Rossi Bar & Kitchen

Rossi is a hip bar-restaurant in the short North that has been enormously successful. Great food,great location, lots of beautiful people. A little too popular, some would say, because nearly patrons all can recount a customer service experience that wasn't 100%. But the food and the scene keep them coming back for more.

First of all, the place is small. It's larger now than it used to be, but it was ridiculously small in the old days.

Rossi has a certain buzz about it that other places would kill for. There is high energy level throughout the place that is even more intense than say Lindey's or Rigsby's. Maybe it's the attractive young crowd it attracts, the high noise level due to the crowds, but in the end, Rossi's works because it has a diverse menu of inventive dishes, a great wine and drinks list, and a cool, well-intentioned waitstaff that is unfortunately frequently overwhelmed.

The menu ranges from great apps and salads, to clever and tasty pizzas, steaks, seafood, and sides. You can get a sandwich, including one of Columbus' best bergers, for less than $10. Other items, can go over $25. But there are lots of great choices, no matter how much you want to spend. Their apps are legendary - the BBQ pork belly, the grilled lamb-cicles, and the lobster cake. Their pizzas, at $12-14, are some of their most popular items. Their rosted meats are outstanding, as is their seafood.

The Rossi is a fun night out - great atmosphere, good food and drinks, and a classy hip location. I just wish the service was a little better.