We came here for lunch and got a good parking spot in front of the restaurant. The inside is pretty…read moremodest and pretty basic. We ordered at counter upon entering and they suggested for costumer to order first before choose a table. We ordered edamame as an appetizer and 3 ramen bowls. We ordered spicy ramen, miso ramen, and chicken ramen. The condiments and drinks are on the side of the restaurant and easy to access. The portion of the ramen was pretty big and my kids can definitely shared a bowl of ramen. The broth was pretty flavorful and spicy ramen is American spicy. It's a good spot for ramen in downtown Columbia, SC. I would come back and eat here again if I stop by in Columbia, SC.

I have mixed feelings…read more I ordered a ramen soup with pork. It tasted 'ok'. Not the worst I've had, not the best. I was happy to try it though. What I didn't really like was their policy of charging money for tap water. You don't expect this in America. I went to their soda machine to get some water, thinking there would be some cheap $0.01 plastic cups, and that's when I saw a sign saying you have to pay for water. NOT what I expected after ordering and paying for a ramen soup. I asked if there was any way to get a free cup of water, thinking maybe they kept the cups behind the counter, and they said no, you have to buy a cup for the tap water. In my mind, if you have to nickle and dime us $0.50 for tap water, you're doing things wrong as a business. Charge what you have to so people don't have to ask about paying money for tap water and you don't have to put up stupid signs saying you have to pay for water. I mean, come on. That looks SO PETTY and CHEAP! This place was so low life, they even had signs saying don't sit down until you order something taped on the walls all around the restaurant. That really made it look cheap. Where am I, China? Pakistan? Didn't feel like Japan... and certainly didn't feel like America. I didn't try to use the restroom. I don't know if they charge a fee for that... or the toilet paper... I think we as a society need to strongly push back against this type of 'fee' trend in restaurants. Yea, it's their business and they can run it the way they want, but I can also give a poor review and not come back. Your choice. I would of tipped the worker $3-4 based on service. Instead I was charged $0.50 and won't come back.

Really high quality food spot…read more All of dishes were delicious, but I especially recommend the sesame paste noodles. They were perfectly cooked and seasoned-making for an excellent dinner. I did not have a bad bite here. The restaurant is also relaxing to sit in and the food comes out fast. Making for a great combination of good food and service. I highly recommend checking this spot out!

Stopped by Yu Noodles for a late lunch date with my mom. We were excited to see it wasn't too busy…read morefor a Saturday afternoon. We were instructed to seat ourselves, and was greeted immediately by our server. It's not huge inside but there is plenty of seating along with bar seating as well. We ordered so much! For starters we ordered the Cucumbers with garlic sauce which were so good, the cabbage which was packed with so much flavor, and the spring rolls which I didn't get a chance to try but my mom loved them. We also got an order of the Pan Fried Vegetable buns which were so pillowy soft, and scallion pancakes which were so good. The scallion pancakes were more crispy than what I'm used to and I would have preferred more scallions, but the flavor was still really good. For our course we ordered the Noodles in scallion oil with vegetables and the Sesame pasta noodles with vegetables. Everything was delicious and you get really nice portions. Our server was so nice and checked in us frequently. Overall, we really enjoyed our meal and glad we got a chance to try it out. We'll definitely be back for more!

Very good. Nice atmosphere. Nice and quiet spot for lunch. Good service. Good food. Thanksread more

I go with a coworker just about every other week by far my favorite Korean place the service is…read moregreat the food is phenomenal. The environment is also great. The starters that come out before your actual meal are also amazing! This is by far my favorite restaurant definitely worth a drive.

JJ's Tea House has been a staple for years and I am so glad I finally got a chance to try them…read more Their pork based broth is so flavorful and perfectly balanced. Their noodles have a great texture to them and make their soups absolutely standout from the rest. The shrimp bao buns have great texture and flavor! The staff is friendly and the service is quick! I had my order to go but the interior is nice. You can tell it's a mom and pop shop and it truly feels like someone's grandmother is making the food back there. I'm looking forward to my next visit to dine in!

JJ's Tea House is one of my favorite lunch spots in Columbia! We stopped by on a Monday afternoon…read moreand it wasn't too busy. Service was quick, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming--especially thanks to the owner, who is absolutely adorable and always greets guests with a big smile. I ordered the unagi rice bowl, and it was amazing. The eel was cooked perfectly--tender with just the right amount of char--and the sauce had a great balance of sweet and savory. The steamed egg is one of my favorite sides. We also tried the crispy tofu appetizer and the popcorn chicken rice bowl. The tofu was super crispy and flavorful, though the popcorn chicken could use a touch more seasoning. To top it all off, I had a green tea with boba, and the boba was cooked perfectly as always--soft and chewy with just the right texture. Highly recommend JJ's for a cozy lunch with delicious food and friendly service!

929 has been on my Columbia bucket-list for probably five years or so. It definitely lived up to…read morethe hype. It's a nice little cozy - date night place that's fun to go to. Pros: - Fun menu! They truly have something for everyone - Excellent flavors - Spicy foods are actually spicy - You get your food really quick - Got seated very fast - Great drink menu Cons: Depending on where you sit, you sit really close to others. I got the Yaki Udon Noodles (spicy) with chicken. This was excellent and I'd absolutely get it again. Great flavors and great ingredients that work well together. My date got the Curry Udon with chicken. She really enjoyed it. Definitely a recommend. The appetizer's looked really good, too.

I ordered chicken teriyaki it was a good portion and the food was good. Service was quick. I don't…read morelike dark meat chicken, so I didn't like the dish wasn't white meat. I thought it was going to be white meat. I am hoping to try a new dish next time.

