Harper’s Restaurant
700 Harden St, Columbia, SC, 29205
Harper’s Restaurant Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Columbia for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Columbia for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Columbia for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
700 Harden St
Columbia, SC, 29205 - Phone (803) 252-2222
- Website https://www.harpersgroup.com/harpers_columbia.asp
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Joel W.
Nice looking restaurant. Comfy seats and tables, seperate bar area and an outdoor patio. Property had its own parking lot, which is good as Five Points can get packed sometimes. Menu is diverse but on a theme. Lots of salads, sandwiches and some nice entrees (the steak and fries is fabulous). Service is a little hit and miss, but that's true everywhere. I'd recommend this place for a nice, casual meal.
(4)Rick H.
Food was just OK. Service was terrible. The girl said it was her first night which is fine, but she didn't appear to have anyone training her and she was clueless. She didn't know the menu at all. Again, I understand it was her first night, but someone should have been with her training her. My wife and I will not be back.
(2)Lisa B.
I know it's been a while since I wrote a review but I have been busy and I'm keeping track of where I have been. If you are in Five Points, SC. GO HERE!!! Great place, wonderful staff and atmosphere. I had a steak, I'm not a huge steak fan but i wanted one and it was amazing. Cooked perfect and it melted in my mouth. The sides were incredible as well and we had an amazing time in a few nice atmosphere. From entering the door to leaving I knew I was going to be back.
(5)Carson S.
This was my first visit to Harper's, and I will not be returning. We decided to try their Brunch menu, and also ordered bloody mary's. The bloody mary's were the best thing that Harper's had to offer. The Hollandaise of the eggs Benedict lacked flavor, so much so that it went unnoticed on the plate. Razor thin Canadian bacon did not bode well with the shortcomings of the hollandaise. Their hash browns were actually a casserole, not what we expected when ordering hash browns. Besides the food, the service was below average. A member of our party expressed his severe allergy to onions, quite clearly to our server, yet onions were still in the omelette. Upon speaking with the manager, the situation was not handled properly. The interaction seemed forced. That's not to say that the manager was rude, because he wasn't. However, the situation was handled poorly he didn't even offer to comp our meal, and it seemed like handling the situation was left up to us. I do not recommend this style of service industry management. The one star is for the Bloody Mary.
(1)Janie S.
Harper's wait staff are well schooled on the entire menu and can answer questions about any dish. I am especially pleased how accommodating the restaurant is to altering menu items to suit preferences. For example, I request certain greens on my salads, no croutons or bacon but adding extra cucumber. Every time my meal is delivered fresh and just as I wanted.
(5)Sherry C.
This is my second visit here in the last few weeks. I've never been overly impressed here. The service is extremely slow...... Go ahead and order your next drink when your drink arrives. If not you'll be waiting quite a while. The food is pretty good. The staff is always confused on who ordered what. Also the food is slow to come out. I had Prime Rib, but after I sliced into it, I realized I needed to switch plates with someone else. We were given the wrong plates. For the price of the meal, I expect better service.
(3)Eric W.
Went here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. I always forget Harper's exists, even though it's in the heart of Five Points. Sad to say, that it won't be easy to forget again. The service was slow, and it was well after the "lunch rush" so there was really no reason for it. Ordered guac and pimento appetizer. Neither were the best I've had, and both were overly spicy (personal taste). Next up was the grilled ribeye. The marinate it in a "Hawaiian marinade" which tastes like just pineapple juice. It really just didn't go well. The cook on the steak was fine, but the marinade didn't mash well with the steak and overshadowed the highly touted "wood fired grill" flavor. (Harper's advertises on their menu that everything is cooked over natural wood fired grill.) It will likely be several years before I go back, same as before. Not because it's terrible, just average food that's overpriced.
(2)Sean B.
The good: 1. The chicken fingers. 2. The brisket tacos. The ok: 1. The draft beer options. A bit limited, but could be worse. 2. The service. Friendly, but slow. They might have been overwhelmed by our big group though.
(3)Rae H.
I very rarely write a negative review. I have been a patron of Harpers for years and I feel that their service has continually declined. My recent trip was unpleasant. While the waiter in training was excellent, actually, the waitress training him was not. She got several orders at the table incorrect, and also messed up our bills. While I normally overlook issues such as this, I feel that because it is a repeat incidence here it is worth noting. The food is decent. For the price, though, I would suggest going somewhere else to get an equivalent meal.
(3)Jane D.
I'm going to go up a star from my last review. The food is better tasting, the menu varied, the staff a little more attentive and the place a little cleaner, except for the patio. I don't recommend the mimosas.
(3)Mike M.
Love their burgers and fries. The chocolate cake was nice too. Great service plus they gave me a free coffee and desert when they found out I was a veteran! Not sure why but I was pleased. Nice decor plus parking wasn't a problem. Nice place to go in 5 points area.
(4)Jennie D.
Visited yesterday and arrived in time for their Brunch. We knew nothing about this place, all but for the Yelp and Trip Advisor reviews, so decided to try it. My friend ordered their Chicken and Waffles, and I their Traditional Eggs Benedict. My friend indicated that the 'savory' of the batter used to coat/fry the chicken, while delicious, did not lend itself well to an equally delicious, but very different waffle. More like two really great dishes combined, but not thought out enough to be blended well given their style of preparation. It was however, a monster sized portion, and my friend was very satisfied. My Benedict was good, but not bad and not great. The Hollandaise was thin; the thinnest, runny, little flavor if any Hollandaise I've ever had. I wasn't even certain there was any on the plate when it was initially served. Eggs were cooked appropriately, however Canadian bacon was paper thin. In comparing the generous portion my friend got, mine was skimpy, not that I required anything more when I was finished though. The one item that we both got with each of our plates were the hash browns. We were happy we 'swapped' the grits which were slated to come with mine and the bacon which would have come with the Chicken and Waffles, because as it turned out, these were very good. They were more like a hash brown casserole than fried hash browns - just really full of flavor and a nice, hearty addition. All in all, I felt that they were charging a bit more for Brunch entrees than their Brunch entrees were worth, mainly because of portion size and especially with mine, the lackluster presentation and flavor around the one thing that makes a Benedict and Benedict - the Hollandaise. I hope to try this place again, but I think upon our return to Columbia, we may explore other restaurants that the area has to offer according to happy Yelpers.
(2)Kim G.
Great food! I had a really good salad last night and the service was great. Harpers is a great place to consider having a wedding reception.
(5)Roy W.
Not sure how good the food is. We had a reservation for 13 and so far, it is 30 minutes past our reservation time and we are still waiting. The college girls running the front are overwhelmed. My suggestion, come at 5pm with no more than 2 people.
(1)Trenton A.
I've eaten here for two years and I've enjoyed it every time I came in. The servers are very attentive (without being annoying) and the bar tenders are very knowledgeable about the beers, wines, and cocktails offered. The GM David Lance always stops by to check in and make sure everything is delicious (which it always is). I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a casual dinner with friends or a nice dinner with the family. Great food at a very reasonable price.
(5)Tiffany H.
Went here for lunch on a Saturday. .....if you have a time schedule don't come here. It seemed to be under staffed. We waited for 30 minutes just to get a hello from the server, it seemed as if he was working the patio area alone. The menu is small, but pretty simple to read. It is in the heart of Columbia and I hope to one day grab a bite to eat from this spot when I have more time.
(2)Joel R.
The food is good, the staff seem to be in great moods. The building was kept clean and parking was OK. Our server Evan was AWESOME! Prices are average not to pricey or cheap so not a great "deal" but overall left satisfied. I will take my family there again.
(4)Laurie C.
I love the salads at Harper's. They are always very fresh and crunchy and delicious. I have also had the chicken tenders and steak. Both were very good and freshly made. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable. A great place for a family dinner!
(4)John D.
I was there for lunch today. It's been about ten years since my last visit there. (I need to get out more-- LOL.) It was nice to be back in Five Points. Friendly folks, an attentive, young waiter, attractive --dare I say "classy"--surroundings, and tasty, fresh food. What's not too like? I went with the burger and cheddar cheese, with a nice good size salad. (I'm on an Atkins diet right now.) I was well-satisfied with the food and service. Finished with a nice, fresh-brewed tasting coffee. Glad I was able to come today. The restaurant was only about 40% full today at lunch. Saturday they'll be "slammed" as it's USC student move- in day. Total bill came to about $23 "all in" with a $4.00 tip. Pricey for lunch, but worth it in my book!
