We went to Blue Marlin for my birthday dinner. I made reservations on Open Table and when we arrived the hostess was rude to us and looked us up and down and then seated us right by the bathroom when there was clearly many other tables available. The waitress had an attitude with us right off the bat, she rolled her eyes when we asked for water to start. We decided to leave right away as we did not want to spend a our money or time at a place that had such poor service and attitude. I was very bummed, as this restaurant had been recommended by a friend for my birthday.
Elvis D.
Classificação do local: 5 Fort Mill, SC
First time here. I had the shrimp and grits. It was real good but I have had better. The service was excellent. The waiter was great. Was a five minute wait to get seated. Not to bad. If we have the chance to return to Columbia we will stop by again.
Samantha T.
Classificação do local: 4 Columbia, SC
Good atmosphere, I love coming. Service is always spectacular! We had a ribeye dinner and a salmon with shrimp and scallops – this time the food was barely seasoned, the steak was very dry and the sauce on the salmon was too thin. Usually I get shrimp and grits and it’s almost always da bomb! Was a bit disappointed with yesterday’s meal, but I’d still go back! Just suggest more seasoning on the food.
Shane B.
Classificação do local: 5 Columbia, SC
We have been to Blue Marlin a number of times and it never disappoints. Do yourself a favor and get the shrimp and grits. It’s their signature dish and they knock it out of the park. We have never had any issues with service there although sometimes there is a wait, usually on weekends. The Blue Marlin is definitely at or near the top of the best restaurants in Columbia.
Sherri M.
Classificação do local: 5 Austin, TX
My son just graduated from basic training at Ft. Jackson and we were looking for a few good restaurants. And we found a Great one!!! From the staff to the manager we were taken excellent care of. The food was outstanding! We had a sampler platter and Calamari to start they were both AWESOME!!! The pimento cheese was the bomb! We all got different meals I had the gumbo and it was as good as any I have had in NOLA and a BLT salad it was awesome! Everyone at my table was very happy with their food. The shrimp and grits were a hit with my brother and son and my sister loved her shrimp creole. All in all it was an Awesome experience!
Sean B.
Classificação do local: 4 Columbia, SC
Good dishes. Upscale environment. I’d recommend a reservation for weekends or special events. I really enjoy the Firecracker Shrimp and the Crab Cakes.
Adriana A.
Classificação do local: 4 San Diego, CA
I was mostly impressed with Blue Marlin. The service was decent, even during restaurant week(though we had to ask twice for bread). The sender selection was good. And the seafood was wonderfully fresh. Yes, I’ll be back when I’m back in South Carolina. I had three dishes: the pecan greens salad, the trout with white wine sauce sweet potato mash and spinach, and the key lime pie. The salad was good, though I wish I had gotten more pecans. The dressing was light and lovely though nothing out of the common way. My trout was nice, flaky, and wonderfully cooked. The butter based sauce was surprisingly light and flavorful. The fish and sauce were complimented by the selection of sides. The bitterness of the spinach and sweetness of the sweet potato mash were both complimented by the sauce. And even though my dish was decadent, it was extraordinarily tasty and satisfying without making me feel like a I had a brick in my stomach. The key lime pie read too sweet for me. It walks would have been better without the of gel like sour green apple sauce. The graham cracker crust was my favorite part of the dessert. But how can you go wrong with graham crackers? Still I loved my food and so did everyone else on my group, from the ravioli to the fried seafood platter to the she crab soup(only females because they taste better… I’m confused). If you want seafood, told if a great place to go.
Cory W.
Classificação do local: 5 Augusta, GA
The food here was great. I went during restaurant week so I ordered the 3 course meal that was part of this event. For starters, I chose the petite shrimp and grits, which were amazing. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and the grits had alot of flavor. For my entrée, I went with the salmon, which was topped with shrimp and scallops and green beans and grit cakes as sides. It was very tasty, and cooked really well. For dessert, I chose the crème brûlée cheesecake, which was absolutely phenomenal. I would almost go back just for the cheesecake. I also was able to taste their firecracker shrimp(was really spicy, but great flavor) and the fondue dip which was great. As far as service, it was great. We were seated immediately upon entering the restaurant and our waitress came to take our drink orders quickly. Our orders were all correct and appetizers and main dishes were brought out in a timely manner. I will definitely be visiting again.
Catherine C.
Classificação do local: 5 Fairfax, VA
Came here for lunch today with my boyfriend and his family. I am from washington DC and this little town is so cute. My boyfriends parents say they have been here a couple time and this is the place to go! And i totally agree! I started off with the she crab soup and O.M.G the best crab soup I have ever had. It was rich and creamy and so much grab inside. For the entrees me and my boyfriend ordered blue marlin award winning shrimp&grits and the blue marlin pasta and I got to say everything was amazing! Our server was very nice and attentive. The food portions were big. I would love to come back here if I am ever back in town! Being from the north everyone in the south are such a sweetheart!
Chris S.
Classificação do local: 3 Columbia, SC
Cooking seafood requires a little bit of skill and a certain level of knowledge. The chefs at Blue Marlin consistently do it well. Not over-seasoned or over-cooked, I give their seafood dishes(that I’ve had: Shrimp and Grits/Salmon/Crab Cakes/Scallops/Firecracker Shrimp) high marks for quality and taste. Seafood dishes = 4 stars! But I recently ordered a steak, NY Strip and crab cake to be exact. It was awful. I’m not entirely convinced it was the fault of the chef necessarily — it was the quality of the meat that was in serious question. I eat good beef steaks regularly, and I know what a good steak looks and tastes like. The quality of the meat was disturbingly bad — the largest tendon I have ever seen in my life went from one side of the steak to the other. And it had so much gristle I couldn’t cut it properly. It was so bad I didn’t eat it, sent it back, and ordered another crab cake(delicious) instead. Steaks = 1 star. The service is always great, complete with smiles and care! Staff = 5 stars! Be sure to try the Southern Cavier. Trust me.
