My wife and I always try to stop by Columbia Steakhouse when we're in town. Today, I'm sure glad we did. As usual, we both got their Nighthawk special which is a large steak floating in garlic butter, a huge baked potato and a Diego salad. Though my first steak came out a bit overcooked and I had to have them remake it, the final result was fantastic. Both steaks were thick, hot and flavorfu, just as I remember. The potato was not only hot, it came with a quarter stick of butter on the side and a large cup of sour cream on the side - both of which made the very flaky potatoe heavenly. They also have very good rolls which were not real hot today but were still very good. The decor continues to be on the used side with the seats being lumpy, but the food could not have been better. I hope the return again and again to the Columbia Steakhouse. read more

Columbia Steak House - Main dinning room - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

When a business trip brought my wife and me to Lexington, Kentucky, we needed a restaurant that could deliver both efficiency and quality--somewhere we could enjoy an excellent meal without lingering for hours. Columbia Steakhouse proved to be exactly what we were looking for, and then some. Located in the heart of Lexington, Columbia Steakhouse exudes an understated elegance that's perfect for business travelers. The atmosphere strikes that ideal balance: upscale enough to feel special, but relaxed enough that you're not overly formal. The lighting is warm and sophisticated, and the noise level allows for easy conversation--a detail that business diners always appreciate. Our server immediately understood our time constraints and moved things along seamlessly without making us feel rushed. This kind of professional service is rare and deeply appreciated when you're on a tight schedule. I ordered the 14-ounce ribeye, cooked medium-rare, and it was a masterclass in steakhouse execution. The exterior had a beautiful char that provided a subtle smoky flavor, while the interior was perfectly pink and remarkably tender. The marbling throughout ensured every bite was rich and flavorful. What impressed me most was the quality of the beef itself--you could tell this was prime cut meat, properly aged and prepared by someone who knows their craft. The steak came with their signature steak butter, a compound butter with herbs that melted luxuriously over the hot meat, adding another layer of richness without overwhelming the beef's natural flavor. My sides were equally impressive: a loaded baked potato with all the fixings, cooked until the skin was crispy and the interior fluffy, and their grilled asparagus, which had a perfect char and snap to it. My wife chose the filet mignon paired with a lobster tail, and from her first bite, I knew she'd made the right choice. The filet was butter-tender--the kind of cut that practically melts on your tongue. Cooked to a perfect medium, it had that delicate, almost velvety texture that only a properly prepared filet can achieve. The peppercorn sauce she added complemented the beef beautifully without overpowering its subtle flavor. The lobster tail was equally outstanding. Perfectly cooked (no easy feat, as lobster can go from perfect to rubbery in seconds), it was sweet, succulent, and generously portioned. It arrived already butterflied and brushed with drawn butter, making it easy to enjoy. She paired her entrée with the garlic mashed potatoes, which were creamy and indulgent, and the Caesar salad, which featured crisp romaine, house-made dressing, and fresh parmesan. Columbia Steakhouse understands that business travelers value efficiency. From appetizer to dessert, our meal was perfectly paced--we never felt rushed, but we also never experienced those frustrating gaps where you're waiting unnecessarily. Despite being on a schedule, we took advantage of their bourbon selection (we were in Kentucky, after all), and the staff provided excellent recommendations. The bread service deserves special mention--warm, crusty rolls with whipped butter arrived promptly and were outstanding. Small touches like this set great steakhouses apart from good ones. While we were focused on our entrées given our time constraints, we couldn't resist sharing their chocolate lava cake for dessert. It arrived warm with a molten center, accompanied by vanilla ice cream--a perfect sweet ending to an exceptional meal. The Bottom Line Columbia Steakhouse demonstrated why it's a Lexington institution. The quality of both our meals was outstanding, the service was professional and attentive, and the restaurant accommodated our business travel timeline without compromising the experience. The prices reflect the premium quality--this is not a budget option--but for a special business dinner or important client meeting, the investment is absolutely worth it. Whether you're a local or just passing through on business, Columbia Steakhouse delivers on every front. We left satisfied, impressed, and already planning a return visit the next time work brings us to the Bluegrass State. Highly recommended for business travelers, special occasions, or anyone who appreciates expertly prepared steak in a refined yet welcoming atmosphere. read more

