Refectory Restaurant & Bistro

This is my wife’s favorite place to dine in Columbus. We love the wait staff, as they are very helpful, never miss an opportunity to fill a glass, and really know their menu. Happy hour on the bistro side is great for weeknights and we love the dinner menu for special occasions. The pumpkin soup in the fall is tremendous. Have never disliked anything we have tried here.

The refectory epitomizes dining with class and sophistication. The dishes are as tasty as they are elegant. The service is omnipresent and impeccable. I ordered the lobster bisque and I didn’t love it, so it was immediately replaced free of charge with whatever I wanted. They do whatever it takes to make your experience the best. I then ordered the short ribs for the main course and it was one of the most amazing dishes I’ve ever had!!! The Refectory is an absolute gem! I’ve traveled the world and the Refectory is every bit as excellent as dining in any gastro Mecca across the pond.

Simply the best meal I’ve ever eaten. Lake Erie Walleye with Lobster Ravioli. The seasoning and sauce were killer. I know nothing about cooking fish so I can’t tell you what was so good about it more than that it was seriously delicious. Although I ate it all, it was light so I didn’t leave stuffed. We also had the pear dessert which was awesome. Service was great, and it truly felt special. We visited shortly after returning from NYC, where we had eaten at some of the best restaurants and paid an exorbitant amount doing so. The Refectory was better, and cheaper, than anything we ate in the big apple. Can’t believe I’ve lived here for 8 years and have never been. (4 years were as a poor college student who couldn’t afford ramen, so I guess I can believe it.)

We used to love this place but overtime it’s just not the same. We both ordered the lamb pops and frankly I could have done a better job at home. We ordered the alpaca for an appetizer and it was definitely not good either. The Ice scream dessert was yummy, the wine list is good, the service very nice and the ambiance good for the theme of the restaurant .
Overall we are giving this place a break.

A hidden gem of Columbus!
A unique setting for exquisite French cuisine. The food presentation is elegant and classy. We have visited multiple times and tried different dishes and all have exceeded our expectations. There is a garden right outside the building and the chef incorporates the locally grown ingredients. The service is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. They have an extensive wine menu. They also offer beer and other cocktails.
If you have food allergies, clarify with your waiter/​waitress before ordering.
Perfect for a night out to try food you may not find in other restaurants around Columbus.

I went there during to celebrate my b-​day.
It’s pricey but the food was pretty good!
Love the appetizer bread.
I had the arugula salad. It’s good.
I ordered the duck breast (forgot what the fancy name is) as my main course. It’s not the best duck I’ve ever had but it’s good.
I had the chocolate dessert. I quite like the taste too. But I don’t like the candle on the plate too much (though I appreciate the thoughtfulness). It’s just not that pretty.

My husband and I ate here for Valentine’s Day and I wanted to wait to write the review so that my frustration did not cause me to be overly harsh. However, even two months later, thinking back on the meal we ate, I’m stilly angry about how much money we spent on terrible food.
To start with the good, the pastry chef prepared the only high points in the meal. The macarons, bread, and tart were all very tasty. Unfortunately, there ends the list.
For Valentine’s Day they were serving a pre fixe meal. Now, I’ll take a little bit of blame here, because holiday pre fixe meals are known to be terribly overpriced and we should have known better, but this was just unimaginably bad.
The recurring problem through all of the courses was a lack of seasoning. There was no depth, no acidity, no herbs, just one note, flat preparations that can only be likened to cruise food. The sauces were just bland and uninteresting. The other big problem was that all the proteins appeared to have been cooked by amateurs. The shrimp was gummy, chewy, and not properly cleaned – completely unappetizing. My cut of beef was gristly and tough. I pointed this out to my waiter and nothing was said or done to try and rectify it. My husband’s sea bass was old and fishy and gave him a stomach ache – we should have known by the fishy smell we noticed when walking up to the restaurant.
I’m still shaking my head in confusion as to whether we went on their biggest off night, or if the people of Columbus have been starved too long for a true fine dining establishment.

