I decided to try the grilled octopus appetizer. It was very tasty. The octopus was perfectly tender and 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. read more

Madrigal - Grilled octopus - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Oh my - sensational. Went tonight for my birthday. The last 2 birthdays were celebrated at Halls and 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! read more

Madrigal - Ube Basque Cheesecake. Beautiful and delicious. - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Even better than the last visit when they first opened the restaurant. Everything was especially tasty I highly recommend reservations. read more

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I arrived at Madrigal Café at 7:50 PM and was told by a staff member that the kitchen was already closed, despite the website clearly stating the restaurant closes at 9:00 PM. There were open tables inside, so I asked for clarification, and the staff member repeated that the kitchen was closed "for today." As I stepped outside, I saw multiple guests without reservations being allowed in, which made it very clear that my party was turned away while others were still being seated. It was frustrating and felt inconsistent and unfair. To make sure I wasn't mistaken, I called the restaurant to confirm their hours. The person who answered confirmed they close at 9 PM. When I explained I was the guest who had just been turned away, the response I received over the phone was shockingly unprofessional and disrespectful. Overall, this was one of the least professional and most disappointing dining experiences I've ever encountered. I hope management seriously reviews their customer service approach, because no guest should be treated this way. Would not recommend. Following up on my review in response to your comments- Thank you for your reply, but I need to clarify several inaccuracies in your response. First, the restaurant was not fully booked when I arrived. There were multiple table open, clearly visible, and while I was walking out, I asked the guests entering whether they had reservations. This directly contradicts your statement that you were not seating walk-ins. Second, I arrived before 7:50pm. 7:50 was simply the time I checked my phone to show your staff member that your posted hours indicate a 9pm closing. Your team told me the kitchen was closed despite being well within listed hours. Third, your comment about the phone call is inaccurate. The person who answered the phone was a male staff member, not a female, and he used profanity multiple times toward me. I did not use profanity nor was I hostile. I simply stated that I felt the situation warranted a negative review based on how I was treated--something any customer has the right to do. The issue here is not about policies--it's about inconsistent communication, innaccurate information, and unprofessional conduct. My experience did not reflect the courtesy or service standards a customer should expect. Note, I never give bad reviews and this prompted me to download yelp... Final and last points.. Clarification on Arrival Time and Calls. (See picture). Calls from outside the restaurant after leaving. Time stamped. I want to correct one key point in your response. I arrived **before 7:50 PM** and waited inside for several minutes before a server came to speak with me. My phone records confirm that my first call to the restaurant was placed at 7:56 PM, *after* I had already been inside and observed other parties entering. That call was simply to ask about closing time, and it was ended abruptly by staff. The second call included profanity directed at me. I did not use any foul language; I only stated that I intended to leave a review based on the experience. You openly admitted your profanity. Additionally, there were more than two tables visible near the entrance at the time, which contradicts the claim that only reserved tables remained. My review reflects my actual experience, and I hope this clarification helps ensure accuracy in how the situation is represented. read more

Madrigal - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Madrigal Cafe is a hidden Gem. I almost hate to even review it, as even more people will find it, but truly enjoyable dining experience Saturday night 2/17/24. We had reservations for four people but our two friends had a plumbing emergency and we're not able to attend our 6:45pm reservation. I called Madrigal around 1pm same day and explained the situation. They said no problem and that they would make the adjustment for us. A few minutes later I got confirmation thru Resy that the reservation was now for 2 people. So that was very nice of Madrigal, as Resy said I couldn't make any changes to the reservation, and when I made them, I was informed that it would be a $25 charge per person if they did not show up. Sounds like Resy has problems. It truly was an emergency and the other couple was looking forward to coming, so kudos to Madrigal Cafe! Parking was no problem once you actually find this hidden gem. It is right next to a VERY well lit Vape Shop on Devine Street. Dimly lit inside at night, but it is actually just right and adds to the ambiance. Once checked in by one of the wait staff, we were seated within 5 minutes. We were at a round four seat table. We had to do some musical chairs as two of those chairs right by the entrance need to be replaced. When we sat in them we sank down between the outsides board frames of the cushion. Water was already poured. Reza our waiter was very kind and helpful and knowledgeable with the extensive wine selection. My wife enjoyed the Tuscana Blend Gertrude. I had the Tucher Hellies Lager. Appetizer was the Bruschetta (see pic) and it was very good. Some of the best I have had. We were able to slit it. To me to star of the meal was the Madrigal Salad (see pic). Very fresh ingredients. Honestly the best salad I have ever eaten. I asked Chef Emma who came around after the crowd started to leave, about some of the details on the Madrigal Salad and she was pleased to explain SOME things about it, but was very proud of the dressing.....which she would not divulge anything except to say that it was "balsamic based". Trust me on this salad choice! We split the Prosciutto Arugula Pizza (see pic) also, and it was very good. The thin crust was cooked perfectly and the white sauce was the perfect amount. Fresh ingredients. We will definitely be back. Can't wait to go back with our friends that couldn't make it and turn some of our other friends onto Madrigal Cafe. read more

