They are doing their part to social distance. You must have a mask on to walk around in the bar. Once you are seated you may remove your mask. They have tables blocked off for social distancing purposes. I was impressed. And I heard the bar tender calling people out to get a mask on. They are not playing. I was impressed! Great environment for hanging out.

Went to see Mrs. Smith. Show was fantastic. The Art Bar is a great little venue. Their beer and wine prices are very reasonable and they have a great selection. Well definitely be going back for more.

Stopped in just for a drink. The bartender is awesome. Her Name is Jessi. She knew right off the bat what I wanted to drink. Great attitude. Music is nice and I like the decor. Highly recommend. We just had dinner but the food smells great.

Really cool bar and love the decor but the staff didnt seem in a good mood during my visit. The door man and the bartenders did not seem to have a smile behind their mask and gave off a negative energy for me. Dont go if your group is more than 3 to drink at the bar as the chairs are fixed and only in groups of 3 or less and you cant stand and drink next to your group you will need to try one of the couches or other seating areas in other rooms. Overall really great at ensuring COVID protections and social distancing and an interesting bar just disappointed with the friendliness of the employees.

Three bars! Outside seating! Karaoke! Good people good vibes and a mixed crowd. Some old, some just legal, all ethnicities...... I love it. Definitely LGBTQ friendly!!

Stopped by this past weekend to enjoy a quick after-work drink with my friends and I was BLOWN AWAY! Upon arrival we had our temperature taken at the door and we, of course, had our masks on. Everything was spaced appropriately for social distancing. Needless to say they are doing things right in a city that apparently thinks the virus is a hoax. Great job art bar! I feel safe when Im there.

I for one am always pleased by the service here. Staff has always been friendly and Im especially happy that they are taking so many precautions during this pandemic to keep their patrons safe. If they feel like I cant come in because my temp is too high, thats cool because Im an adult and its not the end of the world. Unless your name is something like Hick Natch and you have to cry about your experience because you were inconvenienced and can only think about themselves.

Art Bar is one of my favorite spots. While it gets a lot of labels, its just the people bar. All are welcome. The atmosphere is unique and theres something for everyone. The staff does a great job in making sure its a safe place to have a great time!

Great little boutique bar to wind up at. Never know what you are gonna walk into here as its an eclectic crowd that varies from night to night. Prices were a bit high but thats likely due to location

Cool atmosphere. Drinks were decently priced. Have the best covid measures ive seen any bar have so far. They go as far as checking your temperature to walk in and make sure everyone has masks. Only place I’ve been to in Columbia that’s like this.

Love this place. The bartenders are awesome and the owner is a great guy!

Art Bar is one of the most welcoming, inclusive bars in town. They have great service, an awesome selection of beer, and a really cool aesthetic. They give back to the city, especially the local roller derby community. If you are looking for a bar to call home, this is the one!!!

Best bar, bartenders, and door guys in Columbia! This place has been my go to bar for almost 17 years. Become a regular. You wont regret it.

Art Bar is great. Im glad they are requiring face coverings. If you dont want to go somewhere with a mask on I suggest you stay at home. That was supposed to be the deal anyways!

One of the only places that I feel comfortable visiting right now. They are taking everyone’s safety and health very seriously and have great protocols in place for dealing with the virus.

Never made it inside as they dont except federally issued government IDs. Also, they informed us that the 1 person in our group of 8 who had the federal ID had to leave the property because they dont accept her ID so we all left. Would not reccomend unless you perhaps live in SC with a SC ID. The really put the cocksin gamecocks in Columbia.

Active bar with an eclectic energy. Cool decor. Three main rooms, one with large bar and seating areas, another with stage for bands and a smaller back bar, and a third room with area for an additional band and seating. Huge selection of craft beers and a food menu as well. The burger was excellent. If I were a local Id be a regular.

Such a cool little hangout. Great selection of beers and plenty of art to keep you busy talking about it.

While entertaining a friend from out of town, I brought him to art bar knowing he would enjoy the atmosphere. However, the bartenders were so incredibly rude. Initially, I thought maybe I was just interpreting their body language wrong. However, once we ordered food we got direct eye rolls and sharp responses. The runner who brought our food just tossed it down in front of us loudly, did not say a word to us and walked off, as if he was also agitated. Not sure whats going on that makes the staff so unhappy but it will make your experience there very uncomfortable. I do not recommend & will not be returning.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place. The atmosphere is relaxed, eclectic and laid back. Friendly staff and customers. Love their Open Mic Nights, featuring great, local talent!