I went here during restaurant week with a friend. If you can, go during this time as a good portion of their regular menu makes it into the discounted options.
The building itself is gorgeous and the restaurant has some interesting history-​be sure to ask your server about it!
I ordered the beet salade, roasted duck, and crème brûlée, all of which I believe are on their normal menu. My friend had the walleye, which was amazing as well.
As far as dress code, I wore jeans with a nice blouse and heels. However we were there relatively early on a weekday. If you go during peak time on the weekend, I would suggest dressing up a bit more (i.e. No jeans!)

The Refectory serves elegant dishes and compliments them with high quality service. I’d rate it 4.5 stars if I could.
We knew ahead of time that they do not cater to picky picky eaters like my wife who eats mostly vegetables with the exception of turkey or boneless skinless chicken breast. This is typical for a lot of fine dining restaurants, but the dessert options got her buy-​in to come here for our anniversary. She settled for a Caesar salad, asparagus soup, and crème brûlée.
I started with the Skate Wing Rossini. The combination of skate and foie seemed surprising, but this why I’m no expert at pairing fine foods. The skate was firm enough to provide mouth feel contrast to the soft and generous portion of seared foie gras. Taking a bite with both together gave the impression of eating a firmer piece of foie as the skate is very light in flavor. The veal jus and finely diced beets provided not only the opportunity for me stain my table cloth, but also dip the fresh, seedy, multi-​grain bread into.
For my entrée I selected the duet of antelope mi-​meurette and stuffed quail. They should have called it a trio because it includes a small cut of blood sausage. The sausage was okay; rich and minerally with a finely ground interior. Also on the dish were two asparagus tips, a serving of red quinoa on top of cabbage, a carrot slice, a dollop of butternut squash purée, and a few slices of roasted apples. This sounds like a lot, but they’re mostly 1 – 2 bite servings other than the quinoa and proteins. The antelope was wrapped in pancetta and was a conical shaped cut. It’s taste was similar to lean beef with a slight touch of venison. I wasn’t asked a temperature beforehand, but it came medium when I would have preferred medium-​rare. The star of this dish without question was the quail, set apart by the tasty skin and stuffing of ground veal and pistachios. I hope no one was looking when I picked it up and cleaned the tiny little bones.
A minor area of improvement in my opinion is to refresh some areas of the restaurant like the bathroom where the wall paper is peeling in spots. Also, I noticed some sauce splatter on the window we were seated next to. Finally, I would love to come back more often so could you do me a solid and add one vegetarian entrée or chicken dish to the menu for the wife?

Outstanding service consistently high quality food, and great ambience. This has become my go to restaurant now when I’m hosting visitors from out of town. I have been here several times now and have never been disappointed. The one exception was a few months ago when my wife was to join me for their opera night the maitre de did not escort her to the room, which was difficult to find, as it was tucked away at an elevation from the main room. But otherwise we’ve been very happy with the service. Ask for Justin. He’s fabulous for recommendations and very careful and measured.
This is probably one of the top 5 restaurants in the Columbus area and the chef makes an effort to change the menu depending on the local supplies and seasons.
If you can find venison or boar on the menu, definitely get it. The chef prepares these meats exceptionally well. The lamb chops are also divine. Probably among the best I’ve had anywhere in the world! During my last outing I really liked the fois gras as well. The Crème Brûlée is one of my favorites here, although they have many excellent desserts, most of them too beautiful to dig into :).
The décor is lovely but make sure they take you into the main room and not the bar area. This is literally a church converted into a restaurant (tall ceilings and wonderful architecture). The tables are spaced out to give you a bit of a private touch. The food and desserts are tastefully decorated so the flavored are enhanced by all your senses.
A definite 5 stars and worth many return trips!

