Friendly staff and cute setup. We sat in the alley and it was great for an early March evening. The brisket was one of the best I have ever had, and we have been to the top Austin barbecues. Baked beans were good with a little spice, pulled pork was juicy and the slaw was excellent. We will be back! read more

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They were super super busy but not one member of the wait staff complained about it or acted like they were overwhelmed. Totally worth the 1hr 15 min wait! I was immediately impressed with the host, the waitress, the ambiance, and the good energy. Food was amazing. We had chicken bites, fried pickles, the gigantic chicken sandwich, and the nacho pizza with brisket. Everything was great. I had never actually been to Sumter before only driven through a million times, so I was pretty shocked to find out that they have a nice little Main Street district that is worth driving from columbia on purpose. The vibes were 100%. The frozen apple cider drink was also delightful! read more

Sidebar On Main - Chicken sandwich - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

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Staff I nice...especially at the bar. They run out of stuff sometime so that's how you know it's fresh and not from the freezer. - No brisket or ribs this week :-| Call ahead if you want beans, etc to take home. read more

Sidebar On Main - Irish whiskey is better warm...no ice...this one was good (Slane) and the girls are proof I wasn't seeing double. ;-) - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

Good service and nice ambiance. The ribs and the brisket were good. My favorite were the sweet potato fries, best I have had! The hush puppies were delicious too. We'll definitely be back! read more

In town for work and found this restaurant. Cute and courteous staff. Ordered tacos on taco Tuesday and was blown away. THE tastiest tacos I've ever had. Did the mahi taco, brisket taco and guacamole shrimp. Shells packed full of toppings. Bbq sauce on brisket was on point. Definitely recommend read more

One of our favorite spots in Sumter - love the wings! Brunch is great also. Recommend!

I LOVEEEE TACO TUESDAY AT SIDEBAR, and every other day, but honestly such a great atmosphere! the black bean burger is also the best in sumter !! read more

Sidebar On Main - blueberry margarita and nachos! - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

Best downtown spot to eat and drink! The service is friendly and very accommodating. The deviled eggs are different but delicious. One of my faves now. The fried pickles are the best in town! Their ranch is peppery but I want to dip/pour it on everything. THE MUST HAVE IS THE BRISKET SANDWICH! They smoke it here on site and practice a Texan style. As their smokers are from Austin. Let's face it, trying to get good brisket out of Texas is almost unheard of. I am so happy to know I can also order the brisket by the pound! Boooyah! Until the next visit! read more

Sidebar On Main - Deviled Eggs - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

Sidebar will always be my Togo to. The salads are to die for. The lemon pepper wings fall right off the bone. Don't even get me started on the egg rolls can be family friendly too. No matter how busy, we always get good service. read more

Service is poor. Basics missed like waters to the table. Awkward staff. It's another Quixote Hospitality venture so it's no suprise. It's ok for Sumter, place wouldn't survive in the real world. read more

We love this place. Great salads and my husband enjoys their ribs, brisket and specials. Highly recommend in Sumter.

They ended up making a mistake and bringing us a sandwich that wasn't ours. Without realizing it, we started eating then they informed us it wasn't our food. Afterward they charged us for the extra food. What a crappy amount of service. Had to sit outside after being told a table would be ready in 10. This sad place in a sad town needs to improve or will be gone soon. read more

My fiancé and I have experienced every facet of sidebar at this point, and after multiple dining experiences we felt it necessary to write our first review! Sidebar first and foremost has a great cocktail beer and wine menu- they are also known for great bbq, but their menu is very American and each and every dish is given care and attention to detail that no other restaurant in Sumter captures. The soups of the day in the winter, the great craft cocktails of the day and the brunches on the weekend are killer! We have fallen in love with taking our puppy to brunch on Saturday mornings, sitting outside to light smooth jazz, and nursing big mugs of coffee Sidebar is a must for a relaxing cocktail hour at their long wood bar, but also a Saturday morning lazy brunch with mules and a beer and the dog. Pet friendly and great staff keep this at the top of our list! read more

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This is a cool venue with great ambiance. Lots of old wood & exposed brick, and great patios back and front. The brisket was properly smoked, juicy, and had a nice bark. The toasted brioche bun was good as well. The side of house sauce seemed to have a hint of bourbon. The hand cut fries were average, on the dry side. Do note that most entrees are ala carte, so expect to pay to add any sides. The service however, as others have mentioned, has opportunities for improvement. Theres apparently no host, so upon entering one has to flag down a server to ask if its self seating or not (TIP: its not). My very young-appearing server was unable to manage a smile or greeting, and couldn't describe any of the draft beer offerings other than to repeat their names. I ended up with a SOB 1919 lager despite asking if it was an IPA and getting a blank look. My food came quickly and was hot, but without utensils, napkins, S&P. The check was delivered and collected without a word, in a sweep past the table. It was almost like she had never waited tables before. Take care of the front of the house, get friendly servers and educate them on the menu and basic service and you'll have all 5 stars. read more