(4)Grace M.
Today I requested to sit at the bar at least 3 times. I think the dark haired hostess is hard of hearing since she sat us at a booth. This is AFTER she said that there would be a wait (which is why I requested the bar area). She sat us ahead of a family that had been waiting - RUDE! But only to accommodate my boyfriend. Which I find unacceptable. If I'm waiting patiently with my family, I don't think I would be too pleased to be passed over for a two top. I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to be rude, but felt bad for the family waiting. I also ordered their chicken and waffles... Their waffles were so hard. I don't recommend getting them. The steak and cheese omelette my boyfriend had on the other hand, wasn't too bad. I actually wish I ordered the omelette, and know next time that I should stick with my gut. Their hashbrowns are also a great side item and I highly recommend them (especially with some Tabasco sauce). The waitress was rude and literally threw the check on the table. I've never tipped less than 20% until today. I'm a firm believer in tipping more than 20% having been a server myself, but she only received 15%. I still feel bad, but she was quite rude.
(2)Steven F.
Yes, they are open for Sunday Brunch. We ate there yesterday on the outside covered patio and had a most enjoyable time. The brunch menu featured omelets of which I had the cheesesteak, with great home fries and a biscuit, while my wife had the eggs benedict with spinach creation, along with cheese grits and a mini muffin. Everything was cooked perfectly and served in a timely manner. We will definitely go back
(4)Patrick M.
Stopped in on a Sunday around 2. A little busy and had to wait a it to get seated. Sat outside because it was a nice day. Have to deal with flies when you sit on the patio. The food was very good. We tried the BBQ tacos and the salmon burger. Nice presentation, good flavor. Friendly wait staff although they seemed a bit thin on staff for the crowd they had. We would eat there again.
(4)Danny G.
This is my favorite restaurant in Columbia! My family and I live about 30 minutes away and it is not easy to drive there for dinner, but Harper's is always, I repeat always worth it. We normally get the cajun calamari as an appetizer and they serve it with a nice, spicy cocktail sauce and tartar sauce. My wife had the pimento cheese encrusted filet mignon. It was grilled over a live hickory fire and cooked to perfection. She was not sure she was going to like it, but the server, Whitney, talked her into it and she loved it. I had the Canadian Salmon and got mine blackened. They took a cook temperature and nailed it. It had just a little pink inside. Just the way I like it! I got a very fresh and hot loaded baked potato. yummy! I recommend this restaurant over and over again to anyone I know going to Columbia.
(5)Justin R.
Food was OK nothing tasted poor or canned. For the caliber of restaurant and price did not exceed expectations. Staff was again pleasant but not as timely as desired with drinks or simple request.
(3)Steve S.
We've eaten here 4 times. The first several times we had a pleasant experience. Service was good, food was excellent and prices were reasonable. The last time we ate here things went downhill. There was a new menu, prices were jacked up, food quality was down, and the bartender didn't know how to make our first 4 (yes, 4) drink choices. I paid $20 for a chicken salad and baked sweet potato. The salad had what appeared to be cold, canned chicken. It was dry and awful. The prices are too steep for this horrible quality of food. Combine this with a sub-par bar staff and slow wait service on a slow night, and we we decided not to return again. You now pay too much for too little at Harper's.
(2)Josh M.
Price is skyhigh for the location and food quality at dinner. Applebees quality, twice the price. Service was great, may come back.
(3)Fannie Mae C.
On Saturdays, after I get up and have a nice long walk, I like to go out for a nice mid-day excursion. One of my favorite destinations is Harpers. You see, it has outdoor seating. I have never been much for indoor restaurants. Honestly, I have never actually been inside a restaurant - and I do not think I am missing much. Al fresco! That's the only way to dine, and Harpers fits the bill. Their outdoor seating area is mostly covered and there are ceiling fans that provide me with a nice breeze. The tables are fairly spread out so I can really stretch my legs and get comfortable. This place also does wonders for one's self-image. Whenever I go there people go out of their way to tell me how attractive I am, and some even run their fingers through my hair. I always go there with my housemates Brian and Cara. Cara orders all kinds of things off their menu and is always pleased. Brian, however, always gets the chicken tenders platter. When asked why, he invariably responds "because it is fricken' awesome!"
(5)Holly T.
Good, healthful southern food has always seemed an oxymoron to me. I even try to loose 5 pounds before a trip to the south because I just understand that's the style of cooking. Our waiter, Roger, was patiently pleasant throughout my Portland-ish quiz of how fresh is the fish and how far away was the pig raised. (No, I didn't ask to visit the farm but the thought crossed my mind!) I gambled on the Ahi salad and was surprised by both flavor and presentation. I did ask for more wasabi as the tuna did not have quite the flavor I anticipated, but was definitely fresh. The spicy noodles that accompanied the salad were cooled and lightened by the addition of chopped cucumbers and other vegetables. And the wine list, oh my goodness such choices! Had too much of a Ravenswood zin :) Would definitely come here again.
(4)Amanda F.
Food was ok - waitress seemed a little out of it. Went on a Sunday for brunch - she brought our coffee but no spoon to stir sugar or cream in with. Asked for straws and she never brought them. Ordered the Spicy Cajun Omelet which was filling and delicous! Also got the pimento mac and cheese but it wasn't as creamy as I would have liked though. It was a little on the dry side and it is very HEAVY - should have just ordered this alone and it would have been enough. We sat outside on the patio and it was perfect - got to do a little people watching and enjoy the Southern weather!
(3)Mike M.
We always enjoy the food and service at Harpers. This time they went above and beyond the norm. When our meal was mistakenly delayed over 30 minutes they gave us a complimentary dinner - not just the entrée, but three dinners, drinks and dessert. Thank you so much, Harpers!
(5)Kate L.
Great food, but slightly over priced considering the location. Their pimento cheeseburger is on point, and I also love the 6 cheese penne pasta with bacon and sausage. Try to sit outside on the patio if you can get a table.
(3)Brandon L.
The waiter we had was mediocre. In a more expensive restaurant I expect slightly better service. We ordered an appetizer for the table and it was a very small portion. I ordered the filet mignon and the steak was perfect and made as ordered. The deserts were also delicious. Good experience.
(4)Jill B.
I'll start out by saying that the 2 stars given are because the beer I had (Thomas Creek Doublebock in a bottle was very good and we were seated, on a Friday night, without reservations, within 30 minutes. After that it went downhill. We had taken my mother-in-law out to dinner. Our waiter seemed to be hired for looks rather than ability. (I should give an extra star for the attractiveness of the young male wait staff - but that isn't what we came for. Had we - I'd give 5 stars) Some of us got water, some didn't. I ordered several beers from the menu - and the 4th time was a charm. They had none of the craft drafts I wanted, but the bottle was delicious. My niece ordered BBQ chicken with a side of grilled vegs. The vegs arrived but the server argued that she had never placed an order for food. They did bring her meal after we were through and didn't charge her for it. One member of our group had to ask for his 2nd beer 4 or 5 times before it arrived - and though they apologized they never really seemed to care. The menu changes seasonally. This was the 3rd time we'd been and each time there seems to be less choice. I think we will go elsewhere the next time we are in town.
(2)Sharon E.
Finding a place without a wait time around the USC campus is really hard.. Anyways walking down the streets one after the other we finally landed upon "THIS" place... Indoor seating was not available.. so to not wait long we thought we would take outdoor seating... Whew that was one bad decision leading to many other decisions made while we were there.. First there were flies on the table and when we told the waiter who looked like a college girl.. she just replied back in a ignorant manner this exact same line.. " The flies don't seem to bother me"... When we looked around there were lot of other people easting outside.. so we thought it might not be much of an issue.. :-( Sadly.. when our food came it was files all over the place.. we were practically waving our hands every few seconds... The food was ok.. Waiters in this place are college boys or girls.. They are real slow.. reason being they talk about their studies to each and every guest coming there instead of doing their actual job and making people wait.. May be 1 or 2 minutes is fine.. but come on you spent about 5 minutes just yapping on one table about changing your majors over the years... Anyways after we finished eating.. we cared less if the flies were on the plates.. My battery drained out otherwise I would have taken a picture of the flies and posted it over here.. Disgusting...
