G. Michael's Bistro Review

G Michaels is quite possibly the best restaurant in Columbus; my husband and I were commenting tonight that we've never had a bad dish here, the chef just always makes wonderful food! Tonight we enjoyed our first official dinner out after COVID and were very impressed by how seriously the restaurant was taking safety precautions, yet still managed to make it a very relaxing atmosphere. Our server, Tim, was fantastic. He was so friendly, made excellent recommendations (thanks for suggesting the octopus after I was reluctant; it was delicious!), and really seemed like he genuinely enjoys making sure guests have the best experience. Great wine and Bourbon list too!

Can't go wrong here, if the weather permits dine out.

It's nice, fancy food. If you're at all comfortable with parallel parking, do not pay for valet. You can almost always get a spot within two blocks for free. I got the duck breast and it was a little over-cooked, but still delicious.

simply one of the best in columbus. amazing flavors. great drinks, great wine. veggies welcome. Always go to g michael's

Probably one of the best dining experiences we've had in a very long time. This place is a "do not miss" in German Village. Sometimes fewer words are more. Get in there!

Nice setting. Beautifully presented dishes. Great patio. Best happy hour in the city.

Celebrated my moms 60th birthday here. Better than expected. Beautiful restaurant. Everyone I invited was impressed. Good serving sizes and quality. Recommend!

One of our favorite Columbus restaurants, which has great Louisiana and Low Country food among others. Curbside pickup available.

Probably my favorite place in Columbus. I've been to Lindsey's. I've been to the refectory. Nothing compares to g Michael's.

Loved our experience here! The service was great, very attentive, professional, and friendly. The food was incredible! We each ordered something off the specials menu --a ribeye steak and the trout. Both had amazing flavors and prepared perfectly. I would highly recommend.

Visited for my girlfriend's birthday. One of the best restaurant experiences I've had. Our server was excellent. Stopped by exactly when we needed him and was very friendly. The food was just as good. The rack of lamb was cooked perfectly and the goat cheese mashed potatoes had a wonderful taste. The lemon tart dessert was one of my all time favorites. Light, but delicious. On the way out, every employee we walked by said goodbye which was nice.

Excellent service. Warm atmosphere. The food was to die for. I had one of the three specials- skatefish.

I always enjoy myself when I go to G. Michael's. The atmosphere is great, the staff is friendly and very knowledgeable, and the food is top-notch. The menu is always changing with the season, so it pays to keep coming back.

My husband and I went to celebrate a belated Valentine's Day dinner. I should say this was our first and last time to the restaurant. The atmosphere is nice, but very loud with small tables (you could almost share your neighbors food that is how close). However the real issue was the food and sub-par service... We started with the lobster johnny cake and oysters bienville, the lobster was overcooked and the oysters tasted off (very sour). Then my husband had the crab soup, the soup was too thin, had been watered down with too much butter and cream. I had a seared yellowfin tuna, which equated to a block of tuna seared and raw in the center, it was disgusting. My husband had the Sea Scallops & Braised Beef the scallops were rubbery & beef was tough. The manager or assistant manager checked on our meals and we said "fine". He came back and could tell it was not "fine". He said that though it was a difference of chef's techniques with our taste, offered free dessert. The dessert and salad were the only things pleasant about the meal. Later that night I ended up with food poisoning.

Outstanding location for tasty american food. service is always prompt even when they have a full house. the service was helpful and kind. prices were appropriate.

One of my top places for quality American food. There was fast, efficient, and courteous service. Prices that won't break you.

We went for happy hour and ordered their mussels and Brussel sprouts. Both were terrible! This is the 3rd time in a row that we had a disappointing experience. We like the vibe but have learned our lesson. No more!

American food, yeah, super satisfying. The bill was fair I would say.

I ordered this on a Saturday night during corona to support local business and my rack of lamb, asparagus and cucumber salad was phenomenal. I do wish I had bread with my takeout because I wanted to soak some of the juices in a piece of bread. I also ordered a bourbon ginger to go which was perfectly blended. I am excited to explore the menu and make this a favorite dinner spot!

Visited during restaurant week. Nice wine selection and tasty cocktails. Food was very good!

