On Friday, one of Columbus’ most famous fine dining restaurants unveiled a vastly expanded courtyard.
Top Steak House, a pillar of the East Side at 2891 E. Main St., gave the public a first look at the new outdoor area this week, adding 82 table seats and 12 bar stools to the restaurant – increasing its total number. Seats by around 75 percent.
The extension of the restaurant is adjacent to the steakhouse on the west side. A rectangular bar protrudes from the side of the building, a fountain and numerous planters enliven the room.
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A fence surrounds the patio on three sides and separates dinner parties from the parking lot. Almost every table on Friday was filled with well-dressed guests, sipping cocktails and nibbling appetizers as the late afternoon light filtered through openings in the fence.
The new terrace is roughly four times the size of the old one, said Regina Adkins, the general manager and part of the family who own the iconic restaurant.
The coronavirus outbreak last spring convinced owners to update the outdoor seating at the popular restaurant, where finding a place in a small space can be a challenge on Thursdays and weekends, even at the bar.
“We talked about it for years, and when the pandemic hit it seemed like the right thing,” Adkins said.
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The terrace was originally planned to open in May, but after a delay, it was finally opened to limited customers earlier this week. The official opening of the terrace took place on Friday.
The Top Steak House has been a staple of the Columbus restaurant scene since 1955 and is known for its old-fashioned steakhouse atmosphere. Adkins and her family are the third owners.
