Social Bar and Lounge

Good atmosphere. Good music. Bartender was super friendly. Drinks were very affordable.

I went here a couple weekends ago with friends. We initially went because we had heard they had a hip hop area and a Latin music area (something for all of us basically). When we got there, we were greeted by some very nice (and attractive :-D) doormen who took our i.d.‘s and told us the price to get in and said they were giving us our first drink free, so I already got a great impression before we even stepped inside. The club itself is set up very nicely and seems like a great atmosphere. it’s very cool looking with a lot of space. The bar staff were very polite and attentive. I thought I had a weird drink request and the bartender smiled and said it wasn’t weird at all and quickly made my drink exactly how I asked. Even my friends talked about how nice everyone was. I rarely experience that at clubs, usually they’re just in a hurry to help and move on or just have flat out nasty attitudes. It was all pretty reasonably priced as well.
Ok…what I wasn’t too fond of (here goes.) I was a little disappointed by the music but I guess that’s because I was expecting there to be more hip hop (like we were told there was) and our group isn’t really into the whole electronic and techno music scene, totally not Social’s fault. But they played a whole N’Sync and bubblegum pop segment… that pretty much told me I was in the wrong place after that. I did like the idea of the Latin area being another option but it was a small area and got a little overcrowded by people who couldn’t even salsa dance. Speaking of which, the crowd seemed to be all college kids, so we felt kind of like we were too old to be in there.
Not saying I would never come back because I actually did like a lot of things about this club but it won’t be my first choice because of the reasons above. If they had a bit of an older crowd and played some hip hop. even if it isn’t the entire night, I would give it a 5.

I rarely go here because the club/​EDM thing isn’t really my thing but my friends recently played the outside patio. It wasn’t crowded inside at all but it took the bartenders FOREVER to get me and my friends drinks. Completely unacceptable considering how not crowded it was. They were also not very friendly and seemed to be completely bothered that I said «excuse me, may I please order a drink?» (note– they were not busy). I go out a lot, to many bars in Columbia and even when packed it does not take 10 minutes to get the bartender’s attention and to get a drink… not okay.

Social’s layout was not well thought out. It gets extremely crowded, which might fool outsiders looking in into thinking people are having fun, but in reality, very few people end up actually dancing. The dance floor is wedged between both exits and the bar, making an already cramped space much more crowded because of traffic. The djs they bring are so often mediocre, and Ive seen several instances in which black people were turned away for attire white people were still let in with.
On top of that, social recently had an event with a page on fb. Several people asked about dress codes and attire since this was a rave, something I was also curious about, but no one ever responded. I tried calling to find out and the answering machine said if we had questions, to email them or write to them on facebook but not to leave a message because they didnt check messages on that phone. This was after they were already open, so why they couldnt just answer to begin with, I dont understand.
Anyway, I wouldnt recommend Social. You’ll only be disappointed.

I really wish I could give this place 0 stars.
This place is unsafe and crooked.
Last night I went to go see Borgore and the show ended up as sold out. The bouncers at this point we’re gauging (which is not legal in South Carolina) the prices of tickets that didn’t exist to $ 50. Along with that, all of the $ 50 dollar entries mean they are putting the building over capacity, which is a massive danger to people’s lives.
I on a good bout, I was able to record the conversion in regards to the price gauging, and will be contacting the police chief as well as the fire Marshall.
CLUBBERS BEWARE.

This club is racist towards African Americans. They denied me entry into the club because my shorts were ½ inch below my kneecaps. Then they let a caucausion guy in with shorts damn near touching his ankles. Screw this KKK club!!!

Absolutely not. Everytime I go, the crowd seems to be decreasing and the music gets worse and worse. If you want to have a good time with your friends then don’t go anywhere near this place!

I’ve been here twice and both made me long for Miami and SF. I’m a fan of EDM music, but they’d make some bank if they had other music nights (like hip-​hop, goth, or metal). As for the club-​goers, Social is anything but… I’ve had drinks spilled on me several times from people that don’t understand that dance clubs have people dancing in them. They have a VIP section, and advertise that VIP spots are for sale, but don’t say what the price point is for bottle service or passes, which is annoying. This is the best example of a dance club in a little city trying to act like their big city counterparts, and the unsuspecting townies and USC students don’t know any better. PASS.

best bar in Columbia! amazing DJs and live music. the outdoor patio is perfect in the summer and features a band on Fridays and Saturdays. reasonable drink prices with cheaper specials on Thursdays. Excellent sound system and light displays, and they headline big name DJs from all over the country as well as popular locals. The dance floor and mezzanine VIP (bottle service) make this place a must see spot in the Vista.

Social is definitely the best and only club that offers huge touring artist, great local acts, affordable drinks, a true VIP atmosphere, all in the Vista.
When I started going to Social I immediately liked the layout. Recently they’ve made several changes to really amplify the experience for the customers.
Can’t wait to see what Social does next!

Dumbest bar. No cargo shorts. Missed out on me and my friends from spending a lot of money. Its a ‘legal’ racial act. If you’re white, have fun.

