Dave & Buster’s Columbia brings the chain’s familiar combination of video arcade and full-service restaurant to one of the busiest retail corridors in South Carolina’s capital. Tucked into the Columbiana Centre development at 100 Columbiana Circle, the venue draws a steady mix of families, after-work groups, and weekend birthday crowds. With more than 7,400 Google reviews logged to date, it remains one of the higher-profile arcade-style destinations in the Columbia area.
While it isn’t a dedicated retro arcade — the focus here is on modern redemption and video games paired with a full bar and kitchen — Dave & Buster’s Columbia functions as a family entertainment center in the truest sense. Visitors weighing their options can browse our arcade finder directory or open the interactive arcade map to compare this venue with smaller Columbia-area spots like Transmission Arcade and Bang Back Pinball Lounge.
At a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 Columbiana Cir Ste 5, Columbia, SC |
| Phone | +1 803-576-4800 |
| Hours | Sun–Thu: 10 AM – 12 AM; Fri–Sat: 10 AM – 1 AM |
| Rating | 4.2 out of 5 from 7,400 Google reviews |
| Best For | Birthday parties, group events, family outings, casual date nights |
What Players Say
Dave & Buster’s Columbia offers a fun, family-friendly atmosphere with a wide game selection that visitors generally enjoy, especially for birthday parties and group events. Staff frequently receive praise by name, but experiences are inconsistent — several reviewers report extremely long food waits and a noticeable number of broken or malfunctioning game machines. Food quality and drink execution draw mixed reactions, so guests who prioritize quick service and well-maintained games may want to plan their visit carefully.
On the positive side, individual staff members stand out. As one Google review put it, “Keith deserves a huge recognition for his excellent customer service and his pleasant demeanor.” The venue also handles large gatherings well; another reviewer noted, “They made accommodation for 200 kids and did it with ease,” and a third observed that the layout “no longer feels overcrowded and like a dead end.”
That said, recurring complaints are worth flagging. Multiple diners have reported extremely long kitchen waits, with one Google review stating, “it took two hours for our food to come out.” Machine maintenance is the other consistent sore spot, captured in the comment, “a lot of the games were broken/glitching” — a theme that shows up often enough to be treated as a fair caveat for anyone visiting primarily to play. Food quality is mixed (“When we finally got our food it was pretty good however not sure if I’ll be back to eat”), and a few guests have flagged uneven treatment of children (“pointed at my son in the face & aggressively told him to sit down”). Drink execution has also drawn criticism, with one visitor observing, “I ordered a Margarita and a Long Island and they both tasted the same.”
Games & Machines
As a Dave & Buster’s location, the Columbia venue follows the brand’s standard mix of redemption games, video arcade cabinets, and simulator-style attractions — the kind of layout built for birthday-party crowds and casual group play rather than classic arcade purists. Specific titles, current machine counts, and any retro or pinball inventory are not documented in the source record used for this page, so visitors chasing a particular game should call ahead or check the official site for the latest floor layout.
Visiting
Dave & Buster’s Columbia sits at 100 Columbiana Circle, Suite 5, in the Columbiana Centre area west of downtown Columbia — easy to pair with shopping or a movie for a full afternoon out. The venue opens at 10 AM every day of the week. Sunday through Thursday it runs until midnight; on Friday and Saturday the floor stays open until 1 AM, which lines up well with the after-dinner and late-night crowds that fill the bar.
Food and full bar service are on-site, though as noted above, kitchen wait times are a known issue during busy stretches, so visitors on a schedule may want to eat before or after playing. The venue is also a popular choice for birthday parties and group events, and several reviewers have highlighted how smoothly large parties are handled. For bookings and current event packages, call +1 803-576-4800 or visit the official Dave & Buster’s location page.
Arcade operators and venue owners can claim this listing to update hours, machine inventory, and event details. Readers planning a broader arcade crawl can browse the full arcade finder directory or open the interactive arcade map to plot Columbia-area stops like Lucky Strike Cayce and WesCo Brew and Bowl alongside this one.