Addresses and hours checked October 2, 2026 on each restaurant's own website (linked). Restaurants change hours often, especially on holidays and game days, so check the link before you go. This is a list of places to try, not ranked reviews, and no restaurant paid to be here.
Downtown Columbia has two dining streets a short walk apart: Main Street, which runs north from the State House, and Gervais Street in the Vista, which runs down toward the river. Here is where to eat on each.
At a glance
| Restaurant | Street | Good for | Reservations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hall's Chophouse | Main St | Steak, a big night out | Yes (Resy) |
| Bourbon | Main St | Whiskey bar with dinner | No, walk-in only |
| Market on Main | Main St | Lunch, brunch, dinner | Check site |
| Cantina 76 | Main St | Tacos, margaritas | No |
| Smoked | Main St | Brunch, late weekend dinner | Check site |
| The Grand on Main | Main St | Bowling and food with a group | Check site |
| Motor Supply Co. Bistro | Gervais St (Vista) | Seasonal menu, brunch | Yes |
| Gervais & Vine | Gervais St (Vista) | Wine and small plates | Encouraged (Resy) |
| Pearlz Oyster Bar | Gervais St (Vista) | Oysters, late weekend nights | Yes |
Main Street
Hall's Chophouse
Where: 1221 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Phone: 803-563-5066.
A steakhouse a block from the State House. Open Sunday 10 am – 9 pm, Monday–Thursday 11 am – 11 pm and Friday–Saturday 11 am – midnight. Reservations on Resy (hallschophousecolumbia.com).
Bourbon
Where: 1214 Main Street, in the 1869 Brennen Building. Phone: 803-403-1404.
A whiskey bar with a full kitchen. The main bar opens Monday–Saturday 4:30 pm – 11:59 pm and the kitchen serves 4:30 – 11 pm; the lounge and courtyard open Wednesday–Saturday evenings. No reservations: every seat is first come, first served. Free parking in its back lot after 5 pm (bourboncolumbia.com).
Market on Main
Where: 1320 Main Street, Suite 150. Phone: 803-722-4222.
Kitchen hours: Tuesday–Wednesday 11:30 am – 9:30 pm, Thursday–Friday 11:30 am – 10 pm, Saturday 10 am – 10 pm, Sunday 10 am – 9 pm; closed Mondays, and the kitchen closes daily from 3 to 4:30 pm (marketonmain.com). The kitchen opens at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday.
Cantina 76
Where: 1301 Main Street. Phone: 803-764-1769.
Tacos and margaritas from a small South Carolina chain. Kitchen hours: Sunday–Monday 11 am – 9 pm, Tuesday–Wednesday 11 am – 9:30 pm, Thursday–Saturday 11 am – 10 pm. It doesn't take reservations and seats tables of eight or fewer at this location. On the first Thursday of the month it runs half-price house margaritas from 4 pm and live music from 6 to 9 pm (cantina76.com).
Smoked
Where: 1643 Main Street. Phone: 803-567-5599.
Open Sunday–Thursday 11 am – 11 pm and Friday–Saturday 11 am – midnight, with brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 am – 4 pm and happy hour on weekdays 4 – 6 pm (smokedsc.com).
The Grand on Main
Where: 1621 Main Street. Phone: 803-766-0151.
A restaurant and bar with bowling lanes: an easy choice for a group or a rainy evening. Open Monday–Thursday 11 am – midnight, Friday 11 am – 2 am, Saturday 10 am – 2 am and Sunday 10 am – midnight, and it posts holiday hours for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's (thegrandonmain.com).
The Vista (Gervais Street)
Motor Supply Co. Bistro
Where: 920 Gervais Street. Phone: 803-256-6687.
Dinner Monday–Thursday 5 – 9 pm, Friday–Saturday 5 – 10 pm, Sunday 5 – 9 pm; brunch Friday and Saturday 11 am – 2 pm and Sunday 10 am – 2 pm. Takes reservations (motorsupplycobistro.com).
Gervais & Vine
Where: 620 Gervais Street, Suite A. Phone: 803-799-8463.
A wine bar with food. Open Tuesday–Thursday 5 – 10 pm and Friday–Saturday 5 – 11 pm, closed Sunday and Monday. Reservations are encouraged but not required (Resy; a $10-per-person fee applies to no-shows and to cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice) (gervaisandvine.com).
Pearlz Oyster Bar
Where: 936 Gervais Street. Phone: 803-661-7741.
Oysters and seafood. Open Monday–Thursday 4 – 9 pm, Friday 4 pm – 2 am, Saturday noon – 2 am (the kitchen closes at 10 pm on Friday and Saturday) and Sunday noon – 9 pm (pearlzoysterbar.com).
Parking downtown
City-run street parking and the city's gateless lots are free after 7 pm on weekdays, all day Saturday and all day Sunday; the exceptions on Saturdays are the Five Points and Bull Street districts (City of Columbia parking FAQ). That makes a weeknight dinner after 7 pm or any weekend meal downtown cheap to park for. The city's downtown parking map shows the garages.
Tips
- Game days and arena nights: on Gamecocks home football Saturdays, and when there is a big show at the Colonial Life Arena, downtown tables go fast. Check our Colonial Life Arena guide and the October–November events calendar before you pick a night.
- Mondays: Market on Main and Gervais & Vine are closed; Hall's, Smoked, Cantina 76, Motor Supply and Pearlz are open.
- Late night: on Friday and Saturday, Pearlz and The Grand stay open until 2 am and Smoked and Hall's until midnight.
- Before a show: the Vista restaurants are the closest to the Colonial Life Arena; Main Street is closest to the State House.
More places to eat and things to do downtown
- Best brunch in Columbia, by neighborhood
- Date ideas in Columbia
- South Carolina State Museum guide, a few blocks from the Vista restaurants
- Soda City Market, Saturday mornings on Main Street
- Things to do in Columbia this weekend
- Our restaurant directory for the whole metro area
The full list, by category: things to do in Columbia, SC.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the best places to eat in downtown Columbia, SC?
Downtown has two dining streets: Main Street (Hall's Chophouse, Bourbon, Market on Main, Cantina 76, Smoked, The Grand on Main) and Gervais Street in the Vista (Motor Supply Co. Bistro, Gervais & Vine, Pearlz Oyster Bar). Hours were checked on each restaurant's site in October 2026.
Which downtown Columbia restaurants are open late?
On Friday and Saturday, Pearlz Oyster Bar on Gervais Street and The Grand on Main stay open until 2 am, and Smoked and Hall's Chophouse are open until midnight (October 2026).
Which downtown Columbia restaurants don't take reservations?
Bourbon on Main Street and Cantina 76 are walk-in only, first come, first served.
Is parking free in downtown Columbia at night?
City street parking and the city's gateless lots are free after 7 pm Monday to Friday, all day Saturday (except the Five Points and Bull Street districts) and all day Sunday.
Which downtown Columbia restaurants are open on Mondays?
Hall's Chophouse, Smoked, Cantina 76, Motor Supply Co. Bistro, Pearlz and The Grand on Main are open on Mondays; Market on Main and Gervais & Vine are closed.