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This is a hidden treasure. The inside is dark and intimate. The waitstaff is very professional. We enjoy getting a bottle of wine, and splitting various apps and pizzas to share. read more

I was excited to try this place, the food has European inspired dishes. I was tipped off about this place from a few others. Parking isn't for the faint of heart, good luck on finding a spot on the street. They are located away from the main strip, but close to USC. They have a really nice Cafe, presentation was good, There are a few tables for those who wish to dine in. Customer service was exceptional and friendly the entire time. I decided to order a brownie. The brownie was huge, chewy, and had the best taste ever. Its enough to share, so keep that in mind. Keep in mind the deserts are already prepared, the actual food is cooked upon ordering. So keep that in mind when ordering from a small cafe, so patience is your bestie. Your other option is order ahead of time if your in a hurry. I will be trying other dishes in the near future. Welcome to Columbia! read more

Madrigal - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Food here is the star of the show as one would expect. Salad was very fresh, flavorful and creative. Pizza was delicious! We didn't drink this night, but had a great wine list. It is reservation only, which was kind of nice knowing we had a table waiting for us. Our server was a little arrogant, but didn't let it affect our night. Highly recommend for date night! read more

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful meal at this quaint little restaurant in downtown Columbia. The service was very attentive. The food was excellent. If you go please enjoy a bottle of wine. They have several to choose from and a very knowledgeable. read more

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Neat and intimate ambiance, very nice servers. Cheese board and bruschetta were good, but when it came to the entrees and pizza we were less than impressed. Could have been an off night, but wouldn't return back for dinner. Maybe just wine and apps. read more

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Great find. Reservations are extremely helpful. The place is small with awesome food and deserts. Friendly and accommodating staff. Construction in the area makes parking a little tight so avoid peak dinning hours. read more

Smaller restaurant in size, but cozy. Limited menu of pizzas and a few different entrees and appetizers. We had the lasagna which was very good along with the burrata appetizer which was delicious. They have a good selection of wines also! read more

My husband and I found Madrigal on social media and I'm so glad that we decided to give it a try! We made our reservation a few weeks in advance and I highly suggest doing the same if you want to visit. We were seated near the door and I did hear multiple couples turned away because they were fully booked. Parking is street parking with a small lot available nearby. The restaurant is very hidden and we likely wouldn't have noticed it if we weren't looking for it. Street parking is free after 6 on Friday and all weekend, otherwise be prepared to pay the meter with coins or by using the app. We were greeted as soon as we arrived and seated. They were quick with a wine menu and water. Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful with making recommendations. We opted for the bruschette appetizer, margherita pizza, lasagna, and salad. The bruschette appetizer was delicious and perfect for two. The tomatoes were flavorful and it wasn't heavy at all. I've had bruschetta that was covered with cheese and felt very heavy, but this was not close to that at all. The margherita pizza was thin, crispy, and wonderful. It's too much for one person and probably better to share. The lasagna was good, but not the best I've ever had. I liked the tomato sauce, but found the rest of the lasagna to be just okay. It wasn't bad at all, but didn't make it into my list of "favorite lasagnas". The salads were wonderful and dressed perfectly. Overall, we enjoyed the nice, quiet ambiance of the restaurant and thought that the food was impressive. It was reasonably priced. Our bill for the food, two alcoholic drinks, and two cups of tea was $79 plus a tip. read more

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Amazing food and great service! Definitely recommend reservations as I had to wait for about an hour to get a table as a walk in at 7 on a Friday night. Well worth the wait so happy I decided to stick with my decision to eat here. I was a tad underdressed as everyone else was wearing very nice attire so definitely dress up a bit for this occasion. Most people dining here were on dates, anniversaries or here to celebrate birthdays. I was solo on this trip as I wanted something different and didn't feel like cooking while my family was out of town for the weekend. The wine selection is very large so lots of options. I went with a glass of Pinot Noir that was very tasty and paired well with the tapenade di olive and fresh bread. For my entree I chose the Gratin de Poulet which was absolutely fantastic! It was so flavorful and hit all the textures you could imagine. For dessert I had the bourbon infused chocolate cake with ganache to put me over the edge! A wonderful meal and truly enjoyable evening! read more

