was in regards to the salads ordered before entree. I was not satisfied with the Caesar salad. Other than that, we had an excellent meal. My fiancé had the squash ravioli, I had some too. It was fantastic I love sage and brown butter. I had the gnocchi, it also was fantastic. Our server was attentive and very kind. We were seated in the bar which was very nice, and it was not to noisy even though it was a gallery hop Saturday. We had a good time, it was very quick, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. It's much easier to relax in a nice restaurant when the staff is down to earth and polite. At the end of the day I would definitely go back and I probably will.. I just don't plan to buy a $12 salad next time. I would have much rather had 2 additional beers than several pieces of lettuce...
(3)Kelly W.
Rigsby's is my go to recommendation for anyone who wants a "foodie" spectacular dinner. Great wine list, amazing cuisine! A very creative approach to food. Classic Italian and Frenchie dishes from osso bucco's to cioppino's great prime meats to amazing fish! Fresh house roasted beets and skorthalia to the most classic and inventive salads to amazing creative classics.
(5)Steve V.
Our daughter has lived in Columbus for five years, first as an OSU student, and now she lives and works there. Every time we visit we go out to eat several times during the weekend. As a Washington DC foodie equally fond of restaurants in NY and Boston, I was doubtful we would find the kind of restaurant experience we take for granted, but I was mistaken. We have dined at some pretty nice places during our visits over the years, and upon the first visit to Rigsby's, I included them among the group of go to places. But after the second visit? Not worth the risk of a third try. I didn't bother writing a review because I often refer to these reviews as more often Yelpful (use your imagination) than helpful, but since we are planning a visit soon, I noticed that Rigsby's has fallen from grace, and so i decided to add my experience because they need to make some adjustments, or they are going to find interest in them dwindle, and I think that they have the foundation to be a really good restaurant. My recollection of the food is more general b/c it was probably over a year ago that we were last there, but all in all our party was unimpressed. The nuanced and flavorful food I remembered from the previous visit was replaced by bland, uninteresting cuisine the second time around. I do specifically remember that my fish was overcooked, which is a restaurant 101 sin, let alone excusable for a restaurant of this purported caliber. But the lasting impression is that Rigsby's seems too focused on its hipster vibe (get over yourselves) and the result is to provide an experience to which many of the more recent reviews refer - rude, pretentious, inattentive service. My family teases me for overtipping, but it is the lifeblood of the server, so it is my pleasure to do so. I probably left around 10% (short enough to send a message) the last time, because I felt ignored, which is bad enough, but I might have left nothing if we had the experience of some of your reviewers. Funny - what is it about Columbus's purportedly hot restaurants? We had a similar experience at the Refectory - meh. Anyway, you're better off at G. Michael's where you will be pampered and the food is very good to excellent. They exemplify a restaurant that impresses without seeming like they're even trying. In the meantime, Rigsy's, get your sh.., ah, act together. Hours later: So addendum to this review several hours later. I got an email from Kent Rigsby regarding my review. He was professional and attentive to my comments, and said he would not only look into the concerns, but that if I came back, he would see to our dining experience himself. That is responsiveness I am not used to that in the past decade or two, and so I am changing my rating to 3 stars as a result. I will give this establishment another shot next time I'm in Columbus, and hope to give it the five stars I would have given it after my first visit.
(3)Char M.
Service is fantastic...they definitely make you feel fantastic from the minute you walk in the door... Branzino...first time I had this fish and it was great...thanks to the recommendation of my server The chocolate souffle with ice cream was excellent!
(4)Mike B.
