50 Best American Restaurants in Columbia

“Gotta say the waitress was excellent. I wanted something light, which, for me, was the Cajun Chicken Pasta.
I really enjoyed it. The vegetables that were included were cooked just right with the required crunch. It had a very rich look and didn't disappoint.“

“I wanted to rave about the manager, Eddie, and chef, Jonathan. On Friday, I inquired about accommodating my stringent dietary restrictions, and they proactively exceeded expectations. My requirements included the exclusive use of pure olive oil in the preparation of my meal. Initially, I expressed concern that my options might be limited to broccoli and a simple salad. Manager Eddie assured me that this was unacceptable and suggested I contact the chef the following day to discuss my needs. Following this conversation, Chef Jonathan promptly developed a suitable solution. I ordered the brick chicken, prepared using only olive oil, rosemary, and thyme—a dish perfectly aligned with my dietary limitations. The meal was exquisite, and I thoroughly enjoyed dining with my friends. accommodate my very strict food intolerances, and they went out of their way to do just that. I needed my dishes to be cooked in pure olive oil, amongst other things. At first, I told Eddie it looked like I could only have broccoli and a salad with minimal toppings. He said, "You can't come here and just eat salad and broccoli." He then said to call the next day, and he would get the chef on the phone to discuss my food concerns. I called the next day, and Jonathan quickly had an idea. I ordered the brick chicken, which only had olive oil, rosemary, and thyme. Exactly what I was able to eat. It was delicious, and I was so thrilled to eat out with my friends. I so appreciate both of them going out of their way for me.“

“Brussel sprouts, salmon, brisket halibut you name it and everything was delicious always!! Highly recommend!!“

“The food, service, and atmosphere was off the chain!!! Great place to eat and hangout!!!“

“Excellent food and service. Will be back!“

“I eat their weekly. Grew up eating Lizards Thicket. Started out at the one that used to be by the airport. I’ve eaten at all of them. They are all good. Love the breakfast. Love the specials. Love the staff. Would recommend anybody that has had a bad Experience. Don’t let that one time experience stop you from enjoying a lot more of good experiences there. Highly recommend them.!!!!👍“

“My bartender Felisatie greeted me with a smile and told my what the beer special of today was. She took my drink/food order in a timely fashion and made sure that my food order was complete before she enter it in the cash register...Hey pleasant personality is extremely rare nowadays.“

“Great food and great service. We had the fish and cheeseburger and both was excellent. oh ya my husband also had the lemon cake and it was delicious. We are from Oklahoma on our way too Myrtle beach and will have to stop on our way home.“

“Server was very friendly and awesome.“

“just had meatball and provolone hot sandwich... fantastic“

“great food,cold beer ,friendly staff and well maintained atmosphere 👌“

“Celebrated my 61st birthday there.We had an awesome time ‼️“

“give me wrong the drink twice just had a bad waiter“

“I eat their weekly. Grew up eating Lizards Thicket. Started out at the one that used to be by the airport. I’ve eaten at all of them. They are all good. Love the breakfast. Love the specials. Love the staff. Would recommend anybody that has had a bad Experience. Don’t let that one time experience stop you from enjoying a lot more of good experiences there. Highly recommend them.!!!!👍“

“good service, good food, clean, and friendly

Parking: it's busy restaurant, so therefore the parking lot can be full at times

Wheelchair accessibility: easy wheel chair accessible with they had the button to open the door for you“

“I think this was the best service I’ve had in a restaurant in a while! Chris our waiter was fantastic, quick, kept our drinks full, and so great with the kids. The hostess was prompt and sat us right away with a warm welcome and gave our girls the best attention- which they loved! Food was good and came out quick.“

“Zesto’s is a dying breed of restaurant. The sort of small, fast-paced diner establishment that specializes in food greasier than the oil in your vehicle. And man, is it good. You know it’s not healthy. In fact, you’re not sure if anything can be remotely healthy on the menu (even the salad). But this ain’t no rabbit food joint. You came here for the chicken, the burgers, the southern staples cooked as fast as you can sit down. Zesto’s brings you back to a time you didn’t even know existed. And for that, we thank them.“

