Creative Southern fare. The food was flavorful with flavor twists on old favorites like deviled eggs with crunch and chili oil on top. The service was fine. Our server was a bit brusk but attentive. The charm.of the dining experience was appreciated. Set for smaller parties, I am sure they could accomodate larger groups. A very nice and enjoyed dining experience. read more

I don't even know where to start with this review. Spotted Salamander has swiftly wedged its way into my heart and become my favorite restaurant in Columbia period. Nestled in a set of historic homes on a quiet street (with free street parking!), the restaurant itself is so adorable and creates such a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The staff is so kind and personable, you always feel like you're being fed at your grandma's house when you go in! I truly believe there is not a single dish from them that is nothing short of phenomenal. Today we had their specials consisting of shrimp and grits, chicken skin & hot sauce deviled eggs, along with a cup of the cauliflower parm soup. We also got their hot honey pimento cheese but they have that every day! Everything was amazing of course, and I find it so impressive how the chef & team is able to come up with such unique and delicious dishes every single week. Don't even get me started on their desserts. Everything they bake is delicious, but they've recently revamped their mocha tiramisu creme pie and I'm unhealthily addicted to it. I've had it on 3 separate occasions in the last week and every time I have gone, I have to order more than one! I really really hope they keep that creme pie in the rotation for a while or at least bring it back soon once it's done, because I don't think I'll be able to recover otherwise. read more

See all

I love that the specials feel SPECIAL! I saw this char siu chicken and had to try it - and I'm not a big sandwich eater. It didn't miss! Customer service was also great. read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - Char Siu Chicken Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The Brussel sprouts were bitter, hard, cold, undercooked. A fork and knife couldn't even cut off a piece to show the waitress. The cook came out and said they already cooked the entire batch for 10min and charged me the full price to take home and finish cooking the entire appetizer myself. I was shocked I would've taken the plate off the table and taken the $8.99 off the ticket. The side BLT pasta salad had way too much mayo with a Smokey flavor my daughter had 1 bite and threw it out. The desserts looked fabulous, however, after the waitress boxed up my raw appetizer to bring home to cook I didn't want to pay them another dime. read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - Undercooked bitter Brussel sprout's - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

After months of anticipation and traveling from out of state we finally made it to the Spotted Salamander for a five star lunch. The fried chicken sandwich was worth the weekly hype of seeing what creation would be served each Tuesday. The sweet tea bbq pulled chicken tasted exactly like its name and complimented the spotted salad perfectly. The sweet tea, pesto pasta salad, and chocolate cookie butter crack pie all rounded out our perfect lunch. We look forward to returning to this authentic establishment the next time we are in town! read more

See all

The Location: Cute neighborhood, ample street parking. The Staff: Very pleasant and won't make you feel rushed. The Ambiance: Just an adorable cafe, casual and bright. The Food: Definitely good and I look forward to trying other items from them menu. read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

Spotted salamander is a must every time I visit Columbia! They have the BEST menu and the most incredible desserts. You cannot go wrong with anything you order! If they have the coconut cake, definitely grab a slice of that and you'll be glad you did! read more

Impressive service and delicious food! A delightful experience that's worth savoring. Highly recommended! read more

See all

Had a burger with the home made Cool Ranch Doritos chips last week for lunch - it was my first time there and the food was delicious. Totally forgot to grab a picture but I'm glad I found this place. read more

Decided to treat myself to an amazing lunch today and spotted salamander lured me in with the photo of their fried softshell blue crab! Where do I start firstly spotted salamander almost never disappoints from delicious lunch options to unique deviled eggs, Farm fresh salads and to die for desserts. Today's lunch did not disappoint either after they corrected my crab sandwich. It was crispy flavorful but still juicy and delectable inside! I love softshell season and Spotted salamander you made me one happy girl today! read more

See all

One of the best cafes I've ever been to - worthy of its praise. Prices are so good you can order all the specials - and you should

A solid option for a work week lunch, hidden off the Main Street downtown and nestled in one of the historic houses on Richland Street. The menu is a bit small, including a few sandwich, salad and small plate options; yet changes with the seasons. In addition to the menu, the daily board includes specials of the day. For this visit, the brisket soup on the daily board caught my eye the moment I walked in and it did not disappoint. It was unlike any soup I have ever had which makes it difficult to describe. It was somewhere between a cream and broth base with tender brisket lacing the flavorful broth. I certainly wish this were a standard on there menu! The cafe is also know for there desserts, so I figured I had to give one of their pecan chocolate chip cookie a try. The cookie was pricey, ringing up at $4.95, yet large enough to last me through the remainder of the week! Friendly staff who are attentive to your needs, although plan to go earlier or late as the restaurant fills up quickly. read more