(1)Cait O.
The service here was excellent. We had a party of 25. We had a reservation and our table was waiting for us when we got there. As soon as we sat down there was someone grabbing us drinks; our drinks were always full; food came quickly; and the server even pretty successfully split the bill 25 ways without complaint. Being a server in the past, I was quite surprised at how smoothly our server was able to keep everything going during dinner. I had the ahi tuna salad. It was fantastic. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food as well. If I lived in the area I'd be back for more.
(5)Nicholas S.
It looks like the place caters to college students. The food was barely adequate and the service was poor. Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed.
(1)Laura L.
My first experience at Harper's was on Sunday. While the food wasn't terrible, I was completely dissatisfied with the service. We only waited for a few minutes before being seated, but after being shown to our table, we waited for what seemed like forever to have our drink orders taken or to even be acknowledged by the waitress. After our drink orders were taken, we waited another very lengthy period to have them delivered to our table and continued to wait before our order was taken. When we finally received our meal, the food was average but didn't compensate for the lack of service. Needless to say, I don't plan to go back.
(2)Chris B.
Nice craft beer selection.
(3)Howard K.
I have been going to Harpers for years. I gave it two stars because the service has only gone steadily downhill: from being able to count on great service almost all the time....to now having great service as the exception. Also, quite frankly, the food isn't that great. The one exception that has stayed great throughout the years is the pasta salad. The bottom line is that you pay way more at Harpers than the service or food is worth.
(2)Isis R.
Went this past weekend for the first and the food was delish. The ceasar salad was fresh and huge. The 4 cheese pasta was also very good. Service was on point and very attentative!
(4)Jason M.
One of my favorite parts of visiting my grandmother in SC is being able to take her to Harper's. I love this restaurant so much, and so does she. The food is delicious, and the ambiance is sophisticated but yet, not stuffy. You cannot beat that. I highly recommend any of their steaks. Their salmon is awesome too. Lastly, their mac n cheese is to die for. Harper's also boasts a very high quality wine selection, however small. Although I live all the way in NYC, coming back to Harper's in Columbia, SC is always a great pleasure that I look forward to every few times each year. You cannot go wrong at Harper's!
(4)Brian A.
I've never been a huge fan of restaurants that serve food that I can make at home. Okay...so I'm a pretty good cook...but Harper's is just a good home-cookin style place, nothing I'd call gourmet...or having a "wow" factor. The food is good and the atmosphere is nice. It's a fun place to take a larger group of people and hang out for a while. Of course...you'll need to tip your server accordingly...but they won't mind. Nothing's gonna wow you here...but you'll feel comfortable and you won't make any of your group mad by going here. There's something for everyone. The prices are about average for an "adult" restaurant.
(3)Kel B.
Went with my boyfriend here over the weekend. It was just plain bad..... We went on Sunday, so the crowd was mostly families with lots of kids/crying babies, pretty annoying, but not the restaurant's fault. But the other complaints I have are. The waitress seemed like a cokehead, twitching and making weird faces???, and had no idea what was going on. We were surprised when we somehow ended up with what we ordered, but the food SUCKED. I got the spud and caesar salad combo and my boyfriend got beef brisket with macaroni and cheese and asparagus. My potato was cold, cheese not melted, bacon was old and inedible. And the salad was just a little lettuce drowned in dressing. For ten bucks... The saddest part of the meal was my boyfriend's dish. The beef brisket was awful, overcooked and cold and the asparagus was obviously reheated. The mac and cheese was just plain terrible. It came in a ramekin that I guess they cooked by itself. It wasn't cooked all the way through or they used the wrong kind of cheese because it was just like a cheese soup with macaroni noodles floating in it. Not tasty! Fifteen bucks... I don't recommend this place at ALL! (Oh, but the view from the porch is really nice!)
(1)Gwonk B.
This restaurant is expensive, but the food is pretty good. I'd say it's a little more consistent than California Dreaming and the service is a little better. I wish the bathrooms were cleaner, though. The burgers are good and cooked well, but the flourless chocolate cake and ice cream is great for people who are going gluten-free. They even have a separate menu for the wheatless! This is a solid restaurant. EDIT: The owner personally messaged me to tell me that the bathrooms are scheduled for updating. The service alone is top notch; the food is even better! This is one of my favorite places in Columbia!
(5)April W.
Sadly, this place was highly recommended by the hotel concierge...BOO N**** BOO!! First off, our server had no clue about the menu (she couldn't even recommend a favorite dish)! Secondly, the bread was some disgusting cheese-covered, honey-drenched wheat concoction...*barf* Third, well, let's just say anything else I say might alarm the public health authority... Do NOT believe the hype on this place!!
(2)Tristan S.
Came here with friends from work for one purpose - BBQ! We were certainly not dissappointed! They had their weekly BBQ special available - brisket and ribs and pulled pork. Simply amazingly good BBQ, and with that wonderful Carolina mustard based sauce... Sides of collards and baked beans and hushpuppies were similarly delicious. The portions were not large, though very satisfying. And, I considered a second order - it's that good! Very nice service, friendly. This place was recommended by a local friend, and I certainly agree - it's great for BBQ!
(4)Abby R.
Walking in we were very pleased with the look and feel of the place. The welcoming staff greeted us at the door with big southern smiles. The place was clean and has a relaxed atmosphere. We were seated and 10 minutes later a passing waitress asked if we had ordered drinks, she took our drink ordered and returned quickly with them. The place was not busy at all it was Tuesday late afternoon crowd. About 5 minutes later our waiter greeted us and took our order. We both ordered steaks my filet mignon well done with a bit of pink and my husband ordered a filet well done no pink at all. Well another person brought out our steaks and left. My steak was ok but by no means a filet mignon. It was not tasty or tender.When my husband cut his steak blood poured out all over the plate and his mash potatoes were swimming in blood. Could not get anyone's attention. When we brought it to our waiters attention he acted like we ordered it that way and asked, would you like it cooked a bit more? I was so annoyed and told him well he ordered it well done so please cook it well done. He left us with no apologies at all for messing up the order! After waiting for just about 7 minutes another person returns with the steak this time is cooked well done but burned on the outside. We ate enough to satisfy the hunger and left. I do believe our waiter was the problem here because others seem very happy to be at work that day and I noticed other tables were getting lots of attention from their waiters/waitress. However my review goes to bad service and over priced food. Do not order steaks at a hamburger joint, that's my take. Will not return!
(2)Harry G.
Don't know how it was but the place was half full @ 2pm on a Saturday, there was 9 of us and the hostess could not figure out how to put three tables together. 45 minutes latter I left, lots of other good choices, skip this place.
(1)Rick R.
Dinner was ok, the steak my wife ordered was overlooked and an expedite took 20 mins. Manager took care of the steak, but the expedite was horrible.
(2)Daniel D.
Me and my colleague were in Columbia on business and Yelp directed us to Five Points for food and drink. We chose Harper's based on their ample outdoor seating, seeing as it was 70 and sunny. We had an incredibly friendly server named Ashlyn who was very accommodating and actually had some insight when asked the question "what do you recommend?" We got some brisket, puled pork, and hush puppies and all were phenomenal! I definitely recommend this place to people just passing through Columbia with the intention of getting a little southern comfort and some great barbecue! Did I mention that they have great local craft beers?
(5)Blake I.
This was a pleasant surprise in a town with few good vegetarian options. My order was a salad, the "Roasted Autumn Vegetables" which were mostly root vegetables, and a side of Asparagus. The vegetables were nicely seasoned and cooked appropriately. Be sure to ask what vegetables are "safe" as some of their sides are cooked in animal fat.
(4)angela l.