Wow! Wasn't expecting such good food! Try the spicy chicken sandwich, and the chicken salad with pimento cheese and crackers. Yum! Stopped here on a road trip from Baltimore to Orlando. Worth the side trip. read more

Sidebar On Main - Chicken salad with pimento cheese. - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

I bring all of my visiting friends and family to Sidebar, knowing they'll not only enjoy some excellent food, but will do so surrounded by, in my very humble opinion, one of the best restaurant atmospheres in Sumter. I love the clean, warm, classily rustic Southern decor, and even find the lighting ideal (neither unnaturally bright/ glaring nor drab/ somber). Both the indoor and outdoor seating offer lovely ambience, and the customer service takes home the gold for overall talent, friendliness, and promptness. The menu isn't oversized (so what they make, they make well); however, they've managed a balance of traditional favorites and (delicious) original dishes that seemingly satisfies any picky palate I bring along! Freshness, preparation, and seasonal appropriateness of ingredients are also refreshingly emphasized. My husband and I went to Sidebar for our first date in 2017. Since then, we've both admitted to opting for Sidebar because it ensured that, however enjoyable (...or not ...) we both found the company (spoiler alert: we got married), at least all of the other features of our date would be stellar! read more

Our server, Amber was the epitome of gracious, southern hospitality. She recommended the brisket sandwich and the chicken spring rolls. We ordered both and they were very tasty. We also ordered the Buford T Diablo sando and it was a flavor bomb! We dined on the patio and enjoyed the weather. I requested a side of pickled red onions for my brisket sandwich and this made a 100% sando 150%. We will definitely be going back. read more

Sidebar on Main is worth WAY more than 5 stars, but sadly 5 stars is the most that I am able to leave here. I was born-and-raised in Sumter,SC. Sidebar on Main is one of my favorite places to eat in Sumter,SC. Sidebar has great food and a great drink selection! I recommend Sidebar on main to everyone looking for a great place to eat! read more

The service was great. The food was even better. It didn't take long from placing orders to getting our food

Came here for the first time the other day when family was in town. Loved the decor, they have the alcohol on display and I think it gives the place a nice touch. The menu has some of your usual American food but they add a twist to quite a few of the dishes. The coolest part about this place is that they smoke all the meat in house, the owner is from Texas so if you're from there you understand good bbq. Ribs were great, the Queso burger of the month was also another table favorite. Personally, I went on the healthier side and ordered the chicken salad on lettuce. Now.. I know that sounds like an odd thing to order at a joint like this but they exceeded my expectations.. it was a generous serving and the pecans were smoked I think and it really added to the overall flavor. Would recommend going to anyone new to Sumter! read more

Sidebar On Main - Chicken salad lettuce wraps and short ribs! - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

So I'm visiting from out of town and decided to try this restaurant. Multiple servers walked past my friend who was standing in line trying to get seated. 15 minutes passed before someone acknowledged my friend was standing there. The woman with the purple hair stated to my friend that they were at full capacity and that they weren't starting a waiting list and "we could just wait around." My friend walked away and came back a short moment later and talked to a male server and he acted as if he didn't know what he was talking about. What pisses me off is that NUMEROUS of people left from the restaurant and you're at full capacity? Bull. As soon as these two women came up they immediately have room for them and are willing to accommodate them by putting them on a waiting list that couldn't exist for us. Basically we were discriminated against. It's 2020 this SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING DO BETTER!!! read more

It's Sunday night and they are closed. They used to be open, while everything else was closed. Where are you suppose to eat on a Sunday night downtown Sumter? Everything is closed except the brewery, that closes at 6, whaaat? On a football Sunday they close at 6, really? No more Sumter for me. read more

A fun night out with great service. Our server was knowledgeable about local breweries and the bourbon supply. The portions are generous and a little on the heavy side though it may have been our selections. The chicken sandwich is top notch and even though I wanted to finish it I had to pass it off to hubby. He had the brisket which is highly recommended. I would have liked to see more non sandwich items but it won't stop me from returning. read more

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Came here with a few friends for drinks on a Tuesday night. Nothing on the food menu really stood out to me but luckily I was only here for drinks and had eaten before comming. As soon as I sat down the waitress was already asking me what I would like to drink. While they have an impressive burbon and whiskey selection, I just ordered a beer. Their beer menu is two sided with one side for drafts and the other for bottles. A few of the drafts were out but I was still able to find one that I love. My beer was brought out quickly and the waitress was very attentive to our table my friend's food orders. The interior of the bar has a fancy-rustic theme and the lighting provides a cozy atmosphere. This would be a great option for a date night within Sumter. read more

