The food use to be great here I went here Friday and the catfish nuggets I use to think we're awesome were mushy and not very good. The BBQ was Stivers good along with the fried chicken. It just makes me sad the catfish nuggets I use to crave are not that good now. read more

Doc's use to be my favorite BBQ restaurant but not the quality of food is going down hill. Either the food is not season and bland or it is over cooked and dry. I think driving over an hour to Shealy's would be better than going 10 minutes down the road to Doc's... huge disappointment today. read more

I love pulled pork bbq and in Columbia, SC this is where I go! The buffet is great! Hash and rice, chicken - fried or smoked, catfish nuggets - amazing, collard greens, pulled pork bbq with two different sauce choices, slaw, potato salad and more! I usually walk out of here hating myself because I gorge myself on all of the delicious southern food! Definitely a great spot to check out if you have a big appetite or if you love southern food! read more

Doc's Barbeque and Southern Buffet - Mac and cheese, catfish nuggets, fried chicken, rice and hash topped with pulled pork bbq and slaw...also had some collards - Barbeque Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I had never heard of this place until one of my coworkers suggested it for lunch one day. Omg was I missing out! I usually don't care for buffets but this one is worth it. The barbecue is delicious and they have a good variety on the bar. read more

Perfectly adequate. Standard southern fare at a reasonable price. Not the best in town but certainly worth a visit.

So I have not eaten in the restaurant, but today I had a catered lunch from Doc's and it was amazing. Let me just preface this by saying I really don't enjoy barbecue at all so for me to enjoy this so much is really out of the ordinary. Our boxed lunch included salads, pulled chicken sandwiches, and banana pudding. The salads came with THE BEST ranch dressing ever. I don't even like ranch! I took one whiff and could tell instantly it was probably about a million calories. Oh my gosh. I think I will have to go buy a bottle of that dressing or something, because it was amazing and beyond. The chicken sandwich was served completely plain for us to customize however we wanted. It came with adorable tiny little cups of bbq sauce. The gold kind :) I poured the whole little cup onto the chicken and dug in. It was delicious. The only thing wrong was that there were a lot of pieces of cartilage in the chicken and it was nasty to get a bite of it. The banana pudding was also probably about a million calories, but it was soooo creamy. Almost like banana flavored icing. It was just to die for. If catering was that good, I can't wait to see how the fresh food at the restaurant compares! read more

I hate giving them 2 stars, but I was sadly disappointed. I went in last week to order a couple of pounds of barbecue and a sandwich with coleslaw. I was hungry - so as soon as I got in my car, I opened up my sandwich and was surprised to see a fairly small amount of meat and a slathering of coleslaw. I remembered the days when I would have so much that I couldn't eat the whole sandwich. Not the case any longer. Then I got home and opened the container of pork. I spent the next 30 minutes combing through the meat, cutting off the fat, and chopping the meat that would be good. Pulled out my scale. Fortunately, the meat ended up close to the 2 pounds that I ordered, but there was nearly an extra 12 ounces of fat. Yes, I pulled out my food scale. What a shame. What a shame. read more

Their 10 dollar lunch buffet makes it really hard to say anything bad about this place. The people are friendly, the food is fresh and hot, and the staff easily handles a 50-70 lunch rush while maintaining a relaxed setting. This was one of my first southern BBQ experiences, but I was brought here by authentic southerns. I was told this was some of the best BBQ SC had to offer. I loved the fried chicken and the pulled pork definitely did not taste like $10 buffet meat! The three star rating is mainly because I'm not too crazy about southern food, and as good as the food was, it wasn't something I see myself craving again. I don't think anyone would regret giving this play a try. Just be prepared to be tired and useless the rest of day. Itis hits hard after a visit to Doc's. read more