See all

I finally got to try this spot, its been on my foodie list for over a yr! I went to a community event and the food was catered from them. The event was called the WREN. Everything was presented well, and the food was incredibly delicious, I cant wait to try the store front. All the food was freshly made and had a great taste, and you can tell they take pride in making everyone's foodie experience a awesome one! The heard wonderful comments all night about the food. I will most definitely be visiting them real soon. There is a reason they have great reviews online, try them your missing out! read more

See all

I hate you southerners, I really do. Not like "I'll kill you" hate, but more like "I just let the guy in front me skip at the grocery store because he had less items and he got randomly selected as the free groceries for a year winner" hate! It really isn't fair. You guys roll out of bed and have your pick of insanely delicious food at price points that don't even reflect the value of the American dollar :-/ Spotted Salamander sits on what looks like a normal residential neighborhood. To be honest, it even looks like the neighboring houses. Not entirely sure if there is a nearby lot, but street parking is available. The menu is mostly rotating and the chalk board is filled with daily specials, creative takes on southern classics. Deviled eggs - as everyone will have you know, you must get the deviled eggs. Each day brings a new variation. On this day I hit the jackpot: bacon and pickled watermelon. If you told me anything featuring bacon would be completely outshined by another ingredient, I'd call you nuts. The pickling brings out flavors I didn't even know a watermelon could achieve. It's an absolute perfect balance of sweet and salty. Pulled turkey - this sandwich is something else. Pulled turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, all covered in gooey cheese and served on quite possibly the softest baguette I've ever had. The entire sandwich melts in your mouth. None of this makes sense, in the best of ways. And is pulled turkey a thing? If thanksgiving turkey was this good, I think this would be a weekly occurrence. (It ok to admit thanksgiving turkey isn't that good. The truth will set you free!) Brown butter pecan bread pudding with bourbon glaze - drop the mike, drop the fork, maybe even I drop to the floor. Lord take me now... Good southern food is the best thing America has to offer to the culinary world. If you don't believe that, you haven't lived, or maybe just haven't ventured into the real south. I completely understand why cholesterol and diabetes rates are higher in southern states. I don't blame you, I don't blame you at all. It's a trap. A wonderful, delicious, glorious trap... read more

See all

Protip: come here on Tuesdays for their chicken sandwich specials - best chicken sandwich I've had in the Columbia area. Don't sleep on their plethora of other options though - everything is good! read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - a hand holding a sandwich - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Disappointed and let down. The restaurant smelled of urine and I am concerned the young sales clerk kept helping the homeless man sitting across from me. It was unappealing and I won't be returning. read more

We came here for lunch while touring USC. We were so surprised on how good the two sandwiches were! The baguette was perfect, soft yet crunchy - like baguettes we had in Vietnam and France. I had the ban mi - my husband the chicken. Both were outstanding, wonderful sauces, mix of protein and vegetables. I had the broccoli salad which was delicious.. would never think it could be so tasty. Highly recommend amd will go back! read more

Such an awesome lunch spot! They catered to our toddler and had amazing sandwich choices! The chicken salad in the croissant is up there for the best chicken salad I've had. Definitely worth the try! read more

Had the Spotted Salad. Coconut cake - delish!! The Deviled eggs are fun. Hubby said best Spicy Chicken sandwich ever! Our server (Summer) was extremely knowledgeable about the menu! Fair pricing. If ever back in Columbia would go again. Fun joint for lunch! read more

Love love love!! There isn't a lot to say about this wonderful restaurant that hasn't already been said. The service was spectacular, the menu was excellent, prices weren't bad, and the food was stellar. The different salt and pepper shakers at every table set a cute aesthetic feeling, making the place feel homely. Everything there felt homemade, and nothing was giving defrosted. Even the pesto pasta felt homey. Can't wait to go back!! read more

WOW! First soft shell crab sandwich in 2 years due to Covid shutting down restaurants for lunch. The Spotted Salamander Catering did their's differently but it was still good. They used a homemade sweet hot Nashville sauce and I had them put it on toast rather than soft bread. This is a great place with good seats and excellent atmosphere. While I was there they had about 20 customers get takeout or curbside which I've never seen before. There are quite a few offices nearby, so, I figured many takeouts were for that reason alone. read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - Front - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

