Review of the Palmetto Pig

The Palmetto Pig is an all you can eat barbeque buffet, located just outside the heart of downtown Columbia, South Carolina. The Pig, as it is referred to by many of the regulars, provides its customers with wonderful food at a relatively low price. The buffet costs about ten dollars, with a drink, but a discount is offered for students when they present their student identification card.

While the buffet does not offer much selection, as far as sides are concerned, the barbeque and fried chicken more than make up for it. The two meats on the buffet are pulled barbeque pork and fried chicken. The barbeque pork is very moist and can be covered in an array of sauces. The sauces include mustard, mild, hot, and original. The original sauce is my personal favorite. It is commonly referred to as Orangeburg Sweet because it originated in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The original is a sweet yet tangy sauce that goes perfectly with the pulled pork. The fried chicken is the meat that is on the buffet. One thing the customer can be assured of is that this chicken will never be dried out. While the fried chicken is also very moist, it does not have very much grease on it. Unlike other fast food or barbeque restaurants that serve fried chicken with more than enough grease to clog an artery, The Pig takes pride in their fried chicken.

The buffet offers several sides that you would find at most barbeque restaurants. The traditional white rash and hash is a must try. In addition to the rice and hash, The Palmetto pig provides coleslaw, green beans, pork rinds, and the most important piece of white bread. Although not on the buffet, The Pig does offer banana pudding as a desert. The banana pudding costs one dollar, but it is a wonderful investment if you are somehow not able to fill your stomach up on the buffet.

There is no better way to wash it all down than with a cup full of The Pig's sweet tea. For those who do not like the tea very sweat, then this tea might not be for you. To allow the customer to enjoy their meal without getting up, pitchers full of the tea are placed on each table.

If you are ever in Columbia and have a craving for barbeque, then The Palmetto Pig is the perfect place for you. Although, you might want to try to come to lunch a little early because many business men and women love to make The Pig their lunch spot, so the line can sometimes be a little long.