Hall's Chophouse -- A Perfect Choice for Our 200th Restaurant!…read more Our ROMEO group of 12 visited Hall's Chophouse for lunch today, and what a way to celebrate our 200th restaurant! Since 2015, our group--ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out)--has been working our way through restaurants in Columbia and the surrounding area. For #200, we wanted to go somewhere special. Why not Hall's? A couple of weeks ago, I called Hall's about bringing a party of 12. I was told that parties larger than six should coordinate directly with management. They responded quickly and assured me they would have a table ready for us. And they delivered. We were seated immediately, and several members of the staff quickly got us settled, took our drink orders, explained the day's specials, and answered all of our questions. About a third of our guys had been to Hall's previously with their wives, but this was our first ROMEO visit. I had already made up my mind to order either the burger with Truffle Parmesan Fries or the Shrimp Po' Boy. Then our waitress mentioned that the special of the day was a Cuban Sandwich. The way she described it sold me, and I immediately changed course. I went with the Cuban and the Truffle Parmesan Fries. Around the table we had four or five burgers, a Steak & Frites, several Prime Rib Sandwiches, and a Chicken Caesar Salad. There wasn't a bad-looking plate in the bunch. While we waited, Hall's brought out some excellent bread and butter for the table. Our waitress also noticed us trying to take a couple of pictures of the group and immediately offered to take our photo. She was a gem. She took several shots from different angles--including one from up at the bar. It reminded me of the old Alice's Restaurant song by Arlo Guthrie, where he talks about having "26 8x10 color glossy photographs." Fortunately, we didn't make her take quite that many. Then the food arrived. It's funny how there can be plenty of conversation going on around the table--until the food shows up. Then suddenly, 12 ROMEO guys become very quiet. Apparently, eating takes priority over conversation. And that brings me to the Cuban Sandwich. It was the best Cuban sandwich I have ever had. And I really like Cuban sandwiches. The pork was plentiful and incredibly tender--it practically melted in your mouth. The cheese and mustard were perfectly balanced, and the bread was pressed to that wonderful crispy, panini-like texture. Paired with the Truffle Parmesan Fries, it was an outstanding lunch. The comments around the table were overwhelmingly positive. The only minor complaint I heard was from two of the Prime Rib Sandwich guys, who thought theirs was a little salty. Apparently, it wasn't that salty, because both still gave their meals a 9.5/10. As always, each ROMEO member independently rates the restaurant. And Hall's did something no other restaurant has managed to do in our first 200 visits: Hall's Chophouse received the highest rating we've ever given a restaurant. Our group average was an incredible 9.71 out of 10. On the ROMEO scale, that's a Yelp 5.0 without hesitation. For our 200th restaurant, we couldn't have picked a better place. Great food, outstanding service, a beautiful setting, and a staff that made our group feel welcome from the moment we walked in. Hall's Chophouse--#200 for ROMEO, and now #1 in our ratings. That's a pretty impressive way to reach the 200 mark!

Halls Chophouse has all of the textbook service components that I look for in a high-end…read moresteak/seafood restaurant. They even had jazz musicians in the front lobby entryway. The restaurant location is across from the State House, so I'd anticipate that they get quite a diverse cross section of visitors at the restaurant. I could tell from the moment we arrived that the hostesses were professional and got us to a table that was comfortable and had a view of the dining room. We had originally intended to sit outside where the view is more interesting, but on this day the heat was just too much. Our server, Megan approached quickly and went over a presentation of meat types and preparation styles, and quickly got us some drinks. She was efficient and professional throughout the meal. I had a wonderful fillet with some sauteed spinach, and it was all quite tasty. With a price averaging about $90 per person all in, including soft drinks, tip and tax, it's a higher end restaurant for the area, but certainly a reasonable value overall. For those visiting from out of town as we were, you should definitely take the time to either walk across Gervais Street to visit the State House, or head in the opposite direction along main Street and visit the downtown area. Halls is a wonderful centerpiece and represents Columbia well. At the end of the meal, they asked for my address, at which point I sarcastically said to my wife quote what are they going to do, mail me a thank you card?" Well, they did mail me a thank you card, a very nice touch, and appreciated. A truly first class move.

