Jasmine was a great host and the food came out good and fast best experience from a dine in place.

My girlfriends and I went to Metro Diner on 7/18/2026 for our monthly gathering. We truly enjoy the food and the two waiters Alex and Josh were amazing!. Our food came out hot and no one at our table had any complaints! Thank you again Alex and Josh for your wonderful customer service! I know we will recommend others to come and experience the food and the atmosphere at Metro Diner. read more

Nine of our lunch group went here for our second visit this year. Arrived around 10:50AM and were immediately seated. I was surprised as it wasn't as crowded through dinner as our first visit (which was about two weeks after they opened). Our waitress took all of our drink orders and then our entrees. We had a variety of orders. (2) Eggs w/bacon/hash browns/biscuit, Eggs Benedict w/hash browns, Meatloaf, shrimp and grits, Chicken and waffles, turkey/potatoes, french toast and a spicy chicken sandwich. Again, the Chicken and Waffles is a half chicken and was excellent. Same for the shrimp and grits. I was wanting order the shrimp and grits but opted for the Eggs Benedict, which the eggs were done perfectly and the hollandaise sauce very good. The only one that seemed a bit disappointed was the Meatloaf guy. He said he thought it was a bit dry and would've liked more gravy. The spicy chicken sandwich order felt it really wasn't that spicy, but it was good. We had two waitresses brining our orders out and they were very good. Overall rating by the group was a 4.3. read more

08/28/26 I can say this with absolute confidence now. Metro Diner puts too much salt in their food and sauces. I've had the meatloaf, fried fish, biscuits and gravy bowl, roasted turkey with overly salted gravy, and tonight I had the burger bowl. I think the cook forgot it on the griddle because it came out with a crispy bottom. But when topped with salty cheese, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and special sauce - on top of salty fries - it was too much. Every meal I've had to get multiple drink refills to compensate, thinking it was just my tastebuds. But I truly don't think so. Tonight I had a couple of refills of sweet tea with no additional ice and the second one was warm unsweet tea. Overall it made for a less than enjoyable Friday night treat. I would be hesitant to come back and order anything other than a breakfast meal with no meat, than to try another entree. I thought it was a "one off" but it's not. If the entrees are made in house, the recipe could - AND SHOULD - cut the salt measurement at least in half. The place is always clean as can be and the staff are very polite and accommodating! read more

Metro Diner - Metro Diner burger bowl. Burnt and salty. - Diners Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

This was our second time visiting this place, first time actually getting to eat. The first time we visited we were told it would be a 15 minute wait but instead 30 minutes passed and when I asked how much longer they told me it'd be another 20. We decided to leave. Came back yesterday when it looked pretty empty in the parking lot and was seated right away. The menu had lots of options which we loved. There were not a lot of people in the restaurant, yet it took over 40 minutes for our food to come out. The waiter came over several times to apologize. They then started bringing out the food at different times and for one of our orders that had fries, Mac and cheese and fried chicken and a biscuit, all 4 things came out separately. I saw this happen with the table near us as well. I had the steak, egg and hash brown bowl which was delicious. The order above was ok and we had a teriyaki chicken bowl which was good. The peach sweet tea was delicious. Our waiter was nice. My 7 year old said, "well they are very nice here but it's like turtles cooked our food", and that was accurate. read more

Came here with some family that came into town. It was a late Saturday morning so of course there was a wait. We waited about 30-45 minutes. I appreciate them having outside seating for waiting. Our waitress was amazing. I forgot to get her name. We had a big party and she was attentive to us the entire time. The food was pretty good. I ordered the shrimp po boy with a side of onion rings which I believe was written on the board inside the restaurant as one of their specials. It was pretty good, just a simple shrimp po boy. Then onion rings were well battered. I also ordered a side of the croissant French toast which I thought was very basic. I couldn't really taste the croissant in the French toast. Definitely would like to come back ans try some of their more popular menu items. read more

Metro Diner - Croissant French toast - Diners Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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My wife and I went here with friends. I've been twice before but never in the evening. Got there around 6:15 and I was surprised to see very few people there. It's been crowded both times I've been for lunch. I ordered the Fried Chicken plate (since I had the Chicken and waffles before) since I really liked the chicken that last time. My friend ordered the Chicken and Waffles. Our wives ordered the Salmon dinner with Rice and green beans and a flat bread pizzza. I ordered an appetizer of fried cheese curds for the table. It came out quickly with a ranch dipping sauce and was excellent, probably the best thing we had. Highly recommend it. My chicken had a very crispy crust (which I liked) but the chicken seemed dryer than the last time I had it. My fried said his was dry also and he didn't care for the crust (maybe because it was a bit overcooked?). My wife took a bite of my chicken and said it was dry. The beans were pretty much al dente. Seasoned, but crisp. My wife likes al dent beans and didn't like these at all. I have more of a southern taste and like my beans cooked! I should've ordered sausage gravy for my mashed potatoes as I would've liked that more than the brown gravy that came with the dinner. It is a large amount of chicken (1/2 chicken) with a large breast, thigh, leg and wing. My wife only ate about 1/4 of her Salmon. She said it had very little taste and was basically a cooked salmon with some terryaki sauce poured on top of it. The rice was bland and not good. Our friends flat bread pizza was just ok. I was disappointed with this trip....thought I liked their Chicken but I will go back and try ordering something else next time. My wife isn't too interested in going back...she thinks the restaurant is more of a breakfast/lunch spot rather than a dinner place. Based on the amount of customers she may be right. read more