He said..."So we were looking for round number 2 on our bbq quest and we found Doc's. The fried chicken was very good, but the bbq tasted like they soaked in vinger for a year. Way too much vinger tasting. I've had a lot of bbq before and this is the first time bbq tasted like this. But for 9 bucks and change its all you can eat. Just watch the hours, like other local bbq places they close when they are not busy. This place is located near the stadium and if you don't look for it, you will miss it. It looks like a warehouse not a restaurant, but inside is very up to date. She said..."So if you are looking for a local amazing bbq buffet style place to go to...dont go here, go to palmetto pig- much better. I didnt like this buffet at all really, expect for their fried chicken. The bbq was either mustard base or vinegar base. The vinegar was just too much, they overdid it....and for the mustard, well i hate mustard! I wasnt a fan of the rice and sauce either. Sorry, but not a fan here." read more

No better place in Columbia to go pig out for lunch then pass out on the couch!! Mustard-based BBQ and a healthy (as in quantity, definitely not good for you) selection of sides! read more

A little off the beaten path. We were driving through from Florida and wanted to try some place new to us. In our family of 4, three of us got the buffet and one ordered the brisket basket. Everything was hot, fresh and delicious. The buffet has a bunch of different things to choose from. The fried chicken was moist and crispy! Staff was very friendly. I highly recommend it! read more

Not fancy. Cafeteria style lunch buffet. BBQ , bakes chicken , catfish bites were fresh and well cooked. Brownie cobbler melted in my mouth. Great place! No wait staff. read more

Doc's Barbeque and Southern Buffet - As advertised this place is great! - Barbeque Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I arrived at 11:20 and there were three occupied tables. When 11:35 arrived, the place was slam packed full of folks. The Buffett has a large selection of items. Fried chicken, wings, BBQ, rice and mash, green beans, pinto beans, etc. price was fair at $9 for all you can eat. The food was good, too. The BBQ was nice and juice, the fried chicken was perfect, and the side dishes were pretty stellar. The green beans were a little salty. But the Mac and cheese was spot on. The apple crisp dessert was really good too. It had that crunchy topping that I love. Nice little BBQ buffet. I'm already looking forward to my next visit. read more

There macaroni is tasteless. Banana pudding but no bananas? How is that possible. Despite that extreme disappointment, the chicken was good!

Ordered the chicken sandwich dipped in mustard sauce, it was ok. The potato salad was NOT GOOD! Wanted to give them a try as I am located near by, don't have to return. Customer service was good. read more

Yum! This restaurant had clean tables, yummy food, a fun southern buffet, and reasonable pricing.

Great spot. I had to drive across town but it was well worth it. Fried chicken was amazing and he Mac and cheese was on point. The pulled pork was okay but the catfish nuggets made up for it. Definitely get your money's worth. If you want some soul food, this is a great place to go. read more

Tried the buffet this first time to get an overview sampling. I've been driving by & curious for a couple years. The place always seems to have alot of customers. This place is plain and simple, no frills. At lunchtime on a Thursday there was a little wait, but plenty of seating. Price for an all-you-can-eat buffet was great. The food offered was varied, hot & plentiful. I'm not a southern gal, so some things I wasn't quite ready to try. What I did sample was delicious, homey, flavorful. Reminded me of home dinners at my husband's mother's place (compliment!) Not everything was great, some was simply bland or ordinary (banana pudding). I loved the chicken, fish, beans, pulled pork, greens, & cornbread. I would NOT recommend if you can't do 4-5 steep stairs (there IS a railing to help), or if you are vegetarian or vegan. There is dining inside & outside. I would certainly pick this place again for what the offer. I do want to come back to try some ribs. read more

Best fried chicken ever in Columbia best pulled pork ever in Columbia for 10 bucks, wow you can't go wrong.