First timer here, and I can definitely see why this is such a popular spot with the local senior…read morecrowd. My waitress was absolutely wonderful with them--she knew multiple tables' orders and preferences right off the bat, and I was so impressed by how attentive she was. The food was wonderful, too! I tried the beef tips on a coworker's recommendation, and they were packed with flavor and so tender. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the area!

One of the best burger spots in the Columbia area is located in Cayce, SC! The Kingsman will treat…read moreyou like royalty with the size and taste of their burgers. My favorite is the Palmetto Burger and I always add bacon. (It's a ribeye burger btw). Also they have a hidden menu item called the Pizza Burger... You must try it!

BEST chicken I have ever had....really....ever. Baja Chicken is spatchcock chicken that is cooked…read moreto perfection. Every single part of it (I honestly think the marrow in the bones would even have flavor lol) is full of robust flavor and is juicy. You can taste the expertly balanced spices and fruit juices in the marinade and rubbed on the skin. Large portion and the sides were delightful too. The owner/chef came out and introduced himself-so warm and kind. He is very active in the community which just makes it even better. Yall this place is a gem!!! Don't pass it by. Hands down some of the very best food in Lexington. Any other "normal" chicken will never be the same. .

My wife and I came in at an unusual hour so it wasn't busy and this establishment strikes me more…read moreas a tavern than a restaurant. The atmosphere is very casual but I can see this place getting very loud. The waitress was attentive but not hovering. The owner came for a chat a couple times and was a real gent. The food however was a big... meh. I had the cod and while it was tasty was the size of a filet o fish. which was very disappointing. This was better than my wife's order of tri tip, which was much more like roast beef. We are both of the mind that sometimes mistakes can be opportunities so we just accepted it without complaint. It wasn't bad, but it was. Just ok. So overall, the experience was simply just that. Ok.... $50 of ok. I just don't make enough to have $50 ok experiences.

We came in on a busy Saturday on our way to collect someone from Columbia Airport. With just under…read morean hour, we got lucky and bagged the last two available seats at the bar, thinking we would have enough time to grab a couple of appetizers. We let Dani and Heather know our predicament and they both went above and beyond, with such lightening-fast service, that we ended up enjoying 3 courses! We found the Black Rooster that day on Yelp and I have to say those 5 star reviews are accurate. The food was phenomenal, in both presentation and taste, and the outstanding service was the cherry on the cake. The ambiance is chic and trendy, yet relaxed. It was incredibly busy which just added to the fun vibe. Highly recommend!

Excellent food, service and vibe! Grace and Elliot were the best. Top notch craft cocktails too…read more Definitely coming back!

Our entire experience at Terra was exceptional! We had a party of 15 celebrating the graduation of…read moreour children from USC and everyone was very impressed. I contacted Mike, their GM, in December about making reservations. He stated it was too early to book, but offered to reach out to me when reservations opened. True to his word, Mike reached out in February to confirm our reservation. Mike also reached out a couple of times to confirm our headcount and our reservation. Upon arriving we were seated immediately. Our server was very friendly, helpful and attentive! She stopped by frequently to see if anyone needed drink refills and to ensure everything was okay. Mike also stopped by a couple of times to thank us for dining with them and to make sure we were doing well. Appetizers, main courses and drinks were outstanding! Only wish we had discovered this restaurant sooner! I'll be sure to spread the word as this dining experience was beyond 5 star!

We had dinner there on Friday 09/11/26…read more First and foremost, the food is absolutely delicious. The quail, pork chop, and lamb mac n' cheese were so flavorful and cooked to perfection. The hostess was professional and polite. The service though... leaves a lot to be desired. Our server was nice, but super awkward. We sat down and waited a good 20 minutes before anyone approached our table. When we finally did met our server, as I said before, she just had a very awkward demeanor. In addition, the food runner seemed super timid, shy, and unsure of herself. The space is beautiful, but I don't think I'd ever dine in again because of the poor service.

