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Marcella's Ristorante
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Tapas Bars Italian, Tapas Bars [Edit]
615 N High StColumbus, OH 43215
Neighborhood: Short North
(614) 223-2100
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 4 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for Marcella's Ristorante
Review Highlights
"The braised veal meatball was so tender and flavorful."
(in 14 reviews)
"They also have tons of small plates and olives plus an..."
(in 19 reviews)
"Another triumphant Cameron Mitchell endeavor."
(in 15 reviews)
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123 reviews in English
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Review from Michael G.
Columbus, OH
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
We walked in at 950pm, right before closing, on a rainy Thursday night. Couple drinks, plate of spaghetti, and some warm bread were what we wanted; and what we got. We were gone by 1030. Management and staff were very gracious; thanks Lindsay. They could have turned us away, but in true Cameron Mitchell hospitality, they didn't!
Way to Go! -
Review from Zack R.
2/9/2012
My wife and I dined here last night with a friend from out of town. The atmosphere was very nice. Dark, like an Italian restaurant should be, with a nice lively crowd. The dark woods and rustic paint looked great, and the kitchen, outfitted with large old fashioned white tile, was visible from the dining room. Our server wasn't overly chatty, which is nice. Maybe she was a little under-chatty though. Didn't ask if we had any questions about the menu, even when we were perusing it thoroughly for 15 minutes.
We started with the grilled pecorino cheese with crostini and apple slices. This was a pretty outstaning appetizer. I'd recommend a few more toast points though, as there was some extra cheese at the end (which we took care of anyway).
My wife got the spaghetti with meatball. She said the pasta was fine, as was the sauce, but she was not a fan of the oversized meat hunk. She said the flavor was not what she was expecting, and was not pleasant. Our friend got the cheese ravioli, and said it was wonderful. I got the lasagna. It was a little heavy on the sauce. It actually wasnt very hot either, and the sauce had that coagulated look to it, as if it had been made a little too far in advance. It did taste very good though, once I scraped the excess sauce off.
Overall, Marcella's gets a solid three stars. -
Review from George Y.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really want to like this place, because it's a beautiful restaurant with some very friendly, knowledgeable staff. Our server was very patient and answered all of our questions. We asked a lot of "would you choose A or B?" type of questions. But unfortunately the food my girlfriend and I received just were not up to par.
Now for starters I got the prosciutto de parma. This was actually very tasty, perfectly thinly sliced cured pieces of goodness. Great way to start the meal.
Entree wise, I got the veal saltimbocca and my girlfriend got the seared salmon. My dish was nothing special, very average in taste, presentation, texture, etc. The polenta was also a little dry and gummy. It was very much a letdown from the prosciutto de parma. My girlfriend's seared salmon lacked seasoning, aka salt. Again very average.
I will have to return during happy hour as I've heard they have some incredible happy hour specials (and pizzas). But sadly as of right now, I'm not impressed. -
Review from Erica P.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
A may zing. The food is so good. They offer gluten free pizza dough?! What! Give me 2 please. Now. Here, take my debit card, bring me food.
Went here for new years eve with some friends and had a wonderful time. And the food...it was ok. -
Review from Adrianne K.
Columbus, OH
12/13/2011
Pros: Great location in Short North, trendy atmosphere, good food.
Cons: Noisy, salad and bread are extra (a la carte menu), waitress hardly came around.
No plans to go back. Plenty of other great options in the city. -
Review from Raquelle Z.
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
1/6/2012
On a recent visit to Columbus I decided to give Marcella's a try. I noticed right away that I was in time for happy hour which not only included 1/2 price drinks but also a good selection of 1/2 price food options. I had an order of zucchini chips (good but some what greasy), a veal meatball (tasty and tender), 2 specialty cocktails (both great), and very large square of tiramasu (more like a moist cake but very good. All this and a tip for under $25. I sat at the bar and enjoyed the conversation with the bartender who was very nice. I will most definitely return again!
-
Review from Marissa C.
Columbus, OH
11/11/2011
Marcella's is a fun place with a variety of good food on their menu. The little touches like mismatched small plates for sharing on the table are great. Grandma loves it when we take her to dinner here, as she says it makes her feel "just like [she's] back home" (Europe).
