So we love coming here as it's close and has good food. I will say that the last time we came was on the 4th of July weekend, and it was not super busy. We did have someone with a wheelchair with us, and we came by boat. The boat dock hands at first were telling us we could only park one way on one side of the dock, which works great for pontoon boats, but we are wake surf boats, and are not able to be tied off, and getting our passengers off was also not going to work that way. So then we tried to go inside, and that also was not great. Wake surf boats do not turn easily like others. So we left the area, and then they finally let us park the normal way we do, and we got our passengers all out safely. I understand wake surf boats are not as common, so having some flexibility with docking would go a long way for sure. The ramps are great, we had to eat outside because of our big party. We wanted to move the tables together, but they have them bolted to the floor, so we had to split up for dinner. Food was great, and our waitress was super helpful. We were able to eat on the lake and have a great time doing it. We were all so tired on the way back home. read more

One of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in a while! We live minutes away, and had been at this location under three different names before, so we decided to try the Nauti Turtle for a quick Sunday night dinner. The food is average and the service was overall ok, but the atmosphere was what pretty much ruined the experience. They have their own private boat dock, and generally pleasant outside seating area, especially on a warm evening. This time, however, somebody had decided to dock their boat right outside the restaurant's seating deck, and leave their music on, blasting whatever they thought was appropriate and counting as good taste. We could not even talk to each other over it, it was so loud, and both my husband and I left with massive headaches and in a hurry. We asked a server if they could do anything about it, but they came back saying they had talked to a manager and nothing can be done, since they have no idea who the boat belonged to. I have a hard time believing that they have so little control over their own dock, but they seemed to have zero interest in finding a solution so we opted to leave instead. And we will not be coming back. read more

Whoever gave this place bad reviews is crazy!! Bar service = Great Table service = Amazing Food = Happy Tummies Live Music = so much fun & not to loud either. Just right. Cost = dinner for two with drinks and apps Blackened Tuna and Fried Shrimp $75!!! #Winning Huge Parking Lot too you don't need a boat to come but that's fun too I'm sure. Plenty of dock space. Come give em a try and forget about all these bad posts. 5 out of 5 star for us. read more

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What a great place! We tried it for the first time yesterday evening. I have really nothing negative to say about this place. We sat outside on their balcony/porch area. Great views! The service was excellent, our server Lee was very personable and attentive to details. The food was great! My husband's steak was cooked perfectly. The portions were a little too big for us. The bathrooms were very clean and neat. It's a great place for a romantic evening out or dinner with the kids - which was our case. Our kids enjoyed the open grass area by the water as well as feeding the turtles leftover French fries. We'll definitely come back! read more

Rusty Anchor Restaurant - Feeding turtles - Seafood Near Me - Chapin, South Carolina

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Good choices of food on the menu. If you would like less bar noise, request an outdoor seat. The waitress was very attentive.

A+ view, but that is all. Indoor and outdoor seating. Very few customers. Very limited menu. Our waiter must have visited our table 8-10 times in 20 minutes. He even asked if we were ready for our check while we were still eating. I politely asked him to come back in 15 minutes. Now for the food. I read another review about the catfish entre being catfish nuggets--manager confirmed this. None of our orders came with any condiments. (Had to ask for). How does one eat blackened ahi sandwich with no aiola or other sauce. French fries were served and patron had to ask for catsup. Shrimp were small to medium and not ver tasty. The once famous house salad has been watered down. The loaded potato was instant unsalted mashed potato with toppings. This place could be awesome by hiring a professional restauranteur and chef. The restaurant needs to establish a signature dish or item to hang their hat on. Fish fillet, grouper sandwich, haddock etc.. There is nothing on this menu that one could brag about. No reason to ever return. read more

Very nice lakefront place! We took our boat down to SC from Charlotte and didn't know where to go eat at this lake. We were lucky to find a parking spot for our boat during a busy Sunday summer afternoon. Once you park, there are two different restaurants. We chose Rusty Anchor as it was higher rated. We were not disappointed ! Usually these lake front places are overrated, but, Rusty Anchor is not. It provides a really nice waterfront dining while not sacrificing the quality of the food. The price is just right! We will definitely gonna come back. read more

We have eaten here many times & today was just as fabulous! Great atmosphere & great food!