Sidebar On Main - Amazing Old Fashion! - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

I came here with a bunch of people from work. They talked highly about this place so I was excited. Unfortunately, my experience was just OK. I ordered a beer and it was cold and tasty. They let you sample the draft beers if you're not sure what you'd like, which is nice. Some of the people in my group raved about their deviled egg, so I had to try one. One half of a deviled egg is $1.25. WOW! So daggon expensive! I thought they'd bring out two halves but nope. One lonely half of an egg. When I put it in my mouth, I almost spit it back out. There was this bitter taste which I can't place. I ate it because it was $1.25 and I didn't want to make a big fuss with all my coworkers there. I was a disappointed in that. I also had their brisket nachos. The brisket was a little dried out but the overall flavor was good. Maybe it was an off day, maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. But if I have to come back to Sumter I will probably opt out of coming to Sidebar. read more

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Service was ok slow because they were packed but The tips is a must try that's all ima say

Excellent food. Really cool atmosphere. A good find. Recommend the Big Daddy. The brisket and ribs were amazing. I dare you to say the ribs are anything but tender and flavorful. Would go out of the way to stop here again. Worth getting off 95 and adding the time to your drive. Only thing that could have made this a 5 was a bit more service attention. Everyone was delightful, just not ver aware. read more

Went for lunch, pulled pork and sauce were outstanding, wife and son both had burgers that looked good and they liked. Everyone loved the hand cut fries. Had a Sumter Original Brewery Crescent Moon which tasted great and was smooth. This is a great place to eat in Sumter. read more

Sidebar is the best relaxed dinner spot in Sumter. Everything on the menu is much better than you would expect and I've never had a waiter/waitress that didn't make our experience even better. We're usually the type to like space from out server, but at Sidebar, they never fail to help in any way they can. One even helped me one night when I spilled wine on myself on a date. Perfect little spot! read more

Best brisket I have ever tasted. awesome whiskey collection too and the sweet potato fries were on point. Thoroughly and happily surprised by the spice level of the wings. Perfectly seasoned to pack a Nashville medium style punch. Yum! read more

I went to sidebar today with low expectations, WoW! was I wrong, this place is amazing, in everyway, Food maybe the best in Sumter, Décor cool beyond words, staff super friendly and extra nice, well above average cleanliness. price maybe a small bit on the high side; but you will get better than you pay for. Will definitely add to my dining rotation. eat here you wont regret it! read more

Ah, good ol' Sidebar. The very first weekend I stayed in Sumter, I ended up here both evenings. Over the six months that I worked in Sumter, I ate here probably about once a month on average. I never had something that I didn't like and the staff was always very friendly. I love the atmosphere in this establishment - all the wood and lighting is stunning. My only "bad" experience was a lunch where it took an hour from the time we ordered to get our food but I still can't dock their rating for that because the food is good and the staff is friendly. Definitely check them out! This was my favorite place to eat in downtown Sumter. read more

The food here is amazing really cute location right on Main Street. the wait for the table was 10-15 mins went on a Thursday night around 7:30. I ordered the rib basket, they are smoked ribs which come off the bone so tender. My wife had the grilled mahi sandwich she loved it. Highly recommend stopping by here. read more

Sidebar has a great selection of local beers and a simple menu with sandwiches & sides. The chicken sandwich is the best I've ever had. read more

Sidebar On Main - Chicken sandwich - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

Fun place to hang out for drinks. Great selections on the menu. Pulled pork sandwich is absolutely delicious. Love their okra and the thick cut fried bologna sandwich with an egg is over the moon good!! You won't be disappointed!! read more

The Southwestern Spring Rolls are delicious. You also must try their tarter tots with bourbon ketchup!!! Rob is an awesome server. He is super friendly and helpful. The two huge fans make it bearable to sit outside on a summer evening. read more

Sidebar On Main - Bars Near Me - Sumter, South Carolina

Great service downtown Sumter . Neat atmosphere. Very good barbecue and brisket, chicken sandwich, shrimp and oysters, salads. French fries very good as well. read more

Staying down the street and was encouraged to check out taco Tuesday. They were extremely busy, which I took as a good sign. Since alone, I figured I'd snag a seat at the bar or a to-go order. Unfortunately, I did neither as the staff were inattentive. Instead, I walked down the street to O'Gradys were I found wonderful service, beer, and tacos. read more

One of the best chicken sandwiches I have ever had! Delicious!! Wish they had this closer to my home!

Excellent food. You would not expect this from a small pub like place but the restaurant is very nice, and has a great outdoor seating in Downtown Sumter. A must go if you are in the área. The beer selection is great. read more