Metsi's

Very impressed by Metsi’s! My friend invited me for her birthday dinner, and I can’t believe I hadn’t been before. The restaurant is super cute with plenty of seating. There’s a downstairs area I didn’t see, but I heard it’s a bit darker—so I’d recommend sitting upstairs if you prefer more light. We had a reservation and were seated right away. I wasn’t as hungry as usual, but I still got to sample several appetizers, a salad, and a side. We ordered the Sourdough Focaccia (whipped fresh ricotta, EVOO, black pepper), Fried Calamari (grilled lemon, pomodoro sauce, chile flake), and Mushroom Arancini (rice, wood-fired mushrooms, fontina, pomodoro sauce, parmesan). Everything was delicious, but the calamari was my favorite—perfectly crisp and flavorful. For my main, I had Metsi’s Grilled Caesar (romaine, calamansi, parmesan, anchovy, bread crumbs), and it was fantastic. I also got a side of Angel Hair Pasta with pomodoro and parmesan—simple but perfectly done. Overall, a great dining experience from start to finish. I can’t wait to go back and try more!

What a beautiful restaurant! The space is cozy, warm, and inviting. The bar area is very nice but the dining area was beautiful. We were not expecting to go downstairs to dine, but it was a fun adventure and cool space. There's garage connected next door and street parking available around the area. There's plenty of seating for small groups or bar seating available. We got a few dishes to try and they were made with quality ingredients and presented beautifully. I really enjoy their fried calamari and roasted peppers. Their grilled Caesar salad was okay, I felt like it was missing a bit of the saltiness from the anchovy of a typical Caesar dressing. The Focaccia was good but the whipped ricotta was the star. Their Cacio E Pepe was not on the menu but our server got it for us and it was my favorite dish of the night. It was fabulous! The Radiatori Alla Roma was also good, it was spicy and made well. I was a bit disappointed with the Osso Buco. The lamb was very tender and made well but there wasn't much flavor on the meat. My favorite part of this dish was the broccolini. The Agnolotti Ai Mare was also good but also missing something in this dish. Both the Tiramisu and Budino were absolutely delicious and I would get again. We also got drinks to try and they were all made very well. The cocktails are strong but also flavorful! I would recommend trying their drinks, they were all good. Overall, I felt like the meal was decent, the ambiance was great, and our server was fabulous. I thought our server was fantastic! He really went out of his way to welcome us, answerr questions, and provide additional dishes so we could try. I mentioned it was someone's birthday and he went out of his way to find a candle for us. Staff alone made the experience great. I would recommend few of the dishes we tried, a fancy night out, a good meal, and good Italian food. Good place for small groups, a date night, or a meal alone. It is a bit expensive for it all but we knew that walking in, so be prepared!

Had the coolest time at Metsi’s tonight! I loved the atmosphere and the ability to sit at the chef’s table was a one of a kind experience! We started with the sourdough focaccia and the calamari. The focaccia was amazing and I loved the flavors of the calamari. For our entrees we had smoked mushroom risotto and the herbed snapper. The smokiness of the risotto was delicious and it was a huge serving! However, the herbed snapper was by far the star of the night! It was incredible, it’s definitely a must order item. My husband’s favorite dessert is tiramisu, so he ordered it for dessert. He felt it tasted bland and didn’t finish it. But overall, we had an amazing time! Our waiter was amazing, service was wonderful, and we will definitely come back on our next trip to Columbus!

Metsis has a really charming vibe. Upstairs, the space is chic and airy, with large open windows that let in a refreshing breeze. Downstairs is where the energy picks up, offering a lively atmosphere. I’d definitely return for appetizers and drinks, as those were quite good. However, the main dishes didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The pork shoulder was definitely the standout and worth trying. Some other items were a bit overcooked and on the salty side, though the Caesar salad, calamari, and pork shoulder were enjoyable. The pastas were fine, but I wasn’t blown away. That said, the staff was lovely and personable, making the overall experience much more pleasant. It’s a great spot for drinks and starters, but the main course could use a bit of refinement!

