My friends and I were looking for a treat happy hour special in the Vista/downtown area and I happened across the 4-6pm special at Bourbon; a shot of bulleit, a beer, and a burger for $10. I initially thought it was a typo and the special was a shot of bulliet OR a beer, and a burger for $10. Nope. Its "and!" We figured it out once we sat down and we were pretty excited as we were doing a little pregame before catching a concert. Anyways. It's a very comfy cozy environment inside. Theres no harsh lighting, but the lighting was definitely adequate. You can see the people you're with and read your menu without having to pull out your phone for a flashlight. Hostess was nice and waitress was great too. I wasnt expecting the burger to be very good, if I'm honest. I mean...how good can a burger that's part of such a killer special REALLY be? Oh, how naive I was! Literally the BEST burger I have had in Columbia, Charlotte, Greenville, or Charleston; yes, it's better than Poes Tavern. The burger is cooked to your liking, comes with lettuce, tomato, and onion, but they'll bring mayo, mustard, etc for you, too. Cheese is $1 extra (and totally worth it, lets be honest). The brioche bun really brings it all together. Its lightly toasted to perfection, the bun to burger ratio is perfect, the bun isnt larger than the patty and the patty isnt bigger than the bun. I basically inhaled my burger and contemplated ordering another one because it was just so damn good. Their bourbon selection here is incredible. I'm a bourbon lover and felt like I was in paradise. Their wall behind the bar is stacked with hard to find bourbons mixed in with your every day sippers. You literally cannot go wrong with a trip to Bourbon. read more

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I ordered the shrimp and grits! Absolutely delicious and my drink was also great! The atmosphere very friendly and vibrant will return when back in town! read more

Bourbon - Shrimp & Grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I live in Charlotte and had been wanting to try this place out. Took the drive during my birthday weekend and it was well worth it! The place was smaller than I expected but definitely mighty in the items I tried! The snapper pho special with crawfish was so damn good! I had been stalking their instagram for weeks and their specials are always intriguing! I also tried their featured cocktail: Flower In The Rye with Elijah Craig Rye, Montenegro, Bonal, Avocado Orgeat and tiki bitters that was also delicious. Dessert was just okay, the banana pudding wasn't my type but I would definitely come back for more specials by their chefs and mixologists! read more

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Excellent bourbon list. Service is very good also. Great place to grab a drink. We haven't eaten there but friends say the food is very good. read more

Overall, I really like Bourbon and I'm typically skeptical of Louisiana/New Orleans style restaurants since my family is from there and I spend a lot of time there. The restaurant has a nice upscale feel and makes you forget you're in Columbia. I've been for brunch before and although it was packed, I was able to grab a seat at the bar. The servers are all friendly and honest about different selections on the menu (which I greatly appreciate). On this particular occasion, I was celebrating a friend's birthday and it happened to be restaurant week so they had a three course special for $29. I ordered the pork skins (1st course), salmon on jambalaya rice (2nd course), and banana pudding (3rd course). I'm not crazy about pork skins so it's my fault for ordering them, but I tasted my friend's fried green tomato and that was the much better option. I really enjoyed the salmon, although I feel like they could have given more rice. The banana pudding was good, but not great. It had more whipped cream than I like. I also could have had more vanilla wafers since that's my favorite part of banana pudding. I will definitely be back to Bourbon but I'll probably stick to the shrimp and grits, jambalaya, and etouffee. read more

Bourbon - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Bourbon, now a Main Street staple in the revitalized corridor of downtown Columbia has quickly become a hangout of young and young at heart alike. Outstanding food served up in a Louisiana Creole style accents the menu while a bar featuring nearly every liquor you could want is tastefully displayed beneath 2 large TVs showing their daily specials. The expertly trainer and pedigreed bar tenders while make your libations however you like and even recommend a new take on an old favorite. Outstanding food features include boudin balls, Brussels sprouts, stuffed quail, and other specialty items you won't find anywhere else. The staff is superb, hands down. If there was one place to dine in Columbia, Bourbon is the place. A feast for all with something for everyone served in a stunning building where every detail has been thought through. read more

Bourbon - Drinks - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Great cocktails, and very kind when ordering off the menu. Very tasty appetizers (butter bean hummus and wings)

