Blue Marlin

4.6

3601 Reviews

$30 and under

Low Country

Top Tags:

Welcome to the Blue Marlin Restaurant, proudly serving "A Taste of the Southern Low Country," located in Columbia South Carolina's thriving Congaree Vista District.

Stretching from Savannah to the South, and Georgetown to the North, the Low Country is resplendent with the bounties of the sea and coastal marshlands. Succulent shrimp, oysters, crabs, crawfish and catfish abound. Lush greens, corn, rice and ripe red tomatoes are plentiful. Low Country cuisine brings all of this food together in a sumptuous array of unique and distinctive dishes.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Feb 2, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 42 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(803) 799-3838

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Low Country, Seafood
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(803) 799-3838
Website
http://www.bluemarlincolumbia.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Meagan Horton
Catering
Learn about our Catering Services. 803.799.3838 https://www.bluemarlincolumbia.com/#catering
Private party facilities
Whether it is light appetizers and drinks, heavy hors d'oeuvres, a family style buffet or a formal seated affair, the Vista Room offers the quality of food, excellent service, amenities and ambiance that are sure to make any event a success. Contact our Private Event Coordinator, Alexis Wilkinson for more information (803) 587-8131 -or- TheVistaRoom@BlueMarlinColumbia.com
Private party contact
our Private Dining Coordinator: (803) 727-3040

Location
1200 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Neighborhood
Columbia
Cross street
Gervais Street
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Popular dishes

Southern Caviar
"Pimento Cheese" House-made with aged white cheddar, served with Low Country pita chips
Charleston Crab Cake
Authentic low country recipe made with lump and claw crabmeat, served with a sweet onion remoulade and roasted corn salsa
Fried Green Tomatoes
Green tomatoes breaded with a mixture of cracked cornmeal and lightly seasoned flour, deep fried and served with a chipotle cream sauce
Pecan Dusted Calamari
Fresh Calamari, flash-fried and dusted with crushed pecans and Romano cheese, served with a sweet onion remoulade
Petite Shrimp & Grits
An appetizer portion of our signature dish with adluh stone ground grits, creek shrimp, andouille sausage and Tasso gravy
Firecracker Shrimp
Fried shrimp tossed with cherry peppers and served with roasted garlic ranch
Crab And Spinach Fondue
Fresh crabmeat in a creamy mornay sauce, served with pita chips
Ahi Tuna
Search Abhi tunaover chili ginger slaw, and served with creamy ginger aioli
She Crab Soup
Fresh Crab meat in a rich, creamy soup served with a spoonful of sherry
New Orleans Seafood Gumbo
An original New Orleans recipe with Shrimp, crawfish, andouille sausage and okra Bowl

Soup & Salad

Barbecue Salmon Salad
Barbecued salmon fillet on a bed of mixed greens, julienne tortillas, and vine ripe tomatoes tossed in a cilantro lime vinaigrette and drizzled with barbecue sauce
Blue Marlin Cobb Salad
A tossed version of this classic salad. Grilled chicken, avocado, blue cheese crumbles, bacon, tomato, diced egg, cucumbers and crispy greens tossed in our herb vinaigrette dressing
Al Fresco Salmon Salad
Grilled salmon with a salad of mixed greens, carrots and cucumbers, tossed with a herb vinaigrette and garnished with lemon aioli
Charleston Carb Cake Salad
Mixed green with tossed avocado, bacon and herb vinaigrette, drizzled with ranch dressing and topped with our Charleston Crab Cake
Southern Pecan Grilled Chicken Salad
Juicy grilled chicken over a bed of mixed greens, Danish bleu cheese, candied pecans, dried cranberries and herb vinaigrette
Grilled Chicken Blt Salad
Grilled chicken, crisp greens, vine ripe tomatoes and bacon tossed with ranch dressing
Fried Green Tomato Salad
Deep fried green tomatoes served on a bed of mixed greens with goat cheese, diced tomatoes and herb vinaigrette drizzled with a chipotle cream sauce
Southern Crispy Chicken Salad
Crispy green and vine ripe tomato tossed in ranch dressing and topped with sliced crispy Chicken breast and swiss cheese
Soup And Salad
A bowl of our soup served with Caesar, wedge, southern candied pecan or BLT salad