John V.
Classificação do local: 5 Kingsburg, CA
My group and I were on a business trip from California and this place was recommend to us by one of our company coworkers. I ordered the filet Monon top with crab and shrimp, It was delicious! One of my group ordered the seafood platter and she was impressed. Made my stay in Columbia more enjoyable.
Lauren H.
Classificação do local: 4 Columbia, SC
I’ve lived in Cola for more than a minute now. Blue Marlin has been a staple down here for a long time. This is a place that is typically one of my go to’s when I am entertaining clients or I have friends of mine that come into town. It’s also good if you need a date night too. The food is always consistently good, the atmosphere is upscale and professional, the establishment itself is clean, and it has a really good ambiance about it. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and in the summertime or on a good sunny day, the outdoor seating area is my jam. If you come here, and it’s your first time, try the shrimp and grits. Very very good. Today I got Shrimp Creole. It was very good… flavorful, just the right level of spice, definitely worth a try. The collards y’all…we got those as an appetizer, which I didn’t know you could do, but I would suggest that you give those a try as well. Wow. The only down side to my review today is the dessert. I had the crème brûlée cheesecake. It just didn’t hit the happy place for me. Blue Marlin I wouldn’t say is known for their desserts, but you don’t go there for that. Let’s be real, it’s the seafood, pimento cheese, shrimp and grits and collards that are the real reasons. Delicious. Try it. Blue Marlin is a place you will be happy with.
RJ A.
Classificação do local: 4 Columbia, SC
Whenever my family is in town I always take them here. It’s a good southern style establishment with awesome seafood and steak. The shrimp and grits are to die for. A go to appetizer is the sampler. The shrimp is delicious and one of my favorites. The bread they provide is a good start to your meal. I’ve heard that they will provide collard greens for free if you ask. The desserts are a great way to top off your meal.
Shelley C.
Classificação do local: 5 Pinehurst, NC
This is without a doubt our go-to restaurant when visiting our college girl. We’ve been countless times over the past 4 months. Service is always fantastic and the food is always delivered in a timely manner. This is simply the kind of place you clean your plate at! The seafood is always so fresh & perfectly cooked. Appetizers are all good! Think we’ve tried every single one of them. The last visit we made a reservation online using Open Table. Couldn’t get in till 8:30 pm on a Friday night. Got to town early so figured we’d just wait it out… Arrived at 7:30, hostesses were so friendly and accommodating and we were seated right away. Best restaurant in town, hands down!
Danielle P.
Classificação do local: 3 San Antonio, TX
Traveling and was told I had to come here. Specifically told to have the shrimp and grits. I was satisfied, but not the best shrimp and grits. Good just not the best. Also, I had the gumbo. It too was okay, but nothing special. Service and atmosphere was nice.
Antwon C.
Classificação do local: 4 Columbia, SC
I celebrated my birthday here. Was a good choice. The service was good and the food was even better. For starters we got the crab and spinach fondue. It had plenty of crab meat in it. Would definitely recommend it for an appetizer. For my entrée, I ordered the Charleston crab cakes which came with a side of mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans. The crab cakes were tasty. The sweet onion remoulade and corn salsa complimented them well. Overall good dining experience
Robert G.
Classificação do local: 5 Vilseck, Germany
The food and drinks were just wonderful. The pineapple vodka and the Gin drinks we had were just so very good and reasonably priced. I would recommend anything with fish in the dish. It was so well prepared.
Katie F.
Classificação do local: 3 Elmhurst, IL
Shrimp and Grits — WAAAAAYYY too much food! Holy cow! Delicious but a very large serving. Steak — Not cooked very well. It was mediocre at best. It also included mashed potatoes. A very generous serving of mashed potatoes. Swordfish — Was actually pretty decent. It was actually a little bit ummm dry? Idk there wasn’t much flavor to it. There was a pleasant helping of fall veggies with it and I liked that there wasn’t a ton of potatoes.
Charlene M.
Classificação do local: 5 San Diego, CA
First off, I used the Unilocal App to find this place. I’m from Florida and was traveling with my husband on a business trip. Let me just say I was NOT disappointed! I had the she-crab soup and fried green tomatoes as appetizers. Both were VERY yummy. The crust on the tomatoes were seasoned perfectly! Both were also VERY filling but I’m greedy and just HAD to try the shrimp and grits. When I say CREAMY… oh my gawd. the grits were super creamy! I love a good bowl of grits. I would have liked a bit more gravy with the shrimp and sausage medley but it was good nonetheless. Of course I needed a doggy bag because I was full from the appetizers(yeah I’m greedy) but I left my to go bag because I was buzzing from all of the pineapple mimosas I drank! Yesss hunty, those drinks were on point and«snuck» up on me! I can leave off the friendly and attentive service! My waitress(I’m sorry I can’t remember her name because I was slightly buzzed) was just genuinely nice! So I’d definitely dine here again without hesitation!
A A.
Classificação do local: 4 Atlanta, GA
I really wanted to love this place due to the reviews. I was disappointed. I went for dinner and started with appetizers. The she crab soup was very good. Nothing over the top. The fried green tomatoes were very greasy and topped with the thousand-island-like dressing it just was not worth eating. Now for the shrimp and grits… it was very good as well. The grits were perfect. Shrimp perfect seasoning perfect. I guess this is the reason people come here.
Yann B.
Classificação do local: 2 New York, États-Unis
Des fois on se demande si on peut manger quelque chose dans cette région qui est pas : — épicé, — plongé dans de l’huile — Pané Estomacs fragiles s’abstenir !