The Refectory is by far my favorite five-​star fine-​dining restaurant in Columbus. I’ve never had such spectacular service in my life. The ambiance here is kind of interesting, for a lack of a better word. But, it was great nonetheless. Its held in an old church so when you walk in, you kind of get that eerie vibe but I can reassure you, it was far from that.
My server John was unbelievably sweet and super funny as well. I always trust my server with suggestions and he suggested we order the Grilled Bison Strip Loin and the Roasted Duck, so I got just that. I also ordered the Mussel Soup as an appetizer and got some type of dessert wine. I totally forgot what wine it was but John suggested it and it was good! MY WHOLE MEAL WAS AMAZING.
Best part of the night was when I made conversation with the Simo, the water guy. I’m not sure how to spell his name but I know he’s from Morocco and speaks Arabic. I can tell that he was shy but he was so nice and easy to talk to. He then introduced me and my table to Kamal, the owner! HOW LOVELY!!!
The whole team at Refectory was so humble and nice. I could feel the love. Wait, I’m not done. BEST BEST part of it all, I originally ordered the Warm Pear Tarte, and the Vanilla Crème Brûlée for my birthday dessert but decided not to over order since I do that all the time. John ended up bringing all 3 desserts including the one I didn’t order, the chocolate dome to our table. I almost cried happy tears. Kamal and his team made this my favorite birthday dinner ever. Their compassion really shines through their customer service and I can’t wait to be back to spend my hard-​earned money on these good people.

Delicious food and beautiful presentation! Great service as well! Had Wild Game Spätzle & Red Kuri Squash Pâté «En Croute» as appetizer (the only dish that I wasn’t too enjoyed because of the meat taste…), rack of lamb (very very delicious!!), and duck! Desserts were my favorite part-​loved their Crème brûlée (so silky and creamy sooo good!) and pear tarte (really enjoyed this warm dessert as well! Tasted kind of like crêpe!). I would def love to try some of the other dishes some time in the future!

100% recommend! The bread was moist and had a hint of herb in it, it was delicious! My appetizer (cheese plate) had a variety of cheeses from different countries, the tastes ranged from soft to very bold, the variety was well chosen. My entrée (duck breast) was cooked and presented well, tasteful and beautiful! The crème brûlée was utterly amazing with the espresso beforehand and the dessert wine to follow. Sam was out server, very professional and attentive. This was all together fine dining experience that my husband and I have decided to visit again soon.

Awesome building, fantastic service, great food, good selection of alcohol. Refectory is everything you expect it to be.
There is ample parking, and the crème brûlée is everything you’ve heard. Pair it with a glass of my favorite wine, Graham’s 20 year tawny port.

When restaurant week menus came out I knew I wanted to try the Refectory as its French and fine dining so really getting my money’s worth.
My first time was 1/​21, I had a reservation for 1 at 8pm, upon checking in I notified the owner if it was easier I would sit at the bar. I sat at the bar and the bartender Joseph was simply a great server interacting with me and explaining the entire menu and favorites and he picked a perfect wine for my duck. I can’t say enough great things about him.
Onto the food, my first course was the pheasant terrine with pickled quail egg, brandies cherries and a truffle sauce. It was simply delicious balancing the flavors.
Second course was the duck, it was cooked a perfect medium rare served with crispy duck bacon a crêpe and cardamom sauce along with turnips and zucchini. Just a little finishing salt on the sliced duck would have really made it outstanding. The wine was a pinot from Oregon, and was a medium body and perfect for the duck.
Dessert I had to order the famous crème brûlée as the chef studied under legendary French chef Paul Bocuse the founding father of modern cuisine. Anyway the story goes Chef wanted a perfect crème brûlée and had students and faculty try out hundreds of recipes changing various components including vanilla beans, cream, etc. Chef of the Refectory helped perfect the crème brûlée, and this one is one of the best I’ve had with a perfect burnt sugar crust and the sable cookie was a perfect accompaniment. The dessert wine Joseph paired with it compliments of the house was perfect, it tasted like a Sauternes.
I highly recommend Refectory to everyone.

Makes me feel kinda old and frumpy (and a little snooty) every time I eat here, but the food and service is so amazing I keep coming back. True fine dining, one of a kind for Columbus, with a classically trained French chef at the helm. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about food, but there are always at least half a dozen terms I have to look up or ask about on the menu. The food is a true art form here — every dish is something I couldn’t even begin to reproduce at home.
Service is always impeccable, very professional yet relaxed. They are happy to do a by-​the-​glass wine pairing with each course if you ask, and the selections are always excellent.
Our favorite is to just go have a drink or two at their bar — excellent spirits and top notch cocktails, with a slightly more laid back atmosphere than the main dining room. The full menu is also available there, as is their lounge menu. You can also make a reservation to dine at one of the handful of tables there.
They also host fabulous wine and scotch tastings, as well as live music events. And, they do a great job with special celebrations. We recently ate there for our 20^th anniversary and they included printed personalized inserts in our menus — a very nice touch. They will also make a note of your special date so if you make another reservation next year, they will ask if you are celebrating your anniversary etc with them.
Just an overall classy place and I hope they continue to do well. Now if only they didn’t make me feel so damn old…

I seriously had some of the best food of my life here. I got the New York strip and my goodness it was delicious. Obviously pricey, but I loved it.