So we love Groupon and Living Social coupons. They convince us to try restaurants we would not otherwise try, possibly because they are too pricey or because they are not eclectic enough. So last night it was The Harper's deal and I have to say it was a dissapointment. Maybe after reading about the restaurant online, my expectations were set too high afterall there are two chefs that work there not just line cooks, right? I was most looking forward to the calamari as I had not had any in a while since my boyfriend does not like it and I find it hard to buy a whole appetizer for myself but that is the glory of the coupons they let you splurge a bit more without guilt. Well to the point the calamari was bad, more like fried worms. They were very soggy, not very plentiful and tasted only like the breading which was spicy and blah. I would much rather have had Carabba's pile of yummy tenticles and rings of beautiful calamari. On to the entrees............. I ordered a salad mostly because I had just had almost a whole appetizer to myself and also because the descriptions just sounded plain good. I decided on the Chipotle Chile Roasted Chicken (salad). When our meals were served my boyfriend was in the restroom. I sat there thinking I should start eating his food before he returned because mine was such a sad salad compared to his bbq pork chop with spiced sweet potatoes and southern green beans. I resisted the urge to eat his food and just complained to him when he returned. I was prepared to return my salad and go to Chic-Fil-A on our way home. The positive thing I can say about Harpers is the service was very good. She immediately found out what was wrong and did her best to make it right. In case you didn't catch my complaint. MY SALAD WAS SAD. Although the chicken was substancial there was not very much else to it just mixed greens. No vibrant colors of tamatoes, cheese, onions, corn or anything. The server was undertanding and went to the kitchen returning with three bowls of color. I was then somewhat satisfied however I was still missing the crunchiness of the tortilla strips. Do chefs just not care about the art of a good salad? I am sure you want to know a little more about my boyfriend's food. It was good but not so good that we would return. The potatoes were a little oily, the green beans were ok but cooked to death and the pork chop was good but he could have done better at home. I would say if you want a good chef prepared meal go to Conrad's on Devine it is truly a devine place to dine. Harper's to me was only a notch above Applebees. Sorry Harper's but you gotta do better.
(2)Drew M.
Great location and friendly atmosphere. Cajun Spicy Calamari was good but a bit salty. Definitely hand breaded and it was a bit underdone. Could have been more crispy. 6 Cheese Penne Pasta is very rich and very good. More than enough for a 13yo boy. Brought some home for the next morning. Carolina Mountain Trout was great and the Collards Greens were sweet and spicy. Trout was perfectly cooked and the seasoning and topping added a lot of great flavor. Sesame Crusted Ahi Salad was prepared to perfection! This was definitely my wifes favorite of the two main dishes we had. Very well prepared and presented. This was a very enjoyable experience and we would recommend it as a nice place down at 5-Points. There are many places to go down here so we cannot say that we would miss the opportunity to try something else as opposed to comming back, but this was a nice restaurant.
(3)Annedrea D.
Yesterday the boy and I decided to venture out for a date night. We so conveniently ended up at Harpers, where we had a groupon for. At first we were very skeptical due to other reviews by other yelpers, but we just took the reviews in stride we could either love or hate the place, RIGHT? Well myself I was ready to hate this place. I couldn't the atmosphere was great, our waitress was even greater, and the chef was a really cool guy. We had no waiting time with no reservations. Good Stuff! My tropical mojito was like drinking the Caribbean. This drink is great please order this. Now here is the snafu, I ordered the CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA, and low and behold there was absolutely no chicken in my pasta. Where they do that at? Well before I even got a chance to complain one of the chefs came out and asked if I was missing something? UH DUH the CHICKEN IN MY CHICKEN PASTA. He quickly took my food brought it back and must have given me two orders of CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA. So my service was great. Now to the boy's food. He ordered a Lemonade, he enjoyed... refills are not free (poppycock I know) Along with the Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Garlic Mashers. He liked his meal. I didn't like his meal only his garlic mashers. He's very picky so if he liked it this left me content! We will most definitely take another trip here.
(4)Jason R.
How this place is still open baffles me. Great location. Old decor. Uninspired menu and bland tasteless food.
(2)Westwood D.
Three meat eaters at our table and three meat eaters who did not get their beef cooked the way they ordered it. My steak burger tasted pretty good, but it was well done when I ordered medium. One at our table ordered steak with asparagus... he received precisely three pieces of asparagus and was a little disappointed. I had to take away the remaining stars I would have given this place when we discovered the waitress did not give us any change less than a dollar. She just rounded each of our bills up to the next dollar and took about .50 from each of us which should have been returned to us in our change. We all would have just given her the change with our tips anyway, but that is rude. With all the other places around to pick from, I will not be going back.
(1)Clara S.
I've lived in Columbia for the past 7 years. I really think that Harper's is an excellent restaurant. It's a little more pricey than I can afford on a day-to-day. But it definitely a place where I take friends and family who come into town. I've always found the wait staff to be knowledgable, and friendly if you have a problem with your dinner. My dad usually gets steak, and it has always been delicious. My favorite is the 3 dip appetizer with extra Pimento Cheese Dip. And the Veggie burger is delicious. They have a good selection of beers on tap and a good variety to the menu. Most of the entrees are around $13-17, with sandwiches a bit less. Definitely worth it.
(4)Katie R.
Harper's was the first place I ever ate in Columbia! It has my favorite sweet tea of all the different restaurants in the city. The food is pretty good typical American food. Harper's is a typically recommended restaurant for anyone coming in from out of town and is one of the most frequently visited during Parents' Weekend!
(4)Anne S.
Average meal. Nothing spectacular. Would have liked for the food to have been worth talking about. Ate on a Saturday for lunch.
(3)Bethanie A.
Everything was well made. Carolina Mountain Trout was great and the collars greens were well-seasoned. My friend had the prime rib. Very tasty. Overall nice dining experience.
(4)Ne'Cole V.
One of my fave places to eat...the spinach dip is awesome! Love the von yogi, salmon cobb salad and parm chicken...service is always great!
(5)Lindsey B.
Solid 4 stars in my book, one of my favorite places in all of Columbia. This place never misses, fabulous table service, excellent food and wonderful atmosphere -- make that 4.5 stars. I take out of town guests here since they won't be disappointed. All menu items are good, I like the new salad that is Mexican flare .. yummy !! Privacy is excellent here for a business discussion as well, and they don't rush you out. Bar is good. Parking is great. I have eaten there for many years.
(4)Robert S.
I hadn't been to Harper's in a few years. We dined there for lunch on Sunday and were both impressed. The food was excellent and the service was outstanding.
(4)Candace K.
On our journey to see whether or not we could live in Columbia my hubby and I decided to check out the famed five-points area of downtown and we decided to do a late dinner at Harper's. The atmosphere is relaxing, not too fancy but with the dim lighting and gas lamps it was definitely pleasant. Our server couldn't have been nicer, and she suggested the feature wine, a malbec and it was great! Hubby had a steak that was tougher than nails, pretty disgusting that they have taken your plate already and you are still chewing for a few minutes after! I had the veggie plate with rice and beans and it was just what I wanted, good flavor to the veggies and the beans and rice were very flavor full. For dessert I wanted key-lime pie and the hubby got a brownie sundae his was awesome, mine lacked the bite that I love to savor from a key-lime pie. It was just altogether too sweet, tasted like powdered sugar more than anything else, and i didn't finish it which is a bad sign. Over all a meh place, nothing spectacular, good ambiance, don't get steak or key-lime pie.
(2)Darby O.
Love the setting inside the restaurant, not pretentious but very classy and I am very picky about lighting when it comes to restaurants. The lighting is perfect here. Food considering we are in America would be a 4 star. Because I have travelled so much and been to some amazing restaurants they seem to not be in the good old USA. But speaking for our homeland and little area of Columbia this rates at 4 star. It is always a great place to take out of town guests or just hop in when downtown you can always find something someone likes and is prepared well. Never left with an unhappy experience here which says a lot. Both food, customer service and ambiance rate at a consistent level of a very good restaurant.
(4)Tom K.
Great food and service. I've been away for a while but everything is as good as I remember it.
(5)Tricia M.
Scrumptious pimento cheese dip. Beautiful Spinach dip. Great soups and salads. Great location, beautiful restaurant. Every time I go home to Columbia I visit. See you in December Harpers! Note: Since my review, pimento cheese apps have been removed from their menu! Thankfully I asked and they accomodated.
(5)Jordan S.
Are we reviewing the same restaurant? I think this place is great. A beautiful restaurant located in the heart of 5 points. The smell of the brick oven will overtake you as you enter the dining room. An outdoor seating area offers a decent view of the foot (and vehicle) traffic roaming through the area. It doesn't matter what you try; all of the food is great. It is a bit more upscale than the average place, nice casual clothing is appropriate.