We wanted to try this new place. A fun restaurant with two completely different looking levels including the top street level that has the bar area and what appears to be more casual seating, then there is downstairs which is definitely more of the vibe, fancier with the kitchen and cooks out in the open. The staff is very friendly and prompt. The drinks were ok at best, they looked fine, but to me the taste just wasn’t that great, disappointing. We had several appetizers the mushroom dish was good, the shrimp dish was blah, it was fully cooked, just not full of any flavor, the fennel and strawberry salad was interesting and good. We each ordered a side of bread with dinner for $3 each, very disappointing, it looked good but really had not taste. None of us eat more than one piece, just wasn’t worth it. The main courses were the veal parmigiana which was the best part of the meal, highly breaded, but it was tasty. The Lobster Ravioli was what I was really looking forward to trying, it was ok at best, honestly a little fishy tasting, I didn’t even finish it. We also got a basic pasta dish with was good. Like the concept and the staff, they need some work on the food and drinks though.

I had an amazing experience at Metsi’s. My party started with drinks and appetizers at the bar. The Mushroom Arancini, Calamari and the Sourdough Focaccia very, very good and we could not pick a favorite. We were seated on time at the Chef’s Counter downstairs. It’s a totally different vibe and we enjoyed watching the action in the kitchen. We ordered the Snapper, Bolognese and Cacio E Pepe. All were outstanding but the Cacio was our favorite. We finished with the Almond Cake for dessert and I loved it. The staff is very friendly and helpful and parking in the adjacent parking garage was a breeze. I highly recommend this new restaurant.

The service here is fantastic. The waitstaff is knowledgeable and personable. They were on top of refills and made sure we were well taken care of. You can tell they care about their job. The food itself is uninspiring and often, a note off. My husband ordered some marinated peppers, he said that those were the best thing that he had ordered. He did say that they could have used a bit more charring, but that could be a personal preference. My favorite thing was the Strawberry and Shaved Fennel Salad, it was flavorful and had a nice balance of textures. We also ordered the sourdough focaccia, very good, but nothing special. I had the lobster ravioli as my main dish, it had potential, but the incorporated lemon flavor in the filling significantly overpowered the delicate lobster meat. My husband took our waiter’s suggestion and ordered the marinated flank steak, medium-rare, but it came out well-done. He said the cut wasn’t great, a bit grizzly and that the salsa verde was what saved the steak. But again, subpar flavor combinations. We both ordered the only non-alcoholic beverage on the menu, basil lemonade. It tasted like barely diluted acidic bottled lemon juice. They threw in one basil leaf, no muddling or anything to incorporate the basil flavor. The atmosphere is fine. Nice large windows. It could use an accent wall or a mural to make the space feel more memorable and inviting. My husband and I have frequented the owner’s other restaurants, Chapman’s and Ginger Rabbit, and really enjoyed our experiences at both. Metsi’s, unfortunately, is a miss.

OK SO came here for happy hour and sat at the bar, still have not been here for dinner- will say that the vibes are great and the prices are so affordable! Very airy and bright decor, excellent bartenders who were so friendly and made awesome cocktails: would totally come here again with friends! For more Columbus food content, feel free to follow @dinersdriveinsanddumplings 🥰

Getting a cocktail before going down to the dining room downstairs was a really cool vibe change. The food was amazing. The grilled Caesar, and the mushroom arancini were really good. The osso buca was so tender it fell apart with the push of a butter knife! I would have eatin two more facetious for desert if we had the time. Really great people. The sommeliers came and checked on us, and the manager was very attentive and engaging(which can help at an Italian restaurant). My wife and I had a great experience, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cool Italian cuisine experience.

Metsi's is a vibe! This new restaurant in the Short North is a fantastic addition and delivers a great dining experience! I love that the upstairs dining space is casual and light and perfect for a wine or spritz and an app; and the downstairs main dining room is more intimate/romantic and perfect for a dinner date! The service is top class and the food is delicious! Metsi's might have the best Calamari I've had in the city to date & the Shrimp Oreganata is another great starter. The Osso Buco is fall off the bone tender; the risotto is a must, & I'm not normally a pea fan, but the Green Pea Pesto might have just changed my mind! The Budino was rich and delectable, & I can't say enough about how good the Almond cake is!

