Beautiful way to start a long weekend on the patio at Gervais & Vine. This month's special wine…read moreflight is from Argyle in Oregon - a delight. The wine menu for the flight is actually embedded with flower seeds! Also enjoyed hot goat cheese dip, fingerling potatoes, Spanish meatballs and scallops. Everything was fresh and tasty. Sitting on the patio is a unique experience. We encountered a slight tilt, many overly load mufflers and some delightfully well behaved French poodles. Service was kind and attentive. Already looking forward to our next visit.

I was only in town for one night so I was torn on where to go to dinner. I looked through Yelp and…read morereservation sites to see what was available and then honed in on what might be a wow dinner. I had a few options, but ultimately landed on Gervais and Vine and made a reservation. On the recommendation of our server, we started with a bottle of In Sheep's Clothing and got to ordering. I had already scoured the menu before coming in so I was pretty sure I knew what I wanted. I love that it's smaller portions so you can order different dishes and try a bunch all at once. We started with the baked brie which I think had an apricot spread plus some fruit and bread. Then we did the petit filet mignon, pork with gorgonzola cream sauce, spicy shrimp gambas, and the seared jumbo scallops. This may sound like too much for two people and you would be right but it was so delicious. I highly recommend everything we had. If I had to choose some standouts, the shrimp were phenomenal and I'm still thinking about them. The biggest surprise was the pork. It was a good size portion in comparison and the cream sauce was so good. Honestly, if you followed this order to a T or any variation of it, you can't go wrong. We weren't rushed in any way so in lieu of dessert we took our time finishing that bottle of wine. While there were some other menu items that jumped out at me, I would absolutely come back and order the exact same thing again. This was one of my favorite meals this year.

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!

Never disappoints - our go-to spot in downtown Columbia!…read more Christal and I have been coming to Hampton Street Vineyard for several visits now, and it truly never disappoints. Every time we walk in, we're greeted with that warm, welcoming vibe in the historic Sylvan Building - it's cozy yet elegant, perfect for a special night out or just a really great meal. The food is outstanding: seasonal, fresh ingredients shine through in every dish, and the wine list is impressive (no surprise with their Wine Spectator award). We've tried a variety of plates over our visits, and nothing has missed the mark - always flavorful, beautifully presented, and satisfying. What keeps us coming back (and recommending it nonstop) is how consistently excellent it is. We run Chestnut Cottage Inn just 4 blocks away, so we send our guests here all the time. Without fail, they come back raving about their meal and the great time they had. It's the perfect spot for visitors to Columbia - close by, reliable, and memorable. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and book a table. You won't regret it! Highly recommend for dinner or their weekend brunch.

What a lovely experience we had as we enjoyed dinner here. Customer service from the time we…read morearrived was impeccable. The graham mallard cocktail was excellent. It was balanced, and the ingredients came together so nicely. It was really smooth. The second cocktail we tried was a spin on a negroni; however, instead of gin, it was cognac. This cocktail was pretty good, but if you do not like campari you will not like this cocktail. Bread is available upon request, and on our evening it was a sourdough served. It was pretty good. The crawfish deviled eggs were definitely distinctive. The creole mustard is very forward; with that note in mind, it was savory and tasty. For our second course, my husband had the braised short rib, and he said it was delicious and tender. He also complimented the brussels sprouts. I enjoyed the steak frites. The new york strip was a thick cut and so tender. It was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. That literally was the most flavorful steak I've had out in some time. The broccolini rested on the flavors of the steak and was delicious. The truffle fries were like a thick-cut wedge fries with the perfect crisp. Those fries were amazing as well. We tried the orzo macaroni and cheese. The orzo put a different spin on the macaroni and cheese dish, but it was cheesy and pretty good. The experience was so amazing here and truly made our night out a worthwhile evening. The ambiance was very pleasant and mild. The menu is rotating, and reservations can be made on their website.