Harsh.... Harsh is how I'm reviewing Rigsby's. I expected a lot more, but was generally disappointed. Let's start off with Valet service, well, there wasn't really any service there. I pulled into the street on the south end of the building where there's a stand, waiting five minutes, valet never showed up. Parked myself in one of the valet spaces, finally found someone as we walked into the restaurant from the high st. stand, "oh yeah, that guys never around", well, why bother having a stand there then? Upon entrance, met by the host who was rocking the canadian tuxedo. Seriously, when a place lists a dress code on openTable, I figured at least he wouldn't be wearing jeans. We made our reservation on openTable, "intimate table for two, as we're celebrating our anniversary", we were sat awkwardly side-by-side in a booth in the main thoroughfare into the larger dining area, so that everyone walking by to be seated could look at us straight in the eyes. Waitstaff was generally pleasant, all be it slow. We were there for 1:15 for an appetizer and main course, we had to skip any dessert due to needing to catch our show at the Ohio Theatre. Also they played "swap the table", as in the person who took our order was different then the person that brought us our food. I did enjoy the overly ambitious gentleman who filled my glass of water practically between sips. Wine menu,, adequate, not blowing me away, and certainly not worthy of the "wine experts" sticker on the front window. Staff had no clue on recommendations really, ambitious water boy even commented that he "hadn't seen that rosato before, and it was a lovely color",, really? The food was the only highlight, and it seemed to start strong but finish weak. Breadbasket was good, with a variety between soft/crusty, sour/sweet. "the tour" appetizer had a fantastic smoked salmon affair, and was the highlight of my meal. The belgian endive salad was good, although the components didn't seem to "mix" well. The sweetness of the walnuts was clashing a bit with the (very) tart vinaigrette and bitterness of the herbs. I had the gnocchi, which was actually fantastic, it's a shame the ragu (what I referred to as Italian Chili), was just a bit over-salted. I tasted a bit of my wife's special, the soft shelled crab, and it was just ok. It seemed like something I could get at any fish-fry takeout in the ghetto, and that more attention was paid to the quality of what was underneath it. I honestly thought it would have been better steamed than deep fried. Lastly of note, was the spinach side, which just had a completely off flavor to it. It was hard to describe, but it was as if the spinach was just there for texture, and not for flavor, the latter came from the toasted pine nuts. After waiting patiently for our original hostess to take an order from another table of 7, we were in a hurry to get our check. Our small affair came out to $110 ($90~ + tip), for two quattros of wine, a split appetizer and salad, plus two entrees. Let me put this simply, this is not a restaurant I would pay $50+ a person to eat at again. After waiting patiently for our valet to idly get our car (from the time we asked for the check to the time we got our car: 18 minutes), we were on our way. Rigsby's will, for me, become a distant memory after this review, as I will not be recommending it, or attending it, anytime soon. PS - when someone says they are celebrating their anniversary in their reservation, it would be nice if at least one of the 5 people we dealt with would have taken a second to say congratulations, as all of our other anniversary dinner reservations were given. I get the last laugh, as they were proudly displaying their "people love us on yelp" sign in the window. HA! Also, Gordon Gee, or someone that looked exactly like him, happened to be eating there, I wonder what he thought?
(2)Stephanie B.
Went last night for Valentine's Day. Had never been and had heard good things. Meh, I thought it was just ok. ATMOSPHERE was very nice but almost a little stuffy. I liked the guy on the piano. FOOD was good, but I prefer Lindey's, Ocean Club & Hyde Park's. We had: (APPS) - The Eggplant/Oyster app, which was spicy and actually really really good. Impressed w/the creativity. Also got the calamari. Good. (DINNER) - Got the pork shank, which was disappointing. I thought there was very little meat on it for as $$ as it was. The tomato jammy-chutney stuff on the side was good though. I would've given that dish a 5/10... just underwhelming. SERVICE was friendly on everyone's part - host, bartenders, waiter etc. EXCEPT when we filled up on the 2 apps and decided to split an entree, you should have SEEN our waiter's face. And then he repeated it about 3x: "So wait, you only want ONE entree?? Surely you mean you want to order 2 but have one come first and the other come later." And then scoffed off after we politely told him we just wanted 1 entree. I mean shit. I waitressed for years and I get it - Valentine's Day is a big money night - but we made up for it by drinking our weight in prosecco / red wine, and really? 1 entree = $5 extra on your tip, buddy. Settle down. Plus we tipped you well and would've tipped you well regardless. Our guy was great up until that point, but totally checked out after that, which was just annoying and unprofessional / pouty behavior. And then the biggest faux-pas came at the end... after we signed our bill but hadn't gotten up yet, he picked it up off the table before we'd left (tsk tsk - this is rule #1 no no for servers, especially in a place like Rigsby's) and then looked at it in front of us. Just bad. I'd probably try it one more time down the road, but last night was underwhelming. Would've given it a 3 if it hadn't been for our waiter's temper tantrum. And to be truthful, Lindey's Ocean Club AND Hyde Park have better food, better service, and a better atmosphere. Sahhhree.
(2)Jessica F.
I have never been disappointed with anything I have had here. Excellent service, wonderful food prep, nice wine selection, relaxing atmosphere, and I love when they have a pianist there! Appetizers, entree's, and dessert- 5 stars across the board every. single. time.
(5)Michael U.