Our experience was amazing! We first took a seat at the bar where the bartender was incredibly friendly and knowledgable. When we sat down to our table we ordered the wild boar tart. It was a delicious blend of smoky savory flavor. For the main course my husband ordered the antelope and quail dish. I’ve never been big on wild game but this was to die for!!! I ordered the short rib which was also amazing. We topped it off with the crème brûlée, again so amazing! The service and the food was so great, we can’t wait to return.

Enjoyed a New Year’s Eve dinner with my wife at Refectory. Very quiet and formal atmosphere but also cozy and inviting. Definitely have to be in the right mood to appreciate the experience. Tried the 6 course meal to treat ourselves. Favorite course was the scallop with crusted paprika and garlic laid on top of wild boar ragu. BAM! Tough to beat that. I know the more upscale the smaller the portions but I could have eaten 10 of those scallops. Right before midnight, the staff brought out champagne and party favors accompanied by singing and guitar. Overall very memorable night.

This was a perfect place for nursery we had an amazing time they took great care of us the food all of it was delicious the servers were helpful and the owner was most gracious and nice
Definitely made this a memorable experience

My wife and I ate at The Refectory on November 14, 2015 for the «Date Night» prix fixe dinner, and we LOVED it. The dinner consisted of five courses, with two choices per course (except the appetizer). Our excellent server, Joseph, recommended that we opt to take one of each option and share plates, which is exactly what we did. We also followed Joseph’s advice and chose to have each course paired with wines selected by the sommelier.
From the opening of appetizer of Norwegian smoked salmon rillette, all the way through the dessert of crème brûlée/​chocolate dome with salted caramel center, each course was a delight. Of particular note was the braised beef short rib in burgundy wine, which was so wonderful, with layers of flavor as the meat literally melted in my mouth. Also of particular note was the third course, which consisted of crayfish, rabbit sausage and vegetable gratin as one choice, and wild game, spatzle and red kuri squash pâté as the other.
Joseph provided excellent information throughout our dinner as well as attentive, but not hovering, service. Additional servers quietly ensured that water glasses were always full and plates and cutlery were removed promptly between courses.
My wife and I enjoy trying a new places each time we visit Columbus, but The Refectory is the place for fine dining in the area. Nothing else we have tried even comes close.

Outstanding. What can I say. I liked everything about this restaurant from the ambience to the service to the food. We have been here several times now and have never been disappointed. This is probably one of the top 5 restaurants in the Columbus area and the chef makes an effort to change the menu depending on the local supplies and seasons. In our last outing we had the escargot as one of our appetizers, which was really good. The venison is especially delicious as is the veal. The wait staff are quite knowledgeable and willing to answer any question patiently. P
The décor is outstanding but make sure they take you into the main room and not the bar area. This is literally a church converted into a restaurant (tall ceilings and wonderful architecture). The tables are spaced out to give you a bit of a private touch. The food and desserts are tastefully decorated so the flavored are enhanced by all your senses.
A definite 5 stars and certainly worth many return trips!

