We love their food although it can be a little expensive for what you get. Great ambiance and outdoor spaces at both Columbia locations. Service at the location by the fireflies stadium can be slow and inattentive but good beer selection. Outdoor seating is dog friendly!!! read more

Came here with a big group of friends and were seated outside in their backyard area. I loved the atmosphere of the place and how dogs are allowed in the backyard! Such a good idea! Food: My friend and I split the Gochugaru cauliflower bites and they were delicious! They were seasoned perfectly and the sweet Chile vinaigrette for dipping was spot on! Our waitress recommended the shrimp crunch roll as her favorite dish so I ordered that. I was not impressed. I did love the caramelized plantains that I got to choose as a side with the dish. They were mouth watering good like my mom makes back home. The roll though had way too much rice in it and I wish they cut up the shrimp instead of putting whole shrimp into the roll because it made it hard to eat. It also was more of a wrap than a roll. It was a good idea for a dish I think they just need to use less rice and add in more of the toppings that come in it. I also wish there was a sauce inside of it instead of on the side because it was a little dry with the rice and the wrap together. My friends got the Cubanos Nachos for an appetizer and they were delicious! Drink: My friends and I all ordered bloody Mary's and they were by far one of the best I've ever had! Overall I think this place is pretty good. I like their fusion ideas and wish I could've ordered more things to try! Their bloody Mary's are a must as well as their cauliflower appetizer! read more

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My wife and I went here Friday night for the first time. Arrived at 6:30 and were seated in about five minutes, right before it got really crowded. Glad we got there a bit early. I've been wanting to come here for quite some time, as the menu looks very interesting. We weren't sure what to order, but based on some yelp reviews we opted for an appitizer of the trio dip with chips. I decided on the shrimp and chorizo quesadilla (only $7.95) and my wife ordered the Macrobiotic bowl salad with shrimp. The chips were good, not warm as some others had stated in reviews, but I wasn't impressed with the trio of dips. I found the salsa good, but it has a sweet flavor that is noticeable when you first bite into it...and then there's a nice sort of tang to it after that. I just didn't care for the sweetness of it's flavor. We both agreed that the quacomole was bland (needed some salt). The queso dip was okay, not great. I doubt if we'd order it again. My wife took one bite of the salad and said there was an unusual taste to it, sort of like seaweed. Not sure what it was, but she ate two of the shrimp and didn't touch it after that. She also didn't care for the taste of the shrimp. My quesadilla was okay, not great. I wouldn't order it again. I guess we just happened to order three things that didn't ring our bell. I would've liked to have tried the Cuban sandwich and also the burgers looked good. I had a Hefeweizen beer and she ordered a Chardonnay. Our waiter was great...very friendly and good. No complaints on the service, just the food choices we made didn't turn out. Nice atmosphere, but I doubt if I'd go back on a Friday night based on the chances of getting seated quickly may be slim. We lucked out last night. read more

I had read great reviews about this restaurant, and my partner and I were very excited to try it out after a long day at work. On Tuesday, 8/30/22, at approximately 615pm, we entered. There were 4 tables currently sat, all but one had food and drinks. We were greeted with smiles and sat. About 10 minutes of waiting, another couple came and sat near us. They were greeted and their server even apologized for their wait. All the while, we hadn't even been acknowledged since we sat. The other table before us had already been there for 30 minutes and received the same service, or lack thereof. Another 10 minutes went by, and after we got tired of watching the servers socializing at the hostess stand, we got up and left. I did say something to the host, and she seemed annoyed that I was even speaking to her. I was excited to try this establishment, but we will not be returning. read more

I'm usually such a big fan of Publico and always suggest it for any occasion--but the service has gone downhill since I started coming. Tonight we waited almost two hours for a table, which we were happy to wait outside with our dog. However, I asked for water for my dog and was told it was something that a server would give me at my table...so my dog had to wait two hours for water. Once we were finally sat, one of us was given the option to order a drink and the server walked away before I could order. We decided to finish our drink and leave before even ordering another round or any food, after waiting two hours for the chance to order. The bartenders were very nice and attentive, otherwise service was terrible. We were also kicked out of the patio chairs because they were "just for decoration"...and watched other people sit in them all night. read more

Publico - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Nice atmosphere. Good service. Good food. With an extensive menu and drink selection. Location near U of SC is great.