What a beautiful restaurant! The space is cozy, warm, and inviting. The bar area is very nice but the dining area was beautiful. We were not expecting to go downstairs to dine, but it was a fun adventure and cool space. There's garage connected next door and street parking available around the area. There's plenty of seating for small groups or bar seating available. We got a few dishes to try and they were made with quality ingredients and presented beautifully. I really enjoy their fried calamari and roasted peppers. Their grilled Caesar salad was okay, I felt like it was missing a bit of the saltiness from the anchovy of a typical Caesar dressing. The Focaccia was good but the whipped ricotta was the star. Their Cacio E Pepe was not on the menu but our server got it for us and it was my favorite dish of the night. It was fabulous! The Radiatori Alla Roma was also good, it was spicy and made well. I was a bit disappointed with the Osso Buco. The lamb was very tender and made well but there wasn't much flavor on the meat. My favorite part of this dish was the broccolini. The Agnolotti Ai Mare was also good but also missing something in this dish. Both the Tiramisu and Budino were absolutely delicious and I would get again. We also got drinks to try and they were all made very well. The cocktails are strong but also flavorful! I would recommend trying their drinks, they were all good. Overall, I felt like the meal was decent, the ambiance was great, and our server was fabulous. I thought our server was fantastic! He really went out of his way to welcome us, answerr questions, and provide additional dishes so we could try. I mentioned it was someone's birthday and he went out of his way to find a candle for us. Staff alone made the experience great. I would recommend few of the dishes we tried, a fancy night out, a good meal, and good Italian food. Good place for small groups, a date night, or a meal alone. It is a bit expensive for it all but we knew that walking in, so be prepared!

TL;DR: You should get a t-shirt and your picture on the wall if you finish the Eggplant Parm. Full Review: Metsi's is a wonderful spot in the Short North. We stopped in on a Saturday night to celebrate our daughter's birthday and the place was bustling. We were sat in a cozy round booth on the first floor were immediately greeted by the amazing Nate. We took Nate's suggestions and for appetizers we had the focaccia, prosciutto and calamari. Nate also killed it on the wine suggestion. We loved our glasses of Susumaniello! We should have stopped here and called it a night. Things took a turn when our meals arrived. My husband and daughter both ordered the eggplant Parmesan. Each plate weighed a solid 10 lbs and you could visibly see the strained the wrists of the servers that delivered their meals as they placed them on the table. Eggplant parm is my husbands favorite dish. He orders it anytime it's offered. There is no restaurant on this planet that serves eggplant parm as a giant deep fried, meaty half eggplant. This thing was massive. This is the kind of meal that restaurants offer as a food competition and you get a t-shirt and your picture hanging on the wall if you finish it. Metsi's is not that kind of restaurant. It's a place where you go to enjoy good company, amazing drinks and a nice variety of interesting Italian food. Their menu is small and seems to be carefully crafted for a nice dining experience. Metsi's - if you're reading this. Please take that eggplant parm off of your amazing menu. I didn't see anyone last night with a bib and sweatpants on. No one coming to Metsi's wants an eggplant as big as your head. We will be back to Metsi's. But that eggplant parm is one and done.

Very impressed by Metsi's! My friend invited me for her birthday dinner, and I can't believe I hadn't been before. The restaurant is super cute with plenty of seating. There's a downstairs area I didn't see, but I heard it's a bit darker--so I'd recommend sitting upstairs if you prefer more light. We had a reservation and were seated right away. I wasn't as hungry as usual, but I still got to sample several appetizers, a salad, and a side. We ordered the Sourdough Focaccia (whipped fresh ricotta, EVOO, black pepper), Fried Calamari (grilled lemon, pomodoro sauce, chile flake), and Mushroom Arancini (rice, wood-fired mushrooms, fontina, pomodoro sauce, parmesan). Everything was delicious, but the calamari was my favorite--perfectly crisp and flavorful. For my main, I had Metsi's Grilled Caesar (romaine, calamansi, parmesan, anchovy, bread crumbs), and it was fantastic. I also got a side of Angel Hair Pasta with pomodoro and parmesan--simple but perfectly done. Overall, a great dining experience from start to finish. I can't wait to go back and try more!