The specials like Happy Hour (small plates, appetizers, salads, pizzas, and a lot of drinks half price) and Sunday Night Dinner (salad, spaghetti & meatball plus dessert for one price) are our favorites - we go early so we haven't had a problem with wait or crowds (although it does start to get crowded as the evening wears on -- which also makes it quite a bit louder).
Key food notes from our favorites: the meatball is HUGE. You don't get spaghetti and meatballs, you get spaghetti and a giant meatball of goodness. The tiramisu is delicious and comes in a large piece that is easy to share... or not! There are some interesting and delicious combos of toppings for the pizzas. The parmesan crusted onions are delicious - warm and flavorful - and the calamari is tender and comes with wonderful additions like zucchini, lemon slices, marinara sauce and roasted garlic aioli.
There is a very nice selection available on the gluten-free menu - most of the pizzas and pastas are available with gluten free crust and pasta. The server explained that they use different colored notepads to record the gluten free orders, which the chefs than initial as the work on the food in the kitchen in order to track the gluten free orders. The gluten free bread provided at the beginning of the meal is delicious - love the use of herbs on top.
Fun place with good food! -
Review from Jonathan E.
West Chester, OH
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
great date spot.
+1 for good location (short north)
+1 for accepting reservations via open table. big win for me, especially since this is a busy spot.
+1 for great atmosphere. good, dim lighting.
+0 for small seating area. really close to our neighboring table.
+1 for our appetizer and bread coming out late (actually with our meal).
+1 for great parma prosciutto bruschetta.
+1 for decent, but busy, service. always rushed.
-1 for bad gnocchi con bolognese. the gnocchi tasted overcooked, and the sauce tasted like it had been reheated.
+1 for my girlfriend's ravioli mezzaluna. fantastic.
recommended. we will return. next time i want to try the olive assortment as an appetizer. -
Review from Ryan B.
12/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Started the night with a meat and cheese platter. Amazing! Kept things simple with the Pasta Arrabiata($13), spicy goodness in my mouth! This place had consistent Italian food at a fair price. Also made a great Manhattan... If your in the mood for Italian, give this place a try!
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Review from B F.
Columbus, OH
2/1/2012
Bright and buzzing spot. The food is well executed. But somehow it doesn't make one feel like an insider like most good Columbus places do.
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Review from John B.
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mamma mia! (Not the ABBA song & movie, the actual cliche phrase uttered by people like me that know about 12 Italian words.)
This place was great! A swanky red couch right inside the door beckoned me to sit in it and look debonair. (I failed.) We were quickly seated and the hostess even walked me to the bathroom when I asked for directions. Great customer service. And speaking of customer service, our server Brandon was on top of things the whole meal. He was there with a water refill before I even realized. I appreciate that.
Onto the food. Holy cow; the Braised Veal Meatball ($7) is o-mazing! Now, it is veal, so I consumed with a guilty conscience, but dang it was really really good. You can also get this meatball with some of the pasta dishes. We divided it by 4 and it was a nice appetizer.
The next scrumptious dish was the Melted Pecorino Cheese app ($10). It contains Crostini (toast), Apple slices, and Truffle Honey. This killer combo is fantastic and also a good app to share.
The only bump in the meal was our Cheese Plate. The first time it was brought to us, one of the cheeses was wrong. No biggie, but anytime my cheese addiction is delayed, I start to unravel. Another problem was the cheese pieces were too small. Oh well, I don't need the extra calories. Skip the aged provolone, it was rather flavorless.
Our party also ordered the Pesto Shrimp Pizza ($13). It has roasted tomato and goat cheese. They said it was awesome. I looked at it with "Hungry Eyes" (quick go watch the video: http://youtu.be/rI4fza... ). I might have too get it the next time I eat here.
We washed all this delicious food down with a bottle of the Citrus White Sangria. It's a fruity and light drink that hit the spot.
