The Toasty Hot Spot — Restaurant in Columbia

If you’ve ever wondered what happiness tastes like at 10 a.m. on a holiday Friday, let me save you the trouble – it tastes precisely like The Toasty Hot Spot in Columbia, SC.

Nestled in the heart of Five Points, The Toasty Hot Spot isn’t your average brunch joint with questionable coffee and soggy toast. Nope.

The moment you walk in, you’re greeted by warm smiles and the undeniable smell of breakfast heaven. The decor is playful but grounded – rustic wooden tables meet bold, bright art that says, “Wake up. You’re here to eat.”

Let’s talk about food, which is the only reason you’re reading this, and why my belt is crying out for help right now. I ordered their Shrimp & Grits, a dish that in lesser hands can turn into gritty cement with floating seafood. But here? The grits were creamy, the shrimp perfectly seasoned, and the Cajun butter sauce pulled everything together perfectly. I did think of licking the bowl. (Out of respect for my wife, I did not).

My wife opted for the French Toast Slam, and yes, “slam” is the correct verb because the thick slices of French toast practically body-slammed our taste buds into submission. Topped with fresh berries and dusted with powdered sugar, it walked that fine line between decadent and “I’ll still go to the gym later” (spoiler alert: we did not).

On the side, we tried their seasoned breakfast potatoes. Imagine potatoes so well-spiced they make your eyes widen mid-conversation. I genuinely considered pocketing a few for the drive home, but decided I didn’t need that level of potato shame in my life.

Service here deserves its paragraph. Our server was attentive without hovering, friendly without forced small talk, and somehow managed to keep my coffee cup filled before I even realized it was half empty – sorcery or pure professionalism, I’m still unsure.

The clientele ranged from college students fighting off hangovers with bacon to suited professionals getting their caffeine fix before work.

If there’s any downside, it’s that parking in Five Points can feel like competing in a Hunger Games tribute selection. But trust me, if you have to parallel park six blocks away and hobble over in the rain, it’s still worth it. Bring an umbrella. Bring your appetite. Bring...

I was genuinely excited to try this place, especially because it's a Black-owned business that I’ve heard good things about. Unfortunately, my experience didn’t meet expectations. When we arrived, the main entrance was still locked, so we entered through the bar side—the only door that was open at the time. Inside, two ladies were behind the counter near the register. One glanced at us and turned right back around without acknowledging us. As first-time visitors, we weren’t sure what to do next, and after standing there for a minute or two without a greeting, I finally said, “No one gives you the greeting of the day?” At that point, one of the ladies turned around, said “Hi,” and directed us to the other side where the seating area was. She told us to see the hostess. When we approached the hostess, she simply told us to “sit anywhere” and began cleaning off a table that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned from the night before. She asked for our drink order and brought it back, but the cups were pressed against her dirty jacket—which gave the impression she had either been working all night or hadn’t changed clothes for the shift. The restaurant didn’t appear clean, which was surprising considering it had just opened for the day. The music was also very loud (rap music), which felt intense for a Saturday morning atmosphere. A better suggestion would be soft jazz or something more relaxing in the early hours. First impressions matter, especially from the hostess who sets the tone for the guest experience. Between the unclean setting, lack of a proper greeting, and overall vibe, we decided to leave and try another breakfast spot. I’ve seen positive reviews and wanted to support this establishment, but I can’t see myself returning based on my visit. Try it for yourself—maybe your experience will...

Girl serving food had her hands all over her face wearing no latex gloves whatsoever while serving customers the sausage was cold and jimmy Dean from the box..the eggs looked like they were reconstituted from powder and crinkle cut fries and bacon bits with cheese were similar to wendys 99 cents menus.. nothing special about this place..the decor was a disaster walls were dirty... menus on wall were non existent paper menus were dirty also Girls weren't wearing any type of food service attire and both had long braided l hair and no hair nets like what if their weave fell into someone's grits or eggs like wtf also a giant black curtain was probably covering up the possibilities of a health hazard disaster going on behind this curtain and also cashier wasn't really Interested in taking my order correctly and left out what I asked for then I told her I was ignored and she kept serving her customers then got back to me 5 minutes later after I told her.. she forgot the French toast then proceeded to try to charge me almost 10 dollars just for French toast which then I declined I wasn't gonna argue when they asked if the food was good I told them no it wasn't good they looked shocked but if this place had a rating system i would give it a d just for the way the whole place and food was presented the food was nothing special for the prices they're charging is this the way all small spots in south carolina look investing in manners greeting your customers and Inrpoving the sanitary conditions might help I came because of the great reviews I was disappointed never coming back again to this spot the next time I visit south carolina sorry but I hate saying this but it's the truth never again...