10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Columbia

Columbia’s original village community, Five Points, is a retail, dining, and entertainment icon that springs to life after sundown. The whole place buzzes with a youthful, good-time atmosphere due to being close to the University of South Carolina and more than seven residential areas.

From bars and restaurants to rollicking live music venues, Five Points is the place to go when you want to party. Swing by the Bangback Pinball Lounge for cocktails, fried Oreos (yes, really!), and retro arcade games, before heading to The Cotton Gin for a spin on the dancefloor.

Set on the banks of the Congaree River, The Vista is an eclectic entertainment and dining quarter that literally pulses with energy. Considered a cultural epicentre in Columbia, this former warehouse district showcases over 60 art galleries and speciality shops and teems with taverns, bars, and late-night eateries.

Stop by the Liberty Tap Room for beer, wine, and creative cocktails—try the Jalapeno Margarita, Spiked Lemonade, or Peanut Butter White Russian. For a sweet midnight treat visit Kaminsky’s Café for cheesecakes, dessert martinis, and ooey-gooey sundaes.

Affectionally known as “The Nick”, The Nickelodeon Theatre is the darling of Columbia’s film houses, screening curated selections of independent and foreign films. It’s the only not-for-profit cinema in all of South Carolina and has won an ardent community fan-base over the past 40 years.

Grab a glass of beer or wine and sink into one of the venue’s 99 tomato-hued seats. Online ticket sales cut off an hour before each show, so to avoid disappointment always book early.

Built in 1930, Columbia’s Township Auditorium is a triple-story, Georgian Revival beauty that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the stage in this 3,000+ seat venue plays host to some of America’s leading comedians, bands, and singers including Bill Maher, Dave Chapelle, Little Big Town, and Alicia Keys.

An event schedule, ticketing information, and seating chart can be found on the Township Auditorium website, so plan ahead and lock in a date. In close proximity, you’ll find plenty of drinking spots for an after-show nightcap including the Cajun-Creole whisky bar Bourbon and ritzy wine parlour Lula Drake.

On the outskirts of Columbia, in the tiny district of Dentsville, The Comedy House has been serving up big laughs, tasty bites, and ice-cold liquor since 1993. Up-and-coming stand-ups and major comedians have tried out their material here including Chris Tucker, Rickey Smiley, Skip-G Lawson, and David Spade.

The food is down-home and delicious with a soulful Southern twist—think fried shrimp, blackened chicken, hush puppies, and cheesecake. For teetotalers, there are tongue-in-cheek mocktails to quench a hard-earned thirst including Ice Tea, Joy Juice, and Poon Tang.

Located on Columbia’s buzzing Main Street, Transmission is an old-school arcade, kitchen, and bar steeped in 80s and 90s nostalgia. Boasting over two dozen video game and pinball machines, this atmospheric joint is perfect for catchups with friends, spontaneous date nights, and lively family outings.

After you’ve conquered classic games like Mortal Combat, Crazy Taxi, House of the Dead, and Centipede, try one of Transmission’s characterful cocktails. For dessert, there’s rotating flavours of homemade ice cream, sugar-dusted beignets, and a tasty bread pudding made with strawberry jam and cinnamon rolls.

For an adventurous night out in Columbia, head to Craft Axe Throwing in the Congaree Vista area—an up-and-coming sport where anyone can win. Rent a lane and score points by throwing axes at humungous dartboard-style targets. It’s the perfect date night venue or spot for family gatherings.

What’s more, you’ll enjoy a banging musical playlist and a wide variety of drinks while you’re hurling that metal about. The good news is that all games are overseen by trained and experienced instructors, so you don’t need to worry if you’re a bit clumsy.

Billed as the premier cocktail bar in Columbia, The Aristocrat is an atmospheric gastropub and live music haunt that boasts a distinct Southern flavour and artful surroundings. The venue is elevated with jazz and blues music 5 nights a week, trivia and stand-up comedy nights, and seasonal parties.

Happy Hour runs from 4pm to 6pm on weekdays, so grab yourself a table and enjoy a Cucumber-Tini, a New Belgium Trippel, or a sweet and fruity glass of Barefoot Moscato. The Aristocrat’s late-night snacks always entice, from their mac n’ cheese bites to their rotating bread puddings.

At Tin Roof in Columbia, it’s all about the tunes. This shotgun shack bar and live music joint is a second home to the city’s bands and singers, offering them a stage to play, rounds of drinks, and generous helpings of fast and tasty food.

Grab a bottle of Bud and catch a rising country star like Nashville’s Bradley Gaskin or shimmy the night away on the dancefloor with a set from DJ Voodoo Child. The “Tin Roof Favourites” cocktail menu is also inventive—try the Salty Watermelon Margarita, the High Porch Picnic, or the Kentucky Kool-Aid.

For the coolest night out in Columbia, nothing beats The Art Bar. This idiosyncratic joint has everybody talking thanks to a bar trim that looks like a crumpled spaceship, a giant robot that greets you with illuminated eyes, and a ceiling strung with rainbow bulbs.

Located in the popular Vista area, The Art Bar specialises in everything beer—from lager and drafts to pilsners and ales. For those who fancy another kind of tipple try a cider, seltzer, whisky, or tequila, before unleashing your inner wild child on the dancefloor.