Signature Sandwiches

Old Fashioned Cheeseburger
Fresh ground and served with lettuce, tomato, pickle slices, onion, mustard and mayo
Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Lightly breaded and served with lettuce, tomato, pickle slices, onion, mustard and mayo

Entrées

Blackened Salmon Charleston
Topped with our shrimp and crab cream sauce with collard greens & Adluh Stone ground grits
Blue Marlin Award Winning Shrimp & Grits
Our signature dish. AdluhTM stone ground grits topped with creek shrimp, andouille sausage and tasso gravy
Grilled Catfish & Grits
Cajun catfish fillet, stone ground Adluh grits and collard greens
Charleston Crab Cake
Authentic low country recipe made with lump and claw crabmeat served with sweet onion remoulade, roasted corn salsa, savannah red rice & collards
Low Country Shrimp Creole
Blue Marlin's original Creole sauce with bacon tossed with sautéed shrimp over rice
Blue Marlin's Chicken Pasta
Chile-rubbed grilled chicken breast with Asiago cream sauce, smoked bacon, and penne pasta topped with green onions & tomatoes
Grilled Tilapia & Succotash
Grilled or Cajun Tilapia fillet with choice of creole or Charleston sauce, served with Adluh stone ground grits and succotash
Portabella Mushroom Ravioli
Ravioli with sauteed spinach and vine ripe tomatoes in a rich portabella mushroom broth

Fried Seafood Specialties

Firecracker Flounder
Fillet of flounder breaded in our special firecracker seasoning and served with creamy grits, collards and firecracker sauce
Fried Large Gulf Shrimp
Lightly breaded in our special firecracker seasoning served with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, seasoned fries and tortilla slaw
Salt & Pepper Catfish
Boneless catfish breaded in our special salt and pepper seasoning served with fries, tortilla slaw and tartar sauce
Parmesan Encrusted Catch
A mild flaky fish fillet with homemade mashed potatoes, green beans and tartar sauce
Crispy Gulf Oysters
Apalachicola oysters with seasoned fries, tortilla slaw and tartar sauce

Desserts

Blackout Cake
Homemade gooey chocolate fudge cake, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, butterscotch sauce and whipped cream
Key Lime Pie
Made fresh in house, our traditional key lime pie is made with a graham cracker crust and topped with fresh whipped cream
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Vanilla bean cheesecake with a caramelized sugar topping, vanilla wafer crust and topped with fresh berries and strawberry sauce
Seasonal Crumb Cake
Seasonal fruit cobbler-style shortcake, served warm with ice cream

Side Salads

Signature Blt Salad
Iceberg and romaine lettuces, vine ripe tomato, and bacon tossed with ranch dressing
Southern Candied Pecan Salad
Spring mix with candied pecans, blue cheese, dried cranberries and herb vinaigrette
Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad
Iceberg wedge with creamy bleu cheese dressing, candied pecans, bacon, blue cheese crumbles and vine ripe tomatoes
Classic Caesar Salad
Crispy romaine, house-made caesar dressing, seasoned croutons and grated parmesan

What 3,601 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Columbia
Best Overall
Columbia
Best Food
Columbia
Best Service
Columbia
Best Ambiance
Columbia
Best Value
Columbia
Good for business meals
Columbia
Good for groups
Columbia
Neighborhood gem
Columbia
Most Booked