Always getting 5-stars for the catfish platter and live music. I'm always surprised that they are busy yet tables are available. Great staff with super fast high quality food. Kids and wife love the tenders and the blackened tuna is a rare treat. read more

My boyfriend and I are new to the area and were browsing for places to eat when we found the Rusty Anchor Restaurant. It appeared to have an amazing atmosphere and the menu looked quite promising. It was a beautiful night and the attached bar had live music playing, so we choose to sit outside on the deck. We were correct about the atmosphere. The decor and ambiance were magical. There were children giggling in the yard and doing cart-wheels. It was rather sweet to see. We were sat and were enjoying ourselves while waiting for our server to greet us. The enjoyment turned into annoyance as the wait kept getting longer and longer. There may have been 5 other tables in the restaurant. It took our server approx. 15 mins to greet us. She seemed so flustered and overwhelmed that my b/f even asked her if she was new. - She was not. We ordered a water, a sweet tea and some hushpuppies. It took another 10-15 mins. before out drinks were dropped off. My water tasted like a fish fin had been floating in it and was undrinkable. When the server finally came back for our order, I ordered Johnny's Chicken, which was decent but not impressive. My b/f ordered the Salmon. It was severely over cooked and had no flavor. Overall, we were not impressed at all. There was so much potential. We will not be back. read more

What a great spot for a sunset dinner. We chose outdoor dining (inside was a bit loud for us). We ordered burgers and catfish and it was all very tasty. The service was outstanding and the cost was more than reasonable. We just added another spot to our restaurant options in the area. read more

Same location as Catfish Johny's. We were traveling from Newberry to Charleston and Yelp pointed us here. LOVED IT !!! Great views, friendly staff and amazing food. Great find for us. read more

My wife and I were in the Columbia area and simply had to eat at the Rusty Anchor based on the photos alone. After arriving, however, we were immediately taken back (and almost left without ordering) when we saw multiple employees (including the one apparent bartender -- who seated us at our table -- and at least two kitchen staff members) not wearing face masks or other facial coverings while in the kitchen or other areas near guests. [The two servers working at the time were wearing face masks.] There are signs on the doors saying that face masks or other facial coverings must be worn to enter, but I guess that does not apply to employees (or do not apply after entering). :-/ The food was rather good, and the value for money was great (less than $40 for two main dishes and two alcoholic drinks), but the lack of outwardly facing COVID precautions really hurt the overall experience. Outside of COVID, this place is probably amazing, but we will not be returning during this pandemic. read more

I called in a pickUp order on a Mon MidAfternoon and asked if someone could bring to my car ( when I arrived ) as this " Covid Thing " was acting up again & I being an elderly person didn't feel comfortable going inside . . a very nice young lady says she'd be glad to. Upon arriving at parking lot I'm calling to let her know I've arrived & then trying to retrieve my Debit card discovered I had left my wallet home as I Hurried from home taking only my phone & keys . Told young lady " sorry I'd have to cancel " to which she replied " no I'll cover it " I'm thinking I can't let This young person do this so I asked if Mgr Tony was there ( know through a friend Tina V. . . He came out, listened to my Plight & said " not to worry " to which I replied I didn't mean to sound like a " beggar " I could come back & Pay but again he said " not to worry " I'm here to PUBLICLY say "Thank You Sir " read more

Took my wife here for Mother's Day lunch. She had a grilled chicken sandwich and I had an over stuffed Turkey Sandwich. Our bartender Jules was as fantastic as the food was. All the seats were filled and she made sure everyone was well taken care of. This place is very clean, a really great stop. When we are back in Columbia, we are coming back. Thank you for a great meal and fantastic service. read more

Yummy burgers. Only problem is they stop serving what I would consider early for a Saturday night. 9 pm. read more

Ordered pimento cheese with house soft chips appetizer..big portion and filling. Ordered frozen mango margarita...slightly above average yet presentation looked pleasing to the eye. Also ordered flounder sandwich with fries. Fries were a bit oily and mushy ..i liked the fries i put malt vinegar on the flounder. But it is also decent without malt vinegar. Tartar sauce was average. Horseradish bit my sinuses but i ate it straight. Good horseradish sauce. Decent service read more

