After walking the Soda City Saturday market, we wanted to sit for lunch. Publico popped up and the menu and reviews looked great. The wait time for weekend lunch time rush was 15 minutes so we had no problem waiting. We were lucky to get outdoor seating, especially with it being such a gorgeous day outside. Each of us ordered a pineapple margarita, which came with a slice of orange and orchid flower. The kitchen moves quickly because once we ordered, our food came out within ten to fifteen minutes. My gripes are the dogs and the flawed suggested tipping system left on the receipt. I can't get with bringing pets around my food. Also, I wonder how many people have tipped incorrectly due to the suggested amount on the receipt. read more

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We dropped into Publico Kitchen and Tap on a Saturday afternoon (after a morning of shopping at Soap City). The place was bustling and we had a bit of a wait. Once we were seated and had an opportunity to look over the menu, we found it full of fresh, local, organically grown offerings. There were loads of vegetarian and vegan options in the selections. We were spoiled for choice with all the customizable tacos, Ramen Bowls, burgers, salads, poke & sandwiches. I ultimately ordered the Shrimp Tataki Salad accompanied by the Saturday special Pineapple margarita. Publico Kitchen & Tap is a Five Points restaurant that is both cozy and inviting. Lots of hipsters came with their dogs during our outing; the patio is a dog-friendly space. There's even a neat games area for kids (and those who have chosen not to grow up). I was really tickled to see an Airstream trailer on the terrace. Publico is a great little place to visit and I'm sure you'll find something to your liking there. read more

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When they say Amazing Grace, they mean Mary Grace! She was such an awesome waitress and I couldn't have asked for better. When a marg just tasted like juice, she switched it out for another marg and made sure it was more than just juice! Can't wait to have her as a waitress again!!! She definitely deserves a raise! read more

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Service was very good. Our server was very friendly. Cute outdoor area, tables are all tilted to one side so being conscious that drinks and silverware will slide. Food was very okay. We tried the restaurant week menu Cauliflower bites - so heavy in breading and oil Yuzu chicken tacos - heavy on cabbage they were in desperate need of sauce and chicken. Dessert Chicken boa bun - good very plain and a very small app. read more

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I love that the restaurant has two huge day windows that roll up allowing plenty of fresh air to circulate. They are also a dog friendly place, so bring your best furry friend! I went on Saturday and the place was pretty packed, so I just sat at a bar. I decided to try a few things from the menu: Spicy Turkey Gyoza. It was ok, but not spicy at all. The gyoza were fried so the were crunchy on the edges but the crunch was kind of ruined by the tons of soy sauce they poured over it. It made the bottom of the gyoza soggy. I suggested they serve the sauce on the side and let the customer decide how much sauce they wanted. The Grasshopper taco. But I decided to be brave and try one. Just one. And it really does have fried grasshoppers in it. They were small ones and very crunchy. They didn't really have much flavor so it really just a texture to the other tasty taco ingredients. If you're not a fan of crunchy you probably won't like this but it reminded me of chicharones. I haven't decided if I will ever order it again. Peruvian surf and turf. This was marinated and grilled chicken and shrimp. The shrimp were large and juicy. The chicken was a bit dry though. The rice could have had more flavor but it was tasty. The black beans were good and the avocado sauce were quite tasty. They have their own branded hot sauces. A pineapple hot sauce, a coconut habanero, a serrano garlic, and a cuban lime sauce. I loved the cuban lime hot sauce and the serrano garlic. read more

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Publico is a true gem! We got in Saturday and wanted a spot for Sunday brunch and found our way here. Arriving around noon, we found it bustling but we're fortunate to get a table for four with no wait. To start, they have an incredible brunch cocktail menu. They offer pitchers of mimosas but my friend and I went for the 2 for 1 cocktail deal. You order one cocktail and they give you a token to get another one for free! I tried a few but my favorite was the s'mores one that is pictured. For my main meal, I ordered the shrimp and grits. These were divine. The flavoring was explosively yummy. It also came with a generous portion of shrimp. When down south, you have to get shrimp and grits. read more

Publico - S'mores Cocktail - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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We had a fun date night! During the winter months, they offer private igloos! I had to jump on the chance to eat in an igloo. We had to make reservations, which were easy, you clicked on their website and chose the date and time you wanted. Our igloo was awesome, it was a fun way to eat outside in the winter. It was nice and private, We could hold a conversation and hear each other. Inside the dome was a picnic table with benches and a mini fireplace heater. Our food was great; came out hot and delicious, for our appetizer we had avocado toast and short ribs. I had a burger and my husband had shrimp and grits. The food was great. Our server, Talia was great, She brought our food and checked on us just enough to know she was observant. During our evening, the rain was really coming down and we asked to go inside, there was no problem and they made the move quickly. Overall we had a great experience and hope to come back again soon. read more

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This was a great find. They have a very good selection of tacos and other dishes. Each of us in our group tried different tacos and loved them. The service was also good. They were in dinner rush when we went but our wait time was short. We went on a rainy Tuesday night but the vibes were still good. I'm sure the weekends are great specially with their patio. Parking was limited to street parking which wasn't an issue on a Tuesday night. Not sure about weekends. read more

Publico - Their patio is big and gorgeous. They have this classic camper set up as their outside kitchen. - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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The Food it's good, the atmosphere and the service are great they have a nice outside are. We had a great time.