Creole? No... The gumbo had absolutely no flavor. Had to ask for salt pepper and hot sauce. Did not use sparingly. Ordered a Mule drink that didn't come in a copper mug but everyone around me who ordereda mule had one. Got a different drink that had a paper straws... I get environment but it was a no for me. Nice ambiance tho. read more

Bourbon - Bar area - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

VERY impressive selection of bourbons, definitely the most I've seen. If you're a bourbon fan, you'll drink way too much here...brunch food was also good, nice crab cakes and fish and grits. Service can be a bit challenging when they are busy, and they don't take reservations. read more

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Great atmosphere and more importantly an impressive selection of bourbons, scotch, and whiskey. Includes daily drinkers and allocated. Topped with an extremely knowledgeable staff to help you branch out or try something that you've only ever seen on the internet. I highly recommend! read more

Bourbon - Great venue and extremely educated staff for the bourbon. An excellent selection, both daily drinkers and allocated. Highly recommend! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Sat at the bar, bartender was attentive and very creative, I stuck to having whiskey on the rocks, the bartender asked what my girlfriend liked and didn't like and made her different cocktails throughout the night, and my girlfriend loved all of them. Would recommend this place for any date night. read more

We really enjoyed this place. The food was top notch. The collard greens were fantastic. Cooked well and seasoned deliciously. I'm not even sure what they put on them however our whole table ate them! The chef's board was tasty however it was very sparse on food for $18 The Étouffée was good - not New Orleans good, but still good. It had a good rice to meat ratio. The lamb burger was a nice twist on a classic burger. The meat was juicy and tasty. The cheese was a complementary spread of flavor. They serve the burger with very skinny fries which look to be prepared in house and generously salted. The desserts the day we were there included banana pudding which was some of the best banana pudding we've ever had and a lemon strawberry tart which unfortunately was just too intense in the flavor department. It was too sour and not balanced between the strawberries and lemon. The staff was friendly and helpful, the place was clean. The place is somewhat small so there may be a wait if you show up at prime meal-time. read more

Nice atmosphere, pleasant and fun weight staff. My wife and I stopped in on a hot day before dinner and had some wonderful drinks! We will stop in next time we are back in Columbia. read more

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Everything about this place was great. Except for the fact that I had no idea they have two different menus. One for lunch and a completely different one for dinner. :'( It's a small little bar with a few booths and a good amount of high top chairs at the bar. Their selection of liquor is very very extensive as well. So drink up!! Hahaha. I have nothing bad to say about any of the food we ordered during BRUNCH TIME. The steak and eggs came out amazing, we ordered medium rare and got a nice juicy medium rare steak. The crab cakes were small, but filling, also very delicious. The burger was soooooo filling, I could have went with the one patty, but my eyes are bigger than my stomach. Desserts - everything was sooooo yummy. There were five of us, and we ordered one of each. I believe there's three or four different choices and I have to say the banana pudding was my absolute favorite! I wish their gumbo was served all day, I would have loved to have tried that, but it's a dinner item :'( If I ever come back to the area I will definitely be coming back here for dinner!! read more

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This is a cute restaurant downtown. It has a separate lounge side with really good drinks and the restaurant side has delicious food with a creole twist. One of the closest places to get cuisine from Louisiana without actually going. I really enjoyed the pork Mac and cheese and the other dishes pictured. They do offer seasonal dishes with the standard menu as well. Definitely a must try and they are open late on the weekends and offer brunch on Saturday. Check them out! read more

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So I am uncertain how to rate this restaurant! The food was so so so good! The staff was friendly and apologetic. The service was S L O O O O W! We sat for about 10 mins before I asked a hostess if we were suppose to order from the Bar. She then got us our server. We waited more to order drinks. The server was very apologetic saying she didn't know it was her table. She took out drink order and app order. She came back with our amazing drinks - the heart of darkness was Smokey and fun the others were really good- we ordered a few. The server and manager came out several times apologizing that we had orders 52 mins ago and our order was at the front of the line. They have us the employee discount. I understand things can get behind. We would totally go back. We had great conversation as we waited. The food was AMAZING! read more

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The food. The atmosphere. It's kind of small but if you get there early, you should be fine.