(4)Greg T.
SUV-driving suburbanites will feel completely at home at this greasy American place. Nothing remarkable here.
(2)angela l.
So we love Groupon and Living Social coupons. They convince us to try restaurants we would not otherwise try, possibly because they are too pricey or because they are not eclectic enough. So last night it was The Harper's deal and I have to say it was a dissapointment. Maybe after reading about the restaurant online, my expectations were set too high afterall there are two chefs that work there not just line cooks, right? I was most looking forward to the calamari as I had not had any in a while since my boyfriend does not like it and I find it hard to buy a whole appetizer for myself but that is the glory of the coupons they let you splurge a bit more without guilt. Well to the point the calamari was bad, more like fried worms. They were very soggy, not very plentiful and tasted only like the breading which was spicy and blah. I would much rather have had Carabba's pile of yummy tenticles and rings of beautiful calamari. On to the entrees............. I ordered a salad mostly because I had just had almost a whole appetizer to myself and also because the descriptions just sounded plain good. I decided on the Chipotle Chile Roasted Chicken (salad). When our meals were served my boyfriend was in the restroom. I sat there thinking I should start eating his food before he returned because mine was such a sad salad compared to his bbq pork chop with spiced sweet potatoes and southern green beans. I resisted the urge to eat his food and just complained to him when he returned. I was prepared to return my salad and go to Chic-Fil-A on our way home. The positive thing I can say about Harpers is the service was very good. She immediately found out what was wrong and did her best to make it right. In case you didn't catch my complaint. MY SALAD WAS SAD. Although the chicken was substancial there was not very much else to it just mixed greens. No vibrant colors of tamatoes, cheese, onions, corn or anything. The server was undertanding and went to the kitchen returning with three bowls of color. I was then somewhat satisfied however I was still missing the crunchiness of the tortilla strips. Do chefs just not care about the art of a good salad? I am sure you want to know a little more about my boyfriend's food. It was good but not so good that we would return. The potatoes were a little oily, the green beans were ok but cooked to death and the pork chop was good but he could have done better at home. I would say if you want a good chef prepared meal go to Conrad's on Devine it is truly a devine place to dine. Harper's to me was only a notch above Applebees. Sorry Harper's but you gotta do better.
(2)Drew M.
Great location and friendly atmosphere. Cajun Spicy Calamari was good but a bit salty. Definitely hand breaded and it was a bit underdone. Could have been more crispy. 6 Cheese Penne Pasta is very rich and very good. More than enough for a 13yo boy. Brought some home for the next morning. Carolina Mountain Trout was great and the Collards Greens were sweet and spicy. Trout was perfectly cooked and the seasoning and topping added a lot of great flavor. Sesame Crusted Ahi Salad was prepared to perfection! This was definitely my wifes favorite of the two main dishes we had. Very well prepared and presented. This was a very enjoyable experience and we would recommend it as a nice place down at 5-Points. There are many places to go down here so we cannot say that we would miss the opportunity to try something else as opposed to comming back, but this was a nice restaurant.
(3)Trenton A.
I've eaten here for two years and I've enjoyed it every time I came in. The servers are very attentive (without being annoying) and the bar tenders are very knowledgeable about the beers, wines, and cocktails offered. The GM David Lance always stops by to check in and make sure everything is delicious (which it always is). I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a casual dinner with friends or a nice dinner with the family. Great food at a very reasonable price.
(5)Roy W.
Not sure how good the food is. We had a reservation for 13 and so far, it is 30 minutes past our reservation time and we are still waiting. The college girls running the front are overwhelmed. My suggestion, come at 5pm with no more than 2 people.
(1)Tiffany H.
Went here for lunch on a Saturday. .....if you have a time schedule don't come here. It seemed to be under staffed. We waited for 30 minutes just to get a hello from the server, it seemed as if he was working the patio area alone. The menu is small, but pretty simple to read. It is in the heart of Columbia and I hope to one day grab a bite to eat from this spot when I have more time.
(2)Brian A.
I've never been a huge fan of restaurants that serve food that I can make at home. Okay...so I'm a pretty good cook...but Harper's is just a good home-cookin style place, nothing I'd call gourmet...or having a "wow" factor. The food is good and the atmosphere is nice. It's a fun place to take a larger group of people and hang out for a while. Of course...you'll need to tip your server accordingly...but they won't mind. Nothing's gonna wow you here...but you'll feel comfortable and you won't make any of your group mad by going here. There's something for everyone. The prices are about average for an "adult" restaurant.
(3)John D.
I was there for lunch today. It's been about ten years since my last visit there. (I need to get out more-- LOL.) It was nice to be back in Five Points. Friendly folks, an attentive, young waiter, attractive --dare I say "classy"--surroundings, and tasty, fresh food. What's not too like? I went with the burger and cheddar cheese, with a nice good size salad. (I'm on an Atkins diet right now.) I was well-satisfied with the food and service. Finished with a nice, fresh-brewed tasting coffee. Glad I was able to come today. The restaurant was only about 40% full today at lunch. Saturday they'll be "slammed" as it's USC student move- in day. Total bill came to about $23 "all in" with a $4.00 tip. Pricey for lunch, but worth it in my book!
(4)Steven F.
Yes, they are open for Sunday Brunch. We ate there yesterday on the outside covered patio and had a most enjoyable time. The brunch menu featured omelets of which I had the cheesesteak, with great home fries and a biscuit, while my wife had the eggs benedict with spinach creation, along with cheese grits and a mini muffin. Everything was cooked perfectly and served in a timely manner. We will definitely go back
(4)Patrick M.
Stopped in on a Sunday around 2. A little busy and had to wait a it to get seated. Sat outside because it was a nice day. Have to deal with flies when you sit on the patio. The food was very good. We tried the BBQ tacos and the salmon burger. Nice presentation, good flavor. Friendly wait staff although they seemed a bit thin on staff for the crowd they had. We would eat there again.
(4)Danny G.
This is my favorite restaurant in Columbia! My family and I live about 30 minutes away and it is not easy to drive there for dinner, but Harper's is always, I repeat always worth it. We normally get the cajun calamari as an appetizer and they serve it with a nice, spicy cocktail sauce and tartar sauce. My wife had the pimento cheese encrusted filet mignon. It was grilled over a live hickory fire and cooked to perfection. She was not sure she was going to like it, but the server, Whitney, talked her into it and she loved it. I had the Canadian Salmon and got mine blackened. They took a cook temperature and nailed it. It had just a little pink inside. Just the way I like it! I got a very fresh and hot loaded baked potato. yummy! I recommend this restaurant over and over again to anyone I know going to Columbia.
(5)Justin R.
Food was OK nothing tasted poor or canned. For the caliber of restaurant and price did not exceed expectations. Staff was again pleasant but not as timely as desired with drinks or simple request.
(3)Laura L.
My first experience at Harper's was on Sunday. While the food wasn't terrible, I was completely dissatisfied with the service. We only waited for a few minutes before being seated, but after being shown to our table, we waited for what seemed like forever to have our drink orders taken or to even be acknowledged by the waitress. After our drink orders were taken, we waited another very lengthy period to have them delivered to our table and continued to wait before our order was taken. When we finally received our meal, the food was average but didn't compensate for the lack of service. Needless to say, I don't plan to go back.
(2)Steve S.
We've eaten here 4 times. The first several times we had a pleasant experience. Service was good, food was excellent and prices were reasonable. The last time we ate here things went downhill. There was a new menu, prices were jacked up, food quality was down, and the bartender didn't know how to make our first 4 (yes, 4) drink choices. I paid $20 for a chicken salad and baked sweet potato. The salad had what appeared to be cold, canned chicken. It was dry and awful. The prices are too steep for this horrible quality of food. Combine this with a sub-par bar staff and slow wait service on a slow night, and we we decided not to return again. You now pay too much for too little at Harper's.
(2)Jennie D.