First of all, loved the service here. Honestly, that was my favorite part. Our server was so friendly and caring. I have a no pork food restriction, and they took my menu and hand wrote what was good for me to eat and what wasn't. Thankfully, most of the menu was fair game. As far as the food goes, it was a little varied for me in terms of taste and quality. I really enjoyed the arancini and the lobster ravioli was unique. My friend got the cannellini one which I didn't try. The Cacio e Pepe was fairly standard, but better than the average I would say. The lobster, as mentioned, was unique because the sauce wasn't a creamy sauce, which I feel is more common in lobster ravioli dishes, but rather a buttery and spicy dish (there's some chili in it). It really offset the sweetness that comes from the lobster quite brilliantly. Finally, the focaccia was a let down for me, as it seemed like the bread was slightly burnt and over baked. The ambiance would have been better for me if the volume was a little quieter- it was pretty loud where we were sitting and I often had a hard time hearing the rest of my party. This is probably the biggest factor in me dropping a star. Otherwise, Metsi's was a fantastic place for dinner!

Walked in for a late night dinner on a Friday and we were able to snag some seats at the chefs bar. We love being able to watch all the food get prepped and cooked. It's dark and moody downstairs and a completely different feel from upstairs. Service has been great on all our visits and the food has been consistently stellar. I crave the sourdough! I tried the Osso Bucco this time and it just fell of the bone it was so delicious!

Wow perfect experience here! So excited to try this place and it delivered. Their downstairs dining room is continuous with the kitchen, so you get to enjoy the smell of all the food being prepared as well as watching all the chef cook. Strongly recommend sitting downstairs if you can. Their old-fashioned is one of the best ones I've had in a long time. Our food was exquisite, let me say. Their menu is divided into a pasta section and a woodfired section. I had the red snapper which was off of the wood fired menu, and my girlfriend had the pasta Bolognese. Both were perfect. Our server Nigel was very knowledgeable and friendly. Overall amazing experience, I cannot wait to come back here. The hype is real for Metsi's!

I've been to Metsi's twice now and had great experiences both times. The ambiance in the basement dining area is awesome - you can see the chefs cooking and the decor is nice. The wait staff have all been extremely kind. Food and drinks are incredible, you seriously can't go wrong with what you pick. My favorites have been the radiatori, delacata squash, and arancini. One of my new favorite spots, I will definitely be back!

Started off horrible, turned out to be great, ended disappointing. Came in at 5:00 on a Wednesday night for my 5:15 reservation with my daughter. I was running early, so I wanted to be seated and try the calamari and have a cocktail while she was driving in from work. Hostess told me I couldn't be seated until my whole party was there. I'm like "It's a table for 2....you're going to let it sit unoccupied and make me wait when you could be making money off it. Told her I was hungry and thirsty, and if the rule is to not seat the party until everyone is there, I wish to change my reservation to a party of one." She reluctantly seated me. Smiling is not her strength. From there, things got much better until I got the check. Nigel was my server. Very personable, friendly and fast. Ordered my calamari and Manhattan, both were outstanding. Daughter, who wouldn't touch seafood with a 10' pole, arrived after it had been cleared from the table. She asked for the Caesar salad, which was very well prepared and delicious. She also asked for the focaccia bread with whipped ricotta and the pasta in Bolognese sauce. I had the Radiotori and a couple of Cabernets. All the food was off the charts good. As Guy Fieri would say, this is Flavor Town! Yum yum yum yum yum! Even the Cab in a Chianti joint was delicious. Fast forward to the check and disappointment sets in. They include a 3% fee on the check for 'Employee Wellness'. Same crap they pull at their other joint, Ginger Rabbit. I'm all for Employee Wellness, but that's a cost of doing business. It should be above the GP line on an income statement, not an optional cost. They position it as being righteously employee centric, but the cost should be borne by the employer, not the customer. Especially when a dinner for two outside of happy hour costs $170. I tried to reason with the Rabbit, but it went in one ear and out the other. I don't expect this place the change either, especially since they just announce the closing of Chapmans. The deserts looked delicious, but being disgusted with management at this point, we walked the block to Jenni's for some really good ice cream.

