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Ratings and reviews

RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

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PRICE RANGE
$17 - $32
CUISINES
Italian, Seafood, Cajun & Creole
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
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Reviews (265)
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Reviewed January 24, 2024

The ambiance was perfect for a romantic evening. The staff was very attentive and the food was delicious. Will be back soon!

Date of visit: January 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded January 26, 2024

Thank you so much, Kim - most appreciated, look forward to seeing you again!

Reviewed November 18, 2023

We ate here in the summer and our food was perfect. We ate there tonight and my steak was to be well done but 1/2 of it was not edible it was so burnt . My husband’s steak did not taste like it was a...seasoned “voodoo” steak like we had this summer also to be well done and was bloody. While I offered to pay 1/2 price the owner should have said she will comp it. We told the owner how amazing our steaks were at a previous visit . These were horrible but we were hungry and treated the meal as a filler . We did not want to wait .sorry to say we will not be back .More

Date of visit: November 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded January 10, 2024

My apologies for such a delayed response, have difficulties sometimes getting into this account for some reason. I remember this incident. I agreed that part of your steak was indeed overdone even for being well-done. But before I could even offer to do anything, you...More

Reviewed October 7, 2023

What a fabulous surprise to find this fare in a small, TN town. The cocktail menu is varied and wonderful. Wines you don’t usually find in small town restaurants and WOW. What variety and excellence in the offerings. I will drive to Columbia just to...have dinner!More

Date of visit: October 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded January 10, 2024

My apologies for such a delayed response, have difficulties sometimes getting into this account for some reason. Thank you so much for the lovely review, and I hope we have the pleasure of a repeat visit from you in the near future!

Reviewed October 1, 2023

THE LAST STRAW. My wife and I moved from Texas to Tennessee in 2012. A good filet mignon and crawfish etouffee are hard to find in this state. In 2012 we discovered River Terrace. They made good filet mignon (with an option of sauces such...as bourbon mushroom sauce) and their crawfish etouffee was of the quality I am used to. After the appetizer they would bring out sherbet to cleanse the palate. I’m giving River Terrace a one star because they have gone downhill. The last three times we went my wife’s filet mignon was fatty. We’re used to a good quality of meat with no fat. What caused the last straw to happen on 9/30/2023. When I was served my crawfish etouffee, I decided right there and then before I even took a bite, I would not be coming back. The serving was HALF the size of what River Terrace used to serve. Our meal cost us $69 for two teas, filet mignon (fatty meat), two house salads, a loaded bake potato, crawfish etouffee (half serving). The quality just isn’t there anymore and does not justify the cost. We’re saddened, River Terrace was a place we loved going to.More

Date of visit: September 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded October 2, 2023

Dwayne, I'm genuinely sorry you were disappointed last night. To address some of your comments, I must first state that our serving size of etouffee is actually exactly the same portion that it has always been the entire time we've been open. We use the...More

Reviewed September 16, 2023 via mobile

Met our family here that lives in Columbia. Such an unassuming building from the outside and beautiful on the inside.. really great service! It really just is a truly solid four I couldn’t quite get the exact qualities and I rarely give a FIVE ,...it Has to be exceptional.. We did not start with any appetizers we went straight for the entrées I regretted not getting the Hawaiian ribeye. My cousin had it and it looked absolutely amazing. I wish I would’ve tried a bite of it.! my parents got the fried shrimp. I believe I didn’t try those, but she said they were OK., of course we live in Houston Texas so we have access to fresh shrimp so it was a bit different . My husband had some type of shrimp that seem to be a bit Asian. They were two pieces of shrimp on what appeared to be some type of toast pieces. They were very, very tasty.. I opted for the filet and baked potato and a slice of French bread. The steak was cooked, medium rare as I ordered. It was a little bit tough, and was not very warm.. the baked potato was really really good and the toast was kind of stale. The salad that we split was very good and the dressing was interesting. It tasted like blue cheese, but did not look like it. I’m guessing it probably was homemade. The finale was a crème brûlée cheesecake, which was really really wonderful. All eight of us got a fork and tried it. It was quite tasty.. I would go back, possibly and try something different on the menu. They had a very interesting menu, and the ambience was very very wonderful. I believe they have outdoor dining on the river. It’s a beautiful place. .More

Date of visit: September 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded October 2, 2023

Thank you for the review, Carole. The jumbo shrimp with the Asian-inspired sauce atop the grilled French bread was our Hurricane Shrimp appetizer, FYI, but we get the French bread in daily, would have been grilled but not stale. And I'm genuinely sorry if you...More

Reviewed August 27, 2023

Outstanding food. Totally comparable with New Orleans. Elizabeth is so wonderful and has done an excellent job with the place.

