Located in the Sheraton, it's an old bank turned hotel and bar. Very charming! It's a small bar located in what was the main banks vault. Great drinks and super friendly service. read more

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It's expensive. I'll leave it at that. 2 drinks for 2 adults ran us $60. I had a wine and SO had a Moscow mule. If you are on business travel and you have an alcohol allowance for clients, do it. The rest of Columbia does not have the wallet or the stomach for these kinds of prices. Space is cute but tiny. Good, fast service. Bartender was helpful. It was great, highly recommend if you want to pay for a very private location with low foot traffic. If you need to have a serious conversation or an intimate date, this would be a good option. We wanted to knock it off our Columbia bucket list. Now that it is done, we would not go back due to the cost. read more

I can here before a convention around 9:36am. I was properly greeted and immediately told that they had NO eggs today. I worked around this by getting pancakes and bacon. The music playing created a nice vibe. Bring a sweater if you do not like to be cold. I love the half couch/half chair table set up. I did not like the pancakes but it may have just been me. My waitress offered to have them make me something else but I declined. read more

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Lady serving was nice even though she didn't really know how to make a martini. Was asking questions about it and no sticks in the olives - dished them out with my hands. Most annoying part was a guy sitting at the bar playing some show's volume loud so we all could hear it. Employees need to shut that down. read more

Nothing fancy, but it's a small bar inside an old bank vault - old bank vault door still intact. I just paid $13 for some fruity drink ... ugh! There's a nice menu of food. Small plates like grilled citrus shrimp and pulled chicken tacos. The gal could not make a Mai Tai, so the bar must not be normally stocked. Great place for a drink and quiet conversation. Feels more like a Starbucks. read more

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This bar used to be an old bank vault, so with that I gotta say when you walk up to the entrance of the bar, your eyes are drawn to this massive vintage/historical vault door. Definitely a wow factor. You then walk through the circular opening into the vault, where you find yourself in a cozy, dim lit bar with leather couches and exposed brick wall. It gives off a classy underground speak easy vibe and makes for a hip low key spot to sip on a classic dirty martini with friends. The only issue I could foresee with this place is that it's a lot smaller than we had expected, however we got there for an early happy hour so I'm not sure how seating availability would be during peak hours. Overall a great atmosphere with great drinks, highly recommend. read more

The Vault Martini Bar It's a cozy little bar with a really cool drink menu. Martinis are named after famous bank robbers. Very intimate setting with actual historic bank vault as the entrance! From the Sheraton Columbia Downtown Hotel's Site: Nestled within the bank's original safe, this hip lounge remains as a historic centerpiece of the hotel, and a popular hotspot for those who insist upon their martinis shaken, not stirred, and with a twist of sophistication. Cuisine: Bar Menu hours: Monday - Saturday, 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Closed Sunday) Atmosphere: Hip read more

The Vault Martini Bar - the door to the vault - Lounges Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Okay I am very very torn on this place! Atmosphere is great, very clean space, good music, martini list is pretty extensive, and really amazing staff.. but... this place seems to be so poorly managed it's nearly impossible for it to function! I went on a Saturday around 7:30.. they didn't have any glasses AT ALL and they were missing a lot of the other basics you would expect at a martini bar like vodka, simple syrup... it was pretty sad. But the redeeming part was our server. He was very upfront about their limited supply and offered to make me something with what he had on hand. Honestly one of the best drinks I've ever had! Poor guy had to run up stairs to the restaurant to get me a glass though. I would definitely come back here though. I don't know. Pretty torn! 5 star drink, service, and atmosphere But 2 star selection read more

Ok, it's pretty cool that the place is carved out of an old bank vault. For unique architectural detailing alone, it would be worth the visit. The only thing small about this place is the space, which actually adds to the experience. Sometimes when people try to create a theme bar, they miss the mark but this place really gets it right. I'm a basic martini kind of guy so this place was a natural choice for me on a Friday night. Sometimes a bar inside a hotel can be kind of dicey because they tend to rely on a capture ratio for business but this place goes the extra mile with service as well. I was somewhat bummed that I was not able to visit the rooftop lounge that I had heard so much about but for me, after about (insert number here) martinis, it is probably a good thing that I wasn't on the rooftop. I like the fact that the bartenders here know their craft. They ask you questions and make solid recommendations. They are not really selling; they are making sure you spend your money on something you are going to enjoy. Any idiot can sell you top shelf liquor. That doesn't happen here. If you know what you want (for me the dirty martini rules) they will make sure yours is the best. This place was totally worth the 60+ mile drive from Florence, SC (where we are almost completely devoid of restaurants). I may make it a regular weekend thing. Treat yourself to a tiny place with big, big choices and huge quality. This is a total win. read more