Madrigal - OMG delicious Chocolate Cake - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Very small but nice restaurant. We enjoyed the pizza and lasagna, but the best part was the cheesecake! It was delicious! The service was great and we enjoyed our dinner overall. read more

This was a great little spot! We ordered the pear salad (marinated in blue tea) which was a special and the pepperoni pizza. Both were delicious and enough for 2 to share. It was quite dark inside with an intimate feel to it. The menu prices were more affordable than we anticipated. We would definitely return. I will say It was a little tricky to find after sunset. The entrance doesn't stand out and they do not have a lighted sign..,only a decal on the window. Cars were parked in front so we only saw the sign after circling the block looking for it. read more

Madrigal - Pear salad daily special - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

We discovered this cozy place during a Yelp event. I believe it is family owned and they are so nice. We had their pizza and the almond cookies. The fungi pizza was amazing & the one with prosciutto delicious as well. These were some high quality full of flavor ingredients scrumptious pies. The almond cookies reminded me of macaroons, yes indeed. Go by and enjoy! read more

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Our visit to Madrigal Cafe was amazing! Customer service was amazing and the restaurant was very clean and welcoming. We started out with tea and coffee and the presentation of both of them was amazing does that Dibeck coffee was nice and nutty. We then had some appetizers which are absolutely delicious. We then ordered an eggplant pizza but I had to substitute mushrooms because they were out of eggplant. Overall, we truly enjoyed the ambience of this restaurant, Customer service and the food were top notch and we will definitely be back! read more

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I discovered the little gem during a Yelp event. It's tucked away right off the USC campus. The parking is a little sparse, but if you go at an off time then you might get lucky like I did. The service was great and the menu is very appealing. The pizza has a nice thin and crispy crust. I wouldn't mind coming back here again. read more

Madrigal - A little family decor. - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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This new place makes a great attempt at being good ..and it is. Because it's so close by location to the University of SC campus, it has the vibe of an upscale student date night hang out. The desserts steal the show here; but...the food is not bad either. The service was impeccable with the waiter being exceptionally attentive & helpful. The place does need some window coverings as the dessert fridge gets alot of afternoon and evening sun. While it's refrigerated, it's still scary from a food safety perspective. Started eith the mint water which, tasted like water. Pretty color but did not have the hint of mint I was looking for or expecting. The jalapeños & pepperoni pizza was really good. The crust is thin but they layers and moisture from the cheese helped give it a thicker feel. The Margharita pizza was on the dry side with a really, really thin crust. It's thinner than a normal Flatbread. It's a floppy crust as well so the crisp was not there. I am not a fan of oregano in pizza sauce and this tomato sauce had WAY more oregano that needed. The Ceasar salad was very good but did not have much anchovy. The tiramisu was the hit of the evening and was very good. The cappuccino was pretty good as well. I would Gove this place another try mainly because the desserts work so well. Hopefully, if they start making their own pizza dough, I could be persuaded to do dinner again at some point read more

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Love this pizza here, perfect to share! This is a great place for a nice date night or a special occasion. Our server was great, a little pushy for us to order, but great! read more

The pesto meatballs and lasagna were wonderful!!!! I will be coming back! Definitely make reservations.

First, the place was lovely. Felt very upscale, which was nice because it was my birthday. We got an appetizer of Meatballs and they were amazing. We also ordered a pizza and their Poulet au Gratin for our entrees. These felt pretty meh. Like dishes I could have gotten at any Italian place. What I really came for was the desserts. I had seen other photos of these immaculate, precision like plates with gorgeous cheesecakes. I wanted to try the lavender or Ube, but they were out. We ordered the pistachio, peach, and vanilla bourbon. They tasted wonderful. However, getting someone to take our dessert order took a long time and then they took 20 minutes to bring them out. I kept telling myself it was because of how precise they are with the plates. I also wanted to try their Turkish coffee with the dessert but they were out of that as well. Overall wasn't a terrible experience but I definitely expected more. read more

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The best restaurant in Columbia. Amazing ambiance and amazing food. Just perfect. There are no words. Trust me.

Our dinner was exceptional. Great service, ambience, and the food was outstanding. Looking forward to our next visit.