Date of visit: February 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded October 2, 2023

My apologies for the delay in response, there was a glitch in my account preventing my access for some time. Thank you so much for the review and compliments, most appreciated! Elizabeth

Reviewed August 9, 2023

This lovely restaurant was built in the 18th century and is on a high bluff overlooking the Duck River. We sat on the enclosed porch so we could watch the river slide by. Our waitstaff, "Lucy," was great and makes an excellent cocktail. I highly...recommend the eggplant parmesan! It was a great experience all around.More

Date of visit: July 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded October 2, 2023

My apologies for the delay in response, there was a glitch in my account preventing my access for some time. Very much appreciate the review, and will pass along your compliment to Melanie (nickname Lucy)!

Reviewed June 19, 2023

This restaurant overlooks the Duck River, and every seat in there seemed to have a good view. The service (Melania, aka Lucy) was great, the drinks were above-average, and the food was perfect!

Date of visit: June 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed March 31, 2023

While traveling recently, my daughter and I spent a night in Columbia and, tired of road food, I decided to find a “nice” restaurant for our evening meal. We’re New Orleanians, and as most New Orleanians do, we steer clear of any restaurant in other...areas of the country that advertise “New Orleans-style food” as they invariably think we just cover everything with spice and blacken it. When I read the owner was actually from New Orleans, however, I decided to give River Terrace a try, and I’m so pleased I did. We were greeted warmly and seated along the large windows, which offer a beautiful view of the Duck River. Cocktails from a small but surprisingly well-stocked bar helped us settle in. Service throughout the evening continued in the same warm and friendly manner, including a stop at our table from the owner, Elizabeth, whom I’d noticed quietly making the rounds of the restaurant, checking in with each table. This personal touch is old-school Restaurant 101: an owner greeting customers and treating them as her guests. Still, no panoramic view, alcoholic beverages, or friendly service could have offset potentially bad food. Fortunately, from start to finish, our meal did not disappoint (and I admit to being spoiled by New Orleans restaurants and therefore, picky). We started with crawfish eggrolls, which were fun, different, and good for sharing. Our meals – Eggplant Orleans and Shrimp and Grits – were obviously fresh; nothing about them tasted frozen or commercially prepared. The spicing was appropriate for each dish and not heavy handed, but nor were they under seasoned. Though we were delightfully full by the time our plates were cleared, somehow we managed to share a slice of light raspberry mascarpone cake as the perfect end of our meal. We had an all-around lovely, relaxed evening. If we lived in the area, I’ve no doubt we’d be regulars. If we were, I’ve also no doubt River Terrace is the kind of place where we’d walk in the door and be greeted by name. In future travels, we’ll go out of our way to eat here again.More

Date of visit: March 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth Parks-Landry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded October 2, 2023

My apologies for the delay in response, there was a glitch in my account preventing my access for some time. Thank you so much for such a lovely and detailed review! Hope to have the pleasure of your company again soon!

Reviewed March 23, 2023

Went here for dinner tonight and was hopeful it would be really great based on the reviews and photos… however each item that was served was very disappointing. The quality of the food did not match the price at all. Appetizers- crawfish rolls- over cooked...and no filling as it all leaked out/lobster bisque— watery. Entree- 8oz filet ordered medium rare- served as medium and burnt on the outside, you could tell the grill hadn’t been cleaned in some time./lobster ravioli—- 4 ravioli served in what appeared to be soup. Decided not to even try desert…. Because at this point — why bother to be let down again.More

Date of visit: March 2023
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed November 22, 2022

Had a great Birthday dinner with my wife. I intended to order wine with dinner but the Bloody Mary I ordered before dinner was so large it lasted through the meal. My wife ordered Prosecco. We started with the Lobster Bisque, which was delicious. For...dinner I had an enormous Chicken Parmesan. My wife had the Seafood Platter, half of which she bought home. For dessert, we shared the White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. The service was great. We've been wanting to try the River Terrace for some time and finally did. We will definitely be backMore

