11th and Bay Southern Table

I travel all over the world for work. When I’m near Columbus, 11^th and Bay is a must and a treat. Great atmosphere, great service, and phenomenal food! Worth every dollar spent.

We were just in Columbus for the graduation of my oldest from BCT at Fort Benning. During family day, we asked him what he wanted for his graduation dinner, to which he replied, «steak».
Later that day, my wife and my mother (no, the mother-​in-​law stereotype does not exist in our family as my wife and my mother get along great and truly enjoy each others company) were shopping/​browsing/​window shopping on Broadway when they stopped into an antique jewelry shop. Both my wife and my mother are very nice, social people, and as we found, the people of Columbus are very out-​going, friendly people, as is the owner of the jewelry store. When they relayed my son’s request for «steak», he told them to try 11^th and Bay as he had never had a bad meal, and in fact, liked all he had.
So we went… now, they don’t take reservations, but they will put you on a list for the time requested which they say will cut the wait time in half. Since Mike needed to be back on base by 1945, we went early at 1700 and was the first table seated that evening, last Thursday.
We had Brian as our server, the self-​proclaimed best waiter in the house. He was very personable, and hustled, we never waited for drinks or food.
We did not order appetizers although three of us ordered the Southern Caesar salad — good, the cornbread croutons were a nice change, but nothing special.
My two sons present (youngest and oldest, 20 and 26 respectfully) order the simply sirloin. My wife ordered the sirloin as well, I had the shrimp ‘n’ grits ‘n’ belly ‘n’ bits, my mother ordered the catfish and we shared our dishes among the three of us.
All of it was very good, the shrimp dish was complex, sweet, but not too salty, the grits were very good, the steak was cooked very well, very tasty and tender, the catfish was fried to perfection, crusty on the outside, but tender and steaming hot inside. The truffle fries were OK, you could taste the truffle oil, a little bland, but given the rest of the dishes, hardly an issue.
One note — as a group, we ordered the sirloin three different ways, rare, medium rare and medium. Brian described each as we ordered as many good restaurants do — this was one of the few places that delivered the steaks as ordered and all were satisfied.
Atmosphere and ambiance are very conducive to relaxation, Brian was great, I wish we were local as there are many items I’d like to try. One cannot go wrong at 11^th and Bay in my humble opinion…

The location is great and the atmosphere inside awesome as well. We stopped in for lunch and our server was very attentive and friendly. As for the food? Seriously incredible! I had the Caprese Melt, which is an Open Faced Chuck Short Rib Burger with Grilled Green Tomato, House Fried Pimento Cheese, Basil Peach Jam on Rose Cottage Sourdough. Easily a top 5 sandwich/​burger I have ever had in my life! If you’re in Columbus, this place is a must!

The menu was kind of small but my food was delicious! There was some confusion because one of the menu items (a steak dish) was not marked as gluten-​free for one of the people in our party and the waiter couldn’t tell us why it wasn’t considered gluten free, even though the ingredients didn’t mention anything with gluten. Very odd and a little confusing, but not the end of the world, as there were other menu items that were gluten-​free.
The beer selection was good, though the menu was not up to date as it’s constantly changing. Oh well. Our server was SO friendly and entertaining and we had a blast with Shane! Overall, a very good restaurant in Columbus. I wish it was a bit warmer so we could have sat outside. Maybe in the spring, as I plan on going back.

Great service. Good food. Alligator was a bit weird but hey… It’s alligator. Enjoyed the experience. Would eat her again.

Nice atmosphere, good food. Stopped in with a group of coworkers for dinner and drinks. Located near the river, in an old warehouse building, the interior is open with nice original features such as the the original wood beams and floors. We had a large group of 8 – 10 and the waitstaff took care of us very well, especially since we had people arriving at different times. I ended up having the Fried Chicken and Gouda Mac, which was very good. The chicken was very flavorful and not too greasy, while the Mac n Cheese was very rich. Overall it was a nice place to spend an evening, as the food was good, the staff friendly and they accommodated our group well.