“Just went today for the first time. I got there right before lunch rush so some of the food was already cooked. It was still delicious but I'd rather go when they make the burgers hot off the grill and the onions rings right out of the fryer!“

“I am so glad I got to stop by and grab some food. I got the #4 Jerk Chicken sandwich. I would post a picture but once I took a bite, I couldn't put it down. Hands down the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. Would love to grab 2 of your shirts in purple, XL and a Medium. Hope to see you again soon. Thank you for the great food and most important of all, the friendly service. Highly recommended. Would give 10 stars if I could.“

“The bartender Alley is the best! I’ve had great service from lots of people here including Cat, Amanda, Maddie W, Maddie A. Erica, Raylee, and Fallon are also awesome!“

“The BEST filet I’ve ever had! We continue to dine at Saluda’s and we’re always extremely happy with our meals. Delicious!!“

“The food and service is really good! Never been disappointed. Always delicious.“

“While on vacation in Columbia, South Carolina, my wife and I had a wonderful date night and we enjoyed the the food, atmosphere and service. The music made the feelings of the food that touched our hearts. I can't wait until I visit Chayz Lounge again.“

“I eat their weekly. Grew up eating Lizards Thicket. Started out at the one that used to be by the airport. I’ve eaten at all of them. They are all good. Love the breakfast. Love the specials. Love the staff. Would recommend anybody that has had a bad Experience. Don’t let that one time experience stop you from enjoying a lot more of good experiences there. Highly recommend them.!!!!👍“

“We had a reservation, but arrived an hour early. That wasn't an issue for the staff, we were seated promptly. Our Waiter, Liam was courteous and professional. Everything was great, the only one downside was our entrees were served just after we received our salad, so the timing was a bit off, but not huge. Liam apologized for that, so its all good. Overall, great experience and we will be returning!“

“Cannot say enough about this home away from home restaurant. The servers are the friendliest! They take their time with each patron, but are observent and quick with refills.
Meatloaf on Wed. Great!
Liver and onions on Thurs. Great!!
My favorite location is Florence, but i just moved to Columbia.“

“Love the new menu!!!! Food, drinks, and vibes are amazing.“

“Alex, was absolutely wonderful!! Great customer service!“

“Amazing People & Services. Had A Blast.“

“Best American Deli in the city Hands down. I don't care what the other reviews say about decker or garnersferry. This is the BEST one, Food is always hot, fresh even portion sizes are on point! They dont skimp, you'll definitely get what you pay for here. Thanks guys!“

“Friendly service, tried the honey lemon pepper wings and they were delicious, and tasty drinks.“

“Solid menu with great variety to please just about any palate. It’s one of those places that you and your date or your family want to go, when you can’t decide where to go or what you are in the mood for! Sorry that there are no pictures— I inhaled my previous meals there before I thought to take any pics. I suppose that’s a good thing!“

“I eat their weekly. Grew up eating Lizards Thicket. Started out at the one that used to be by the airport. I’ve eaten at all of them. They are all good. Love the breakfast. Love the specials. Love the staff. Would recommend anybody that has had a bad Experience. Don’t let that one time experience stop you from enjoying a lot more of good experiences there. Highly recommend them.!!!!👍“

“Professional environment Fast and polite bartenders Good food Good music A+ 💯“

“I've dealt with Mission BBQ in Columbia a few times now. Every time they exceed my expectations. Deseray and Cayce both gave exceptional service and the food was amazing. Highly recommend for a quick bite to eat or to cater a work event!“

“Looking for vegetarian options, but not tomato sauce or beans. VERY pleased to find Columbo's!
No sign identifies them. They are a restaurant/bar within the Hilton Doubletree hotel. Three delicious, substantial, vegetarian options available at modest prices. Delicious pecan pie dessert, too. Eager to visit there again!“

“MY NEW FAVORITE PLACE! The food was incredible and the atmosphere perfect! I didn't get our server's name (curly hair on top) but he was fantastic, very attentive!“