We must have went on an off day. Some of the chicken on the buffet smelled rotten. It was a Saturday morning and we arrived just as they opened. However the food on the buffet looked as if it at been there since the night before. I was very disappointed this trip. I have had lunch there before and it was packed. The food was better and the restroom were cleaner. This trip they looked as if they had not been cleaned at all for days, no towels and they were more than a few dead bugs. The sink was nasty as well as the toilet. Like I said this trip was very disappointing. read more

Wedding reception catered by Doc's couldn't have gone smoother. Cindy was exceptional, stepping up to bring plates for the bride & groom and even cutting the cakes for us. Allie was very helpful on the office end. Very pleased with all involved. read more

Great buffet food and at a great price. 9.94 for lunch buffet which includes the drink and that is with Tax

Utilized this restaurant to cater my baby shower. Great service from the beginning. I was a late planner and didn't request my order until 2 days before the event. Luckily they were very flexible and available and affordable. I planned for about 30 ppl - the cater menu stated - 1 meat, 2 traditional sides at $6.50/pp. That's the cheapest catering option I had found while doing my research - so I got the fried chicken, green beans, and rice and gravy. Added a fruit tray for $30. So you can do the math for this party. With this you received - cutlery, plates, napkins, that food is wrapped in aluminum foil like bins, jug of sweet and unsweet tea or whatever option you want. The only thing about this place is the hours of operation 11am - 2:30 pm. I had never eaten here before, only found it due to google search. The food was picked up to avoid delivery fee - it was hot on arrival and plentiful. The chicken was really good and the fruit tray was really good. The green beans and rice and gravy looked and smelled good but lacked flavor. The tea was good of course - nobody drunk any unsweet tea in hindsight I should have anticipated that. I have no complaints overall considering that the prices were really fair and the phone customer service was prompt and pleasant. read more

My favorite BBQ buffet! Peach cobbler is the best I've ever had! Love the catfish nuggets, corn casserole, chicken is great and the BBQ is too. Great price and atmosphere...best to go early...gets packed at lunch.. read more

Yummy, yummy Barbeque, fried catfish, fresh vegetables, corn fritters, AND Chocolate Cobbler!!! Buffet style...waaay tooo much to eat!!

Fantastic catfish bites. Fresh, flavorful and crispy. Not a bad price for an all you can eat place at $10. Pork BBQ is fine and the stock sides are good as well, but don't waste belly space on that stuff. Save it all for the catfish bites! read more

I usually don't do bbq buffets because I leave feeling sick afterwards! I feel like I have to try a little bit of everything on the buffet in order for my visit to be worth it. Flawed thinking I guess but that's just how I roll. Docs in short has a great reputation and their food for the most part, matches up. Standouts for me include their catfish nuggets and Mac n cheese. I think I enjoy the sides more than the actual bbq! read more

Yummy. Came down here with some NY family. We got a LOT of food. 3 people opted for the buffet, one person with the ribs basket with fried okra, one with the pulled pork sandwich, and one person attempted to eat a whole pound of catfish nuggets. We also got brisket and jalapeno cheddar sausage "from the butcher". We normally don't do buffets and try to stay away. But this place will be the exception. Firstly, it's hard to get parking. I started my lunch late at 1:00 pm and it was still hard to find parking! That's a great sign. Inside was crowded too. We were a party of six and first settled in a tiny table with extra chairs...until we saw a party of two leave a long table and made a beeline. Phew! I came in expecting to love the barbecue, but I absolutely fell in love with their catfish nuggets. Wow! I had never been a catfish fan, but I guess I've been eating it all wrong! These are the best. (No, I didn't get the pound - that was my father, who succeeded in his mission - I got mine from the buffet.) Their mac and cheese is pretty good too. My sister loved her pulled pork barbeque. My aunt devoured the fried okra basket. Everyone praised the fried chicken and wondered aloud how southerners do it so crispy and juicy. The corn bread was to die for, and I really enjoyed those flat little biscuits (our first time partaking). I went up to the buffet twice...three....four...okay FIVE TIMES. And each time the food was replaced with a fresh batch. Yummy. The peach cobbler was good but oh boy that banana pudding - I'm in love. Not disgustingly sweet, almost only relied on the sweetness of the banana. Perfect. The busboy (man?) was so nice and friendly and very prompt. A+ So why four stars? My aunt didn't care so much for the collard greens. Being originally from the north, I haven't eaten them much. She recalls the greens that were made by some of her southern friends up in NYC and said theirs had a different flavor. I told her perhaps it's a regional thing and she considered that. I didn't particularly like the brisket and I LOVE brisket. It was a bit dry. Didn't even have any brisket sauce. :'( My favorite barbecue so far in our SC BBQ adventures has been The Smokin' Pig in Pendleton, SC. I love their brisket and their ribs WOWZA. Also: Jalapeno Cheese Grits. Just sayin'. But this place is awesome and a steal. A -good quality- buffet lunch under 10 bucks!! I'd be there everyday if I didn't have any concern for my waistline. read more