Went with my grandmother (She was the first customer) The atmosphere is so nice and welcoming and don't get me started on the food! Its so amazing and is just so satisfying. Chef emma is so nice to everyone and the servers are great. Thank you for this amazing experience! read more

Where has this place been? It is a hidden gem. My family and I went for an elite Yelp event. I'm so glad that I got to attend. This place is so adorable. It's very small, so I recommend calling to make a reservation first. The parking situation kind of stinks, because it is so close to campus. However, it is absolutely worth it. The staff is extremely nice. The food was amazing. The desserts are delicious. You must try an amazing Turkish coffee. My son absolutely loved their pizza and tiramisu. We will for sure being going again. Put this place on your must try list. Thank me later :) read more

Madrigal - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Great night out with friends. Good food and friendly staff. Some folks have had a negative review of the meat roll but I loved it. Then again, I love meatloaf and this was similar. Great pizza. Don't think anyone went home hungry. Parking can be a challenge anywhere near the University though. read more

Probably the best pizza I have ever had. I got the Prosciutto and Arugula pizza and it melted in my mouth! The kindest service and the lemon cake dessert was delicious! Definitely coming back! read more

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An unexpected surprise! The ambiance reminded me of a jazz lounge with dark walls and ceiling. Only a few tables so very cozy and intimate setting with black tablecloths. Server was very attentive and owner came to check on each table. Salad and pizza were very sharable for 2. Ingredients were fresh a flavorful. The pizzas are then and crispy which is not typically my favorite but the delicious sauce and cheese made it super tasty! Definitely worth a try for upscale pizza. read more

An elegant little surprise hidden in the college town area. The outside is simple but upon entering the vibe is relaxing, with dark, moody decor and soft music. The service can't be beat, they make you feel like one of the family. The bread service was fantastic. The meals were unexpected with their seasoning, for a unique but yummy plate. Just a little too much cheese on top for me, but that's an easy work around. They also had some great pizza with lots of topping choices. read more

I loved the ambiance of this place. I love that there are no tvs, how small and dark it is. It reminds me of places in NYC. The service was great. The food was good. I'm a little disappointed in the lack of pasta dishes for an Italian restaurant, but that's my only complaint. read more

We were there few weeks ago but I couldn't write my post earlier. We ordered an Avocado sandwich for $13 which was very plain and lack of flavors and way overpriced as now looking at the steak panini for the same price. Auch! This place borders on small of portion sizes given the price points of the dishes. We were disappointed and left half of the avocado sandwich on the plate. You probably have better luck to try something else but the foods are definitely overpriced looking at the portion sizes..... read more

Everything was great! Excellent pizza! Nice staff and service, quiet ambiance and good food. I would certainly eat here again. read more

After looking for a new place to try in Columbia, Madrigal left our small group satisfied and ready to return. Entering the modest footprint of this family-run cafe, you will notice a case of made-from-scratch desserts with a vivid purple cheesecake that grabs your attention. The menu is filled with scrumptious Italian food, so be sure to leave room to try the exquisitely smooth and light violet Ube cheesecake. When the chef and staff, who are mother and sons, encourage you to try something new from the menu, do it. read more

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They have amazing pizza that taste fresh. Other food options are unique and am very impressed with my meal.

Madrigal is THE hidden gem of columbia. Everything is incredible. The atmosphere is so cozy and it is the best service I've had anywhere (and we've been to several Michelin star and James beard award winning restaurants). Everything on the menu is great, but the pizza is the surprising star. I think we get so used to pizza being "always good never great" that we lean toward other things on the menu when you walk into a cozy but nicer ambiance restaurant. Don't get me wrong, the gratin poulet and lasagna are great too, but any pizza with rosé sauce is incredible. I thought this would be just another pizza with toppings but we've returned week after week for the pizza. The appetizers are also smart combination of lesser-used ingredients (pistachios and dragonfruit with burrata and herbs) and the desserts are the best anywhere- and plated to the nines with carefully placed gold flakes and edible flowers. Also try the bruschetta if you love garlic like we do. 10/10- I hope madrigal is recognized by the regional restaurant scene for how incredible their food and service is soon. My pictures are from a few months ago- lately we have been eating before we remember to take a picture. read more

Madrigal - Blueberry cheesecake (small) - Pizza Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Food phenomenal! Service was so great! Everyone was so attentive. Will be one of my go to restaurants. read more

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Girls night out on 12/28 to celebrate one of us "Dodging a Bullet" ;-) It was the perfect atmosphere; quiet, ambiance was pleasing, also perfect for a romantic date night. Staff was very attentive, kind, helpful. Food and prices were fantastic. We absolutely loved this small, quaint little place and will be back! PS: try the Basque Ube Cheesecake - you won't be disappointed! read more

Great pizza - very good portion And attentive service. You be this local family restaurant a visit. Nice wine choices read more