Straight out, this place is bomb.
I’m forever back and forth between Georgia and California, and for my sisters birthday, we decided to give «11^th and bay» a try.
First things first, it is expensive.
A burger, steak & appetizer was 60 $…HOWEVER, my sister said it was the best steak she’s ever had, the appetizer «chicken & waffles» came with a sriracha butter and syrup that was seriously was one of a kind, and my burger looked like it belonged in a magazine, lol.
It had a mountain of macaroni & cheese in it, they even make their own ketchup! (THE KETCHUP WAS THE SHIT)
If you believe «You get what you pay for» this place will seriously hold that meaning.
The chef is a cool dude, my burger wasn’t on the dinner menu, but he made sure I got it before I left back to California, which was super nice of him.
The restaurant was so cute and cozy and all in all a ¹⁰⁄₁₀. The ONLY negative thing I have to say is the free bread seriously sucks (but I mean it’s free so whatever). But the service makes up for that. I even decided to not be cheap and left a 10 $ tip ;) if you’re in the area, give it a try. Worth every penny!

I normally tip pretty well. Between 18 and 20%. Our Server received 25% from me tonight. He was well versed in the menu items rattling them off by heart. I ordered a Blue moon and he recommended a semi-​local brew out of Savannah and I enjoyed it even more. The guy was super professional and just well rounded. The food? I ate myself into borderline gluttony. I was so full that I could barely walk home. I initially had the chicken and waffles. I’ll give it 4 star because the whipped sriracha butter was not to my taste, but not to say it won’t be to yours. The buttermilk fried chicken was so juicy I almost had to use my napkin as a bib. Then for an entrée I had the «Yard bird» extremely well cooked. It came with mashed potatoes and the veggie of the day. Which was green beans… I’m always down for a green veggie.
Now the price. You get what you pay for. High quality food with high quality service. You can do the math but after the tip, my total was a bill.
I do have some hearing issues so to me it was a little too loud. The lighting wasn’t too great. It was set low to «set the mood» but didn’t accentuate the mood at all, It just make you use your phone to read the menu.
Not cheap, but I highly, highly recommend this place. I’ll be returning.

I’ve eaten here a lot. It’s a great room, and they don’t over reach with what they are trying to do. As a matter of fact, I recommend it to friends and out of towners alike. The biscuits are not special, but southern. The Southern Caprese is not bad. Most of my entrees have been on the above average side.
But every time I sit outside, like I’m doing right now, I have to beg for a server. I don’t mean a wave and «excuse me» beg, I mean a full on form tackle as they walk by beg. It’s a beautiful night, in a great spot, but they have to step it up in the server department.
I’ll let you know about the alligator. If it crawls out on its own.

I would like to thank Mike and the staff at 11^th and Bay. I was in town for business and as usual I try to seek out local fare that I cannot experience at home. I found them on Unilocal and decided to check it out. When I arrived Mike invited me inside and immersed me in true southern hospitality. I would like to thank Mike and his staff for opening their doors to a stranger on a day that they were closed. This restaurant is a must see for the history of the building and for the interior design. Top notch restaurant, with a relaxing shiek country atmosphere.

Probably the best restaurant in Columbus, which isn’t saying a whole lot. There were a couple of fantastic items that stood out, but the meal over all was fantastically mediocre — it hit the spot, it did it’s job, but I wouldn’t write home about it.
The service was fantastic and we had a lovely new server when we dined. I was pleased with the rolls they serve while you wait for the food; it was a good introduction to a modern take on Southern cooking. My husband and I ordered the gator wings, the 11^th & Bay Burger and the Cutbait Catfish. Having just moved from Washington State, I felt it very necessary to try the gator wings; the Filipino inspired sauce added nice depth to the flavor profile of the gator. I didn’t love them, but as previously mentioned, they did their job.
My husband ordered his burger medium rare — and boy, was it medium rare. The burger meat itself was cooked to perfection. I could write a sonnet about how beautifully cooked it was, but I’ll save that for another day. What really threw me for a loop was the gargantuan bun that overpowered such a fantastic burger. I would’ve personally either toasted the bun, or served the burger on something with a little more texture. It was too much of a doughy, uninspired mess for such a great burger. The truffle fries were good; a little on the salty side and a bit soggy, but the truffle oil was definitely noticeable and pleasant.
I really did not like my order of the Cutbait Catfish. In 11^th & Bay’s defense, I misread the menu and didn’t realize until it was in front of me, that it would be battered and fried. Perhaps I’m not used to Southern style fried fish, but there was an almost slimy layer between the soggy cornmeal batter and the catfish. Despite the catfish being cooked well, I couldn’t finish my meal, because the texture was not pleasant. I thoroughly enjoyed the in house pickled slaw and pickles and again, despite the sogginess, enjoyed my batch of truffle fries as well.
I think 11^th & Bay has a lot of potential to step up their game and become more than just a solidly mediocre restaurant, but I think they’d need to look introspectively at their menu and perhaps rehash a few items. I will definitely be dining at the restaurant again, as their service was great, their location is ideal (although the indoor restaurant’s floor is made of wood and high heels in there are like walking in the Danger Zone), and the «meat and potatoes» of their meat and potatoes ain’t half bad.