We visited Metro Diner in Columbia, SC with a few friends on a Saturday afternoon and it was PACKED -- which honestly should have told me right away the food was going to be good! We ordered the club sandwich, fish and chips, fried chicken plate, and the two-egg breakfast. Let's just say... everything was delicious. We were passing plates around the table tasting each other's food and there wasn't one thing we didn't enjoy. The fried chicken was cooked perfectly -- crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The cheese grits were fresh, creamy, and hot. The fish was well-seasoned and fried perfectly. It wasn't your typical "regular" fish and chips -- it was even better. You can tell they know how to season their food! And the club sandwich? HUGE. Definitely leftover-worthy. You get your money's worth for sure. I highly recommend Metro Diner if you're in Columbia -- just be prepared to wait, especially on weekends. But trust me... it's worth it! read more

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Let me tell you ... I was in a hurry having a stressful day nothing was going right. I hadn't eaten ALL DAY and I stopped in having never even heard of this place (I thought Panera was still there). Customers service was incredible! I walked inside in my uniform automatically added military discount with out me opening my mouth. I got a chicken Caesar salad and oh my gosh it was delicious! Completely tuned my day around! And just know, I WILL be back! read more

First time dining at Metro Diner. It was not impressive. We were quoted a 25 minute wait. It ended up being an hour wait. The food was mediocre at best. Our waitress was lovely. read more

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Smelled like old oil/grease that was burnt and needed to be changed. Chicken seems to be their thing. Ordered. slice of Key Lime pie. It had a metallic taste from sitting in the metal pie tin too long. I know this because I have done it at home and had to throw the pie out, not serve it. read more

The hostess was the mostest; she was great. She made you feel so welcome and was so kind and personable. My server was also personable and kind. She was great as well. The mimosa is on point. I can't wait to return and try the tower. You get to pick your juice too, which I think is pretty awesome. I wanted to step out of the box, but I also wanted to taste what was most popular. They have a great variety of menu options to order. I opted for the chicken and waffles as my first meal from Metro Diner to really see how they would contend with other spots. First of all, the fact that you get a half chicken with the chicken and waffles is absolutely amazing. The chicken was fried crispy, which I requested extra crispy, and it was quite delicious. It has a light flavor but is a great complement to hot sauce and the waffle. The waffle was perfectly crisped yet soft. It was lovely. I did not go all in on the strawberry butter because I was not feeling too adventurous that day, but it did look good and like a fun addition to the waffles. There was also a sweet and spicy syrup, which was the syrup and hot sauce. Again, if that's your thing, you would love it. For me, I like to keep it simple. I used the regular syrup. It was warmed as well. The food was delicious. I enjoyed my meal to the fullest and can't wait to return to try other items. It's pretty spacious, clean, and comfortable. Parking is reasonable as well. read more

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I was way ahead of Columbia on this one... I first tried Metro Diner down in Jacksonville, Florida, and let me tell you... I've been waiting on them to get here! So when they finally hit the Columbia area, I already knew what time it was. The food? Still hitting like it owes me money. Everything came out fresh, hot, and full of flavor. And the service? Top tier. The kind that makes you feel like they actually want you there--not just tolerating you until you pay the bill. If you're thinking about going, just go hungry. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you and your leftovers might not even make it home Welcome Metro Diner read more

Metro Diner - 2 Two Egg Breakfast - Diners Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Got to meet up with friends and family at Forest Acres newest restaurant. Service was prompt and efficient to get everything we needed for breakfast. Food was prepared with the utmost care biscuit was crispy eggs were fluffy. Great breakfast read more

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This was the first but definitely not the last time to Metro Diner. The service was superb!! Ashley was our waitress abd she made sure we didn't want/need anything. She was so sweet. The food... omg. Delicious . My mom had the cinnamon roll pancakes and I had the san Francisco Benedict. We also had a flight of mimosas. Everything was 100% delicious. Oh yeah, plenty for leftovers!!!! Just wish they had one a little closer to me. Maybe a good thing they don't. read more