We did dine-in to celebrate my birthday. The ambience remains awesome and they had live music,…read morewhich was very enjoyable. We have gone to this establishment for years and were a bit disappointed to see how limited the choices are with entrées. I had the Caesar salad with salmon. I did not care for the dressing, as it was not the normal Caesar I am accustomed to. My husband had a salad with steak. He thoroughly enjoyed his entrée and was pleased, discovering it to be ribeye. We especially miss the skillet appetizers and the pasta/seafood entrée.

Great service here and Alyssa was the best delivering great service.  In fact she could be the twin…read morefor Kristin Chenoweth. We started off with some fried green tomatoes.  Everyone does their little twist on them and this place did the same.  Personally, I am good with them as is and maybe some remoulade for dipping.  Here they had a pepper sauce that came with them and cheese melted atop the FGTs.  Not bad and nothing killed or overpowered the flavor from the FGTs.  However, I did wish that the pepper sauce had a bit more kick.  I cannot remember the name but the drink of the much was a peach based drink.  It was good and it was not just some peach flavored alcohol but it was made with peach puree.  They had me at peach when she ran through the specials.    For the main entrée it was the ribeye at a medium rare with fries and asparagus.   You get a choice of a bordelaise or garlic aioli to accompany your steak or whatever you want to dip in it.  Steak was cooked to the medium rare as I requested and that is a good start because we know there those places that consider what you ask for as just a suggestion.  Good flavor from the steak with no need for the sauce as I found out and I just enjoy asparagus.    Good experience.  Despite this being my first time here this place gave the vibe as a solid choice.  One of those places where when you are unsure of what you want but don't want to risk something new because you are hungry or with someone who cannot come to terms with their food desires.  This is a that old, trusted place you can rely on when you are hungry and good service.  A first experience that went very well.

This was my first time trying out this restaurant. I had always heard they had great food, so of…read morecourse, I had to try it for myself. My husband decided we should test it out today, so we ended up grabbing the food as we had a couple plans for today. My husband ordered the Reuben Sandwich. It came with Truffle Parmesan Fries. He stated the taste was very flavorful, the meat was tender, and he fell in love with the truffle fries. They didn't stand a chance! Now here comes the funny part:) I told him I wanted the Black Bean Burger without the lettuce and tomato, but instead he ordered me just the patty with cheese and mayo with no buns! Instead of him asking the correct way, he asked for it as just the patty only, haha I was too tickled to be mad. Even though he missed it, it was so good! That was the best black bean patty I had in a long time. It was well-prepared and delicious. Yes, I also have the Truffle Parmesan Fries and they tasted amazing. Hot, seasoned to perfection and irresistible! Once I saw the salmon, I had to try it. Omg, that salmon was prepared perfectly, juicy and mouth-watering. The food was on point I must say. Hubby stated customer service was amazing as well. The restaurant was well lit, had a great atmosphere and overall a great spot to dine with your friends. We will definitely be heading back soon to dine in and try more food:)

Solid four. Service was a bit slow at the start, but improved. Food was all good, but not something…read moreI'd crave. We did sit outside on a very hot day, so to be fair, that may have detracted from the experience. We will give this one another try though. Big menu and a lot of choices so we'll come again and sit inside next time!

Amazing service from Laragh! I had a wonderful time with my family, she was courteous, and the lamb…read moreshank was amazing. 10/10

Devon makes GREAT French 75's! We joined Devon at the bar and enjoyed the cocktails. He was a…read moregreat bartender and it was a pleasure getting to know him. Good luck in his budding medical career at USC!

