Stanford Grill

We ordered a large to-go order for dinner and were pretty pleased by the food. The rattlesnake pasta was very rich for my taste and I could only have a little bit. The salads were really fresh. We finished our meal with the bread pudding which was solid however not my favorite... I much prefer Food Market's. We probably we won't be back as we don't live nearby however this is a solid restaurant and one I'd probably prefer to dine in at. Ambiance is very nice!

It's crazy I haven't updated Stanford Grill's review in all these years since I must have come back here dozens of times since the first review and enjoyed every one of them. This location has always been nice and clean and cozy during my visits and my food always comes out hot and prepared as described by the very friendly and attentive team at Stanford Grill. They used to do a delicious lobster Thermidor and butternut squash spaghetti I haven't seen on the menu in a while but I still love the chicken pot pie, rattlesnake pasta, & while I'm not inclined to order grilled salmon or rotisserie chicken out at restaurants often, theirs are always well executed. The star of the show here is the signature bread pudding dessert. I can't think of a bread pudding i've enjoyed more than theirs and with the grey goose peartini cocktail to accompany dessert, makes the perfect nightcap.

This place was better than it had any right to be.

First, the decor is really lovely inside. It has a kind of woodsy homey feeling from the outside, but inside it was candlelight, fireplace, and dark wood. Very dark in general, actually, but in a good way... in a cozy way.

Second, the menu on the outside looks very uninspiring. And I don't mean 'bad,' I just mean it looks like every other menu you've seen. Nothing too extra, nothing too basic. Just... mid.

Third, don't let that fool you! What they do, they do VERY well! I was very surprised by the effort and energy put into each dish. Maybe it wasn't earth-shattering in innovation, but what that lacked, they more than made up for in effort and attention to detail!

I ended up ordering their daily soup and the steak salad (not my usual, but it's what I was feeling). First, the soup. It was red beans & rice, which I normally don't classify as 'soup,' but I guess it really is a kind of stew, especially how you prepare it. This one... fantastic. Very thick, but still soupy, with chunks of smoked meat, perfectly cooked beans, and other standards. It was so so soothing and cozy.

The salad was no less fulfilling. It had perfectly cooked steak slices, a nice dressing, fresh veggies, and just a wonderful composition overall. For a supposedly simple meal of soup-and-salad, this more than surprised me with both complexity and comfort.

We had a large party (around 10) there for a birthday celebration, so we brought in dessert. I think they were okay with that? They helped with providing plates and silverware and such, so I think it was okay. But, the point is, with a large party, they still took great care of us, regarding overall service, refills, orders, special dietary issues, and so on.

So, yeah, I would say definitely a surprise and well worth the trip! It's very tucked away behind a hotel and off the main road, but it's definitely worth seeking out if you're looking for a good dining spot in Columbia. I would come back here again, either for a large party gathering, or even a nice cozy date night.

Great food. Great service. Great atmosphere. And my rating rule of thumb cleanliness.

Always a great experience and great food. I generally sit in the bar area. Wonderful atmosphere with music most nights.

Food and ambience are always excellent as are the entire staff!!
I have been a patron of this restaurant for many years and never had any negative things to say!! Will continue to come here and recommend and bring friends and family! Thank you for the ability to comment

I've visited several times and food and service are always great. Definitely make a reservation unless you just want to sit at the bar.

I love the ambiance here. The vibe was very chill when I went with music playing, the wait wasn't bad either. They only thing about the service that was off-putting was that the waitress disappeared mid service and never came back. We ended up with two gentlemen waiters who waited on us the remainder of our time there. I would recommend the catch of the day, I substituted for spinach as a side which was good. I would also recommend the calamari it was seasoned really well & crispy.

Always
Loved standfords brunches , after pandemic hasn't been the same
Bar is great
Will always enjoyed sitting there

Great food, wonderful atmosphere. Worth the travel time. I recommend the ribs and the cornbread.