Fortunately we were here during early dinner time, as I could see this place getting real busy in the later hours. Definitely get reservations if your party is large or your dinnertime needs to be specific. -
Review from Brandon R.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2011
I don't know why people seemed to like this place on yelp. The food is not much better than what you can get at Olive Garden (that is not a compliment). I got the risotto of the day and it was luke warm and a little cold in the middle, maybe they didn't microwave thoroughly enough...
The service was great though and the atmosphere was so so -
Review from AnnE B.
Canton, OH
1/24/2012
Casual restaurant perfect for a friend get together or casual family meal. Highly suggest the Sunday Supper-a 3course meal for under $16! The sunday special features their famous meatballs. Awesome! I am not a huge pasta fan but the sauce and the fact that you can eat this spaghetti & meatball dish with a fork rather than twirling says something. The sauce is robust and the entire dish is more like a casserole than a plate of pasta. No room for dessert? No worries! Take that tiramisu home with you. It will be your best friend & wonderful reminder of the high caliber of food prepared by Marcella"s. Delicious!
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Review from Fen Z.
8/15/2011 4 photos
Having been to all of the Mitchell establishments, I can safely say that Marcella's is my least favorite in terms of the food, as well as the atmosphere. (FYI: For a stunning atmosphere, go to M. For deliciousness, head over to Ocean Club.)
As I've come to expect from Mitchell restaurants, the food ran the spectrum. A few spectacular dishes and several duds. The beef carpaccio was superbly (lightly) seared, and the texture contrasted quite nicely with the ricotta pancakes. Equally delightful were the two flatbreads ordered: Crispy potato and Veggie. The calamari and bruschetta, however, failed to impress. Digging around for the calamari, I instead came up with fried pieces of zucchini after pieces of zucchini. The bruschetta arrived limp, sodden, and destitute of flavor.
Desserts -- much like the small plates -- were a hit-or-miss. The cherry crustada was hard enough, it's more aptly suited as a protection weapon. The chocolate almond cake was pretty average and nothing out of the ordinary. The show stealers, however, were the ricotta cheesecake and the profiteroles. Small in portion, the cheesecake delivered a density and lusciousness that is unique in its own ways. The profiteroles were not your typical cream puffs either. Adorned with a myriad of fillings, the pistachio was, by far, my favorite of the night.
Food aside, the atmosphere fits right in with the rest of the Short North, with a tinge of pretentiousness. From a bachelorette party gone wrong (let the sounds of the obnoxiously loud ringing voices lead you to the party) to the family wanting to enjoy a wide array of Italian dishes (usually found towards the back of the restaurant rolling their eyes at the aforementioned party), Marcella's draws a wide and diverse crowd and for different occasions. While that may be suitable for some, others who are looking for a slightly more intimate and quieter environment may want to go elsewhere -- like Z Cucina. -
Review from Omar Q.
Columbus, OH
12/10/2011
Really like this place. Fun place to go with a group of people. I've been here during happy hour a few times. They have great food, and during happy hour, it's at a bargain price. If you're looking to impress company without a stuffy environment, this is a great place.
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Review from Sarah L.
Hilliard, OH
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had dinner here last night, it was busy for a Sunday night but still had a good service. Our server Lauren was great and friendly. We ordered the veal meatball for appetizer, fettucine meatball and ravioli messaluna for dinner. Delicious!
We wanted to purchase one of their shirts but they didn't have any however they were kind enough to get our information so they could let us know once they ordered them. -
Review from Dan C.
Chicago, IL
9/3/2011
As with all other Cameron Mitchell restaurants...fake and trying too hard. Average food, very overpriced...not sure what else to say.
Also, this place is at least indirectly responsible for putting Burgundy Room (a place I actually enjoyed) out of business. Not cool. -
Review from EJ B.
Madison, FL
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good food, average beer selection, good crowd. Always a fun time here.
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Review from Christiana C.
Columbus, OH
8/9/2011
Mark this as my favorite Italian to date in Columbus. This is a big deal. When people ask me what my favorite Italian in the city is, I am the snotty Italian girl that says "my house". But for Marcella's? If I'm going to change my mind, it's for this place. This is a little more pricey, but what you get for your money (to me) is so worth it. Drinks have the right amount of alcohol whether it's a manhattan or sangria. Entrees are delish in all my experiences (I especially swoon for the lamb gnocci and the goat cheese ravioli). Mostly I go here with people I want to catch up with, so the only thing I can say for the service is I never wonder where they are. I know I usually have a drink and never wait too long before having someone to ask for something. The thing I do love is the noise level. It's a busy place, but I never feel like I'm shouting to talk to my friends.