Stopped in after a day of shopping for a quick bite to eat. They had a daily special of a pineapple margarita which was very delicious! The taco was very flavorful and the service was quick! read more

Publico - Pineapple margarita - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

food- not much flavor; decent prices ambience- nice and not too crazy drinks- the saving grace bc whoever the bartenders are deserve a raise for making delicious yumminess where you can't taste the alcohol! will be back for drinks read more

The service here is next to the worst you'll find in Columbia as a whole. Our server was beyond entitled, nasty, and couldn't even buss her own tables. The host they have at the front with the mini shorts on was disgustingly rude and lost them out on a ton of customers. The food somehow looks amazing, but was next to unbearable. The amount of salt used makes you puff up and everything is always so dry and strange tasting. Overall, the staff here is the reason you should skip. They are beyond rude, standoffish, and poorly trained. I sincerely hope they start taking these reviews into account considering this is the fourth person I've seen in the last week have a horrible experience. I am appalled at the (lack of) service and hope they do some staff training and learn how to control your nasty facial expressions. Might I add, we waited two hours for a plate of tacos lmao. DO NOT COME HERE, 95% of people regret it. read more

Publico had a good ambiance and came highly recommended, but didn't quite live up to the hype. I had the bao and was surprised to see that the seasoning on the chicken was too much and completely overpowering. It was hard to taste anything else in the dish, and I ended up just eating the bun and other ingredients. The rest of my party enjoyed their food more, but wasn't wowed either. And sadly they were out of a lot of the dishes we wanted to order. So without being able to try what we were interested in, it's hard to say the food is worth a visit. They had an extensive drink menu that we didn't try, but might be better than what we ate. read more

Publico - Korean "hot chicken" bao buns - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Publico is great! Being in 5 Points, it has a lively, fun vibe. Thomas felt like an immediate friend - he gave us great recommendations for food, drinks and dropped a few joking words in between. :) We started with the chips and guac and the cauliflower bites. The cauliflower was perfectly crispy and the sauce was delicious!!! Guac was fine, felt like it came from a pre-made bag. I had a margarita and my husband had a gin and juice. My margarita was fine to drink but it tasted like it came from a pre-made mix and was very syrup-y. Husband liked his gin and juice. For the main I enjoyed the chicken bahn mi tacos. They were very good and very spicy. Husband had one carnitas and one fish taco- he thought they were fine, but nothing to write home about. In short, this is a place to go for a fun vibe and pretty good food! We will be back! read more

The food was good -- not the best I've ever had, not the worst, just somewhere in between. I got the tuna tataki salad. It was good, it was just missing something. We shared an order of queso, salsa, and guacamole. They were good, but the guacamole was brown. We were the first table sat, and I understand that avocados brown quickly. That being said, stirring the guacamole before serving it will generally fix any brown that happens on the top. It didn't change the taste, it's just not visually appealing. Among our group, some raved about the food, others had more of a "meh" reaction. The atmosphere was very upbeat. This restaurant is definitely in the heart of a college town and caters to that crowd. The service was okay. Our server was friendly, just incredibly slow. Again, we were the first sat and the place filled up fairly quickly, but as a former server watching him, I don't feel like he used his time efficiently. It took him 10 minutes to check on us after the entrees came. Anything we needed was a moot point by then. Would I come here again? If I was meeting a girlfriend for drinks (the sangria was yummy!), yes! If I'm looking for a fantastic meal, probably not. read more

Publico - Taco platter with street corn (off the cob) - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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The food is good but definitely over priced and not as great as what it was hyped up to be. The vibes are great though.