“One of my favorite restaurants. Live in the upstate so usually visit the Greenville location but Columbia is great as well! From the nachos and wing appetizers to the fried shrimp and oysters or burger and salmon poke bowl, you really can’t go wrong! Also a big fan of the house salad.“

“I’ve been coming to Rush’s for years every time I come into the Columbia area. The food is so good! The burger is always amazing. The milkshake is a nice dessert. But those fries. They are delicious! I normally use ketchup as a habit with most fries I eat. These are the only fries that I feel the ketchup is not needed. To me, that is the sign of a good fry! Keep it up. If I could get a Rush’s in the upstate, I’d be even happier!“

“Chef Tom catered a Christmas dinner for our boat club this past weekend. A lot of great menu choices. I went with the bourbon marinated steak tips, twice baked potatoes & the grilled veggies. Many compliments on the potatoes, the tenderness of the meat & the taste & display of the vegetables. Drop off went smoothly. Jen was very helpful in setting up the dishes & answering all my questions. Would highly recommend!!“

“We visited Crackerbarrel on Bush River Road yesterday in the evening. It was a great experience and we were very happy and pleased with the service there. Curtis was our server and he was exceptional.“

“A variety of choices at every meal. Pleasant cooks, staff and kitchen/dining room manager. Willing to meet special dietary needs. Catering and bag lunch options for other facility venues on campus. Fresh, well stocked Salad bars and fresh sandwich topping/condiment bar. Creative entree offerings such as Gyros, Croissant French Toast, Breakfast Pizza. Great fresh inventory. Side private dining/presentation rooms. As CIU opened its doors to our leadership conference the Cafeteria Service laid out a spread with a smile.

Wheelchair accessibility: Modern college campus cafeteria with amenities and wide open dining facilities. Willing staff and accommodating tables for those using wheelchairs“

“An excellent spot for lunch. The server we had was absolutely incredible. She had no problem remembering our orders and didn't have to write anything down. It was impressive. When our food came out, everything was on point. I'll be back when I'm in town again.“

“I stayed here for our alcohol and tobacco conference My room was great- very cleans and pretty . I had a Keurig, microwave mini fridge - plus shower stuff. The staff was unbelievably friendly and helpful. The food at the restaurant was very good. I just wished they served lunch and had a bigger menu. It was fun hanging out at the bar with my colleagues I would definitely come back again. They made everyone feel so welcome.“

“Fast and friendly service; this Denny's is one of the good ones. Anna and Dre got me right, and it didn't take them long to do it. I even forgot my phone in the restaurant, and when I went back for it, Anna had put it up safe for me. Don't hesitate to eat here.“

“It was a nice restaurant! Drinks were good and ambiance was nice and mood setting. I’m not a heavy seafood person so I found the menu compact but eclectic. It’s all about preferences. NY Strip was the only cut of steak they had and it was decent (also not my fav) but the au poivre was really good. The salad with the fruit was really good as well! Give it a try for yourself.“

“I just moved to this city, and these are the best burgers I've ever had! Everything is delicious, the service is great... and please try the Oreos :)“

“This is a student run restaurant at the University of South Carolina that is a class to teach them about restaurant operations. The food and service were excellent. They only accept credit cards (no cash) and tipping is not allowed. You get a full luncheon including salad and dessert with table service for about $15. One of Columbia’s hidden gems!“

“While I normally order a turkey burger or chicken philly, in the spirit of the Super Bowl, went back to my first visit and ordered the Garlic Parmesan Cut Wings. Listen, Nothin’ But Wings did not disappoint. My food was HOT, FRESH and fried just right (not to hard not to soft). Perfectly and neatly presented, the sauce and flavoring was plentiful but not soggy. The customer service was impeccable considering my order was a very last minute add on. The only thing I’m mad about is that I didn’t order more because them dere wings didn’t even make it to Super Bowl kickoff.“

“Great stay at this hotel in the heart of the campus. Entire staff was very friendly and the attached parking garage was great for being able to go in and out. Want to give a special shout out to Charlie at the front desk who was very friendly and helpful!“