Sigh. I fall in love all over again just thinking about this place. Maybe I'm ready to take my Italian business out in the city after all. -
Review from Michael T.
Cleveland, OH
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have eaten at Marsella's a few times and its always a great little place to grab dinner. Its a real nice date spot, especially if you can snag a table up front with the walls opened up to high street. (yes I said the walls open)
The food is always consistent with a nice menu. The drinks are creative but a little pricey IMHO.
I have always had good service but if you are looking for an Italian restaurant where the servers are "excited" about the food and truly have a passion for what they do, then you might be in the wrong place.
Ill keep coming back for a casual night out!
4 stars -
Review from Mark M.
6/17/2011
Was here last year for drinks -- this time we did dinner. I was in town for work and a dear friend (and local) chose Marcella's for dinner.
- Great location in Short North (if you're a visitor, spend some time in this area)
- Yum cocktails, decent wine list, would like to see some more beer choices, though
- Potato pizza is a WIN - super fresh, homemade potato "chips" on top -- also has some hints of truffle - but his may have been the wishful thinking of my tastebuds
- Lasagna, in my opinion, leaves a lot to be desired
I think this is a good spot for a big group dinner -- the atmosphere is very fitting. Also the place if you need a date spot that isn't so quiet/calm it breeds awkwardness. -
Review from Rachel C.
Dayton, OH
1/10/2012
Being stupid college students, my friends and I took a very large group-about 10 people- to Marcella's on a gallery hop night. Although we made a reservation, we of course had to wait. The restaurant just isn't made to accommodate ten person parties. After we sat down, however, the experience was absolutely incredible. The restaurant is nice yet affordable, especially if you want to split plates, which they don't mind at all. I think the most any member of our group spent was about $23, and he got an appetizer, full plate, and dessert. I had the ravioli mezzaluna, prepared vegetarian, after seeing positive reviews about it on yelp. Despite the size of our group, the plate arrived quickly and steaming. Unfortunately, they didn't make it vegetarian, but it was replaced even more quickly and taken off our bill, and it was absolutely outstanding once we dug in. All the desserts our group got and shared were phenomenal as well, and so was the cheese platter I split with a few friends. Definitely, definitely recommended, and I will absolutely be back, albeit with a smaller group.
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Review from Steve S.
7/7/2011
While you can complain about Marcella's just being another part of the corporate Cameron Mitchell machine, you gotta' admit, they do a great job with most of their restaurants. And Marcella's was no exception.
The location is great and fits the neighborhood well. We started off with the cheese and olives. I loved the variety of cheeses. I'm not a huge fan of olives but they were okay. Better than the ones at Barcelona in GV but not something I would order again. However the shining star was the veal meatball. Put all your politically correct BS away and order this ball of pure baby cow heaven. Served in its own little "crock pot", the amazing flavor will stay with you forever. I swear I have dreams about it to this day. We completed our dinner with pepperoni pizza and the Sicilian pizza. Both were very good.
Marcella's will definitely be on my list next time I'm back in Columbus. -
Review from Randy J.
Columbus, OH
11/22/2011
Just doesn't do it for me. Food is mediocre, and unfortunately I've had some terrible service experiences. It is usually a lively scene, which I guess is good. But in terms an Italian restaurant, don't expect tasty fare.
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Review from Toine R.
Gahanna, OH
5/14/2011
I naturally rebel against the "in" crowd trends as a rule but Marcellla's has been calling my name for YEARS. Yesterday I answered that call with a happy hour visit.