We hadn’t been back to the Refectory for at least a year. I have no idea why. This has been and still is THE destination restaurant in Columbus. They never seem to falter. How they do this year after year is beyond me, but whatever they do I hope they keep doing it.
Ambiance — Warmly elegant. Soft colors. Soft lighting but not the kind you can’t read the menu by. Tables are spaced for private conversation. Waitstaff is impeccably trained and go about their profession with a calm demeanor and a will to please. They are knowledgeable about the food and the wines and will help you with concise answers that are not just, «Oh, that’s my favorite thing on the menu» for whatever you ask about. You feel at home here which is as it should be.
Food — Really!!! Sweetbread lasagna??? Even if you are not a lover of sweetbreads (I am) you have to love the inventiveness to have them on the menu in such a dish. It was delicious, the sweetbreads perfectly poached and seared and the bordelaise-​sauce was a perfect match. Lamb tenderloin to kill for, with just a hint (a whisper, really) of cumin dusting it and the texture and flavor of the meat enhanced. My duck magret was impeccably cooked, impeccably seasoned and the sauce spot on. All of the other bites on the plate fit the main courses wonderfully and added instead of detracted from the meal.
Beverages — Wine list is extensive and well-​selected. Pricey but tell me one that isn’t. A range to go with every taste and wines by the glass that please and are no drop off from the bottled wines. Cocktails were carefully done. My wife’s kir royale was done with just the right amount of Chambord, making it slightly and not overly sweet and allowing the taste of the sparkling wine to come through. My classic martini (Gin. 3 to 1) was perfect.
Value — This is expensive cooking and priced accordingly. But, if you get the quality and attention to detail that the Refectory always delivers, the price is no barrier to the enjoyment. Unlike other restaurants that price high and under-​deliver, the Refectory has high prices and justifies them with a perfect experience.
Alert!!! Pet peeve follows: Dining at the Refectory reminded me of how wonderful fine dining can be when the chef and the kitchen respect the roots of great cuisine. Flavor comes from reduction, not addition. In many of today’s newer restaurants I fear the the chefs may have arrived at control of the kitchen too soon and it is reflected in their dishes. They are in a hurry and so is their cooking. They boil instead of braise. They add instead of reduce. If something is not exciting enough they don’t look at how they can bring more out of the main ingredient but add heat to it. Everyone adds heat now. As if that was meritorious in and of itself. Trust me, it’s not, and I like spicy food. Not one smidgen of heat in any of our dishes at the Refectory, just time spent honoring their craft by honoring the ingredients and the client. This is why some places endure. They care.

Five stars! Best experience in a lifetime. Plan to spend a few hours here this is an experience :) service and food wonderful. Celebrated my 35^th here. Perfection.

Birthday dinner! Fabulous service! Dinners took a bit long… But we didn’t notice. But Chris still bought is desserts on my big day!!!

This is definitely one of my favorites. They have an ever changing menu but will custom make dishes per you request. I’ve had great experiences with many of there fish dishes, which some restaurants tend to over cook.
The service is always top notch and there is ample parking in front of the restaurants. I agree with the other reviewers in the historical building and old world charm really makes this restaurant stand out from others in the Columbus area

I would only recommend this restaurant to my grandparents, who have lost their taste buds.
The building was historic and really cool. However, the clientele was also historic. The drinks were bad and so were the appetizers. We left after that. Partly because the food was not good and partly because the menu didn’t look much better.
Overall, the food seemed overrated and not very appetizing. I wouldn’t go back.

5-​star experience as usual at the Refectory yesterday! Cold entrée was a foie gras frog leg terrine with an amazing grape vinaigrette. Main dish was pan seared Loup de Mer on top of bamboo rice, zucchini scales, and olive tapenade. Dessert was a warm pear tarte with almond frangipane and pistachio ice cream. Everything was delicious and exquisitely prepared including the cucumber infused Lyon cocktail! Service was top notch as usual. This is a dining experience worth every cent spent. The Refectory never disappoints!

Perfection. My experience mirrored that of the Queen Elizabeth, methinks.
Old church renovation, with stained glass windows, high ceilings, and tall flowers and plants: check
Black tie waiters who whisk away plates and glasses no later than two minutes after you are complete: check
I suggest the escargot (beware: SO filling), wolf fish (also filling), and the pistacio crème brûlée. Mind you, these were featured on their annual April special menu for tax relief. Wahoo! I doubt you can go wrong with any of their dishes.
Perfect for special events and professing your love.

