New American Restaurants in Columbia, SC

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

“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.“

“Was there for brunch. It was delicious!“

“We visited Backstreets for the first time today. We loved the food and experience. Our waitress Riley was awesome! I had the baby back ribs with broccoli and a side salad. I'm bougie about my ribs. The ribs were so tender! The broccoli was perfectly steamed with a little char that added to the seasoning. I also had a peach martini. It was perfect! The kids had nachos, chicken tenders, and a baked potato. They enjoyed everything, which says a lot because my daughter doesn't eat beef but she tried the nachos with ground beef. Lastly, we had the brownie a la mode. To my chocolate lovers, you must try!! It was so good...and it was more than enough to share. It was a great first experience!“

“We are from out of town visiting and wanted to try something new. We had a child with celiac so that can be difficult. This place had amazing servers and amazing food!! Def recommend for food and atmosphere!!“

“Traveled all the way from Charlotte NC to Colombia SC to watch the trombonist Hank Biail and saxophonist Phil Denny performance at Chayz Lounge. First time being there. The owner (Chayz Alexander) greeted everyone at the entrance and was very welcoming. The atmosphere was superbly magnificent. The wait staff was on point and food was extremely delicious 😋. Overall, my experience was fantastic and would come back again.“

“If you enjoy higher quality meats and a meal that is what it is without substitutions, meaning you eat what you are served , they are allergies conscious and will ask in advance, so no worries there. The menu changes and usually has something additional the wait staff will let you know about. The food and service are of good quality. This is a pork chop with bacon jam and basic corn pudding and collard greens, all very good and well prepared. The other dish is the chicken. The appetizer was the pickle board, I do wish they had a better variety of cheeses, they did allow me to switch out a cheese I did not care for so substitute was allowed.“

“Everything about our experience at Saluda's was just lovely from start to finish. Great atmosphere, fantastic service, absolutely delicious food. Highly recommend!!“

“My wife made reservations here for our before Maxwell and Kem concert dinner. The atmosphere is laid back, with great music. We shared the Genesis salad, which was delicious. She had the Lamb chops, sauteed asparagus and Top Tier Mac & Cheese. She shared her asparagus and it tasted great! I dined on the Reef and Beef, which consisted of a 10 oz steak with shrimp in a garlic butter, Top Tier Mac & Cheese, and Glazed carrots. Everything was delicious! Now, I can't wait to try the salmon, or wings and the smoked collards. Do yourself a big favor and book your table. You will not be disappointed!!!“

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

“This is one of my favorite spots in Columbia! They have an amazing rooftop with great energy. You can get food up there too although the menu is slightly limited and more geared towards small plates-- which makes sense for a rooftop anyway! In the main dining area service is excellent. I could eat the mushroom toast every day- it's that good! As a wine professional I appreciate their thoughtful selections, there's something for everyone. Much love!“

“We absolutely love the food and wonderful drinks here! The staff is amazing thank you Goats! We always have the best time here!“

“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.“

“The food was delicious as always, but the restaurant was very crowded. One could barely walk to see the selections. We were not able to see the salads because of the crowds. Everyone being let in at 12 is not working. It used to be staggered and that worked much better.“

“The food was great, tasted good and was out in a timely manner. They were busy. But they handled the crowd well. All the staff were freindly and courteous. They had great organization and worked together like a well oiled machine. Only negative was the place can get loud inside due to the building design“

“Came here with one of my very good friends, a Bestie, and we were greeted with delight. Our server, Emmalee, promptly greeted us with enthusiasm. We gave her our drink order and she returned promptly. I’ve had many meals and this is by far one of the best ones that I’ve had lately. Combine service with good food and you know the combination. Tomato pie? Delicious. I had the chicken scallopini and it was wonderful. My friend had the crabcakes and they were equally as good. We were then given caramel laced cheesecake and walnut pie and they were both so good. All this for 30 bucks?! I’ll be going back. Thank you to George for coming to check on us and making sure everything was up to their standards…and Emmalee needs a shout out once again. Thank you. You get an A+ in my book.“

“Just wanted to thank the owner for looking out for my wife and daughter after their car broke down in the parking lot on Saturday. (Red Kia Soul) He came out to ask if they were ok and even offered them each a shot as the ladies were a little upset. I got to them about 45 minutes later and the girls had ordered a couple of drinks and cheese curds, which they said were great! We got the car to Midas in Lexington and will see what the verdict is on the car. Again, thank you to the owner for looking out for my family!“

“Lots of local brew options on tap, food came out quick even though they were busy, great service at the bar from Cooper during JerryFest! Grateful Thanks!“

“i’m from North Carolina. I’ve never been to one of these places to eat and went today and I give them a 98% overall… Its all good 98% over all…“

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

“Anthony dairy bar I don't like them at all the food is not that good anymore and they're not that clean because I don't ever see them wash their hands that's not a good place to eat from it's not that clean and very cluttered it's not good at all was not good experience at all“

“Wednesday night ...dj Low goes hard...love it..Am from Louisiana and he plays all of our music...thanks“

“I had the pleasure of being served by Anita during my visit, and she truly made my experience exceptional. From the moment I was greeted, Anita's great attitude and warmth stood out. She was not only friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, offering helpful recommendations and answering all my questions with ease. Throughout my meal, she was attentive and always available to assist with anything I needed. Her professionalism and helpfulness really made the dining experience memorable. Anita is a true asset to the team, and I look forward to returning!“

“One of my kids is going to USC Honors College and this restaurant is on the first floor.

The grill isn't bad. Burgers and such. When we went school was just starting back and not everything was available yet.

My wife got some pork with mango chutney sauce and loved it. My daughter said that if she lived in that dorm she would never leave the building. LOL

You do not have to be a student to eat there. I think lunch was $15 or so. A little expensive for lunch. But it's a very convenient lunch if you are near and hungry.

My biggest complaint is that the hours are very limited for a college dining hall. Close early on Fridays and not open on Sat-Sun I believe. Depends on what part of the school year it is. Check for sure before you go.“

“We always enjoy a great burger here, and they even have gluten free buns! Customer service is fantastic! The wait staff is polite, informative, and give just the right amount of service... and not hovering. Each time we have eaten here, the manager checks in with us to make sure everything is as it should be. Perhaps it was the last time we ate here, I happened to forget an unusual drinking cup. I was totally surprised when today the waitress saw I had a similar one with me and inquired if I might have left one behind. They kept it safe for a few weeks and returned it to me! #10+ for that service!“

“Great entertainment top notch.. and friendly environment. See ya next time“

“Tiffany was our server tonight and she was wonderful! We came late, around 10pm and still received phenomenal service from tiffany. He was super knowledgeable of ALL drinks and menu items. She gave us the perfect amount of time between drinks, appetizers, and ordering. She seemed to genuinely enjoy the job and talking to people. Top 3 service of all time for me. She covered all bases, made sure we had everything we could possibly ask for. Thank you so much.“

“We stopped by Rush's in Columbia SC on the way home to Greenville SC from Charleston SC. This was a great little spot for a good burger and friendly staff clean restaurant 😀 03/29/2026“

“Today was my first time going, but it definitely won't be my last. This is not your typical restaurant, so expect that.... but great vibes.. great music.. good food.. love the Mimosas... Go try it out‼️“