The Elevator and I are on fairly good terms at the moment. I respect what Chef Nate is trying to do there, and I think when given free reign, he can make some fantastic food. I do still, however, think that service at the Elevator is very uneven, and that they are still trying to straddle the fine line between pub grub and fine dining but not focusing enough on either side to make them stand out in the Columbus dining scene. Once they can embrace an identity, and resolve the service issues, they'll be fine. Consider this an update on my stance on the Elevator. That is, if you think I'm qualified to judge food at all (out of curiosity, what qualifications do you think that someone who reviews restaurants SHOULD have? And what makes Jon Christensen, a lawyer by trade, more qualified than any other person?)

I have not always had excellent service at Elevator, but I have never had sub-par service either. In fact, I think the personality and timeliness of the staff has been satisfactory overall. The only complaint I would have is the decor- Awful! For such a beautiful space, why are there terrible clashing paintings and 80s-deco booth covers? Other than that, most of the food is great, although not always consistent. You can expect to get the same thing there twice and it not be entirely the same. The kitchen often takes far too long when it is a bit busy, but that has never reflected too poorly on my meal. I suggest you try again, or at least learn a thing or two about food before writing about it.

Having only visited the bar area, I can say Elevator’s beers were not bad in my opinion. In fact, the Hefeweizen may be one of the best American examples I have had. They also make a statement by offering only their beers on tap. The service, however, left something to be desired. While sitting at the bar around 5:30 PM on a weekday, I waited quite some time to be addressed when the seating was not even half full. There were also 2 bartenders on duty at the time. The female bartender who tended to me was not very personable, though a manager did ask how things were as he whisked by on the way to a business discussion right at the bar. The blue lights behind the bar did not ooze sophistication and became bothersome after some time. The free parking across the street is a big plus for a downtown location.

I would go again on the merit of the beer and free parking, to try the food and to experience more of the atmosphere, but certainly not for service with a smile.

Jill, We’re all entitled to our own opinions, of course – and I stand by mine. My last experience at Elevator was so bad that I’ll never spend money there again. Chef Nate did redeem himself somewhat with the wonderful dish he whipped up for Taste of the Independents. Still not quite enough to put my money on the line (unlike restaurant reviewers for Columbus’ major publications, I do pay for every single meal out of my own pocket).

At least one of the negative posts did come from a manager of Elevator, and the rest arrived in such a way that it was extremely suspicious (which is why I posted the caveat I did). Your next comment “do not post pictures of things if you are going to be dishonest in the way you describe them” makes no sense at all. I posted pictures of what I ordered, and described them exactly as they were in the menu. I noted how what I tasted differed from what I expected based on the menu description. Last time I checked, that’s usually a large part of what a review is.

Either way, it’s not my job for you to believe or not believe what I write. If you believe it, fine. If you don’t believe it, fine. My job is to put my experiences out there to start a discussion of whether other people’s experiences differ from mine. And no matter how rude your comment is, you’re more than entitled to express your opinion too. In the case of the Elevator, most people on Columbus Underground (the one high-profile place I post my reviews) agreed wholeheartedly with my review. And I’ve always used that group as a litmus test of whether my reviews are right on or whether or not I need to make another visit to re-evaluate.

What disturbs me most about my review of the Elevator is the negativity and personal attacks I’ve received over it, either by employees or by admirers of the place. I’m a reasonable person, and if you disagree with my review, do it without insulting me. I’ve spent a few years now in this town building credibility, and have earned the respect of many in the industry, including restaurant owners whose establishments I’ve criticized in some way (usually, the response is a “you’re right, we need to work on that”). So explain to me, why are you taking my review so personally? Why are you so emotionally involved in whether or not I enjoyed my meal at the Elevator?

Just wondering.