I was fortunate enough to go to the Refectory for the first time on Valentine’s Day. In short: It was SPECTACULAR.
Reservations were made a couple of months ago through Open Table, which is really convenient. I’d been looking forward to it for just as long and totally hyping it up for myself! I had probably read the menu several times (and googled several of the items to understand what I was in for — terrine, ragout, truffle dome, magret, montrachet, fromage, gâteau, entremet… all new words in my culinary vocabulary!)
On the day of, the weather was pretty terrible, I had an upper respiratory infection, and I had recently bitten my tongue, which made eating fairly uncomfortable. Despite that, I was still SO pumped. I think that says something about just how excited I was!
We parked nearby and went to walk in. Something that we didn’t realize at first is that the entrance is in the back of the building, under an awning. We headed over (verrrry carefully — shoulda brought our ice skates!) and walked in.
We were greeted with what looked more like a church than a restaurant. There were couples everywhere, almost all of them dressed to the nines, most of the women wearing high heels (which is IMPRESSIVE — girlllllll, don’t you see all this ice?!) We checked in and waited.
A few couples who arrived after us were seated before us, which was a little disappointing as we got there before our reservation time, but they may have had a reservation before us. After waiting for a while, the host asked us for our name again, which made me think they may have misplaced our reservation, but it didn’t matter because we were seated shortly afterwards. And the rest of the night did not disappoint!
When we got to the table, there was a rose for me to take, and a rose decorating the table. Obviously everyone got one, but it made me feel special regardless! We were seated against a brick wall, which was charming. The restaurant had dark lighting — there’s a reason it’s one of the most romantic restaurants in Columbus!
We had a waiter, as well as 2 other members of the wait staff, helping us out. They were all very polite, cordial, and professional. It was suggested that we each get one of the 2 options so we can try all of the food selections for the night — we had already been planning on that, so we ordered and eagerly awaited our food.
The first course was chilled wild rice, toasted tricolor israeli couscous, and rock shrimp ragout with micro watercress or wild boar and wild mushroom terrine. Both had an interesting texture, much more fine than most dishes I’m used to. I preferred the couscous option, which was spectacular. There were large pieces of shrimp in it, which I loved.
The second course was lobster bisque or a norwegian salmon, smoked salmon, and black truffle dome. This one was probably my least favorite (which means close to nothing, because I would still order this from a restaurant and love it!) I thought I’d like the lobster bisque a lot, but it was a little too acidic and not creamy enough for my taste (again, not anything but good, but not my #1 choice). The dome was good, as I expected, as it had some things that I loved in it. But the smoked salmon was the overwhelming flavor for me and, as that’s a rich flavor in and of itself, it was a lot to eat myself. Sharing it made both very good.
Next was the filet mignon and duck. This was probably only the third time in my life that I’ve had duck, and it was very good. The waiter pointed out that this was one of the Refectory’s specialty’s, and I can see why. The filet was also very good.
Next was the montrachet cheese and fromage blanc. Surprisingly, this one was a show stealer for me. I LOVED the montrachet cheese, and the fromage blanc was also delectable. Absolutely delicious.
Finally, we had the chocolate trilogy gâteau and the raspberry entremet butter cream. I stuck mostly to the butter cream, as I’m not a huge chocolate fan, though I did taste the triology gâteau and it tasted like most yummy chocolate mousse-​type desserts do. The butter cream was amazing, though! So buttery and creamy.
We also had a couple of glasses of white wine, and those were both delicious and reasonably priced. Much appreciated, especially considering the dinner was $ 89 per person!
I consider myself very lucky to have spent my Valentine’s Day at the Refectory. Despite looking forward to it for months and potentially overhyping it for myself, the Refectory absolutely delivered. It was a culinary experience unlike any I’ve ever had before, and I wouldn’t trade my Valentine’s Day dinner for the world! Even if it’s a once-​a-​year opportunity, I know that going to the Refectory will be an experience I look forward to time and time again. Would absolutely recommend, and can’t wait to go back!

COLUMBUS, OH: What a treat to visit tonight The Refectory, the most distinguished and award-​winning restaurant in Columbus.
Service was excellent with handsome waitstaff; the interior is lovely: an ancient church and side building, meshed together to create interesting dining spaces.
I tried four menu items:
Duck En Gelee: (5 stars): This was a remarkable dish: chopped pieces of duck, foie, pork and boiled quail egg in a Gelee of flavorful chilled meat reduction. The waiter said it best: this dish rocks, but the texture is a little unexpected (like a chilled meat jello). It is surrounded by acidic sauces that dance in your mouth. Highlight of my meal.
Roasted Goat Cheese (4 stars): This goat cheese medallion is served warm and wonderful on a crostini and spread of beet purée. It was very good.
Lamb Osso Entrée (4 stars): This dish was good. There was the lamb rack, which was a well-​executed lamb, the pastry, which tasted like a nice sausage-​meatloaf with a warm goat cheese center, and the ground meat treat in the center, which was fine. Presentation was excellent.
Pear Tart (5 stars): Awesome! Delicious poached pears, pastry, raspberry and more. A must order.

