The shrimp and chorizo quesadillas are definitely on my top 5 list of best things I have ever eaten. My husband ordered the bulgogi beef bowl - it had a lot of flavor, but I would definitely order it warm. I went there for brunch as well and the avocado toast and the jalapeño biscuits were very good! read more

Publico - Shrimp and Chorizo Quesadilla - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I live in a nearby neighborhood and it's a great place for some of our neighbors to get together for a dinner. Seating is great indoors and out. Service is very good too... There were hiccups in the beginning, food was inconsistent, but it's ironed out now and a great place to go. Is it a 5 star restaurant? Maybe on its best day... but it's at least a 4 and deserves a bump in the ratings. read more

Publico has a very cool atmosphere and attentive wait staff. The menu was extensive and had a very diverse mix of options so it was hard to choose what to get. At my table we split the Cubanos nachos to start, which were good but it was mostly pico and guacamole with not much cheese so we didn't finish all of the chips when we ran out of the toppings. I got the shrimp taco and it was very filling and tasty. The watermelon margarita was also a hit at our table. My friend got the Thai shrimp noodle dish and it was a huge portion, however, that was the one dish we didn't like, the sauce was very sweet. Overall super cute restaurant with something for everyone right in the heart of Columbia! Would definitely go back. read more

Publico - Cubanos Nachos Plate - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Laken was wonderful and so attentive! I met a friend who lives out of town just for some drinks and she still checked in on us and treated us wonderful!!! I've always had wonderful experiences here! read more

Had the Buffalo chicken sandwich. Terrible. The fries were good. The atmosphere is cool if you're under the age of 24

My rating is more of a 3.5 becaused I have mixed opinions about Publico. I love the drink selections the variety of the menu, but I feel like the food itself is inconsistent in terms of quality. Things I have enjoyed at Publico: the tuna tartar (the apples in it are so good!!), the fried pimento cheese, the BBQ chicken taco and BBQ chicken quesadilla, the shrimp and grits, and the fries. Additionally, the strawberry preserves that come with the brunch french toast is fantastic!! The drinks (I've had beer, regular margaritas, spicy margaritas, and the s'more coffee brunch drink) have always been good. Things I have not enjoyed at Publico: anything with the ground beef (it completely lacks flavor - do NOT order the classic taco), the steak and egg tacos (which came out cold and the egg was not cooked properly), and the chilaquiles (which also came out cold, and the chicken had minimal flavor). I want to recommend Publico more, as I think the atmosphere is great, the drinks are wonderful, and the menu is great (in theory), I just wish the food was more consistently delicious. read more

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The pozole fries are soooo good & so is the service :) the food can be a hit or miss but overall it's pretty good.

Delicious dinner! Had the shrimp burrito. It was wonderful! Slightly spicy but very flavorful. Cuban nachos were plentiful. Great atmosphere. read more

My fiancé and I ate here for the first time today. I enjoyed a mimosa while he drank Sierra Nevada. There was a wait (we came in right at brunch time on a Sunday- so we expected such). We were offered a spot at the bar so we decided to sit there and eat- we are SO glad we did! We both got two tacos and a side for $10! You can't beat the price or the amazing fresh taste of the food. We will absolutely be back and are kicking ourselves for not coming sooner. Only took away a star because of the rowdy extremely intoxicated college kids who were constantly bumping into us. This is the only reason we didn't give 5 stars. Great place! Won't disappoint! read more

We already love Publico but Lakin G. was outstanding and did a great job taking care of us and recommending new things for us to try. And those things (spicy margaritas) were delicious! read more

This was my first time here and we were celebrating my birthday. It was great service but the food was terrible. I ordered a chicken sandwich and salad. How can you mess that up??? It was thigh meat for a grilled chicken sandwich. Never in my 61 years have I seen thigh meat served for a sandwich. Needless to say it was sent back and I ate nothing for my birthday dinner. read more

Excellent place! We went here at Christmas time and it really put us in the holiday spirit. Really good food and staff was very kind and accommodating. read more

Ok for starters I'm gonna say I'm kind of a beer snob but this bartender Liz was amazing she found the right one for me and even took me out of my comfort zone to try a cider (which I am normally not a big fan of) she insisted that it was her favorite and by what I was saying I'd like it, well.......it was amazing! The food was top notch as well. We went with the buy one get one free Sunday deal at first on drinks which were awesome! They had a bunch of hot sauces that were definitely unique and much appreciated. The environment was super cool also, they had a back porch I only glanced at but seemed cool. The windows were open out front as well so they let the air in and I thought that was super cool. Thought we were in for a young crowd but there were a mix of people for sure. They had some cool specials everyday on the menu wish we lived closer! Bought some hot sauce, they were 10$ a bottle and well worth it, if you know you won't be back for a bit. P.s the bathrooms were actually really clean so bonus points for that! read more