Now that I have time, I'm going to leave a proper review of Meti's. Metsi's is a new Italian restaurant from chef and restauranteur BJ Lieberman - known in Columbus for Ginger Rabbit and Chapman's Eat Market, and previously Hiraeth which occupied the same location that Metsi's does now. We've been around a bit and while we have yet to make it to Ginger Rabbit (shameful I know) we have eaten at Chapman's a number of times and had visited Hiraeth on opening weekend as we did Metsi's at the time of this review. So I think we've had some time to get acquainted with Mr. Lieberman and his style of food, and as a couple lucky enough to venture to a lot of great restaurants, we have a frame of reference for comparison. Now, the first thing I want to say is that I am by no means an expert, or even an amateur when it comes to good Italian food. I don't have a grandma's home cooking to compare cacio e pepe recipes, and often times when thinking "where should we grab dinner" the first thing that comes to mind isn't a Olive Garden, but I do appreciate classic cuisine, great attempts at nailing down the essence of a dish, and authenticity as far as it one can convincingly pull the wool over my eyes. Caveat aside here, I want to comment on three specific areas of Metsi's and leave it to you to make the venture yourself - which I would highly recommend. The first area to discuss is the food. It's pretty great. We ordered the sourdough focaccia and wood-fired artichoke for appetizers. Both were supremely tasty, though the sourdough focaccia I think hits the mark better than the artichoke. I am not sure if I have much experience with artichoke, but my impression was - this is great, but the story our waitress told us, which was a good one, left me wanting something more artichoke flavored? Maybe I was expecting to take a bit and close my eyes and imagine myself in an artichoke field in sunny Italy? If so, I don't think the dish hit that mark, but I see potential. A bit of pleasant pepper heat, though. We skipped salad and went straight to the cacio e pepe and eggplant parmesan for our pasta and entree. For me, the cacio e pepe was fantastic. It, and I mean this in a good way, tasted a bit like the heavily fresh peppered boxed macaroni and cheese I make at home, which is one of my most guilty pleasures. I can imagine Italian grandmas and grandkids eating this. A+ The eggplant parmesan was great as well. Nicely crusted, fantastic tomato sauce, and the angel hair pasta was cooked perfectly. We really enjoyed this dish. For desert we enjoyed the almond and blueberry cake and the strawberry panna cotta. Well, my wife enjoyed the panna cotta. I don't care for strawberries. But the texture and flavor were top notch. The cake was slightly dryer than I had hoped but maybe that's more authentic? Someone can enlighten me. The second main area I want to talk about, and this is partially for Mr. Lieberman if he is a masochist and read Yelp reviews, is the physical space of the restaurant. To me, the top floor of the restaurant just kind of doesn't exist. I don't know what it is about the different styles, but I had the same concern with Hiraeth. When you book at the chef's counter, and you should, you're in London or New York or Argentina or something. Mr. Lieberman is right there running the kitchen, the ambiance is oozing with sophistication. The wood fired stove, "heard chef!", the glassware, all of it top notch and what I would expect out of a good Michelin restaurant. I think that the food tastes much better downstairs. I wouldn't consider eating the same food upstairs. That's kind of a problem, I think, long term. Especially given that the location of the restaurant is a little weird anyway. Perhaps the upstairs could be remodeled to be a bottle shop for Italian wine? What's the vision here? The last area I want to comment on is the drink menu. I just think that all of the wines, red, white, pink, or sparkling should be Italian. I'm a bit surprised there wasn't a wine list, actually. Though there were plenty of bottles to choose from. Given the ambiance of the chef's counter it just seems like that should be true. I'm not sure. Maybe my expectations are just wrong here. For the aperitif's that are offered, I can't off the top of my head recall the term used, but in the menu there are a number of cordials, like compari. Since I don't know what those are, it would have been nice to have a short description. Maybe even a pairing/recommendation. I do like the wine by the glass menu layout - it's just "white" or "red", or 3 different types of sparkling wines. That takes away from decision fatigue when trying to decide on an aperitif. Overall - I'm really excited to see where this goes, and look forward to swinging by again. There were some delicious looking dishes coming out of the kitchen that we must try (looking at you branzino), and those are best enjoyed at the chef's counter. Cheers!

We sat at the bar for dinner and our bartender took great care of us. We got the focaccia bread appetizer- HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Something about that whipped ricotta and the garlic olive oil. Yummmm. My friend got the vegan past dish (sorry don't remember what it's called) and she really enjoyed it. I got eggplant Parmesan and it was perfectly cooked. Food was so good, we're going back before leaving town.

