Mr. Friendly's New Southern Cafe

Mr. Friendly's New Southern Cafe is a cafe in Columbia, SC, serving New Southern cuisine in a sophisticated yet casual setting. Since 1995, the restaurant has built its menu around fresh ingredients and simple preparations, with fresh fish and seafood specials alongside meat, poultry, and wild game dishes. It draws on numerous local farms and purveyors for its menus and weekly specials. The wine list features over 300 selections with a strong emphasis on domestic wines, and the bar offers local brews, unique micro-brews, small batch and Reserve Bourbons, and single-malt Scotch. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 to 2:30, and dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:00 until close. The restaurant holds a rating of 4.70 based on 962 reviews.

The cafe began in the early 1980s as a sandwich and cookie shop before evolving into its current form. It is owned by Ricky and Harold, and its kitchen and floor are run by a long-tenured staff. Blake, the general manager, has been with the company twelve years, previously serving as general manager of Solstice Kitchen & Wine Bar. Head Chef Robb came from Atlanta and has been a Five Points fixture since 1999, serving as head chef at Goats before joining in 2009. Justin tends bar and has been part of the Five Points dining scene for over 20 years. Laurel Jeffries manages the floor and handles wine, while Chris Owens cooks the lunches, from Shrimp & Grits to the restaurant's Famous Meatloaf, and Chris Turner works the kitchen across grilling, roasting, frying, and sauteing. The menu includes the French Quarter Filet and the Famous Meatloaf.

Mr. Friendly's has earned a strong local reputation, reflected in consistently high customer ratings, and an established track record built on a large base of customer reviews. For a New Southern kitchen in Columbia, that combination of a long-running Five Points kitchen and a deep bench of longtime staff is what regulars keep coming back for.