Update: 05/25/2026 Happy Memorial Day! Today we decided to just order out and forget about the cooking out due to the rain off and on. We ordered food from Lizard's Thicket. I had a Flounder with Grilled Vegetables, Macaroni and Cheese along with a Blackberry Cobbler for dessert. My flounder was tender and delicious! It was cooked perfectly. The grilled vegetables were lightly seasoned and caramelized. I can eat them all day! So good:) The macaroni and cheese were okay. I would like them a little more cheesy, but I was content with the taste. As for the blackberry cobbler, I didn't like it. I have never been a fan of it, but I did want to try it. I will say overall my food was great. I am looking forward to trying something different next time. My husband ordered a Salad, Southern Fried Shrimp and Peach Cobbler. He stated his salad was good, nothing major, just a fresh salad. He raved about the shrimp! He said it was golden fried and juicy with a great taste. The peach cobbler was good and sweet, just like he liked it. We enjoyed our meals and will be back for more soon! Customer service was great, and the restaurant was clean and well lit. read more

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Bless y'all heart! I don't care for Lizard's Thicket but my mother still loves it. She said her chicken and rice was really good, she was craving it. Only thing she wasn't satisfied with was her cornbread muffin. It was smushed but the wonderful staff game her two more. The restaurant is always country themed and nice. Very homely in a good way. read more

They claim to have American catfish but catfish from Vietnam was spotted in their cooler that is one of the most unhealthy fish you can eat. Please clean that up. read more

We went for breakfast twice during our visit to SC. The food was great, the service was wonderful. Everyone had a grand time

First timer and very pleased! Had the chicken three side special and the vegetables were awesome and the two pieces of fried chicken were done perfectly and full of meat ! Atmosphere and service excellent! read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - Chicken special! - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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This was my first time in a Lizards Thicket restaurant and I must say I am a fan. I had the beef stew with cabbage and okra. Wife had the baked chicken. Everything was excellent, tea was good too. Service was impeccable, older lady was very attentive. Only negative thing I could come up with was that the paper menu prices differed from what they had on the black boards hanging on the walls but in the end we were charged an even better price than we were thinking it was going to be so perhaps the register had another price lol. Would I go back - oh yes. read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - Beef stew with cabbage and okra n tomato - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I never heard of Lizard Thicket until I moved to SC last year. Ive heard its good..its bad.. it depends on the location.. and so on. I will say every time we have gone was a hit or miss so I didn't really want to give a review until I tried at least a few different items. Now their breakfast has been pretty alright but the fails were baked chicken being too salty and green beans are too sweet. When my bf had it awhile ago, the Mac and cheese was bland and a bit dry. So fast forward to recently. Last week, my bf had fried pork chop and Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes and his food was hittin! I had chicken fried steak and candied yams and creamed corn. And today he got the same thing, and so did I except I tried the fried pork chop and It has been heavenly. I give 4 stars because their candied yams were a bit bland, I'd say at a bit more sugar and or cinnamon. Also they chop the potatoes in various sizes so the bigger chunks of potatoes aren't as cooked through as the smaller pieces so I'd say with that, consistency is key. The creamed corn was good, I added some pepper and it was bit more flavorful. So I guess I'm just saying needed a bit more flavor. But fried pork chop was crunchy, perfectly seasoned and cooked well. I'm obsessed with their white gravy so that may just be a must have with whatever I order from there. Last time I did try the cornbread and it broke my heart how dry it was . I really want to taste some moist, sweet honey cornbread and I'm still on the hunt. But I'd definitely give them a try if you haven't already. The staff is so sweet every time I go so it will always be a pleasant time. I definitely want to try their desserts next time cuz I have such a sweet tooth! Hope you enjoyed my review! read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - Fried pork chop, candied yams and creamed corn $9.99 - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Southern cooking. Small chain of restaurants. Food was good, service was good. I tried some Carolina BBQ. This is the 3rd kind of BBQ that I had been waiting to try. I had "vinegar based" in Memphis, "tomato based" (my favorite) pretty much everywhere, and now "mustard based" in South Carolina. I have to say it was pretty good, but I still lean "tomato". read more

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My wife and I are here for lunch 2/8. Our server was very friendly, quick to bring our drinks and taking our order. Our food came out quickly and was pretty good, reminded us of a Perkins or a lamberts. read more

We came here after the dinosaur show and had a wonderful experience. Michael was our waiter and he was fantastic. We never ran out of drinks, the menu is huge and it's all good, and the price of everything is cheap! My little boy loved his food and that made this momma happy! Thank you Michael for being so kind and not getting upset about the cornbread on the floor. read more