Really cute spot they just opened up near my building. Staff has been more than accommodating and friendly! Decided to try it for lunch and went with the steak chili and hassle back potato. Absolutely delicious! Steak chili was a good choice for the weather today. Will be back again!

We drove to Columbus from Maine in one day, and were in need of a good meal. It was 8:50 on a rainy Tuesday night and we were still 30 min away. Called to see when they stopped serving and was told they'd take orders until 9:30. Screamed in at 9:20 and received a lovely greeting and invitation to sit at the bar. Restaurant was empty at that point and we were happy with the prospect of fast service. The entire team, wait staff and kitchen, could have called it in when you think about it -- but they didn't!! The bartender (John, I think) was delightful and very knowledgeable about the wine list, craft cocktails and menu. Food was outstanding. Fish was cooked perfectly, shrimp and grits lived up to the hype! Overall, and exceptional experience.

Amazing food. We as a team went for dinner. I liked the food/drink options.

Amazing food great service lovely atmosphere and enchanted evening for sure.

The menu did not disappoint, some restaurants who participate in restaurant week do not live up to their daily standard, but G. Michael kept the menu as excellent as their daily menu they offer. We all got something off the menu, so we were able to try a little bite from each other's plates.y favorite was the first course of the pheasant, really good flavor and surprisingly big portion for a starter.

My wife and I had an anniversary dinner at G. Michael's this past Saturday. Overall, we had a great experience and would return again. Service was particularly great, we were seated quickly (with reservation) and our server (who has been there 20 years) found that perfect balance of being attentive without being intrusive. He also was very knowledgeable about the menu (which was brand new) and was able to guide us to selections we enjoyed.

We ordered two small plates (appetizers), two main dishes, and a shared dessert. One of the small plates was a new item, spring roll with octopus, and while we thought it was tasty we also didn't find much octopus in it. Perhaps this was just luck of the draw with the filling. The other small dish was the fried goat cheese, and we definitely enjoyed that. The two main dishes (trout and bison) were both cooked very skillfully as both can suffer if overcooked and they weren't. However my wife wasn't as pleased with the side to the trout, where I really enjoyed the side to the bison dish. Unfortunately they were out of our first choice of dessert (fruit cobbler) so we went with our second choice (lemon gingersnap tart) and really enjoyed that.

Ambiance was good. It got a bit louder at the peak hour, but we didn't find it a problem. We would definitely go again to this fine restaurant.

The place has a really interesting layout with 3 different sections. Each of them have an unique vibe. The first section is in the bar and it is a little crowded and noisy. The next section was in a heavily windowed area that let in beautiful amounts of natural light. The last section is next to an open kitchen. I definitely recommend asking for the natural light section.

Amazing food and atmosphere!! Will definitely come back!

1st time visiting and the timing was perfect because they were introducing a new menu. According to everybody I was dining with every aspect of the menu was fantastic!

The best restaurant in Columbus! The food is delicious and the menu changes regularly. The service is spectacular, and the ambience is romantic, intimate, and friendly. A great destination for a date or a business meeting.

The only regret I have is not coming to G Michael's sooner! The food and drinks are amazing!

Consistently one of the best restaurants in town. Being going there for 15 years and it still hits the mark. Must try the shrimp and grits and you cannot go Erin with anything on the menu.

The food was amazing, highly recommend the scallops, they were huge and so filling.

A really sweet Gem of a place with great service and creative food

This restaurant is confusing. G. Michael s touts themselves a Southern Cuisine bistro. I discovered this from my waiter as I arrived for the kickoff to my 7 restaurants in in 7 days Restaurant Week experience. I struggled to link the menu options to anything southern I d ever tasted or heard of (although, there was a lot of pork on the menu so maybe that s the southern part?? idk]. I m a team player so, I played along. Aside from the southern cuisine confusion, the pescatarian/vegetarian options are far too sweet. Couldn t finish the butternut squash entree It was far too sweet especially after the first course mussels. It was served in a sweet and creamy corn based sauce. I don t enjoy that at all. Apple crisp was soggy and burnt. Wasn t the best dining experience, to say the least. The atmosphere and location were perfect however and the service was impeccable.

American food and the setting at this place is super good. it was so fresh. prices were fair for the quality of the food. reminds me of a place in new york i loved to visit.

