Coa was definitely a fun restaurant! I went during happy hour, and I'd say that the major thing that stuck out to me was the awesome customer service. Although I don't remember the bartender's name, he was such a cool guy and did a great job of introducing me to the restaurant. I got a margarita to drink, which was a little more expensive than most other margaritas I've gotten, but the quality easily made up for the price. To eat, I simply got three (3) cheese quesadillas, as the rest of the menu was a little too complicated for me. Although they're a simple dish, they were still really good! [[HIGHLIGHT]]As for the ambiance, Coa was also a really cool, upscale, and atypical Mexican place! I think it nailed the vibe it was going for, and there are few, if any, comparable places in the surrounding area (that I've been to at least!)[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall, Coa was an awesome upscale Mexican restaurant. I loved stopping in, and I will be back in the future. As such, I'd recommend it to anybody looking for the same vibe! read more

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Went here last night with my husband. We were excited about the reviews and menu. The service was fine, but the food was only mediocre. We ordered 3 small plates and the octopus. 2 of the small plates came out and were each missing a component that was on menu description. The tamale was a dry very benign item, that was needing some type of accompaniment. If you are looking for small portions at high prices, this is your place. The 3 small plates and the octopus with an ice tea and a coke was a little over $100 with tip. Columbia is severely lacking an upscale Mexican dinner option and unfortunately Coa continues the trend. read more

Great quality Hispanic food. Drinks were good, service was outstanding. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great ambiance and style.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Street tacos were the best I've ever had. Will definitely return! read more

I had the privilege of visiting the cute college town of Columbia, SC very recently. A few locals recommended this place as a great spot to get a good Mexican dinner. They were right! I enjoyed the visit. Good service. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great location for groups because they are able to be staffed to accommodate a variety of needs.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I enjoyed several appetizers including queso fundido and guacamole. Both were well seasoned and irresistible. My main entree was the pollo tampiqueño, which was very flavorful and perfectly portioned. I enjoyed being able to have the experience of all of the veggies and enchilada. Lastly, I really liked the smoked margarita. read more

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Came here for queso with chorizo and left very happy. The cheese pull alone was worth it, perfectly melty and packed with flavor. Paired it with margaritas and honestly, with what feels like every tequila known to mankind behind the bar, they know what they're doing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great vibes, great drinks, and queso dreams fulfilled.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Would come back. read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Wow!!! What an amazing experience!!! Let me start with the amazing display of Clase Azul Reposado Tequila Bottles that they have on their window sill. It was absolutely amazing!!! And even more amazing was Kyle Ford our server. He was a top notch server for us. We could not have asked for better service. Helpful, friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable!!! He answered all of our questions and we ended up with an excellent meal to complement the service. We had the Poblano Relleno and Birria Tacos. Thank you Yelp reviewer!!!! The meals were delicious!!! The drinks were great!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was a little dark where we were sitting but that just means we have older eyes[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We would definitely return here and we could only hope for Kyle Ford to assist us again. read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Bloody Mary - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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We experienced excellent service, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the ambiance of this restaurant is very nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We really enjoyed the guacamole, it was nicely seasoned and not overly complicated. The fish tacos were nice, and the chicken breast over cheese enchilada was good but could do with a little more seasoning. The pork was a bit dry but tasty. read more

From the food to the atmosphere, Coa did not disappoint! The flavors were bold, authentic, and delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The staff were attentive, the drinks were top tier, and the overall experience was 10/10[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], especially the waiter named (JAY) His suggestions were on point and he made sure he checked on us every chance he got. I Highly recommend if you're looking for an elevated Mexican dining experience in Columbia! Also, try their Crab empanadas and the Blue Cheese Wedge salad. The tacos are to die for as well. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The service here was very nice and it has a classy vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I really liked the margs and the large variety they had. Some of the food was really good, like the classic ceviche, the shrimp and the fried yuca. The tuna ceviche was ok, felt it needed a little more flavor bc the tuna meat itself didn't have too much flavor. The tacos were underwhelming. Overall would come here for drinks and apps, not so much for dinner but I am interested to see if their other items are better read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Tuna ceviche, yuca fries, diablo shrimp, another ceviche and chicken tacos(shredded) - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

We stumbled on this restaurant while staying in the area for a short stint! We went twice and sat at the bar and received great service, recomendaciones, and eats/bites! If you've never tried a mezcal espresso martini, you have not been doing it right! Shout out to out waiters for recommending it! I also enjoyed the fish taco and the pico was fresh and had a great flavor !! read more

One of my favorite dining experiences in Columbia. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food quality and presentation, paired with the elevated but lively ambiance makes this an easy four star rate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] That being said, the friendly and personal staff bumps this up to 5/5. With such a diverse menu, I definitely recommend asking the server their his/her recommendation based on what you're looking to order. Taking this approach resulted in a very fulfilling meal for a great price. I definitely look forward to returning here very soon! read more

