College students are back in Columbia. Here’s where to drink without them
Young, college women march up Blossom Street decked out in coordinated outfits. Signs direct parents to parking garages for move-in day. The Garners Ferry Target is slowly becoming almost unbearably busy.
Yes, Columbia, the students are back.
The majority of the more than 43,000 students, across Columbia’s five major higher education institutions, will move in and start their classes this week or next. With them come the usual complaints: more traffic and more crowded coffee shops, bars and restaurants.
But, let’s be honest, it’s not all bad. Students invigorate Columbia. The city’s restaurants and bars are noticeably emptier and less busy when they’re gone. They bring new ideas and young energy to the area and I think that’s a good thing, even if it means having to sit at the intersection of Assembly and Blossom a little longer than I’d like.
All that said, if you’re hoping to avoid college students this fall, we’ve compiled a list of some good places to get a drink where they’re least likely to be present. There’s the obvious caveat that we can’t stop students from going to certain places, but these are the bars that are more aimed at a non-college crowd.
Five Points: Goat’s or Bar None
Five Points, the nightlife district that’s a longtime favorite of the area’s college kids, is more known for its catering to college students, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t great options in the neighborhood for those of us with car payments or 401ks.
Goat’s, a cozy craft cocktail and wine bar along Devine Street in the heart of Five Points, is sandwiched between an acai bowl place and a chain chicken shop. Somewhat nondescript from the outside, where patrons smoke cigarettes outside the front door, the bar’s warm, dim lighting and homey booths make it appealing to a laidback crowd that don’t necessarily want black-tie fancy, but don’t want grimy dive either. Goat’s feels elevated, with wine, beer and craft cocktail offerings, without being pretentious. While there’s no dancing, there is dessert — a handful of cakes and pies — alongside a full food menu.
Bar None, a Columbia institution for some three decades, is one of those bars that feels familiar even if it’s your first time. With walls covered in assorted Columbia memorabilia and white ceiling tiles adorned with quirky paintings, the dive is the perfect place for a post-work beer with coworkers or a late-night stop at the end of a long night. For years, it was one of the few bars open past 2 a.m. in Columbia, until owners changed the hours last year after being unable to obtain liquor liability insurance.
Rosewood: Fox Field Neighborhood Bar and Grille and Hunter-Gatherer at the Hangar
Fox Field, a Rosewood neighborhood haunt, is perfectly laidback. The covered outdoor seating area is nearly, if not, bigger than the actual indoor bar area and is popular among an older crowd. If you like live music and cheap beer, Fox Field is the place for you. Even better, it’s open late and only closed Sundays.
Go for the brews, stay for the pizza, at Hunter-Gatherer. Or maybe the other way around, depending on who you ask. Either way, as the city’s oldest locally owned brewery, Hunter-Gatherer is a great option for laidback drinking with friends or family. Its large, airy space, in an old airport hangar, makes it popular with families with younger children. With over a dozen beers on tap to choose from and an impressive selection of artisan pizzas, you can’t go wrong with this Rosewood spot.
Main Street: The Woody on Main and Hendrix
Not every bar we offer can be a laidback dive or a welcoming outdoor patio for sipping brews. Adults in Columbia deserve a space to dance and party hard. The Woody on Main, a dance bar on Columbia’s Main Street, offers a space for getting sweaty on the dance floor. Aside from dancing, the bar also regularly hosts live music and drag shows during its weekend brunch hours. It sits underneath Hendrix, an upscale cocktail bar with a rooftop view of Columbia.
West Columbia/Cayce: WECO Bottle & Biergarten and Steel Hands Brewing
With both a covered patio and a large, open yard, there’s plenty of room to spread out at WECO and enjoy a drink. There’s a drink option for everyone — from an array of brews on tap with a reliable stock of local options to the mass of fridge filled with ciders, IPAs, NA beers and CBD seltzers. Bring some charcuterie from home and pick out a bottle of wine and you’ve got a great first date idea. Or enjoy the food truck on tap that day over beers with coworkers. The West Columbia biergarten is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
If country music is your scene, Steel Hands might just be for you. The brewery’s flagship location in Cayce regularly hosts live music, including a currently ongoing series featuring Nashville songwriters, as well as football watch parties. They’ve got plenty of pours to pick from, including my favorite, the Coffee Lager. A good option if you want something a little fancier? Try the brewery’s distillery and bar in the Vista which opened late last year.
Reporter Chris Trainor contributed to this story.
This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
