Puckett's Restaurant — Restaurant in Columbia

This restaurant is located on the square looking out at the courthouse and has an ice cream shop just inside its doors (luckily behind its own door if you don't want your kids to notice it).

We went on Memorial Day and had a large party, so we expected a wait, which I think totalled about 20min. We were able to push our baby's stroller up to the table. They also allow leashed dogs on the front patio.

At first I wasn't sure about this place - they have no infant changing table in the men's room, and my dad's fish was pathetically small. He actually joked that he should've ordered off the kid's menu, because the kids had great portions. Even my big eater almost 10yr old was happy. But the fish - my husband said they must've needed a tape measurer to make sure it wasn't too small to throw back.

I looked up what "cowboy caviar" was and Google said it was beans, corn, and onion, so I ordered a salad plate that was topped with it. You should be aware they make theirs with a very generous portion of fresh cut jalapenos. I can't eat jalapenos because of my severe congenital reflux and IBS. When the waitress came by to ask how the food was, I just said that I hadn't realized the cowboy caviar was made with jalapeno (I had an obvious stack of chopped jalapeno I was picking out). No questions asked, she immediately offered to get me a new salad. She was attentive and sweet, despite the crowd. Excellent service.

My oldest daughter said they ruined chicken sandwiches for her, because she's never had one she loved as much as the Nashville hot (the waitress did warn her it was very spicy, but my daughter doesn't have my stomach issues and loves spicy food). It was a big sandwich and she was able to take some home. My husband got the meat plate and also had leftovers. I even had leftover salad.

When the bill came, my dad asked if they had a veteran discount. The waitress said they did, and because it was Memorial Day (which was a coincidence), they offered him a great discount.

Overall, an excellent experience. Just be aware that their fish is a diet plate.

ETA: we went back the week after Christmas, and I have to take off a star for the atrocious service. We didn't mind waiting to be seated, but after we were seated it took a full hour to receive our food, during which time our drinks were refilled only once.

It would've been different if this were dinner rush with just me and my husband, but this was lunch and the restaurant was not full. We had my diabetic grandparents in their 80s with us along with our 4 kids, including a baby. By the time we actually got our food my grandmother was about out of energy to eat it - she actually boxed her food and went home for a nap - and the baby was extremely fussy from being stuck in a high chair so long.

If it's going to be leisurely dining that should be stated, and consideration should always be given for the very elderly and...

I've eaten at the downtown Franklin location countless times and this was our second visit to the downtown Columbia location. The first time was awesome, but this time will probably be our last trip to the Columbia location.

We went on Good Friday after the lunch rush at around 1pm. It started off well, but went downhill from there. We were immediately seated. Our server took a few minutes to get to us, which was no issue because the restaurant was still finishing the lunch rush. Once he came to get our drink orders, we went ahead and put in our lunch order, including appetizer. The fried pimento cheese balls were excellent - as in, if I had a deep fryer or Fry Daddy at home I'd weigh 600 pounds from eating them all the time. That is when things went downhill.

After we finished our appetizers, we waited in inordinate amount of time for our lunch entrees - Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich with fries and pulled pork sandwich - which weren't difficult orders. Our server came to us and apologized that he had forgotten to enter the entrée orders when he put in the appetizer. He stated he was paying for our lunch, but we said we understand how things happen & not to worry about it. At that point, you'd think he would be somewhat attentive & not continue bad service. When our meals came out, my wife's pulled pork was lukewarm at best. My chicken was pretty darn good. It wasn't "Nashville Hot" by any means, but it was really good chicken.

When our server finally came back to check on us, we decided we wanted dessert and ordered the pan-fried pound cake. DO NOT ORDER THIS DESSERT. It took forever to arrive and tasted freezer burnt and then pan fried. It came with some kind of strange compote that was allegedly berries. We thought it was supposed to have ice cream on it, but it arrived without it. After we had eaten a couple of bites, the ice cream arrived in a bowl. Uh, okay. We tried to like it. We really did, but only ate maybe a third of it. If you're thinking about it, just save your money and go next door for ice cream or a shake for dessert.

Fifty bucks for a mediocre meal, inedible dessert, and horrible service. But at least the appetizer...

Initial review 2018:

Hillary is always on top of it at the bar for the best happy hour specials in town!

Updated 5/11/2025:

As a loyal patron for the past decade, I've witnessed the evolution of Puckett's in Columbia. Seven years ago, I raved about their happy hour - excellent drink specials on wine and beer, delicious food deals, and an atmosphere that perfectly capped off the workweek for my wife and me.

Unfortunately, my recent experiences suggest a concerning shift. This past Friday, I visited twice - once for lunch and later for happy hour.

Lunch was pleasant - our small group of three essentially had the dining area to ourselves. The food and service were excellent, though surprisingly slow given how few customers were present.

Happy hour, however, was disappointing. The robust specials that once drew crowds have disappeared - no food deals, no beer specials (except Puckett's Brew), and wine specials limited to Puckett's label only. While our bartender provided the same great service we've come to expect, the once-bustling bar sat nearly empty until some 20-30 minutes later.

The price increases are particularly difficult to justify. When I'm paying Nashville prices in Columbia, it raises questions, especially with excellent alternatives nearby like Southern Tre, McCreary's, Whiskey Alley, and Taps Off Main - all thriving on Friday afternoons.

I genuinely hope management reconsiders their current approach. The Columbia location has been a favorite spot for my wife and me for years, but without the value and atmosphere that once made it special, it's becoming increasingly difficult to choose Puckett's over its competitors.

Thank you for a decade of memories. I'm hopeful you'll return to the formula that made your Columbia location so successful...