Poor quality food when we went, it just did not live up to the hype we had heard about online. Sad, but at least now we know. The service was great tho, hence why they get 2 stars :)
Crystal Woodberry
We stopped in to eat around 12pm on a Sunday, and there was already a line to the door when we walked in. It took a while to order our food, but once we got to the register, it was easy and beneficial to order at the counter (vs the self serve kiosk that seemed to be down). We waited almost 20min for our ticket to be called/to pick up our food, but we didn’t mind the wait.My daughter got the chicken leg kids meal with fries, an extra leg, and a soft drink. She said her food was really good, and it must’ve been, because she did not share any!I ordered the pork chop dinner with fried okra, candied yams, and yellow rice & gravy. Oh yeah, I also had cornbread. Overall, the food was pretty good. The pork chop had a good taste to it despite the light color (I expected it to be fried harder/darker), the okra were good, and the yams were my favorite. The cornbread wasn’t brown enough for me, but it was good enough for me to want another piece.We’d definitely go back!
S. RIBEIRO
Out with the fam running errands and the time slipped away from us. A party of five settling on one place is an errand in and of it self. After much debate soul-food was the final consensus.The place we picked was closed… so the NY’er visiting had to find a back-up for the relatives that live here… Go Figure.Esther’s came up and as I browsed the reviews I was left a bit skeptical. We drove over and I ran in to grab a menu. The gentlemen at the front counter didn’t seem pleased that I asked for a menu and directed me to the display above or the QR code by the door. I scanned an went back to the car for final decisions.One thing that seems to be accurate in all reviews is the wait time. You definitely have to pack your patience. This was not that big of a deal because the reviews gave me fair warning. Plus we had a large order of 5 different dinner plates.Our menu choices for the night was:1. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Yams, and Potato Salad.2. Fried Chicken with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.3. Fried Pork Chop with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.4. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and rice with gravy5. Kids chicken tender with Mac & Cheese.Unanimously the cornbread that accompanied the plates was enjoyed by all. I had the fried whiting with yams, mac & cheese and potato salad. The fish was cooked perfectly with a nice fried texture on the outside and flaky on the inside. It was seasoned well also. I really enjoyed the yams but the potato salad was a hard pass for me. It was simultaneously sweet and bland. Definitely not for me. I thought the Mac & cheese was salty but the other 4 family members said it was peppery.Now for the other orders…Fried chicken was on point, it was crispy yet juicy and well seasoned. The dressing was ok. The cabbage was to mushy very much over cooked and both the fried pork chop and rice with gravy was underwhelming.Overall my family’s thoughts were mixed just liked the reviews I read that made me skeptical. For my family that resides in Columbia they are not too pressed on returning. For me I would give them another try, knowing what not to pick would be key though.Just A Note:They do an all you can eat buffet on Mondays, I am unclear if any other day is included.
Crystal W.
We stopped in to eat around 12pm on a Sunday, and there was already a line to the door when we walked in. It took a while to order our food, but once we got to the register, it was easy and beneficial to order at the counter (vs the self serve kiosk that seemed to be down). We waited almost 20min for our ticket to be called/to pick up our food, but we didn't mind the wait. My daughter got the chicken leg kids meal with fries, an extra leg, and a soft drink. She said her food was really good, and it must've been, because she did not share any!I ordered the pork chop dinner with fried okra, candied yams, and yellow rice & gravy. Oh yeah, I also had cornbread. Overall, the food was pretty good. The pork chop had a good taste to it despite the light color (I expected it to be fried harder/darker), the okra were good, and the yams were my favorite. The cornbread wasn't brown enough for me, but it was good enough for me to want another piece. We'd definitely go back!
D L.
The wait was a little long this night but I will say it was worth it. We had the whiting, pork chops, mac n cheese, collards and yams. All were great. Cant wait to come back and tey other dishes. Would have taken a pic of the food but it was too late...stomach couldn't wait.
Shoshana R.