While the servers and staff were lovely and very helpful I was a bit underwhelmed by the overall dinner, drinks, and ambiance.we were in around 7pm on a Friday and the lighting inside was very bright for a dinner vibe. My friend and I both ordered an espresso martini and there was a very ver large amount of foam on the top which was disappointing as there was more foam than drink. We both got pasta dishes and were told that they were family size and shareable but when they reached our table we felt that they were regular size pasta dishes. Additionally, the pasta was already chilling and wasn't as warm as we'd expect it to be. While this establishments has potential I think they still have some kinks to work out before it becomes amazing and a must visit in my books.

Service was amazing. Happy Hour 4-6 even on the weekends in the bar area. Nice selection of food and drinks. Something for everyone. Food was good but not great. Portion sizes were good from what we had enough to share for most items. Dessert was by far the best course of the meal. I'll definitely give it another try but it won't be a go to for me like chapman eats was.

Honestly I would probably give this place a 3.5 but Yelp doesn't do half points. Not quite a 4 because to me a 4 is very good. This was just good. We just came in for the Sunday happy hour so we didn't try too much. It was pretty quiet but a few people at the bar. We sat at the bar - it took a second for the bartender to greet us but we got our food and drink orders in quickly. We ordered 2 of their espresso martinis and the calamari appetizer. The calamari came out before our drinks. The calamari looked beautiful but I think we prefer a little more crispy - taste was good. Espresso martinis were also fine. The space itself is cute - great bathrooms. Overall I probably wouldn't be in a rush to come back based on this first impression but I'd give them another shot at some point.

We were able to get in off the wait list and have loved Chapmans so we were excited to try it out. Our first round of drinks were delicious- Manhattan, Aperol spritz and Sicilian which we got at the bar. We were seated downstairs and initially the service was quick with appetizers coming out almost too quickly but then there was a huge break till the entree came with no explanation from our server. The second Manhattan was watered down and sent back. They forgot my cosmo but then brought it and didn't charge so that was nice. The pasta was delicious but the fish dish was undercooked and cold. They did take it off the bill and brought a new plate which did taste better but not as good as the other dishes. The ambience is gorgeous but the music and sound are way too loud for conversation.

Mediocre for what it is. The staff is great but the food left us wanting more.. more flavor... more something... just more. We went the third week they were open and sat in the bar area. It was fairly busy for a rainy Sunday night with tables turning over while we dined. Started out with the focaccia and grilled olives. The bread was honestly the best thing with the ricotta and oil. The olives were in an oil that was overpowering and took away from their flavor. We then received the salad which was covered in the bread crumbs but the dressing hardly came through despite being drenched. Then the mains of skirt steak (not currently on the menu?!) and the bolognese. The meat was well cooked and the potatoes and tomatoes included were okay. The bolognese was not tomato based and lacked flavor aside from "meat". The pasta was good, though it was a 2:1 ratio of the sauce to pasta so there tons of sauce with no pasta to be found. Dessert was overall the best part because they was flavor. The almond cake and lemon/blueberry struck great balance & the panna cotta was refreshing. However, way over priced for what it was.

We had a reservation for 5 on a Wednesday at 7:30 PM. They sat us right on time, but that was about the only thing that went smoothly. It took almost 30 minutes to get our order in, and we had to flag for service more than once. Our table was assigned 2 servers but finished plates and glasses piled up pretty quickly without being cleared, which made the experience feel a little disorganized. That said, the menu did have some fun options -- we tried the Mushroom Arancini, Grilled Olives, Metsi's Grilled Caesar, Radiatori Alla Roma, Green Pea Pesto, Smoked Mushroom Risotto, and Involtini. The olives and Caesar salad were the favorites at the table; the Involtini wasn't for me. I'd come back for happy hour when prices feel a little more reasonable. The Sourdough Focaccia with whipped ricotta, Beef Carpaccio, and Signature Tiramisu are on my list to try next time!

Great food and service! We had a large group and server did a great job! I will definitely return.

Honestly super bummed after LOVING Hiraeth. I'm Italian but not the snobby about pasta kind. Calamari was fried into clumps rather than individually coated pieces. Very basic. Olives were fine. Cacio e Pepe was a little underwhelming in taste and could use a different pasta shape. Hunting and pecking after the spirals with a fork was less than desirable. Lobster ravioli was the star - delicious and good portion. Side of angel hair was overcooked, sticking together, and bland. Drinks were good. Decent NA menu. Execution needs work (I realize it's opening weekend, but the upstairs was dead at 630 on Saturday) and rethinking pasta shapes and flavors being more robust would be helpful.