Visited yesterday and arrived in time for their Brunch. We knew nothing about this place, all but for the Yelp and Trip Advisor reviews, so decided to try it. My friend ordered their Chicken and Waffles, and I their Traditional Eggs Benedict. My friend indicated that the 'savory' of the batter used to coat/fry the chicken, while delicious, did not lend itself well to an equally delicious, but very different waffle. More like two really great dishes combined, but not thought out enough to be blended well given their style of preparation. It was however, a monster sized portion, and my friend was very satisfied. My Benedict was good, but not bad and not great. The Hollandaise was thin; the thinnest, runny, little flavor if any Hollandaise I've ever had. I wasn't even certain there was any on the plate when it was initially served. Eggs were cooked appropriately, however Canadian bacon was paper thin. In comparing the generous portion my friend got, mine was skimpy, not that I required anything more when I was finished though. The one item that we both got with each of our plates were the hash browns. We were happy we 'swapped' the grits which were slated to come with mine and the bacon which would have come with the Chicken and Waffles, because as it turned out, these were very good. They were more like a hash brown casserole than fried hash browns - just really full of flavor and a nice, hearty addition. All in all, I felt that they were charging a bit more for Brunch entrees than their Brunch entrees were worth, mainly because of portion size and especially with mine, the lackluster presentation and flavor around the one thing that makes a Benedict and Benedict - the Hollandaise. I hope to try this place again, but I think upon our return to Columbia, we may explore other restaurants that the area has to offer according to happy Yelpers.
(2)Brandon L.
The waiter we had was mediocre. In a more expensive restaurant I expect slightly better service. We ordered an appetizer for the table and it was a very small portion. I ordered the filet mignon and the steak was perfect and made as ordered. The deserts were also delicious. Good experience.
(4)Jill B.
I'll start out by saying that the 2 stars given are because the beer I had (Thomas Creek Doublebock in a bottle was very good and we were seated, on a Friday night, without reservations, within 30 minutes. After that it went downhill. We had taken my mother-in-law out to dinner. Our waiter seemed to be hired for looks rather than ability. (I should give an extra star for the attractiveness of the young male wait staff - but that isn't what we came for. Had we - I'd give 5 stars) Some of us got water, some didn't. I ordered several beers from the menu - and the 4th time was a charm. They had none of the craft drafts I wanted, but the bottle was delicious. My niece ordered BBQ chicken with a side of grilled vegs. The vegs arrived but the server argued that she had never placed an order for food. They did bring her meal after we were through and didn't charge her for it. One member of our group had to ask for his 2nd beer 4 or 5 times before it arrived - and though they apologized they never really seemed to care. The menu changes seasonally. This was the 3rd time we'd been and each time there seems to be less choice. I think we will go elsewhere the next time we are in town.
(2)Sharon E.
Finding a place without a wait time around the USC campus is really hard.. Anyways walking down the streets one after the other we finally landed upon "THIS" place... Indoor seating was not available.. so to not wait long we thought we would take outdoor seating... Whew that was one bad decision leading to many other decisions made while we were there.. First there were flies on the table and when we told the waiter who looked like a college girl.. she just replied back in a ignorant manner this exact same line.. " The flies don't seem to bother me"... When we looked around there were lot of other people easting outside.. so we thought it might not be much of an issue.. :-( Sadly.. when our food came it was files all over the place.. we were practically waving our hands every few seconds... The food was ok.. Waiters in this place are college boys or girls.. They are real slow.. reason being they talk about their studies to each and every guest coming there instead of doing their actual job and making people wait.. May be 1 or 2 minutes is fine.. but come on you spent about 5 minutes just yapping on one table about changing your majors over the years... Anyways after we finished eating.. we cared less if the flies were on the plates.. My battery drained out otherwise I would have taken a picture of the flies and posted it over here.. Disgusting...
(1)Cait O.
The service here was excellent. We had a party of 25. We had a reservation and our table was waiting for us when we got there. As soon as we sat down there was someone grabbing us drinks; our drinks were always full; food came quickly; and the server even pretty successfully split the bill 25 ways without complaint. Being a server in the past, I was quite surprised at how smoothly our server was able to keep everything going during dinner. I had the ahi tuna salad. It was fantastic. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food as well. If I lived in the area I'd be back for more.
(5)Nicholas S.
It looks like the place caters to college students. The food was barely adequate and the service was poor. Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed.
(1)Chris B.
Nice craft beer selection.
(3)Howard K.
I have been going to Harpers for years. I gave it two stars because the service has only gone steadily downhill: from being able to count on great service almost all the time....to now having great service as the exception. Also, quite frankly, the food isn't that great. The one exception that has stayed great throughout the years is the pasta salad. The bottom line is that you pay way more at Harpers than the service or food is worth.
(2)Lindsey B.
Solid 4 stars in my book, one of my favorite places in all of Columbia. This place never misses, fabulous table service, excellent food and wonderful atmosphere -- make that 4.5 stars. I take out of town guests here since they won't be disappointed. All menu items are good, I like the new salad that is Mexican flare .. yummy !! Privacy is excellent here for a business discussion as well, and they don't rush you out. Bar is good. Parking is great. I have eaten there for many years.
(4)Kel B.
Went with my boyfriend here over the weekend. It was just plain bad..... We went on Sunday, so the crowd was mostly families with lots of kids/crying babies, pretty annoying, but not the restaurant's fault. But the other complaints I have are. The waitress seemed like a cokehead, twitching and making weird faces???, and had no idea what was going on. We were surprised when we somehow ended up with what we ordered, but the food SUCKED. I got the spud and caesar salad combo and my boyfriend got beef brisket with macaroni and cheese and asparagus. My potato was cold, cheese not melted, bacon was old and inedible. And the salad was just a little lettuce drowned in dressing. For ten bucks... The saddest part of the meal was my boyfriend's dish. The beef brisket was awful, overcooked and cold and the asparagus was obviously reheated. The mac and cheese was just plain terrible. It came in a ramekin that I guess they cooked by itself. It wasn't cooked all the way through or they used the wrong kind of cheese because it was just like a cheese soup with macaroni noodles floating in it. Not tasty! Fifteen bucks... I don't recommend this place at ALL! (Oh, but the view from the porch is really nice!)
(1)Gwonk B.
This restaurant is expensive, but the food is pretty good. I'd say it's a little more consistent than California Dreaming and the service is a little better. I wish the bathrooms were cleaner, though. The burgers are good and cooked well, but the flourless chocolate cake and ice cream is great for people who are going gluten-free. They even have a separate menu for the wheatless! This is a solid restaurant. EDIT: The owner personally messaged me to tell me that the bathrooms are scheduled for updating. The service alone is top notch; the food is even better! This is one of my favorite places in Columbia!
(5)Josh M.
Price is skyhigh for the location and food quality at dinner. Applebees quality, twice the price. Service was great, may come back.
(3)Daniel D.
Me and my colleague were in Columbia on business and Yelp directed us to Five Points for food and drink. We chose Harper's based on their ample outdoor seating, seeing as it was 70 and sunny. We had an incredibly friendly server named Ashlyn who was very accommodating and actually had some insight when asked the question "what do you recommend?" We got some brisket, puled pork, and hush puppies and all were phenomenal! I definitely recommend this place to people just passing through Columbia with the intention of getting a little southern comfort and some great barbecue! Did I mention that they have great local craft beers?
(5)Robert S.
I hadn't been to Harper's in a few years. We dined there for lunch on Sunday and were both impressed. The food was excellent and the service was outstanding.
(4)Fannie Mae C.
On Saturdays, after I get up and have a nice long walk, I like to go out for a nice mid-day excursion. One of my favorite destinations is Harpers. You see, it has outdoor seating. I have never been much for indoor restaurants. Honestly, I have never actually been inside a restaurant - and I do not think I am missing much. Al fresco! That's the only way to dine, and Harpers fits the bill. Their outdoor seating area is mostly covered and there are ceiling fans that provide me with a nice breeze. The tables are fairly spread out so I can really stretch my legs and get comfortable. This place also does wonders for one's self-image. Whenever I go there people go out of their way to tell me how attractive I am, and some even run their fingers through my hair. I always go there with my housemates Brian and Cara. Cara orders all kinds of things off their menu and is always pleased. Brian, however, always gets the chicken tenders platter. When asked why, he invariably responds "because it is fricken' awesome!"
(5)Holly T.