I wish I had pics to post, but I was here for an event with Gamecock Bourbon Society and we were too busy having fun! The staff was great, the food was excellent, and now I need to come back for dinner! read more

Treated family to dinner at Bourbon and enjoyed it! We started with appetizers: the hushpuppies were my favorite, well-flavored and loved the sauce, but the cheese plate was really disappointing. Luckily, the entrees were also good. I got mac and cheese (without pork) and Brussels sprouts and enjoyed both, even if they were both kind of heavy. We split the banana pudding for dessert and it was fantastic! All around, a good meal in a fun area. read more

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Came by for brunch today and found the place quite busy. Luckily there was a seat at the bar and I was immediately assisted by the friendly bartender who took care of my drink order and was back shortly thereafter to see about food. Something I liked a lot about Bourbon is that it didn't seem like they were trying too hard to be fancy or hip. Just a nice bar with a good mix of people. I had the Bourbon breakfast which had eggs, a meat, grits, biscuit with gravy, and collard greens. All of it was very good and I was served my food in less than 10 minutes of placing the order. I would definitely return, and I appreciate that it wasn't too loud, so you can actually come here and have a conversation. read more

Bourbon - Bourbon breakfast - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Bourbon is one of my all time favorite bar/restaurants! The drinks are amazing! The crowd is diverse! Food is spectacular! The Brussels are my favorite! The staff is also amazing! read more

Great ambiance. Great food. Fabulous cocktails. Friendly staff in this cool little South Carolina gastropub. Professional bartender made me two perfect Sazeracs! Had the steak po' boy sandwich special for an entree. Had the frog legs--such a delicious preparation! read more

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Stopped in for just some tapas. Great bar and ambiance. Jay was our bartender. He, as well as the entire staff, were very attentive and made sure we were well taken care of. The butter bean hummus is amazing. Can't wait to go back and try some entrees which looked and smelled delicious. Definitely a must restaurant to go to. read more

Everything was great food drinks and service. This is a small venue so get there early. Make reservations for Friday ,Saturday ,and Thursday evening. read more

Great food and even better drinks. The bourbon list is impressive. I had some neat as well as an Old Fashioned and it was superbly made. The chicken sandwich was great as was my colleagues duck. read more

Bourbon - Old fashioned - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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When I pass away, I don't know if I'll get to go to heaven. But if I do, the heaven I have in my mind will look exactly like Bourbon when you walk in -- low lighting, and a bar lining one wall that is almost entirely comprised of different bourbons. The service was phenomenal -- knowledgeable, friendly server who recommended a bourbon I'd never tried before that has now become my go-to brand. I had some kind of steak -- it was a special so not on the regular menu -- mashed tatoes and their phenomenal crispy brussels sprouts. So, so good. Definitely plan to return there when next I'm in town. It's not a place to be mixed -- and if you're a bourbon drinker? You may never leave... read more

Bourbon - Meat. Taters. Sprouts. Don't question me. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

After walking the entirety of downtown, we came upon this gem. They do not take reservations, but you can pass the time at their lounge bar (and extensive selection of bourbons...hence the name). The food is an elegant take on the gastropub approach. The boudin balls were a revelation. The shrimp and grits, etouffee were both excellent, but very filling. read more