Really expected more from this place and it was very below average. Started with the nachos with beef and that was ok, had to ask for salsa. Not sure you can have nacho without pick. The guacamole tasted like subpar grocery store kind. It was raining badly and we decided to try the Okinawa "ramen" and boy was that a mistake. You can't call that ramen. The broth didn't taste good, it came with 1 rib, not sure where they got that idea. They put pickled ginger in the ramen, not sure where that came from as well. read more

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I gave this place a second chance to give them a fair review. It is just okay for me. I had high hopes being new to the area many people have recommended Público. The inside is really welcoming and well decorated. The food is just not that good. I feel like it is very bland. It's a good place to go to for drinks but that's about it. The service is good but it's the good for me. read more

Went here for brunch with my spouse and dog. The patio was a great size and very cute. Looks like a great place to come to on a nice summer night for fun and drinks. My spouse got the Huevos Rancheros which was very good. I got the Chicken & Puffles which was unique and yummy. I've never been some where with a dog menu which was really cool! Good quality and cheaper than just ordering a side of plain chicken. Loved that. Service was good. My only complaint would be about how the Tempting Turkey for the dog was mostly just sweet potatoes cubes and just a little bit of ground turkey. I was hoping to see the bok choy and strawberries but we didn't see any in the bowl. read more

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Fantastic college atmosphere next to USC. Great selection of beers on top with an endless amounts of taco varieties to choose from. If you're looking for a great time Publico is your place. read more

This is my go to place for a good margarita and snack. Can't go wrong with these tacos and some chips, salsa, and queso! Great atmosphere, friendly staff read more

Publico - Birria tacos, blueberry margarita, chips trio - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

We came here for an early dinner with a group of 6 and 2 dogs. The outdoor seating area is so cute, with string lights, green grass, and colorful tables all placed six feet apart. Our servers were very friendly and checked on us often to make sure we were doing okay. It got pretty crowded here so I'm glad we came before the dinner rush. We ordered the Korean hot chicken bao buns and a ton of tacos since it as $2 Taco Monday. The bao buns weren't bad, although they were a little dry and could've used some type of sauce. We ordered the fried avocado taco, the bulgogi taco, the classic taco, and the chef's special, which was a BBQ pork taco with beans. Our favorite taco was definitely the fried avocado, warm and creamy with the salt of the cotija cheese. The kimchi in the fried avocado taco and bulgogi is a little bitter but it isn't bad in the taco. The classic taco really hit the spot and is pretty much upgraded Taco Bell. The chef's special wasn't bad, although we felt the filling was a little lacking. We put in a second order of tacos and it took quite a long while since they are pretty busy on Mondays. The cheese on the fried avocado taco was very bitter unlike the first taco we had, so not sure what happened. But I'll definitely be coming back! Friendly service and great deals! read more

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College crowd spot. Have cheap drink specials the micheladas are decent especially when on sale. Food is just there would skip.

Their taco deal was fantastic!! I loved the variety and I loved the Asian inspired ingredients! They have great cocktails too!! I would definitely go back here!! read more

What went well? Everything! I was a regular patron until recently! The entire staff are exceptional & on top of their game! A shout out to Jill one of the bartenders! The food is yummmy! I like the Macrobiotic bowl. Just right for vegan appetites! Service excellent. Vibe is quiet weekdays but very loud on weekends! You guys get 5 and beyond stars into the galaxy for exceptional everything!! Yayy! read more

Date night Mexican Food in Five Points is always a good thing. The tacos are great. The chips and salsa are great. They have my favorite cheese dip in the city. In terms of ambiance for a Mexican restaurant Publico is unmatched in Columbia. The bar is huge and I think they have more outdoor seating than any restaurant in Columbia in general. The service is inconsistent because 90% of the wait staff are college kids. But it's still really worthwhile. read more

We brought the family down for a USC apartment move in for our two kids. Decided on Publico they a recommendation from a friend and we were not disappointed. We had great bar service before being seated. Ms Miranda pulled a rabbit out of the hat for a table for nine. Thanks Miranda for the extra effort. Ms Maddie provided five star service for our table. Everything thing we requested was correct down to the last french fry order The food was unique and awesome. We splurged for the two kids and adults with the churros and ice cream served in a mason jar that we turned upside down. The sparklers were for extra effect. Delicious!! Thanks Miranda and Maddie for making our first Publico visit very special. See you soon!! read more