Absolute perfection. The first time I dined at The Refectory it was during restaurant week for a date night. I was apprehensive since it is SSSSOOOOO EXPENSIVE, but my mind was quickly changed. Devine. Mouth watering. Worth every penny. Be warned though: serving sizes do not match the cost. They are small, and you will be able to eat every course.
Go here if you want to treat your significant other to something special!

I have not been looking forward to writing this review. I have such mixed feelings and dashed hopes for this place. Unilocal has never steered me wrong before so when I saw that the restaurant had a 4.5 rating with 130+ reviews and it was restaurant week (which means I could sample a range of dishes at a fraction of the typical cost), I figured why not? Great deal, right? Wrong!
Okay so where do I begin? The service. The service was fantastic. Our server was on the ball — he knew his stuff and was there when we needed him and invisible when we didn’t. The food is another story. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. And a restaurant that is this expensive (our bill was just over $ 100 with tip, which is pretty steep for restaurant week, and the restaurant usually has $$$$ on Unilocal), should have food that blows your mind. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Everything was cooked fine and I enjoyed my meal but it tasted like a dinner at any other restaurant.
I will say, the two highlights of the meal were the bread — the most delicious, perfectly toasted, warm multi-​grain bread I’ve ever had — and the crème brûlée for dessert.
So, in the end, it was a great looking restaurant (I like the old converted church and traditional décor) with great service and average food at upscale prices. Would I go back? Maybe. Would I go back if I’m looking for a fantastic meal on a very special occasion? Maybe not.

Dined here on 7÷23÷14 with a group of 6 for Columbus Restaurant Week. $ 35/​person prix fixe menu. It was my first visit to The Refectory and I was absolutely blown away.
The building is an old converted church, and the interior décor is definitely on the romantic/​formal side. It’s a very quiet space, and is perfect for a date or catching up with friends/​family. I would definitely recommend against bringing young kids here, however.
The service was impeccable. Our waiter knew down to the most minute detail what ingredients were used in each dish. One girl in our party is a strict vegetarian, and the waiter was also able to adjust her meals perfectly to suit her needs. Some people might say that the servers here are overly pretentious, but I think it’s perfectly appropriate for the type of restaurant that this is. If you want a server to joke around with, go to a sports bar!
My wife and I ordered their seafood strudel and asparagus soup for the first course, both beautifully arranged and delicious. For the second course, we had their Norwegian salmon with a side of lobster ravioli and their braised beef shoulder tenderloin. The salmon was fresh and cooked to perfection. My favorite salmon dish in Columbus to date had been the cedar plank salmon at the Columbus Fish Market, but I think the Refectory’s salmon is now my new favorite. The lobster ravioli didn’t have any noticeable chunks of lobster, so that was disappointing. The beef shoulder tenderloin was cooked perfectly to medium rare and extremely flavorful. Also of note, I understand that beef tenderloins don’t come from the shoulder area, and our server did explain that they just used the term since it’s just as tender as a filet but that it’s actually a cut from the deltoid muscle of the shoulder.
For dessert we had their berries fuilette and the tiramisu. Both also delicious and beautifully plated.
The service here is at a very relaxed pace. Our three course meal took a little over 2 hours. If you’re in a hurry to say, catch a play or a movie, you might find this annoying. I personally liked enjoying the dinner without feeling hurried.
I understand that if you go with their standard menu, you might be spending $ 60~$ 80 per person plus alcohol. Even at that price though, the Refectory is worth it. I’ve spent way more than that at Cameron Mitchell restaurants, and this is way better. And if it’s $ 35/​person for Restaurant Week? It’s an absolute no-​brainer.