Columbia Steak House - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Dinner at Columbia Steakhouse in downtown Lexington was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. The moment we walked in, the setting set the tone; classic, cozy, and full of character. It has that perfect downtown steakhouse vibe that feels both timeless and welcoming. The service was top-tier. Attentive without being overbearing, friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely focused on making the experience great. You can tell the staff takes pride in what they do, and it shows in every interaction. The food? Incredible. I ordered the Nighthawk Special, and it completely lived up to the hype; perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and easily one of the best steaks I've had in a long time. Every bite was spot on. Everything that hit the table was delicious, and there wasn't a single thing we would've changed. From the atmosphere to the service to the food, we loved everything about Columbia Steakhouse. If you're in downtown Lexington and want a phenomenal meal and an even better experience, this place is an absolute must. We'll definitely be back. read more

Columbia Steak House - 12oz Sirloin - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Ordered the Nighthawk Special with Diego's Salad and a twice baked potato. It was good, but I've had better. I'm also from Texas so I know that every region has its own taste and style. The Diego Salad was amazing. I could have made a meal out of just that. Service was attentive. The inside is very dark with lots of memorabilia on the walls. We sat way in the back where the ceiling what white and red checkered. read more

What an absolute freaking joke to even call themselves a restaurant, the service is so poor and so nonexistent it's almost laughable that they can even keep their doors open. Walked in tonight sat at the bar waited 15 minutes, and then got up and left. Monday June 15th 7:45om. I can promise you I won't be going back. read more

The supposed tenderloin steak of the nighthawk special is not as advertised. I am not sure exactly what the cut of meat would be called. The steak was chewy, senewy and lacking flavor. The broccoli was fresh. The baked potato was room temperature and couldn't melt the margarine provided. Paul the server was the best part of the meal. read more

As usual, the food was fantastic. I go back and forth between the Nighthawk Special and other items and am always pleased with my meal. The entire restaurant is very classy and reminiscent of the fine dining steakhouse days which makes the meal that much more enjoyable. Service is impeccable and Jason is absolutely amazing. He knows what you need before you do and he has a memory of a computer. Looking for great food in an impressive atmosphere, you have found it at Columbia's! read more

One of the best places in Lexington to eat takeout or eat in. I've enjoyed their food for many many years. And it's still the same every time. But highly recommend this to anyone. read more

It's dark in there, the tablecloths are checkered and plastic, the vibe is retro, the have lamb fries on their menu as both an appetizer and an entree and I just had a wonderfully prepared steak there. I like my steak rare, really rare, barely a passing acquaintance with a grill, and while our server seemed worried about why I would want anything closer to raw than rare, he put the order in and made sure the cook understood what I was wanting. It was delicious, I will go back again. Go, get the NightHawk special, have them smother it in mushrooms after cooking it to your preference, get a twice baked potato and feel like you are in a steakhouse that time forgot... because it's been there forever and god willing, won't go anywhere anytime soon. read more

Never again!! Everyone of our orders were wrong. Time for check and we were charged extra on all 9 of our checks. Spoke to the owner and he must of been in on it because he made excuses for the waitress. She didn't have her glasses on, he forgot to change the amount on the menu. Offered no compensation and we were there for 3hours trying to get our checks straightened out. Very bad business practices! read more

This was one of the worst food experiences I've ever had. The salad had a hunk of ceramic plate in it that I bit down on. The manager asked if I was ok and stated she told her staff to throw away bowls with chips in them. However, both of our bowls had chips in them. She did not seem to be as bothered by it as I was. The steak was in a bowl of grease and didn't have any flavor or seasoning it seemed. The potatoes were not fully cooked and drenched in grease. We were not charged for my meal because of the salad situation. read more

Columbia Steak House - Nighthawk special - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