We arrived and ordered at 1:03, we got our fountain drinks and a moment later our utensils were…read morebrought to the table. The rice ball and inari at 1:15, our ramen arrived at 1:36pm. It was sooo good and flavorful and hot. Couldn't ask for better ramen. My husband enjoyed his first time having ramen. The hostess Jordan was nice and helpful. Thank you Jordan for your help today.

The food was amazing, service friendly and welcoming . Plus 2 entrees with an app and drinks for a…read moregreat price ! I really couldn't recommend this place enough ! You won't be disappointed!

love East Bay Deli! Everyone is so kind; Holden made me a delicious sandwich and was so sweet! It's…read morea great place to eat!

Jalece did an amazing job as far as customer service is concerned. She was genuine and friendly and…read morewent above and beyond. I got a Calhoun club and it was legit! Soft fresh bread and great helping of meat. 10/10 I wish I lived closer and could snag food here more often.

The combo of chicken salad with the kale ceaser salad was insanely good. And having gluten free…read morebread as an option was awesome.

I have very similar feelings about this location as I do with the WeCo one. I love how quick the…read moreservice is. The Webster was delicious and was the perfect lunch. The restaurant itself is really small and the parking lot is tiny, but that wasn't much of an issue for me. It felt homey if anything.

We stopped in, and you should too. After a bit of a slow start due to their staffing issues, our…read morewaitress was personable and attentive. The menu has great choices that I haven't seen elsewhere. I ordered chicken salad in a bread bowl, and it was really delicious. The bowl is topped with cheese and popped in the over, so it arrives hot. The bread bowl had a wonderfully crispy crust and tender inside, and the chicken salad was warm and tasty. I've had soup bread bowls, but not hot and crispy, and of course, not chicken salad. The sides menu is a long list; I chose onion rings. They were plentiful, crunchy, and very flavorful - as far from the heavily breaded limp onion rings most places serve as you could get. We ate in the late afternoon, but the place still had several parties like us. We liked the vibe, casually upscale, and unpretentious. Go!

Thankful for another trip around the sun and this year instead of heading out of the country I…read morecelebrated in SC with family. The only downside about my born day is the close proximity to Valentine's day. Which can sometimes make the planning around the commercialized love day tricky... especially when it comes to restaurant reservations.... Womp womp. Backstreets Grill said they could accommodate a party of 8. They were clearly busy and with our party size we could understand. Nonetheless, we had a very loonnngggg wait, which was frustrating and deflating. We waited 4x the time the young ladies initially told us upon arrival. However, once we were finally seated things started to turn around slightly. I say slightly because we were seated on the enclosed patio, with a portable heater but several people were cold. Just to think they kept asking us and others if we wanted to sit outside. (It's February @ night). Now the food: Some of the dishes were more favorable than others and I must admit all of my personal choices were great. Appetizers: -Mussels - White Wine (My Order) -Fried Oysters (I tried) -Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna -Lump Crab Dip (I tried) -Tomato Parmesan Soup (My Order) -Side House & Caesar Salads (I tried) I personally had the Mussels, which were perfect, and the tomato parmesan soup and both made you want to like the bowl. The broths were so good. I tried the fried oysters, they were also very good, but the presentation was a little messy. The Lump Crab Dip and the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna completely fell short and were not memorable at all and the side salads were sad. Entrées: -Cajun Chicken Pasta w/ Blackened Shrimp (My order) -Buffalo Chicken Pizza (I tried) -House-made Meatloaf w/ mashed potatoes & vegetables -Pork-chop w/ mashed potatoes & green beans -Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla w/ Fries -Ribeye w/ Truffle Parmesan Fries My sister and I both ordered the Cajun Chicken pasta, I added the blackened shrimp to my order, we were both extremely happy. The dish was not spicy but it was well balanced. The recipients of the Meatloaf, Buffalo Chicken Pizza and the Quesadilla were all also pleased with their dishes. The folks that ordered the ribeye and the two pork-chops were not impressed... the dishes were just ok. Our server Adrian, was pleasant, but you can tell he was very overwhelmed which sometimes didn't translate well. As the night went on we understood he was being pulled in multiple directions at once and he did good despite of it. Overall I enjoyed my celebration and experience @ Backstreets Grill. Just A Note: I notice that they can get busy so be ready to wait. Even smaller parties were forced to stretch their patience.

The Gourmet Shop was really good! Now, I'll admit that I didn't get the most exquisite meal, but my…read moregrilled cheese, potato chips, and coffee were excellent! I went on a weekday morning when it wasn't too packed, and I really enjoyed the authentic deli ambiance, which isn't the easiest thing to find in this neck of the woods. My server (whose name I didn't catch) was such a sweetheart and did an amazing job of making sure my drinks were re-filled, my food was delivered on time, and was proactive in offering me a cup of coffee to-go. After my meal, I enjoyed wandering around the other side of the restaurant for a few minutes, which included a cigar room, an enormous wine cellar, and a host of fine cheeses that I had never heard of before! All-in-all, I really enjoyed The Gourmet Shop, will definitely be back in the future, and would recommend it to anybody in the area who's looking for an authentic deli experience!

One of the best brunch spots in town! The Gourmet Shop is a cafe and shop with kitchen gadgets…read more(think Fresh Market high end) on a local scale. They have wonderful sandwiches and the best tomato bisque in town (order with a side of Fresh Bread). Their chicken, shrimp and pimento cheese are all fan favorites! They have 4 dollar glasses of wine and 5 dollar craft beer. We ordered a slice of blackberry cake and it was divine! Cheesecake and a deviled food cake layered with blackberry moose. Delicious! Gourmet Shop is the best spot in 5 Points!