When I'm craving a unique sandwich or something called comfort I stroll on down to Spotted Salamander in downtown. They now have fried chicken Tuesday all that be it at twist now and agin to the actual sandwich. Recently I ordered a ooeey gooey cheddar cheese Smokey brisket sandwich with garlic aioli & stout steak sauce rested upon a freshly baked bun. It if wasn't freshly baked it tasted like it was as it held the mighty meal in the bun together for consumption. You would be a fool not to try the deserts here for lunch as they are also unique and southern. read more

See all

Giving it 2 stars only because the Staff was friendly & helpful, but food was awful. We 4 ordered different things. Not one of us enjoyed our meal. I like the place and it would be nice to have simpler dishes. They try too hard. (And yes, I've eaten in many countries. This may be the worse meal I've ever attempted to eat.) read more

Delicious little corner cafe that serves up delectable locally sourced dishes. They are famous for their deviled eggs so we had to try today's selection. It was pepper jam and pimento cheese. I never would have imagined the combination if I hadn't tried it but they were amazingly good! For our entrees I had the pork belly mac and cheese and she had the brisket sandwich. Both dishes were extraordinary. The chef at this place really knows what she's doing. Great food, great service, locally sourced ingredients at a fair price in a charming location. What's not to love. read more

See all

The food is great and staff is so helpful when trying to decide between multiple delicious options.

If you are looking for the cutest lunch spot in Columbia, this is your place. Y'all I am not kidding when I say everything on the menu is amazing- AKA my excuse for ordering way too much food. If you don't get the Cowboy Cookie and a HOMEMADE OATMEAL CREAM PIE read more

Love, love, love this place! Great people running it, great food. Highly recommend the salads and croinuts, but I've never had anything that wasn't awesome there. Had a Thai-inspired curry dish that was heavenly but it was a temporary special, alas. The only thing I can think of to improve SS would be to have a bigger restaurant to seat the eager masses or to hang up a few tapestry art pieces to absorb some of the sound because it gets pretty loud in there. Other than that, it rocks! read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - Spotted Salad - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Spotted Salamander is a good option for brunch when you can manage it, but it's hours and days of business may limit one's ability to get quick service during peak lunch break hours. It is located in a residential area and honestly looks like a residence itself at first glance. There is street parking available. The inside is fairly small, but homey and inviting. Even when I went towards the tail-end of their working hours, they were still bustling, though we were fortunate enough to luck out on getting a parking spot and open table. Service was fast and attentive. Food was good, though not particularly great - nothing to write home about. We tried their soup of the day (Brunswick Stew), BBQ mac-n-cheese, salmon salad, and pecan pie. All were solid, no complaints really... apart from the price. The bill ended up totaling over $50 for two. While that is not bad, I could definitely get a similar quality meal for a cheaper price at other places. If the food stood out or the price was a bit cheaper, I would definitely be more inclined to come back. They do have a rotating menu, so I could be convinced to visit again and try other stuff. read more

See all

I've ordered from Spotted Salamander several times and the food is always amazing. The deviled eggs are unique and always a highlight. The animal style fries chicken sandwich is huge and full of flavor. The pimento cheese could be a meal on its own. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. This is easily one of my favorite restaurants in Columbia. I look forward to seeing the new items on their menu every day. read more

See all

A cute little lunch spot on the edge of downtown Columbia. We found it on Yelp per recommendation of a friend, and it seemed more appealing than other options that had been suggested. The shop was bustling when we came in around 12:30pm Friday. However, the restaurant wasn't completely full, so we were easily able to grab a seat. Our server was friendly but seemed to rush us a little. We made our order quickly - an order of the pork chicharron and Crystal deviled eggs two orders of the special (fried oyster poboys) and an order of the brisket sandwich. I asked for the broccoli salad to go with the po boy. The chicharron deviled eggs were pretty tasty - but literally just fried pork rinds and hot sauce on a deviled egg half. The fried oyster poboy was small - but tasted great. The fried oysters were light and crisp, although made slightly soggy by the sauce. I'm not a huge fan of raw arugula, but it felt like the sandwich did need those greens. I actually preferred my friend's brisket sandwich. The meat was fatty and tender with some light flavors, which I was thankful for. With some a heavy meat, it needed some light flavor to offset it. I could have eaten her entire sandwich if she had allowed it. The broccoli salad was delicious. I'm glad I didn't get the super heavy pasta salad - the broccoli salad was light and slightly sweet. Sure, I was a little scared of stray broccoli sneaking it's way between my teeth, but WORTH IT. We ended up not getting dessert because for three entrees and an appetizer, it was a bit pricey already for lunch. However, the daily croinut is a cute idea and I would have to try it next time I'm back in town. Long story short, Spotted Salamander is a cute and homey spot for lunch, just a little pricey. read more

