Eleven

I came here shortly after my fiancé and I became engaged, and when the bartender heard, he bought us our first round of drinks! Thank you for making an already special time seem extra special :)

Where do I start… I’m not a person to write reviews bc I feel if I have to do so, its bc of negative reasons and unfortunately this review is pretty negative. Let’s just start with the old played out patio furniture they have. I mean… When I was there and left there I was pretty itchy bc I kept thinking or feeling bugs on me. The patio furniture is so disgusting it’s not even funny. My thing is… They’re a sister restaurant to Hyde Park. With that being said their furniture and service and food needs to be up to par. And sad to say but Bar Elevan failed in all cases. We ordered off the happy hour menu, which were $ 5 a small plate & $ 2domestic beer. Pretty good huh? Only that the sliders we ordered were burnt and taste like charcoal. Also we ordered the calamari with lime & fish sauce. The sauce was better than the calamari. I’ve never seen calamari so small before. It was a total waste. Then… We ordered the pork belly tacos… Well… That was THE worst!!! Pork belly!!! Wrong!!! They literally give you a piece of bacon with tomato toppings and a taco wrap. My complaint is how, can they pass this off as a pork belly taco??? My suggestion would be… Get new patio furniture and keep up with it. Meaning cover it when necessarry or get new ones every year. Also change your chef or monitor what’s coming out of the kitchen before serving it to your guest.
Just because your a sister restaurant to Hyde Park does not mean you can get away with bad service, bad food and it chat patio furniture that’s not fair that your representing short north, downtown, Columbus, Ohio and your establishment is mediocre. you can be batter than that. You have been better than that.

I’ll start off by saying I have a special bond with Eleven. Like an immigrant in the 1800s that’s been traveling for months on a leaky wooden raft does with Ellis Island. For 8 months I lived in the Yukon Lofts which was about 5 steps and a stones throw away form Eleven meaning of course I spent more time at Eleven than I did at my own home, I might as well have moved in there. They have a cool yellow lit up bar (reminds me of the old Sushi Rock bar but not as back alley Red Light District), it’s also great lighting for your super sweet #saturdaynightselfie! (Don’t ask me how I know that). The fireplace is great during the winter especially if you’re hooching it out in a skimpy dress in sub-​zero weather. (Once again, don’t ask me how I know that). The biggest reason I like this place so much is it is the only thing that can compare to the definition of a lounge in Columbus. The music is always on point (house music in case you’re wondering) but you can actually hear the people around you instead of screaming What? fifty times and finally just nodding because you still don’t know what they said and praying you didn’t just agree to a midget orgy. (That might be a bit dramatic but you get my drift). The star of this whole place though is the patio, it is the Beyonce of Destiny’s Child. It’s hands down the best patio during the summer and if you disagree you need to just go home and forever stay there. The crowd is as good as you’re going to get in Columbus (aka they don’t think a Ralph Lauren Polo and khakis is upscale and they have legit jobs). Most of the douche rif-​raf stay at Bar 23 and Bernards so you don’t have to worry about some frat boy asking you if you sat on on some sugar b/​c you have a pretty sweet ass (har har har. no. just no.). The biggest reason for this is because the drinks here are pricier and rightfully so. The bartenders are by far the best in the city. Before I even order Luke (say hi to him if you’re there. he’s seriously the shit) has my drink waiting for me. Essentially you’re paying for the great service, good atmosphere, and the quality and it’s well worth it. If you’re worried about cost go to their happy hour. It’s tied for the best happy hour in the city along with M’s. The food is all amazing, my favorite is the filet sliders (like the 50 cent lyrics, «I melt in your mouth, not in your hand») and the tuna tartar. My only complaint is that this place isn’t open on Sundays for Sunday Funday. Overall for a European in Columbus this place has it all but if you like drinking Bud Light, listening to country music, and shop at Buckle (ew) this is not the place for you.

I recently changed my review from a 5 to a 4. Music is better! But they removed my favorite dish, filet medallions, from the menu, and I’m pretty bummed about it. The tuna tar tar however, is epic.
Have never had anything short of exceptional service at 11. The food is amazing, the prices are steep, but reasonable for the quality, and the management staff is excellent. You are paying for the Hyde Park name and ambience. I suggest the calamari and the fillet medallions. You can never go wrong with the chicken and waffles either. Formal enough to be a great date night spot, but casual enough where you can go in for a drink with friends. They try to do their best to pay attention to the surroundings and who’s been seated.
It’s always busy, but we rarely ever have to wait. My one critique is that they really need better music. They do a great selection of dance music, but might consider throwing in more popular dance or house tunes. Otherwise, you will see me all summer long perched outside, or at least in a window seat.

THE GOOD: Great atmosphere for a classy girls night out! Classy and sophisticated with a just enough casual. The drinks were good too, but not much variety offered on the menu. The music was unfamiliar to me (lots of dance and techno) but it added to the experience I suppose. Service was impeccable too.
THE BAD: Prices were a bit steep but nothing we weren’t already expecting.
OVERALL: Great place to relax and unwind! Definitely worth a return trip.