I don't like the happy hour, hours, a bit cocky and teasing, seeing that the happy hour extends to the bar and front seating area only. If you don't arrive at the restaurant at 4pm exactly the odds of you enjoying the happy prices are slim. As for the food, "bella messio!" My friends and I began the event with a sangria of some sort of citrus deliciousness, moving on to salads where in I allowed my tongue to dance over a tart granny smith and gorgonzola spring mix...funky cheese heaven. Ending with cured meats and yes, more cheese. I'm not a beef eater but I'm now a lover of the cured. and there is no such thing as too much cheese.
I think I see more trendy in my future. -
Review from tiffany w.
Columbus, OH
8/13/2011
Marcella's manages to be both vibrant and cozy, with low lighting but more of a bar feel - a great place for either a date (not a first date though as it's rather noisy) or a group hangout.
The food wasn't overly impressive, but consistently tasty and well-made. The prosciutto bruschetta appetizer seemed to be missing something (a bit bland), although the artisan bread was delicious.
My date had the chicken picatta and was in heaven, but I didn't taste it myself. Normally I'm a bit more adventurous with my menu choices but this evening I wasn't feeling great so I decided to stay classic with the chicken parmesean. It wasn't amazing, but it was well made, and the chicken melted in my mouth. However, the angelhair linguine alfredo pasta that accompanied the chicken parm was notably fantastic, with fresh parmesean added on top and a very nice alfredo that was full-flavor without being insanely greasy.
The wine list offers a good range for varying tastes and palates, and the option of a half bottle as well as a full is nice to have. Our server, Lauren, was wonderful and it was some of the best service I've had in a while.
A table next to us had an amazing smelling (and looking) pizza, I'd like to go back and try some of their very reasonably priced pizzas, as well as a few more of the cheese/olive/meat and small plate offerings. It's also nice that any of the pizzas can be made on whole wheat or gluten-free dough. -
Review from Keith B.
Powell, OH
7/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here a couple of times - and I've dug it. The food has all been good, from the appetizers to the pizza. The drinks are decent, the dessert, as expected.
It's different from most places I frequent, so that's probably why I like it more than other places - it's different, but the service is great, the food is good, and it's always full. Make reservations. -
Review from Jeff S.
Columbus, OH
11/2/2011
Had dinner here with my wife and a bunch of friends. The service was very good, and the bar served up some great drinks. We sat down at a large table for 6 and ordered the iron pot of warm olives and calamari. My wife never usually eats a lot of meat dishes but she polished off the Chicken Giardiniera, and I had the veal. It was pretty busy because of OSU football Saturday, but the food came out fast. Food was fantastic! Waitress was funny, and made sure we had everything we needed.
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Review from Becca S.
9/10/2011
I have been here twice now, and I am somewhat torn in how I really feel about this place. My first visit was definitely a 5-star experience. Great food, service, atmosphere, etc. all around. I went with 4 girlfriends and we had an amazing dinner. It was so relaxing and cozy inside, the bread was warm and delicious, we split a bottle of wine (a "litro"), and we all left very happy with our entree choices.
However, my second visit was not so great. It wasn't horrible by any means, but basically the glaring blemishes on the dinner were these:
1. We had a reservation. My boyfriend's parents were in town and he wanted to take them here since it was in the short north and we could walk around after eating and show them goodale park, jeni's, etc. So we made these reservations a week in advance. No problem, right? We even confirmed again the day before. All systems were go. Then we get there, even 10 minutes before our reservation, and they make us sit and wait. No big deal, we were early, so we figured we would wait a little while they got the table ready. No. We waited and waited and waited... after literally HALF AN HOUR of waiting (20 minutes PAST our reservation), my boyfriend and I asked them what was going on, and said we had a reservation at 6:30pm. They didn't apologize, and just said they would let us know when our table was ready because they were running behind and waiting for tables to open up. I'm sorry, but isn't that the POINT of a reservation?? So you DON'T wait for 45 minutes to be seated?
2. After being seated and eating, etc. I got up to use the bathroom, and en route, slipped. I was wearing a dress and startled a nearby table. Apparently someone was mopping the hardwood floors or had spilled a drink or something, but it happened not once (victim being me), but TWICE throughout the night (another unidentified victim). I am going to assume they weren't mopping floors during dinner rush so I'll blame it on a spill. Come on, people. Clean up spills! Even if it's water - obviously people can still slip. How embarrassing.