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We stopped into Publico to grab one of our favorite appetizers... chips and queso, but we ended up opting for the trio; salsa, guacamole and queso. The salsa was good, nice consistency and not too watery. The guacamole wasn't my favorite, a bit chunky for my liking, but we definitely finished the entire pack nonetheless. Lastly, and what we actually came for, the queso. It was a bit underwhelming and a bit bland. Now on the other hand, the chips at Publico are great! We will have to update this review once we return to actually try to food. read more

This has become a regular Monday lunch spot for me and my coworkers. Taco Mondays here offer you a variety of delicious tacos at $2 each. My favorite taco is the Carnitas, but you cant go wrong with the classic, pork belly or the lime shrimp tacos either. Although I didn't try them but my coworkers tried the tofu tacos today and liked them. That particular taco is definitely not for me as I am a true meat lover. My one complaint is that there never seems to be any sauce available. The first time we came there were about 6 varieties of Publicos own sauce but today there was only the ghost sauce. We were told they are running low due to folks stealing the sauces from the tables as they leave, but I would think they could remedy that somehow to make sure all patrons have their choice of sauce available. Despite the lack of sauces, we will be back next Monday. I may just have to bring some Texas Pete with me. read more

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Love grabbing brunch from Publico! there's always a little bit of a wait if you come during prime time brunch time (12-2) but always worth the wait! I've been a number of times and the food is always great. They also have a great brunch drink special where, if you buy one drink, you get a token for a FREE brunch drink that you can either use that day or another time! read more

I was really excited to come to this place and try out their food. This place is a taco/Asian fusion place. I got three tacos: the pork belly, pulled beef (I can't remember), and a tuna sushi taco. They have options where you can have a corn tortilla or a regular flour tortilla. Their flour tortilla tastes like they took it out of the bag and used it. It was very starchy and I should've gotten the corn tortilla. The tuna sushi taco did not taste right to me. The pork belly one would have to be my absolute favorite out of the three. And the steak one was mediocre and salty. This place is nice to hang with friends because of the aesthetic vibe it gives but it looked more of like a bar with high chairs and high tables. Our waiter was very sweet and came back to check on us though. But I don't think I'll come again for the food since it is 4 dollars a taco... read more

Emily was a great server! I got the churro French toast and the s'mores cold brew drink. read more

Publico - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Always a solid choice when you can't decide where to go for lunch. Good draft beer specials and good tacos. The new outdoor area out back is perfect for hanging out when no one can think of anything interesting to do in Columbia (which is often). I like doing the 5 tacos + 2 sides special and splitting it with a friend. There is always the option to use a lettuce wrap instead of a tortilla if you want to eat more tacos but not get stuffed. The jalapeño margarita is made in house and always delicious. It can get pretty busy when USC students get back in town, so call ahead to make sure there isn't a wait during peak weekend times! read more

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We love the food and the service here. The one by Segra park is our favorite. A nice sports environment with an outdoor seating area and sports memorabilia makes the restaurant fun for couples and families. A great feel and great drinks. Love it! read more

I'm updating my review from 1 star to 3 stars. Thanks for the thoughtful response from the business owner. I stand by my comment that the poke bowl was really bad, and my friend ordered the bulgogi tacos and was unimpressed also. That said, the bartender / server was really nice and we appreciated that. I know that this has been a really hard time for restaurant owners and staff, and I think we can all use a bit of grace. I don't live in South Carolina - I was just visiting a friend from the Marines, but I'll root for Publico's continued success. read more

Well I guess we have another place to enjoy beers but not the food in Columbia. Me and my guests were hoping around five points checking out old and new places when someone suggested this place. The sign and building have a new look to it that welcomes you into for a drink. When I arrived I saw a few locals at the bar and asked them how the food was and I didn't like what I heard, maybe I should listened. While the drinks were A ok and staff were extremely nice the taco I had tasted like dry shredded pork out a can with hard undercooked beans. My wife ordered something completely different and it didn't taste good either. In short order I might return for a pint when bar hopping but I don't know if I'll waste more money on the food here. read more

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One of the finest places in South Carolina to enjoy delectable tacos. An awesome place to watch the big game or just hangout with friends. The tacos and service here are absolutely on point!! I also highly recommend the plantains!! You wont be sorry you made a visit! read more

Publico - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

If I knew this was a fusion place I would had dodged. I swear the tuna poke bowl tasted rotten. If I wasn't so hungry I wouldn't had ate it. I really hate all these fusion place that springs up and make crap like this. These folks literally have no sense of taste! Probably just throw some random stuff together and give it a crazy hip name. Pretty sure all the college kids in that town have no idea what real food is, that is why this place can survive. read more

Publico - Tuna poke bowl - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

We had cauliflower for app (5 stars) chicken n puffles (5 stars) and crispy shrimp burrito (4 stars) Great service very good meal. read more

Publico - Chicken n Chicken and Puffles - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Was excited to try this place out but was unfortunately disappointed. :/ watery queso, mediocre dishes. Probably won't be back.