Bourbon - Shrimp & Grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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In town on business and I had the chance to meet up with one of my best friends so I wanted to bring her somewhere awesome. I did my research, read my reviews and decided to come to this place. I was certainly not disappointed and glad I came. Here's how it went... Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right in the cozy downtown of Columbia off of Main Street is this place. No private parking so good luck with finding spots on the street, though I didn't have much of a hard time. The exterior is welcoming and simple with a few tables outside on the sidewalk for outdoor seating. It was too humid out so in we went. Inside was a bit small, but not hole-in-the-wall small. It felt cozy and special, like you had to be somebody to get in here. The decor was awesome and quite fancy if I might add. The bar was the centerpiece, hence the name of the restaurant and it was so beautiful. The atmosphere was nice, chill and relaxing. Service: The beginning was rocky. Once walking in the host sat us right away, but after that maybe 3 different servers walked by us without any acknowledgement. I actually was very, very close to getting up and leaving, but my friend convinced me to stay. Maya then came over to take care of us. She was friendly, helpful and took great care of us. Still, I shouldn't have had to wait so long. Food: I started with their Ya-Ya Hurricane which is George Dickel Rye whiskey, Bird Dog Peach whiskey, peach nectar, passion fruit and pomegranate juice. The menu says there's a limit of 2 per customer and if you're a normal human being, they would be right to warn you. They were quite strong, but they were sweet and delicious. A great drink to go with a good burger. For an appetizer I wanted to try their Black Eyed Pea Hummus and it was AMAZING. Some of the best hummus I've ever had! The menu says it's "Southern Caviar" and smoked sea salt. Whatever all that means, it worked. The portion is a bit small, but it was a good appetizer. I picked the Bison Burger off of their special menu. It came with an over-easy egg on top, thick green lettuce and a nice sweet sauce. Really good. The downside is that the burgers are a la carte. No side comes with them, so... now I have to spend more money. Lol. I got a Bounty Salad which is a chef's selection of local seasonal produce from South Carolina, so it can change. Today it was mixed greens, blueberries, pecans, thinly sliced apples and my favorite... goat cheese. It was awesome. Value: A bit on the pricey side, but worth it if you're feelin' a bit fancy. My Ya-Ya Hurricane was $13.00, but like I said, it was strong, so it held its value, despite all the ice. Lol. My hummus was $6.00 and despite the small portion the quality was there and worth it. My burger was $16.00 and my salad to go with it was $8.00. Overall it was a great dinner. i wouldn't want to spend this kind of money on a regular basis, but it was worth it today. Definitely check this place out if you're into the dark liquors. They have a wide variety of choices and you certainly won't be disappointed. read more

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I really enjoyed my experience at Bourbon. In fact, I was very close to giving it five stars. If I go again and have another great experience, then I will definitely be bumping them up. Bourbon is right off of Main Street in Columbia, a little down from the South Carolina Supreme Court and across from the South Carolina State House. Although there isn't a private lot for Bourbon, there is a parking garage nearby that has free parking on the upper levels. The ambiance at Bourbon is a little more upscale and classy, but it is not full of itself. You will see patrons in business suits and patrons in tee shirts. It is a small establishment with a few booths, seating at the bar, and a community table. Seems like a good place for a date night or somewhere nice to grab some drinks with colleagues. One of the things that I was most impressed by was their Happy Hour Special. From 4:00-6:00 you can get a shot of Bulleit Bourbon, a beer of your choice, and a burger for $10. That deal is hard to beat. They have a good beer selection with a lot of local SC craft brews. Also, the burger is not an after thought with this special. The burger was absolutely delicious. I would recommend getting pimento cheese on it. They also have a (I assume) house-made mustard that I would recommend slathering on there. We also got the Charcuterie board. I was not as impressed with this (otherwise this would be a five star review). It was a little pricey and only came with meat. They also have a cheese board, but I would have preferred a board with both. I like cheese with my meat and meat with my cheese. I would recommend stopping into Bourbon especially for their Happy Hour Special if you are in Columbia. It has a nice ambiance, good food, great drink selection, and good service. I will be back. read more

I used to work downtown so this spot was easy to swing by right after work. They also have this happy hour special with a burger and some for $12? The one thing I miss about working downtown is the food and this place didn't disappoint. I rec their desserts! read more

We went here during their island themed week, and they had a special menu. Some of the items are regularly on the menu, but some weren't. We ordered the pork mac and cheese and hushpuppies as appetizers. I definitely recommend the mac and cheese. Hushpuppies are good, but if I were to go back, I would definitely get the mac and cheese. Both apps are kind of spicy dui I got the beef bulgogi as an entree and it was ok. The seasoning was lacking. Probably wouldn't get it again, but I think that was a special item for the island theme. Our server, Kerry, was so sweet, and she was able to offer great insight into the dishes. I would definitely visit this restaurant again. read more

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Greta food great selection of bourbon Always stop here for dinner when I am in town due to their selection

Food was good had the lamb burger. Asked for ice with water and lemon waitress forgot both. Spot had good vibe. read more

