We requested a bottle of wine around $30 because it was lunch. We asked for 2 different $30 bottles on their menu, neither of which they had. We asked about another wine and were told it was $58. We told the server that we didn't want to spend that much so we asked for the house wine. When we got the check it showed one of the $58 bottles of wine. We told our server that she had made a mistake on our check. She responded that the house wine was the substitute wine. We said that the house wine couldn't be $58...particularly since she knew we wanted to keep the cost around $30. We felt we were misled...a house wine is the least expensive on a menu. $58 is absolutely absurd. This isn't the first time we've been a guest at this restaurant but it is the last. We will definitely share this story with others.
Anu MahapatraGupta
Loved the overall experience. From food to ambience to courtesy of staffs . I highly recommend this place
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ramona Carter
My son and I ate here to celebrate his 21st birthday. He ordered the short rib manicotti dish, and I ordered the wild boar osso buco. We also shared a blue cheese wedge salad, and a piece of raspberry pie for dessert with ice cream. Everything had amazing flavors. It was warm and properly prepared. There were good portions on the plates as well. It was a little empty because of the holiday, but I Evan, our waiter, did a good job of taking care of us. I do wish the raspberry pie had more raspberries in it, but the meat on my plate was so tender that it fell off of the bone. This made up for the raspberry pie being small. We will definitely return as it is a valuable asset to our community. .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Pamela Fischer
Our food was tasty. Wait staff was professional and knowledgeable.
Jill P.
I was in town visiting family and we chose Malia’s for dinner. We made a reservation for 3 at 6:30pm. We were kindly greeted as we walked in and we loved the new decor. We were then seated in the small side room to the right that has 3 tables. Everything started off ok, then soon declined. We felt like we were forgotten because we were seated away from the center area. Service became worse. Our waitress, Paige, was nice at the start, but we felt as if we were being rushed. We were there on a Wednesday evening and there were plenty of empty tables. We were very easy and only there for 1 & 1/2 hours. We felt like we were bothering her. We asked three times (2 different employees) for wine/water refills, which we waited 15 minutes for. Just as we were getting up to find someone to cancel them, they were brought out in a hurry. The wedge salad is good, very small. A small, adorable, well behaved dog was sitting in a chair at the table next us. Her head rested on the table with her owners. She was let down and went over and vomited between our table and hers. Numerous employees noticed it and walked past/over it several times without getting it up. It continued to sit there as we ate our meals. Then, an employee stepped in it and continue on as if not to see it. We really wanted this to be great and see that the new ownership was going well, but we were terribly disappointed. We unfortunately will not be back. For the price of food and atmosphere, The Willcox is a much better option. I truly do not like writing such a negative review, but hopefully they will improve the issues we in countered tonight.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Mark Campbell
Went to celebrate Veterans Day, hadn’t been to Malia’s since the reopening/rebranding. Got sat, didn’t see our waitress for 10-15 minutes then when putting in our drink order we were told they were out of Coca Cola which was wild. Really weird funky music plays a little too loudly as well making the atmosphere kind of uncomfortable. Our entrees were definitely a redeeming quality but when it came time to pay the bill, we were slapped with a sneaky 20% automatic added gratuity for a party of 5 of us. Which, in my experience, typically only gets added with parties of 6 or more. All in all, still one of the most subpar dining experiences in Aiken, unlikely to return.
Also their online menus do not match the menu at the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Bobby Windham
Attended a private dinner and was really impressed with the dinner, the variety and the atmosphere. The braised rabbit soup with dumplings was absolutely perfect 👌
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kevin Teh
Service was great and food was delicious. The wild boar was so tender and the chocolate pave was a great way to end the meal. Definitely would recommend both.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kelly Harvey
A friend and I stopped in during Amp the Alley. We sat in the courtyard and grabbed a couple of drinks and some apps (Brussels, gnocchi and baked feta). Everything was a delight! We both rated the Brussels at the top of the list. The service was impeccable as well. I highly recommend dining here and can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi
Liz McCallum
I came to visit family' and was told this was a great restaurant it took at least 20 minutes to get a drink from bar. I got the filet and it was tender it was cold. My family got scallops and salmon and grits which were room temp and sasuage over cooked. They won't come back. So very disappointed
Beautiful place! Came here at opening at 5pm on Tuesday 10/14/2025 for a family members birthday dinner celebration! Our server Leah, was very polite and Very attentive! She remembered everyone's orders! If You are coming here with a large group of 10 or more, expect to wait a minimum of an hour and 45 mins for Your food to come out! I had a weg salad with extra bacon. It was just ok! The combination of blue cheese crumbs and balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing is different! My wife had the Shrimp vindo! She stated it i was average! The other family members enjoyed the meals and drinks they had! Its kinda pricey for the small amount of food served to You, but it was an experience!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
WL36
After hearing mixed reviews from friends who visited Malia's shortly after its reopening, we decided to see for ourselves—and we’re glad we did! Having dined at Malia's for over 17 years under the previous ownership, this was our first visit since the new team took over. The transformation of the interior was a pleasant surprise: warm, inviting, and beautifully updated. The ambiance felt fresh yet familiar. We were greeted promptly by the hostess and seated at a strikingly unique table—crafted from what appeared to be a polished slab of hardwood, adding a rustic elegance to the space. Our server, Paige, was a standout: friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive throughout the evening. For dinner, we chose the Pork Scallopini and the Faroe Island Salmon. Both dishes arrived hot and were absolutely delicious. To finish, we shared the Deconstructed Apple Pie, which was a delightful twist on a classic dessert. All in all, Malia's has made a strong impression under its new ownership. We’re looking forward to returning soon!