This bar is amazing and the bar staff is so informative!!! they know what service is and are very attentive!!! please sit at the bar and get the 5 star service. amazing beer selection and support local!! please see Payton and will!!! The bartenders!!! nicole the manager is so sweet and ensures all the guests are happy!!!! read more

Loved the fusion menu and the vibe of the overall restaurant. The outside patio was nice and you are able to bring your pups out or enjoy one of the many games they have. read more

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Amazing experience today at Publico! Mandy N. Was extremely accommodating and paying attention to every need of ours the whole time we were here. She exudes great energy. Next time I come back, I will request to sit with her! Didn't hurt the food and drinks were amazing too! read more

Publico - Margarita flights - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

pretty good, average to small proportion, kinda pricey. very good service, very quick, nice waiter very nice ambience, beautifully decorated read more

If I could give less than one star I would. The customer service is trash. The MOCKTAILS are more expensive then the alcoholic beverages. It's took 25 mins just to get our drinks and almost 30 for the food. Out of all 5 tacos we ordered apiece only 2 were not ice cold to the touch and the only 2 that had flavor. read more

This was my first time here! I really wish I could remember our waitress' name because she was really sweet. We had several questions about the drinks and if she didn't know she found out and did so while still remaining pleasant. The presentation of the food was great!. I had the flash bang shrimp lettuce wrap...AMAZING!! Easily my favorite item that I tried. It has kimchi inside which gave it a nice kick. I also had the Bahn Mi Taco and (I think) the soda city taco. Both were not bad. The Bahn Mi was a little salty for my taste buds. I also tried the classic taco and the bulgogi beef taco (a bit salty for me as well). The street corn was really good. I was looking for a cob per other pictures here on Yelp but I a enjoyed the fresh pulled corn. Lastly, the salmon poke bowl! This was good and everything tasted really fresh. I was pleased to see that the menu was available by scanning QR Codes to keep contact at a minimum. All in all, I will be back to try some of their other items. read more

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I started with the margarita flight because ..well I've just never seen one offered before! 4 out of the six were tolerable. I should have known better? I drank three. The one that I thought I'd like the least, I liked the most. It was the spicy one. I had the spicy bulgolgi ramen. Not bad, but not great. Not enough broth and the raw green peppers did nothing for the soup. The beef was tender but had alot of gristle in it. I guess I'm spoiled by Ramen shops. The spicy chicken bao was also just ok. The chicken was fried well but not substantial and not spicy. Service was good. They allow dogs and have a doggie menu! read more

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So on a whim, my friend and I decided to give this place a try since it had such great reviews. They have this beautiful pineapple margarita that tastes like water, we tasted absolutely no alcohol and it was doused heavily with ice. The food was bland and because of that was not fulfilling. My taste buds disliked it very much! Lol! Seriously though...Publico is overrated and overpriced. read more

Publico - Pineapple Margarita-Edamame-Cuban Nachos - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Only cold breakfast food on Sundays btwn 10-3. No real tacos. Food took 30 minutes to come out, then was cold. It was not busy. Somehow they didn't realize they were out of chorizo until most of the food came out. Coffee was really weak. Usually their regular food is just mid but not bad like their brunch menu. Our server was nice. read more

Came here on a Monday with our dog, the website clearly says dogs are welcome as they also have a dog menu. Hostess sat us at a table, waitress came over and asked about drinks, suggested we move as bugs were flying around the table. Waitress said she would tell our waitress that we moved. The seating is wide open and you can clearly see where we sat, no one came over to us, not even to bring our waters. Our waitress walked out to help a table after us, each server came out and looked over at us and outright ignored us. We waited for almost 30 minutes, disgusting! Horrible service, will never come back. read more

Nice delicious fusion options, fun and family-friendly ambiance. The service was good and moderately quick.