Rusty Anchor Restaurant - Frozen mango margarita - Seafood Near Me - Chapin, South Carolina

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Came out here a few days ago when it was a crispy 70 degree day, hoping to enjoy some drinks and food with my fiancé, a good friend and my sweet sweet dog. We walked around to the back deck and a dog comes around from the other table, pulling its owner with it to come for my dog. Snarling and barking a whole lot, the owner didn't do much about it, just kinda stood there so we were forced to leave as it wasn't safe for our pup to be around that. I went up to the other section of the restaurant to ask if we could sit on the empty deck up top to enjoy some drinks and lunch. I was told no, so then asked why is someone allowed to have an aggressive dog in a public space where other dogs are allowed? When it keeps others from being able to enjoy that benefit too, the answer I was given was "they are friends of the owner"... Absolute bull, seriously what kind of friends deter business from someone??? Reluctantly had to order to-go after this 45 minute escapade, food took forever and was sloppily prepared per usual. Would have been tolerable had we been able to eat it whilst drinking on the deck. It's a shame really. The only person that helped me out was a waitress named sydney, she was kind and helpful during this whole thing, everyone else stared me down like I wasn't supposed to be there. Which was made clear when their dog wanted to eat mine (and mine is the pit bull). Management should have handled this way differently, and if you're friends with someone who owns a business, don't ruin it for them, and everyone else trying to have a good time, and maybe socialize your dog so they don't try to attack others. read more

This a great environment! Love the atmosphere and the service was great. The food is not bad. Got the shrimp wrap, the sauce gives it a nice kick but it's just the sauce, shredded lettuce and fried shrimp but still ok. The fries were soggy for my liking but they were ok as well. You just can't beat good service and atmosphere anymore! We will definitely be back. read more

Rusty Anchor Restaurant - Shrimp wrap - Seafood Near Me - Chapin, South Carolina

We used to eat at Rusty Anchor every week. When they changed to JPeters we went several times and every time had an issues...cold food, overcooked food, raw food, etc. We finally just stopped going. We heard they were back operating as Rusty Anchor. SO, after TWO years, we decided to give them another try. BIG MISTAKES!!! Shrimp was cold....the shrimp on the $19 shrimp plate...COLD! All the fries (on all 4 plates) were old and cold! My food (chicken tenders) didn't come out until everyone else had eaten (except my son waiting on his shrimp) even though we asked about it several times. When it did come out it was hot and nasty! The grease was old and burnt so the chicken was hot and tasted burnt. We did ask for a manager. She came out and very snarky said "how can I help you". I explained everything above to which she replied "what do you want me to do?" She offered to bring a plate of fresh fries. She also asked if we wanted her to take the shrimp off or have another plate cooked. We asked to have a new shrimp plate cooked. And what made this worse is it was for my autistic son who doesn't understand what was taking place or why they took his food away. A little while later they bring out the RECOOKED RUBBER $19 shrimp!!! Not only did they fry the shrimp we sent back but it was half of what we sent back. At this point we just asked to have the shrimp platter taken off. When the waitress (Olivia) came to pick up our plates we told her to also let the manager know that the grease needs to be changed because it's burnt. Olivia was so embarrassed and apologetic....the manager (Haley) on the other hand NEVER apologized and never came back to the table even after they refried the shrimp and she had to take it off the bill. This will definitely be our last trip to this overrated and overpriced subpar restaurant with a terrible manager. We do however wish Olivia the best. I forgot to share that after we told her the grease was burnt so the chicken tenders tasted burnt, she said she would give us some of her tip money to which my husband and I simultaneously said "no you won't". When she brings our receipt back to sign and our card, she had put 2 five dollars bills in there. Not only did I leave her money in there but I added a twenty. Her gesture was so sweet and her service was great. I do want to add...the cheeseburger was good and so was the sweet tea. I do not recommend this restaurant. We eat out a lot so we know good food and good customer service. This restaurant has neither (except for our waitress, Olivia). Oh...the atmosphere was LOUD!!! Not a place to go for a quiet dinner. read more

Great place to have dinner and drinks. Highly recommend the prime rib with the house salad. read more