Having completed a hectic month on the hospital wards, my intern, medical students, and myself decided a celebration was in order. Hailing from different states, countries, and cultures (two of them arriving in the states only months ago) with the additional caveat of a vegetarian in the group, Italian seemed a safe bet and while Lindey's is certainly more "Columbus," we settled on Rigsby's based on its long history of positive reviews and focus on local/seasonal ingredients. To sum up the experience in a word? Fantastic. Finally I've found an Italian place worth getting excited about in Columbus. As a matter of fact, without overselling, I can honestly say there were moments of this meal that rivaled the mighty Babbo in quality, taste, and texture and while the service wasn't the best ever, it was certainly on par with anything I've found in Columbus outside of M at Miranova. Arriving at 7:00pm on a Friday without reservations a table was quickly preparred and we were seated immediately. Arriving at the table there was already 3 delicious breads present as well as ice cold water. Per usual, three breads is the perfect number and all three were superb: a soft yet crusty italian, a sweet yet salty basil poppyseed, and a hearty and lucious whole grain with raisins and walnuts. The butter was unremarkable, but smooth and warm enough that spreading did not tear the bread. Our waitress arrived shortly and after declining wine service we were told of the nightly specials, 5 in total, all sourced from products bought that day locally, and all sounding delicious. For an appetizer I selected the Squash Blossoms stuffed with Ricotta and topped with Arugala with Tuscan Tomato Sauce. While the dish was pricey at $8 for a mere two blossoms, the flavor was intense and the dish was wonderful in flavor. In retrospect I wish I would have opted for the freshly cracked black pepper, however, as the dish could have used just a little more oomph. For our mains a number of dishes were selected including the Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage (great per my student,) the Basil Ravioli with Tomato and Parmigiano-Reggiano (mmmmm, wow per another student,) Spaghetti D'Angelo with Sundried Tomatoes, Garlic, and EVOO (kinda plain per another student) and the Free Range Chicken alla Mattone, Panzanella, Buttered Scallions (Awesome according to my intern, notably not a fan of 'fancy' food.) As the biggest (IE only) foodie of the group, I opted for the half order of Tagliatelle with Pesto Genovese, Fingerling Potatoes, and Green Beans and half order of Potato Gnocchi with Prosciutto di Parma, Basil, Tomato, and Balsamico. While the Tagliatelle was flavorful, perfectly al dente, and a great contrast with the crispy potatoes and clean/snappy greenbeans, the show was entirely stolen by the BEST Gnocchi I've ever had in my life. Toothsome, hearty, thick yet completely cooked, and covered with a perfect tomato and balsamic sauce while complimented by a thin piece of perfectly textured prosciutto......my only complaint is that I didn't get the full order. Better gnocchi than the mighty Batalli......wow. After a meal like that dessert was a no brainer and like many other Cbus standards, Rigsby's does it right by pairing their complex desserts with Ms. Jenni's stellar icecreams. As two of my colleagues had never experienced Jenni's, this was a treat in and of itself. While others opted for Lemon pannacotta, Molten Chocolate Cake w/ Jeni's Vanilla (noted by one to be the best chocolate cake ever,) and a Cookie plate with espresso semifredo and Jeni's Salty Caramel, I chose the seasonally inspired Blueberry, Plum, and Peach Crostatta with almond clusters and Jenni's Honey Vanilla Icecream......once again, better than Batalli with a crispy yet airy purse of dough lightly cupping a generous serving of fresh berries and berry puree served along with crispy almond clusters and that glorious icecream.....amazing. Admittedly the TVs in the bar were slightly offputting and the kitchen was a little slow with the meal taking well over 2 hours for only three courses, but bread and water were refilled rapidly and repeatedly throughout the evening and the conversation was good so I've certainly no complaints there. Noise level was pleasant for conversation and certainly not the roar or Tucci's or Trattoria, which was a welcome suprise for Cbus Italian, as well. Regardless of these minor flaws, the food MORE than made up for any atmospheric shortcomings and the meal was stellar. I'll certainly be back as the winter squashes come in and will hope that the oft-raved pumpkin ravioli makes a return. For now, 4.5 star food and 4.0 star atmosphere......and the best Italian in Cbus, by far.
(4)Keo S.
If you know the saying about "putting lipstick on a pig" then you'll understand my review. We visit our friends in the Short North every few months and as we were walking around last night, we thought we'd stop in for Happy Hour/Apps & Drinks. It looked so cute inside, great ambience, etc., but I should have looked at the reviews before we stepped inside. The Maitre'd was a hot mess - couldn't keep track of tables, service, or even stop to ask us if we wanted drinks after sitting at one of the bar tables for over 15 mins. We kept trying to go up to the bartender to order our own drinks, but he kept saying "someone" will come over to your table. Maybe if I was waiving hundred dollar bills would I have gotten service from anyone there. I don't know how this place stays in business with such poor service and staff that clearly needs to be trained on customer service and accountability in general. Really sad especially since it's in a great neighborhood and seems to have the right polish from afar.
(1)Paul F.
I swear I don't know why I come back here. Well in this case it was because I had a Fudha certificate. So I showed up about 5:00 which is when they opened and fifteen minutes later the whole staff disappears for a meeting. They get out of their staff meeting and now everyone has to eat their dinner. Geez, can't you do that before the customers get there!!! So my first dish was salume plate which consisted of some sliced luncheon meat and a piece of toast covered with garbanzo beans. The bean were hard enough to be raw and that was most of that course. My second course was cappelini with tuna. This was pretty good and the tuna wasn't canned either. That sort of saved the day but it'll be quite a while before they get me back there.
(2)Shawde A.
If I could rate with no stars I would. This was the worst place ever. Stay far away!!!! The service was horrible, I was there with 3 other couples that night. The bread was never replenished. The prices are outrageous for the portion size and the service was less than favorable. At the end the waiter put our whole check on one bill, instead of splitting it up amongst the couples. They are scam artists and trying to get this highest bill to get more bang for their buck. They will screw you over, beware! I will never go back, we left hungry and sober with a $100 bill.
(1)Mersin C.
