motor supply co bistro

great atmosphere and even better food. i am absolutely in love withmotorsupply co bistro. my boyfriend's parents suggested this restaurant to us for an anniversary dinner. the food is exquisite. the restaurant is in a gallery setting with art on the walls, modern track-lighting, candles, and an air of eclectic extravagance. i ordered shrimp over rice with caramelized onions and tomato bisque soup, i have never tasted shrimp as fresh as this before. 2 entrées and an appetizer was $40. great place, great food, great service. i went a year ago and i'm about to go again next week for our 2 year anniversary.

motor supply company

if you are a fan of thomas keller and like the french laundry or per se, if you have enjoyed the inn at little washington, or binkley’s in cave creek, arizona, you will be pleasantly surprised and enjoy your meal atmotorsupply company in columbia, south carolina.

i had very modest expectations when my wife and i first dined with chef wesley fulmer and stephanie heikila, the manager. after reading other reviews on line i was not expecting much. i don’t know where those other reviewers who were disappointed ate, but it was not themotorsupply we enjoyed two nights in a row while attending the masters.

the menu changes daily and features fresh local products. the creative use of local greens and seafood is what attracted us. on the first night my wife had a north carolina sheepshead (much like a grouper) and i had the shrimp and grits. the preparation and plating were perfect. the fish was perfectly done. the sauces, like the tomato based sauce for the shrimp were subtle and delightful. the second night we had an appetizer of seared scallops with a small piece of smoked lamb bacon. i’d drive here again from virginia for this appetizer alone. it was one of the best things either of us have eaten and we are foodies that have been enjoying fine dining and cooling for many decades. my wife had the swordfish entre and i had the duck. i have never had better duck – and i love duck. the serving is a piece of perfectly done (rare) duck breast and a crispy duck leg. we had dessert (which we don’t frequently do) and it , too was superb. try the pudding with the bourbon cherries (described as a cake on the menu – but really a traditional pudding).

the service and wait staff was outstanding – knowledgeable about the ever changing menu, eager to please, but not hovering.

the food here is outstanding – it is five start dining in a friendly bar and grill setting instead of the white tablecloths you might expect in the more traditional five star restaurant. the value of the meal was outstanding. maybe it is because of the location, but i would expect to pay three or four times as much for a meal of this quality.

if you have enjoyed true five star dining, you won’t be disappointed atmotorsupply.

very disapointed. my wife and i went tomotorsupply to celebrate our anniversary. we had been there in the past and had loved it but that was some years ago. we both had an appetizer, generally we share one at most places, here they were expensive and small and not worth the money. our entrees were just ok not over the top the way the had been in the past. they were small and need i say expensive. the bill was $$$+ but the value was -$. in short don't go there. there are many other places in columbia that give a really great value for your money. i would like to remind the owners this is the south, when you pay a lot for a meal you do not want to get up hungry. or at least you want to be able to say that was the best meal i ever had. in the case of our meal we got neither. :(,:(. we will never go back.

skeptical when friends recommend a 'great' restaurant in columbia. as a charlestonian, i am fortunate to have many choices for great food.motorsupply co is one of my new favorites. fresh, local sc ingredients served simply. great flavor combinations. can't wait to come back. housemade charcuterie was excellent. everything was excellent. go!

columbia area foodies will tell you that absolutely must go to motor.  by motor, they meanmotorsupply company bistro, columbia, south carolina's shining star of culinary awesomeness. for more than twenty years, the place has been kicking out amazing food.  much like soby's in greenville, the restaurant set a standard for the culinary scene in columbia, and was one of the first restaurants in the now, very cool, vista area of downtown. let me tell you.  this restaurant doesn't play.  they are serious about some food.  almost everything on your plate is house made. they make their own stocks for sauces, they butcher and smoke their own meet, make their own charcuterie (sausages and the such ), pickles, mustards... they are event venturing over into house made beverages, making their own ginger beer and soon, their own sodas.  and what they can't make inhouse, they locally source, reaching out to area farmers like the folks at city roots , trail ridge , wil-moore , doko farm , carolina

very good. a colleague and i took out clients tomotorsupply company and we had a great meal. two of us got steak, one got tilefish, and another got pork chops; everyone enjoyed their meal. we sat in the outside section and the weather was awesome. the place has good service and great food, will definitely go back.