If I could rate this a zero, I would. We were told the wait would be thirty minutes for seating, it was an hour. We waited for 1 hour and 15 minutes before deciding to leave, never receiveng our food. While seated, we had to ask our waitress multiple times for refills, rolls, and salad. We asked to speak with the manager, and they never once came back to speak with us. The entire section we were sitting in left due to these issues. A Valentine's Day ruined by poor service and poor communication. We will not be returning to this establishment. read more

It has been years since I had dinner at Columbia Steak House and I was so disappointed. The restaurant was dirty and the booth seat was sticky and had not been cleaned. The portions were huge, but the quantity did not make up for the extremely poor quality. I ate just a few bites of my food and instead of complaining, I just left. It was so bad I thought that no matter what I ordered, it would be no different. I will never go back, so don't waste your time and money. You'd be better off to get a good meal at McDonalds..... read more

We love the downtown location. We often go in and sit at the bar. Flo is the manager and is an absolute gem. She knows everyone and greets them with a smile. Our personal faves are the burger with fries special, the chicken fingers are delicious and huge. The best thing on the menu are the real battered fried mushrooms. No commissary food here. Yummy. Did we mention the great attitude of the servers and the manager Flo. She's been holding the downtown location to a kitsch standard of excellence for years. read more

I'm with a group of 36. Admittedly, that's a large group but... It's not that hard to do a baked potato. At my table of 8, no one had a potato that was done. The steaks were good but lukewarm. Individually, might be a great place but don't bring a group here! read more

I am completely disappointed with the way that the food served was no where near to the ambiance created by this 1952 interior. The food was barely edible, arrived in various forms of temperature and the poor young server who was still learning how to serve a meal was little assistance. Skip this one until it changes hands and someone who knows how to run a steakhouse takes over because the current owner is long gone. read more

Having eaten at Columbia many decades ago, our group of 6 decided to stop in for a late dinner. Flo made sure we had a special table waiting for us when we arrived. Memories of college years and good times came flooding back- the food was wonderful, service was awesome! Only thing missing was "Smitty" , the energetic Maitre d' who was always there to greet you in his tux ( heaven now being his home). Flo has been a hostess for 38 years. Not many restaurants can claim a gem like her! Fantastic evening! read more

New to Lexington. Coworkers recommended Columbia and said we need to go to this location downtown. We've gone there a few times now, including the one on Richmond Rd but we love the downtown location much more,... more history, great food, great service. lMy wife is crazy about the house made ranch and twice baked potatoes. I like the corn pudding a lot. We will be regulars. read more

We visited for lunch. Ambiance is really cool and very Kentucky. The only light you get is through stained glassed windows with horse racing prints. Amber was our server; she was great! Request to sit in her section. Our choices: 1/2. Burgers- too much bread, we both ended up eating with a fork. The burger flavor was perfect and they cooked them just as we ordered. The garden to the sandwich was plentiful! Sides to the burger were steamed broccoli (amazing) and house chips (more amazing). 3. Beef tips with onions, mushrooms, swiss- good portion; had leftovers. Meat is not your traditional tips, it is cut from a ribeye so the quality was great. Cheese is not needed because of the butter/garlic sauce it is cooked in. Sides were baked potato (took up half the plate) and broccoli "casserole." It's a soufflé. All were accompanied with a basket of rolls and cinnamon butter. They looked dry and hard but goodness, they were the opposite. SO GOOD!!! Drink menu is pretty limited to bourbon. And more bourbon. Welcome to Kentucky. read more

Great little place a local sent us to for dinner. Very good service. Delicious food especially the Night Hawk meal! Very reasonable price. An old Treasure in Town. Old style decor read more

We ate at the Columbia Steakhouse when we were in town for our granddaughter's graduation from Transylvania University. Our meal was excellent from the potato skins through cocktails and steaks as well as fried catfish. The service was especially excellent and thoughtful. Thanks!! read more

Visiting Lexington for the day and the Columbia was close to my hotel. I enjoyed the ribeye and a loaded potato. Steak was cook to perfection and was served quickly. I enjoyed the atmosphere and a few cocktails. When I am in town again. I'd be sure to stop back in. read more