Overpriced and the single worst crab cake I've ever had in my life. Shoulda been called a breadcrumb cake. It cost me $60 to never come here again.
(1)Toni K.
Bottom Line: Rigsby's is just OK. I took my aunt there for dinner. Completely dead for starters; maybe 3 other tables the whole time we were there (~6-7pm on a Tuesday). Decor is very nice, chic/industrial with mirrored walls that make it seem bigger and floor to ceiling front windows good for people watching. The server was very nice and well trained as per fine dining protocol. They advertised a happy hour special on drinks but then wouldn't let me take advantage of the offer unless I was physically sitting at the bar and not a table (weird, right?) Anyway, as per the food. $35 for 3 courses, which is the most restos are supposed to charge for restaurant week tasting menus. My aunt got the cream of mushroom soup (very good, but I was put off by the name "Christine's [Sex in a Bowl]"); shrimp and penne pasta with crumbled feta (good, small portion); and bitter orange cake with blackberry sauce (good). I got the chopped liver on crostini (ok, but could have used a little more flavor); sea scallops (slightly chewy but not bad) with like a crumbled gnocchi type side (best thing about the meal); and Tuscan doughnuts for dessert, which is a fancier way of saying "bite sized elephant ear." Don't get me wrong, I love a good elephant ear, but when you can get virtually the same thing at your state fair for $2, it seemed somewhat underwhelming (and the choc dipping sauce was not so good). Basically, the food was decent, but for a meal in Columbus for 2 people that cost $100 (including tip and 1 glass wine), I was expecting more. My advice: sit at the bar and order a round of drinks and an app or two. (We wanted to try the calamari in particular, but were turned off by the idea of it being seasoned with banana chiles and jalapenos.)
(3)Brieanna H.
I didn't realize until today when I was telling some coworkers about my dinner at Rigsby's on Saturday night that I was actually pretty upset and offended by the experience. I had never been there before, and neither had any of my friends. We decided to try it for my birthday. I made reservations, and we showed up on time. We ordered our first round of drinks. This was the last time the waitress acknowledged our drinks. The drinks were good, but I wouldn't pay $12 for the French martini again. We proceed to order, some of us from the Dine Originals menu. After our order, I don't think the waitress came back to our table more than three times. Someone else brought our first course and second course, and as I mentioned above she never came back to see how we were on drinks. One of us had to stop her as she was leaving the table next to us to ask her if we could order some more drinks. When we finished those, someone took the glasses away and never asked us if we would like to order more drinks. We were there for 45 minutes to an hour after this. My first course was the calamari salad. It was ok. Kind of sad looking, but ok. The calamari could have been better. I don't even remember what I ordered for dinner and it was only four days ago. At a place like this, I expect to remember the dinner. I do remember what I ordered for dessert: the creme brulee. After the main course, our plates had been cleared for about 10 minutes when the waitress came over and told us, "I'm sorry. I put your order in hours ago, but we're out of creme brulee. I can offer you our other option, a scoop of Jeni's ice cream and some cookies." At the point, she was right: We had ordered our creme brulee two hours ago. Did she acutally put in the order? Who knows? Friend, "Do you have any other dessert options?" Waitress, "No." I was pretty upset because I love creme brulee and one of the reasons we went to Rigsby's was that they had creme brulee. Also, I can't believe Rigsby's only had ONE dessert option on a Saturday night at 9. Before we said yes or no about the ice cream, the waitress walked off. When we finally saw her visit the table next to us for the millionth time, we told her we just wanted the check. Ten minutes later, she comes back with a tray and three bowls and says, "I don't know how or why this happened, but here is your creme brulee." She walks away. We look at each other, shocked. We try the creme brulee. It is terrible. Terrible! The carmalized sugar was not hard but mushy, and the custard looked lumpy, more like rice pudding. I refuse to believe this is the creme brulee Rigsby's serves to everyone. It cannot be. It was awful. I've never had such sad, dissappointing creme brulee in my life. If this is the standard creme brulee, I would advise against ordering it. Anyway, when we finally get our checks, she has charged my brother for two DO meals instead of one. She leaves for ten minutes, returns for his credit card, and leaves for another five minutes. Finally, finally we were ready to leave. We had been there for two and a half hours at this point, each person had only two drinks, one salad/soup, a main course, and a dessert. This is not okay. If the dining experience had been more enjoyable, two and a half hours would have been fine. But by ignoring us and making us feel like were weren't worth her time, it was a very long, depressing two and a half hours. I will never go back.
(1)Megan B.
This place is really lovely on the inside. They certainly know how to space the tables in the room. It's a larger room, but it still fit like an intimate restaurant without being right on top of the next table. The atmosphere was definitely a huge bonus. Everything on the menu looked delicious. I love when it is incredibly hard to narrow down to one choice among many many good ones. I ended up splitting the mozzarella and roasted red pepper appetizer. I can say I have never had anything like it. It was very good with super fresh mozzarella. For dinner, I had the risotto and my husband had the gnocchi. Both were equally deliciousness. I will say the proportions were on the small size for the price. Our main server was very friendly and knowledgeable. Overall a great experience. The only negatives were the speed with which they brought out the food. They had just brought the bread to the table and the appetizer arrived. Then, the food came out almost immediately after clearing the appetizer. In all, we had ordered drinks and eaten in 45 minutes. I prefer to have the meal paced out a bit more especially when the dinner is not cheap.
