Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

As reported by commenter Sidney, the Whiskey Kitchen house restaurant at the Delta Northeast on Two Notch is rebranding as a Mexican eatery: Dos Amigos. With a few notable exceptions, I have always found restaurants in hotels to be "eh..OK" in general. We'll have to see if this is any different, though as recent comments have pointed out, there is no dearth of Mexican restaurants on Two Notch..

(Hat tip to commenter Sidney)

My memory is that this building was built to be a Redbone Alley, and after that it was a barbecue joint, and I believe briefly a jazz club before moving to mexican food as Pancho's. When the San Jose in the current Pasta Fresca building closed, Pancho's re-flagged as San Jose, and operated there for a number of years.

When commenter Larry mentioned that the San Jose had closed as was moving to the Sparkleberry location, I figured that another operation, perhaps an Asian buffet, would be in the space before long. I was quite surprised then that when I went by to get some pictures, the building was in the process of being knocked down. I guess I shouldn't be *too* surprised: It was an odd structure, with a mostly unused second floor which must have cost a lot to heat and cool. There are no signs indicating what, if anything, is to be built here once the lot is vacant.

There is apparently still electricity to the ornamental pool pump system, and it is beeping quite forlornly about the water level being low.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

El Salto was the follow-on operation in this location to Dino's. I ate there once earlier this year, and thought it was pretty good, though I didn't put it on regular rotation.

I was driving down Decker the other day and noticed that the main sign was blank and that the place had been re-branded -- I'm not sure if it's a completely new ownership and staff or just a name change. Looking at Google reviews, it appears to have happened a month or two ago.

I believe there is another El Salto on Columbia Northeast Drive in the Big Lots side plaza -- I have not checked to see if that is still there.

Sol was the follow-on in this space (which was built as a Sam's Corner hotdog place) to the idiosyncratically named Joe Loves Lobster Rolls.

It was a rather upscale Mexican place, the kind where they don't have the items you expect, and you don't get free chips & salsa. In the event, I only ate there once, with my college roommate & his wife after we had taken in an evening at Nights Of A Thousand Candles. The only thing I saw on the menu that appealed to me was the Chile Rellenos, which were fine, but on the whole for that type of concept, I prefer Luna in Murrells Inlet.

One thing I did notice driving by in the years after that, was that the hours of the place were rather unusual, and they tended to take the winter completely off. The Sun News has the story on the closing. The given reason is that the rent in this spot is too high, which seems odd as it is a building which has had trouble holding restaurants, and it is a bit off the beaten path. At any rate, the owner hopes to re-open somewhere on the Grand Strand.

I was not really aware of La Cazeula, driving that section of road very infrequently, though I must have seen it a number of times.

It appears to have been a largely lunch oriented buffet operation, which will be replaced by another Mexican restaurant soon.

(Hat tip to commenter Matthew Benjamin)

There is a little confusion over the exact name of this place. It was the second location for Moctezuma Taqueria, so the sign and some of the online presence is for the humorous Moc2umas Taqueria and in other places it is simply Moctezuma Taqueria. (Still other places add an apostrophe for Moctezuma's Taqueria...).

Anyway, they moved into the back suite in this former motel after Julia's German Stammitisch moved out in 2018, and were there until late January when they had to leave due to circumstances beyond their control. According to commenter Larry and confirmed by The State, those circumstances were the sale of the property so that a veterinary clinic can be built there.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

UPDATE 5 July 2023: Now open in the old Lizard's Thicket building on Beltline:

I never ate at La Fiesta, though I did eat in the building when it was a Shoney's. It had been here for many years however, before closing on a temporary basis in the Spring of 2022. They came back after that, but have now called it a day.

Here is their Facebook, which pretty much recapitulates the information on the door sign.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

I was not really aware of this restaurant as I go out that way so seldom. Apparently it was rather new, and started just in time to be hit by the pandemic. It probably didn't help either that a San Jose was just around one corner, and El Charro around the other.

According to their Facebook they do still have a location in Swansea.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

I've never been to a Del Taco, and had it in my mind that I would try this one someday. In the event, as happens all too often, I did not get around to it before it closed. The place has already been completely gutted, and is in the process of setting up to be a Taco Bell (which I will almost certainly not be visiting). The building was actually fairly new, with Del Taco being a completely new build after the Clear View Car Wash building was razed in 2014.

I see from Wikipedia, that Jack In The Box bought Del Taco, finalizing in March of this year. My guess is that closing this location probably has something to do with JITB's strategy for the chain.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

UPDATE 26 January 2023 -- Taco Bell is now open in this spot:

I've done two closings for Eric's San Jose, one at the infamous 2630 Decker building, and one in 2016 for the immediate predecessor to this location on the far side of Target from this building.

Aside from Eric's, this building has also housed, at least, Moe's Grapevine, and Rooftop Piza Pub.

I believe I have been to this operation twice, once in the old location, and once at this one. I thought it was fine, but no better than Casa Linda which is closer to me, and the menu seemed pretty small. I think I went there a third time when I expected it to be open and found it closed, and got it in my mind that the hours were a bit odd. I haven't seen any official reason for the closing, and I don't see a web site or facebook page, but I know the nearby Lizard's Thicket was having staffing issues, so it's possible that played a part here as well.

We'll have to see what is next for this building. Since it won't be a Lizard's, and it's already been a Mexican restaurant, perhaps an Asian buffett?

(Hat tip to commenter MB)

UPDATE 15 August 2024 -- Now Alley Street Eats: