First off. What a cool place! Shucker bar in back and to get oysters, go there. I was privileged,…read moreand it was, to have Jim as my shucker. He was great. His responsiveness was really good. Had a great conversation with him as he was shucking the oysters. Was cool to have them shucked and placed on the ice right in front of you! Asked him for recommendations and he said the gumbo over the Growder. Glad I listened. Gumbo had enough of a kick to make it tasty with a reminder you were eating something spicy. I will definitely be back and when I do I hope to get Jim again.

This place is fabulous on atmosphere/community and good on food. The staff here never met a…read morestranger, only new old friends. I loved the bbq-tinged cocktail sauce and hearty gumbo. Crab legs were another highlight. The steamed shrimp and oysters were not as amazing; our shucker's technique drained all the juice out of the oysters before serving, and the juice is a big part of the point for me. The cooked oysters did not compare to the grilled oysters at Acme in New Orleans IMHO. Raw oyster eaters in our party, on the other hand, gave the winter gulf oysters two thumbs up. Sitting at this bar is a great way for visitors to Columbia to feel like natives. It's an experience not to be missed.

Pearlz was a fun time, and definitely exceeded my expectations! I loved the overall ambiance of the…read morerestaurant; it felt old-school yet modernized at the same time, and I absolutely loved the oyster-themed artwork on the walls. I sat at the bar and got a well-made whiskey sour. I was pleasantly surprised when I received my bill, as I expected it to cost much more than it actually did. I also went on one of the nights where they had a live DJ in the Upstairz Lounge, which was kind of cool. It wasn't exactly "jumping", but I did go early in the evening, so it may have picked up later. All-in-all, Pearlz was a fun stop; I'll probably be back in the future, and I'd recommend that anyone stop in to at least grab a drink and soak in the atmosphere!

Our server Savannah was incredible, quick and had a great attitude. We ordered a dozen market…read morevarietal oysters, seafood pasta, and low country carbonara. We were impressed by the quality of the oysters for the price, the seafood pasta was tasty and the broth was great although I've had better. The crab in the carbonara was incredible, and the pasta was great. The hostess was accommodating, we brought our very chill very well traveled 4 month old and found the place to be friendly (no changing table tho which we expected). Loved the vibe and decor, music seemed out of touch with the ambiance.

Ill give em 5 stars for service, quality, freshness, and flavor…read more...... but the restaurant itself needs a deep cleaning!! The windows/ sills have ketchup and grease all over them, and the s/p shakers are greasy! came in and we enjoyed a nice dinner!! Cold beers, and fresh, hot, flavorful food!! super fresh oysters!! fresh salads, hot and well cooked food! everyone ate, and nobody complained!! and the music was on point, a 90s throwback!!

Very pleased to find a restaurant nearby that serves fried catfish, my favorite cheat meal, heehee!…read moreTheirs was seasoned perfectly, fried crispy and not one piece was mushy or hard. So good that there was no need to add condiments to change the taste or texture. I have also tried the char-broiled oysters which I found to be a bit bland. Next trip, I will try the baked crabby oysters instead.

I've been to this spot several times for lunch with coworkers and always had a good experience…read more Wanted some seafood after a day at the zoo and this was the closest spot open. Friendly service, food came out in a timely fashion and the portions were large enough that I needed a take home plate. I will be back.

Ordered crab legs and either they were old or under cooked as they didn't break with the tool. The…read moresalt and pepper catfish were v edible but nothing to write home about. Overall very disappointed.

California Dreaming was an OK spot for upscale dining. I didn't have a special event that I went…read morehere for, but just wanted to try something new. I'd say that it was slightly above average. They had a decent selection of beers on tap, and my friend definitely liked their selection of wines. I got some of the croissants as an appetizer, which were good, but a little expensive for what you were actually getting. I got the chicken tenders and fries to eat, which were solid, but nothing otherworldly. I do think my guest liked her meal, although I'm not completely sure what it's called. As for the service and ambiance, California Dreaming is definitely the darkest restaurant I've ever been to, which I guess is either a pro or a con based on personal opinion. I presume that it would be a good spot for a date night, but maybe not the best spot for casual dining (which is obviously the point of a restaurant like California Dreaming). Our server was nice, relatively attentive, and I'd say that he did a good job overall. All-in-all, I debated giving the restaurant either three (3) or four (4) stars, but I ultimately went with four (4). It was a unique experience, but I won't necessarily be rushing back. I think that has as much to do with personal taste than anything that they did wrong or right, however.

Always a great vibe at California Dreaming in Columbia. We visit all the time as my wife and my…read moremother in love are USC alumni and my daughter is destined to be a Gamecock. So quick bites and campus tours are always good. Started off with expresso martins, honey butter croissants and seafood nachos. All were good and the nachos are a staple. Both wife and mom missed the heart of palms salmon salad that was offered for years along with some other menus changes. We settled on the she crab soup and house salads with extra dressing along with the full rack of ribs. Again everything good but we miss the old menu or the one similar to the dinner menu in Charleston. The waitress was very attentive and apologetic as we had a party of 10 and not able to sit together but in the same area. Overall good vibe and food as always.

Still on a high from celebrating my friend's birthday at Champagne Restaurant & Lounge!…read more Let me just say... a TIME was HAD! From the moment we walked in, the service was top tier. Nae was attentive, welcoming, and professional. We dove into their Wednesday $20 lamb chop meal (yes, you read that right--tender, juicy, and full of flavor), and their appetizers came out hot and seasoned to perfection. Plus, they offer 25% off all adult beverages until 7:30PM, Wednesday through Friday--and trust me, we took full advantage! The custom cocktails made by Tym were unique and SO good. All while vibing to smooth R&B that kept the mood just right. Grown, sexy, and chill. If you're looking for a place with great food, delicious drinks, and a whole vibe--Champagne is IT. #SupportLocal #ColumbiaEats #ChampagneLounge #BlackOwnedBusiness #BirthdayVibes #RNBandCocktails #LambChopLove

I would not recommend. If you want flavorless cold food...than this is the place for you…read more Per social media reviews etc.....I thought it would be a good place to go....but not. Our party had 10 people and all our food came our randomly. Also the restaurant was not crowded. Our waitress was nice but food was not served together....which does not make any sense. Then there was a young guy walking around with his shirt halfway unbuttoned ....staring at people. I felt he was high or or on something

I've been in town for a week and clearly, if you've seen my reviews, you know I be out here in…read morethese Columbia Streets, friends. But nothing could've prepared me for when i walked into this bad boy. MESMERIZED. Whoever did yalls interior decor? RAISE. Immediately! it's gorgeous in there, down to the bar top chairs. Literally a work of art - I'd go just for the ambiance. The servers were so personable and Nickie (bartender) is one of the greatest creations to this planet. Also the manager with the phenomenal winter jacket (you know who you are) that's giving 1990's realness, thank you for your service. I went for brunch and had some of the chargrilled oysters and the burger and woooooo child, it was fantastic! The cocktails and the chemistry behind them are probably some of the best I've had in the city so far. 10/10 do recommend.

Solid spot that's good on ambience and service but just a couple steps away on menu execution…read more Oysters on the half and the broiled oysters are great starters but the grilled fish sandwich was a bit too salty to completely enjoy.

Okay, so I went to this location for my birthday in November because I was craving a boil bag and…read morehadn't had one in about a year. I feel like good seafood spots in Columbia are limited, and I didn't want to try somewhere new and end up disappointed, so I stuck with what I knew. The food here is usually pretty consistent. I also hadn't been to this specific location in at least a year, When we entered the foyer, we were immediately met with a strange smell--honestly, it smelled like sewage. At first, I thought it was just me, but other customers who came in behind us and were waiting on their orders noticed it too, and we actually talked about it. Once you walked into the dining area, the smell was gone, which was a bit of a relief. Still, the smell of sewage is never appealing, especially in a place that serves food. Anyway, we got our boil bags and left. Overall, the food was just okay. My main complaint was the size of the crab legs--they were very small and barely had any meat. I wanted two clusters and a half-pound of shrimp, but unfortunately that particular option is no longer on the menu, which made it more expensive to customize than ordering one of the preset boil bags. Let's just say it wasn't worth it. My family got the sausage and shrimp bags those had a better quantity of food. The shrimp were good, but I was very disappointed with the crab legs. I probably won't be back, mainly because what I paid didn't really measure up to the food I received. That said, the staff was nice.

Kenya was an amazing waitress! I hadn't been to this seafood boil restaurant before and she went…read moreover the menu briefly. I didn't feel rushed as a solo diner. The seafood boil I received came out pretty quickly and was so good! That Juicy special butter mixture was ohh so delicious. I plan on coming back soon!