The food was amazing as always! We have been coming to this location specially since i was a kid. it was tradition for us to visit at least once a year, however, tonight when we visited it wasn't what we had remembered! We were the first to arrive in our party as it was a large party, we had arrived an hour early to let them know of our party size(12), and was told they could go ahead and seat us anyway! At first our server was great nice and pleasant. As more guests arrived he became more irritated and short with us! Very disheartening as someone who comes annually, but it happens servers have off days i get it! As we were leaving someone in our party overheard him making complaints about us "not leaving a big enough tip considering all the running around he had to do for us!" Being a server in a restaurant i completely understand but please do not say it in front of guests or in plain sight of said party leaving! Hearing this completely shocked us since i feel we were nothing but generous to this server! I admit, we asked for things and had a burger sent back, nothing against him, the aggressive attitude we received after, i did not understand! We tipped him very well considering what he said (before knowing he complained it wasn't enough). overall, great food, but service needs work for sure! read more

We were there for a drag theater recently and what a great show! The servers were amazing, but the bartender/manager was a bit rude to the performers and staff. We could overhear her complaints and rude commands to everyone. On top of that, it took forever to get drinks from her. I finally walked up to the bar and she was just talking to the host. I immediately went back to my seat and didn't order anything else. It was our first time there and it's probably the last. read more

Columbia Steak House is a Lexington institution! This Limestone St. Location is a wonderful little dive kind of place. Service is good and pretty quick. Get the Nighthawk Special. It's the thing to order. Terrific!! read more

This place was wonderful. Had the tenderloin special, baked potato and salad. My friend had the Chicken Monterey. Everything was delicious. The waiter was nice and efficient. Great casual environment, low key, comfortable. I'll be back. read more

Columbia Steak House has become a go to whenever we are in Lexington. The fried mushrooms & fried banana peppers are huge. Perfectly crispy, both delivered a crunchy bite that were full of flavor. For our entrees two of us opted for the house special, the Nighthawk special is a tenderloin served with garlic butter, the house Diego salad, and a baked potato, all for $20! My steak was so tender that each bite seemed to melt in my mouth, the bake potatoes were good but not great, but I loved the Diego salad (keep some dinner rolls around to eat with the salad), Two others at our table ordered Hot Browns. The golden brown baked portions were generous, and both said the hot browns were delicious. Columbia Steak House decor is a step back in time and gives you the feel of the supper clubs from the 60/70s. In today's age of cookie cutter corporate steak house chains I loved every minute of my Columbia experience. read more

This iconic restaurant is famous to the locals especially those like my husband who attended the University of KY back in the 80's. This place is filled with history as it's one of the oldest restaurants in central Ky, Established in 1948 and celebrating 75 years serving the community of Lexington Ky. They are known for their "night Hawk special" which is a Diego salad, baked potato and the most delicious streak, perfectly cooked tenderloin served with garlic butter! All for just $19.99. This was hands down the most delicious steak! The fresh veggies were perfect. The vibe was so cool walking back in history. The memorabilia on the walls proudly acknowledges their love for KY basketball featuring paintings and photos of the 1978 NCAA basketball champions. The waiter was so kind and knew about the history of the restaurant. The legacy lives on. Photos adorn the walls paying tribute to special guests and employees like "Smitty" the maitre'd for many of those 75 years. When in Lexington, this restaurant should be top on your list! They are very busy on KY game days and well worth the wait for a table! read more

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We went here a couple weeks ago and the service was exceptional and the food was heavenly. Perfection. We had a party of 5 for our family and thankfully we were seated in a peaceful and private area. The lighting was perfect and we will definitely be back. Highly impressive by all of us. The next time we all get together we are going here without question. read more

I'm almost certain our server was tweaking. Horrible service experience. This place is tried and true with the food, just an extreme poor customer experience tonight. Over an hour to get food. Partial Order was brought out at one point then we sat and watched my mom Eat her salad for a half Hour. Before the manager visited our table And really offered no explanation other than the salad guy makes the salad faster than the cooks. It was laughable. drinks never refilled entire visit, had to ask multiple times for things to be cleared off the table, had to ask for silverware. I'll be back only because It's a Lexington staple, but next time I'll immediately leave when I recognize my server is high. read more