Good, healthful southern food has always seemed an oxymoron to me. I even try to loose 5 pounds before a trip to the south because I just understand that's the style of cooking. Our waiter, Roger, was patiently pleasant throughout my Portland-ish quiz of how fresh is the fish and how far away was the pig raised. (No, I didn't ask to visit the farm but the thought crossed my mind!) I gambled on the Ahi salad and was surprised by both flavor and presentation. I did ask for more wasabi as the tuna did not have quite the flavor I anticipated, but was definitely fresh. The spicy noodles that accompanied the salad were cooled and lightened by the addition of chopped cucumbers and other vegetables. And the wine list, oh my goodness such choices! Had too much of a Ravenswood zin :) Would definitely come here again.
(4)Amanda F.
Food was ok - waitress seemed a little out of it. Went on a Sunday for brunch - she brought our coffee but no spoon to stir sugar or cream in with. Asked for straws and she never brought them. Ordered the Spicy Cajun Omelet which was filling and delicous! Also got the pimento mac and cheese but it wasn't as creamy as I would have liked though. It was a little on the dry side and it is very HEAVY - should have just ordered this alone and it would have been enough. We sat outside on the patio and it was perfect - got to do a little people watching and enjoy the Southern weather!
(3)Mike M.
We always enjoy the food and service at Harpers. This time they went above and beyond the norm. When our meal was mistakenly delayed over 30 minutes they gave us a complimentary dinner - not just the entrée, but three dinners, drinks and dessert. Thank you so much, Harpers!
(5)Kate L.
Great food, but slightly over priced considering the location. Their pimento cheeseburger is on point, and I also love the 6 cheese penne pasta with bacon and sausage. Try to sit outside on the patio if you can get a table.
(3)Blake I.
This was a pleasant surprise in a town with few good vegetarian options. My order was a salad, the "Roasted Autumn Vegetables" which were mostly root vegetables, and a side of Asparagus. The vegetables were nicely seasoned and cooked appropriately. Be sure to ask what vegetables are "safe" as some of their sides are cooked in animal fat.
(4)Abby R.
Walking in we were very pleased with the look and feel of the place. The welcoming staff greeted us at the door with big southern smiles. The place was clean and has a relaxed atmosphere. We were seated and 10 minutes later a passing waitress asked if we had ordered drinks, she took our drink ordered and returned quickly with them. The place was not busy at all it was Tuesday late afternoon crowd. About 5 minutes later our waiter greeted us and took our order. We both ordered steaks my filet mignon well done with a bit of pink and my husband ordered a filet well done no pink at all. Well another person brought out our steaks and left. My steak was ok but by no means a filet mignon. It was not tasty or tender.When my husband cut his steak blood poured out all over the plate and his mash potatoes were swimming in blood. Could not get anyone's attention. When we brought it to our waiters attention he acted like we ordered it that way and asked, would you like it cooked a bit more? I was so annoyed and told him well he ordered it well done so please cook it well done. He left us with no apologies at all for messing up the order! After waiting for just about 7 minutes another person returns with the steak this time is cooked well done but burned on the outside. We ate enough to satisfy the hunger and left. I do believe our waiter was the problem here because others seem very happy to be at work that day and I noticed other tables were getting lots of attention from their waiters/waitress. However my review goes to bad service and over priced food. Do not order steaks at a hamburger joint, that's my take. Will not return!
(2)Harry G.
Don't know how it was but the place was half full @ 2pm on a Saturday, there was 9 of us and the hostess could not figure out how to put three tables together. 45 minutes latter I left, lots of other good choices, skip this place.
(1)Rick R.
Dinner was ok, the steak my wife ordered was overlooked and an expedite took 20 mins. Manager took care of the steak, but the expedite was horrible.
(2)Katie R.
Harper's was the first place I ever ate in Columbia! It has my favorite sweet tea of all the different restaurants in the city. The food is pretty good typical American food. Harper's is a typically recommended restaurant for anyone coming in from out of town and is one of the most frequently visited during Parents' Weekend!
(4)April W.
Sadly, this place was highly recommended by the hotel concierge...BOO N**** BOO!! First off, our server had no clue about the menu (she couldn't even recommend a favorite dish)! Secondly, the bread was some disgusting cheese-covered, honey-drenched wheat concoction...*barf* Third, well, let's just say anything else I say might alarm the public health authority... Do NOT believe the hype on this place!!
(2)Annedrea D.
Yesterday the boy and I decided to venture out for a date night. We so conveniently ended up at Harpers, where we had a groupon for. At first we were very skeptical due to other reviews by other yelpers, but we just took the reviews in stride we could either love or hate the place, RIGHT? Well myself I was ready to hate this place. I couldn't the atmosphere was great, our waitress was even greater, and the chef was a really cool guy. We had no waiting time with no reservations. Good Stuff! My tropical mojito was like drinking the Caribbean. This drink is great please order this. Now here is the snafu, I ordered the CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA, and low and behold there was absolutely no chicken in my pasta. Where they do that at? Well before I even got a chance to complain one of the chefs came out and asked if I was missing something? UH DUH the CHICKEN IN MY CHICKEN PASTA. He quickly took my food brought it back and must have given me two orders of CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA. So my service was great. Now to the boy's food. He ordered a Lemonade, he enjoyed... refills are not free (poppycock I know) Along with the Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Garlic Mashers. He liked his meal. I didn't like his meal only his garlic mashers. He's very picky so if he liked it this left me content! We will most definitely take another trip here.
(4)Jason R.
How this place is still open baffles me. Great location. Old decor. Uninspired menu and bland tasteless food.
(2)Westwood D.
Three meat eaters at our table and three meat eaters who did not get their beef cooked the way they ordered it. My steak burger tasted pretty good, but it was well done when I ordered medium. One at our table ordered steak with asparagus... he received precisely three pieces of asparagus and was a little disappointed. I had to take away the remaining stars I would have given this place when we discovered the waitress did not give us any change less than a dollar. She just rounded each of our bills up to the next dollar and took about .50 from each of us which should have been returned to us in our change. We all would have just given her the change with our tips anyway, but that is rude. With all the other places around to pick from, I will not be going back.
(1)Clara S.
I've lived in Columbia for the past 7 years. I really think that Harper's is an excellent restaurant. It's a little more pricey than I can afford on a day-to-day. But it definitely a place where I take friends and family who come into town. I've always found the wait staff to be knowledgable, and friendly if you have a problem with your dinner. My dad usually gets steak, and it has always been delicious. My favorite is the 3 dip appetizer with extra Pimento Cheese Dip. And the Veggie burger is delicious. They have a good selection of beers on tap and a good variety to the menu. Most of the entrees are around $13-17, with sandwiches a bit less. Definitely worth it.
(4)Ne'Cole V.
One of my fave places to eat...the spinach dip is awesome! Love the von yogi, salmon cobb salad and parm chicken...service is always great!
(5)Candace K.
On our journey to see whether or not we could live in Columbia my hubby and I decided to check out the famed five-points area of downtown and we decided to do a late dinner at Harper's. The atmosphere is relaxing, not too fancy but with the dim lighting and gas lamps it was definitely pleasant. Our server couldn't have been nicer, and she suggested the feature wine, a malbec and it was great! Hubby had a steak that was tougher than nails, pretty disgusting that they have taken your plate already and you are still chewing for a few minutes after! I had the veggie plate with rice and beans and it was just what I wanted, good flavor to the veggies and the beans and rice were very flavor full. For dessert I wanted key-lime pie and the hubby got a brownie sundae his was awesome, mine lacked the bite that I love to savor from a key-lime pie. It was just altogether too sweet, tasted like powdered sugar more than anything else, and i didn't finish it which is a bad sign. Over all a meh place, nothing spectacular, good ambiance, don't get steak or key-lime pie.
(2)Darby O.
Love the setting inside the restaurant, not pretentious but very classy and I am very picky about lighting when it comes to restaurants. The lighting is perfect here. Food considering we are in America would be a 4 star. Because I have travelled so much and been to some amazing restaurants they seem to not be in the good old USA. But speaking for our homeland and little area of Columbia this rates at 4 star. It is always a great place to take out of town guests or just hop in when downtown you can always find something someone likes and is prepared well. Never left with an unhappy experience here which says a lot. Both food, customer service and ambiance rate at a consistent level of a very good restaurant.
(4)Tom K.
Great food and service. I've been away for a while but everything is as good as I remember it.
(5)Tricia M.
