Publick House

First time trying out Henry's Restaurant and Bar. This food was so delicious! My husband and I…read moreordered the Shrimp Philly. The shrimp philly was so full of amazing flavor. From the peppers, onions and mushrooms! I could have eaten that by itself, haha. Yes, the veggies were good, but the shrimp was soft and tender with bursts of flavor from each bite! It also came with seasoned french fries. My husband ordered the Carolina Burger with tator tots. The way he was eating that burger and rolling his eyes at the back of his head, haha I knew it tasted miraculous. He stated it was juicy, flavorful and the homemade pimento cheese was delicious. We also tried the Hush Puppies with cinnamon butter, and they were so good it's hard to just stop popping them in your mouth! We also ordered the Dijon Encrusted Salmon sandwich and all I can say is it was good and scrumptious:) I am so full you can imagine how many typos were in this review, haha. Henry's Restaurant & Bar we are coming back! It would be crazy for me not to have round two:) It was too crowded for pictures, but customer service was good, the place was clean, and the restaurant was packed! Overall, I enjoyed everything. We will be back:) If you're in the Columbia area, head over there and check them out.

It's been years since I've been here... stopped in last weekend. Bar staff was super nice. Drinks…read morewere strong and the food was tasty'

Crab cake Benedict

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Backstreets Grill

4.4(387 reviews)

0.1 mi

This was my first time trying out this restaurant. I had always heard they had great food, so of…read morecourse, I had to try it for myself. My husband decided we should test it out today, so we ended up grabbing the food as we had a couple plans for today. My husband ordered the Reuben Sandwich. It came with Truffle Parmesan Fries. He stated the taste was very flavorful, the meat was tender, and he fell in love with the truffle fries. They didn't stand a chance! Now here comes the funny part:) I told him I wanted the Black Bean Burger without the lettuce and tomato, but instead he ordered me just the patty with cheese and mayo with no buns! Instead of him asking the correct way, he asked for it as just the patty only, haha I was too tickled to be mad. Even though he missed it, it was so good! That was the best black bean patty I had in a long time. It was well-prepared and delicious. Yes, I also have the Truffle Parmesan Fries and they tasted amazing. Hot, seasoned to perfection and irresistible! Once I saw the salmon, I had to try it. Omg, that salmon was prepared perfectly, juicy and mouth-watering. The food was on point I must say. Hubby stated customer service was amazing as well. The restaurant was well lit, had a great atmosphere and overall a great spot to dine with your friends. We will definitely be heading back soon to dine in and try more food:)

Solid four. Service was a bit slow at the start, but improved. Food was all good, but not something…read moreI'd crave. We did sit outside on a very hot day, so to be fair, that may have detracted from the experience. We will give this one another try though. Big menu and a lot of choices so we'll come again and sit inside next time!

Outdoor Bar

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Goat's

4.5(203 reviews)

0.3 mi

Goat's has a fun, casual atmosphere that works well for a night out with friends. I ordered the hot…read morechicken sandwich with fries, and the sandwich had a nice amount of heat without drowning out the flavor. We also shared the fried pickles, which disappeared pretty quickly. The music was a little loud during the busy part of the evening, but it added to the lively feel.

Goat's was a really cool restaurant, and was a great change of pace compared to the other…read moreestablishments in the area. When I walked in, I was amazed at what I saw inside, as it definitely was not what I was expecting (and I mean that in a good way!). I loved how dimly lit it was inside, which was complemented by miniature lights that were strung from the ceiling. Speaking of the aforementioned change of pace, I also appreciated how there were no TVs inside, which created an intimate atmosphere that focused more on conversing with your friends than watching whatever may have been on TV. Finally, as someone who always pays attention to a restaurant's artwork... I absolutely LOVED the artwork that was on display at Goat's. They had so many cool pieces of eclectic artwork, that you could almost consider it as much a small art museum as a restaurant. My favorite art piece is kind of hard to describe, but I guess you could say that it was of a God-like man in a suit controlling somebody who was playing golf. (I know, it's hard to describe, but like I said, it's eclectic.) My one (1) downside to Goat's, and the only thing keeping it from a five-star review, is that the bartender and servers were all pretty rude and arrogant. This is speculation, but maybe Goat's is one of those places that considers itself a "regulars" bar, and isn't very nice to people who aren't regular customers, but the three (3) employees I interacted with weren't all that inviting. All in all, Goat's was a great experience, and if it were an option, I'd probably give it something like 4.5 or 4.8 stars if I could. If the servers were a little less full of themselves, or maybe just in a better mood, I'd consider it a five-star experience. Nevertheless, Goat's was a great experience, I'll definitely be back, and I'd recommend that anybody stop in if they're looking for a unique experience in Five Points!

