May 2008
Columbus restaurant in Herzlia was, for many years, the stronghold of treif restaurants in the area. The restaurant is under new management, and is now kosher, under the hashgacha of Rabbanut Herzlia. Those who question whether the Messiah is on his way need only track the development of kashrut in Herzlia. Over the past 35 years, what was once the most “in-your-face” non-kosher town, now boasts a plethora of kosher restaurants, hotels, and services. Amen. Keyn Yirbu.

Getting There:
Columbus restaurant is located on Abba Eban St, the major artery running east-west between the Coastal Road and the sea. The restaurant is on the southern side of Abba Eban, across from the turn into Maskit St.. The restaurant is in a small center, set back from the street, above a ground level parking lot.  Parking is free in this lot for visitors of the restaurant after 5pm. From the Coastal Road you will pass the restaurant (on your left), take a U-turn, and double back to the restaurant parking lot. A short flight of stairs (or ramp) takes you from the street to the entrance to the restaurant.

About Columbus:
Columbus is Israel’s version of the American-based TGI Friday’s restaurants, complete with red stripes. You can expect generous portions at reasonable prices, in a lively and upbeat atmosphere. The restaurant’s motto is “the right portions for the right price” and “flavor with more bang for less bucks.“  At Columbus restaurant they live up to this motto. Prepare for lots of action, lots of people, lively music, and plenty of food.

The restaurant was already a hoppin’ and a poppin’ when we got there early on a Wednesday evening.  Groups of friends and families trickled in, filling up the entrance level. A party was well underway on one of the other 5 level, we were told.

We were greeted at the door and shown to our table by Meir, the smiling Maitre D with a bit of lower-east-side flair, who has been with this restaurant for over 15 years. He can tell you a story or two. From there on we were in the hands of the busy waiting staff that is sometimes hard to catch.

The décor at Columbus is vaguely American Mid-Western Saloon. There is a long shiny bar with glistening bottles and beer on tap. Tiffany lamps light the restaurant throughout. But the most pronounced aspect of the décor is the wall decorations. In short, you will be surrounded by stuff.

Looking for something to do while you are waiting for your food?
Just look around. Decorations include (just to name a few) a barber shop Indian head, a full-size kayak, oars, tennis rackets, framed postcards, old license plates, memorabilia of every kind. We chuckled at the “come see us again” sign from an old Esso station, on the wall as we were leaving. All of this, we were told, was from the original restaurant. Indeed, it would take generations to accumulate all that stuff.  For folks who are not sufficiently entertained by the décor the restaurant has installed mini-flat screens at the tables on the entrance level, offering pictures of the dishes on the menu and electronic games. I guess that is for the youngsters of all ages.

This is not a restaurant for quiet relaxation. Columbus is a party with the visual as part of the “action.” The 200 guests that this restaurant can accommodate at any one time are in and out non-stop. There is a constant flow of food and drinks. Waiters in red shirts rush past with bountiful food-laden trays. Desserts come with sparklers.

Is it your birthday? Gong! And a team of waiters sing happy birthday for the benefit of the whole restaurant (and you thought nobody would notice this year).

Menu:
The menu is a one laminated card affair, in Hebrew only (an English language menu is on the way). Choose from a variety of fixed-price meals, some with an extra charge for specialty meats. You can eat at Columbus for as little as NIS 39 or as much as NIS 120, depending on what you choose.

The specialty of the house is the Onion Loaf (challat batzal) appetizer, a crispy dish of battered and fried onion rings shaped into a block.  This dish is vaguely reminiscent of the onion basket appetizer served at some of the up market grill restaurants. This generously sized loaf, served with both a mild and a tangy sauce, can easily be shared by two. My companion helped me out with the Onion Loaf after he finished his finger-lickin’ good appetizer of chicken wings served with a sticky sauce. It was all a bit messy, but delicious, all forgiven by the packaged towelettes that followed.

My companion was pleased with his main course: a platter of three lamb chops and chunky chips, served with a separate bowl of salad.  It isn’t just meat and potatoes at Columbus. The menu offers a veggie mushroom burger, and a NIS 49 children's menu. The fish fillet with rice, my choice for a main, was over the top and more food than necessary after the appetizer. Several bottles of sparkling water and two tall glasses of beer (extra cost) went well with the food.

Columbus is a party restaurant as well as a family restaurant. The space is divided into corals that suit groups of between 30 and 50 diners. So you can do sheva brachot in a semi-private area, make a birthday party or just enjoy a family get together in one of the private sections. You’ll have more than enough food to share and a good time will be had by all.

A separate outdoor area can accommodate 150 guests.

From Our Readers:
Submitted By: Sarah Date: November 09. Description: We were there Motzei Shabbat, Chol Hamoed Succot, not one but two great Succa areas. Our party of about sixteen was extremely comfortable in the spacious pretty and well lit Succa. Lamb chops, hamburgers and much more, were devoured by (perpetually) hungry teenagers, younger kids and we oldies, parents and grandparents, even though we'd all stuffed ourselves over Shabbat. The kids enjoyed wandering in and out to the really 'cool' and lively inside area, to the pretty tables and playing the video quizzes available at each small table, in the entire central area etc. No one stopped them, as we were there early. the staff were extremely pleasant, efficient and good fun. The young birthday girl loved it all too. It filled up by the time we left.

[Columbus] is a really fun place different from the usual run of kosher restaurants for the religious family. We'll definitely go again.

Submitted By: Adina Appel Date: August 08. Description: Last week when we needed a last fling before the 9 days, i took my son out for a special treat the night before he went in to the army.  Through your site we came across the most wonderful restaurant- colombus in herzlia.

we got there and were greated by a very friendly maitre d' who asked us if we were celebrating anything special that night - i told him why we were there and he seated us at a table.

in between taking in all the "stuff" on the walls and ceilings etc, we selected our food with the help of a useful and friendly waitress. although she warned us that the portions were big, we were skeptical- until the food came.

i ordered the house specialty- onion hallah- thre was enough there to feed six people. my son had the wings - also a rather large portion. both were delicious. next thing we knew a plate of chili con carne showed up at the table. we tried to send it back as we did not order this but were told it was on the house.

by the time our main courses came we were stuffed. my son took the 350 gram hamburger (his mother assumed the army may not feed him too well) and i took my  favoritre food- lamb chops.  both portions came with delicious home fries.  the portions were so plentiful that we need to keep taking breaks while we were eating - maybe this is why there are so many interesting artifacts hanging up and there are electronic games at the table- there is so much food you need to rest in between forkfulls.

The staff, incuding the owner kept coming by to see if everything was ok- not in an interefering obtrusive way but because they genuinely seemed to care about the customer.  By the time dessert came (included in the 79 nis appetizer- main course and dessert -price) all we could do was force more food into our mouths. my vanilla ice cream had about six scoops in it (none of which i ate by the way). my son did manage to eat all of his  yummy chocolate souffle- he admitted to being stuffed to the gills but i guess  he was concerned that the food he will be getting over the next period of time will not compete with this culinary experience.

the restaurant recently became kosher and they are really trying to rope in the kosher crowd. they should be commended for their efforts and we should all make an effort to show our support- hey the food is good, the service great and the atmoshphere and decor fun- so what can be bad.