This place should be reviewed as a lounge and not necessarily a restaurant in my opinion. I’ve been here many times and I like to get a couple drinks (they have a good happy hour) and a snack (maybe some cheese and olives). Coupled with the awesome atmosphere and décor I always have a positive experience here. We like to go here for an hour or so before we are having dinner somewhere else in the short north area. They have comfortable seating and a nice fire roaring. Service has been slow on occasion, but well worth the visit.

Elevem is elegant but casual! We were warmly greeted by the General Manager — Brad who seated us on the terrace and suggested a fine bottle of Malbec. The server was excellent with a thorough knowledge of the menu and was able to pair the perfect meal to compliment the wine. The blue cheese filet medallions were exceptional as well as the candied pecan salad that preceded it. I was even able to get my favorite desert — Crème Brulee from Hyde Park. Bravo Eleven for going above and beyond and making it a perfect night out.

Best out door seating in the short north. Claim a couch and drink the afternoon away while people watching.

Happy hour Tuesday through Friday 4:30 — 6:30…I usually order the sliders. Even when it’s not happy hour, their lamb lollipops are a good deal ($ 14). I like the upscale interior, the outdoor seating with heat lamps, and how the place easily transitions from happy hour to dinner hour to a late-​night lounge. Wednesday nights they have live jazz music. Eleven is definitely one of the classier, more reliable spots in the Short North for drinks and food. It’d be a good date spot.

Food and location is awesome, parking a little bit challenging… if you want to park for free. For a gluten-​free dude they help you to figure out what is OK. The folks working there are open, friendly and fast. I’ve enjoyed staying there and be back for some more, that’s for sure.

Came here in the evening while they were still serving food. The ambiance was a mixed weird feeling because it was well lit, people eating, but the music was way too loud. I had to shout at the people around me so they could hear me. The cost of their items didn’t justify the quality of the food they brought out. It was a very nice menu, looks well thought out, but the execution was not even close.
We also ordered some wine for a few of our friends but when they brought it out and poured it, a sour vinegary smell came out. They were probably trying to serve us a wine that was corked and sitting there in the sun from days before. They easily brought out a brand new bottle and popped that but the initial mistake should have never happened for the premium you’re paying for this place. I give them credit for fixing the mistake quickly.
I haven’t been to Columbus in well over 10 years and it was nice seeing a new side of town. They need to make up their mind, dinner and loud music don’t really mix. They should wait until they stop serving food to turn it into a lounge and not in between.
Too pricey for what you get. Service needs improvement. it wouldn’t hurt me if I never came back.

I can’t think of a time I’ve been here and didn’t receive top-​notch service, great drinks and equally good food. And contrary to a number of the other reviews, I LOVE the décor, ambiance and general demeanor of the clientele. Folks, including staff, have been personable, if not outright friendly. The bars, inside and out (weather permitting) are always packed with plenty of conversation and laughter to be had. I always have a great time!
NOTE: I do most generally catch the Happy Hour, so price has never been a concern. If anything, I’ve left more than satisfied.

My favorite spot! Love the luminescent bar. Martini’s solid! Patio in the summer is big and comfortable for people watching, teasing. :-)

A lot of reviews talk about this place being pretentious but I didn’t get that at all. Sure, it’s a more upscale atmosphere, but I dig it.
FINALLY took advantage of Eleven’s happy hour. Thankfully it was a gorgeous afternoon so we sat on the patio, which was just beautiful. I love how you don’t feel like you’re sitting on a bar’s patio — the furniture is comfortable and roomy so you can truly kick back and relax with your favorite adult beverage.
I tried one of the happy hour cosmos. I would have preferred it stronger for the price I paid. I ended up switching to beer.
I also had the caprese salad (which was so light and fresh!) and the calamari (small & rubbery, and I didn’t care for the spicy ginger sauce).
Service was great and friendly without being all up in our faces.
Overall, pretty good experience. Anyone can enjoy this place, as long as they know the prices will be higher and the atmosphere is a bit more formal than most places in the Short North.

Yeah, not so much. This isn’t really my kind of place to begin with, but throw in their self involved clientele and bar tenders who obviously don’t care about their craft, and I really don’t want to come back here again. I asked for a scotch old fashioned, and when they asked what kind of scotch, I told them to make it something around $ 12. What I got was flavored sugar water. And the flavor wasn’t that great. I could hardly taste any scotch at all. Then I got a Manhattan with Bulleit Bourbon. It had the exact opposite problem, tons of alcohol, but not a good balance of anything else. The location is of course great, so I guess if you just want something straight up to sip while people watching outside, it would be bearable.

Being affiliated with Hyde Park I expected more from Eleven
We were cautioned our ‘kobe’ sliders would be medium rare. That was great news medium rare is how we would prefer them to be prepared. What they chose to plate and deliver to our table resembled hockey pucks the size of chicken nuggets. By definition medium rare includes some pink in the middle, I assure you there was not. It is a shame this great location and set up is ruined by a few bad apples.