Unlike some pansy reviews with people crying about masks, this will be on the usual merits....which was lacking. The one star was for the Bloody Mary and 0 else. Food and price are average, but service and kitchen speed is an absolute tragedy. Plan to be here for around 2 hours if you plan to eat...and you aren't waiting on Wellington or a souffle but fried shrimp. Take out may be of value, but we shall never know. read more

Sitting out on the covered outdoor bar patio...on the water, having a L.I.T........or T.H.R E.E.........lol. Great spot. Plus, they have live entertainment read more

Rusty Anchor Restaurant - a view of the water from the deck - Seafood Near Me - Chapin, South Carolina

This is one of my families favorite places to eat because of the views and menu variety. They changed the menu and my favorite shrimp platter increased by $5. On top of that annoyance the kitchen was extremely slow and it took 1 hr 15 min to receive our food. We had 4 people dining so it wasn't as if we were a large party backing up the kitchen. Our waitress kept apologizing and she explained that since it was a beautiful weekend the owner/manager wanted to open both Rusty Anchor & Catfish Johnnies for the season with one working kitchen and 5 waitstaff. Bad move, when you open for the season you should open with extra support vs. what we experienced. Other patrons nearby were having the same problems. Lackluster experience and will not be running out to dine here anytime soon. read more

Rusty Anchor Restaurant - the price of the restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chapin, South Carolina

We had a rough morning. Faulty wiring in our brand new boat caused a small fire and foiled a fishing trip we planned for months in advance. Defeated, and without any options to rent one (it was late and they were all gone) we strolled into the Rusty Anchor. McKenzie was our server and she was very quick to assist us. She was pleasant and upbeat, as we relaxed and ordered our food. We got the peel and eat shrimp appetizers, and they were delicious. Cold, Spicy bay flavored. We ordered some Bloody Marys (delicious with just a little heat, tell them if you like it hot they can turn up the heat for you!) Their cheeseburgers were delicious! It's hard to find a great, real burger anymore and these were juicy and medium rare. I ordered the Shrimp Alfredo, and it was huge. It came with broccoli, diced tomatoes, and tons blackened butterflied shrimp. My husband ordered the Ahi Tuna burger, it was perfectly seasoned and rare in the middle. All of the food was great! That was the consensus between all five of us, some picky eaters included. The manager approached to ask how our food was and we told him it was wonderful. We all split a brownie sundae which was the perfect end to our meal. It turned a pretty crappy morning right around and we had a wonderful time there. It was such a pleasant surprise to have a restaurant with this caliber of food and service so nearby. McKenzie was helpful, funny, and really nice. Perfect end to a not so perfect day on the lake. We will definitely be back Rusty Anchor! read more

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I feel bad giving 4 stars but this place is not 5 star worthy. We sat at the bar and it took a while to place our drink and food order. It also took a long time to get our food. We ordered the chicken nachos and the cheese was a little funky! It was some sort of white salty cheese, and the chicken was cold and dry. We'll be back though since the vibe and scenery was really nice. Maybe next time we'll try something else on the menu. read more

This place sucksssss. My party went a few weeks ago on a Thursday. The website said it was open but a sign at the door said it's Friday-Sunday.... Loll gas is not cheap. We finally went this past Sunday and even the menu wasn't up to date!!! Lazy management on their part for not updating that! They removed so many good things. And the chicken nachos looked like throw up. The presentation was so bad...y'all used to be soooo great and now y'all suck :( read more

Met some friends for dinner at the Rusty Anchor. It was a beautiful evening from a weather standpoint. This location is really nice as it is right next to a marina. The lake views are great that just enhances the experience. My entire meal was really good. I had the grilled Mahi Mahi with a baked potato. The presentation and quality of the food was top notch. The service was spot on. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. You never ran out of beverages as she always had a refill just as you were finishing the previous one. Overall this place was awesome. I would return for the food, location and service. WELL DONE!!!! read more

Rusty Anchor Restaurant - Mahi Mahi with Baked potato - Seafood Near Me - Chapin, South Carolina

Have driven over 30 minutes multiple times to eat here, and the last 5 times they were closed. Checked website today, and it said open at 4. We arrived at 4:30, and they were not open...we weren't alone. UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE...gas isn't cheap. read more