After going three times, I think he best way to classify 11^th & Bay is to say that its a good experience, but it is overpriced and a bit underwhelming for what you’re getting. It is probably more along the lines of 3.5 stars. Although it is a good addition to the area, I think it is a place where you’re paying more for the style of the restaurant/​atmosphere than the substance of the food, which is okay, but nothing spectacular.
The biscuits they bring out before the meal are generally warm and very good, and the jam/​preserves are also really tasty. As far as appetizers go, the Chicken and Waffles is awesome. By far my favorite menu item is the Shrimp and Grits, which has an Asian-​twist with pork belly. Its different but still really good. I’ve had the fried chicken as well, which was okay but nothing memorable. The burger wasn’t bad but was completely underwhelming and not worth $ 13.50. Other entrees look okay, but frankly they’re a bit expensive (between $ 25-​$ 35) and given the hit-​or-​miss quality of the other menu items, I don’t see myself going out on a limb to get them if I’m ever back. After dinner, the bread pudding dessert is really tasty and quite sizable. The french press coffee is also excellent (I’ve gotten it each time I’ve visited).
The bar is easily one of the better ones in Columbus. The cocktails are generally pretty good (the Moscow Mules are popular, but the house Old Fashioned wasn’t anything special), and the drinks look stylish. The beer selection is pretty expansive and is very local with all Georgia draught beers. That said, probably 75% are from Omaha Brewing, which is okay, but they would have done better to expand their selection of Terrapin, Sweetwater, Monday Night, etc. on draught (there is maybe one Terrapin and one Monday Night there currently). Again, I think this is an example of style beating substance– they have plenty of local beer, but they’re by no means the best GA has to offer. Still, the bar is great, and is reason enough to go there.
Atmosphere wise, the restaurant has a very nice feel to it. I think that’s ultimately what you’re paying for. It is, however, super crowded and pretty loud. The service is hit-​or-​miss, but its generally adequate.
Overall, a great addition to downtown Columbus, but I think some of the mainstays (Black Cow, Loft, etc.) probably have this place beat in terms of raw quality.

Dropped in for a late lunch, had the yardbird with gravy. The chicken and mushroom gravy was good but when I think of mashed potatoes I
think velvety and buttery. This was Yukon gold chunks of over done and under done potato piled on my plate. No seasoning. The sauté of mixed squash was the same, mixed over done and under done zucchini and squash. My husband had the scallops for $ 32 and with each bite brought a mouthful of sand. If you are going to charge that much for a few scallops, then at least clean them right. We had tea and lemonade and a bill for $ 74.00. Over priced and underwhelmed. Wished I spent my money at Epic.

This is a restaurant run by foodies! They know food, they love food, and it shows. The menu is varied, eclectic, and imaginative. We went for lunch to check it out.
We had the alligator wings appetizer. It’s actually alligator legs, fried and coated with a pineapple sweet and sour sauce. It’s served with more of that and a peanut sauce. The peanut sauce was my particular favorite. The legs are meaty, tender, and flavorful (mild, like chicken). Be adventurous and try them!
The beer and wine selection rivals any in town. I enjoyed a Sierra Nevada American Pilsner on draft. It’s a light and refreshing beer, clocking in at 5%, perfect for a hot day. I plan to explore their other offerings at leisure.
The lunch entrees were all around $ 12. Certainly very reasonable and competitive with most places in town. We ordered the Goober Burger (Angus beef, peanut butter topping), the Yardbird and Gravy (grilled chicken breasts in a cream sherry sauce with shallots and fresh mushrooms), and the 11^th and Bay Burger (Angus beef, sweet red slaw, sharp cheddar). Both burgers were grilled to order, and by that I mean that when you order medium rare, it is just right – pink in the middle. I’m not really a $ 12 burger kind of guy, but these are the real deal.
Our sides were the Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and the white truffle Parmesan fries. The mashed potatoes are just great, but the fries are really something special. I think that many dishes featuring truffle oil tend to be a gimmick, but these have a distinctive and delicious flavor. They’re crispy, too – just right.
We tried two of their desserts: the Espresso Chocolate Mousse and the Crème Brûlée. If chocolate is what you want, and who doesn’t, then the mousse will hit the spot. My favorite is the Crème Brûlée. It is simple and perfect. The caramelized sugar crust is just right. We topped that off with French press coffee, and I can honestly say that everything was wonderful.
Oh, by the way – they’re serving grilled oysters on Tuesdays and Saturdays now. Guess what I’m going back for?