Service was extremely slow. Had a party of around 6 people for a work group. After the first round of drinks, we rarely saw a waitress again. When she did come by, we asked for recommendations and she seemed like she was offended we asked. The place is too small to forget patrons. Food was bar food, only with sit down restaurant prices. Not in a hurry to return here. read more

Small restaurant. No reservations. A few outdoor tables right on Main Street with a view of the Statehouse. It's a little bit of a small outdoor area with people walking by or waiting by the door nearby so it's not that private. We sat inside at a booth. Good indoor environment with a view of the bar, nice wallpaper, lounge type vibe. The hostess was so sweet. Our waitress was great. The menu isn't that big but there's a lot of delicious choices and I appreciate the GF and V symbols. Our food was delicious. We started with the crispy boudin balls which were really yummy. My sister got the Viet-Cajun fried chicken sandwich and loved it. My mom got the shrimp and grits which was really yummy but she thought too much grease. My pork chop was good but it came out a little under. I appreciated the waitress for noticing that it was too pink and offering to put it back on the grill. I had to wait like 15 minutes and unfortunately it seemed a little over when it came back. Not the waitress' fault and I didn't want to fuss - I just I would not order the pork chop again. COVID: masks required indoors. All the staff is wearing them. They haven't skipped any tables or booths and I think it's probably because it's such a small restaurant. They take your temperature at the door. read more

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The atmosphere was great, the restaurant had a great setting. We enjoyed the food from starters to desserts. The service was good and not too intrusive. We didn't feel rushed at any moment. We really enjoyed the fried frog legs special today, but the charcuterie platter was disappointed for the price. read more

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Bourbon is where southern charm meets elegance and fine dining; it deserves nothing less than 5 stars. I visited Bourbon several times throughout my stay in Columbia and each time was a treat. During my first visit I was greeted by Jake, who was one of the best and most attentive bartenders I ever had (shout out to Jake). He recommended the Moscow Mule as a light and refreshing drink that wasn't too strong (just my kind of drink.) They were so good I had three throughout my visit. For my main course I got the North Carolina swordfish special on top of blacked peas. It was a simply delicious and enjoyable experience; however, the real star of that night was the banana pudding, which was probably the best I've ever had served from a restaurant. On my second visit I had the boudin stuffed quail, and jalapeño hush puppies. The quail was nice and tender and the Brussels sprouts were seasoned perfectly, not salty at all; furthermore, I loved that the hush puppies were crunchy on the outside while still being soft and moist on the inside, and the molasses hot sauce it was drenched in made it the perfect appetizer. On my third visit I experienced their amazing brunch. The biscuit of champions was probably the best brunch item I've had in a while. All that meat on top of that homemade buttermilk biscuit smothered in gravy was so exhilarating, it made all the clogged arteries worth it. All in all, I did not eat a single thing at Bourbon that left me disappointed. The chefs here are amazing and produce nothing but quality and the bartenders mix up excellent drinks. You will have an amazing experience here regardless of what your order off the menu. Do yourself and your taste buds a favor and experience what Bourbon has to offer. read more

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I tried the Sunday brunch here and was very impressed with the service and food. It was busy, but we snagged seats at the bar, where we were quickly greeted. We ordered the booze berry biscuits, the beef debris, and quail and waffles. The biscuits were fluffy, and the berry/icing drizzle was not overly sweet and slightly boozy. Definitely would order again. My beef debris dish was a layer of cheddar, pulled meat, and collards atop tater tots. Super yummy, and it had a little bit of kick, which I enjoyed. I finished the whole plate! I tried a bit of the quail and waffles, and the waffle was drizzled with pepper jelly, which is something different that I liked as well. The waffle was soft and slightly sweetened, and the quail had a really nice crunchy batter, freshly fried. They were generous with the quail too! I was a little on guard trying Bourbon based on a few other poor customer reviews, but I'm glad we gave it a try! Worth a looksee. read more

was cute small place but very good. We have a Hamburger and a salad and my husband have a flyer of bourbon and was so good. prices was excellent and i highly recommend this place to everybody read more

Bourbon - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I'd give a ten if I could. People are great, drinks inventive, food fantastic. Our son attends U of SC, and this is our favorite spot.