Southern comfort food. My mom and I typically will visit the Lizard's Thicket on Garner's Ferry sometimes twice a week. Staff is always friendly and the food is always good. read more

This is a terrific restaurant for traditional southern fare with lots of choices. This restaurant is all about choices. They offer 25 different side dishes, 11 different desserts, & 10 different meat entrees. This doesn't even include all their sandwich, salad, and soup options. The prices are very fair and the quality of the foods good. It's home style country cooking done well. read more

Eaten here for years so disappointed lately as the food is declining, country fried steak over cooked and so hard couldn't cut or chew collards under cooked the US good but not enough to continue my patronage freezing in October, turn the AC off read more

A basic family style diner. The server was friendly and service was pretty quick. There are many side combinations you can put together wirh your main entree. I would like to see them add a two entree selection with only one additional side. The food was reasonably priced and tasted appropriate to the price. They also have a drive thru for takeout service. Lizards Thicket is family style dining that is a good alternative to greasy fast food. read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Enjoyed eating here again. Ate at the one in Irmo. Chicken tenders very good. Carrot salad was delicious. read more

This is the second time I've been here and it did not disappoint. I even brought a co-worker this time and he loved it. He even liked the fish better here than the seafood place we he the other day. The service here is very pleasant. The food always come out fast. This place a great choice for southern comfort food that you don't have to wait forever for. And last but not least the prices you can not beat. read more

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For comfort food they are the best. I have never had anything there I did not like. Mashed potatoes are great, service is usually very decent. Love the flounder, the country fried steak, the beef stew, the soup, basically I like it all, Carrot and Raisen salad is fabulous. Carrot cake is great (usually, not always). I find the price, and food among the best deals in Columbia. Sorry they are closing my favorite location, Beltline near Devine St. This location is the alternative, and they are a long drive for me, so I don't go now as often as before. The Lexington SC location is best one for food and service I think... but this one, most of the time, hits all the right numbers. read more

I ordered the chicken fried steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, and fried okra, with iced tea to wash it down. Total cost $11.20 It was not very crowded at 7:00 p.m. so I was seated immediately and did not have to wait long for the food. The food was not exceptional, but acceptable. The service was quick and the staff was friendly. Overall, a good restaurant to feed the family, but it won't impress any tourists. read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - I ordered the chicken fried steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, and okra, with tea to wash it down. Total cost $11.20 - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Great home cooking! Had the flounder broiled instead of fried, tomatoes and okra, cabbage and collard greens. All very good and quite a bargain for $8.50. Service people are chatty and friendly. Recommend this place for sure. read more

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We got there kinda late. Didn't know they closed at 9. Service was great and food was good. Lizard thicket as always good. Multiple options to choose from. Good food. Of course will be back. Kinda our go to for southern food quick. read more

We stopped for breakfast at the Garner's Ferry Rd. Lizard's Thicket and it took 45 minutes to get our food. The server was great but the pancakes were thick and gummy in the middle. I mentioned this to the manager and he acted like he didn't care and said he'd tell the cook. He asked if the server corrected the issue, she was not cooking. I told him and the manager we didn't have any time to wait for food to be remade. Terrible food, save your money and eat somewhere else. read more

A great place for great food. There's a reason they've been around so long. I would highly recommend giving them a chance if you've never been. read more

Stopped in for a good meal. The sign said "Seat Yourself" but all empty tables were dirty. Staff seemed to not care less that we were waiting for them to clean a spot for us to eat. We waited for a while and decided if they didn't care for four business we'd go elsewhere and we left. Enjoyed a great meal at The Jasmine Buffet! read more

I ordered broiled flounder, collard greens and mac 'n cheese (which was very close to my mom's) Everything was delicious. The waitress Vanessa twisted my arm to try the grilled pound cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I never order dessert, but this was worth every bite. Vanessa was very nice and made me feel welcomed. read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - Broiled flounder collards mac 'n cheese - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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This is definitely the country. The atmosphere is like a home town family establishment. Homely & friendly. The staff is the friendliest folks I've encountered in any establishment. Laughing, talking with customers. Making everyone feel at home. I had the fried founder with Mash potatoes and gravy, collard greens, cream style corn. All of them was cooked very good. The flounder was fried perfect. Light with great taste. . For dessert I had the peach cobbler. The crust was soft was my only complaint. Other then that it was very good Would return if in the area again. read more

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Soul food! This place has the best breakfast, lunch or dinner hands down. You will not be disappointed!