Date of visit: November 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EPLandry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded November 23, 2022

Wonderful, so pleased to to hear that we apparently met or exceeded your expectations! Very appreciative of the review and of your having chosen River Terrace for your special evening, and hope to see you again soon! Elizabeth, Owner

Reviewed June 21, 2022

If your looking for a good steak or romantic meal....pick somewhere else . The 8oz filet my wife had and the 14oz Ribeye that was mine was over cooked and BLAND. The waiter Jon E who made our Hurricane drinks is the ONLY thing positive...that this place has to offer.More

Date of visit: June 2022
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EPLandry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded June 22, 2022

I'm the owner and unfortunately had to be out last night due to caring for an injured elderly parent at present. But I was made aware of the situation last night. All I can do is apologize, and state that as I'm sure you can...More

Reviewed June 19, 2022 via mobile

I hesitated leaving a less than positive review, especially with family owner/operators, but I’m doing it for the benefit of others. Having read many positive comments, I chose this as my place to go for a Father’s Day celebration with my wife. I was expecting...a casual fine dining experience, in a romantic atmosphere. It was better suited to the patrons in their shorts and baseball caps, dressed for the next trip to Cracker Barrel. My entree was shrimp and crawfish étouffée topped with fried redfish. Good, but not great, could have used additional spices. My wife ordered the creole blackened chicken. It was overcooked, and extremely dry and was served with little to any sauce. It may have been brined, but you would never guess it-she had two or three bites, as it was too tough to cut and close to inedible. And we would have said something, but no one checked after a couple of minutes to ask if we were enjoying our food. As it is, it was mentioned when our waiter came back at the end of the meal, and he was kind enough to bring us some sauce and a to go container. Very disappointing, and regret suggesting to my wife.More

Date of visit: June 2022
Helpful?4  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed April 23, 2022

money’s too tight to waste on anything less than something special and this treasure is most definitely special. We don’t get to go often but i ALWAYS bring out of town guests to river terrace and so far they have fans in Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville,...Dallas, Philly, Detroit, Jacksonville, Shreveport, Washington state and Southern California. lukewarm salt out of a #10 can is a joke. Shrimp Elizabeth and a kickass whiskey sour (or 3) has convinced me to incur a late fee on my electric bill more than once with zero regrets! If you’ve ever wondered where to find the perfect steak, this is the place. The atmosphere is classy and intimate without feeling stuffy or snooty and everyone who walks through the door is treated like an old friend.More

Date of visit: April 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed April 15, 2022 via mobile

Found this place on Trip Advisor and it was amazing. Food was perfect. I highly recommend this place. It is tucked away from the main roads and overlooks the Duck River with great views. I had the shrimp crawfish etoufee and I loved it. Do...not pass this place up. The owner I believe stopped by table and checked on us. Amanda was our server and she was the best. Service is spot on, table stayed clean with no dirty dishes which I really liked. I will definitely be returning.More

Date of visit: April 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EPLandry, Owner at River Terrace, responded to this reviewResponded April 21, 2022

Thank you so much for the review - very appreciated, these do matter to a small business! And yes, that was me, Elizabeth Parks Landry, the owner, who visited your table. Hope to see you again in your future travels.

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Questions & Answers
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perezjakes24
June 9, 2017|
AnswerShow all 3 answers
Response from EPLandry | Property representative |
My sincere apologies for delay in response. This is the first time in all these years that I've ever actually missed answering anyone's question. We have a nice variety of gluten-free options. In addition to our filet and... More
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Rebecca M
August 13, 2016|
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Response from EPLandry | Property representative |
Our only request is that men wear sleeved shirts (no tanks or sleeveless ones) and no ball caps.
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CSR374
April 6, 2016|
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Response from EPLandry | Property representative |
Actually, we've never had quail on the menu, though we offer duck as a special now & then. If you;ll go to our website at RiverTerraceRestaurant . com, you can see our full menu there. Hope you will join us soon!
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RIVER TERRACE, Columbia - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about River Terrace

Yes, River Terrace offers takeout services.

River Terrace is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travelers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4.5
  • Atmosphere: 5