The Top Steak House — Restaurant in Columbus

"My Last Meal", as described in my profile. How can you not smile while dining here? OK, maybe when the check arrives. This is our go to special occasion, event, or entertaining place. We get so much joy from bringing people here for their first visit. It's like hearing someone is going to see a great show for the first time. You get envy for that first visit all over again.

You should know that this Bexley address is bordering the sketchy side of Whitehall. Don't let the hourly rate motels down the street dissuade you. There is a respectable size parking lot on the awning side. The locals know of a smaller more unknown parking on the west side. This allows immediate entry into the lounge, but you will still have to see the maître d. Coat check, mirrors, black walls, and vintage pictures of Columbus greet you. You will walk in past two private party rooms of 8 top tables. Follow the piano serenade to the end of the hall at the dining room. The room is loud with conversation. White linen tablecloths, black leather banquettes, smokey mirrors, 50's decor lighting, black shirt with bow ties, visually stimulates your senses. The smell of meat is in the air. Not butcher. Not smoke house. Just the smell of well seasoned grilled meat. Look at all the smiles on everyone's face. A drink at the bar while we wait for our table to be readied. The multiple mixologists were very knowledgable in wine selection, as well as matching a recipe to a specific taste desire. Stay at the bar, or sway over to the piano bar for a musical appetizer. Upon being seated we were offered refills, and teased through the delectable vocabulary of tonight's specials.

This is the only place in town that I know you can order your steak temperature "with a PUSH", and actually execute it. Over the years, I have ordered a variety of items from the menu. Even as far back as when they had their own butcher shop across the street. Although they do everything well. I continue to come back to the beef. You cannot change my sweeties order of filet mignon if you tried. I'm afraid if they ever were out, she would want to just leave. For me this visit it was the Ribeye. One of the specials was a 44oz Ribeye with grilled shrimp atop. The regular was huge enough for me. All of our side dishes were fresh, and prepared with attention to detail. I do so enjoy when they come around with the serving dish of whipped butter and sour cream. Oh my, how did I forget the warm bread basket. Although made by a local bakery, it must have risen to be baked here. Toppings are as wonderful as you would hope them to be(for the. price). She ordered the Hollandaise for our first try. It was like no other that had come before it. How do they get that flavor and texture dialed in just right? I mean it! Not the over mayo/aioli, or eggy taste. So creamy, and well balanced on the tongue. A fabulous compliment to the meal, which we always add on future visits. My mushrooms were delicious as well in a bêarnaise sauce. How could we even talk about dessert after that fulfilling meal? Tempt us she did. We went home with a slice of lemon ricotta cake. The food. The staff. The atmosphere. It all makes this establishment a fantasy dining experience, worthy of anyone's "Last Meal".

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I have been visiting The Top for nearly 20 years. When I met my husband, I introduced him to it and we have had every important dinner there since. Sadly, we won't be back.

I have noticed a decline in quality since the pandemic. I started my career in hospitality, planning events for a company that owned multiple venues and in-house catering. I understand all of the struggles they faced on a normal basis before 2020; I can't imagine the things you've dealt with since. Regardless, one thing has to remain true: the food has to stay the focus. The last several visits have seen a lack of quality and attention that they once paid but this most recent visit was, by far, the worst.

When our dinner arrived, it was completely silent. The gentleman delivering the food didn't say a word but practically frisbee'd our plates to us. It was so aggressive that it completely disrupted the mood of our table and changed our evening. And then we sat. And we waited. For about 5 minutes, we wondered what we were supposed to do next. We didn't have any of the accompaniments for our dinners so we weren't going to eat them, and the man who had delivered them didn't ask if everything was okay or if we wanted anything, so we just waited for our server to return. I don't mean that to sound negative about Zoe in any way. She is fabulous at what she does but she was being run-ragged. She returned as quickly as I'm sure she could have and brought condiments for our potatoes, then went on the hunt for my missing horseradish.

Meanwhile, we started cutting into our food. My medium-rare prime rib was medium well and my husband's rare ribeye was medium. Both were cold. Maybe they started at the correct temperatures and then, between sitting in the back and sitting at our table, they turned. My husband didn't get the accoutrements that he ordered for his ribeye and both of our potatoes were so cold that the butter didn't melt. My asparagus was cold and greasy and the hollandaise tasted only like Tabasco. These are things that we order regularly and I can tell you that even temps aside, the quality was abysmal. At that point, we just didn't feel that complaining or sending, quite literally, our ENTIRE meal back was the move. It not only would have negatively impacted Zoe, but since everything was THAT BAD, we knew it wasn't getting better. We checked the bill and saw that the ribeye sides had never been rung in so we just didn't address any of it. We took our lumps and brought the food home to our dogs.

I just want to reiterate that I loved The Top. Some of my very fondest memories are in that restaurant. Prime rib is my favorite food and this establishment used to be my favorite place to eat it. I'm not writing this to complain or to get anything in return. I'm writing this because the experience is rapidly declining and I want you to save your restaurant. I tried to contact you privately but it seems you aren't interested in hearing from your customers anymore. I hope you'll listen before...

This was my first time dinning at this location, i have heard such raving reviews about it I had to see it for my self. I am new to Columbus, and a longtime hospitality Industry, professional, and former chef. After reviewing the website and menu pictures I was hoping i was in for a real upscale and unique experience for my Sunday evening. I wish this was the case.

My Ribeye was a giant on the bone cut, and the offering of two basic sides is economical. Steak was strangely smothered in a house, roasted garlic butter. I expected more from the signature “house” salad. Basic lettuce and shredded carrots. Poorly cut red onions blue cheese crumbles. Baked Mac and Cheese was okay. Big enough to split but for 17$ I was expecting it to be more creative than noodles and cheese in a dish. Whipped potatoes are just that, old school mashed potato’s with chives sprinkled on top. Chefs vegetable du jour was a Pleasant Douse of creativity for my plate. Parsnip Melody with fresh herbs and a hint of brown sugar. Oyster Rockefeller was good, although very in time. A raw bar option would have been a nice upgrade.

My dining patron fillet appeared slightly smaller than the waitresses described 12 ounces. Side of sautéed spinach was just plain spinach, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. The onion rang placed on top of the steak was bland and odd. The Caesar salad was good, dressing is not a traditional Caesar dressing. Roasted Asparagus was very plain and expected. The crab meat cocktail, was an extremely dated attempt as a refreshing cold seafood option. $30 for an appetizer, you would expect fresh crab meat, better presentation, and not a side of thousand island dressing?

Drinks were good, poured very heavily almost masking the flavor, nice bourbon selection very limited selection on other alcohols. Sustainable wine selection, This restaurant would benefit greatly from Somalia on staff. The service was Decent, Seemed very rushed and at times on attentive to the table for a fine dining setting. They host and support staff attitude was similar to an Applebee’s at first Interaction. I’ve been a restaurant operator, owner, manager, and Chef for over 30 years, and it was a strange experience as far as service and hospitality goes in a fine dining restaurant. Very strange to see the Only manager in the restaurant spending more time sitting at the bar than attending to the restaurant. Even though the decor of the restaurant is vintage and a jump back into time of nostalgia, the food lacked creativity and passion. It’s no wonder most of the patrons we saw dining in the dining room work from an older generation. Service in the restaurant is geared to turn and burn instead of the unique hospital dining experience that is expected and desired from a white tablecloth restaurant.

Overall, from the professional opinion of the restaurant, food and service are OK for what it is definitely expected More creative and engaging dining experience for the overall...