Went here for a birthday dinner and we all ordered different items, burgers, salmon, shrimp and grits, catch of the day. it was a nice restaurant beautiful inside, they gave us complimentary biscuits and a peach basil jam, which was okay… we got our food shortly after the plating was good but the food was decent.
My market catch of the day was supposed to be a cajun flavored fish but turned out tasting like an Asian curry.
The shrimp and grits were really sweet, just like it says on the menu it has a sugar cane syrup on the grits.
Overall would I come to columbus to eat here again no I don’t think so, it’s pricey and the food wasn’t amazing!

This place is pretty good. Actually, all things considered it’s probably my favorite place in Columbus.
I travel to Columbus quite a bit for work and I go out to eat for breakfast lunch and dinner. Columbus has lots of chain places but if you look carefully there are some decent non-​chain restaurants, and this is one of them.
It’s right on the river walk, such as it is, so you can take a walk before or after you eat. I recommend looking across the river and making fun of the people from Alabama on the other side ;-)
Parking is pretty easy as there’s a lot behind the place and street parking back there as well. Worst case park on the main road. Apparently it’s an old cotton mill on the river and they tried to keep it somewhat original. The result is a pretty cool location inside and out. There’s a nice outside eating area when the weather cooperates.
The food is I guess «upscale Southern». The menu isn’t huge but there’s some good things on there. I’ve had the salmon (good) but recently I’ve been having the Yard Bird N’ Gravy. It sounded a little rich but it’s not. I like it a lot and I recommended it. The green beans they served with it were great. For sides I like the risotto and I love th grits, which seem fancier here than elsewhere. For apps the «Daily Dip» is good. Basically three different types of dips (always changing) and some fancy crackers. The seafood hush puppies were ok but I was expecting more. Also I’m not a huge fan of the biscuits they serve but people seem to love them so what do I know.
If I have room for dessert (portions here are decently sized) I recommend the chocolate mousse. It’s not huge and pretty tasty.
The wine list is ok with a couple decent options by the glass.
I’ve always found the service to be pleasant and efficient.
It’s not cheap especially by Columbus standards but considering what it is I think it’s fairly priced.
Overall a nice place to go by yourself, on a date or with a group of people.

The river walk area is blessed by the presence of this gem, open since last October. Starting with the décor, I believe it’s an old cotton warehouse that has been repurposed to make this shiek, urban eatery. From foodies to young urbanites, 11^th & Bay hits you right in the stomach. Their entrée portions are over the top and the pairings of farm fresh items are nothing less than Chef inspired. The menu is laced with Southern delicacies and traditions. I had the filet which was cooked spot on medium just as I ordered. I am not a grits man, never have been but our server won me over with his description. Starting with the southern Caesar with cornbread croutons, to the filet and ‘sexy’ grits and finishing with the vanilla bean with macerated berries the meal was remarkable. If you are new to Columbus or you are a long time resident, stop in at this fine eatery and treat yourself.

Great, but sort of overpriced.
The only thing we had here that I wasn’t a fan of was the «gator wings». They were very dry and weren’t well flavored. Highly recommend the southern caprese and the chicken and waffles appetizers!
We split the 11^th and bay burger since we ordered three appetizers; it came with fries which were aaaaamazing.
Their cocktails all sound really awesome (and the Red Magnolia was fantastic), and there is a good selection of craft beers. Service was good as well.
Will be back for special occasions. :)

This might be the nicest dinner experience I’ve ever had.
We had a late reservation on Valentine’s day (9:30pm) but the service was still on point! We waited a short while and were shown to a very nice table in the back. Our server Clinton was great, extremely knowledgeable about the menu and very enthusiastic. Gave fantastic recommendations. We had the Southern Caprese-​EVERYONE needs to try this!!! Almost had an out of body experience. Our entrees were also delicious.
Great atmosphere, great service, amazing food/​drinks, and a nice location. There’s construction going on right outside the restaurant at the moment but don’t let it deter you!

Best restaurant in Columbus. The Southern Caprese Salad is an ingenious concoction combining fried green tomatoes and Caprese salad. Steaks are tender and juicy. Black rice risotto is great… asparagus is also done well. I’ve also gotten the grilled vegetable salad which is good too.
Great drinks… their specialties are martinis and Moscow mules and of course their wide bourbon selection. Great local craft beer selection on tap and in bottles.