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p
pzam
Charleston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Service and food were outstanding! The manager came around a couple of times to make sure we were taken care of. The only problem we had was that it was very loud.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Celebrating two birthdays. We sat outside and with the heaters it was very comfortable. Too noisy inside so we love your outdoor seating. Food was delicious as always. Jessica was a terrific server. Very attentive and so friendly.
JF
JeanetteF
Charleston
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall3food2service5ambience3
It was ok, as we've been here several times. However, for a party of 6 i don't think we should've been seated at a booth. It was very tight. Also food was cold when it came out. Particularly the collard greens. We asked for replacements but it was cold as well.
JF
JosephF
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service4ambience5
First, enjoyed the great menu selection plus specials. Some unique. Also enjoyed the food. Great place to meet family.
PP
PamelaP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The atmosphere was nice and staff was great. This was our first visit and it was awesome!!
MS
MacS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food is excellent Presentation is superb Staff is super friendly It is a treat to dine there
h
houseelf
Charleston
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on January 24, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience4
Overall a good evening. My meal was okay not great but all else was very good.
BA
BevA
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
If you love seafood, this is the place to go. Enjoyed it! Will be back.
DC
DianeC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Wonderful lunch at Blue Marlin, specified that it was a business lunch on the reservation, and we were in a booth away from the main area, which was perfect! The food was very good with large portions and our server Billy, was very attentive. Highly recommend a visit.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went to dinner for Columbia Restaurant Week. The food and service were fantastic!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall5food3service5ambience4
Good experience good wasn’t bad but just not as great as it used to be. Still will be back.
R
Reservation4two
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall3food4service5ambience3
Our server, Taylor, was great! I was very disappointed to have made a reservation and to be seated next to the restrooms. The food was great though, and portions for restaurant week were generous. The she crab soup was my favorite part.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Always enjoy going to Blue Marlin. Great food.
PG
PattiG
Charleston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We enjoyed our meal, the only disappointment was the string beans. Besides that I enjoyed everything else
L
Lillabette
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lunch was fantastic! Service was excellent! Highly recommend!
MD
MichaelD
San Francisco
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 20, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
Food was very good and a special during Restaurant Week. I had shrimp and grits which is always good. Wife had chicken breast with goat cheese and other toppings. Waitress was excellent and anticipated our needs (which is very unusual today). It has been awhile since we ate at Blue Marlin but we will return soon.
e
excellentbelong
Charleston
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A perfect early evening dinner. A delightful, accommodating server, Elena. Great food, warm and served at appropriate time. A favorite place for she crab soup and a salad.
PB
PabloB
Wilmington
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great as always. Outstanding service and food. Hostess can be friendlier. I will still return.
N
Neek
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I enjoyed my lunch at Blue Marlin! Hailey was our server and she was AMAZING! I truly appreciate her attention to detail, her positive energy and kindness towards me and my friend during our dining experience at the Blue Marlin.
SW
StacyW
Charleston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Justin our waiter was awesome. He made great suggestions for drinks and the food.
J
Jayrow
Charleston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great food, great staff, great service but the noise level makes it very difficult for conversation with people sitting right in front of you.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was wonderful when we arrived we were seated promptly. Our server Krystal was amazing and very attentive. The shrimp and grits were amazing. 5 stars!
B
Bobby1949
Charleston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 10, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience3
The Tilapia was excellent as were the grits. There. Was a big business group seated that acted like the were in their board room and therefore talked as loud as they wished
C
Cleverknc
Charleston
18 reviews
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on January 10, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Dinner was excellent. Only issue- didn’t much like the crab cakes. All the other food was wonderful- shrimp, flounder, chicken.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
18 reviews
vip
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always a nice private lunch w good service and food downtown.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our party of 7 had a marvelous time. Four of us had the blackened Charleston Salmon slathered in a tasty, shrimp and crab sauce accompanied with creamy, smooth grits and rough-cut collard greens. Others had the shrimp and grits, Everything was delicious. Carrie was our fantastic, personable waitress. She was very attentive to our requests and kept the drinks flowing. Happy Birthday, again, Carrie!
EG
EricG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
The food was very good as always, it was a very busy night so it was crowded and loud in there but they sat us as soon as we arrived, and the service was excellent. **always ask for the collards and bread before your meal.
JB
JohnB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 7, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
The ribeye was fantastic, the firecracker shrimp was great. Not sure I'd order the crab soup again but it was worth a try. Wife had shrimp and grits which were ok. The service, however, was exceptional! Overall a very enjoyable meal. We'll be back.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Blue Marlin is our favorite date night spot. The calamari and crème brûlée cheesecake are my favorite things on the menu.
J
John
Charlotte
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food is always great here. I've been going to Blue Marlin for 18 years and have never had a bad meal.
i
izzy
Charleston
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Delicious Salmon Ponchatrain! Wonderful server! Enjoyed our meal.
D
Daisy
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Its one of my favorites ...you can still ask for the collards to share and parmesan encrusted grouper yum my favorite. My dear friend over the shrimp and grits. Its so difficult to pick an entree as everything is delicious.
m
michael
Tampa
66 reviews
vip
4.0
66 reviews
Dined on January 4, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Excellent service and the food was very good especially the salmon. The she crab soup and gumbo was ok and could have had more crab and seafood. We will be back to try other dishes next time in town
OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta
66 reviews
vip
5.0
66 reviews
Dined on January 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Have dined at Blue Marlin periodically over the last 15 years and have always had a great experience. The shrimp and grits are always so good. Great cocktails and its hard to beat the feeling of that wonderful interior. Anytime I am in Columbia I will eat here.
DS
DebbieS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had shrimp/grits and crab cake salad. All was delicious.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good food and experience
TV
TriciaV
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on December 31, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience5
Atmosphere great! Please don’t take interior lights away. Waitress great and continuously checked on us, food really good although the appetizer calamari needs some banana pepper in it to give it a zest. Sonoma caterer Chardonnay a little over price for glass. Crab cakes great as well as my husbands mahi. Will visit again
L
Leshomorego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 31, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We decided on our anniversary dinner here and were not disappointed. Food was excellent and Josh, our waiter, was excellent. Save room for the crème brûlée cheesecake. Holy moly!
DH
DonaldH
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on December 30, 2022
overall1food1service4ambience1
I definitely picked the wrong restaurant so loud terrible lighting felt like I was being interrogated for a crime.
KC
KarenC
Atlanta
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 30, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
All of the items we tried were delicious. Staff was very courteous and quick to make sure we had everything we needed. Great experience