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Everything went well. My only suggestion for the chefs would be regular corn tortillas instead of the white corn tortillas they offer

Carnitas were amazing and so was the guacamole. Queso was a little runny but had good flavor.

this place is amazing to me. i haven't had a thing on the menu i don't like, even the bone marrow (my first experience). i had a job in columbia and found this place my second day in. it was a great find and the only place i ate (and drank) while i was there. and now a pause... i ate at the bar since i didn't have anyone with me (traveled alone) and met jay, one of the bartenders. he's amazing. steered me right for all my food and drinks. this is my very special shout out to him because he made my stay down on a difficult job much better. thank you jay. i appreciated meeting you. and nick, break a leg this season. the nutcracker and all i mean. amelia, nice meeting you too. so the staff is excellent. the food is also excellent. i made it my thing to order something different every day to find something i didn't like and never did. not even the bone marrow. we are bidding another job down there. i know where i'll be eating if we get it. read more

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I recently visited Coa Agavería and Cocina, and while the food was great, the service left much to be desired. We arrived at 6:09 pm, ordered an appetizer, two entrees, and drinks, and the food itself was good.I was initially excited to return, but the service really soured the experience. By the time we were finishing up and still enjoying some chips and guacamole, it was around 7:05 pm. That's when the server came over and asked if we were still ordering food or drinks. She then told us there was a waitlist and that she needed us to close our tab since she was being asked to clear out tables that weren't ordering anything else. This felt incredibly rushed, especially since we were still enjoying our appetizers and catching up. The tab I paid had a timestamp of 7:08 pm. I would understand if it had been over an hour and we were completely done eating. Also, the server didn't seem too thrilled when we asked about the happy hour specials. She acted dismissive, which was a bit off-putting and made us feel uncomfortable. It felt uncomfortably abrupt to be pressured out when we weren't even finished. I understand that they might have been busy, but the lack of respect for our time and experience was disappointing. While the food was definitely worth trying, I'm not sure I'll be returning due to the poor service. read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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My client recommended this spot and it did not disappoint! The drinks were delicious, the food was even better. Portions are a bit small for sharing, however it was nice to get a little bite of multiple things. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]I love this place!! Love the atmosphere and the vibe of the this place! Low lighting and cozy feel.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service has always been spot on! Super attentive and friendly staff. And the FOOD! Some of the best elevated Mexican I've had! My go to is always the Sopa Azteca (and I am NOT a soup at restaurant type of gal so that should tell you a lot!) My favorite drink is the Miel con Chile. Devine! If you like a little heat in your drinks, this is your go to, for sure! Highly recommend this place! read more

As always the food here is amazing!! Not pictured was the amazing chips, salsa, and queso! The Birria tacos aren't on the menu but if you ask about them they always have them!! And let me tell you, they are 100/10! the service is always amazing, our waitress was very attentive and checked in on us regularly! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is always perfect for my girls night, could be perfect for a date night too![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will continue to come here regularly! read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Girls night - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor and music was nice and had a good feel.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The lighting was a bit too low and several tables were using their phones to read their menus. Could use some simple small table lights to make it easier for everyone.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Waitress was nice, but maybe was new or shy as we could have used an explanation of how the menu was laid out, and about the restaurant. It was difficult to determine the size of the plates and how many per a person would be adequate, I resorted to photos on yelp to see each dish. Strawberry margarita was good. read more

We went here for an early dinner. Our waiter didn't seem to care for us at first, but she slowly warmed up. (I think my question to her about MP [market price] guacamole - threw her off. She didn't seem to like my question.) The food was only okay, nothing stood out, and we didn't finish any of our food, so we don't think we'll be returning. read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Tacos, plantain, guac with chips, and chicken taquitos. - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

LOVE Coa so much!! This is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Columbia.This is a great date night vibe with its dim lighting and upscale ambiance. Parking is plentiful with a paid lot and street parking right next to the building. Drinks are always top tier and the servers give excellent recommendations. The salsa is so flavorful and has a hint of smokiness, the queso is creamy and velvety. Chips are always fresh and warm as well. In terms of entrees, we always like to try something new here. I would recommend getting a few dishes and splitting them, the highlight for me was the tlayudas. I thought since it was a tostada, it would fall apart on me (they usually do that at other restaurants) but this one held its shape until the last bite and was surprisingly very filling. read more