Mussels and frites, PEI mussels, Greek farro salad

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$25 wine bottle fridays

Sully's Steamers

4.5(50 reviews)

0.5 mi

This is another place I've been eyeing for awhile and I got the perfect opportunity the other day…read morewith a girlfriend when we were looking for lunch places. The establishment is is spacious and they have tables both inside and outside and are decked out in USC pride. I can totally see this being a college hangout spot. The menu is never ending and it's soooo hard picking which bagel sandwich sounds best because soooo many sounded good. And then after you pick your sandwich you have to pick your bagel! Do yourself a favor and look at the menu before coming in so you already know exactly what you'll try. Since I came with a friend we decided to to try two different bagels and the staff here were nice enough to cut them both in half to make it easier for us to share. The bagels were messy but you could tell they were freshly made and so good! We ended up sharing the ridgeland and neighborino. I loved them both but I want to say I loved the neighborino a smidge more. While living here this will definitely become a regular spot and prices here were more than fair for the portions and freshness.

I love Sully's Steamers and have been going since they opened the first one in Greenville. I wish…read morethey would just open one in Charleston already. Whenever I'm traveling locally I check to see if there is one in my path. We were on our way to Columbia for a trip to the planetarium so we stopped on the way up for Lunch at Sully's. When I first discovered them, they had a sandwich on the menu called The Heater, the last place I went to was familiar with it, but this location was not. That didn't mean they weren't willing to make it for me though. I don't know if I ordered it exactly right, but the woman taking my order and I walked our way through it... the sandwich was delicious either way. This time I also got to try The Griswold (Turkey, bacon, provolone, pepper jack, lettuce, bbq & parm-peppercorn) and it might be a new favorite. This location is bigger than others I've been to. They had a bunch of tables inside and a large communal area outside with turf and a bunch of seating. Someone was even having a birthday party out there. Now I want to have a Sully's Steamers bday party too!

The Nacho Maximus

Outside signage

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The nacho maximus chip combo

Trophy Room

4.2(5 reviews)

0.8 mi

Casual dining

Locally owned & operated

Located inside of the Graduate Hotel this is more then just a lobby bar. It is an enjoyable and…read morerelaxing place for a great meal with personable and efficient service. The vibe and culture is what makes this place special.

Had some wonderful beef nachos and two old fashioned. The bartender is a super dude. Very helpful…read more I asked for extra jalapenos and sour cream and they accommodated. The ground beef was fresh and not greasy.

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Drinks

Rooftop Bar

3.3(3 reviews)

0.2 mi

Rooftop was a lot of fun…read more Now, as far as the actual "rooftop"... let's just say you get a nice view of a fence and the backside of some other buildings. Other than that, Rooftop was great. The DJ was awesome, and I loved their light show and overall vibes. The bartenders (inside and outside) were cool, but I wasn't particularly impressed with their selection of beers. All-in-all, Rooftop was a fun, upbeat, college bar that I'll definitely return to when I'm in the right mood!

Insanely overpriced drinks. A glass of house red wine is $22. Bartenders are unfriendly and hell…read morebent on closing the bar before listed hours. Only reason to visit is the view of the capital at night. Otherwise, skip!!!!!!!!!

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Market On Main

3.8(306 reviews)

1.3 mi

We came here for brunch with friends and our 4 and 5 year old. We were so happy with everything!…read moreThe truffle fries were to die for. I got the drink with the bottle of prosecco in it and it was so fun! The service was fast and friendly. We will definitely come back again!

brunch was amazing with the perfect atmosphere. the food was delicious and the mimosas were a nice…read moretouch. Nate was an amazing server

Market on Main Street

Mushroom & Zucchini Special

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Mojito Mocktail

Midwood Smokehouse - Cross Hill

4.3(1k reviews)

2.2 mi

Food was amazing and service too. Our server was Lizzie and she was awesome! Will be going back.read more

We had a really good lunch at Midwood Smokehouse in Columbia. It's located at the end of a small…read moreshopping center that also has Whole Foods, and the area itself is nice. The restaurant is medium-sized with a small patio of about six tables. It was a beautiful day, so we chose to sit outside since the dining room was a bit loud. It took a couple of minutes for a host to seat us, but we did arrive during peak lunchtime on a Monday, so it wasn't a big deal. Once seated, our server, Seavy, was fantastic. He was very attentive, friendly, and had a great personality. I ordered the brisket plate, my husband had the half chicken, and the third person in our party ordered the brisket sandwich. My brisket was fantastic--very moist and a generous portion. The hush puppies were tiny but crispy and delicious, and the bacon-wrapped jalapeños were outstanding. My husband really enjoyed his chicken, which was also moist, along with the collards and coleslaw. The brisket sandwich was huge and came with coleslaw and a side of mac & cheese, and everything was very good. What stood out most was the portion size and the quality of the food for the price. Overall, we had a great meal and would definitely come back.