I'm strictly giving this more than a one bc yes they have a dog menu and their campfire/s'mores drink was good. I don't like leaving negative reviews but this place is extremely overrated. Definitely a spot for the younger crowd which is good but as a young professional (30+) this isn't really the scene. Super basic, food is really gross, drinks-specifically the margaritas-wayyyy to much sour mix hardly drinkable and overpriced. I would not recommend this place for more than a dog gathering. read more

Very good food with COVID friendly outdoor "igloo" seating! For folks not afraid of COVID, they had indoor seating and the restaurant was packed, we ate outside. The food was delicious! The menu items cover all eating preferences. The sauces are amazing. The service is second to none. I recommend the Brussel sprout appetizers! They were amazing! The fried cauliflower was delicious! They are known for their tacos and I know why! They are probably the best in Columbia. Can't wait to eat here again! read more

Really cool set up with outdoor dining and games. However we were one of 2 tables sat at the time and service was super slow. i had the Peruvian surf and turf. The portion was small. The meat was dry and the rice tasted like it was microwaved. The beef tips plate was an extremely small portion. The ramen was soggy and flavorless. The place has so much potential but we are guessing others know how the food is and that may be why it was empty when we went. read more

First time here and Mary Grace was wonderful. She always attentive and helpful. The sangria was delicious. I had the Bao Bun appetizer with the seafood salad. The bun was exquisite! So soft! My husband had the poké bowl and it was great too! Thank you, Mary Grace, for a lovely experience! We'll be back. read more

Good food. My staff and I went there last month. We all enjoyed the food and the service.

unimpressed. Ordered 10 tacos and 5 sides (a deal they were running) Food took a long time and came out cool/cold. The flavors/textures were all off. Example: the side of corn off the cob was cool and tasted of lime kool-aid... black beans were cold... couldn't finish the shrimp tacos. Overall just won't come back read more

It was not a good experience at all. It took over an hour for our drinks to arrive. We had to ask multiple time for water. When our food arrived (which also took forever) 2 people in our party were missing their meals, they had never be put in. My meal was incorrect. Then, it took over 30 minutes to get our checks. Yes, we had to have separate checks since we were on a work trip, but that hasn't caused issues anywhere else. It was an awful first experience, and I honestly don't think I'd ever return. (I used to wait tables, and typically forgive a lot of mistakes. But, this was just too much. ) I cannot respond to the owner's response, so I will update here. Our group did originally come in asking for a table for 15, there were 17 of us at the table. There were 5 other people in our group that arrived later, but they did not sit with us, and they had a different server. My order was wrong. I asked for the chicken quesadilla, they brought out a cheese quesadilla, and I sent it back to get what I ordered. It took over an hour to get my drink. When our food arrived, I did notify the manager on duty that we would need separate checks, so that she could help the server start working on it, that did not happen. There were 2 individuals in our group that never got their orders. read more

The service and atmosphere was great and I really enjoyed all of the fun decor. The Brussel sprouts were so yummy. I also ordered the mistletoe margarita which came in a really cute cup! For the main entree, I ordered the Peruvian Surf and Turf. I didn't really enjoy it because the chicken was bland and super dry. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant, but don't order the Peruvian surf and turf! read more

While visiting friends they took us to Publico Saturday morning before a Carolina game. Lots of televisions and a cool looking space. We all selected something different for drinks and they have a big selection. The rotating beer of the day for $3 was a steal and these aren't cheap beers. Mine was Westbrook One Claw which happens to be my favorite local beer anyway. They have a great hot sauce selection and the food was delicious. read more

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Ate here twice during my two weeks in Columbia. The first time I ordered a couple tacos and some plantains to go. The plantains were soooo good, and I liked both of the tacos too. I had the birria taco, which almost felt more like a quesadilla in that it was pressed flat, and the soda city taco. I preferred the soda city taco, but I would recommend both of them. We called in our order and it was ready when they said it would be. We went back for brunch several days later and the hostesses remembered us. We beat the rush because we didn't have to wait for a table, but the restaurant was crowded by the time we left. We split a pitcher of mimosas - great value to share or enjoy alone - and I also had the chilaquiles. The chips were tasty but a bit salty, and the chicken was fabulous. I could've done without the egg, but that's more of a personal preference for me. The queso was pretty watery though and was at the bottom of the bowl instead of coating the chips. I probably wouldn't order the chilaquiles again. But overall this is a cool spot and some of the best food I ate while in Columbia. Good service too! read more

