Half Pint Burger Bar
415 N. FRONT ST.
614-745-1165, www. thehalfpintcolumbus.com
Nov. 9 (out of five) Chargrilled burgers and 60 draft beers are the featured items on a small menu, but the sides and appetizers from this Pint Room offshoot are well-executed, too.
bar bacon, Brussels sprouts, cheese curds, short-rib chili, Buffalo chicken sandwich
Confronting the wallet-wrenching prices in an expensive new Columbus restaurant, I thought: “Wow, Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse better be very good.” As it turns out, it is. After a few visits, I can attest that the cost of eating at Jeff Ruby’s entitles diners to hospitality that’s easily among the best in town. Most visible in this team effort are personable servers in crisp white jackets who are well-versed in the nuances of the food and drink menus and seem unusually adept at anticipating a table’s needs. That takes a lot of training.
And it took a lot of money — about $5 million — to transform the former 89 Fish & Grill into one of the most opulent restaurants in Columbus. The head-turning establishment — the Cincinnati-based restaurateur’s first in the Columbus market — features an elaborate collection of chandeliers, stained glass, showy mirrors and dramatic swaths of red from accoutrements such as floral-patterned carpets and velvet curtains.
A rhythm-and-bluesleaning soundtrack and date-night-worthy lighting help set a relaxed mood throughout the restaurant’s multiple spaces. So do vintage-looking French liquor ads in the “Venetian” room, and the chandelier that incorporates a tuba that brightens the secluded, OSU sportscelebrating “Buckeye” room.
Jeff Ruby — no shrinking violet — has put his initials all over the place, too. They even grace the oversized pat of two-flavored house butter — creamy-sweet alongside mushroom-truffle — served with thick slices