They have two floors, so when they took us around the corner and down the stairs I was so surprised to see a whole restaurant downstairs! It was so beautiful and they have a whole row where you can look into the kitchen. The wine was absolutely delicious and they helped us make a selection. The food was impeccable too, see for yourself in the photos. We loved every bite.

Unfortunately, our experience at Metsi's restaurant was underwhelming. The food arrived cold, the flavors were mediocre (radiatore pasta and skirt steak), and the portion sizes were quite small. To make matters worse, our server forgot my wine order--even after I reminded him twice. He didn't ask us how we wanted our steak cooked either and it came out cold and tough which is weird for a restaurant with an expansive wood fire grill... What really soured the evening, though, was the hostess. There were three of us present, with one friend running late who planned to join us just for a drink. Despite it being a Thursday night with plenty of open tables, the hostess refused to seat us unless all 3 guests were present. I politely explained several times that we would be ordering food and our third guest was only joining for a drink. Instead of being understanding, she made us change the reservation from three to two people--only to seat us at a table meant for four. The rigid attitude and lack of courtesy, especially on a slow night, were baffling and unnecessary. It's one thing to enforce a policy during a busy dinner rush, but this just felt inflexible for no good reason.

We tried Metsi's on a Friday night. The space is gorgeous. The downstairs is very intimate and dark. The top is airy and bright. We sat at the chefs counter which was a really cool seat. There's a lot going on in the kitchen so it was fun to see all the action. Our server was friendly, but the way the seats are set up, it's kinda awkward for where they stand. We ordered the beef carpaccio and calamari to start. The beef carpaccio was not what I expected. Honestly, when they dropped it off, I thought it wasn't ours. It's unlike any other restaurants, but honestly we didn't really enjoy it. It was missing a nice flatbread cracker or bread. The meat was slightly brown and almost looked cooked? When we asked a food runner what the stuff on top was, she couldn't really tell us. She said maybe olives, tomatoes, and eggplant. Either way it was a miss. The calamari on the other hand was great. Not too heavy or greasy. I had the radditori. It was yummy! Very flavorful and cheesy. My boyfriend had the lobster ravioli and loved it. He said it was very creamy and had a nice kick. There's an option to get a little slice of focaccia for $3 with your pasta. We each did that and enjoyed it. We didn't order the focaccia as an app because it was a little pricy for the amount of bread we saw going out. If we came back - I would definitely skip to carpaccio and maybe do the caesar salad instead. It looked delicious! Overall great experience and I would go back!

The reviews on Yelp don't do Metsi's any justice. You would think diners would let the establishment get its footing before leaving a negative review. Well anyway, we went last night, and it was fantastic. We were seated quickly and dined at the bar for happy hour. We ordered the Notte and Bianca cocktails, both were fantastic! Kaitlin was our bartender and she made our experience a 10/10. Friendly, knowledgeable, and seemed to care deeply about her customers. The appetizers we ordered came out almost too fast and we snacked on those until the dinner menu was available at 5pm. We ordered the focaccia with whipped ricotta and calamari. I recommend getting the marinated olives as well! The couple next to us shared their olives with us and we shared our charred peppers. Such a friendly atmosphere! Ok now on to the entrees....We got the bolognese and osso buco. Both were absolutely fantastic! And I'm a snob when it comes to bolognese. I get every time I see it on a menu and this was right up there with the very best. The pappardelle was extra thin and wide and the most perfect texture. The meat sauce was like an umami bomb with lots of cheese and a great ratio of sauce to noodle. We didn't have much room left for desert, but our waitress, Kaitlin, very kindly gifted us the Chocolate Budino. Let's just say, we made room!! So yummy! Overall, we had such an amazing experience. Service was top notch, the atmosphere was upscale, but not intimidating, and the food will keep me coming back. Don't skip this place!