(4)Lisa D.
visited here while in town for a work event with 2 co-workers. we all enjoyed our meal, but it wasn't awe inspiring. service was pleasant.
(3)Diana U.
This review is just for their happy hour, so I don't know much about their regular menu or table service. Happy hour is great! Rigsby has happy hour 4-7pm Monday through Friday - $2 beer, $4 cocktails...MONDAYS $1 oysters! I really enjoyed the small tapas plates (3 plates for $10). My favorites are the deviled eggs and the polenta fries. I love oysters so I'm a little bias about how much I enjoy their oyster Mondays. They get their oysters from MA - yum! My only issue is they didn't shuck them that well and there were little pieces of the shell in my oysters.
(4)Nush C.
I've been there twice now for happy hour. Clearly the servers and bartenders did not get the memo to be nice to even the patrons that come in for happy hour specials and/or the SBB discount. One time I sat at the bar and the bartender came up to me and said nothing. Just stared at me. I ask "What is the red that you have for the happy hour special?". The answer I got BOTH times I went in was "It's just an Italian." Really? An Italian red wine at Rigsby's? I never would have thought. Maybe if someone is asking that question they might want to know more than just a smartass response. The food is ok. The deviled eggs are good but what isn't with truffle oil on it? The oyster special is good ($1/shell on Mondays) but definitely not enough for me to go back. There are plenty of other restaurants in Columbus especially ones with Italian wines.
(2)Adam J.
Rigsby's has good food and great service but expect to spend a decent amount if you plan on drinking or feeling full since their portions are smaller (you'll likely need to get appetizers and/or dessert). They have an excellent bar. I recommend getting a Manhattan to drink.
(4)doreen w.
There are few that will disagree with the opinion that Rigsby's is one of the best restaurants in Columbus. Why? They serve traditional dishes with high quality ingredients. I've eaten here several times and have never been let down. I'm sure 9 out of 10 yelpers would agree. Don't even try to read about it..just go. But it wasn't until the other night when some friends and I were fiending for a happy hour close to the office (other than $1.00 PBRs) that I thought of visiting the bar. As expected, Rigsby's features an awesome happy hour. Go between 5:00 and 7:00 PM. Beer is not the main event since they do not serve tap but why would you need to when house pour martini's are only $4.00? Although any beer drinkers in your crew will be happy with the $2.00 bottled imports. They also have 1/2 specials on selected wines and the list is decent. Knowing the quality of Rigsby's food I opted for a $10.00 cocktail that I would have paid for with my right arm if asked. I had the 'Winter Storm' since I am into drinking with the seasons. It was AMAZING! Dark Rum, Ginger Beer, and local OH cider! We also shared a fresh pizza that we watched the sous chef make and he chatted with us about what he was doing. Ken and Tasi Rigsby showed up to chat as well and it was very genuine, unlike the walk through the owner/chef often does at Barcelona. There was also a decent crowd and the bartender did not make us feel rushed and was very forthcoming with information about specials and even gave us a countdown until it ended at 7:00 PM. This is a definate new hang out for me and I hope to meet other yelpers here soon!
(5)Doug H.
Ate dinner here tonight with a friend. After waiting a while (30) minutes for a table (we did not have reservations), we decided to eat our dinner at the bar. We were sitting there with our drinks anyway. The bar staff was highly attentive and really friendly. From our seats we could see the food prep area and great care was taken in preparing the meals. Some nice artistic efforts were being made on the entrees and desserts as well. Our bar drinks were good (as they should have been). The marguerite pizza I had was really good. Very flavorful and delicious. We did not have dessert. The other thing to mention was that the owner was in the prep area making sure everything was going well which it certainly was. Overall the atmosphere was great. A nice crowd tonight of 20-30-40-50 somethings and there was a happening vibe inside. I recommend eating here.
(4)Erin K.
I would give Rigsby's 2 stars for service but 4 for atmosphere and food. We arrived at 7:00 for our reservation (I would recommend making one) and stood there for over 15 minutes without anyone acknowledging us. The hostess was seating other parties which is fine but a simple I'll be right with you would have been nice. Then we sat at the table for a good 10-15 minutes before a waitress came over to us. Once she did she was just okay the rest of the evening. For food, we ordered the tasting plate and risotto for apps. Tasting plate was not good and definitely not worth the $12 price tag. Risotto was very good though. For dinner we ordered the eggplant parm, scallops, snapper special, and sea bass. All were excellent as was the bread they served. We didn't order dessert as we had our hearts set on Jeni's but we did see a couple next to us that ordered the chocolate mousse that looked amazing. Overall I would I recommend and probably return. We have heard good things about the service so maybe we just hit them at an off night.