Pimento Cheese Fries with Brisket

Booth's seating and tables

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Midwood Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Mr Friendly's New Southern Cafe

4.4(432 reviews)

0.4 mi

I met a friend here for lunch and shared the fried green tomatoes before getting the shrimp and…read moregrits. The tomatoes had a nice crisp coating, and the grits were creamy with plenty of flavor. My friend went with the fried chicken, which had a crisp outside and tender meat. We had to wait a little longer for the check than expected, but the meal itself was enjoyable. The menu has enough Southern favorites with a few different twists that I'd be interested in coming back.

I was shocked at how bad the food was. I had been there 4 years ago and it was just good…read more I had a blackberry mint drink. No mint & 1 blackberry smashed up on the bottom. It was very bad. Got the Crab cakes...ok I could hardly eat them. The crab meat was the lowest quality of crab. Looked like canned crab meat. They were flat about a 1/4 inch. Over fried. So very sad for $34 dollars. Green fried tomatoes. Just a stack of tomatoes without sauce. (Ever pic shows a sauce served with them) my husband had red fish...it was just ok. Now the dessert didn't get what was described on menu. It was good sadly the desert was the best part of the meal. The service was a 4. The place needs a full make over w a better menu & chef. I would not recommend. Unfortunately I will never visit again. It is very low quality cooking.

Rock shrimp appetizer

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The Friendly Salad

929 Kitchen & Bar

4.4(419 reviews)

1.5 mi

I completely forgot that I'd visited this place a few years ago. Came back for a late night dinner…read moreand was NOT disappointed. Ample flavor. Great serving size. Good service. And convenient location! I'd definitely visit again.

We had amazing Korean food and mocktails here in an unsuspecting place. We ordered the Guava…read moregetaway, Creamy Limeade, Kimchi Cheese Fries, Kangjeong (Boneless Wings), Spicy Squid and Pork Belly with rice, and Japchae. The drinks were blended very well and used fresh lime juice, which was nice. The appetizers -- the kimchi fries and the boneless wings were pretty standard. The fries were crunchy, but we felt like there was more cheese than there was kimchi and sauce, so we've had better kimchi fries elsewhere. The cheese was very gooey though. The boneless wings weren't as crunchy as they could have been, especially coming out in a stone dish, but the garlic soy sauce was still pretty good. Our mains were really good -- the japchae, which I ordered with fried tofu, had the right texture and flavor, and was delicious yet spicy. The tofu was a little bland though. My partner enjoyed the squid and pork belly dish and said that the sauce was similar to the japchae sauce. The portions were pretty normal and not too big, so we had a few leftovers but not too many. The prices were also pretty reasonable as well. Overall we were really happy with our food here and would come back if we ever visited again.

Kimchi Cheese Fries

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Creamy Shrimp

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Caroline C.

10 years ago

We go to Publick house every couple of weeks or so. The atmosphere is very casual and fun. I am giving it a four star because sometimes the service can be a little slow - usually when they are just really busy though, so that's a little understandable! Also, the one time I tried the buffalo chicken sandwich I was a little disappointed. Instead of a big chicken breast it was three little nuggets on bread covered in buffalo sauce. Every other time I have gotten the Guinness breaded fried shrimp and they are AMAZING. I highly recommend these. They have so much flavor and are so crunchy. I should have stuck to those the one time I got the sand which. Also, they have a good beer selection! read more

Anon R.

12 years ago

The food is good, the bar tenders are good, and they usually have a nice selection of beer on tap. The last three times I've gone there they have over cooked my wings to the point I didn't even want to eat them. Their food is generally enjoyable beyond that. read more

Will J.

14 years ago

Always enjoy going to Publick House. The beer selection is great and the wings have a good kick to 'em. Depending on the time you go, service can be a little slow. But it is tolerable. Great place to watch a game! Prices are very reasonable. read more

Leslie S.

10 years ago

This is a very cool local rest / bar. I like the atmosphere and the staff is very attentive!!

Food C.

9 years ago

Fried roach topper on wing basket, they know it's an issue, but don't care to solve it....

Kyle F.

13 years ago

Best wings in Columbia. Get the spicy barbecue or lemon pepper!

Patrick D.

8 years ago

Columbia institution. No better wings in town.

Dave M.

155

246

14 years ago

Great local place for wings and beer.