Apart from those, dinner was just ok. We were talked into an expensive bottle of red wine for the table which made us feel fancy, and my meal was good. My first visit I got the salmon, and the second visit I got the gnocchi bolognese. Loved both of them. I will say I think they changed the bread they serve before dinner though. And by change I mean downgraded. First visit was warm, fluffy, and a little herby. Second visit was bland, cold (yes, cold. Like from the refrigerator), and kind of hard.
My boyfriend's mom got the veggie pizza and loved it. However, my boyfriend got the veal and was not impressed. Especially for the price. It looked sloppy and slathered in sauce to me, and he said it wasn't cooked that great either. His dad got the linguine and clams. It looked yummy, but he said it was waaay too garlic-y and he didn't even eat half of it. I felt bad that he didn't enjoy the meal.
So maybe a third visit is in order? To be the deciding factor between one great visit and one underwhelmingly not-so-great visit. Stay tuned. -
Review from Gerrit L.
Wayne, MI
11/2/2011
Located in a very trendy part of town. I ordered the steak. The waitress said oh boy you are going to love the steak. And well I didn't so much. It Was average, the service was average. Nothing to get too excited about.
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Review from Tara B.
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love Marcella's! I don't know why we don't eat here more often.
Since it's in the Short North, parking is of course limited and can be frustrating, but there are quite a few spaces to be found if you're willing to look hard enough and do a little driving.
Food here is excellent. Everything I've ever gotten was really, really good. I've had the beet salad (everyone I know raves over this), Melted Pecornio Cheese (sounds a little strange if you've never had it but it's really divine), Margherita pizza (also delish), Spaghetti a la Carbonera (REALLY good, really rich), and one or two other dishes that I can't seem to recall right now. I've never been disappointed with anything.
Interior of the building is very nice, laid out like you would expect of an upscale Italian dinner spot. Price is according, but not overly expensive for what you get. Service has been friendly and quick.
Definitely an Italian restaurant to check out if you're in the mood for some excellent eats! -
Review from Emily U.
Columbus, OH
3/21/2011
Went for Sunday dinner - everywhere else we wanted to go was closed Sundays, so we gave Marcella's a shot. Although I feel like Cameron Mitchell restaurants may as well be thought of as a local chain. So we went not expecting to be blown away.
Pros:
-lots of side plates- more than you will use- to use for sharing
-OK decor
-Valet ($5)
-pleasant staff
-Good for family dinners- not many dates or singles going on
Cons:
-entrees are pretty non-filling- need to order a pizza + appetizer as well
-pretty noisy- good for ambiance, bad for conversations
-tightly packed
Overall OK food. Just OK. And don't go to the trouble of dressing up- the staff even wear jeans and a black tee shirt. -
Review from Jessica H.
Columbus, OH
3/21/2011
Both this location and the one at Polaris has a very nice weekday happy hour. $5 drinks (we get sangria and martinis), and half price certain apps.
Try the zucchini app
The gnocchi is consistently good - Martin P enjoys the carbonara done authentically with the raw egg on top to mix in. -
Review from victor n.
Columbus, OH
11/4/2011
Ate there last week before Halloween - all the employees were dressed up and some had some pretty extravagant costumes. Kudos to the Frida Kahlo.
Went for happy hour - got the Italian sausage pizza, crispy potato pizza, parmesean zucchini, bruschetta, and parmasean onion.
Italian pizza - eh, the sausage was so crumbly and tasted like ground meat. Everything else about the pizza was good though. Love their crust.
Potato pizza - mmmm, so good. I forgot what was on it exactly, a white cheese, arugula, and potato chips. Loved everything about it.
Zucchini - super oily. Super thin slices of zucchini deep fried and then sprinkled with parmesean.
Bruschetta - great, big slices of mozzarella.
Onion - SUPPPPER oily. Onion slices baker/roasted in the oven and then covered in an oil/parmesean spread or something.
Service is pretty decent. They give you bread to start off with. For two people, we only got 3 slices despite the shelves of bread they had. I asked for more but never got it. Other than the apparent stinginess with their bread, the service was fine.