(4)Joseph A.
Went not for a specific special occasion, but because my wife and I owed each other a nice night out. We had a wonderful time with each other despite how underwhelmed I was by Rigsby's. We sat at our table having a nice conversation for ten minutes before getting any waiter attention. When he did come, he seemed nervous and overwhelmed. We ordered Fritto Misto, which was under-seasoned. We added table salt. I am not usually one to salt food at the table. I initially ordered the oyster diavolo app, but it was unavailable. The smoked salmon dish we got instead was simply the fish garnished with capers, lemon, and some bits of hard boiled egg. It tasted good, but also exactly how those things would taste had I bought the ingredients at the store and put it together myself. I sensed a lack of creativity in the prep. Maybe some hand made crostini's? A more involved citrus relish? Something? We split the pork scaloppine, not realizing until after the entrée we served how drab a plate of pork, cauliflower, and porcini mushroom sauce would be. The noted juniper berries were non-exist. It tasted like three tablespoons of butter had been melted over the dish before serving. In no way was the food bad, but it was also only memorable for what it was lacking. I had only wanted the food to be as special as my evening was. Some random notes- -The split of champagne we had was really nice. Fruity yet crisp, sweet but cut nicely by the bubbles. -The special as I heard it was spaghetti with tomatoes and chili flake. That's special? -The tables are very close together, and at one point the manager (?) of the restaurant came and talked to the table next to us. His 'backside' was hovering directly over our table for a good five minutes. I would hope he would have the spacial awareness that there might be better places to stand. -For restaurants in this price range I appreciate the option of a tasting menu or a designed course. Nothing like that was offered. In summary, I was dissapointed in a place I thought might be a special place to go. Based on other reviews and small glimpses of possibility I would potentially give it another chance, but not before trying out other yet unexplored options.
(2)Andrea B.
the roasted beets and gnocchi were outstanding but everything else failed to live up to my expectations. there were also 2 or 3 more tables squeezed into that joint than necessary - just too close for comfort.
(3)Molly B.
I had an excellent experience at Rigsby's last night. In fact, I can't think of a single thing that wasn't wonderful. The ambiance of the place was really neat. I just really enjoyed sitting in there - it was dimly lit, well decorated and filled with interesting-looking people. Our waitress was excellent. She provided informed and enthusiastic recommendations and delivered excellent service. We ordered a bottle of the Remole. For $25 a bottle (one of the cheapest on the menu), it was lovely. I ordered the scallops; my husband had the gnocchi. Both were divine. The scallops were rich and buttery (cooked with a brown butter sauce) and the julienned vegetables were delicious too. It was a simple plate, but well executed. My husband's gnocchi was to die for. The meat sauce was made with beef and pork and was bursting with flavor. Our waitress was quick to inform us that all the ingredients were locally sourced and organic, which is important to me. The bread (sourdough delciousness) is made in-house, fresh daily. For dessert, we ordered a cheese plate. We thought it would be the perfect accompianment to our half-full bottle of wine. The cheese was tart, but slathered in honey. Mmmmmm. Perfect. Also, we were able to eat slow and linger over our wine without being rushed out. Most restaurants only care about turning their tables over. The food here is on the pricey side, but I have no problem paying for quality. A bottle of wine, two entrees and a deseert for less than $100. Not bad for an experience like Rigsby's.
(5)Sujan M.
I had wanted to come to this place for a while, and finally made it there a few days back. The experience was a bit disappointing. The server liked to take his time. It seemed liked we were always looking for him, and it wasn't even very busy. They were out of a lot of the wines. And we ended up drinking something not of our choice. Though the food was pretty good, there were things that were left out. I got the Pan roasted duck breast that was succulent and cooked right. But we had specifically told the server that my girlfriend was vegetarian. We even had him explain some of the menu items. Then the ravioli comes out with chunks of bacon (you can call it 'pancetta'). He took it back and scraped off the bacon, and some of the ravioli, and all of the presentation/garnish and all that was left was maybe 5-6 sad raviolis at the bottom of the plate. It was a travesty - esp for a 'fine' dining venue. It would be hard for me to go there again and fork up all that cash for a sub-par experience, even though the food is top-notch.
(3)Amy S.
We went here for happy hour and sat at their bar. I had an SBB card (get one, they are free!) so I was to receive an additional 50% off food. The happy hour is from 4-7 M-F. Beers are $2 and cocktails are $4. After learning the only cocktails we could get were well drinks, we settled on beers. The food we ended up ordering included the small tapas plates and a pizza. The polenta fries were amazing. Overall, it was an ok experience. I felt like there were a lot of older patrons in the area and we were not really given much service because we had a discount card and were just there for the happy hour specials. If you have specials, you should expect people to come for them!
(3)Whitney S.
