Cafe Strudel

Went here before seeing Blue Man Group at Koger Center for dinner. Took a chance since we wanted a nicer dinner but didn’t like some of the other reviews, and SO glad we did. Definitely worth going back if I’m ever in Columbia. My fiancé had the stuffed burger and duck fat fries which were both great and I had the Seafood Mac & Cheese. Eating leftovers of that mac and cheese now and it’s STILL to die for. Scallops in it were so tender, perfectly cooked noodles and a nice blend of goat cheese and cheddar for the sauce. Delicious and well worth the calories. Also my Bloody Mary was good and spicy and delicious, and all that at a PHENOMENAL price. Don’t let the name fool you into a coffee shop thinking, this place serves GREAT food.

I had a very exceptional brunch here about 6 months ago. Since then I had wanted to take my husband so he could have the same wonderful experience I had there. First off, the «fresh squeezed» mimosas were from a machine; indeed not fresh squeezed. We were also sat with another couple at an outdoors picnic table which was quite odd. Third, the food came out and our eggs were completely over-​cooked and tasted like fake carton style eggs, the «crispy» bacon we asked for was soggy and floppy, and my omelette was not even done on the inside and the ingredients were not of high quality. Our serve Michaela said she did not understand what my husband meant by «country scramble» when he ordered his eggs, though she said ok and put in his order. Everything was so entirely distasteful that we will most likely never return at this point. Columbia has such potential for good quality food and service, and I really thought Café Strudel had that when I visited for the first time. But now I feel that just like other columbia restaurants, there is a lack of consistency for most of their business plan. For the price and quality, we could have spent 75% less by cooking at home and getting exactly what we wanted instead of being truly disappointed.

Love love love this place. Everything I want and hope for in a restraint. Got the hangover cure and a table of sweet ladies deduced me into getting the cherry strudel. Phenomenal.
My waitress Ashley was so kind and took the best care of me while I was here.
I hope to return!

LOVED Café Strudel. Loved it so much that I went twice in one week! The food is fresh and healthy but also affordable. On my first trip, I ordered a black bean burger. To quote the Donald, it was HUGE. On my second trip, I got a green salad with a hearty scoop of tuna salad. It was tasty, filling, and fresh! Of course after all this, I had to go for a third trip for brunch. One word: unlimited refills on coffee. Café Strudel is now my go-​to. It’s worth the wait.

Cute place, good crowd for a weekday morning. Had Apple Strudel — very disappointing (that’s the reason for the 3 star rating).
I will try it again and update review.

We got on the Sunday morning wait list by calling at 10 am otherwise it would have been a huge wait for our group of 6. The food was spectacular. I had a special with a unique combination of grilled chicken, pancakes, mango, red pepper and a light white sauce. It was very good. Everything we had was good but I will probably order the Sunrise Burrito with bacon next time. I topped my brunch with the specialty Bloody Mary. Excellent. Very busy but service was decent, not super.

A nice brunch location on the weekend. My only gripe with this place is that it’s outgrown it’s space and on the weekends it is crowded to the point that it’s a 45 – 60 minute wait for a table. The food is good, but not THAT good.
Other than that I have to mention I’ve been once for dinner and was not impressed. Will probably not be back for dinner, but an early brunch will work!

Love this place and all they have to offer. It can get a bit noisy and it is hard to have a conversation with people. Love their variety of bloody Mary’s and mimosas. The grits are always pretty good, some of the lunch portions are a little small and could use a little more substance to them! Orange juice is the BEST

Great atmosphere! Love a busy restaurant. The drinks were wonderful! We had the Studel’s Smokey Bacon Bloody Mary and the Bloody Maria. The French toast was made with Hawaiian bread, and it was so savory! The hangover hash browns were amazing! The service was excellent.

I planned a baby shower this weekend. We had a positive experience until the very end, which lead to this less than amazing review. The servers were good, the food was ok. The accommodated our menu and really met my expectations, but because the food and drinks were a little late our event was running behind. 10 minutes after 1, apparently the «owner» came in to tell the entire group how many people were waiting for us to leave. Completely understand the need to flip the room, but the. You should have the server present the check or tell the host and they will wrap things up, especially since I paid you for room on top of the food, which is why I would not recommend this venue for your special event.

This is an amazing place to go for brunch (if you can get in) I love it here. Food is great, they always exhibit different art on the walls. I wouldn’t suggest trying to get in on Saturday or Sunday that’s the only downside. I usually go there for breakfast during the week so I can assure I get in. Don’t forget to check out there homemade deserts and fresh squeezed orange juice.

I love what Café strudel has been doing in Columbia for so many years. They seem to always be experimenting, growing, and getting better. The owners are also a family and you can really appreciate their passion and hard work

Delicious brunch and drinks. Parking is a little difficult and you need to get there early. I’ve been a few times and had long waits each visit.