Very cute restaurant! Great ambiance and service. Delicious pasta and the almond cake was amazing! Will probably be back. There is a parking garage next to the restaurant but was charging $30 because of an event that was going on and it was difficult to find street parking nearby

Honestly, TikTok overhyped this place. The aesthetic is cute and the space is bigger inside than it looks, but the food just didn't live up to the hype. The bread was tasty but the bottom was so hard we had to leave most of it. I ordered the Cacio e Pepe and was disappointed!! the noodles just weren't it. They should consider using a different pasta, and the whole dish sat in a pool of watery butter with not enough cheese on top. Definitely not what I was hoping for. We tried two desserts The tiramisu was a no for me! the ladyfingers were way too soggy from the rum syrup. The chocolate budino was completely overpowered by orange zest and was tiny for the price. If you're thinking of going, I'd honestly skip it. Head down the street to Marcella's instead way better quality food and a much more satisfying experience overall.

Don't go if your allergic to shellfish. Food was overall good but almost everything on the menu is cross contaminated. Extremely disappointing.

I loved the food here. It's expensive but the portion sizes were large and can easily be shared by 2 people. I liked the ambience. The staff were very nice. I loved their angel pasta.

Amazing service by Caitlyn! Very attentive, amazing food, gorgeous ambiance. We got the ceaser salad, focaccia bread, bolognese, and osso bucco. All amazing. Boxed up leftovers of the bolognese to take home and forgot my box at the table. Caitlyn ran outside the restaurant to bring me my leftover, so sweet and above and beyond service. Would reccomend to anyone!

We loved our experience at Metsi's! We went for our anniversary and our server, Annie, took great care of us! They have a great happy hour and we really enjoyed the focaccia and arancini. I also really enjoyed the mushroom risotto. We will definitely be back!

We had the most amazing time at Metsi's last night. We tried so many things on the menu and every item was divine, especially the radiatori, which was to die for! Cocktails were great, wine list was stellar. Dessert was unbelievable. Service was fantastic! All around a killer spot where I hope to eat again and again!

sat at bar, Kaitlyn saved the night for us, the Male host was pretentious and unresponsive to our seating request ... we felt we would never be back, we love Chapmans, we love BJ, always special menu, we love Ginger Rabbit, fun evening out .... Metsi offered nothing new.... Makes us sad that it's the same old same old ... Nothing stood out.. rude front door manager

Service was next level. Very helpful and really cared about us as people and customers. You could tell that they really cared about and valued the food that they make and wanted to make sure we did as well. Food was so delicious. The tiramisu was insanely good! Ambiance was modern clean and quiet. Definitely recommend if you are looking for a special night out!

Grilled caesar salad and Veal parmesan were excellent. Negroni was fabulous. Service was excellent. Go!

Food was fantastic- Osso Bucco, Radiatore, Cacio e Pepe, and Eggplant Parmesan. Service was great and very attentive from start to finish. Also had great drinks! Overall 10/10 experience

WOW. This was seriously one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Everything was perfectly portioned and exquisitely balanced. Standouts include the Mushroom Arrancini and the Bolognese (and save room for the budino for dessert!). Our server was wonderful, and one of the best parts is being in the downstairs dining room to see inside the kitchen. The airy upstairs dining room is a dream, and I'll have to come back to eat there too! Come with friends, and order several dishes to share- you can't go wrong at Metsi's! I'll be back soon!

Sat at the bar and we were lucky as we did not have a reservation. The tapas menu is amazing! The staff is great and helped on our choices. The space is airy and walkable to the short north area. We walked to restaurant . A parking garage is steps from the restaurant.

Amazing restaurant! This was one of the best meals we have had in Columbus. The food, the ambiance, and the service is top notch! We can't wait to return. Get the artichokes... you will be craving them like us.

Was really looking forward to dining here, there were some good parts and some meh parts of our dinner. Staring with drinks, good selection and variety of drinks. Got a Sicilian 75, which was just okay I only drank about half. Appetizers we got the focaccia with ricotta. The bread wasn't very flavorful and bits of it were not warm so that was disappointing but the ricotta was delicious! The calamari was solid. Dinner was the bolognese, which was very rich and flavorful. I also ordered the pesto pasta, which was vegan (didn't realize that before ordering). The pesto pasta was not my favorite, but if you prefer vegan dishes then maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. Dessert was tiramisu which was a little soggier than I'm used to. Our server was attentive. Ambience inside is fine, but wish downstairs was more dimly lit. Overall, I prefer Speck or Cento for better tasting Italian food.

The ambiance of Metsi's was very nice. A smaller restaurant, good music, and decorated very nicely. The foot and drinks came out in good time. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Would recommend!