jenniferlV909GU
I am joining the chorus of “Why did they sell the restaurant?” as I am up in the middle of the night with stomach pain, popping omneprazole from whatever those sweet pepper drops were that they put on the greens with greasy pork fragments that I had picked around. The lobster bisque was oily and came out at room temperature and had to be sent back, which they just put in the microwave and re-served. Oh, and it didn’t have any actual lobster in it, just a thin, cream-based broth. The sticky pudding was stale and they assumed plopping ice cream on it would obscure that fact. I didn’t complain because the staff there is always very nice snd I was already weary from having walked out of another restaurant that served me undercooked chicken. Also, I was enjoying talking to people there and didn’t want to ruin the vibe. But, at this point, not only am I done with Malia’s, I might just be done with dining out in Aiken. Too many places are cutting corners in this economy on quality, and I work to hard to pay money for a meal that causes me horrible indigestion.
Jacq Woelinga
We walked in after looking at the menu. The staff were very friendly and seated us right away. Our group was 2 adults and 2 children. They do not have a kids’ menu, which may be a deterrent for some families. Our waitress was kind and checked on us frequently. We ordered smash burgers, fish and chips, and grilled cheese with tomato bisque. Our food arrived warm and all was really good. The portion sizes for brunch were on the small-medium which was great for us.
We requested a bottle of wine around $30 because it was lunch. We asked for 2 different $30 bottles on their menu, neither of which they had. We asked about another wine and were told it was $58. We told the server that we didn't want to spend that much so we asked for the house wine. When we got the check it showed one of the $58 bottles of wine. We told our server that she had made a mistake on our check. She responded that the house wine was the substitute wine. We said that the house wine couldn't be $58...particularly since she knew we wanted to keep the cost around $30. We felt we were misled...a house wine is the least expensive on a menu. $58 is absolutely absurd. This isn't the first time we've been a guest at this restaurant but it is the last. We will definitely share this story with others.
Loved the overall experience. From food to ambience to courtesy of staffs . I highly recommend this place
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My son and I ate here to celebrate his 21st birthday. He ordered the short rib manicotti dish, and I ordered the wild boar osso buco. We also shared a blue cheese wedge salad, and a piece of raspberry pie for dessert with ice cream. Everything had amazing flavors. It was warm and properly prepared. There were good portions on the plates as well. It was a little empty because of the holiday, but I Evan, our waiter, did a good job of taking care of us. I do wish the raspberry pie had more raspberries in it, but the meat on my plate was so tender that it fell off of the bone. This made up for the raspberry pie being small. We will definitely return as it is a valuable asset to our community.
.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Our food was tasty. Wait staff was professional and knowledgeable.
I was in town visiting family and we chose Malia’s for dinner. We made a reservation for 3 at 6:30pm. We were kindly greeted as we walked in and we loved the new decor. We were then seated in the small side room to the right that has 3 tables. Everything started off ok, then soon declined. We felt like we were forgotten because we were seated away from the center area. Service became worse. Our waitress, Paige, was nice at the start, but we felt as if we were being rushed. We were there on a Wednesday evening and there were plenty of empty tables. We were very easy and only there for 1 & 1/2 hours. We felt like we were bothering her. We asked three times (2 different employees) for wine/water refills, which we waited 15 minutes for. Just as we were getting up to find someone to cancel them, they were brought out in a hurry. The wedge salad is good, very small.
