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    Ray's Diner

    4.3 (144 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

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    RAY'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Ray's Diner

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    Inside
    Marci N.

    Very quaint local diner. My thoughts are the inside could use a refresh, it looks tired. Staff was super sweet and food was outstanding. Prices were fair, 40.00 for 2 people for breakfast. Definitely glad I checked it out.

    Chicken Fried steak, egg and hash browns.
    Romeo L.

    8 or our group were here for lunch today. We had orders for a Liver/Gizzard basket with collard greens, chili dog, BLT, Hamburger, two Chicken Fried Steak lunches with hash browns, turkey wings on rice. The hamburger was huge, with American cheese, large tomato and lettuce and a sesame seed bun, and was said to be very good. The BLT was liked and the tomato was very good. The turkey wing was not crispy at all so it must've been stewed or boiled somehow and put on top of rice (as they did have stewed chicken on rice also). It was not considered that good. The chicken fried steaks were very well done and seemed to be almost overcooked with brown gravy on it. The hash browns were not good at all, not really crispy, but almost seemed to be left overs from an earlier breakfast cook or yesterday. We both said we would not order this again. The service was good. Our waitress was nice and kept checking back on us. The overall rating was a 3.3, which is one of the lowest ratings our ROMEO group has given a restaurant in a long time. This was our second visit and not as good as our initial visit years ago.

    Fried Flounder with Grits & Eggs

    My Mom & I tried out Ray's Diner for the first time. We were really disappointed. The food was very mediocre. I cook better food at home. Also my fish and grits were both too cool to enjoy. Who wants cold fish & grits?!!! I feel like I wasted gas , time and money coming here. The restaurant itself needs to be cleaned and renovated. It looks terrible inside. The seats are all busted and dingy. The floors are dirty and the place just looks old, dirty and worn out! We will NOT be returning!!!

    Menu
    Jamita H.

    Everything was Delicious! My friend and I came here yesterday for breakfast. You seat yourself. I got us a table and then she arrived. The waitress was immediately at our table taking our drink orders. Once she brought our drinks, we ordered. The food came out fairly fast. We both ordered the special. Pancakes, scrambled eggs and a choice of meat. I had Turkey sausage and she had bacon. They brought us the syrup and it was on. As you can see, I only was able to get pictures of the menu because when the food came, I was on it, lol! The place sits off in the corner, so you could miss it. The inside looks a little dated, and you can see the kitchen from the dining area. A lot of people seemed to know each other and the staff. Great food and Atmosphere! Will most definitely return!

    Special board
    Steve L.

    Great breakfast spot if you are in the Columbia area. We come from Houston to do some work and have eaten at this gem everyday. Server is super nice and friendly. Feels like at home when at the restaurant. One of the owners Steve came by the table to speak because they noticed we were "new regulars". Will be back anytime we are in the area. We only had the breakfast but they do serve lunch and had daily specials on a board in the front.

    Ham and cheese omelet with Hash browns and biscuit.
    Kendra C.

    Let me say the food is amazing... the service could be a little more welcoming but it was very busy when I went. It's a nice size restaurant. For to-go orders, there is a small seating area. Maybe 2-3 people can sit, so I opted to wait outside. It does not take long for them to make the food. I had the ham and cheese omelette which was better than any omelet I had. You can taste the authentic flavors. They got bonus points because of the onion in hashbrowns.. it gives them the flavor. I will def return sooner than u think!!

    Western omelette with hash browns.
    Daneja N.

    Easy parking.Food was delicious. I would recommend. It was a nice breakfast place to enjoy.

    Veggie omelette
    Rich O.

    First time here-ordered the veggie omelette and was wowed. Very friendly service, great food, good time. This is what a local breakfast place should be! I'll be back.

    Kid F.

    This picture looks funny because I got a new phone yesterday so this is a picture of the picture...This business appears to be a hole in the wall. I almost though my GPS was taking me to auto zone. It was a bit shocking how crowded this place was. After receiving my breakfast, it was no longer a secret why rays diner has so many returning customers.The food came out QUICKLY, HOT and FRESH. Servicer was excellent!! The pancakes was truly buttermilk pancakes. You've really gotta give this place a shot. Idk who the hell Ray is but he's hired all the right people to keep this establishment going well.

    Fried chicken

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    10 years ago

    We love single-dollar-sign diners and Ray's was on of the best. Great breakfast, prices, & service!

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    10 years ago

    Great breakfast! Love the onion sausage. Grits are some of the best I've had in a restaurant.

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    9 years ago

    Some of the best breakfast in Columbia, we love coming here especially after a night out on the town. Also the grits are the best in town

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    Page 4 of 4

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    smallSUGAR - Avocado tartine

    smallSUGAR

    4.5(312 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    smallSUGAR was excellent! Everything, from the food to the ambiance to the customer service, was…read moreamazing! First and foremost, I must start by commending the girls who were working there. They were all so sweet and really went above and beyond to make sure it was a high-quality experience. I noticed that they openly advertise that they don't accept tips and have slightly higher prices in order to pay their workers a living wage, and the results were directly reflected in the customer service that I received. As for the food and drink (coffee), that was pretty good as well! While I do wish that they might have had bagels, the croissant that I substituted it for was warm, buttery, and tasty, and it was a nice change from my usual coffee shop meal, as I've only had a croissant a handful of times. The coffee was fine, and I loved how they offered free refills, which I've noticed that other local coffee shops usually don't. Finally, I loved the setting of the restaurant, which gave you the opportunity to either sit inside and enjoy the ambiance or on the outside patio and enjoy some peace and quiet. I also loved the artwork that they had on the walls, which the waitress informed me was painted by a local artist and which you could purchase if you wanted to. All-in-all, I loved smallSUGAR, will be back in the future, and would highly recommend stopping in!