We had a wonderful experience at this location. Jami was our server and she was very personable and welcoming. We started out sitting outside because the weather was perfect but some unruly patrons made the inside more inviting. Jami was understanding and agreeable and moved us to a better location. The food was delicious. We had she crab soup and peel and eat shrimp. They were flavorful. For entrees we selected the grilled grouper and grilled salmon. Both were large portions with a salad and a side. Being right on the water makes this an ideal location and atmosphere. read more

'As good as it gets' - on Lake Murray, that is... Good food, great views of the water, generally you can also get live music here. There is an outside bar area for lunch then a nicer indoor spot for dinner. Very nautical theme inside - and like everything else on the lake, things shut down early so don't wait until too late to head over. Check it out by boat or car. read more

Very obvious that their staff dose NOT clean anything, the outside women's restrooms had blood on the floor, bloody used tampons that were scattered all over the place.. their staff took no effort when the situation was brought up.. very nasty place would not recommend read more

Prime rib was probably the best I've ever had! Service was genuine and perfect and the price was very reasonable. A wonderful dinner experience. read more

Service was terrible, staff is rude. Outdoor bartender was terrible, we finally left without ordering any food, Not sure what happened to this place, it used to be a nice place we enjoyed going to on the boat. Don't go there unless you just want to be around bunch of drunk people. read more

We had a great evening celebrating 2 birthdays in the family as well as Mother's Day. I had an incredible Wasabi Fried Tuna - WOW have had nothing like it - and a very generous portion. There was 8 of us and everyone enjoyed their meal and the views of the lake are unmatched anywhere else in Columbia. read more

Rusty Anchor Restaurant - Wasabi Fried Tuna - Wonderful - Seafood Near Me - Chapin, South Carolina

It was 94 outside but we sat on the waterfront deck with a nice breeze and overhead fans, and were very comfortable. It's SC, what do you expect. The service was great and food was very enjoyable. Our waiter kept the southern tea refilled and was very prompt. I recommend Catfish Johnny's and will go back. read more

Changed to J Peters Grill on 9/23. worst food, worst wait staff, worst indoor space. We had 6 people (including out of town guests) on 2 checks. The appetizer shrimp was so terrible, my 12 year old son threw up and we had to leave. The inside of the restaurant was a cacophony of noise which added to my son's sickness. My steak was leather. Most of the salads were wrong. Then, they wouldn't bring us "to go" containers until they made sure we were going to pay---with a sick 12 year old! We paid. We always do. But I assure you, we will never return. read more

Very disappointed simply because they no longer have the Rusty Anchor menu. It is now only the Catfish Johnny's menu which is very limited. The food was good but not an extensive menu. It was bar food. It would have been nice if they had a sign on the door or told us before being seated. It was our anniversary and we wanted a nicer experience. We won't go back. read more

The Rusty Anchor is joined with Catfish Johnnys, but has a better menu. An advantage is that you can come by boat and dock at Catfish Johnnys. Seating was quick and the service was prompt. We drank frozen and OT Rocks Margaritas-they were very good. They had a special Sunday menu and we both ordered from it. However, they told me the prime rib was no longer available at that price. Although an inconvenience, I switched to the prime rib sandwich and a side salad which cost more than the dinner. The portions were plentiful. The salads were very good and came with a freshly baked croissant that was delicious,but the lettuce didn't seemed chilled. My prime rib sandwich was great and was on fresh bread. It was more than I could comfortably eat. My wife has grilled salmon which she said was cooked and spiced to perfection. The meal and the service was exceptional. The facility and restrooms were clean. The only distraction was the two restaurants share the kitchen, so the wait staff were constantly coming and going through the door next to our table. It was a little disruptive to a fine meal. We will be returning, even after boating season is over. read more

So, so, so very disappointed. It is a beautiful day and we wanted to go somewhere with outdoor seating. That that is rare in Irmo, we made the trek to The Rusty Anchor so we could eat lunch and look out across the lake. BIG MISTAKE! The food was just AWFUL! I got a burger that looked and tasted like they had taken the cheapest beef available, cooked it yesterday, and left it in a drawer overnight. Tough and tasteless. The beer was cold and the bartenders were friendly, but that is the only thing good about this place. On top of all of this, it was overpriced! A bloody mary with the cheapest vodka on the planet was $6. Avoid. Avoid. AVOID!!! read more