Best restaurants near me in Columbia, IL

Haven't been to Sam's Steakhouse in years, so was curious how it would compare to some of my other favorite steakhouses in STL. I'm glad I went because I was thoroughly impressed. The ambiance was lovely. The beautiful Christmas decorations are kept up through Valentine's Day. Everything from the bread and butter to the salad, entrees, and dessert were amazing. My 6 oz filet was cooked medium to perfection... nicely chared edges, but super tender and juicy once you cut into it. I topped it off with the garlic herb butter that made it even more delicious. I also opted for a loaded baked potato and was not disappointed...it was worth the extra add on and the size of the potato put other baked potatoes to shame 😆 The drinks were strong! I ordered a brandy alexander and couldn't even finish it and it was also very reasonably priced for the amount of alcohol in it. The carrot cake was delicious! Our waitress Ariel was amazing! You could tell she really loved her job and provided outstanding service...even brought over a free slice of the flourless torte for my gluten free husband. The only downside to this restaurant is the parking. The lot is tricky to get in and out of and we had to create our own space because of how packed it was, but that will not steer us away from coming back. Everything was just wonderful 👍

We had an incredible dining experience! Justin was super thoughtful. He knew we were splitting one of the meals and had the kitchen do two separate plates. He brought out a special drink for our 21yo birthday as well as let them pick a dessert! We love Olive + Oak! Justin was the perfect server for us!

No negative comments at all. Server was very friendly and personable. Food quality and temp and cooking was excellent. Presentation good. Wine options by the glass was limited but choice was good. Would highly recommend

Great date night. I had the roast chicken. David had the mussels. We shared a salad. Everything was perfectly cooked and the service was great.