It was my second visit to Rigsby's, and it will be the last. My first experience was decent in terms of service and food, however, this time was horrid. I was absolutely appalled by the treatment, or lack thereof, when I was seated for a reservation this past Saturday night, before "prime time" of 7pm. It was not busy, and yes we were seated promptly, but that's when things went downhill. Two tables were seated next to us, and were served by the waiter, ordered cocktails and appetizers, and received cocktails and appetizers, all the while we waited patiently for service and received NONE. After a full 30 minutes, we got up and told the hostess at the front that we were not serviced and were leaving. We instead spent a wonderful evening at Mitchell's Steakhouse downtown for much better service and food, for roughly the same price.
(1)Nick S.
As my second Dine Originals week restaurant, Rigsby's served as a great foil for my lack-luster experience at The Elevator: Everything about the meal at Rigsyb's was excellent. We had the antipasti to start because we couldn't resist the temptation of the truffle deviled eggs. They didn't disappoint. Next up was a simple salad with calamari and scallops: It was bright and refreshing and both the calamari and scallops were prepared perfectly. The pork ragout was great. The pork was tender and the sauce was very satisfying. Finally for dessert I had the ricotta cheesecake which made for an interesting comparison to the cheesecake I'd had the night before at The Elevator. While The Elevator's cheesecake was fine, it was ultimately forgettable and nothing special. The cheesecake at Rigsby's was citrusy and light and summery and not like any cheesecake I've had before. I look forward to going back to Rigsby's and would recommend it to anyone who can afford to drop a little bit of money and wants a good dinner.
(5)Des D.
Wine list was the highlight, although staff was clueless on wines. Food okay much like the service.
(3)James G.
I like it. Some think it's a bit pretentious, but I think e food is very good. Can be pricey, but the atmosphere, location, and preparation are excellent.
(4)Larry M.
My wife and I went to Rigsby's on a Friday night for dinner. The interior of the restaurant is amazing, and the place has a great atmosphere. I had the Gnocchi, and my wife had a penne dish with pesto. Both were excellent, though a tad on the salty side. They don't have any beer on tap, so you're better off getting wine or drinks from the bar with your dinner. Rigsby's can end up being a bit on the pricey side, but I found the quality of the food and service to be worth it.
(4)Norman Y.
Food is just ok, but for the prices they charge, it should be amazing. I have only been here once, and the experience was just OK, but the prices will not bring me back.
(1)Jimmie L.
Rigsby's never disappoints. Ever. My coworkers and I frequent Rigsby's whenever we need a break from the dull restaurants within walking distance near our offices in the Arena District. Granted, a trip to Rigsby's requires one of us to drive when it's a cold, rainy day like today, but it's absolutely worth the hassle! Today I was torn between the Salmon Club and the Beet Salad. I've had both several times, as they're each a "favorite" of mine on the menu. After much deliberation, I ended up with the Smoked Salmon Club sandwich. If I could eat a single meal every day for the rest of my life, this would be the one I'd pick - and that's over anything Grandma makes! (I still love you, Granny!) The sandwich consists of smoked salmon, red onions, avocado, bacon, and fresh mayonnaise on toasted bread. It also comes with a side of freshly fried super thin potato chips and a slice of dill pickle. The chips were glistening with oil today, so they were left on the plate. I never can seem to remember to substitute them for something else. But the sandwich... oh, the sandwich. If you've not tried it, you're missing out! There's nothing I would change, except say, the number of them that come on a plate! :-) Also, for those who complain about the parking on High Street, you can park out back if you hit the timing right. There's a parking lot directly behind the restaurant that's typically reserved for valet in the evening, but is also available for customers during the day. I always try to park here before bothering with a meter because I never seem to have change. You owe it to yourself to try the food here!
(5)Brad W.
Rigby's is a nice place. I ate here last week with my family to celebrate my sister's boyfriend's birthday. I'll have to say that Rigby's can have a long wait at night on a weekend, but the wait is really worth it. The food was great. I ordered the Gnocchi, which was cooked superbly. It had great tasting potatoes and probably the greatest tomato sauce that I've had in many years. Rigby's also really does well when it comes to the birthday treatment! The birthday boy got a baked Alaska on the house and he shared it with all of us. It tasted GREAT! The restaurant has a fully stocked bar and great table service with very polite waiters. We also shared a bottle of pinot grigio which was served chilled from the bar and very well. When it comes to the restrooms, that was really the only part of Rigsby's that kinda let me down. They need to do some maintenance on their men's restroom door. It was about to fall of the hinges!!! The piano player was very good and also quite talented. I especially enjoyed it when he played the theme from Curb Your Enthusiasm, one of my favorite shows. The prices were high, but that was kind of expected in this area of town and at this kind of a restaurant. I really hope to return to Rigsby's again sometime!
(4)Jurgen J.
I just got a parking ticket because i VALET my car on Rigsby. i think they didn't park my car properly. After calling the restaurant, they won't take the blame and told me to call the valet company. This is seriously retarded.
(1)Rick W.
loved it when it opened and still love it after all these years. Iconic
(5)Joe T.
