Marcella's — Restaurant in Columbus

We had forgotten about graduations taking place, so we were lucky to snag a reservation last minute here. Glad we did. The food is delicious! We tried the bruschetta and melted pecorino for apps. Both were incredibly flavorful. The melted cheese is indulgent and rich and the brussel sprouts on the bruschetta was cooked perfectly (usually people burn it, making it bitter).

Our entrees were the gnocchi, ravioli and penne. There is nothing like fresh pasta. The penne looked like it could have used a tad more sauce, but otherwise I couldn't find anything to complain about.

One odd thing for me is they serve their wine in what looks like a whiskey glass. There's a reason there are certain glass for certain drinks. The glass they use is too short to keep white wine cold and the glass itself is too thick. You're getting more wine in your mouth per sip because you can't control it as well with such a thick rimmed glass. I think maybe they should ditch the glasses or not associate as a wine bar. Their cocktails looked good and quite a few people had beer - so maybe one of those is more their specialty.

It's not very large inside. We were sat in the lounge, which wouldn't have been my first choice (if we'd had one) because they were all high tops and many of the chairs didn't have backs to them. Sitting that high without a back and with my feet dangling is not great. Half way through, my leg cramped b/c I had to keep my knee bent to attempt to keep it on the tiny bar under the chair because there was no where else to plant my feet. That's why 4 stars and not 5 for atmosphere. Otherwise the place is laid back. I like that the bar only had a few televisions. A lot of restaurant lounges are overwhelming with 5 flat screens flashing various programming as you try to eat or converse.

Finally with service, our server was great. Friendly and attentive. But it took a really long time to get our food - so that's my 4 not 5 stars. When we arrived, the place was packed but by the time we put in our order things had slowed down so we were confused at the lengthy turn around. But I asked our server and he said the chef was new and was having trouble keeping up with the volume. That tracked. It wasn't a huge deal but we were pretty hungry by then. My fear was the food would come out cold, but it didn't. It was fresh, hot and delicious.

Would definitely return so I can try other pastas and their pizzas, which looked...

Moved to Columbus at the beginning of the year from a food town and have really been enjoying so many terrific eateries, but this the very first bad experience I’ve had with a Cameron M restaurant. I have no idea how this place carries such a high rating.

Ate at the bar as my wife and I usually do. Bar service was like someone checking boxes on a list. Nearly every server approaching the bar was complaining about something- I can appreciate the difficulty of a weekend crowd but it’s pretty hard to enjoy yourself when you know that every single person is miserable. The bar tenders’ friends and regulars seem to get a decent experience and attention, though that too seems like a channel for staff complaints.

Ordered a cocktail that came so fast it had to have been pre-mixed, (despite being a 3 ingredient drink) and so sweet I thought I might have accidentally been served a Shirley Temple. When I ordered a glass of wine with dinner, it was unceremoniously dumped in front of me into a whiskey glass.

The food is plain and unimpressive; ordered the melted pecorino which came with “toast points” - literal breakfast toast-grade white wonder bread cut into triangles and toasted to the consistency of croutons. Ordered a main dish with marinara, which tasted bland and canned. The protein, which was supposed to be a tenderized cutlet, was cold in places, indicating to me it was likely frozen. A little grated Parmesan, fresh or canned, would have been a welcome enhancement, but neither was that offered nor observed anywhere jn the restaurant. Several bites into the main, I gave up, cut my losses and crossed the street to get full somewhere else.

I eat out 4-5 nights a week and have made my way through most of GV and Short North - I have a deep appreciation for both sides of the kitchen and bar counters, and understand that humans and organizations certainly have “off” nights. However, my sense is that this place, while perhaps a favorite familiar and comfy locals hangout bar, just isn’t a very good restaurant. I’m certain they won’t miss my patronage.

If you’re looking for hearty, satisfying southern Italian with a friendly vibe, keep...

Our experience was wonderful in all aspects. After being cordially greeted and seated, our server promptly introduced herself and took our drink orders. We ordered two cocktails, a Tuscan Limonata and a Grapefruit Basil Fizz, which were both delightful. I ordered the GBF on a whim because it was something different, and with the first sip I was glad that I gave in to the impulse. It is not a large drink, but I highly recommend it as the symphony of flavor with each sip was an experience. We also ordered the arancini for our appetizer and enjoyed it thoroughly. They were cooked to perfection.

For dinner, we ordered the Gnocchi Con Bolognese and the Fettuccine & Meatball. Both servings were substantial and filling, but did not leave us feeling overstuffed. The braised lamb in the GCB was just perfect and seemed to just melt in the mouth. It is hard to find places that serve lamb, but Marcella's does it and does it right! Some more gnocchi wouldn't have hurt, but it was still easy to get balanced and full-bodied bites with each scoop. The only thing stopping me from ordering a second plate of this masterpiece was my full stomach. If this GCB dish were ever available at a buffet, I would actually need help getting back to the car. Our other plate, the F&M, was also great, especially the meatball. Don't let the singularity of the noun fool you, as you may have seen this thing on TV during the Women's College World Series. Unlike the WCWS traditional of sending the home run (meat)ball home with the family, though, you'll want to finish this softball while it's fresh. I've never had a meatball melt in my mouth before, but now I'm glad to say...