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.