A small, adorable, well behaved dog was sitting in a chair at the table next us. Her head rested on the table with her owners. She was let down and went over and vomited between our table and hers. Numerous employees noticed it and walked past/over it several times without getting it up. It continued to sit there as we ate our meals. Then, an employee stepped in it and continue on as if not to see it.
We really wanted this to be great and see that the new ownership was going well, but we were terribly disappointed. We unfortunately will not be back. For the price of food and atmosphere, The Willcox is a much better option. I truly do not like writing such a negative review, but hopefully they will improve the issues we in countered tonight.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Went to celebrate Veterans Day, hadn’t been to Malia’s since the reopening/rebranding. Got sat, didn’t see our waitress for 10-15 minutes then when putting in our drink order we were told they were out of Coca Cola which was wild. Really weird funky music plays a little too loudly as well making the atmosphere kind of uncomfortable. Our entrees were definitely a redeeming quality but when it came time to pay the bill, we were slapped with a sneaky 20% automatic added gratuity for a party of 5 of us. Which, in my experience, typically only gets added with parties of 6 or more. All in all, still one of the most subpar dining experiences in Aiken, unlikely to return.
Also their online menus do not match the menu at the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Attended a private dinner and was really impressed with the dinner, the variety and the atmosphere. The braised rabbit soup with dumplings was absolutely perfect 👌
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Service was great and food was delicious. The wild boar was so tender and the chocolate pave was a great way to end the meal. Definitely would recommend both.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A friend and I stopped in during Amp the Alley. We sat in the courtyard and grabbed a couple of drinks and some apps (Brussels, gnocchi and baked feta). Everything was a delight! We both rated the Brussels at the top of the list. The service was impeccable as well. I highly recommend dining here and can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi
I came to visit family' and was told this was a great restaurant it took at least 20 minutes to get a drink from bar. I got the filet and it was tender it was cold. My family got scallops and salmon and grits which were room temp and sasuage over cooked. They won't come back. So very disappointed
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Beautiful place! Came here at opening at 5pm on Tuesday 10/14/2025 for a family members birthday dinner celebration! Our server Leah, was very polite and Very attentive! She remembered everyone's orders! If You are coming here with a large group of 10 or more, expect to wait a minimum of an hour and 45 mins for Your food to come out! I had a weg salad with extra bacon. It was just ok! The combination of blue cheese crumbs and balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing is different! My wife had the Shrimp vindo! She stated it i was average! The other family members enjoyed the meals and drinks they had! Its kinda pricey for the small amount of food served to You, but it was an experience!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
After hearing mixed reviews from friends who visited Malia's shortly after its reopening, we decided to see for ourselves—and we’re glad we did! Having dined at Malia's for over 17 years under the previous ownership, this was our first visit since the new team took over. The transformation of the interior was a pleasant surprise: warm, inviting, and beautifully updated. The ambiance felt fresh yet familiar. We were greeted promptly by the hostess and seated at a strikingly unique table—crafted from what appeared to be a polished slab of hardwood, adding a rustic elegance to the space. Our server, Paige, was a standout: friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive throughout the evening. For dinner, we chose the Pork Scallopini and the Faroe Island Salmon. Both dishes arrived hot and were absolutely delicious. To finish, we shared the Deconstructed Apple Pie, which was a delightful twist on a classic dessert. All in all, Malia's has made a strong impression under its new ownership. We’re looking forward to returning soon!
I am joining the chorus of “Why did they sell the restaurant?” as I am up in the middle of the night with stomach pain, popping omneprazole from whatever those sweet pepper drops were that they put on the greens with greasy pork fragments that I had picked around. The lobster bisque was oily and came out at room temperature and had to be sent back, which they just put in the microwave and re-served. Oh, and it didn’t have any actual lobster in it, just a thin, cream-based broth. The sticky pudding was stale and they assumed plopping ice cream on it would obscure that fact. I didn’t complain because the staff there is always very nice snd I was already weary from having walked out of another restaurant that served me undercooked chicken. Also, I was enjoying talking to people there and didn’t want to ruin the vibe. But, at this point, not only am I done with Malia’s, I might just be done with dining out in Aiken. Too many places are cutting corners in this economy on quality, and I work to hard to pay money for a meal that causes me horrible indigestion.
We walked in after looking at the menu. The staff were very friendly and seated us right away. Our group was 2 adults and 2 children. They do not have a kids’ menu, which may be a deterrent for some families. Our waitress was kind and checked on us frequently. We ordered smash burgers, fish and chips, and grilled cheese with tomato bisque. Our food arrived warm and all was really good. The portion sizes for brunch were on the small-medium which was great for us.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Delicious. Chef Hayes does it again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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