Publick House - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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3.6

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Our ROMEO lunch group went here for the first time today. Two of our group had been here before and…read moresuggested trying it. We were immediately greeted a very friendly waitress that took our drink orders. When I asked her what she recommended she said they have very good hamburgers and that the Vella's Special turkey sandwich was always popular. We had one person order the Prime Rib sandwich, medium well done. One person ordered the Vella's Special Salad, one order for the Rueben sandwich, and six of us ordered the Vella's special turkey sandwich. It is heated and has turkey, crumbled bacon, provolone cheese and comes with a dipping sauce, one side and a soft drink for $9.99. A good deal. The sandwich itself was good but seemed to lack something, IMO. Most of the guys rated it as a 4.0 with a couple of 3.5's. The Prime Rib sandwich was a hit and so was the salad. The Cole slaw served with the Turkey sandwich was good but I heard a couple of mentions about it not being sweet. Looked like KFC's but not sweet. I liked it Several guys ordered the home fries and said they were just ok. They have a very good looking menu with a lot of interesting options for dinner time. I'd like to try their Philly Cheese Steak next time I go back. Service was great, ambience is nice, food slightly above average. Our overall rating was a 3.83.

We live in this area for about almost 8 years and wasn't aware this restaurant has an all you can…read moreeat crab legs on Monday night. The crab legs were sweet and savory. I would go there again.

Murray's Neighborhood Grill & Bar

3.6

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When you walk into this place, it has that whole "nostalgic, old school, never changed" kind of…read morevibe. There is memorabilia placed everywhere on the walls, along with some old sports trophies. There is an open kitchen where you can see the chefs cooking up every meal for every table, which is really nice. The floors were old and the whole interior looked like it was all still original to the day it opened several years ago. It has a very big dining room split into 3 different areas, so it was very accommodating for all of our kids to play around while we waited for our food to be delivered without disturbing other customers. My son got the kids cheese burger and fries. My husband ordered their philly cheesesteak and I decided to order their signature sub sandwich. Both of us got raw fries, as well. All of us were satisfied with our meals. My signature sub was filled with delicious flavor and my husband said he liked his Philly cheesesteak just fine. We came here with our baseball team parents, coaches and players after a tournament game and although we waited about 30 minutes to be greeted by a server after we arrived, everything was else went well. The woman who took care of us appeared to be someone who had been employed there for many years and she was very nice and patient with our very large party that took up half of the dining room area we were sitting in. My only critique was how she put a tablecloth on one of our tables before bringing us all menus and taking our drink orders. Granted, many of the adults who were familiar with this restaurant had already ordered buckets of miller light bottles from her at the bar before she came over to take care of us 30 minutes later, but many of us were still expecting prompt service.

Excellent space for post competition eats! Large space on our own for our kiddos to play without…read moredisturbing other patrons. The service was kind and understanding. Great ribs and Philly cheesesteak.

Blaney's Backyard Grille

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They lose your order they take forever the is hit or miss the atmosphere is a bar the service is…read morehorrible the too busy handling online orders to help her customers she lets the children run the store. You're better off going to the local House of Pizza

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Great little dive bar with killer wings. Owner is awesome too.... Good location, you'll meet some…read moreinteresting people. Worth the stop for sure.

Great bar food and great service will definitely go back. Good prices for the amount of foodread more

WingPlace Patio

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My children and I were all in the mood for fish, so I got the fish and shrimp, my oldest had the…read morefish tacos and my youngest had the fish and chips small plate. All of us enjoyed our fish meal. The fried shrimp were pretty salty, but the fish tasted very good. The tiny little cup of Cole slaw it's served with was average. The chips were just okay. My oldest said his taco was okay but on the dry side. He said he couldn't really taste the cilantro creamy sauce it was supposed to come with, so he asked our server for an extra tartar sauce. Then, he said it tasted better. The ambiance here is good. It's a very clean and comfortable spot to dine in. The prices are a little high, so for a family of three, I spent $50. I typically don't like to spend that much for three meals, but at least we enjoyed our proteins.

The food was amazing and out quick. The service was amazing. The food was hot and fresh and tasted…read moreamazing. I didn't have to send anything back to get made again. If anyone ever asked me the best place to go eat i would send them here.

Bogarts Restaurant

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We loved the feels of this spot! They serve specials for…read morelunch & dinner! Their wings are meaty & delicious. I wished I could remember our servers name, she was amazeballs!! We went for lunch & it felt very family oriented. The men's & ladies room was very clean, with a baby changing table in the ladies room. We will definitely be back!! There was a sign on the door saying they will be closed Monday, April 20 & today April 21. Just a heads up.

Best Steak Sandwich. Great wing chips. Great prime rib. Would recommend this place. Daily special…read moreare good deal. Wings are good too?

The Salty Nut Cafe

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Literally met one of the best people I've encountered since coming down to South Carolina as my…read moreserver (RENEE IS MY EVERYTHING) to the point where I was invited to her birthday hahhaa. The drinks are strong, the chicken Caesar wrap schlapttt, THE SPICY CHIPS ARE TO DIE FOR, and the nuts are.. well? salty. ‍ Shoutout to all the staff at the salty nut for taking me in and making me feel like I have somebody to count on. This is now one of my go-to spots!

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