23 Best Chicken Restaurants in Columbia

“I'm not sure what sparked the craving, but as I passed through Columbia at lunchtime, fried chicken suddenly seemed like the only answer. I asked Yelp for the highest‑rated spot and ended up here.

The place was bustling, with most of the parking lot full, yet the ordering process moved quickly. By the time I returned from the restroom, my number was already being called. I had ordered a three‑piece meal with double cole slaw in place of fries and a sweet tea. Settling in at a table, I dug in.

The cole slaw leaned too far on the sweet side for my taste, though the texture was crisp and fresh. I skipped the dinner roll and the tea, focusing instead on the chicken. It was thoroughly cooked, meaty, and satisfying. Not especially spicy or bold in flavor, but solidly good.

This isn't a fancy establishment. The tables and floor may not be spotless, but the food delivers. Best fried chicken I've ever had? No. Still, it was very good, and worth the stop.“

“Friendly staff! First time trying it for us. Wasn't sure what to get, lady at the counter was more than helpful. Also had a great conversation with a guy getting the SC restaurants open. Super friendly & all around great guy! Will definitely be going back.“

“All around great food. Good place to eat wings and watch the game“

“Stopped off here after shopping at Marshall's. Gentlemen (40s maybe 50) with Beard and Older lady were working the Drive thru. Gentlemen was complimentary on my Teal Jeep Wrangler and Matching Tire Cover. He was very pleasant during my money transaction. Love great customer service. Go Harbison!“

“The food is dependable and always good. I don't like the way Chick-fil-A has taken to making all of the drive-thrus a nightmare. traffic is everywhere, running in different directions, and it is quite confusing. God forbid somebody hit one of the cones and render it out of place“

“Grabbed a medium Nashville Hot today, and wow. that was hands down the best chicken sandwich I’ve ever tasted. Perfectly crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor. If I’m ever back in the area, this will be my first stop for sure. Absolutely worth it!“

“Yes, yes, yes this place has some good food there in Columbia SC. there wait staff is great, Big shout out to there cook Mrs.Kizzy Davis !! Will eat there agaín on our next visit“

“My family had a wonderful experience at Kiki’s! Our waitress Anerryah was absolutely fantastic! She was so friendly and helpful! She made our dinner memorable and we thank her for that. Our food was also delicious as usual! Chicken and waffles were on point and the sweet potato fries and okra were downright awesome! Make sure to visit Kiki’s for a delicious down home meal!“

“Great food you must try them out“

“Usually Chick-fil-A doesn't disappoint, but today no salt on the fries, and the regular drive-thru was moving faster than the mobile line. There should be a spot for people to pull up of their order is not ready, literally 4 cars in front me got their orders meanwhile the first car had not, leading to a backup.“

“Went inside to place a to go order. I had the Steak and Fries, along with 10 Sweet and Spicy wings. I ordered my Steak all the way, and it was delicious! I was really surprised of how flavorful the wings were, they were great! I also like the fact they put some of the wing sauce with the wings, that made it great for dipping. The service was quick, and the atmosphere was nice.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Outstanding Service and Delicious Dinner!

I stopped by the Chicken Salad Chick at the Harbison location and ordered the cranberry/almond chicken salad on a croissant with a side of broccoli salad. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly made. The croissant was soft and buttery, and the broccoli salad had just the right crunch and tang.

What really impressed me was the staff’s professionalism. The register went down while I was waiting to pay, and even after trying to resolve the issue for 10 minutes, it still wasn’t working. Without hesitation, they offered my meal for free and sincerely apologized for the wait. I left with great food and an even greater appreciation for their customer service. I’ll definitely be back!“

“I placed a mobile order and mistakenly entered in this location. Andrew called me and said my order was ready. I was at a neighboring CFA. They obviously didn’t have my mobile order so I called Andrew back to let home know I was headed his way. He was so pleasant and walked out to me car as he saw me approaching…..and it was a rainy rainy day! They even gave me hot fresh fries! Customer service at CFA is a gold standard. I appreciate Andrew!!“

“Update 2-13-26 - great employee and good. The restaurant is now cleaner. Nice work. The details matter. Thank you!

Great food, location, and service for lunch on Monday 12-28-25. Only complaint is the facilities are not being cleaned well. The bathroom walls, doors, and tops of the garbage cans are all filthy. It’s the easy stuff they need to improve at this site.“

“Ok best kept secret when it comes fried chicken, not a fan of the tiny fries, but the different ice tea flavors are a welcomed sight.

The manager, I think her name is Jennifer, sorry if I'm wrong, but she is attractive as she is professional.“

“Stopped by Chick-fil-A to try the new Jalapeño Ranch Club, and I’ve got to say—it was really good. The chicken was crispy, the flavor had just the right amount of spice, and everything came together well. It was fresh, hot, and honestly hit the spot.
Now I’ll be real—my experiences here over the past year haven’t been the best. The food just hadn’t been consistent, and it didn’t feel like the quality I was used to. But this visit? This felt like a turnaround.
If this is the direction they’re heading again, I’m here for it. Definitely a solid meal this time around.“

“We had the absolute BEST customer service experience at Zaxby’s on Garners Ferry Road. Every single meal was perfect. 34 individual/separate orders. Before each student could get their drink made, their name was being called for their food. The manager was top notch. He was super encouraging to each of our students. He took the time to show them real-life work skills. Absolutely, hands down, one of the BEST restaurant experiences I’ve ever had!“

“Great food and great customer all for the Kingdom of God. check it out“

“Went at the worst time lunch hour. Line was rap around the restaurant, however line was moving quickly.
Those servers that work the drive thru line were really moving and moving with a friendly smile.
Wonderful customer service, HATS OFF THE DRIVE THRU CREW!!“

“Ordered a 2 piece dark meat with 2 sides. What I got was a very tiny thigh and a midget wing. A wing is white meat, google it! The Cajun Fries were good but the mac and cheese appeared to be the Kraft boxed variety. My husband got the shrimp poboy and you had to look hard for the shrimp. To top it off, the soft drinks taste like chlorine. Awful. We are here once before and it was good. Today was a complete bust. Won't be back, there are too many other places to eat. Update: manager contacted me and offered me a free replacement meal. I accepted and it was really good Thank you for correcting the problem.“

“As soon as I walked i I was seated. The staff were really friendly. The food was cooked to a perfect temperature. The somlee came out mid course and asked if we'd like the house wine. 5 star meal at an affordable price. Only place i can get a gourmet meal and some virginia slims.will definitely be there again.“