Everything there is pretty oily, but it's tasty if you wipe a lot of it off. It's a lot of food, and we took a bunch home. Happy hour is great - everything is half off. I felt the pizzas were a great value at that. -
Review from Joshua C.
Columbus, OH
11/1/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Meatball!
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Review from Mike D.
Pewaukee, WI
5/27/2011
Stopped at Marcella,s with a client Thursday. I get to Columbus once or twice a year and always try to stop in here. Very casual atmosphere, ,friendly service and good,reasonably priced food. Had the veal tonight, started with chopped salad, a little soggy, and calamari which was perfectly done. Veal had great flavor but was a little tough. It wouldn't stop me from having it again.
If your in the area stop in for a good Italian meal, call ahead for a enervation as Marcella's is always packed. -
Review from Liz G.
1/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Marcella's is the perfect place to catch up with friends and grab a bite to eat, particularly between the hours of 4 and 6 on weekdays. The happy hour special is amazing and allows you to order a ton of food and drinks and pay a little.
A few of my favorite items:
Sausage pizza - great combo of topping
Parmesan crusted onions - if you like onions, a must
Caprese salad - just the perfect amount of spice
Veal braised meatball - melt in your mouth perfection
The red wines we had were very good as was the citrus-y white sangria. The martinis are very strong and some of the flavors are just overwhelming.
Those are just the top of the top, everything I have tried at Marcella's has been great and you can't beat it at those happy hour prices. -
Review from David D.
Columbus, OH
10/18/2011
Very good meatball, had two other apps at the table that were forgettable. Good italian atmosphere. Reminded me of my grandmothers basement which is a good thing!
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Review from Dawn K.
1/7/2011
I really wanted to like Marcella's, but I have to be honest and say that I was underwhelmed.
I went for the first time on New Year's Eve, so that may be part of the issue. They were incredibly busy. I will plan to go back on a non-holiday night!
We had a group of 11 people. I made the reservations nearly a month in advance on http://OpenTable.com for 10 people and they were nice enough to let me add another person the day before!
The drinks were awesome! I got their special called Berries and Bubbles, which had berries and champagne and something else. It was delicious!
As for the food, maybe I just chose the wrong menu items. My husband and I started with the calamari. I found it to be a bit too salty and there was way more of the zuchinni than the calamari. The marinara sauce that it came was good, though.
I played it safe and got the chicken parm for dinner, with a red sauce on my pasta rather than the alfredo. I did not care for the red sauce and I thought the chicken was a bit greasy.
On the other hand, I tasted a lot of my friends' dishes and really liked them! The veal meatball, the risotto special (lobster, lemon, etc.), and the gnocchi were all pretty awesome.
Dessert was great, too. We had chocolate almond cake. I'll probably get that next time! Yum!
Overall, as busy as they were, the service was quick. Our waiter was really nice- he even split the checks up! My food choices may have been the wrong ones, but I'll defiintely give it another try. -
Review from Mike E.
Columbus, OH
12/16/2010
When you can get a meatball as big as your fist that can practically serve as a whole meal on its own, you know you're in good hands.
Marcella's Ristorante offers said meatball either as an appetizer or as a whole meal on top of pasta. It's the most tender and flavorful veal meatball I have ever had. It's what the restaurant is known for. I highly recommend it!
I have also had the calamari appetizer and the chicken parmesean, which are also both right up there with the glowing recommendation I had for the meatball. I can not speak for the rest of the menu, as I have only been a couple of times, but everything that is listed at least LOOKS like it'd be amazing.
What is also great about Marcella's is the decor. It is an enormous restaurant with dark, sleek wood, cool spherical hanging lights (lit dark, but not too dark), and an impressively long fully stocked bar.
The coolest feature that Marcella's can boast of is its large window-front that actually folds in and opens completely, transforming the enclosed restaurant into an open patio in a matter of seconds. It's absolutely perfect on a cool summer or spring night.
This is a top notch Italian restaurant, and I would go as far to say it's the best I have had in the Short North (far better than Black Olive, and just a notch above Martini and Rossi...which are both pricier even). Mama mia!Listed in: A Day in The Short North
