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Experience the fresh flavors of Publico at BullStreet, a vibrant scratch kitchen offering a unique fusion of Latin-Asian cuisine. This local favorite is nestled in the heart of the BullStreet district, inviting you to share a meal with friends, from delicious taco platters to healthy macro bowls. Discover an extensive vegan menu, alongside a wide selection of margaritas, cocktails, and craft beer. Publico is the perfect spot for a lively Sunday funday brunch, with a spacious patio that welcomes your furry friends. Checkout our fresh VIP (Very Important Puppy) menu. Proceeds from our VIP menu are donated weekly to Final Victory Animal Rescue here in Columbia.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 2180 Boyce St Suite A, Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 726-6526
Website: http://publicoatbullstreet.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
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Reviews
Ang
My kids and I initially attempted to visit Publico on a Saturday night for the Grinch pop-up, which was heavily advertised on social media as family friendly. A major reason for our visit was the advertised appearance of the Grinch, which my 10-year-old was especially excited about. After two separate visits, it became clear that the Grinch was not actually present, despite being central to the marketing.
When we tried to make reservations online, we found that reservations needed to be booked several days in advance and appeared to be limited to groups of 20 people or more, so we decided to walk in. Upon entering, there was cute and festive holiday decor near the entrance, which added to our initial excitement. We were told there was a 90-minute to 2 hour wait and chose not to dine that evening.
The following Saturday, we returned for lunch with the kids and their dad. The restaurant was not crowded and had indoor, bar, and outdoor seating available, yet we were still quoted a 20 to 30 minute wait. We chose to wait and were eventually seated after some visible confusion between the hostesses about where to place us and how they would contact us to let us know our table was ready, which we were initially told via text. (We ultimately received a phone call, not a text.)
Our server, Kaylie Di, took our drink orders and the service throughout the meal was underwhelming at best. The menu and limited holiday offerings were cute but pricing felt high for what was delivered. One child ordered the “Who Hash” with no pickled red onions, and the server wrote and responded verbally with “no pico,” which is not part of the dish, resulting in an awkward correction.
The decor throughout the restaurant was festive, playful and casual, with a designated photo area and childlike holiday elements. We had discussed getting up to take photos, but the overall atmosphere felt unwelcoming enough that we decided against it. Many patrons were dressed in pajamas, reinforcing the casual vibe. However, that casual setting sharply contrasted with the tone of the environment, as interactions with both staff and several guests felt oddly elitist, creating a noticeable mismatch.
There were multiple service and food issues. Our table was only set with two sets of silverware for four people, and plates had to specifically be requested after our food arrived. The birria taco my oldest ordered was served without any dipping sauce, and the Who Hash arrived missing bacon bits that were implied on the menu, and not asked to be removed. The tacos themselves were not authentic and soaking wet, causing the tortillas to turn into mush, which was disappointing given the restaurant’s Latin-Asian fusion branding.
When we requested a to-go container for remaining charcuterie items, we were given five large plastic containers and two plastic bags despite only needing one. When we attempted to return the 4 unused containers to avoid waste, the bartender responded verbally frustrated that they would now have to “bring them to the back” because they didn’t want them on the bar, making the interaction uncomfortable and dismissive.
Overall, the environment felt unwelcoming from both staff and some guests. While the decor was cute and clearly designed to attract families, the service, execution, and overall energy fell short. Based on this experience, I would not recommend this establishment and we will not be returning. ___________edit in response to owner:___________
There was no misunderstanding regarding reservations. As stated above, we attempted to book online and realized that reservations were limited to 20 or more so we walked in. Regarding the Grinch, my comment was based on two separate visits made specifically because his appearance was central to the event’s marketing. He was not present during either visit.
… moreWhen we tried to make reservations online, we found that reservations needed to be booked several days in advance and appeared to be limited to groups of 20 people or more, so we decided to walk in. Upon entering, there was cute and festive holiday decor near the entrance, which added to our initial excitement. We were told there was a 90-minute to 2 hour wait and chose not to dine that evening.
The following Saturday, we returned for lunch with the kids and their dad. The restaurant was not crowded and had indoor, bar, and outdoor seating available, yet we were still quoted a 20 to 30 minute wait. We chose to wait and were eventually seated after some visible confusion between the hostesses about where to place us and how they would contact us to let us know our table was ready, which we were initially told via text. (We ultimately received a phone call, not a text.)
Our server, Kaylie Di, took our drink orders and the service throughout the meal was underwhelming at best. The menu and limited holiday offerings were cute but pricing felt high for what was delivered. One child ordered the “Who Hash” with no pickled red onions, and the server wrote and responded verbally with “no pico,” which is not part of the dish, resulting in an awkward correction.
