Here's the beef: Five places to get steak in Columbia
You just closed a big account.
It's your birthday.
It's too hot/messy/complicated to fire up the grill.
You want steak.
Well, Columbia, here are five pretty good local choices for meaty Mondays, or any other beefy day of the week. No chains attached:
The Kingsman. One of the original steakhouses in the Columbia area, this haven for meat lovers has been in business since 1972. Timing is everything here as there's usually a line out the door so come early or late or stand and wait (it's worth it). The specialty of the house is the Kingsman ribeye — 10-ounces for $18.99 or 14-ounces for $23.99 — that comes with salad, Texas toast and a side item of your choice. Should you want something lighter, there are options: chicken, salmon, burgers and salads. Ask about the daily specials. 936 Axtell Drive, Cayce, (803) 796-8622, kingsmanrestaurant.com or Kingsman Que and Brew, 924 E Main St., Lexington, (803) 957-0863, kingsmanoflexington.com
Motor Supply Co. Bistro. There's always one steak item on the dinner menu that Chef Wes Fulmer changes every day. Recently spotlighted was the Certified Angus Brand, or CAB, coulotte steak (a boneless cut from the cap of top sirloin, the most tender cut of steak) with Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, creamy baby spinach, and classic demi glace (fancy for THE most delicious flourless meat gravy, made by reducing brown beef stock), $29. 920 Gervais St., (803) 256-6687, motorsupplycobistro.com
Terra. Chef Mike Davis' over-the-top blue cheese butter melting atop a sizzling 12-ounce Angus ribeye makes our mouth water just thinking about it. Add pomme frites (a fancy way of saying delicious, crispy, house-made french fries) and a green salad and we. are. so. there. 100 StateSt., (803) 791-3443, terrasc.com
Tallulah. Chef Russell Jones once tried to take steak off the menu at Tallulah. That didn't last long. Now there's Monday steak night when you can get a three course steak dinner featuring soup or salad, NY strip steak and dessert for $35. Or order the 10-ounce CAB NY strip for $31, or the 12-ounce Brasstown ribeye (100-percent grass fed beef from N.C.) for $42. Both come with roasted fingerling potatoes, City Roots mushrooms and green peppercorn jus. The steak menu changes depending on whether there's a delivery from Watson Farm in Chester, S.C. When the farm delivers half of a cow, Jones and his crew break it down into tenderloin, strips, and other cuts, and grind the rest for burgers. 2400 Devine St., (803) 400-2300, tallulahsc.com
Mr. Bunky's. Surprised? You shouldn't be. The general store/antique shop/restaurant has a meat market that hand-trims each steak to size. Although you won't find as wide of a selection of cuts as the other restaurants mentioned, the ribeye or sirloin should suffice. Steaks come with salad and your choice of baked potato, sweet potato or fries, and each steak is cooked over an open flame. If you're extra hungry, or just want a huge slice of beef, order the Bodacious Beef Platter — a 32-ounce sirloin with your choice of sides for $24.95. 10441 Garners Ferry Road, Eastover, (803) 783-3501
Still to come:
Hall's Chophouse will be taking over — and doubling — the 4,500-square-foot space occupied by The Oak Table at the corner of Main and Gervais. This Charleston-based outfit specializes in steaks (although there's seafood on the menu). Expect a "normal" selection of cuts and then more — 36-ounce wet-aged Porterhouse, 34-ounce Tomahawk ribeye, prime rib, and Wagyu beef priced by the ounce. Opening Oct. 15, 2018 hallschophouse.com
Capital Prime is Kristian Niemi's high-end steak and seafood concept being built in the Brookland Development in West Columbia. Expect great attention to detail on the food and cocktail menu from Niemi, who started Mr. Friendly's, Gervais & Vine and Bourbon, among others — and great views of Columbia and the Gervais Street Bridge. No opening date yet.
This story was originally published May 18, 2018 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Here's the beef: Five places to get steak in Columbia."