Hiraeth — Local services in Columbus

Hiraeth is a stand-out restaurant experience in Columbus. We went because we love Chapman's and Ginger Rabbit already and were expecting great things, and we were not disappointed. We sat in the cheerful upstairs room, but were encouraged to peek at the downstairs dining room, which is a whole other vibe entirely with its live fire and dark wood aesthetic. Drinks were outstanding - my husband had cocktails, (one classic, one unique creation, and both excellent) and I stuck with wine, which is my favorite drink of choice. They had many intriguing options by the glass, and our waiter, Andrew, was the star of the show. We were able to tell him what kind of flavors we liked and he recommended drinks that were a perfect match for us. I had the first Etna Bianco that has ever impressed me, a delicious rose Lambrusco, and an out-of-this world dessert wine from '96 that was super acidic and matched excellently with our sweets. We tried a little bit of everything - the tzatziki tomato salad was very good, the corn salad with scallops probably my favorite dish of the night, and the roasted eggplant was a winner as well - all different flavor profiles, all very delicious. My husband also ordered a pork and lemongrass skewer, which he loved, and then we had the rack of lamb and roast potatoes to finish as the main. The pistachio sauce on the lamb was sublime, and the caviar on the roasted potatoes was a surprising bit of fun and made them extra yummy. As if that wasn't enough, we had both the melon and the chocolate desserts, and they were heavenly. It was fantastic having a waiter who really knew about the wines and could guide my choices, and we felt incredibly engaged in the experience and delighted with everything. We will definitely be coming back and bringing friends, to experience this dream of a dining...

This was my first time eating at Hiraeth but I did go to their pop up opening at the Lox and sampled their menu before.

The restaurant is great. There are four areas to dine: upstairs there is a bar area and a small dining area. This space is clean and nice but I think the real magic is downstairs. The downstairs dining area feels like entering into a speakeasy hideout. There is a bar area with a low ceiling and dark painted walls which adds to the cozy vibe. We ate at the bar and it was nice but I did find the chairs in the bar to be a little uncomfortable after an hour or so. The downstairs dining area is a bit more dynamic with a chefs table a higher ceiling and some tasteful art on the wall. There are four private bathrooms Downstairs which are all really beautiful.

The food was fantastic, absolutely no complaints and only praise. I would recommend getting a few mezzes and share a main and definitely DO NOT skip dessert- it is amazing.

For mezzes the naan and dips seems like a classic. The whipped feta was very good and the cream cheese fish dip was super flavorful. We also got the build your own nori rolls which were very good.

The whole fried fish is amazing and the herb salad that accompanies it was really good. For dessert we got the pans cotta with what seemed like frozen apple flakes that tasted like the lightest most delicious ice cream. It was surprising and a great end to the meal.

2/14/24 Returned for Valentines Day. Great service. Food good but Hen main was super spicy and paired with cold, sort of soggy turnips. Definitely didn’t slay but the citrus salad and roasted cauliflower were complete winners. Steak a little...

I am a foodie and heard great things about this place. Drinks, service and atmosphere were great. However, the food was good but not great. The ribs were overcooked and the chef seemed very annoyed when we brought it to his attention. The NY strip was flavorless, especially for a steak cooked over an open wood fired grill. At this price point I expected a much better meal.

I am editing you down to one star after your response. I also note that this isn't paid or planted review like some of the others in the review section.

Nevertheless, thank you for your response. Glad you acknowledge the sub par meal (I definitely agree it was), since your chef didn't and did nothing but glare at us after we brought the ribs to his attention.

Please know that all he said was "do you want more?" Not thank you for bring this to my attention or sorry. My response was no thank you and he stormed away. I don't think bringing attention to mis-cooked items is horrifying behavior or being combative and we definitely were not disturbingly loud as he suggests. He was the one with an attitude and should be embarrassed by his behavior.

As for being escorted out, it was just another embarrassment for your establishment as it was another mishandling of the situation. Upon engaging in some deep reflection as you suggest, I thank you for covering my meal as I would have very upset at spending so much on a mediocre meal. As another patron indicated, your food is good...