Ordered delivery last night for "date night", and it was amazing. Our meals were perfectly prepared, delicious, and delivered right on time. Could not be happier with our local restaurants that are staying open and providing exceptional service during these tough times. Special thanks to all the staff who are making things a little easier for everyone else!

The service was great and food was amazing. A dinner experience that will be remembered for a long time.

Excellent food, had the walleye special, delicious. Great wine list, and desert menu. Valet service was nice, hard to find parking in the city. Will definitely be back, highly recommend.

Loved this place. Cozy and romantic. Our dinner was excellent. Service was fantastic. Gave 4 star due to Appetizer. Felt the calamari was dry. We will definitely be back to try other dishes.

Not a fan. Good service, but menu is tired. Decor feels threadbare.

Amazing food and service. Loved the courtyard dinning area, ultra relaxing and enjoyable. Walked from Holiday Inn hotel. Cool neighborhood.

This place, hands down, has the best happy hour in town! I love their food and the deal on the small plates (shrimp and grits ) during HH cannot be beat. They have the best bar staff and always make you feel welcome. Can't wait to go back!

I wish I could give this 10 stars. My favorite place in Columbus...maybe in the midwest. Amazing menu with a southern flare. Always my top recommendation in town.

Wonderful Saturday evening dinner before The Symphony..... Fabulous Waiter Daryl.... Fabulous Food & Service!

Excellent from start to finish! Excellent service! Highly recommend!

Superb service and top notch food quality combine with relaxed ambience to create a perfect place for a romantic dinner.

Very creative and tasty food. I wish I could give them a much higher rating.

I dined here with a friend of mine for the 1st time last night, & there is not a single bad thing I could say about the food or service. Personally, I have never had fried green tomatoes before & I didn't know what to expect, but they were fresh with some tartness. The breading stuck to the tomatoes & there was a fresh bean salad with sundried tomatoes underneath. The highlight of the dish though, was a crab salad, that was tossed in tartar sauce & topped with fresh dill to brighten everything up.

Mussels is a dish I have not had in a long time, because I haven't personally cooked them, but they are one of my favorite things to eat because of their meatiness & sweetness. What I loved most about this dish was that the freshness of the chimichurri & the tomatoes complemented the sweet, meatiness of the mussels.

Surf N' Turf is one of the things that I can't resist. It brings the best of both worlds & then, when potatoes & veggies are added to the mix, they are what top everything off. Surf N' Turf is something that can be heavy when put together, but the potatoes, which I thought would make the dish heavier, actually had a light texture, especially when it was paired with beautiful greens. The scallops were beautifully, perfectly seared & sweet, then finished with some fresh black pepper. I was surprised by the piece of pork. What I expected to see where pieces of diced up pork, but what I got was what appeared to be a nicely seared piece of pork, with some fat on the end, so it seemed more like a piece of thick-cut bacon.

I was tossed between the espresso creme brulee, which my friend ordered, & the sea salt banana pudding, that I ordered. In the end, I was glad I ordered what I did. What I loved from the taste I had of my friend's dessert, was the texture difference between the brulee & the creaminess of the espresso cream underneath, but I feel like the brulee overtook the creaminess of the espresso cream, to the point where I almost didn't taste the espresso cream. As for mine, it was reminiscent of a tiramisu, which is my favorite dessert. It was creamy, it had vanilla wafers that gave a different texture, not to mention the piece of bruleed banana. My all-time favorite part of both of these desserts though, was the quenelle of homemade whipped cream on each dessert. They were creamy, light, airy, & fluffy. It was, by far, the best whipped cream I've ever had.

I would absolutely dine here again, except next time, I would try different items from the menu that looked amazing as well.

Amazing food and friendly staff. I tried the lamb rack with mashed potatoes while my wife got the Gerber fried chicken so good! Did I mention the Chocolate Peanut Pie with Johnson's salty caramel ice cream. Yummy.

The service was outstanding the food was superb I had a great time

Really great food. It's on the higher end of the price spectrum, but you really get your money's worth. Absolutely delicious. Great cocktails, too. Lovely ambiance.

Excellent service. Excellent atmosphere. Excellent food.

The staff is so friendly and nice that would be enough but the food and service surpassed my high expectations. We can't wait to come on a Monday. You have to order shrimp and grits.