Best experience I've had in Columbia, sc!…read more Been to a lot of nice places around the area but this is the best of its price category for sure. Five starts respective to other places. WILL BE COMING BACK! If you want a table, make a reservation! The photos don't do the meal justice :)

Cuisine: 8 Service: 8…read moreDecor: 8 Value: 8 Overall: 8 Just a fantastic Italian restaurant all around in downtown Columbus, SC. I have eaten here twice and loved both of my experience. On my recent visit, I was able to enjoy one of the best Caesar Salad in recent memory, as well as a delicious Mushroom Soup. However, the highlight had to be the Fish Of The Day. The phenomenal Crab Meat Stuffed NC Rainbow Trout had a wonderful saffron, tomato, and fennel broth with toasted fregola. I am quite shocked at how many good Italian restaurants are in this part of SC, but I am certainly thankful that my best option is not Olive Garden.

AMAZING!!! We have lived in Columbia for a few years so I can't believe we had not heard of City…read moreGrit until recently, but we will make up for lost time. Our first experience was outstanding and we will return...OFTEN! For starters, our server was a professional. She is working on her 3rd level certification as a sommelier so it was truly a pleasure talking wine and food with her. Her recommendations were spot on all night long. Next, the menu is the most creative in Columbia. This restaurant is more Charleston-like or big city like with its menu options. Our biggest challenge of the night was deciding what to order. My wife ordered the Gnudi with brisket and is still talking about it. I rolled the dice and decided to try the squid ink pasta with lobster as a test, and I can honestly say they got an A++. I've eaten squid ink pasta in some of the best restaurants in New York, Boston and other major cities, and this was the BEST I have ever eaten. I almost didn't write this review because I selfishly don't want to have to fight for a reservation when this place gets busier, but I DO want it to flourish. Columbia needs more restaurants like City Grit. My only suggestion for them is to offer Valet parking because I had to park so far away that I was sweating by the time I walked all the way back to the restaurant after dropping off my wife.Otherwise, this is a fantastic dinner experience!!!

I would like to say my service was excellent here. I found City Grit after visiting the wonderful…read moresister coffee shop next door. The host was so nice and welcoming. The waiter was so attentive and kind. The ambiance is beautiful.. The restaurant was kind of hot and the wine I chose was hot as well. They were able to chill I quickly but I ended up getting a different wine. I ordered the crab farro, the lobster eel pasta, whipped feta, baked chicken, and wine. I don't think this is a bad restaurant. Maybe I should have tried brunch vs dinner. The smoked chicken was some of the best chicken I have ever had. Tender, Smokey, and bursting with flavor. I did not enjoy the crab farro, I believe it was more grain than crab. The whipped feta was a little tangy for my taste. I am willing to try this restaurant again. Maybe brunch as that was most of the photos I saw.

I decided to try the grilled octopus appetizer. It was very tasty. The octopus was perfectly tender…read moreand had great flavor from the grill. The Romesco sauce was just ok though. There was also a nice roasted red pepper and black olive salad that came with it. My only criticism is that I felt like the portion of octopus was small for $21. Then I decided to try the Boeuf bourguignon. This was definitely comfort food. A very tasty beef stew, but a bit different recipe than I'm used to for this dish. Theirs has potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and onions. But the broth tastes like they might also use a touch of tomato paste. I could be wrong. Nonetheless, it was tasty and the thick broth was yummy on the piece of crusty bread it was served with. I'm tempted to come back and order the entree size of the octopus for $32 and see what the portion size is. Service was excellent. Very attentive.

Oh my - sensational. Went tonight for my birthday. The last 2 birthdays were celebrated at Halls…read moreand DiVino Rosso, both of which were extremely disappointing. But not Madrigal. The food is simply incredible. My husband had the Caesar Salad and the Boeuf Bourguignon. I had the Burrata Caprese Salad and the Rousseau Pizza. He gave me a shocked look when I went for the Pizza, but I'm not sure it's fair to call it pizza. Let's just say heaven on a crust! And I'm ready to go back and have the Boeuf. For dessert, we took the advice of our server and ordered the Ube Basque Cheesecake. Wow! (Pictured is the portion we brought home.) I'm a good cook, so when eating out, I expect to have a meal that surpasses my skills. And this most certainly did. The presentation was excellent. I don't give the ambiance a 10, but that's so secondary to the meal I just enjoyed. Thank you to Chef Emma and team!

Delicious food, eclectic upscale decor really made this place stand out. Elijah, our server was…read morejust the right amount of attentive amd knowledgeable.

Food was average but pricey, we got a flatbread and salad. Service was great, menu seemed limited.read more