The decor throughout the restaurant was festive, playful and casual, with a designated photo area and childlike holiday elements. We had discussed getting up to take photos, but the overall atmosphere felt unwelcoming enough that we decided against it. Many patrons were dressed in pajamas, reinforcing the casual vibe. However, that casual setting sharply contrasted with the tone of the environment, as interactions with both staff and several guests felt oddly elitist, creating a noticeable mismatch.
There were multiple service and food issues. Our table was only set with two sets of silverware for four people, and plates had to specifically be requested after our food arrived. The birria taco my oldest ordered was served without any dipping sauce, and the Who Hash arrived missing bacon bits that were implied on the menu, and not asked to be removed. The tacos themselves were not authentic and soaking wet, causing the tortillas to turn into mush, which was disappointing given the restaurant’s Latin-Asian fusion branding.
When we requested a to-go container for remaining charcuterie items, we were given five large plastic containers and two plastic bags despite only needing one. When we attempted to return the 4 unused containers to avoid waste, the bartender responded verbally frustrated that they would now have to “bring them to the back” because they didn’t want them on the bar, making the interaction uncomfortable and dismissive.
Overall, the environment felt unwelcoming from both staff and some guests. While the decor was cute and clearly designed to attract families, the service, execution, and overall energy fell short. Based on this experience, I would not recommend this establishment and we will not be returning. ___________edit in response to owner:___________
There was no misunderstanding regarding reservations. As stated above, we attempted to book online and realized that reservations were limited to 20 or more so we walked in. Regarding the Grinch, my comment was based on two separate visits made specifically because his appearance was central to the event’s marketing. He was not present during either visit.
Erich Kielburger
Good restaurant location outside the ballpark. Atmosphere is nice, Jenga on the table, Grinch themed holiday decorations throughout. Wide variety menu. Little bit of Mexican little bit of Chinese. Little bit American. When the food came out everything looked good. I went with the fried chicken and waffle. Everything tasted good. Just lacked a little on flavor. It’s supposed to have a spicy maple syrup. Did not taste it. I got some extra chili oil, and a hot honey on the table complemented everything. Plantains that came with the dish were very good. Food was good but not 5 star worthy. Will return though.
… moreRicole Lewis
Absolutely fantastic experience, every visit!
The food is amazing—every dish is packed with flavor and made with care. The staff is even better—friendly, attentive, and always making sure you have everything you need.
The atmosphere is on point, creating the perfect vibe for any occasion. Plus, the food and drink specials are top-notch, offering great variety and value.
The owner clearly puts a lot of thought into keeping the menu and ambiance fun and exciting—there’s never a dull moment!
As a restaurant manager myself, I highly recommend to anyone looking for a great meal and an even better time!
… moreThe food is amazing—every dish is packed with flavor and made with care. The staff is even better—friendly, attentive, and always making sure you have everything you need.
The atmosphere is on point, creating the perfect vibe for any occasion. Plus, the food and drink specials are top-notch, offering great variety and value.
The owner clearly puts a lot of thought into keeping the menu and ambiance fun and exciting—there’s never a dull moment!
As a restaurant manager myself, I highly recommend to anyone looking for a great meal and an even better time!
Gina Libassi
We have been to Publico (Bull St) twice now in the last month, and had nothing but great things to say about each visit!
We went for the holiday lights/Grinch experience and loved the fun atmosphere. Sure the wait time was long the first time, but we expected that with peak holiday hours. This second visit on a Saturday night, we planned our timing accordingly and were seated right away. The hostess was even very accommodating to us needing a lower table instead of high tops. Our waitress, Aurora, was hands down the best waitress we’ve ever experienced in our 3 years in Columbia!!!!! She was super friendly, attentive, and accommodating with our questions and needs!!!!
We also loved the holiday special drinks and foods—the first time we tried WhoHash tots which had great flavor; our second visit, we enjoyed the chips trio. All the holiday drinks we tried were fun and made well—Silver Bell, Holiday Marg, Mount Krumpus Mule—and I have also tried the sugar cookie martini another time, all delish! The birria taco, garlic burger, and their spicy beef ramen were our favorites, which we’ll definitely be ordering again. I’m also a fan of the Crab Rangoon nachos and the Bang Shrimp taco too.
Thank you Aurora and the rest of the Publico staff for an amazing experience! We can’t wait to go back in summer to enjoy the patio and bring our family to try!
… moreWe went for the holiday lights/Grinch experience and loved the fun atmosphere. Sure the wait time was long the first time, but we expected that with peak holiday hours. This second visit on a Saturday night, we planned our timing accordingly and were seated right away. The hostess was even very accommodating to us needing a lower table instead of high tops. Our waitress, Aurora, was hands down the best waitress we’ve ever experienced in our 3 years in Columbia!!!!! She was super friendly, attentive, and accommodating with our questions and needs!!!!