Food and atmosphere were very good. Artichoke appetizer was delicious as was the filet and pork tenderloin entrees.
As a reminder, they're using there summer menu.

american food, super tasty. dropped in on tues. i had a brother come into town and he asked me to go back here.

This place is outstanding. The food is all locally sourced and it is absolutely delicious. The servers and bartenders are super friendly and very pleasant. The setting is great and they have set up the dining room so you are comfortable and not over crowded. The prices are very fair for what you get and how delicious the food is. I love to come here for special occasions and a good meal!

One of the best dinners of all time. Get the scallops!

I've been eating here off and on for years. They know your name and make you feel like family. Food and service is always stellar. Lois even accommodates my vegetarian side lol. Blue Grass night is awesome. The prices are more than reasonable. I've never had a bad meal here. Even my partner loves it here.

Excellent sides, OK main dishes & slow service for a group of 16 on a busy night.
Visited G. Michaels for NYE with a group. The restaurant seemed fairly busy, but I did not see into the other rooms to understand how busy they were. The prix fixed menu had a very good selection of 3 course meals for about $50. The regular menu also provided a good selection of dishes I believe at regular price.
I selected an appetizer, brussel sprouts cooked well done, and a main dish, lamb 2 ways, with the lamb cooked medium rare for my meal. I have been on a Brussel sprouts kick lately and generally love lamb though I don't get it very often.
The portion for the Brussel sprouts was quite generous though the flavor was just OK, and they seemed to me to be a bit under cooked. For sprouts cut in half I tend to like cut surface, original middle, browned and if possible with a bit of crust, and the remainder soft but with texture, not mushy, but not firm either. The surface looked like it was starting to get some color, but the remainder was quite firm.
For the main dish, there was a combination of pulled lamb meat, lamb chops, spinach, and a potato au gratin type side stacked on the plate. The presentation was very good. The spinach was very good, well cooked and had good flavor. The however Potato stole the show with amazing flavor and texture. The pulled lamb itself was a generous portion that by itself was not that flavorful, and was a bit 'greasy?' in flavor and feel even when mixed with the spinach and potato. Being pulled lamb this was cooked to what I would estimate was med well to well done which was fine, and the texture was tender as was desired. The lamb chop came out a solid medium rare to possibly med, and was a good sized portion. The flavor of this beautiful and well cooked lamb was unfortunately lacking. The crust on the outside really didn't add much flavor and the sauce while good didn't provide enough flavor for my taste.
The group's 2-3 course dinner took approximately 2 hours 45 minutes which felt slow. Waters were consistently refilled and the servers were attentive with regard to cocktails and other libations throughout the dinner, but the overall pace which the food was served seemed quite slow and the time to ask for bills seemed quite long. With that said every person I encountered who attended our table was extremely pleasant, professional and accommodating despite what had to have been extremely busy and long night.
Overall this was a fairly good dining experience, though having been here before with large and small groups also on extremely busy nights, it did not live up to the high standard I have come to expect from G. Michaels. With this experience added to others I would consider G. Michaels to be in my top 10 favorite restaurants in Columbus, but not top 5.

American food, mmm, super good. Great location to meet with friends. The service was very sociable and kind.

They made the best salamon that I have ever tasted, cooked to perfection and my husband loved the pork, the shrimp and grits tasted nice but I would have gone for small plates. But overall very enjoyable

The food here is absolutely amazing! The staff are always so accommodating :-)

A constantly changing seasonal menu makes this Continental-American favorite Columbus institution.

Great cocktails. Superb food. Unique specials. Best restaurant in Columbus. We always feel special here. You will too.

Excellent fine dining in German Village. Creative dishes and an superb wine list. Can be a bit of trouble to find parking but the valet can fix that.

One of our favorites because the food and service are consistently great.

Loved their extensive wine menu and the service was quite fast

If you have celiac disease, BEWARE! Their gluten free menu is not truly gluten free. My wife became seriously ill before we even left the restaurant. Those that suffer from celiac disease know very quickly when they've had something with wheat in it.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about G. Michael's. The food is always fantastic and interesting. The menu is always fresh with lots of creative dishes that you don't find anywhere else. We ate on the patio and it was delightful. We cannot wait to go back! Absolutely wonderful!

Tried the three course special they were offering tonight. Everything was spectacular. No complaints.