Representing the purist tradition in French cuisine, this is a perennial favorite among elite diners.

(614) 429-1953

1092 Bethel Rd
Columbus, OH 43220 40.0634 -83.0443

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Neighborhood: Linworth Village

THEREFECTORYRESTAURANT.COM

Years in business

Established in 1982

Hours:

Mon-Thu 5:30pm-9:30pm

Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm

Last updated 1.24.11

Category:

Catering , Banquet Rooms , Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express , Diners Club , Discover , Visa , MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Romantic Dining , Fine Dining , Business Dining , Notable Wine List

Cuisine:

French

Smoking Permitted:

In the lounge

What People Are Saying About The Refectory

The Owner

The Refectory

Owner

The Refectory: to some, a landmark of dining greats in this city; to others, a link to yesterday, where beneath its old majestic ceiling, the spirit of its past and the presence for which it was set apart can still be felt.The exceptional classic and contemporary French cuisine is complemented by a world-class wine cellar encompassing over 700 selections assembled by our wine director. An experienced and knowledgeable staff and the personal touch of owner Kamal Boulos, complete the gracious yet unpretentious service that enhance a memorable evening.

Provided by CityGrid

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – Housed in an old church that was converted in the early '70s, the restaurant's atmosphere is dark and dramatic, almost austere, with stained-glass windows and wooden beams in the main dining room. Call ahead for one of the coveted booths that feel private and enclosed. Or dine in the more inviting cocktail lounge, complete with big stone hearth blazing in the fall and winter months. – – The Food – Chef de cuisine Richard Blondin specializes in wild game preparations. Signature entrees include a rack of baby New Zealand lamb roasted in a savory crust,…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
While there is no official dress code, you'll want to get dressed up, as most of the patrons don their best duds for a meal here.
What to Drink:
The wine cellar offers 1,000 different labels, with 13,000 bottles in stock.
4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/09/09

If you crave for wine?

by kenny1006 at Citysearch

Great food with nice rice , people are friendly. and we like to eat different food. please go there. because it's good place to chill. i will bring my grilfriend there sometimes. and it's closed by.

  • Pros: great wine
  • Cons: expensive
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/23/09

The Best

by 1sarah at Citysearch

This is the best restaurant in Columbus for fine dining. You have all the elements of a wonderful experience. The atmosphere is romantic, the service is exceptional without being over-bearing and the food is always great with a beautiful presentation. Did I mention the fine china you eat off of? The owner and his assistant will do anything to make you comfortable. They truely strive to make you go home feeling well taken care of. Lastly, if you don't feel like dining in the restaurant, the bar is almost more romantic with a great menu, too. I love the fireplace in there!

  • Pros: They also do a nice job using the internet to confirm reservations and tell you about upcoming events. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and will guide you about anything on the menu/wine list.
  • Cons: Some people may be put off that there are not HUGE plates of food--this is not Mortons and doesn't pretend to be. It is fine dining!!!
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/09/08

Best Culinary Experience In Columbus!

by neurotikitty at Citysearch

From start to finish, an amazing meal and service experience! The service staff anticipated our every need and delivered everything in an unobtrusive manner. They were knoweledgeable and the food was melt-in-your-mouth good! Seriously, they may have served to me the best filet mignon I have ever had. Oh, and I loved the table visit from the owner at the end of our meal--not sure if that's the norm, but it made us feel special. I can't wait to go back!

  • Pros: Amazing wine, service and food!
  • Cons: Decor
2 Star Rating: Below Average

06/18/07

good food but...

by montyb49 at Citysearch

My hubby and I went to The Refectory for our anniversary in March. By the time dessert came i was full and had the waitress box up my brown sugar pudding.

The next day i went to put my pudding in a regular bowl so i could enjoy it when i look down and see some sort of cable adaptor laying in my pudding. My hubby tells me later its some sort of network cable plug.

I call the restaurant and explain to them what i found. They were very apologetic and quickly got my name, number and address and told me their manager would be giving me call.

in a few days the manager calls and lets me know that he wants to personally bring a dessert to my house for me to enjoy. I'm thinking "wow...okay!" We set up a date and a time. The time comes i'm waiting around the house for a while....he never shows up. I call the restaurant a liitle while later. I'm connected to the manager he tells me that he forgot. He offers no apology and tries to set up another date and time with me. I tell him not to worry about it.

I guess i half expected to receive something in the mail after that or to have my original dessert cost credited to my credit card or something but none of these things happened. If the manager hadn't gotten my hopes up with the thought of a hand delivered yummy dessert and then not following through with his committment I wouldn't have been as disappointed by my experience but he did and I am.

To this day i have yet to receive anything from them for the inconvenience. I will be honest and say i didn't expect that.

I'll probably not go back.

  • Pros: wonderful food
  • Cons: stuffy and dark
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/01/07

Wonderful Experience

by sarahp43085 at Citysearch

i don't get out to anything this fine quality that often. i love to eat out and consider myself a bit of a food snob. that being said, i can only afford to eat out at a place like this only every once in awhile, and i never felt a hint of snobbery one might expect from such a fine dining locale. our main waiter, Kevin, was fantastic, although I'm sure we threw him off, us not being your run of the mill average customers. I was with Jeremy, and he asked for a second bottle of a british pale ale. it took a long time for kevin to get back, apologizing for the delay and had the news that they were out of that particular ale. So, Kevin first suggests a replacement that would be similiar, and then brings it out, saying, "first take a taste, the i will be back to tell you the story of that beer"

it turned out to be actually one of MY favorite beers, 'La Fin Du Monde', and he didn't charge us for it.

Such a fantastic place, and when i feel the need, i will definetly be back. Thank You Kevin for the laughs!

The best part about the whole occasion was that it was only the two of us, and we had literally a corner to ourselves. (although something was a little wonky w/ their heating that evening)

  • Pros: good parking, personable staff, and DEFINETLY the setting/amibience
  • Cons: the heating was off, pricey (duh), this type of attentive service is not for everyone

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

Columbus

Best of Citysearch

Columbus

Message from The Refectory

  • Award-winning wine cellar
  • Online reservations
  • Gift cards available

The Refectory: to some, a landmark of dining greats in this city; to others, a link to yesterday, where beneath its old majestic ceiling, the spirit of its past and the presence for which it was set apart can still be felt.

The exceptional classic and contemporary French cuisine is complemented by a world-class wine cellar encompassing over 700 selections assembled by our wine director. An experienced and knowledgeable staff and the personal touch of owner Kamal Boulos, complete the gracious yet unpretentious service that enhance a memorable evening.

The Refectory
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