Columbia, South Carolina’s 10 highest-rated ‘cheap eats,’ according to Tripadvisor

WIth prices for everything rising because of record inflation, knowing where to get a quality, but relatively inexpensive meal would be helpful.

Tripadvisor, an online travel company that collects user-generated content and compares retailers and restaurants, has plenty of data on what residents think are relatively inexpensive and good places to eat in the Columbia area.

A visit to the website shows rankings of the best ‘cheap eats’ in the city. The ranked, inexpensive restaurants run the gamut of cuisine, from vegetarian to Mexican and BBQ.

Below is a list of the 10 highest-rated ‘cheap eats’ restaurants in Columbia, according to Tripadvisor.

10. The Whig

Rating: 4.5/5 (52 reviews)

Detailed ratings: Food (4/5), Service (4/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: Bar, American, pub

Address: 1200 Main St, Columbia

This popular subterranean bar at 1200 Main St., across from the South Carolina State House, has become known over the years for not only a solid craft beer selection, but for its diverse menu options, such as the Whig Chicken Sandwich and the Whig Burger.

9. Bernie’s Restaurant

Rating: 5/5 (31 reviews)

Detailed ratings: Food (5/5), Service (4.5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: American

Address: 1311 Bluff Rd, Columbia

This long-time popular restaurant is best known for its delicious fried chicken. However, the restaurant also has a limited breakfast sandwich menu with choices like egg sandwich and fried bologna. Bernie’s also offers other lunch and dinner items like hamburgers, hotdogs and sandwiches.

8. Big Boy’s Original Smokehouse

Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)

Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service, (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: American, barbecue

Address: 8604 Farrow Rd Ste A, Columbia

Big Boy’s offers a variety of freshly-smoked meats, from pulled pork to chicken, ribs, beef briskets and turkey. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you could try out their smoked pig feet. Even smoked gumbo is on the menu. The restaurant also offers your typical BBQ place sides, like macaroni and cheese and collard greens.

7. Lizard’s Thicket

Rating: 4/5 (189 reviews)

Detailed rating: Food (4/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: American

Address: 7411 Nates Rd, Columbia

This restaurant got its start in Columbia more than 40 years ago and now has 14 locations. It focuses on traditional South Carolina home cooking, offering many choices, from steak and eggs and country liver pudding to southern fried catfish, hamburger steak, beef stew or chicken and waffles.

6. Lizard’s Thicket Restaurant

Rating: 4/5 (406 reviews)

Detailed rating: Food (4/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: American

Address: 818 Elmwood Ave, Columbia

No, this is not a mistake. Lizard’s Thicket is so popular that two of its restaurants made it into the top 10 list. Like the other spot, this location offers the same menu items. What we didn’t mention earlier is Lizard’s is still owned and operated by the children and grandchildren of the couple that founded it, Anna and Bob Williams.

5. Menkoi Ramen House

Rating: 4.5/5 (103 reviews)

Detailed rating: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: Japanese

Address: 1004 Gervais St, Columbia

Like the name suggests, this Japanese restaurant specializes in Ramen dishes. Do you want some spicy ramen with pork? They’ve got it. How about ramen with chicken? Yep, got that too. If you’re in a noodle/soup kind of mood, this is definitely a place to check out.

4. Cantina 76 Main Street

Rating: 4.5/5 (189 reviews)

Detailed rating: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4/5)

Type of cuisine: Mexican, Southwestern

Address: 1301 Main St Corner of Main & Lady St, Columbia

Cantina 76 is a Mexican-inspired restaurant and bar with five locations in South Carolina, two of which are in Columbia. Get yourself a Peruvian shrimp taco to balance out the drinks. The place is a lively, popular hotspot downtown, but if you cannot find a spot inside, there’s usually some outdoor seating available.

3. Southern Belly BBQ

Rating: 4.5/5 (238 reviews)

Detailed rating: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: American, barbecue

Address: 819 Harden St Colonial Drive., Columbia

Nestled in Columbia’s Five Points district, this barbecue restaurant specializes in sandwiches. For instance, the Avita sandwich features churrasco barbecue topped with grilled pineapples, grilled vidalia onions, and roasted red peppers on a buttered French roll with asada vinegar BBQ sauce. Or you could try the King Kahuna, which offers Luau barbecue topped with pineapple, grilled maul onions, cheddar and applewood bacon on a buttered French roll with yum yum BBQ sauce.

Definitely not your standard barbecue joint.

2. Real Mexico Restaurant Y Tienda

Rating: 4.5/5 (413 reviews)

Detailed rating: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: Mexican

Address: 2421 Bush River Rd, Columbia

At this Mexican restaurant, you can get classic quesadillas, fajitas and tacos, or you can choose from a selection of specialty burritos. There’s the California burrito, filled with carne asada, avocado slices, pico de Gallo and rice and beans. Another option is the diablo shrimp burrito, filled with shrimp sautéed with spicy chipotle sauce and rice, rolled in a flour tortilla and topped with queso sauce, avocado slices and a side of sour cream.

1. The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli

Rating: 4/4 (266 reviews)

Detailed rating: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)

Type of cuisine: American, cafe

Address: 2617 Devine St, Columbia

Owner Jody Kreush started the deli with her son, Richard, after years of food industry experience accumulated around the country. She found success making sweetbreads in Hawaii, managing a food truck in Pennsylvania and crafting solid deli sandwiches in New York and New Jersey.

Customers can choose between an original cinnamon roll for $2.70 or one of several specialty rolls at $3.65 apiece, including apple cobbler, black pepper bacon maple glaze and banana foster, to name a few.

Meanwhile, a mini cinnamon roll comes with each sandwich order so customers can still share in the restaurant’s namesake without having to commit to an entire roll.