Social has a chicken-​or-​the egg problem.
Every time I have been to this bar, it’s been crowded but no more than 5 people are dancing. This always baffles me, because the music is decent and loud enough to make having a conversation difficult. So what the hell are people doing? This past Saturday, as soon as I walked in 95% of the crowd was standing still, with their mouths slightly open, staring blankly at the dj. What are they doing?
Granted, as soon as you start dancing, get annoyed by the constant stream of passerbys pushing past you to go outside. The dance area is sandwiched between the front of the club/​the dj booth and the bar, and with no seats anywhere but on the patio it seems that people are constantly moving back and forth.
Furthermore, though I sort of enjoy the music, the djs last saturday would sort of break the beat and play trancey-​type sounds every 4 minutes or so. They don’t seem to understand that this is a little «disruptive.» Also, damn, could we at least have some house remixes instead of just beats? It’s such a tease to only hear rare snippets of hip hop lyrics.
I can’t speak about the bar staff, really, but it’s sort of noticeable how they seem to be oblivious to the djs/​music that’s only 20ft away from them.

Yes there are a lot of bad reviews about Social and I would say I’m some what knowledgable in the «nightlife» scene, so that’s how I am reviewing Social. Maybe a lot of these bad reviews are when they first opened, but I have been here about 5 times in about a year and I can definitely see a change from the first time I was here. They have made some improvements like security, wait staff, and entertainment. Yes this is a dance club-​playing dance music, mostly EDM. They have a really nice concept. The VIP tables are glowing with colored LED’s along with the dj booth. The VIP area is upstairs which overlooks the main dance area and has it’s own bar as well. Down stairs has plenty of room to dance and drink. It also had a fairly large patio outside for you smokers lol. There is also a seperate room adjacent to the main area that has a large bar area along with couches and more VIP tables. They also have tvs that broadcast the main room activities, which by the way do not have a great feed, I think they are around 6 f.p.s. Those need some upgrading. The sound system is not that great but it’s ok. And the music is broadcast throughout the entire club. This club fits Columbia well and will do well! If your in the area and want to grab a drink, dance, and/​or check out a big named dj. this is the place in Columbia

Nice and attentive bartenders, mixed crowd, and a great live band outside with available seating.

AWFUL. My friends and I went once, looking forward to a place to dance. The rude bartender took 10 minutes to make my margarita (he disappeared for about 5 minutes after he started making it), which tasted like Gatorade.
The band on the outdoor patio featured mediocre covers of classic rock songs and a jerk of a singer who insulted and leered at all the women who crossed his line of vision. We felt so uncomfortable we went back inside.
Inside, there is a discothèque-​style room, populated on a Saturday night by about 4 people half-​heartedly swaying around. Clearly not much of a hotspot.
This place feels like a bros’ club, and staff seem to go out of their way to make people know they are unwelcome. What a waste of a decent location.

Such a nice location BUT a horrible place. The staff is clueless and bartenders don’t know how to make drinks. And they don’t sell any Miller products. Really?!?

Great atmosphere. Great service. The staff always treats me well and the manager has welcomed me almost every time I’ve come in. There isn’t anything like it in Columbia. If you haven’t been by yet I would definitely check it out. I have not once had a bad night going to Social. You almost miss it when walking down in the vista since it is tucked away, back next to Motor Supply Co.

The rudest staff and management! (I signed up to Unilocal just to review this horrendous place), and wincing at giving even a 1 star
Couple of months ago I decided to host a party at this venue and contacted a bartender during one of my visits. She was very kind, helped me with some info and introduced me to the owner who showed me place around. I decided to reserve the place.
The days leading up to the event I was in touch with the owner and confirmed the booking. I was bringing in 30 — yes THIRTY of some of the most social young professionals in the city.
The disaster (and the WORST evening of my social life ever) started on the evening of the event. The same staff member (Ms. Casey/​Kacey) from above was in charge of hosting us. She held my party hostage for not ordering bottle service! She REFUSED to serve us all drinks. She was YELLING at me and my guests.
Not even once in all my conversation with the owner was the bottle service mentioned as mandatory. When I tried to tell her the same she refused to listen to me and went on cutting me off from speaking. I stood my ground and asked her to call the owner (Tony?) to verify she kept saying he had informed I will be ordering bottles. I showed her the emails but she was not budging. She finally relented and called the owner, who allegedly supported her claims (she never passed on the phone to me). We left the place immediately and went to Liberty Tap Room, a block away, and had the best of the times!
Note: When we arrived at (8pm) there was not a single soul. and when we left, there were hardly 15 people on a Friday night! And they have the audacity to be rude to customers.
When I emailed the owner next day to inform him the same, he replied saying he was not aware any such thing happened, and expected us to have spent to $ 2000!!! Not only that, he was attacking me in the response.
They seem to be under the illusion that they are the coolest club in Miami or Las Vegas.
It didn’t end there. Meanwhile, not to inconvenience my guests, I ordered 2 bottles of champagne. A week later I saw that they had overcharged my card. I opened a dispute with my bank and it’s under progress now.
(If they deny these, I am happy to share the email exchanges and the complaint I opened with the bank)
In summary, avoid this place like a plague! There are PLENTY of lovely bars and lounges within an arm’s distance of this rotten establishment.

This place is a train wreck. I’m not a ‘club’ person, but this place seemed like a try-​hard had a go at some sort of Euro club vibe. Fail.
Full disclosure: Give me Uncle Louie’s or Jake’s any day of the week. I’m much more of a jeans + hoody person when I’m relaxing. Plus, shuffleboard, ’nuff said.

Do not go here! Not gay friendly at all!