Metro Diner - Diners Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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We love the food at Metro Diner. We've been several times the past 2 months. We had the pleasure of Eli seating us & being our waiter today. He's great with customer service & taking care of his tables! read more

Agh - food super greasy. My mimosa flight had a bug in it -asked to replace the mimosa with bug but the waitress never came back until bill time. I asked if she could just take the bug one off the bill (really, they should have taken the whole flight off) but was told that they would have to charge me $5.99 for each of the other flight mimosas. Huh? Service- very nice just not attentive -never received anything I asked for (syrup and water). Hmmpphh read more

I don't get paid enough to sit for 10 minutes and be ignored. After that last experience I won't accept anymore orders from them. I hate when people are rude and condescending. That's not management material. That's a wannabe manager. I don't mind waiting a lil bit,but my time is valuable to me. I wasn't confused. I was ignored. My time wasn't recognized. Not even close. I had to ask after patiently waiting over 10 minutes. No,hey how about a up of coffee. It'll be up in about 5 minutes or so. Not ok. Period read more

Wasn't all bad but could have been better. The chicken was fried to perfection, they definitely deserved credit for that. My 1st side was the Mac n cheese. I wasn't the target audience for the Mac n cheese. I could see it being a perfect dish for a child tho. So I replaced the Mac n cheese back to its original dish, mashed potatoes and gravy. When it was presented to me, the cup of the mashed potatoes was hot and the gravy was hot, but when I started eating them, the mashed potatoes were cold. I didn't want to turn into "that" person, so I just asked for a to-go container so I could re-heat and eat at home. The French fries were hot n fresh. The service was ok. My waiter was attentive and checked in regularly. Inside the restaurant has that back in the day Diner vibe, so that was cool. Outside could have used some patio umbrellas for people who wanted to enjoy their meal outside on a sunny day. All in all, this place has potential! With the rising cost of things today, eating out is a luxury. Nobody wants to gamble with their funds and get a meal that not right and you don't want to give the people a hard time because everybody is over worked and underpaid out here. The menu prices are mostly under $20.00 and if you sign up online, they have coupons and deals to make your meal a tad cheaper. With a deal like that, it's worth a try to form your own opinion. Best of luck! read more

Metro Diner - Fried Chicken Plate - Diners Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Marcie has done a remarkable job with this place! Yesterday, I had the half rack of ribs. Excellent . My waitress, Casey, was exceptional. The day before, I had the meatloaf and it was perfect as well. Haley was great as well. Y'all really need to try this place. read more

First time going. Went for lunch on a Saturday so it was pretty busy. Guy working the front is very rude and unnecessarily sassy. Saw his interaction with multiple customers and acted this way with everyone. A person came to pick up his to go order and just told him where the rack was and walked away. The customer waited around for a minute confused and making sure that was the end of the "conversation" the "greeter" never came back. While calling out the names of the party's a man asked when he would be called and he replied "did I call YOUR name!?" An older couple called for him and the lady asked him if he was tired and maybe he needed to sit down for a minute. That's completely ridiculous that grandma needed to baby this man-child. Honestly completely rude and unprofessional sets a bad vibe before even being seated. While waiting I noticed 2 tables that became available. The tables were even cleaned and the "greeter" waited a good while before seating people who were waiting. Mind you all this happened during my 45 minute wait. Once seated our server was generic not overly friendly but got our food and drinks in and out with expected time. Our food was okay. Fries were under seasoned. Onion rings a little undercooked and under seasoned. Stuffing was bland. My son said that my Stove Top Stuffing tasted better. Sodas are overpriced $3.69 each. Club sandwich was bland. Overall mediocre food, and server was prompt. Mr Spicy attitude at the front needs to be replaced with someone friendlier. Not sure if I would be back. read more

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I absolutely loved Metro Diner. Our first experience was in Jacksonville, FL after watching a Guy Fieri's Diners, Digs, and Dives episode where they were featured. Columbia's location was just as nice! The food portions were huge and the taste delicious. I got the carrot cake waffle with cream cheese and candied pecans, and my husband got the fish and chips. The rest of our family got shrimp po boys, bacon burgers, salmon bowls, and omelets. Everything was great! We'll definitely return to check out more menu items. read more

Metro Diner - Carrot Cake Waffles - Diners Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Amazing. Starting with Tay the hostess. She was welcoming and attentive. Even though there was a wait she talked to us and time flew by. She checked on us several times during our dinner. Our waiter, Eli was great. We waited no more than 1 minute between sitting down and he taking our order. Drinks were refilled without asking, and he frequently checked to make sure all was OK. Food. I had the fruity waffle and hubby has the fried chicken dinner. The chicken was freshly cooked and the taste was amazing. The waffle was loaded with blueberries and topped with fresh strawberries and sliced bananas. A fulfilling dinner for sure. I just wish there was a metro diner in Lexington! read more