I've been twice since The Pandemic started and everything is super spacious and they have plenty of hand sanitizer around. My server today was Maddie and she was so unbelievably kind. She was helpful with menu questions, prompt with our drinks, and was there when I had questions but didn't hover when we took our time on things. This was honestly a 10/10 dining experience from the food, atmosphere, staff, and covid safety precautions. Also, I had the house margarita and it was amazing. Wish I had a photo of it to add!! read more

Publico - Hot Chicken Bao Bun App - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

My favorite mexican restaurant! They have a perfect deal where you order two tacos and get to choose a side! Awesome prices for the great portion sizes. read more

Publico - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Decided to try since we were in the area. It was delicious! We went around 4pm on a Sunday. No crowd. We had the trio dips and chips for appetizers (salsa, queso, and guac) and for our meal we had the Fried Relleno burrito and the El Guapo Burrito. We both preferred the El Guapo, though they both had good flavor. On another note, service was good and restrooms were clean. We will be returning to try additional items and to sample different beers. Maybe enjoy the back patio area as the weather gets nicer. read more

Beer + atmosphere are the two best reasons to come to Publico. Publico is the kind of place that makes me forget I live in Columbia (that's a compliment). It has a hipster vibe that makes me feel like I'm right back home in Buena Vista/Wynwood Miami: high top tables, cheeky menu descriptions, and local music. Our server was excellent. I told her what I was looking for in a beer and she made two recommendations both of which I enjoyed. That's a big feat considering I am not a beer-drinker. Portions were much bigger than expected. We ended up taking home doggie bags, so keep that in mind when ordering. Your money will go far here. The Latin/Asian fusion concept was unique. I eat a mostly plant-based diet, so I can't comment on some of the more popular dishes like the bulgogi (sp?) but I enjoyed the kale coconut quinoa salad. The tacos were underwhelming. I tried the avocado crunch and the agadashi tofu tacos (the two vegan options). Surprisingly I didn't like the fried avocado and I usually like all things avocado. The tofu taco was better because I liked the peanut sauce but I didn't have an omg-this-is-amazing reaction the way I did at Cantina 76. Overall this is a great choice if you want to enjoy a quick bite to eat with friends. I will definitely go back to try more beers, regardless of whether I stay for dinner. read more

Publico - Kale coconut quinoa salad - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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This review is a bit more complex than most places I have wrote about. The beer selection was above average, although they were not as cold as I'm accustomed to. Others in our group had mixed cocktails with mixed reviews. The food was also a mixture of very good to non eatable. Tacos seemed to be very good in everyone opinion, although they were very small and had no side fillers. My wife ordered vegetarian noodles that were not eatable as the broth was disgusting. The nachos came with 3 dipping side (guacamole, queso and salsa). The guacamole was fresh and very good, the others average at best (the containers were the size of a double shot glass. We were all in agreement that this was a first and last visit. read more

We went there for lunch and sat on the patio. Our waitress was Payton, and she was phenomenal! She recommended food, told us about the specials and was incredibly helpful. Basically, she killed it! We will be returning and recommend going here!!!! read more

Would definitely go again!!! Food was well-prepared and quick, and the drinks were strong. We had a great server, and the atmosphere is adorable! read more

Food is very good and tasty .Service is great .Ambiance is okay.It's really nice to have outside seating.The food some people say is average and some people say you have an acquired taste for it.There spicy Ramen is really good.If you like Ramen . read more

Place looked so aesthetic and good looked so good in pics. Was sadly disappointed. Felt sick after. Cheese in our 2 quesadillas was not even melted. My beef tacos came out with huge clumps and overall just weird tasting, too much sauce and not enough flavor. Why is it so hard to find good food places around here?? Just loved from west coast where food is literally heaven. Someone help lol read more

Went for a Sunday brunch and will absolutely be back. We had to wait ~30 minutes for a table for 2, but we just walked around outside. So many delicious looking things in the menu. I got the French toast - tasty. As an added bonus, there's buy one get one free drinks on Sunday! The s'mores drink is FANTASTIC read more

Publico - French toast, s'mores cocktail - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The margarita flight and various tacos we sampled were delicious! The outdoor seating is very cute and comfortable, very dog friendly, and the service was great. We'll definitely be back (hopefully to try the brunch as well) the next time we visit Columbia. read more

Stopped here while traveling because they have gluten free meals. Everything was amazing fresh-the tacos with cilantro crema were great! Fresh street corn with cotija cheese was tasty but a little Spicy. The Caesar salad has a mild dressing and it has tomatoes and cotija cheese which makes it have a Latin feel. The only issue was that it was loud and we misunderstood the waitress-we thought the tacos came with sides but they don't-unless you get 5 tacos with two sides -for 20 bucks -a great deal. Impressed that the manager came and spoke with us and took time to tell us about the food. read more

The beers and varietals of beers was freaking to see. Pretty cold as well! Bartender was very nice. Cool place to check out

The margarita flights were AMAZING!!! Thomas was such a delight as our server and I will definitely be requesting him when we come back! He had so much menu knowledge but was fun with it at the same time, and even when he was slammed with other tables he made us feel like we were his priority when he was chatting with us. Bartender Nicole was awesome & helpful as well! Will definitely return for the environment alone read more