New American Restaurants in Columbia, SC

“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!!“

“Was there for brunch. It was delicious!“

“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.“

“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!!!“

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

“I very rarely give 5 stars do I put 5 stars in any category but Backstreet deserves it! They're staff were very friendly and attentive. Each waitress and was professional and a pleasure to talk to. As a Veteran with PTSD it can be hard going out and finding seat accommodations. They not only found me great seat accommodations but also checked in on my table a little extra which was very appreciated. The food was packed with flavor and the sizes matched the price for me and my group no one seemed unhappy with anything served.

My only gripe was that they left the doors open on a hot day which lead to flies and which I do get since they have a outdoor seating sections but it would have been great to keep the inside cool and the outside hot. Beside this very small gripe this place is a must comeback to when I visit South carolina again!“

“This was our first time visiting and celebrating two of our friends birthdays. Everyone had a fantastic time, food was excellent and jazz was great. However we did appreciate the owner explaining the longer way for our food, even though we where the first into the establishment. I think our problem happened when waitress said to us that once she served another table their water, then she would be right back to take our orders, but it never happened cause she continued to take orders from the back versus returning to us. So by the time we decided to order the two birthdays girls wanted the steak and eggs, but steak was no longer available to order, so that was disappointing since we were there early enough to have gotten that order in on time if the waitress was more efficient. Then when we paid our bill my niece wanted to make sure that the waitresses did capture the tip, she asked her prior if she did include the the tip when paying and the waitress replied that wasn't a concern for her, that was an inappropriate answer to say back to a guest and paying customer. However, overall we enjoyed ourselves and definitely will return again.“

“Our server was polite and professional. The food was excellent. I liked the vegetable linguine. My husband said the shrimp and grits were very good. Portions were a good size also. We don't drink much alcohol, so we liked the variety of non-alcoholic beverages.“

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

“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 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!“

“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 displayed on this huge buffet was very tasty. The buffet was neat and well maintained! It was an amazing experience and my sweetheart of a waitress was the icing on the cake! I was very pleased with the service and will definitely return again for the beautiful view of the city, food, and cocktails!“

“We almost always get the same thing, a couple of slaw dogs and a couple of chicken legs! But when you know how good they are, why change? The barbecue is also amazing! I can't really say I've ever had anything here that I didn't like! Rush's is a great place!“

“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!“

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

“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…“

“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“

“Great food. Healthy choices. However, their signage mentions how vegetarian proteins and soy milk are more environmentally friendly, yet the vegan options are presented as an afterthought following the meats, and there was no plant-based milk available. Friendly staff.“

“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!“

“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“

“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“

“We had a party of four meeting for an older siblings birthday who is 73 and diabetic. We also had a party member with celiac disease requiring gluten free options. Our server was extremely patient with our small group and very aware of the dietary needs and quite attentive and friendly. The food is always good, everyone had something different, burger, salads, fish tacos, chili, spinach artichoke dip and the calamari was excellent. Not every restaurant gets calamari right, BJ's kitchen definitely knows how! Oh, and a couple of beer flights to sample their home brews too!“

“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‼️“