some weekends ago i went back to my old stomping grounds and had lunch with one of my close college friends atmotorsupply company bistro. this restaurant is located in the vista section of downtown columbia (aka cola).

visited by force the other night - outvoted. service was slowwww. bread was tasty but tough. serving sizes were just right. temperature of entrées was a bit cool. summary blah blah blah.


-----07 nov, 2010-----

have not been for over 13 years. yes, that's correct, i have not stepped foot intomotorsupply in over 13 years. it was easter 1997, we entered with a family group of 5, to a rather empty restaurant. we were asked to sit at this couch waiting area, while they got us a table . they offered us a drink (tea), and we waited for about 25 minutes. then a waitress came over and said they would not be able to serve us today and recommended a few other places to eat. yeah, i was shocked, but i did not say a word, and we walked out. and i will never ever return!

good atmosphere, poor food. i've been tomotorsupply three times now, and never really had a great meal. this week was probably the last time i'll go. although the atmosphere is pretty nice and the inside of the restaurant is gorgeous, i sat in a very hard wooden chair during my meal, and my butt was killing me by the end of the dinner. i brought some wine with me and their corkage fee was $15, which seemed steep ($10 to $12 is more reasonable). the appetizer portions i got were fairly substantial and i was pleased with them, however the entrees seemed overprices. $18 for zucchini and roasted potatoes is a bit much when you consider the lack of a protein. the veal i had was very fatty and i actually had to spit a piece of the meat into my napkin (after a solid 45 seconds of trying to break it down), which i haven't had to do sine i was a kid.

service was great and i can't complaint about anything else, but their food seems excessively priced given the quality of it. if you want to try it out, i suggest going for lunch first, which is pretty much the same food, marked down 30%.

one of columbia's originals. i've been going tomotorsupply since it opened. do i miss the good ol' days of raymond and cassandra? yes, very much. the chefs and menus have changed over the years since they left, butmotorhas remained consistently good and a great social spot. had lunch there today with mom. both had salads: mine was homemade bacon lardons, ciabatta croutons, tomato and homemade blue cheese dressing. simple and very well executed. mom had beautifully grilled shrimp with roasted squash and zucchini with a fresh vinaigrette. the menu does change daily, so it's possible to encounter a dish that just isn't your cup of tea. but there are lots of choices each day. beautiful art glass on display right now.motorsupply has already stood the test of time with columbia; it's a classic fixture on our dining scene.

don't judge a book (or restaurant) by its cover.motorsupply co was recommended to me on my first visit down to columbia by the guy who sat next to me on the plane. when i pulled up to the restaurant later that night, msc was in an alleyway in the middle of the vista with a light up sign pointing towards it (not an obvious one though, i almost drove right past it). i thought i got duped.

boy, was i wrong. inside there is an intimate setting (as well as valet parking outside) with small tables and beautiful lighting. the menus are handwritten and they change daily. everything was gourmet and dishes i have never heard of before. i had a pear and goat cheese salad and a duck dish which were delicious.

i only go on special occasions (due to its prices) but it is definitely worth it. you get an opportunity to experience dishes you have never seen/heard of before in a beautiful setting in the heart of columbia nightlife.

varied menu - great food. i have yet to have a bad meal atmotorsupply company. their menu changes daily, though some items are regulars like the cheese plate, and a couple different types of steak. they will generally have at least one vegetarian entree option, and a couple veg app options, as well as a collection of salads. great wine list and great desserts.