2nd time here. Once again underwhelmed. Burrito was large and very filling however my meal came with 3 shrimp. Rice and beans inside were not flavorful. Service was a bit slow. Love the aesthetic of the restaurant. Very nice for pictures and open airy chill vibe. read more

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I really wanted to enjoy my time here. On one of my only days off felt the need to take myself out. The atmosphere is adorable. Small but pub like with awesome garage door windows that open to the street for a decent view and breeze! The drink menu was dope. Wine selection phenomenal! Beers on tap! Another win! The food selections looked awesome. Definitely a front and back menu of great selections. Since it's Tuesday I tried the ramen special for $10. This is when my experience started to suck. My waiter was ok, but not attentive. I get it Im a single female, the check average usually not worth the time. But man I had to remind him I had an appetizer. He said they normally take awhile to cook. Yet when I got it two minutes later it was cold okay cool. He recommended it and it was good. My ramen tho... I asked when I ordered if the short rib was pork or beef. He stated beef with an "of course face" . When it came out I looked like this looks different. I asked again was This is beef. Hes like yep! And walked away. I ate some and it didn't taste bad but it was unfamiliar. I grew up in a n Islamic household so pork is not in my diet. The more I ate the weirder the taste got. He never came back to even check on my meal, so I pulled the hostess. I asked her thats when she went to ask the kitchen they confirmed it was in fact pork. I was pissed The waiter stated he would ask his manager to discount my food. Like dafuq Im not paying for that AT ALL! I was upset that the question I asked he lied to me when he just could have just checked. The manager never came to apologize just removed my food from the bill. I've been in hospitality for over 22 yrs. Yes we are even but That not good service. read more

Publico - Half price Sake on Tuesdays - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Some of the best drinks in downtown Columbia. I love going here for lunch during the work week with friends. The brussel sprouts are so good! The service is great. The waiters are friendly and attentive. read more

The service is absolute TRASH. We came in on a dead afternoon as a 10 top which should be a slam dunk for our server. She fumbled severely as she was rarely seen by us. The table had to request drinks at the bar among other things. The staff appeared bothered that we approached asking for the bill after being neglected for an hour. The food is very terrible. No compliments to the chef. The local Moe's is guaranteed more authentic Mexican. Please avoid at all costs if you want an enjoyable evening. Nice Christmas decor, but at what cost?? Avoid!! read more

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Gave this place a second shot and they went from 4 to 5 stars! Give the patio a shot since it's warming up, you can't go wrong with their extensive menu - the fries are obviously double fried, give them a shot! read more

Publico - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Been several times now. Good and service are both excellent. Brunch and dinner were great!

so to start we got the sticky ribs appetizer. came out really fast, was pretty good. i'd say 8/10, my boyfriend said 7.5/10 and with their coconut and ghost chile sauce 8/10. we came on saturday the day after the snow and it wasn't too busy, we were sat right away which was nice. our waitress was also very nice. i got 3 classic tacos with a side of fries. after ordering and eating a taco, i realized with an appetizer 2 tacos is enough. they were both really good though! the fries especially. my boyfriend got the pollo de fuego without blue cheese. he says 8/10, but he also liked the ribs better. everything was good he said, but he said that the bun should've been actually toasted because just one side of the bread was toasted, but the inside of the bun was cold. for dessert we ordered the churro with ice cream. veryyy good. it was ice cream with cinnamon toast crunch and churros. my only thing is that they really needed long spoons, the regular spoons are too short. overall a really good place to eat, just kinda expensive, but that's because of the location. read more

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I love this funky spot!! Cool atmosphere and bar and fun back patio area. Great for groups outside..And dogs!! They even have a dog food menu omg.. I got the vegan burger and loved it! A couple of my friends weren't so excited about their food but the cauliflower wings, tacos, and burgers were a hit!!! We came here right before Christmas and the decorations were outrageous and I love it!!! read more

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I absolutely love this restaurant. But they got my order wrong and they served me a Buffalo jalapeño quesadilla and told me it was grilled shredded shrimp. To be quiet fr am I was disappointed this time and that's hard to say because I love this place. read more