Out with the fam running errands and the time slipped away from us. A party of five settling on one place is an errand in and of it self. After much debate soul-food was the final consensus. The place we picked was closed... so the NY'er visiting had to find a back-up for the relatives that live here... Go Figure. Esther's came up and as I browsed the reviews I was left a bit skeptical. We drove over and I ran in to grab a menu. The gentlemen at the front counter didn't seem pleased that I asked for a menu and directed me to the display above or the QR code by the door. I scanned an went back to the car for final decisions. One thing that seems to be accurate in all reviews is the wait time. You definitely have to pack your patience. This was not that big of a deal because the reviews gave me fair warning. Plus we had a large order of 5 different dinner plates. Our menu choices for the night was:1. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Yams, and Potato Salad.2. Fried Chicken with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.3. Fried Pork Chop with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.4. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and rice with gravy 5. Kids chicken tender with Mac & Cheese.Unanimously the cornbread that accompanied the plates was enjoyed by all. I had the fried whiting with yams, mac & cheese and potato salad. The fish was cooked perfectly with a nice fried texture on the outside and flaky on the inside. It was seasoned well also. I really enjoyed the yams but the potato salad was a hard pass for me. It was simultaneously sweet and bland. Definitely not for me. I thought the Mac & cheese was salty but the other 4 family members said it was peppery. Now for the other orders...Fried chicken was on point, it was crispy yet juicy and well seasoned. The dressing was ok. The cabbage was to mushy very much over cooked and both the fried pork chop and rice with gravy was underwhelming.Overall my family's thoughts were mixed just liked the reviews I read that made me skeptical. For my family that resides in Columbia they are not too pressed on returning. For me I would give them another try, knowing what not to pick would be key though. Just A Note: They do an all you can eat buffet on Mondays, I am unclear if any other day is included.
Tamara M.
The food here is amazing, we had the lunch buffet which consisted of biscuits n gravy, grits, liver pudding (which I do t eat but listen I tasted it by mistake and wow super good) eggs, fried chicken, collard greens, diced potatoes, pancakes, sausage n waffles. Now the band playing was absolutely wonderful singer Karterra graced us with her beautiful voice. The only thing I have to gripe about is them keeping the buffet full, it takes them too long to keep choices filled.
Cass Is Real
Read previous reviews so I expected a longer wait... it was about 12-15 minutes. Cons: the bathrooms were not clean. They left the cornbread orders out of our bag. We were dining in so were able to pick them up at the counter. The cornbread was nasty to me... tasted like cake mix with cornmeal added (not jiffy but cake). The mac and cheese wasn't the best.. The noodles were cooked too long and it needed more milk or cream. Pros: The ambiance is very nice. I loved the aesthetic. The collard greens, candied yams, and fried okra were excellent. The smothered pork chops and meatloaf were really good. We ended up taking most of the food home to devour.
T Jones
The customer service is amazing! Those young men were very mannerable and pleasant. I would come back for them alone! One seemed to be in training but the young lady made sure to assist him when needed. I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in the food. I visited this place because of the FB Columbia Eats group and overall, it was just okay. I got the wing dinner that came with 2 sides. Wings were fried perfectly! I got Mac and cheese, okra, and fries as sides with cornbread. I didn't really care for the seasoning on the Mac, the okra were good but I didn't have enough (LOL), my fries were old and I had to get new ones. The cornbread tasted a day old but I know it would delicious when fresh. My friend had the pork chop dinner. He didn't care for the cornbread dressing. He also had yellow rice and gravy, and collards. He didn't eat all his food so I'm not sure if he enjoyed it. I would come back and try again though!
L. Miles
Update: July 2022 back in Columbia and this is my MUST have. Pic with 2 dinners together- pork chops and wings (whole). Everything, I mean everything, was amazing again! Yams, greens, Mac n cheese……. Baby——Whew! Quick pick up, less than 4 minutes!! My hubby and I truly enjoy our food every time!Cooked to order but well worth the wait. Fried rib tips! Whole fried wings with good seasoning! Everything has flavor. Mac n Cheese, greens, rice. I put my cornbread in my greens cause I’m from Atlanta!! But the cornbread was like cake! Super happy we walked into this place!!! Really really good soul food! Like grandma Mattie!
Oh my gosh ! Can you say impressed !The cleanest place I’ve been in by far in Columbia SC . I am from this city and I have worked in over 15 restaurants in my life and I have never had great customer service, cleanliness, and magnificent food with awesome flavors as a combo ! This place is a must go ! Located in Sandhills towne center with beautiful art displayed as well ! Thanks for the awesome experience !
Lashandal “Candie” Brown
Wait time…..45 minutes and longer. I ordered baked chicken, greens, mac’n cheese and sweet potatoes. The sides were good but my chicken was not baked it was fresh out tha air fryer. For this I will not be back. Y’all enjoy! Oh I ate the skin just to understand what I ordered was really not what I ordered.
156rhondae
My family of 5 eats here as often as we can. We have traveled from another city on a few occasions just to eat lunch or dinner here. Most of our experience has been with ordering online and that has always been seamless. The food is amazing! The portions are generous. I’ve never been able to eat it all in one sitting. Even my mother, who is very picky about restaurants, loves Esther’s Soul Food Kitchen. In fact we’re ordering from there today, for Mother’s Day. I know it’s going to be great!
C. P.
Good for those days you just don't want to do all that work. Long wait (30-35 mins). Wish I would've tried the desserts because they looked good.
Xena Harper-Hill
We’ve eaten at Esther’s several times and the food is consistently delicious. And if there’s a problem with your order they handle it professionally. If you enjoy eating Soul Food you should definitely check them out.
