The Hollow — Restaurant in Columbia

I'll start by saying, I was very happy to see a new restaurant come to Columbia. Waited for this restaurant to open since early February, told many friends and family members about it. We have our regular restaurants that we frequent, but look forward to new experiences in the city.

I came with a friend and we were greeted by a seemingly bored hostess/manager (blonde). We were walked around by the windows to the kitchen before being sat, seeing that this is an open kitchen. Our server was a nice gentleman, and after a while we ordered the duck fat fries, duck wings, doppio pasta, wanderer's duo, The Bear drink, and a Lavender Lemon Fizz.

It was hard getting a hold of our server after that. Staff seem stretched very thin.

The food LOOKED good, but we were extremely let down. The duck fat fries were basically inedible. No, it's not because we can't handle spice. That's specifically WHY we wanted them. There was no real flavor, just fries and heat for the sake of it, no layering in seasoning. Stopped eating them because we wanted to taste (or so we thought) the rest of the food. The duck wings' skin was really gummy, why fry wings just to wet them up so much and ruin the texture? Wing sauce should compliment the wing, not overpower/change it. Or maybe it was because we saw the wings sitting for a while through the window before everything started coming out. The doppio pasta was okay, nothing special. The butternut squash side tasted good, but my friend did not like the sage ricotta half. The Bear drink tasted off, not balanced as a drink at all. It tasted very sharp with a small hint of cranberry for color. My friend got the Lavender Lemon Fizz and the egg white was....odd to them. They said the drink was good, up until it fell off in taste towards the end of the sip. The egg white gave each sip an unpleasant texture in their mouth, tasted weird with lemon. The absolute WORST part of this meal was the wanderer's duo. Complete rip off at $26 for two bowls of soup with dry, flavorless puff pastry on top. The vegetable soup bowl had a weird greyish color and no taste. The rabbit soup bowl actually tasted pretty good, but as I finally thought I was enjoying something from this pricey meal, I nearly swallowed some HERB STEMS left in the soup.

I mean, seriously? Being a new restaurant gives you no excuse to not have basic 101 cooking/drink mixing techniques down, especially at the prices being charged. You KNEW this business would be busy upon opening due to being new, and should've known what you were getting into. That's an entirely different set of problems if you weren't prepared. Why are you cooking/mixing drinks if you don't know what you're doing? We didn't even want to try the desserts at that point, just ready to leave and not waste any more money. No idea what they taste like, not interested in finding out.

I will absolutely be advising my family and other friends against dining here. You are paying for the gimmick of the forest-to-table concept. Food and drinks should not only look good, but taste good at a restaurant....which is the whole point? This place is an overpriced attempted-clone of Hampton Street Vineyard (with slight changes to technically be different), with the visual appeal of a Riverbanks Zoo walk-through exhibit. Both of which are much better experiences than...

This place needs time…and work.

We had a 7:30 reservation on a Friday however our table wasn’t ready (that’s fine, it’s Friday night). We didn’t wait too long, maybe 5-10 minutes.

We got seated but our server took quite awhile to come by, probably 10 minutes after seating.

Drinks were ordered and then we waited to order our appetizers (another decent wait for the server to return). The service was very slow from here on out. It seemed like our server was over stretched so I’m not going to ding them in this situation.

The food:

They don’t serve bread but instead a small salad. Dressing was fine but it was just some greens and nothing else. Odd choice, I think I’d rather start with nothing. Plenty of fine dining restaurants around Columbia don’t serve bread.

We ordered the deviled duck egg flight and the wild game tasting board. The eggs were fine - don’t need to order them again (we didn’t have any sort of expectations for this dish as it was unique). The tasting board was pretty good however they have a picture on their Instagram of this dish and in reality it comes with about half the food vs what’s pictured, the sausages included were tasty, the lamb (not sure if this was salami or some other cured meat) was extremely greasy (such is life with lamb at times) - I personally liked this but the rest of the party disagreed.

The entree: spicy fried pheasant - good crisp on this dish but pheasant is fairly flavorless to begin with, it needs something more. I don’t think there was a sauce with this but it was flavorless. The squash hash was equally flavorless. NC Rainbow trout - flavorless, even with the sauce and came with a ton of flavorless veggies. This was a massive dish as well, way too much food for one. Ravioli - no complaint here. Probably the best thing on the menu. Wander’s duo - two large bowls of stew. We found this inedible with massive chunks/whole potatoes. Puff pastry was fine, I guess but didn’t make up for the poor stew.

Duck fat fries: this was executed well except they put this habanero dust on the fries. We love spicy but it was waaaaaay too much.

We walked in at 7:30 and didn’t leave until after 9:30.

I don’t know what’s up with this place but they’ve got to figure out their menu. There’s just way too much going on with each dish in terms of the sides and the basics are getting overlooked. Wild game isn’t easy. It seems like all the right ideas are in place but the execution falls flat. It pains me to write this review because Columbia so desperately needs a good wild game style restaurant. If you expect people to pay the prices you charge, give them a reason to come back.

I’ll try again in a couple months but for now I would warn people to...

Hollow Columbia: A Culinary Experience That Captivates the Soul

Every so often, a dining experience transcends the ordinary and leaves an indelible mark on your memory. My recent visit to The Hollow in Columbia, South Carolina was precisely that kind of magical encounter.

From the moment you step through the door, The Hollow envelops you in its warm, inviting atmosphere. The thoughtful interior design strikes a perfect balance between rustic charm and modern elegance, with soft lighting that creates an intimate ambiance perfect for any occasion.

The menu at The Hollow is a love letter to Southern cuisine, reimagined with creative flair and executed with precision. Each dish tells a story of local ingredients transformed by skilled hands into something truly extraordinary. The seasonal offerings showcase the bounty of South Carolina, with farm-to-table ingredients that burst with freshness and flavor.

My server demonstrated remarkable knowledge, guiding me through the menu with genuine enthusiasm and helpful recommendations. This level of attentive service continued throughout the meal - present when needed yet never intrusive.

The cocktail program deserves special mention - innovative creations that complement the food perfectly while standing strong on their own merit. Their commitment to locally sourced spirits and house-made ingredients is evident in every sip.

What truly sets The Hollow apart is their attention to detail. Every element of the experience feels thoughtfully considered, from the handcrafted plateware to the carefully curated music that enhances rather than overwhelms conversation.

The Hollow has managed to create something rare in today's dining landscape - an experience that feeds not just the body but also the soul. It's a place that reminds us why we gather around tables to break bread together, to connect, to celebrate life's moments both big and small.

For anyone seeking a memorable dining experience in Columbia, The Hollow isn't just recommended - it's essential. This hidden gem has secured a permanent place in my heart, and I find myself already planning my return...