We loved the Sunday Brunch, including the delicious Bacon Bloody Marys and fresh-​squeezed OJ (which we all agree had to be spiked with sugar), the cheese grits and the house-​special hash browns topped with eggs. We were disappointed in both the quality and the quantity of smoked salmon atop the open-​faced bagel, however – which was just one tiny slice on one side only. No Eggs Benedict on the regular menu was definitely a disappointment, and the Thai Shrimp and Grits, at $ 15, seemed steep. Overall, not a bad experience, but be sure and call ahead, or you’re looking at a 45 – 60 minute wait at 11:30 am on a Sunday.

Cute cozy spot in west Columbia. The most memorable items for me have been the Bloody Mary and the hangover hash.
So so good! There’s a long wait on the weekends but well worth it if you have the time.

This is my girlfriend and I favorite spot to eat at in Columbia. For whatever reason, Columbia really is lacking when it comes to places to eat in the city. It’s mostly just chains you’d see anywhere else.
Anyway, this place is pretty amazing. For breakfast I normally get cinnamon pancakes and when I go for dinner I get a grilled chicken sandwich with fries. Everything is delicious and everything my girlfriend has had she enjoyed. They’re coffee is always good and they have a coffee bar with four or five options of different coffees.
This place is pretty cheap too. Normally, it’s under 25 dollars for two people and that’s not bad. Whenever we celebrate something or when I haven’t seen my girlfriend in a long time we go here. And we love it.

No, people are not exaggerating.
Yes. This place is THAT GOOD.
Breakfast brunch and dinner menus, I dare you to pick something random and NOT like it. (of course avoiding allergies)
Service here is stellar, the food dreamed up by a talented chef. (My latest fave? Duck confit nachos, big enough to share though you won’t want to.)
I don’t do verbose reviews. This place is the best food in the Columbia area for sure, the state? Maybe…
Check out their schedule, they close the kitchen mid day on most every day, as most chef ran kitchens do, to prepare for their very special dinner menu and hand picked specials.
You can not go wrong with this place!!!
My only gripe? The seating could be more comfortable, but truth be told I might dawdle sipping their delicious Bloody Marys way too long if that were the case.
Are you still reading? Why aren’t you at strudel yet?

I LOVE stopping at Café Strudel for breakfast. We get there so infrequently that it’s hard to order just one thing off of their menu. The Strudel is a MUST. The Hangover Hashbrowns are amazing (and filling)! A great place for morning meetings, lunch and now they even serve dinner!

AFRAID OF A LITTLE SALT AND PEPPER?
I spent a great deal of time looking for a decent breakfast option just outside of Columbia, where we were staying. I decided that we would probably have better luck if we just headed downtown and I was right. Unilocal pointed us in the direction of Café Strudel and it was very busy this morning. We did not mind the wait because it gave us time to chat with other visitors. When our table was ready, we received a page and were promptly seated.
I ordered the cheese omelet with fresh spinach and turkey sausage, with wheat toast and hash browns. My husband decided on the Congaree green salad with two scoops of curried chicken salad area. My food largely came unseasoned which while understandable is not exactly what I expected. I like my ingredients incorporated into my omelet but the omelet was prepared separately and the ingredients folded into the center. This made the omelet difficult to eat because the ingredients would tend to fall out if not careful. Also, I prefer a softer cook on my eggs. The potatoes would have been the star of the show had they been seasoned because they were on point in every other way, natural skin on potatoes cooked until super crisp and not greasy).
My husband enjoyed his salad but just wished for more of the spring greens to accommodate the generous serving of chicken salad.
I would definitely return to try something different as the vibe here was very dynamic and we loved this old building that remains largely untouched right down to the metal ceiling tiles and exposed brick. The ambiance was very cool.

Last week, Café Strudel showed up in my «Yelp feed». I was intrigued and decided I would try it within the next couple of weeks. A friend came in from out of town to visit after years of being gone. She said, do you guys want to try Café Strudel, I heard it’s good. I was like, YES!
Contrary to all of the urging, I didn’t try the Hangover Hash Browns. My two friends did. They loved them, and I will try them in the future. I am generally a big fan of hash browns, so I know I will love them too. I did have the breakfast burrito. I decided to get my burrito without meat as usual, but I asked for bacon on the side. And to drink, the pomegranate mimosa. The burrito was delicious, I would definitely order it again. The mimosa was yummy, I’m definitely going to try it at home. But, the bacon was the show stopper, it was ridiculously good. The best bacon I have ever had at a restaurant. I find that restaurant bacon can be leathery, even though it’s not over cooked, but that’s my opinion. Doesn’t matter, I still order it because I love bacon, but now I know where to get the good stuff!
I would definitely recommend this restaurant, and I plan on returning. Allow time for finding a parking spot, unless you are extremely lucky!