Scrumptious pimento cheese dip. Beautiful Spinach dip. Great soups and salads. Great location, beautiful restaurant. Every time I go home to Columbia I visit. See you in December Harpers! Note: Since my review, pimento cheese apps have been removed from their menu! Thankfully I asked and they accomodated.
(5)Jordan S.
Are we reviewing the same restaurant? I think this place is great. A beautiful restaurant located in the heart of 5 points. The smell of the brick oven will overtake you as you enter the dining room. An outdoor seating area offers a decent view of the foot (and vehicle) traffic roaming through the area. It doesn't matter what you try; all of the food is great. It is a bit more upscale than the average place, nice casual clothing is appropriate.
(4)Greg T.
SUV-driving suburbanites will feel completely at home at this greasy American place. Nothing remarkable here.
(2)Kim G.
Great food! I had a really good salad last night and the service was great. Harpers is a great place to consider having a wedding reception.
(5)Sherry C.
This is my second visit here in the last few weeks. I've never been overly impressed here. The service is extremely slow...... Go ahead and order your next drink when your drink arrives. If not you'll be waiting quite a while. The food is pretty good. The staff is always confused on who ordered what. Also the food is slow to come out. I had Prime Rib, but after I sliced into it, I realized I needed to switch plates with someone else. We were given the wrong plates. For the price of the meal, I expect better service.
(3)Eric W.
Went here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. I always forget Harper's exists, even though it's in the heart of Five Points. Sad to say, that it won't be easy to forget again. The service was slow, and it was well after the "lunch rush" so there was really no reason for it. Ordered guac and pimento appetizer. Neither were the best I've had, and both were overly spicy (personal taste). Next up was the grilled ribeye. The marinate it in a "Hawaiian marinade" which tastes like just pineapple juice. It really just didn't go well. The cook on the steak was fine, but the marinade didn't mash well with the steak and overshadowed the highly touted "wood fired grill" flavor. (Harper's advertises on their menu that everything is cooked over natural wood fired grill.) It will likely be several years before I go back, same as before. Not because it's terrible, just average food that's overpriced.
(2)Sean B.
The good: 1. The chicken fingers. 2. The brisket tacos. The ok: 1. The draft beer options. A bit limited, but could be worse. 2. The service. Friendly, but slow. They might have been overwhelmed by our big group though.
(3)Rae H.
I very rarely write a negative review. I have been a patron of Harpers for years and I feel that their service has continually declined. My recent trip was unpleasant. While the waiter in training was excellent, actually, the waitress training him was not. She got several orders at the table incorrect, and also messed up our bills. While I normally overlook issues such as this, I feel that because it is a repeat incidence here it is worth noting. The food is decent. For the price, though, I would suggest going somewhere else to get an equivalent meal.
(3)Jane D.
I'm going to go up a star from my last review. The food is better tasting, the menu varied, the staff a little more attentive and the place a little cleaner, except for the patio. I don't recommend the mimosas.
(3)Mike M.
Love their burgers and fries. The chocolate cake was nice too. Great service plus they gave me a free coffee and desert when they found out I was a veteran! Not sure why but I was pleased. Nice decor plus parking wasn't a problem. Nice place to go in 5 points area.
(4)Tristan S.
Came here with friends from work for one purpose - BBQ! We were certainly not dissappointed! They had their weekly BBQ special available - brisket and ribs and pulled pork. Simply amazingly good BBQ, and with that wonderful Carolina mustard based sauce... Sides of collards and baked beans and hushpuppies were similarly delicious. The portions were not large, though very satisfying. And, I considered a second order - it's that good! Very nice service, friendly. This place was recommended by a local friend, and I certainly agree - it's great for BBQ!
(4)Anne S.
Average meal. Nothing spectacular. Would have liked for the food to have been worth talking about. Ate on a Saturday for lunch.
(3)Bethanie A.
Everything was well made. Carolina Mountain Trout was great and the collars greens were well-seasoned. My friend had the prime rib. Very tasty. Overall nice dining experience.
(4)Grace M.
Today I requested to sit at the bar at least 3 times. I think the dark haired hostess is hard of hearing since she sat us at a booth. This is AFTER she said that there would be a wait (which is why I requested the bar area). She sat us ahead of a family that had been waiting - RUDE! But only to accommodate my boyfriend. Which I find unacceptable. If I'm waiting patiently with my family, I don't think I would be too pleased to be passed over for a two top. I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to be rude, but felt bad for the family waiting. I also ordered their chicken and waffles... Their waffles were so hard. I don't recommend getting them. The steak and cheese omelette my boyfriend had on the other hand, wasn't too bad. I actually wish I ordered the omelette, and know next time that I should stick with my gut. Their hashbrowns are also a great side item and I highly recommend them (especially with some Tabasco sauce). The waitress was rude and literally threw the check on the table. I've never tipped less than 20% until today. I'm a firm believer in tipping more than 20% having been a server myself, but she only received 15%. I still feel bad, but she was quite rude.
(2)Joel W.
Nice looking restaurant. Comfy seats and tables, seperate bar area and an outdoor patio. Property had its own parking lot, which is good as Five Points can get packed sometimes. Menu is diverse but on a theme. Lots of salads, sandwiches and some nice entrees (the steak and fries is fabulous). Service is a little hit and miss, but that's true everywhere. I'd recommend this place for a nice, casual meal.
(4)Rick H.
Food was just OK. Service was terrible. The girl said it was her first night which is fine, but she didn't appear to have anyone training her and she was clueless. She didn't know the menu at all. Again, I understand it was her first night, but someone should have been with her training her. My wife and I will not be back.
(2)Lisa B.
I know it's been a while since I wrote a review but I have been busy and I'm keeping track of where I have been. If you are in Five Points, SC. GO HERE!!! Great place, wonderful staff and atmosphere. I had a steak, I'm not a huge steak fan but i wanted one and it was amazing. Cooked perfect and it melted in my mouth. The sides were incredible as well and we had an amazing time in a few nice atmosphere. From entering the door to leaving I knew I was going to be back.
(5)Isis R.
Went this past weekend for the first and the food was delish. The ceasar salad was fresh and huge. The 4 cheese pasta was also very good. Service was on point and very attentative!
(4)Jason M.
One of my favorite parts of visiting my grandmother in SC is being able to take her to Harper's. I love this restaurant so much, and so does she. The food is delicious, and the ambiance is sophisticated but yet, not stuffy. You cannot beat that. I highly recommend any of their steaks. Their salmon is awesome too. Lastly, their mac n cheese is to die for. Harper's also boasts a very high quality wine selection, however small. Although I live all the way in NYC, coming back to Harper's in Columbia, SC is always a great pleasure that I look forward to every few times each year. You cannot go wrong at Harper's!
(4)Carson S.
This was my first visit to Harper's, and I will not be returning. We decided to try their Brunch menu, and also ordered bloody mary's. The bloody mary's were the best thing that Harper's had to offer. The Hollandaise of the eggs Benedict lacked flavor, so much so that it went unnoticed on the plate. Razor thin Canadian bacon did not bode well with the shortcomings of the hollandaise. Their hash browns were actually a casserole, not what we expected when ordering hash browns. Besides the food, the service was below average. A member of our party expressed his severe allergy to onions, quite clearly to our server, yet onions were still in the omelette. Upon speaking with the manager, the situation was not handled properly. The interaction seemed forced. That's not to say that the manager was rude, because he wasn't. However, the situation was handled poorly he didn't even offer to comp our meal, and it seemed like handling the situation was left up to us. I do not recommend this style of service industry management. The one star is for the Bloody Mary.
(1)Janie S.
Harper's wait staff are well schooled on the entire menu and can answer questions about any dish. I am especially pleased how accommodating the restaurant is to altering menu items to suit preferences. For example, I request certain greens on my salads, no croutons or bacon but adding extra cucumber. Every time my meal is delivered fresh and just as I wanted.
(5)Joel R.
The food is good, the staff seem to be in great moods. The building was kept clean and parking was OK. Our server Evan was AWESOME! Prices are average not to pricey or cheap so not a great "deal" but overall left satisfied. I will take my family there again.
(4)Laurie C.
I love the salads at Harper's. They are always very fresh and crunchy and delicious. I have also had the chicken tenders and steak. Both were very good and freshly made. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable. A great place for a family dinner!
(4)