Blue Cactus Cafe
| Address: | 2002 Greene St, Columbia, SC 29205, USA |
| Phone: | +1 803-929-0782 |
| Site: | facebook.com |
| Rating: | 4.3 |
| Working: | Closed Closed 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 12–9PM Closed |
Location
Photos 99
Reviews 13
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A Private User
Went to Blue Cactus with a friend on a Saturday afternoon for a late lunch after hearing and reading rave reviews. Unfortunately it was either an off day for the proprietors or we misunderstood that slow food equals a wait of over 40 minutes after placing an order before anyone bothered to see if we were still there and waiting for our meal. We were seated promptly (since this was past 2 in the afternoon, it wasnt exactly packed with the lunch crowd) but service was brusque and dismissive. After the aforementioned timeframe (40+ minutes), when I politely inquired about the status of our lunch order (one entree-split between the 2 of us, so it wasnt a multi-course masterpiece we ordered), was told by the "cook" that our food "would be ready when its ready, this isnt a squat-and-gobble place". This clearly wasnt a response that was called for, and reinforced that this is not a restaurant I would care to patronize again. Oh, and the food? Mediocre at best- stayed to see what the fuss was about (and despite the sanctimonious attitude of the cook) and in retrospect, should have left after the "excellent customer service approach". Go if you dont mind being berated for lack-lustre food- youre frankly better off at some of the "squat-and-gobble" places around town.
KE
Kenneth Erickson
I love mom&pop places, I really do. And Im not being an LA snob because I eat at a lot of Korean and Korean fusion places in LA. Everyone has their own take on Korean food and thats just fine. Its just that the food quality and sanitation here are really questionable. The dining room has not been updated since forever, and the whole place needs a good cleaning. Food temperature was way below par (except for the fried dumplings); presentation was somewhere between we dont care and just butt ugly (bulgogi should not be grey and soupy, side dishes do not all belong on the same not-too-clean plate). Staff appeared kind and attentive. But when I see the a bearded old fellow working the wok without hairnet and without apron using his finger to scrape the food off a spatula and onto a plate, and plastic containers of tofu that obviously are the same horrid stuff you get at Bi-Lo, well, sorry, local Korean place, I will not be coming back. Lets hope these folks do an upgrade, but meanwhile, no no no no no.
IT
Its me
This is the worst food ever! Im korean and this food ws disgusting. How are they in business. The service is horrible. And if your going to serve Korean foid have a Korean person who actually can make Korean food. If you eat real authentic Korean food you will know this food is the worst. The cook hand no hair net and place was dirty as well. I received dry food and even after putting soy sauce it was dry. How i pay extra for tofu and get 5 tiny squares. This place is a joke. If you want real Korean food go to Kimchi, Hero, arriang, obok...off Decker Blvd. This place is an insult to Koreans especially when server didnt even know about the Korean menu and the menu spelled Korean items wrong. I will never go there again. Wasted my hard earned money. I also got sick from the food.
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Eric Stevens
Favorite restaurant when I was living in Columbia SC. I miss the Japchae (clear noodles) and I have not found a restaurant that can make it since. This is Korean Tex-Mex so make this a place to eat you go to Five Points. Many get upset about the service but you have to go enough times to understand the relaxed atmosphere of the head chef Lloyd. I went enough times that Lloyd knew me and I got my Japchae in perfect time. Parking can be found up by the railroad tracks across Greene Street by Mr. Friendlys (not much parking Laurens street). Shout out to Mark, Pierre, H, and Ricky.
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Terrence May
This restaurant is a disgrace to Korean food. Their food is a poor attempt at Korean food that is disgusting. The restaurant was dirty and the server was not knowledgeable about Korean dishes. How can you be a so called "Korean" restaurant when the staff doesnt even know what certain Korean dishes are when you ask them? Furthermore, none of the workers were Korean and the one older lady appeared to be Chinese. I will not be coming back to this place especially since my stomach is upset now. Just plain disgusting!
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A Private User
Heres the thing. This is not Chilis. This is a locally owned and operated restaurant, deeply loved by this community. Dont go if youre not one to appreciate talking to the owner about their kids, involving them in your personal conversation and enjoying some delicious SLOW food. It takes time to make delicious food home-style! The bee bim bop is awesome, the curry delectable, but my favorite is bul-go-gee and the dumplings. Awwwww man! Try it out, its a totally humbling experience.
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Jon Lee
The food was decent. That's about the only pleasant think I can say about this place. The atmosphere was horrid, the service was slow and the "cook" had an awful attitude when I asked for an extra EMPTY cup to share ice cream with a friend. You're much better off with Obok and other Korean restaurants on Decker Blvd. This place is a joke. This place probably gets all it's hype from the drunks that eat their when theyre smashed.
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Jenny Sullivan
The food is amazing and the owners are even better. The prices cant be beat. If you arent familiar with Korean cuisine, the owners are so happy to help. For us, they gave us free ice cream to balance out the spice of kim chee and offered/brought us extra bean sprouts without even having to ask. The korean appetizer sampler is wonderful and they have this nutty turnip things that will knock your socks off.
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Seth Granade
This is one of those rare places I wish I could give it 10 stars its that good. Its a little dive restaurant that you might not even notice if you walked by it but if you do please try the food here...it is literally amazing. You cant go wrong with Korean Mex. If your the adventurous type then you have to treat your taste buds to this place.
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Vuthy Ham
If there was a "zero" star rating option in this review, thats what this place would get. It took us a little over an hour to get our lunch (2 dishes), and the food wasnt worth the ridiculously long wait. Poor and slow service by the staff. Needless to say, I will never spend my money at this restaurant again!
IA
Ian Morrison
A very hole-in-the-wall kind of place. As a college kid in Columbia, its a good place to have around. The food was pretty good (I got curry), but the service is very casual so dont expect anything fancy. Atmosphere is nothing special either, so just remember youre going for the food, not the experience
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A Private User
I dont eat curry anywhere else because I just know it wont compare to Blue Cactus! Casual environment and you can BYOB, sit outside or inside. In 5 pts district so you can enjoy the evening in downtown Columbia after a great meal at this place. Go with plenty of time, as you may be there a while.
DA
David King
Blue Cactus is one of my favorite restaurants in Columbia. It is a unique experience with Korean and Tex Mex slow food that I have never gotten anywhere else. This was one of the first places I visited in Columbia, and it has remained my favorite over the years.