See all

I have been to the Spotted Salamander a few times and I am absolutely in love with this place. They have an array of items that are so delicious. On a more recent trip, I have gotten their spotted salad and this thing is so frickin good. It has chicken with some kind of bar-b-que sauce goodness on it. I think it comes with tomato and I had to get that taken off, but aside from that, I ordered it as is. It comes with cornbread croutons and I have never in my life had this before and they were good too. The staff is always kind and generous to me when I come and they make you feel super awesome. This will definitely be put on my list of returns when I am looking for something fantabulous!! read more

I visited the Spotted Salamander with a couple of coworkers for lunch. It was burger Thursday so when we arrived we had about a 25 minute wait. We were seated probably around the 20 minute mark. The restaurant itself is pretty but a little on the small side because it is an older house. When ordering I decided on the chicken sandwich with the BLT pasta salad. The sandwich was pretty large portion - especially for lunch. I left pretty full. Our waiter was attentive and had the drinks filled regularly. Overall loved this little spot but if I decide to come back it'll be early so I can beat the crowd! read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - Chicken sandwich with BLT pasta salad. - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Busy little spot off of Richland Street. Don't be late for lunch or you might miss a table. The menu rotates and there is always good stuff. I've never had a bad meal.The service is always friendly and pretty quick despite the rush. Dont miss their deserts. They usually have an assortment of homemade cakes and cronuts. Faba-lous. 12/19 Ooohh that smoked pork sammich with kimchi and apple slaw! Boom! read more

See all

The food was generally tasty, the shrimp wrap was a bit boring, loved the broccoli salad and the coconut cake. The atmosphere and service was great also. Nice lunch spot full of locals. I tried the chanterelles toast today and it was Devine ! read more

See all

If you go here for anything, it MUST be their deviled eggs. I've never had anything like them before. Very unique. They have a daily special where you can order 4 halves for $5 or $1.35 for an individual. The day I went it was topped with ham jam and croutons. This might not sound like something you would enjoy on a deviled egg. But take my word for it, it is. I. Am. Shook. Open select days and times for brunch and lunch, be sure to call ahead before going. And be prepared to wait. It is a very popular spot. Located off the beaten path in a residential neighborhood, makes it very hard to find if you aren't looking for it. It takes up space in two houses putting the southern charm in full effect. read more

Spotted Salamander Catering - Southern Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

This has to be one of my top places to eat. They have a regular menu but, i can never seem to order off of it because the daily specials are just incredible sounding. So before you even get to "taste" the food, they already have you going "OOOOOOOOOoooooooooo"!!! Inside is rather small, but there is some seating out front which on a nice day is perfect. The location is away from any busy roads so it's really a quiet pleasant area to enjoy a meal or whatever out doors. How many places have you heard of that have "Deviled Eggs" as a continuous item???? Exactly, even MORE of a reason to go. I was unable to try the Chocolate Cookie Butter Crack Cake due to the fact that......someone called in and bought the entire cake. Do i have your attention now!!??? In closing i will just leave you with this.....GO!!!!!!! read more

See all

When someone asked "Wanna go to Spotted Salamander" for lunch, the answer is YES! I went for a birthday lunch with a colleague. We were seated right away even though they were busy. We ordered two salads and I got the Tomato pie mac and cheese. I've thought about the tomato pie mac and cheese daily since I got it. It was super delicious. Everything was high quality and reasonably price and there was a nice variety on the menu. Parking is a little spotty, but if you can find it, say yes. Eat the food. Get the pink champaigne cake. Yes. read more

Been here a lot and always impressed with their latest offerings. Today was no exception. The sliced brisket sandwich was incredible! Best in Columbia for lunch. Hands down! Randy there is tops! read more

Great lunch place! Wonderful service. The banh mi sandwich, the jive Turkey are definitely delicious! We will definitely be back. read more

See all

I can't rave about this place enough. I used to work down the street and ate there probably twice a week. Some of my favorite items include the Spotted Salad, Brisket sandwich, anything with their Mac and Cheese and the CRACK PIE! They always have really good specials too. I highly recommend if you are downtown for lunch. I would also add that I get my food to go most of the time and it's always still hot and delicious. read more