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!

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.

It's been a while since I've been to Za's. I decided to drop in on a lunch visit. Parking is tight…read more It was not too busy. Customer service was pretty great. I ordered the spinach dip, and they allowed me to replace the pita bread with tortilla chips, but after receiving the tortilla chips, I kind of wish I would've kept the pita bread because the tortilla chips were not fresh. The spinach dip itself was good. I wish the tortilla chips were fresh; then the entire dish would have been spectacular. The brussels sprouts were okay. If you do not like your brussels sprouts flash-fried and overly done, then this is the place for you to indulge in brussels sprouts. The sauce drizzle was a great contrast, kind of sweet, but not too much. My lunch guests ordered the blackened pasta with salmon. It was pretty basic but had a good taste. The salmon was very delicious. I ordered the steak sandwich. It was seasoned very well and packed a lot of flavor. The bread was soft and accompanied the sandwich very well. The sandwich also has spicy chopped pickles and arugula on it. If I returned, I would be inclined to order that again. It was really good. For my side instead of chips, I went with the house salad, which was just your typical basic house salad, which was okay. Their cocktails looked amazing as well, which I will try on next visit.

This pizza place is huge. The bourbon wings are delicious. They have a big space that enough for…read moreparties and get together. Even space for open mic night. They have a large menu. Staff is friendly. Def a local place that I'm glad I stumbled upon. Also kitchen is an open kitchen so that's really cool to see

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.

I can't praise this place enough. The restaurant offers an immersive theme and a strong sense of…read morestorytelling--something you immediately notice when looking at the menu, which thoughtfully shares the restaurant's background and concept. Our server was excellent--attentive, friendly, and consistently checking in to refill waters and ensure everything was enjoyable. We were served fresh, warm bread with butter to start, which was a great touch. For my meal, I ordered the vodka pasta with added shrimp, and it was outstanding. The shrimp was full of flavor and paired perfectly with the rich, creamy vodka sauce. It was easily the highlight of the meal. Although I didn't have room for dessert, my family ordered the tiramisu and cheesecake, both of which looked delicious and well-prepared. You might wonder why the restaurant opens at 5 p.m., but the reason adds to its appeal--they spend the day preparing fresh ingredients to ensure the highest quality dining experience. That level of dedication truly stands out. Overall, this is some of the best Italian food you can find in South Carolina, and it's absolutely worth a visit.

The food is awesome. We've been here before and my daughter loves it. So we went for her birthday,…read moreand maybe it was an off night but the service was not good. Took 15 minutes before anyone came to get our drinks, now they gave us a free app because of that but the rest of the night the service was just off. I'm sure I'll be back because my daughter still loved the food but hopefully the service will be better. Oh and I do love the vibe!

This place is incredible. I always leave the choice of wine and food to what they recommend. The…read moreprogression of how they pair wine and progress it with the food is very skillful. Everything is done well...the rather small menu is thoughtful and interesting. Certainly the best of what Columbia has to offer. Cacio e Pepe with ham and chanterelles is absolutely unmatched.

If you like wine then LD is your place. You don't have to be a connoisseur to enjoy the libations…read moreor atmosphere. The staff is awesome. Accessible location on Main St. Ample bar seating with tables in the back. My bartender Jessica was extremely knowledgeable, making the evening more fun. I had a flight of Cabernet followed by a deeper pour of the one I liked the most. I also had the Biscoff Cookie Butter Crepe which was amazing. They have a food menu and cheese boards but that will have to wait.

Amazing new restaurant…read more Looking forward to working through their menu. Shout out to our server Olivia.

Food and drinks were excellent and the service was even better! Crab nachos are a must!read more

Kaysen was very informative. He knew everything about the menu and was able to give us a full…read morebackstory on our whole order. Amazing server, want him next time I come!!!!

I finally made it to Black Rooster, and I can't wait to return. The downstairs is cozy, of course;…read morethen the stairs to the rooftop are to the right. There is an elevator if needed. The rooftop is so cute. There is an intimate couch area, and the rest are tables. The rooftop has nice views. There's a bar downstairs and upstairs. On the rooftop, you order at the bar, take your number, and wait for your drinks and food. Their happy hour menu is pretty solid, and it's 4-6 pm. I had an Aperol margarita, and it was absolutely delicious. I went with the burger because it was on happy hour and looked delicious. The burger was actually really good, and it was packed with flavor. The fries were hand-cut and delicious. They have a couple different aiolis that are top-notch. The meatballs were pretty good. More fans would be ideal for summers in Columbia.