Well worth the wait. We started with the poutine which had a twist to it. The cheese curds were battered and fried. The gravy was amazing. I had the roasted turkey plate and thoroughly enjoyed every bite. I highly recommend trying this spot out. read more

When we arrived they were very busy but the atmosphere was very inviting. They did some renovations look very nice. I searched for brunch places before I came and chose here. They also had if you sign up rewards you will get 50 percent off entree. I wanted their steak and egg bowl but they were out. I ordered chicken and waffle and my husband ordered chicken sandwiches. The chicken was crispy but bland and plenty pieces of chicken. You actually can share. The server was nice and attentive. I will try a read more

Food was good, but my omelet was cold. Grits were hot, bread not toasted. Waitress took the order first of a couple that came in 6 minutes after we did...how is that cool? Prices are good, I'll go back when she is off. read more

I tried this restaurant in many other locations and was very pleased with both the service and the food. I would recommend this place to others. read more

I placed a call in order at 3:35 pm and didn't receive my order until around 5:30. I was fully aware of how busy the diner gets at this time, so I'm not at all upset at them for that, I get it. I'm upset about the lack of communication and transparency when it came to my order. When I placed my order, I had no warning about the wait time. I sat in front of the host station and waited and watched as to-go orders were handed directly to other guests. Not once did I hear my name called out and I was only asked about my order twice, when I arrived and when I received my order. I'm not sure if I was forgotten about or what, but it was not a very pleasant experience. Food was good though, better once I warmed it up of course. read more

This was pre opening. The food was great and service was top notch. We will be back again after the opening this is a must try

My new go to for Brunch! Great menu with something for everyone. Very attentive and Great customer service.highly recommend and military discount Is honored. read more

This place was absolutely amazing, food was great, and the employees were incredible!! Shoutout to our server Ebony, you are such an amazing person, and we enjoyed your personality so much! read more

The service was amazing! Our waitress was very attentive. Thank you for a good experience.

Great customer service from Patrice and delicious food on pre opening day. Very attentive staff. Hand breaded chicken tenders, crispy bacon, and great sides. Fun environment read more

I really enjoyed this restaurant. Atmosphere was warm and inviting. The food was delivered quickly and accurately. Seasoned well and very tasty. Waitress was awesome, friendly, and a delight to have. read more

My husband and I were in town to celebrate our son's graduation from Fort Jackson, Army Boot Camp. We looked up spots that were good to go eat and Metro diner popped up. We decided to give it a chance seeing that the food looks good upon our arrival we were greeted by an older lady with short peppered hair and I believe it was blue or purple on the top. She was very rude. We wanted to sit at a booth and she said it was off-limits, which was fine so we asked her if it was OK if we could sit at the booth that was being cleaned she made no eye contact was very rude in her tone (as if we bothered her to do her job) so she said yeah if you wanna wait for that booth whatever. Her tone, her vibe, no eye contact. She was just rude so much so that my husband said "wow what a nasty attitude" do you wanna leave and he never complains.. the lack of friendliness and customer service was overwhelming so we did not stay. I made it a point to go let her know that we were leaving because she was so rude and I believe we did it in front of a manager, which said nothing at all, she was sitting at a booth. Unfortunately, I cannot say that we liked the food, I cannot say that we liked the vibe nor the service because we were treated so rudely that we just left but we went to an awesome place called Que Bueno Mexican Bar & grill. Where We're promptly greeted by the bartender who cleaned the booth that we wanted and with a smile and the customer service and the food was excellent so in the end we ended up winning.... Thank you for your bad customer service. We wouldn't have found this other place. If it wouldn't have been for you.! read more

Terrible place, don't even attempt it. Staff horrible, don't want to serve anyone. About 20 open booths, long line, asked how long, hostess, said I would have to wait for an answer. I asked for an approximate, she stated over 30 minutes. read more

Wonderful shrimp and grits ( even though they do not have the slow cooked grits.) So many options and everything I have tasted has been good. Try the homemade chicken pie topped with excellent fresh flaky biscuit dough. Very good Angus cheeseburgers also. Excellent service... ask for Liam ! read more

Place seems popular but I wasn't impressed. Service was slow and the waitress seemed unfamiliar with how to split a check. Didn't receive all the food we ordered and when we brought it to their attention they seemed pretty unconcerned. Paid too much for what we ended up getting and the B food rating currently posted is a little troubling. Hopefully just catching their stride, I know they just opened and are probably working out some kinks read more