We were unable to make same day reservations online, but we still decided to drop in and see if we…read morecould get seated. We were able to grab a booth that did not have a reservation booking, so we made it work. It wasn't overly crowded, but they were consistently busy. Our server was nice, timely, helpful, and very attentive. The classic margarita was excellent. I was nervous about the salad, but I'm here today to talk about it so I guess the lettuce was okay. Haha! The very kind server was reassuring as we discussed my interest and decision to order a salad. The caesar dressing was more of a vinaigrette style than a creamy. It was pretty good. The crotons taste like they are made in house. They were absolutely delicious. For our appetizer, we ordered the riblets and duck wontons, which are always extremely tasty. The riblets were interesting, but definitely delicious. Sorry I didn't get a full pic. We were hungry. The kids chicken and fries were pretty standard. My kids enjoyed their meals and cleaned their plates for the most part. I believe the menu shifts from time to time. I ordered the high plain cowboy cut which is the ribeye that comes with one side. I love that they have certain temperature limits depending on what cut you decide to order. The ribeye was perfectly cooked, extremely flavorful, and delicious. It was an excellent size. For my sides I ordered the seasoned chef potato's, I added cheese which was a great accompaniment to the seasoned potatoes. I wish they gave you more than they do especially with the prices. The brussel sprouts were cooked with some crispness and overall really appetizing. I had an amazing experience. The atmosphere was amazing, the food was delicious, and the service was on point.

As fellow small business owners, we understand firsthand how difficult the restaurant industry can…read morebe, which is why writing this review is not something we take lightly. We just left Bone Appetit after celebrating our daughter's birthday and our 21st wedding anniversary, and unfortunately the experience did not match the occasion. There were definitely some positives. The first set of wings, the eggrolls, the salmon, and the lava cake were all enjoyable. Unfortunately, the rest of the evening became increasingly disappointing. The crab dip was advertised as sizzling hot, but both orders arrived only warm. We waited over an hour for our food on what appeared to be a fairly slow evening, and to be clear, we had no problem with the wait itself. We understand quality food can take time. The issue was waiting that long and still receiving food that was cold. The steaks were not cooked to the requested temperatures and were also cold when served. The tomahawk steak especially was disappointing because it had a noticeably gamey flavor around the bone. I'm not sure whether it was the seasoning or rub used, but the flavor was off-putting. The cheesy potatoes were the only item that actually arrived hot. The Brussels sprouts were mostly dry leaves with barely any actual sprouts. Another issue was the inconsistency from plate to plate. The second and third orders of wings were noticeably different from the first batch. We chose not to send food back because we understand food waste, kitchen pressure, and the challenges restaurants face. We simply wanted to enjoy the evening and make the best of it. Still, after such a long wait, leaving unsatisfied was disappointing. What stood out most was that the owner was nearby, aware that concerns had been brought up, yet never came over to check on the table personally. This review is not about seeking compensation or attacking a local business. It is simply honest feedback from customers who truly wanted to enjoy and support a local restaurant during an important family celebration.

This place needs help! Sat at the bar they have one! Person working the bar so of course you're not…read moregonna get good service, and I saw 2 men workers possibly managers just walking around, why would you not be helping your bar tender!!! not bar tenders fault at all, we where very patient. We ordered the outlaw ribeye, it was cooked perfectly BUT terrible! Bland! And so tough I couldn't eat it, so just ate my sides, I overheard others saying it wasn't great either, must be buying poor quality meats it was terrible!

No cooking today! Instead, we went to Longhorn for pickup. I ordered the Redrock Grilled Shrimp…read morewith seasoned rice. They didn't have any broccoli and I didn't want any asparagus this time around, so I just ordered the mixed green salad and extra shrimp. The food was excellent. I loved the shrimp on the skewers! They had a great taste of the smokey tomato butter brushed on it. The salad was just a basic salad which was good. My husband ordered the Chopped Steak. With his, he ordered the sweet potato since they had no broccoli available, along with a mixed green salad. He stated the chopped steak was delightful. He adored the smothered savory garlic herb sauce that was over the meat. We also got a honey wheat loaf with whipped butter. It was warm and tasty! The staff was polite and professional. The inside was well lit and clean. Even though it was a takeout, everything was prepared just as if we dined in. Great hospitality and great food!