We stopped in yesterday, because I had a hankering for an Old Fashioned. (Note: the bar is in the Sheraton and is part of the hotel). The Good: The bartender, Emily, was wonderful - warm, friendly, and excellent service. The setting - an old bank vault - is interesting. The place is tiny. The Bad: The drinks are crazy expensive ($14 seemed like a typical price for a cocktail).They do not take cash -only credit cards or room charges. I suspect the place is geared more for the expense account crowd. read more

We stopped in here this past Friday night for a drink - wanted to go to the rooftop bar, but since it was raining, that bar was closed, so we went to the Vault. It was an intimate spot inside a former bank's vault. We didn't stay long, as it was getting late, but the wine list looked decent - I had a glass of La Crema, and my friend had a cocktail. I would have loved to stay a little longer, but the rest of our group was ready for bed. I would love to come back and have a drink the next time I'm in Columbia! read more

Um, not so much. This bar was dead when we walked in and I can see why. AC was PUMPED- must have been set at around 65 or something. The bartender was friendly in a strange sort of antagonistic way. Kind of yelled at one of my friends for, um, touching her mint julep tumbler. Apparently that is a no-no. Anyway the martinis were below average. I was not impressed. read more

Beautiful little spot for small groups wanting to grab a drink for a celebration. Also a great place for dates and if the weather is great take the elevator up to the rooftop read more

My wife and I visited this place with a friend recently, and it was a bar that I think was OK, but not a place I would make a regular hang out. The bar is actually the hotels (Sheraton Columbia) bar, and there was not a single person in there when we arrived. The bartender was a nice enough guy and he infuses his own liquors for the drinks (chipotle vodka for a bloody mary) but it was just strange to be the ONLY people in the bar for the entire time we were there. It is neat that the bar is in the old vault, but it's more a of a kitschy one-time visit type of place. If you are staying at the Sheraton and don't feel like going out, give this place a shot. If you're looking to get out and experience nightlife in Columbia, try the Vista or Five Points area instead. read more

Went to rooftop bar tonight which is generally a cool place. However tonight the bartender was more interested in socializing than bartending. After spending 15 minutes trying to order a drink at a very slow quiet bar, bartender was a total smart ass. Finally gave up and walked out. Unbelievable. read more

We came looking for the rooftop bar but was told it was closed. We wondered into the Vault for a drink. It's a cool little spot. The drinks were overpriced. read more

Unique getaway inside the Sheraton actually built inside an old bank vault. It hasn't been crowded when I've gone but that affords it an intimate atmosphere for some quiet drinks and conversation. If you want more excitement, just hop on the elevator up to the rooftop bar which is also fun! read more

Love this bar! The staff is great and the selection is fine. The bar itself is an old bank vault adding to the character of the hotel!

Cool intimate spot when you feel like a cozy, quiet place for a drink. Perfect date night after dinner stop. The batender Jennifer is very attentive. read more

This place far exceed my expectations. My boyfriend and I asked for somewhere cool to go while we were visiting Columbia. We were told about the rooftop bar at the Sheraton downtown. When we arrived we were told that the rooftop lounge was closed due to the storm but that the Vault was open so we decided to check it out. We walked through the vault doors and found a little intimate bar. We were the only people there when we first arrived, about 8:00pm on a Saturday. We were introduced to our bartender Branden who asked what flavors we liked and created cocktails based on our flavor preferences. He also entertained us with stories and colorful illustrations of what he was making us. Every drink served was a special creation that excited the palate. At about the second drink a steady stream of people began arriving and by and hour the place was packed. Everyone enjoyed the custom drinks Branden created. We ended up staying and ordering food, risotto and cajun chicken parm, and the food was great. I left intoxicated and full which was the aim for the night and thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the different people that came in that night. Definitely a must for anyone visiting Columbia. read more

Good idea that has potential if management only knew how to stock a bar. Went on two consecutive nights tried to order vodka tonic. No tonic! How do you have a bar without tonic water. Beers were also warm. This was USC graduation weekend to boot. How are you not prepared for this? Do yourself a favor and go to one of the other nearby places. read more