I will preface my review by saying this was my first time here and we were here for Burger Week, so not your standard dining experience. The WTF burger was great! First, the owner Flo, came by to check on us.... and a restaurant that has a good management presence on the floor is bound to have good service and they did. True to a lot of reviews, the decor is circa 1981... maybe this is the start of a new trend?! They play Yacht Rock radio (my favorite station!!), which appropriately goes with the atmosphere. They have outdoor seating which also has music and is dog friendly. I look forward to bringing the pup and trying their signature tenderloin and salad. read more

Great place to have dinner and relax. I had the Hot Brown- truly a classic. My waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. I will definitely stop in next time I'm in Lexington! read more

God awful. Ordered a steak medium rare and it came out blue. It also was so over seasoned that it was inedible because it was so salty. Service was adequate and it definitely had the feel of a restaurant that was opened 80 years ago and the decor was never updated. Not that I care about the decor but the food was inedible. read more

This is a nice little steakhouse in downtown Lexington. Service was great and order portions were just right. I had the Nighthawk. It was cooked a little more done than I wanted ( I like medium rare and it's hard to get that right now matter where I go). We had the shrimp cocktail and the potato skins for appetizers. The taters were huge. Overall, I'd give this place an 8 out of 10. Definitely would eat there again when in Lexington. read more

Columbia Steak House - red and white checkered ceiling - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Now when I first walked in I did not expect the service to be so wonderful. The exterior does not denote this local legend. I did not know until after it was a local treat. I needed a quiet booth and the hostess immediately took care of me. The ambiance brought you back decades. Feels like somewhere where they know your name. The food I had was a three course meal. Onion straws to start, Beef tenderloin medium rare, steak fries, southern green beans, hot fudge with an ice cream scoop and cola to wash it all down. How much? 40 bucks. I urge anyone to find a better deal than that. All in all, my experience was wonderful, wait staff a delight, and the food was great. Service: 9/10 Food: 8/10 Ambiance: 10/10 read more

Best restaurant in Lexington. Will visit again on next time in Lexington. The server was so positive and friendly.

This is a staple for our birthday celebration since we've been going since the 80's. This place is stuck in a time warp hit that's ok as long as the food is good! read more

Excellent! Exactly the way it has been for 73 years! If you're looking for a white table cloth atmosphere, pretentious staff/guests and overpriced food - this is not your place...... Columbia (Limestone location) is the perfect combination of Excellent food Solid service Tradition Great prices in a location that's a bit gritty, not overly clean, dark and absolutely PERFECT!!!! I've been coming to this location close to 50 years and am thrilled that nothing has changed about this place over the years. Keep knocking it out of the park folks and please don't ever change!!!! read more

Mediocre at best. We ordered for lunch and was greeted by sub par customer service and poor execution on temps. We ordered 4 double cheeseburgers with bacon, ranch on the side, cooked medium, to go; seemingly a simple order. When I arrived to pick up our order I discovered that only one of our burgers had bacon and all were missing the sides of ranch (they gave us sour cream instead of ranch?). On top of this none of them were double cheese burger. When questioned why none of them were doubles the bartender said "we don't do double burgers here". I asked if we could just add an extra patty to them and he said "oh yeah, I guess I could have told you that over the phone". At this point I feel like I've been mislead. The bartender seemed preoccupied so I went on my way willing to overlook the bacon and ranch missing. After arriving back home with the food, we discovered that our burgers were RAW. NOT the medium well we had all ordered. Overall a bad experience both with the staff and the food. Save your time and hard earned money to give to an establishment that cares. read more

Columbia Steak House - Ordered a Med Well burger and got this RAW meat - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Worst experience I have had in over a decade. The waiter wasn't bad, but the wait was exceptionally long, the food came out wrong, then waited 10 mins for condiments. Finally got sick of waiting, got up and walked right out the restaurant. I understand that a place get's busy, but my order was simple and should not have taken so long. read more