Call me anti buffet but I really can't get on the local BBQ buffet bandwagon. As much as I love BBQ the food here, like most all buffets, taste like it has been sitting out too long. The atmosphere is boring and decor is plain. They do have reasonably priced beers and food but not enough reason to pull me back. read more

The BBQ is too vinegary and I do not really care for the the mustard. The sides are good old fashioned southern comfort food that are quite good. I hear they have extended their hours to include dinner sometime but I would call to check and make sure it is open. read more

To the person that said that this place was "meh", you're dead on. Although the buffet price was more than reasonable and the barbecue was very moist, the lack of sauces and side items was discouraging. Also, the mac'n'cheese was AWFUL. It tasted like eggs, why would you do this to Mac'n'cheese? read more

Great example of good southern hospitality and cooking. Very impressed with the service and the food. It's going to be a regular spot for me now. TRY THE PEACH COBBLER! Sorry for shouting it but it's amazing! read more

Found Doc's through excellent reviews and decided to try it while traveling home from Florida. SO GLAD WE DID! The food is delicious, fresh and hot with all the yummy Southern specialties one could wish for. All of the dishes were great but our favorites were the collard greens, mac and cheese and pulled pork. So reasonably priced and more than worth every penny! It certainly satisfied all of our cravings for good homemade comfort food. Go! You'll love it! read more

Doc's is one of my new favorite lunch spots! The buffet is reasonably priced and the food is high-quality. There are lots of options and they keep the food fresh. The cornbread and fried chicken were out of this world! I would definitely recommend Doc's to my friends. read more

This is not a commentary on the establishment as a whole- just one aspect, indeed one single dish which I feel has changed for the worse. I work near Doc's and it has been a staple of both full buffet outings as well as take-out lunches for our staff over the years. One of the mainstays during this time has always been the fried chicken sandwich. For years, it was constructed by the kitchen as a full, fried, bone-in breast, hand pulled and placed on the bun, and it was glorious. Once in a blue moon, you might get a sandwich on the dry side, but that is the chance you take because 95% of the time, the result is the best chicken sandwich in town. Now however, perhaps in a bid for consistency or cost-saving measures, the chicken is two, generic, food-service strips. As a bonus, they can be tossed in wing sauce, which they really do need as the chicken is BLAND. I had been warned by a co-worker about the change, so I gave it a while for them to go back to the old way, but alas. I went in today for a take-out lunch, and the sandwich was a pale shadow of what was. I'm not sure who is in charge of Doc's menu right now, but I hope you read this review. The little bit of extra work was worth it. The replacement is far inferior, and unworthy of you. Thank you for your time. read more

Great lunch Buffett. BBQ is wonderful and catfish is awesome. Wonderful place to go with friends- large tables...

Can't beat the food or prices. Real southern cooking.

Thank you Yelp for directing us to Doc's BBQ! Total locals joint and packed for lunch. Their main attraction is their expansive buffet with everything from fried catfish, brisket, collard greens and macaroni and cheese, just to name a few. Not sure when we might be back in this area again, but would definitely return. read more

One of the best BBQ deals in Columbia, SC. Great buffet, great service and extremely accommodating employees.

excellent southern comfort food, all of the employees are attentive and polite, good atmosphere. 10/10 best apple cobbler and greens I've ever had at a restaurant read more