We also loved the holiday special drinks and foods—the first time we tried WhoHash tots which had great flavor; our second visit, we enjoyed the chips trio. All the holiday drinks we tried were fun and made well—Silver Bell, Holiday Marg, Mount Krumpus Mule—and I have also tried the sugar cookie martini another time, all delish! The birria taco, garlic burger, and their spicy beef ramen were our favorites, which we’ll definitely be ordering again. I’m also a fan of the Crab Rangoon nachos and the Bang Shrimp taco too.
Thank you Aurora and the rest of the Publico staff for an amazing experience! We can’t wait to go back in summer to enjoy the patio and bring our family to try!
Dede Hurson
First time customer yesterday for Taco Monday. The chicken and Barbacoa ( spicy) were delicious. Margaritas were very nice. Excellent service, good atmosphere although quiet because of bad weather. Looks like the ” firehouse” type walls can open up to the outdoors so that the indoor area and outdoor patio are one large space. Would be a great place to visit before the baseball game as it is literally next door..
… moreKay-maria C
I usually try to be as positive as I can when giving reviews but for this establishment I cannot. You need to do better. I went to Publico with my family and after waiting for a table to be cleared for us to be seated things went downhill from there. We passed at least three tables that were already clear and with the same amount of seats as the one we were placed at. When I gave the waiter my drink order and was getting my ID out he left and was replaced by another. My daughter had ordered fried turkey gyoza. It came with Ponzu Sauce which was very salty and the gyoza was very hard. She did not like it. I ordered the Chicken and Puffles. Now this is considered a fusion restaurant. So I wanted to see how this take on chicken and waffles was going to go. It didn’t. It was fried chicken thigh strips, on one of the waffles you would get from a bubble tea store, with kimchi and fried plantains. The kimchi wasn’t kimchi, it was more of a cold mix of ingredients and fresh cabbage, not spicy, no vinegar, not tart. The bubble waffle tasted like oil. The fried chicken tasted like crunch. Even after dipping it into the syrup, there was no flavor to the chicken nor syrup just crunch. Whatever seasoning ingredients that were supposed to go into this dish, were left in the kitchen and never made it’s way put. None of my family enjoyed their meals. As for the atmosphere build it around your food. The place looks really too good to be serving up such dismal paltry offerings. If the food was better I could forgive the service but no. Please retrain your front staff and your kitchen staff. One more thing, if your front staff is going to be eating on the floor it shouldn’t be infront of customers who have been sitting waiting quite some time to be served.
… morejodus b.
I’m not going to sugar coat it , this was terrible. I came in here excited , looked at the menu and got overwhelmed Fast. I knew it was fusion but , theres a Lot of choices , but most didn’t sound good in my head. I ordered the spicy turkey gyoza , 2 barbacoa tacos and kimchi. Took about 30+ minutes to get our appetizers , and another 30+ for the Actual food. Gyoza wasn’t spicy , barbacoa wasnt spicy either (both advertised as such) and , somehow tasted dry. My mom ended up getting my kimchi on accident and when I looked at it , I didn’t even want it anymore (picture for refrence). My god bruh
… moreAniya Quiñones
AMAZING FOOD!!! AMAZING SERVER AND SERVICE!! Thank you to my waitress Kate. And the chef (Tyler) can throw down! I definitely recommend the “Sticky Ribs”! Not really crowded at all. Kate made amazing suggestions, food is really really good!! portions are amazing aswell! 5 thick , tender , and juicy ribs for only $14! 10/10 would definitely recommend!
… moreEmily Pickle
Both of our cocktails were great! The service was very friendly & we appreciated the communications about delays. The pop-up atmosphere was fun. However the kitchen was overwhelmed – dinner took 2+ hours so we missed the lights at Segra Park. Food was okay – everyone was doing their best. Suggest you go for a drink or two & skip the full meal.
… moreHaris Gill
I checked out Publico on BullStreet after a few friends recommended it, and I’m glad I did. I was seated quickly at a clean table with a great view of the Wimbledon match.
My server, Shriya, was friendly, professional, and made me feel welcome right away. Since it was my first time, I asked for her recommendation. She suggested the Crab Rangoon Nacho which came out really fresh and full of flavor.. Throughout the meal, she checked in just enough, and I appreciated the small touches, like refilling my water before I even had to ask. I will definitely be back with my friend and ask for Shriya to be my sever again.
… moreMy server, Shriya, was friendly, professional, and made me feel welcome right away. Since it was my first time, I asked for her recommendation. She suggested the Crab Rangoon Nacho which came out really fresh and full of flavor.. Throughout the meal, she checked in just enough, and I appreciated the small touches, like refilling my water before I even had to ask. I will definitely be back with my friend and ask for Shriya to be my sever again.