I went to Rigsby's last Friday for lunch with a coworker. Rigsby's failed me on what I consider the 3 primary obligations of a fine restaurant and chef - 1. be a curator of great ingredients - meaning if you really give a damn about your restaurant then you will seek out the best, freshest ingredients to include in your menu items. 2. prepare those great ingredients with skill that provides the optimal taste for everything on the menu and 3. create an enjoyable atmosphere through attention to the customer's needs before, during and after the meal . Here is how they failed on obligation #1: Ingredients: I chose the $10 Pat La Frieda Hanburger which is served with house made fries. I know without a doubt that a $1 hamburger served at any of the Central Ohio Elementary Schools would win in a blind taste test. The hamburger patty they use is a frozen, pre-pattied, tasteless, tough piece of crap that literally gave me flashbacks of eating the USDA Subsidized Elementary School Factory Farm Food (which at least that hamburger was priced accordingly). #2 Preparation : Despite the fact that the burger they are using is a low grade beef that is probably also the same source that Alpo is using in their dog food - the least they could do for 10 bucks is cook the damn thing correctly! Unfortunately they failed here as well as the "medium" burger I ordered came out charred - to the point where there were black specks of char scattered al over the burger. #3 Service: Look I get it everybody has a bad day , perhaps this cheap hamburger is a new menu item and there hasn't been enough backlash to either 1. chuck it from the menu or 2. get a new beef supplier worthy of the price. (say like the $14 Northstar Nimans Burger which is the opposite on all counts) So when I brought up my displeasure with our waiter (tall hipster looking guy) instead of acting truly interested in my feedback he just repeated what I had said in a snarky tone " oh you didnt like the burger huh?" and then when he returned with my co-workers check he did not return with one for me but didnt offer an apology or even look at me. Truly unprofessional and childish where Rigsby's failed on the first 2 counts at least they could have softened my negative experience with them with helpful, friendly customer service - but no their hipster waiter was as cold and callous as their overpriced burger. Shame on you Kent Rigsby for your attempt at ruining an American Institution.
(1)Lyndsey M.
Where do I begin with the trainwreck known as Rigsby's? We made reservations for 4 people at 7 pm on a Saturday night (of DOC restaurant week), and showed up promptly. We were seated, and waters poured. So far so good. The waitress took our drink orders while we waited for our 4th member to show up. We received our first drinks, and they were very good. Ok, not too bad yet, right? After our final person arrived, our waitress took our food orders. My dining companions ordered off the DOC menu, and I asked if it was possible to get the spaghetti squash as an entree instead of a side. She gave me a totally crazy look and said no, absolutely not. Whatever. I ordered that and the brussel sprouts to be delivered as my main course, and ordered the Endive salad. The salad was tiny and strangely put together. Very few greens and large chunks of Roquefort, two apple chunks, and a walnut or two. Our waitress then proceeded to ignore us. She doted on the two tables next to us, but we were not even asked if we'd like another drink (our glasses had been empty for a while now). Finally one of my friends asked her if we could get additional drinks. We ordered, and they came. The service between dishes was so unbelievably slow. Our entrees arrived and were ok. Nothing outstanding. We continued to be ignored, once again waiting with empty glasses. The waitress approached our table gave a very half-hearted apology that the creme brulee my friend ordered was no longer available. She said she put it in hours ago (we had been there for about 2 hours a this point), and she said she'd be happy to give us the only option on the dessert menu: a scoop of Jeni's ice cream and cookies. I was never asked if I'd like to see a dessert menu, even though all my friends were getting a dessert. Before we could answer if the ice cream would be ok, she wandered off. When she finally walked by again, we asked if we could just have the check and cancel dessert. We had to leave to get to our next activity for the night. She said sure, and disappeared again. A few minutes later we see her SITTING at the the table next to us. I saw her shake hands and schmooze with one of the guys at the table. Apparently, to get service at Rigsby's you need to be a mover and shaker. Pathetic. Someone came around to refill our waters...and he did. For half the table. Seriously. Two of us got full waters, two of us received not a drop. Wow. After this, our creme brulee (or a terrible attempt at creme brulee) magically appeared! Can you believe it! We were able to make just 3 more! Just for your table! We were horrified and felt a bit insulted, and once more asked for our checks. Once we finally got the check, they were wrong. One member of our party was charged for dishes no one at our table ordered. We asked to put two of the checks together, and when she came back, she said it would take too long to do that, so she just ran my friend's card twice. At this point, we were beginning to feel like prisoners of Rigsby's, and once the bill was settled, we left a small tip and a note and got out of there. I will NEVER step foot in this place again. I don't know if we were treated poorly because we were young-mid to late 20's(the clientele is a bit older) or what, but this was a sorry excuse for an upscale restaurant. I could have had better service at White Castle down the street for crying out loud. With all the great restaurants we do have in Columbus (Barcelona, Basi, M, Third and Hollywood, Hyde Park), do not waste your time and money here. I have never had such terrible service in Columbus...oh wait, yes I did. At Victorian's Midnight Cafe, but at least I didn't have to deal with the pretentiousness there.
(1)