I had high hopes for Publico as they just opened a new location in Bull Street, and I had heard good reviews of the original location. However, my experience was lackluster. I'll give them a point for the hipster menu ideas and another point for the drinks. But the service and execution left very much to be desired. The music was turned up to 80, and our server took about 10 minutes before greeting us despite there being about 30 servers lurking around with 8 on their phones near the kitchen entrance. After she gave us our drinks, which were $6 specials and nothing fancy, we put in our orders. She came back to check on us after 10 minutes and said our orders were coming up shortly. After 30 more minutes, our orders had not arrived. She came out again and told us the printer hadn't been working, and that no one had noticed. So was she lying to us the first time when she said our orders were almost done? How did no one notice that the kitchen printer had not been printing orders for 30 minutes with a decently packed restaurant? By the time the food actually came out, we were pretty hangry. Unfortunately, the food wasn't anything worth waiting for. With the Chicken & Puffles, the chicken was extremely overcooked, dry, and nearly black with little taste, the bubble waffle was doughy and soggy, and the slaw looked like it had been sitting there for days. The breakfast burger was average at best. We were more than ready to leave at this point, but our server was nowhere to be found. By the time we got our bill, it had been 1 hour and 45 minutes of poor performance. TL;DR - I highly do not recommend this place due to the poor quality of food and service. read more

Publico - Chicken & Puffles and Breakfast Burger. Not recommended. - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Oh my goodness a must go!! The food was insanely delicious and so were the drinks. Raspberry mint margarita is a must! Not overly sweet and great flavor. Our waiter had the best suggestions including the chicken and waffle dish and the Birria taco! Can't wait to go back!! read more

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

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My Team and I met here yesterday for an early dinner as we had some out of town co-workers who were visiting. We were seated near the back of the restaurant. This place is very eclectic! I love the decor of it and how it looks. They have a full service bar and nice spirits list. We started off with the trio...queso, salsa and guac. Their guacamole is really delicious. The queso was thick and had a nice flavor to it. I ordered the shrimp crunch burrito with the wasabi aioli on the side. My side was street corn off the cob! I only ate the corn as I had gotten full off of chips and the trio, lol! I had never eaten Mexican street corn but I will from henceforth and FOREVER MORE!! I, of course, brought my burrito home and ate half of it last night. It was was really good but now I wished I had gotten the aioli on my burrito instead of on the side. I will next time because I will surely be coming back. Come check them out and SYOY! read more

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

The bartenders were friendly and had great recommendations. I personally loved the music that was playing too. It was taco Monday which meant certain tacos were $2 each (huge tacos), there was also specials on drinks too. I wish I lived around here just so I could eat here every day. read more

Publico - Cochinita Pibil Carnitas Taco and chef special taco - New American Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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We will definitely be back!!! My love and I went for a date night on a Monday and had their special $2 tacos and $4 margaritas! The classic tacos are very flavorful with a good amount of spice, the beef bulgogi tacos with kimchi and sriracha sauce were good as well. We didn't care for the pork carnitas tacos as they were very bland and fatty. The margaritas are super good and not just a bottle mix. Delicious!!! read more

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Great atmosphere and the food was good. Love the themed times and Christmas time was fun!

I went to Publico over a year ago with disastrous service, my wife and myself. This time, I thought I waiter long enough to go back...I brought friends from out-of State. We ordered tap beer, one they were out of, ordered a different tap beer, they were out of that. The waitress was nice, but appeared inexperienced. Food was decent, but this place for having good reviews, has been unwarranted both times. How do you not have certain beers available? read more

Great location..nice industrial decor...cool outside area.. Then things become ifffy... Beer selection is great and drinks menu is large. Our drinks were made but were...watered down.. lots of mixer or water this was noticed with a whiskey on the rocks. 2 x . The taco special is good 5 tacos 2 sides for $24 ( 10 tacos and 5 sides for $45). We went for 5 .. tuna x2 ,shrimp, fried fish and the fries avocado. The ingredients were tasty but...all quite skimpy in my opinion ( except the tuna). Street corn side was ok...one of us thought it was good . Other thought is was canned but made to look like street corn. Shrimp tacos had 2 shrimp prawns only on the taco and the avocado and fried fish tacos had only one small portion... again tasty but skimpy..see the picture.. So watered down drinks, skimpy taco portions... ...just be aware . I will say our service was good and our waitress attentive. So I gave it a 3 star...maybe More like a 2.5..ill err on the high side But it may be worth another visit to further eval. read more

We ordered the 10 tacos with 5 sides but swapped the sides for the Cuban Nachos appetizer, everything was very good! Our waitress, I believe her name was Gabby, was super friendly and helpful. We went on a Wednesday night and had no wait time for a table, and the food took about 30 minutes. read more

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Publico has brunch options in the weekend. They had good drinks and good service also.

I really like their food! The burgers are good, but the tacos are definitely worth getting! I like their drinks as well. The only thing I didn't think was worth getting were the chips (didn't come out warm) and salsa, guacamole, and queso (they were out of queso when I went which was disappointing). My friend also really disliked the ramen she got there last time we went. The best part about this place is how dog friendly they are! They have a whole menu catered to dogs. I got my dog a biscuit with peanut butter and she LOVED it! My mom got her dog a turkey dish, which he devoured. I like that they have a huge patio in the back for outdoor seating, so you can bring your dogs if you want. Overall, this place is great. read more

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