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Arizonan and former Southern Californian in town for the weekend. Thrilled to see a Mexican Restaurant right next door to my hotel. Also, thrilled to see a "Mole" dish on the menu. If you line up 10 excellent, traditional Mexican restaurants in the southwest, maybe 3 will have a mole dish. It's not that common, but when you see it, you better get it. I've had this dish in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, multiple authentic places in SoCal and Arizona. My favorite might be El Charro in Tuscon, AZ. Fantastic! COA however, is easily the worst. A $26 quail dish, with a few corn tortillas. That's it. No sides, no chips, no nothing. A full, tiny little baby bird, stuffed with a couple of tablespoons of pork and rice in a plate of runny mole. The fancy part must be the sesame seeds? You gotta pick the bones out of it and try to make little street taco for yourself at $10 per tiny taco. Two bites, it's gone. $5 per bite. Huh? That's it? That's what you get for $30?!? Who are these people in Columbia SC giving 4 stars? Taste was okay TBH, not bad at all. Smokey and spicy, not as sweet as some mole I've had. If I was going to only rate the taste of the mole, I would say 3.5 stars. But as far as price and portions go... what are we doing here? read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Mole Poblano $26.00, no sides. No chips. - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I ask for a ground beef hard shell taco they said they only had soft shells I said ok then I asked again if it could be ground beef then he said steak and I said no beef he said ok I got a steak soft shell taco not even rolled up and then the check came out and it was 13 dollars turns out a sprite is 4.50 and there is a 20 percent gratuity fee read more

Traditional Mexican food is what you'll find here, if you're looking for TexMex look elsewhere. Our experience was very positive. I had the grilled chicken served on top of a cheese enchilada. It was excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Service was great and the restaurant clean and decorative.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The environment was very loud[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], and the food was too spicy for me to eat. This one is not for me.

An upscale type of restaurant with great Mexican food! It could definitely be a date night type experience if you wanted to make it that! Our waitress, Sandra, was really nice and she was so knowledgeable when it came to the menu, which helped us make our selection! The food was amazing and I would highly recommend the Birria tacos. They we sooooo good! And the Churros! read more

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Service was exceptional on our most recent visit. We tried the salsa, pico, the two fish ceviches (habanero and atun), and the carne brava steak dinner. All SO good! The atun has more of an Asian/ginger flavor and the texture was so nice. The habanero was nice and fresh with citrus and cilantro. That was my favorite. Some heat but not too spicy at all. We will come here every chance we get! read more

had dinner there with my husband a couple of times now, I personally LOVE the chicken and arugula salad! I am one of those people that hates cilantro, tastes like soap to me but it is indispensable in cooking some foods. This salad has cilantro and you could ask the chef to go light on it but it is important to balance the whole thing. My husband has had the tacos there and loved them. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I definitely love the ambiance and do recommend this restaurant for many reasons.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food, the service and the ambiance. Oh but the parking sucks!! Welcome to the vista!!! read more

Went here the other night to try something new. Much like the other reviews, I must say the place was kind of unbearably loud. While I can praise this place for its authenticity, I will emphasize that the menu is not picky-eater-friendly. The service was decent, as my server checked up on me a couple times throughout the night. I got the tuétanos asados, which are bones (exposed marrow), corn, pickled red onion, carne asada, and corn tortillas. The carne asada was a little on the dry side, but otherwise the meal was fine. I just wasn't into the texture of the bone marrow. It had a good flavor, but I couldn't get over the mouth-feel. Over all: Tuétanos asados: 6.5/10 Total: ~$26 read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Tuetanos Asados - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Hands down the best cocktail bar in Columbia. Great menu, great food, great service. This has become our go to spot for date nights or when family is in town. read more

Wow!! One of the best cantinas I've been to. After 3 flights, 2 states and 2 meetings I just wanted something easy but good and my hotel was located right above this place! When I asked the hotel concierge for recommendations for the BEST places in town this was top of his list. Best ending to a crazy day. Food was amazing and fresh and authentic!! I got the guacamole tradicional and the Tacos de pibil really a spot you HAVE to try if you are in Columbia. The bar is beautiful and the vibe is everything! This was a Tuesday night and it was pretty full. Love the house rules on the menu! read more

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This was my first time coming here. My sacred sister in spirit and my (spiritual) godmother brought me here to celebrate my birthday; my sacred sister is Mexicana so this place is her spot. I was excited because I've always wanted to come here. The food was good and surprisingly not more Tex-Mex yet upscale authentic Mexican. Everything is made in-house daily regarding the guacamole and salsa which I loved and could taste, and the drinks were amazing as well; they even have spicy ones. The appetizers were good. The queso was amazing; very cheesy and abundant. The Gringas were delicious as well, and I didn't think I would like the wild mushroom flavor however I did. My main dish was the Dobladitas and the chicken was cooked to perfection! Very flavorful and better than I expected. Overall though, I wish the Dobladitas had a little something else other than the queso and pico de gallo. I kept thinking it was missing something yet couldn't put my finger on it, otherwise, the dish was great regarding the taste. Highly recommend. One of my friends got the grilled pulpo (octopus) which is her jam when she goes there and my other friend got the yuca potatoes which she said was great; she's vegetarian by the way. She was thoroughly enjoying the appetizers and absolutely loved the salsa. The atmosphere is sexy, perfect for a date night or even a self date to meet someone at the bar for good conversation and food. I loved this place and will be going back especially for the street tacos and poblano rice because it looked amazing. read more