Publico - Chilaquiles - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The back patio was amazing! The umbrellas provided plenty of shade. They were quick with human and dog water. They had a vegan menu for me and an adorable "very important puppy" menu for the fur friends. We were just passing through Columbia and am so happy we stopped here. I had the tofu taco and it was delicious. So delicious that I forgot to take a picture! read more

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Delicious food and Rita Flight was AMAZING! Took my bestie out for her birthday and let's just say we had a blast! The Brussels were crispy and the sauce that accompanied it was delicious. My friend ordered ribs and she enjoyed how tender they were. The sauce on the ribs was very tasty and I only tried one... haven't had a rib in years..... and I mean years.......! My ramen bowl was delightful and the seaweed on the side with an egg was a nice touch. The Rita Flight if you haven't been here you honestly need to try this flight out! It went from sweet to spicy but the sugar/salt on the rim depending on the Rita you are drinking at the time was blended really good....tastebuds was all over the place in a great way! No issues with the atmosphere nor space inside... there's also outdoor seating as well so you can go wrong either way. We will be visiting again and more than likely for my birthday this time!!! read more

Publico - Sticky ribs, Greene street Brussel sprouts, margarita flights - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I've been here about 3 or 4 times. This is a great place for Taco Tuesdays. They're located in 5 points so it's convenient to walk around the fountain and shops afterwards. Parking can be tricky on weekends and when they're busy. They have an amazing casual and kinda hipster modern decor. We were seated immediately by our server Cole, who was very helpful in recommending us some beers and food. Since it was a Wednesday, they had one dollar off on local beer. They have different specials for food and drinks on the other days of the week. The beer we got were the River Rat and White Chocolate, which we loved. For our food, we ordered the 5 tacos and 2 sides for $20 special. They also have a special for 2 tacos and a side or 10 tacos and multiple sides. Our tacos were the Taco Poke, Yakitori Chicken, Sweet Belly Pork, and Carne Asada with plantain and french fries as sides. They served them on a huge silver platter with the sides in the middle so the presentation was amazing. My favorite tacos were the Taco Poke and the Sweet Belly Pork which were just full of meat and flavor. My least favorite was the Yakitori because it tasted a little dry to me. I highly recommend this place for the tacos and amazing draft beer selection and I'll be back again for Taco Tuesday soon. read more

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Don't let the ambience and food photos fool you. This restaurant is par at best. I was pretty excited to try a few items off their menu via yelp only to be informed that they don't serve those items anymore (tuna/salmon poke bowl and corn elotes); should have taken this as a sign and moved on. The servers were helpful. I got the spicy beef ramen and just didn't have much flavor and the noodles were over cooked and mushy. We got the Bahn Mi Taco, Birria, classic, and chicken tinga and I can't believe I spent $25 on just these 4 tacos, not much flavor and overpriced. It's a bit disappointing when the best item we got was our side order of fries...I didn't even bother with photos of my food because it didn't even look appetizing... read more

Long story short, we (a group of 4 women in our 50s/60s) have been going there for years, usually once a week. We walk there from our houses. Last weekend, we were sitting outside when a young woman offered to assault us after we gently told her that her loose dog (who she'd come to retrieve) had pooped on the turf near our table. We all have dogs and simply figured she'd want to know so she could clean it up. She told us she'd "face slap" us for disrespecting her. We reported this to the manager who then cleaned up the poop and did nothing to address the confrontation, even after reportedly calling her boss and the owner. She said they didn't want to cause a scene by asking the woman to leave. Bottom line, we won't be going back. This is super sad since we do enjoy the food, the drinks and the atmosphere. Just can't support people who won't support and respect their loyal clientele. read more

Love it here! The inside is adorable and the outside is even better. Service was great, everyone I interacted with was super friendly and helpful! The food is really good, sort of a hip, American spin to Mexican food. Guacamole was delicious and the jalapeño margarita was definitely one of the best if not the best I've ever had, I will definitely be back!! read more

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