Love the service here . If you love good country cooking, look here.Country Fried Steak

came to the drive thru and waited an hour 1/2 for food that is ridiculous yall need to do better

Probably the worst food I've ever had. Would give 0 stars if I could. Their side salad was literally just lettuce. Their fried pork chop was all bone. Their country fried steak was ground hamburger with gravy on it. The mac and cheese was hard and didn't have cheese. The fried okra was cold. The best part of the meal was my water. When we asked the server about the salad they said "that's just how it is". We left our plates completely full and still paid $35 for our meal for 3 people. Will never go back. All around bad experience. read more

Awesome food. My wife loves Lizard's Thicket. She always gets the fried pork chops. I have to admit I like it too. I have never had a bad meal here. The wait staff are very friendly. The restaurant and restrooms are very clean. Today the man at the cash register came over when he saw an older lady sitting at the table. He asked "are you ok ma'am can I get you anything?" I believe her son was getting a to-go order and didn't want her standing. Wow, compassion you don't see that much these days. Great southern food. read more

There is nothing fancy about Lizard's. Just simple comfort food. Nothing avant- guard or over the top. But if you want good Southern comfort food and a friendly waitress, come here. read more

The worst interpretation of southern cuisine I've ever tasted. My family of 5 struggled through our lunch. We ordered the black eye pea soup it was not well seasoned and the peas were hard. The macaroni and cheese was watery. The collard greens tasted like dirty dish water. The catfish was soggy. The best thing we ordered was the sweet tea and water. Despite the tasteless meal our server was great. I would not reccomend this spot. Try Hardees next door. We did. read more

Leroy's recommendations were spot on. Great southern food. The squash casserole was a surprise. Grilled pound cake for dessert, Grilled pork chop was cooked perfectly. Family place with something for everyone. read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - Grilled pound cake, be careful, it's Hot! - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I was extremely disappointed when trying the peach cobbler he bought to go with our salmon patty dinner plate. Don't really know where to start but I'll start with me anticipating the craving for southern food. The salmon patties are fried with some type of corn meal but tasty and nicely seasoned. The collard greens were extremely salty and nasty but the sweetness of the yams help me get the salt taste to disappear a little. As for the macaroni and cheese...no flavor at all! Now the finale, the peach cobbler...couldn't wait to get into the bag and devour this delish southern desert. Picked up the bag and noticed it was a bit light, opened the bag from the staples that kept it close and was totally disappointed to say the least. I'm posting a pic because we paid over $3 for each peach cobbler and I want you guys reading to be the judge. As for the taste...disgusting!!! read more

Lizard's Thicket Restaurants - Top view of peach cobbler - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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My favorite place to go to in all of South Carolina. The customer service is amazing, the food is delicious and the interior is beautiful.

I've been coming to this particular location of Lizards Thicket for years. The food has consistently been the same. If you like good Sourhern cooking..... This is the place for you. So many different vegetables and also a daily meat special. Their friend chicken and country fried steak are wonderful. The green beans are my favorite vegetable. I could fill up eating nothing but them. But of course the fried okra and the macaroni and cheese are also great. They have a private dining room which is perfect for my Monthly Mission Group. If you're traveling to SC you definitely need to stop here to get a sample of good SC cooking. Great for families also! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here at this location. The menu items are reasonably priced, the environment is very southern with homely customer service. The food was surprisingly filling and tastes homelike or what what I would imagine southern home cooked meals are, as I'm from California. However, my husband is from Georgia and he seemed really surprised with their food as well, so it must be authentic. For the amount you're paying for and what you're getting, it almost feels like stealing. I enjoyed their special of selecting one protein and three "vegetables" or sides, or however many options because it varies in price. Overall, the food was great, the location was convenient and we later saw that they had a drive thru, which is an awesome option for quick dinners. read more

Last week my friend and I ate at the Thicket on Garners Ferry Road. First off the portions were terrible. I had to send the coleslaw back because it was old, dry, and tasteless. The Barbeque Chicken was Old , Dry, and just covered with a bunch of sauce. The Cornbread was overcooked and tasteless. I replaced the Slaw with Mac & Cheese that was good, and the Okras & Tomatoes were good. The Waitress we had probably had better days. So suffice to say, it will be awhile before I return. read more

Nice little restaurant to stop by for a quick sit-down. They have an extensive list of vegetables (although some items on that list are clearly not vegetables, like mac and cheese for instance). My sister and I got the grilled cheese, which tasted pretty good, just a tad too greasy but tasted great nonetheless. I got grilled vegetables with it and those weren't doused in butter so they were great. The french fries were good too - crispy on the outside, mushy on the inside. The meatloaf sandwich was awesome too. It was nice and quiet with great friendly service. read more

Come here for plain hospital style food. I will never return here. Well maybe to try the breakfast but I will update review after I do.