nicola restaurant & bar

terrific find. nicola is one of the best restaurants in columbus. i've been going to nicola for about one year now and thefoodand service are consistently superb. you need not even look at a menu--just tell them what you're in the mood for and chef nicola will prepare it. go there with a few hours to spare and an empty stomach, and be ready to eat excellent food, to drink lots of great wine and to feel like you've boarded a plane to italy for the night. salute!

i am not one to write reviews but i have to share this. this place is amazing! i was taken here as a surprise and i definately was. thefoodwas wonderful and the service as well. they were very open and honest about what they would reccomend and took care of us the entire time.they made it a night to remmember.next time i head to ohio this is 100% on my to do list.

special occasions. we love this restaurant for special occasions but we were just thrilled with our recent special new years eve dinner here.we had special family and friends from out of town that we brought with us(it was a birthday celebration also) and ourfood,service,and general ambiance was even more than outstanding this time.while the menu for special holidays is not the full menu offering the selection was excellent and everyone had lots to choose from-you could do the traditional italian lasagna(lovely and plentiful)or order steak, seafood, veal, etc...we were so pleased that we chose this lovely restaurant for this special holiday!

great night!. we went in for their holiday selected menu and it was beyond expectations! thefoodwas incredible, and the place was packed. overall a delicious and fun night.

excellent.foodquality, presentation, and portion size were all perfect! loved the atmosphere on the patio. scallops and gnocchi were my favs

awesome italian dinner. i was at nicola tonight for dinner and had an exceptional grilled trout stuffed with fresh herbs. perfectly cooked. great wine (prosecco), very good service. the restaurant was packed, yet each dish came out on time and just right. i almost always have pasta or risotto at nicola because it is homemade (just like i remember from italy). this was my first time for the trout dish. excellent.

great friendly atmosphere andfoodthat always transports me back to italy just as i remember it.


-----02 dec, 2011-----

authentic italian. i had the pasta with duck on my first visit, and risotto on the second, while my date had pasta with bolognese sauce. both dishes were exactly as i remember them from italy. the dining room has a great, warm feel. the place is well managed and thefoodhas been excellent both times.

i travel in italy for several weeks out of each year, and i am always thrilled to find a restaurant that cooks in the true italian style. right now, this is the one. handmade pasta, real bolognese sauce, perfect risotto with a glass of great dolcetto.

amo nicola. i love nicola. it's the real deal...first-rate italian food. the wine list is fab and thefoodis even better. the cupino is divine, and i've never been disappointed by anything else on the menu. their pasta dishes are to-die-for delicious, and the salads are always fresh. the service is outstanding, and the rest of the staff is always welcoming. it's worth every penny. we've been there at least ten times, and i always look forward to going back.

love this place!. i went with a group of friends after work - what an amazing experience! the atmosphere is upscale and fun, service was great (our waiter was shawn) andfoodwas some of the best we've ever had. we had a blast and can't wait to go back! ... this would be great for a business lunch or large party too!

worst service. my server ******** was horrible , there was also a little girl running around the place and i was told it was the owners daughter. myfoodwas not that great and ridiculously over priced. never eat here again

unique and delicious. i have been at nicola's several times and the foods always wonderfully unique and delicious,with the flavors balancing perfectly on the plate,thefoodartfully presented and served with a warm, friendly yet polite smile.the ravioli di mare and capesante saltinbocca are among our very favorite.oh,and the diplomatica dessert is to die for.so when you're in the mood for a real italian treat,treat yourself to nicola.

my family and i have been going here the past few weeks and they never cease to amaze me. thefoodis made to perfection and the service is extraordinaire. ellen is an amazing server and we always request to sit in her section. the best part is that if you don't see something on their menu that jumps at you, although i'm not sure how you can't, then they will make you whatever you want. although it is a nicer atmosphere we have never felt uncomfortable taking our 2 year old. the owners make an effort to greet every customer and go out of their way to make your experience as best as possible. i can not speak better words for nicola.

spectacular food, delightful amosphere. wow, so i had the caesar salad, the risotto olantango, and 3 different flavours of gelatto for desert. thefoodwas authentic italian food, delicious, and not overprocessed. this place is the real deal. the head chef (who is also one of the owners) came out and chatted for a minute to make sure everything was up to par and so did his wife, speranza:) very friendly accomodating people from the old country itself and i cannot even describe how wonderful my experience was. i will definitely be back, their gelatto is to die for^_^

disappointing. thefoodwas adequate but unadventurous. although thefoodcame out quickly enough, the four waiters attending the restaurant (which was only about 1/3 full) spent much of their time huddling in the back (i could see them schmoozing as i left the toilets).

why weren't they refilling my water? they swirled their backs so i could not approach them comfortably. panna cotta had about 5 times as much sugar as it needed. no italian panna cotta would be so sweet! i needed a lot of water to try to eat it but no water refills were offered.

we had to wait for cutlery and wave down a server at some length to get it.foodwas heavy and of sub-par quality. i will not return. a simple chain restaurant like the spaghetti warehouse or the olive garden can provide better fare. go to brio tuscan grille at easton mall or better still to basi italia or z cucina for far superior fare. you won't spend much more and thefoodwill be more palatable and the service more conscientious.

the bruschetta was ok; the lobster bisque was tasty but had minimal lobster flavor. the red sauce was too sweet and heavy; the spaghetti was overcooked. the meatball was standard, but not bad.

perhaps the location is cursed?

the seating was quick, thefoodplentiful, and the table service was fast. so it was worth the wait. the price ($9.25) was high for the portion of the meal that was actually good. that's just too much to pay for lasagna and pasta salad. so, it wasn't worth the price. now as to being worth coming back

yum. went to nicola for a nice dinner with the girl friend. service was great.foodwas amazing. i don't write a lot of reviews on here but this place deserved one. definitely will go back.