    Stopped by smallSUGAR and had a decent overall experience, though a few things held it back…read more The space itself was clean and well-kept, with a modern, minimalist vibe that works well for a casual brunch or coffee stop. Service was fine. Nothing particularly standout, but smooth and efficient. For drinks, the coffee was average. It wasn't bad by any means, just nothing memorable. Especially considering the price point. Food-wise, there were some highlights. The sweet potato bowl was well-dressed and flavorful, though it felt like it was missing a protein component to make it more complete. The shakshuka was very good overall, with great flavor, though it leaned a bit salty. The biggest issue was the bread portion. It simply wasn't enough for the dish. I ended up ordering an extra side, and while it's listed as two slices, it's really just one slice cut in half. At $4 for that portion, that is very unreasonable. That was a recurring theme. Pricing felt high across the board for what you receive. While the flavors were there, nothing really stood out as exceptional enough to justify the cost. Overall, not a bad visit. Just one where the value didn't quite match the experience.

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    smallSUGAR - Menu and ordering counter

    Menu and ordering counter

    smallSUGAR - Turkey Melt

    Turkey Melt

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    Outdoor seating

    The Hollow - Duck confit

    The Hollow

    4.4(125 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    The ambiance and service were perfect. Got the wild game tasting board and was pleasantly surprised…read morehow much I liked the arrangement of meats and cheeses. Def teeters on whether it is worth the $36 price tag, but I'd say it's worth trying at least once. I got the elk bolognese and enjoyed it throughly. Probably better things to be had on the menu, but chose something I knew I'd like. Girlfriend got the salmon and definitely out-ordered me. Super well cooked with some of the best green beans I've ever had. All in all a great dining experience.

    My husband and I came to The Hollow for date night, and it completely lived up to the hype. The…read moreatmosphere is unlike anywhere else in Columbia warm, cozy, and beautifully designed with a unique forest-inspired theme that makes the entire experience feel special. We had with the Wild Game Tasting Board, and the rotating selection of meats, cheeses, and accompaniments was thoughtfully curated, beautifully presented, and packed with flavor. Every bite offered something different. I paired it with one of their Prosecco cocktails, which was crisp, refreshing, and the perfect complement to the tasting board. The service was attentive, the ambiance was perfect for a date night, and it's easy to see why this place has become such a favorite in The Vista. If you're looking for a restaurant that's a little different from the usual steakhouse or Italian spot, The Hollow is absolutely worth visiting. We'll definitely be back to explore more of their adventurous menu.

    Photos
    The Hollow - Silverware details

    Silverware details

    The Hollow - Braised Boar Shank

    Braised Boar Shank

    The Hollow - Trout

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    Trout

    The Grand on Main - Smoked Pork Chops

    The Grand on Main

    3.4(302 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Diamond - 5 Stars Jacob - 1 Star…read more After an extra long visit to SC, a friend suggested we hang out before I head back to NYC. We ended up stopping at The Grand around 9/9:30pm on a Saturday. Upon entering the hostess informed us they were currently only serving the late night menu. We said no problem and elected to grab seats at the bar. There were several empty tables and a few empty seats @ the bar. However, the only two seats together at the bar needed to be cleared from the last patrons that were seated. We stood there for over 20 mins while Jacob continued to walk by never acknowledging us or the fact that we couldn't sit. When he finally cleared the dishes he just walked away, never cleaning the area. When he returned he still never greeted us or apologized for the wait, the mess... nothing. Jacob: What are you having? Me: Well hello... Jacob: Yea... what do you want? Me: Wow... ok. For starters can you please whip off the bar so we can properly have a seat. There is still food residue here from the last customers. ** we get a visible huff** He wipes down the bar and we proceed to order drinks, while he never really speak any more it's all via motions and body language. Amongst ourselves we check in with one another to confirm that we both were feeling very unwelcome. Instantly we decide that we will not be ordering anything additional and will be leaving after this one drink. Which is just as well because Jacob never returns. Someone , whom I can only assume was of a mangement status, asked if Jacob was helpful and we promptly and simultaneously said no and that we would like or bill. She shook her head in utter disbelief and disgust but then she also disappeared. Just so happened that Diamond, whom was on the other side of the bar happen to walk pass. She stopped and asked if we were ok after witnessing our frustration. We explained that we wanted the check and why we were leaving. She was super apologetic and closed out our tab. Her energy literal turned the experience around and if she would have came to our rescue sooner we would have considered staying. Thank you Diamond. Just A Note: Unfortunately, bad first impression because The Grand seems like it may offer a good time with the bowling lanes in the back.

    I actually love the atmosphere, and I think it's a great meet-in-the-middle type of restaurant that…read morehas plenty of potential. At one point, when they first opened, I thought they were pretty good. The customer service is always great on the few and far visits that I have returned recently. The food is not terrible, but the quality is not always great. It's like if you just cared a little more and delivered food to the table while the temperature of the food was still warm, it would actually be better. This particular lunch visit, I ordered the catfish nuggets. They were just okay, and for the price, there's no alignment. I would not order those again if I returned. I ordered the chicken sandwich. My chicken breast was fried until the breading was black. It looked like the grease they were frying in was old, or they left the chicken in too long. The replacement they returned was so small it would have been a chicken tender. Its breading also reflected that the grease was old; however, they didn't burn it that time. I just accepted it to move on with lunch. The fries are good as well as the bacon jam. I hope they are able to turn it around and early start to care about what they are serving.

    Photos
    The Grand on Main
    The Grand on Main - Smoked Pork Chops

    Smoked Pork Chops

    The Grand on Main - Chicken & Waffles

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    Chicken & Waffles

    Ray's Diner - breakfast_brunch - Updated August 2026

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