I was excited to attend happy hour here the other week– it’s been on my list forever. And when my friend kept telling me it’s her second favorite happy hour in Columbus, I was looking forward to finding out why.
#1 I love the atmosphere here. Couches to sit on outside, comfy seating inside– no matter where you sit you will be sure to be comfortable!
#2 $ 4 martinis during happy hour. Really? Yes, really! The grapefruit martini was pretty refreshing on the hot day we were there. The others are still on my list to try.
#3 In my opinion, the food here is better than that served next door (aka Hyde Park). I must admit I’m not a huge fan of Hyde Park, but that is for another post. The dishes served at Eleven are of the same quality of those served at Hyde Park and at happy hour prices you really can’t beat.
The margherita pizza is awesome– tons of fresh mozzarella piled high over thinly sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. Sooo good. The truffle chips are different– and pretty addictive. The balsamic reduction pairs nicely with the salty chips and strong cheese– and the nuts add some extra crunch! I kept eying the sweet potato tator tots going by– I will definitely be trying those next time.
#4 The location is perfect. Whether you’re inside or out, there is plenty of people watching to do.
Too bad happy hour prices cut off at 6:30. I can’t wait to go back and give some other dishes a try. If everything else is as good as the food I had during this visit, I know I’m in for a treat!

Eleven is sort of like that nice, good-​looking girl that you meet at a club, but then once you call her back the next day (or is it three days? I haven’t watched «Swingers» for a while), you realize that she’s completely vacant-​headed and dips dangerously close to below 100 on the IQ scale.
Eleven, at first glance, has all the goods — an awesome location, a kick-​ass patio with sublime people-​watching, pretty (if slightly stereotypical) interior with clientele to match, and a nice selection of classic and contemporary cocktails (including absinthe! yay!). But the layout, service, and comfort level leave much to be desired.
Service last night during happy hour was fiendishly slow, but despite my best attempts to get all worked up about it, I was unable to, as our server was clearly overwhelmed for reasons not entirely within her control, and was really as sweet as a peach and seemed new. My party took to ordering two drinks at a time, since it was taking close to 20 minutes for each drink to be retrieved. Not sure if the bartenders were also new, or if they were, again, overwhelmed — but this was an unacceptable wait during happy hour, especially at a location that should be used to large crowds on Friday evenings. Also, I was under the impression that the Hyde Park chain prides themselves on service. We got no explanation for the slow service, other than that their credit card machine was «messed up» — but I don’t see how this would affect the speed at which a bartender can make a drink.
The kitchen wasn’t much better — most of us ordered food as soon as we arrived, and we didn’t see a morsel until we were tired of the debacle and ready to jet to Level. We grudgingly went ahead and scarfed down our food despite being pretty PO’d with everything by this point. I had the fried chicken sliders with the sweet potato tots. The dipping sauce that came with the tots was one of the strangest things I have ever shoved down my gullet. It was a bacon-​infused maple syrup thing that did not mesh at all with the taste of the sweet potato. The menu doesn’t tell you what type of sauce you are getting, or I never would have ordered it. Everyone in my party was equally weirded out by this odious offering. Don’t try to overthink things. Heinz would have been perfect.
The drinks (once we got them) were pretty yummy. I had a couple of Thai Martinis, which were made with some sort of berry vodka, and sprinkled with something called «Chinese 5-​spice» — whatever that is, it really added a pleasant, cinnamon-​y kick to the drink. They were only $ 4, as part of the happy hour special.
Another unpleasant aspect of the joint in summer is that they have all of the front windows/​doors open to the patio, and the humid air just sits in the bar area, so it is hot and stuffy and miserable and like a sauna inside. If you’re looking to pick up a hot date here in the warmer months, take my advice and slather on an extra layer of Old Spice.
So, Eleven comes down to this — it’s pretty, you’ll probably be infatuated at first, but then there will be that awkward moment where you realize that there’s not much substance there, that it isn’t meant to be, and you’ll do anything in your power to bow out gracefully.

Wear your nice clothes!
In search of GLBC Christmas Ale, my crew and I ended up at Eleven. Yes, they had it; and it was cold. But I did feel a little under-​dressed in my worn jeans and cowl neck sweater.
Catering to the middle-​upper class, trendy and «hip» you are greeted with a relaxing, dimly lighted lounge with a bar, which then leads to a hallway to the dining room. We chose to stay in the lounge to pound… err enjoy… our Christmas Ales and order off the appetizer menu. I ordered the sausage pizza — pretty good — and the others ordered the margherita pizza and pork sliders — same.
I’d say Eleven is the perfect sit-​back-​and-​chill martini bar/​restaurant if you’re looking to get a little dolled up, put on your nice shoes and feel like you’re having a night on the town in Columbus.

Went for happy hour the other day. Great happy hour specials! I love the french martini, can’t really beat it for $ 4. When you open the little menu on the tables it opens right up to the happy hour specials with all mixed/​martinis for only $ 4 (same special at Hyde Park). Then it continues with happy hour food specials which I think they were only $ 3! The margarita pizza is great and well worth the it. The cheese is nice and melted and the garlic really makes it. The wings were just okay, some of ours were a little burnt.
I would definitely go back for happy hour (one of my favs in the city) but it isn’t my favorite place at night. It just becomes crowded and pricey!