FAQs

Blue Marlin offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (803) 799-3838.

Blue Marlin is rated 4.6 stars by 3601 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Feb 2, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 42 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(803) 799-3838

1200 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201

Additional information

Cross street
Gervais Street
Neighborhood
Columbia
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Low Country, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Meagan Horton
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.bluemarlincolumbia.com/
Phone number
(803) 799-3838
Catering
Learn about our Catering Services. 803.799.3838 https://www.bluemarlincolumbia.com/#catering
Private party facilities
Whether it is light appetizers and drinks, heavy hors d'oeuvres, a family style buffet or a formal seated affair, the Vista Room offers the quality of food, excellent service, amenities and ambiance that are sure to make any event a success. Contact our Private Event Coordinator, Alexis Wilkinson for more information (803) 587-8131 -or- TheVistaRoom@BlueMarlinColumbia.com
Private party contact
our Private Dining Coordinator: (803) 727-3040

Blue Marlin

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Additional information

100 South Carolina Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

50 South Carolina Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

She Crab Soup

Petite Shrimp & Grits

Firecracker Flounder

Starters

Southern Caviar

Charleston Crab Cake

Fried Green Tomatoes

Pecan Dusted Calamari

Petite Shrimp & Grits

Firecracker Shrimp

Crab And Spinach Fondue

Ahi Tuna

She Crab Soup

New Orleans Seafood Gumbo

Soup & Salad

Barbecue Salmon Salad

Blue Marlin Cobb Salad

Al Fresco Salmon Salad

Charleston Carb Cake Salad

Southern Pecan Grilled Chicken Salad

Grilled Chicken Blt Salad

Fried Green Tomato Salad

Southern Crispy Chicken Salad

Soup And Salad

Signature Sandwiches

Old Fashioned Cheeseburger

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Entrées

Blackened Salmon Charleston

Blue Marlin Award Winning Shrimp & Grits

Grilled Catfish & Grits

Charleston Crab Cake

Low Country Shrimp Creole

Blue Marlin's Chicken Pasta

Grilled Tilapia & Succotash

Portabella Mushroom Ravioli

Fried Seafood Specialties

Firecracker Flounder

Fried Large Gulf Shrimp

Salt & Pepper Catfish

Parmesan Encrusted Catch

Crispy Gulf Oysters

Desserts

Blackout Cake

Key Lime Pie

Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Seasonal Crumb Cake

Side Salads

Signature Blt Salad

Southern Candied Pecan Salad

Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad

Classic Caesar Salad

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

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FAQs

Does Blue Marlin offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Blue Marlin restaurant rated?

Is Blue Marlin currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Additional information

Featured in

100 South Carolina Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

50 South Carolina Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day