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Really pretty on the inside! Towards the back it gets a little dark though. Overall good service. Are appetizer didn't come out until we already had our food but they quickly brought it out when our food got to the table. Margs we're on point! I'm a big tequila fan and I liked that I could taste the tequila in my drink and it was 100% fresh lime juice in my drink (so no sugary mixers) I got the pomegranate margarita and my husband got the spicier margarita on the menu. The menu is sorta hard to navigate imo. It's not sectioned off by course. We almost thought it was tapas style but also there's other items that you can get to make more out of a meal if you didn't want to share plates and stuff. I'd go back just for the drinks tbh! Really nice! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Be ready to pay way too much for drinks though. Yes they are flavorful and very well crafted but it comes at a cost. Enjoy this place for a sexy date night but be prepared to spend about $200 on drinks and dinner. read more

A friend of mine brought me here a few months back, but we really only stayed for 1 cocktail. But had the Pins-Habanero Ceviche- and I've been DREAMING about eating it again. It's that good. So: The Pina-Habanero Ceviche ($11.50) is amazing. I didn't really taste any pineapple, but the grape tomatoes and other veggies were a perfect compliment to cold fish. The habanero hits you in the soft palate with a gentle warmth. Just, lots of amazing flavors. I could seriously just drink the juice it's swimming in (but that would be rude . Next I ordered the Oaxaca Old Fashioned ($11.50) . Oh my. Have I told you how I HATE tequila? But this... this was smoky like a good bourbon with just that hint of " oh yeah there's a bit of tequila in here" tang. It's wonderful to sip on and compliments the food nicely. I will definitely be ordering that again. Next , I REALLY wanted the grilled octopus dosh but they said they had been out of it for a while and that currently it was very expensive. So instead I ordered the chicken pibil tacos with the shredded chicken (also around $11.50) These were very tasty. The chicken was full of flavor and tender and the spicy salsa they served it with was oh so yummy. The only criticism would be that the tacos were stuffed so full of chicken my tortillas fell apart and I ended up eating them with a fork. But the tortillas were warm, soft, and tasted home made. I then ordered a seranata ($11.50) It had a different kind of tequila in it and that jalapeño syrup certainly gives it a kick. I had been starving so I thought I would try 1 last dish- and I chose the (drat I forgot the name of the dish) but it has roasted bone marrow, carne asada, and roasted corn. It was served with several tortillas. The waiter advised me to spread a layer of the marrow like a spread on the tortillas and then load up with steak and corn. This is a super rich dish and very indulgent- but also very good. The charred corn added a bit of sweetness to dish, which some people will love. But I'm rather savory in my taste and I found the corn to be a little bit too sweet. for me- I missed some heat, and some acid to cut the fatty richness of the marrow. But that's my opinion. There are tons of other dishes I want to try, so I will be back. So my total bill was $70 (plus change & tip). Pricey, yes for 1 person. But this is a tapas restaurant and it would be economical to split a few dishes with someone. read more

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Very cute but very dark inside! Mexican place next to the Aloft hotel. It took a while for someone to wait on us at the bar but once he did, service was good from there and he was friendly enough. We ordered a margarita and a beer, along with some appetizers. The drink was decent, taquitos were average and the other steak appetizer was sotting on tortillas that didn't bend and you also couldn't bite into- either stale or overcooked? Very average experience overall but would probably try again if in the area. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Fun for get-togethers, even if it's a little loud.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is amazing! Great service and menu options.

Delicious food! Definitely planning to go back. They have great happy hour specials. We sat outside and it was lovely. Their guacamole is so good! Salsa was yummy too and perfect for people like me that are nervous about salsas being so spicy you can't enjoy it. I ordered their Birra tacos and it is a 10/10! read more

Coa Agaveria Y Cocina - Birra tacos - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The food here is ok. The only reason I say that it's because sometimes it's amazing and other times it's ok and not the same quality. The inconsistency makes me not want to eat here as much anymore. BUT!! I will say that their Drinks are absolutely Amazing!!! Definitely a great place to pre drink for a fun night out. With summer coming up there margaritas are absolutely refreshing! strong! Lots of amazing flavor read more