Poor quality food when we went, it just did not live up to the hype we had heard about online. Sad, but at least now we know. The service was great tho, hence why they get 2 stars :)
We stopped in to eat around 12pm on a Sunday, and there was already a line to the door when we walked in. It took a while to order our food, but once we got to the register, it was easy and beneficial to order at the counter (vs the self serve kiosk that seemed to be down). We waited almost 20min for our ticket to be called/to pick up our food, but we didn’t mind the wait.My daughter got the chicken leg kids meal with fries, an extra leg, and a soft drink. She said her food was really good, and it must’ve been, because she did not share any!I ordered the pork chop dinner with fried okra, candied yams, and yellow rice & gravy. Oh yeah, I also had cornbread. Overall, the food was pretty good. The pork chop had a good taste to it despite the light color (I expected it to be fried harder/darker), the okra were good, and the yams were my favorite. The cornbread wasn’t brown enough for me, but it was good enough for me to want another piece.We’d definitely go back!
Out with the fam running errands and the time slipped away from us. A party of five settling on one place is an errand in and of it self. After much debate soul-food was the final consensus.The place we picked was closed… so the NY’er visiting had to find a back-up for the relatives that live here… Go Figure.Esther’s came up and as I browsed the reviews I was left a bit skeptical. We drove over and I ran in to grab a menu. The gentlemen at the front counter didn’t seem pleased that I asked for a menu and directed me to the display above or the QR code by the door. I scanned an went back to the car for final decisions.One thing that seems to be accurate in all reviews is the wait time. You definitely have to pack your patience. This was not that big of a deal because the reviews gave me fair warning. Plus we had a large order of 5 different dinner plates.Our menu choices for the night was:1. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Yams, and Potato Salad.2. Fried Chicken with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.3. Fried Pork Chop with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.4. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and rice with gravy5. Kids chicken tender with Mac & Cheese.Unanimously the cornbread that accompanied the plates was enjoyed by all. I had the fried whiting with yams, mac & cheese and potato salad. The fish was cooked perfectly with a nice fried texture on the outside and flaky on the inside. It was seasoned well also. I really enjoyed the yams but the potato salad was a hard pass for me. It was simultaneously sweet and bland. Definitely not for me. I thought the Mac & cheese was salty but the other 4 family members said it was peppery.Now for the other orders…Fried chicken was on point, it was crispy yet juicy and well seasoned. The dressing was ok. The cabbage was to mushy very much over cooked and both the fried pork chop and rice with gravy was underwhelming.Overall my family’s thoughts were mixed just liked the reviews I read that made me skeptical. For my family that resides in Columbia they are not too pressed on returning. For me I would give them another try, knowing what not to pick would be key though.Just A Note:They do an all you can eat buffet on Mondays, I am unclear if any other day is included.
We stopped in to eat around 12pm on a Sunday, and there was already a line to the door when we walked in. It took a while to order our food, but once we got to the register, it was easy and beneficial to order at the counter (vs the self serve kiosk that seemed to be down). We waited almost 20min for our ticket to be called/to pick up our food, but we didn't mind the wait. My daughter got the chicken leg kids meal with fries, an extra leg, and a soft drink. She said her food was really good, and it must've been, because she did not share any!I ordered the pork chop dinner with fried okra, candied yams, and yellow rice & gravy. Oh yeah, I also had cornbread. Overall, the food was pretty good. The pork chop had a good taste to it despite the light color (I expected it to be fried harder/darker), the okra were good, and the yams were my favorite. The cornbread wasn't brown enough for me, but it was good enough for me to want another piece. We'd definitely go back!
The wait was a little long this night but I will say it was worth it. We had the whiting, pork chops, mac n cheese, collards and yams. All were great. Cant wait to come back and tey other dishes. Would have taken a pic of the food but it was too late...stomach couldn't wait.
Out with the fam running errands and the time slipped away from us. A party of five settling on one place is an errand in and of it self. After much debate soul-food was the final consensus. The place we picked was closed... so the NY'er visiting had to find a back-up for the relatives that live here... Go Figure. Esther's came up and as I browsed the reviews I was left a bit skeptical. We drove over and I ran in to grab a menu. The gentlemen at the front counter didn't seem pleased that I asked for a menu and directed me to the display above or the QR code by the door. I scanned an went back to the car for final decisions. One thing that seems to be accurate in all reviews is the wait time. You definitely have to pack your patience. This was not that big of a deal because the reviews gave me fair warning. Plus we had a large order of 5 different dinner plates. Our menu choices for the night was:1. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Yams, and Potato Salad.2. Fried Chicken with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.3. Fried Pork Chop with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and dressing with gravy.4. Fried Whiting with Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, and rice with gravy 5. Kids chicken tender with Mac & Cheese.Unanimously the cornbread that accompanied the plates was enjoyed by all. I had the fried whiting with yams, mac & cheese and potato salad. The fish was cooked perfectly with a nice fried texture on the outside and flaky on the inside. It was seasoned well also. I really enjoyed the yams but the potato salad was a hard pass for me. It was simultaneously sweet and bland. Definitely not for me. I thought the Mac & cheese was salty but the other 4 family members said it was peppery. Now for the other orders...Fried chicken was on point, it was crispy yet juicy and well seasoned. The dressing was ok. The cabbage was to mushy very much over cooked and both the fried pork chop and rice with gravy was underwhelming.Overall my family's thoughts were mixed just liked the reviews I read that made me skeptical. For my family that resides in Columbia they are not too pressed on returning. For me I would give them another try, knowing what not to pick would be key though. Just A Note: They do an all you can eat buffet on Mondays, I am unclear if any other day is included.
The food here is amazing, we had the lunch buffet which consisted of biscuits n gravy, grits, liver pudding (which I do t eat but listen I tasted it by mistake and wow super good) eggs, fried chicken, collard greens, diced potatoes, pancakes, sausage n waffles. Now the band playing was absolutely wonderful singer Karterra graced us with her beautiful voice. The only thing I have to gripe about is them keeping the buffet full, it takes them too long to keep choices filled.
Read previous reviews so I expected a longer wait... it was about 12-15 minutes. Cons: the bathrooms were not clean. They left the cornbread orders out of our bag. We were dining in so were able to pick them up at the counter. The cornbread was nasty to me... tasted like cake mix with cornmeal added (not jiffy but cake). The mac and cheese wasn't the best.. The noodles were cooked too long and it needed more milk or cream. Pros: The ambiance is very nice. I loved the aesthetic. The collard greens, candied yams, and fried okra were excellent. The smothered pork chops and meatloaf were really good. We ended up taking most of the food home to devour.
The customer service is amazing! Those young men were very mannerable and pleasant. I would come back for them alone! One seemed to be in training but the young lady made sure to assist him when needed. I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in the food. I visited this place because of the FB Columbia Eats group and overall, it was just okay. I got the wing dinner that came with 2 sides. Wings were fried perfectly! I got Mac and cheese, okra, and fries as sides with cornbread. I didn't really care for the seasoning on the Mac, the okra were good but I didn't have enough (LOL), my fries were old and I had to get new ones. The cornbread tasted a day old but I know it would delicious when fresh. My friend had the pork chop dinner. He didn't care for the cornbread dressing. He also had yellow rice and gravy, and collards. He didn't eat all his food so I'm not sure if he enjoyed it. I would come back and try again though!
Update: July 2022 back in Columbia and this is my MUST have. Pic with 2 dinners together- pork chops and wings (whole). Everything, I mean everything, was amazing again! Yams, greens, Mac n cheese……. Baby——Whew! Quick pick up, less than 4 minutes!! My hubby and I truly enjoy our food every time!Cooked to order but well worth the wait. Fried rib tips! Whole fried wings with good seasoning! Everything has flavor. Mac n Cheese, greens, rice. I put my cornbread in my greens cause I’m from Atlanta!! But the cornbread was like cake! Super happy we walked into this place!!! Really really good soul food! Like grandma Mattie!
Restaurantji Recommends
Oh my gosh ! Can you say impressed !The cleanest place I’ve been in by far in Columbia SC . I am from this city and I have worked in over 15 restaurants in my life and I have never had great customer service, cleanliness, and magnificent food with awesome flavors as a combo ! This place is a must go ! Located in Sandhills towne center with beautiful art displayed as well ! Thanks for the awesome experience !
Wait time…..45 minutes and longer. I ordered baked chicken, greens, mac’n cheese and sweet potatoes. The sides were good but my chicken was not baked it was fresh out tha air fryer. For this I will not be back. Y’all enjoy! Oh I ate the skin just to understand what I ordered was really not what I ordered.
My family of 5 eats here as often as we can. We have traveled from another city on a few occasions just to eat lunch or dinner here. Most of our experience has been with ordering online and that has always been seamless. The food is amazing! The portions are generous. I’ve never been able to eat it all in one sitting. Even my mother, who is very picky about restaurants, loves Esther’s Soul Food Kitchen. In fact we’re ordering from there today, for Mother’s Day. I know it’s going to be great!
Good for those days you just don't want to do all that work. Long wait (30-35 mins). Wish I would've tried the desserts because they looked good.
We’ve eaten at Esther’s several times and the food is consistently delicious. And if there’s a problem with your order they handle it professionally. If you enjoy eating Soul Food you should definitely check them out.