The worst. Especially with the cough cough happening right now. Was really not happy after I had to apply myself to many rules in order to get in. Face masks required, tempature taken, pamphlet with rules handed out, arrows to be followed... yeh i had a really bad experience here today. My buddy was turned away due to a high temp reading on the gun he was using, although we had been skating all day and he had hurt himself. After making it in I knew I had entered a bar that I would never find myself in, really dark and cramped feeling. Meh. Not for me. Just a bad experience overall.

I was going to give this place a lower rating, because we only had an OK time, when we went to see a friend play, but one of the bartenders was good and nice enough to warrant more stars. They only seemed to have 2 working at the time, (Im terrible with names) one had a beard and the other didnt. The bearded guy was AWESOME, but the other guy was possibly the rudest most unprofessional bartender Ive ever come across (and thats saying something). Not to go into too much detail, but Id have rather made my own drinks than interact with that guy. Again though, bearded guy made up for it by being on top of everything (literally everything, the other guy seemed to be doing nothing at all).

It was a fun and friendly atmosphere. Karaoke was fun but be mindful that some of the songs have adult content. Service was good and the food was good.

This place is an awesome dive bar in the heart of Columbia. We had so much fun and the bands were great. I loved the robot themed decor also!

Always a fun place to see bands on the weekend. And generally a good place to meet up.

Sick of every bar looking exactly like the next? Want something different? This is the bar for you. The decor is unique and every room whether it be inside or outside is filled with amazing art, decorations, and lights giving each one a different feel. They host karaoke nights most Wednesdays with a regular crowd that is non judgmental and hype. They have trivia Thursdays which are always fun and hosted by funny and upbeat trivia hosts. Definitely a must see whether it be a show, an event, or just a relaxed night out. A more alternative and welcoming crowd as far as bars go.

Referencing an earlier review where someone complained that they wouldnt let his buddy in who was running a high temperature (during a worldwide pandemic!), Id give them 6 stars if I could for their efforts to keep their clientele and workers safe.

This place is the best.

This is by far one of my favorite bars in Columbia. This is a divey joint where the real creative and eclectic crowd seems to want to hang out. You can expect to find hipsters and odd balls here. They also have live music that you can enjoy. The patio and front of this place also are very lively and have a nice inviting but slightly rowdy crowd.

Be advices: this is a a gay bar. However. This is a great location with cheap drinks and great music. The fun staff mixed of music and drinks makes it an ideal location for anyone looking for fun. In would definitely recommend this location to anyone in the local area

This place is very weird but I absolutely love it. The bar almost looks like something out of doctor who. The bartender i had made a mean rum and coke (i mean its not hard but she consistently mixed the exact proportion).If you like people watching its pretty much a requirement that you go here. Youll see some funky people and maybe even make some friends.I had so much to drink i could barely walk out. It was definitely a night to remember and I cannot wait to go back again.

Youll find no other bar quite like Art Bar.Live shows and events of all sorts here - one of few non-club venues featuring EDM artists in Columbia.Dont forget the robots.

Very nice atmosphere but very hetero unfreindly

Super cool friendly, nicely decorated and fun karaoke

Great place!! Good prices, shots here are huge, good music.

Fun decor. Sound need work, you cant hear anything though stage monitors.

I loved the atmosphere and the comedy show. This will be a definite stop every time I pass through Columbia.

Eclectic bar with eclectic crowd! Great drinks, bartenders and people watching

The Art Bar is fun as always, duh

Good vibe. I love the outdoor seating. Good drink and friendly staff ;)

Great atmosphere. hold fire played when I went. Theyre so good, easily one of my favorite bands.

Love love love this place!!! Great vibes and atmosphere.

Awesome bartenders and very welcoming atmosphere to people from all walks of life. Always very friendly to local musicians, and from what I can tell, they go out of their way regularly to make sure everyone (musicians and patrons alike) is taken care of. I have watched the bartenders reach into their own pockets to add money to the band pay on nights that were less than stellar.

Nice place to dance or sit with your friends to chat everyone is welcome there

Nice place for some food and a drink.

Come for the fun, music, and robots, stay for the best, most supportive bathroom graffiti in town.

So my luck in finding somewhere as awesome as this being a traveling artist was perfect. The people working were so friendly accepting and down to earth. Usually a place that *appears* cool is full of scenesters and want to bes. NOT THE CASE! It really was a huge surprise to stumble upon. But I dont think coincidences really hapoen... I believe we are guided to exactly where we need to be. Im going to quote Phish when I say *when we surrender to the flow* things work out so much better than we had planned.I ran out of gas on my way back to folly beach and sat around depressed and painted for a whole day because I had no money. Then a light bulb went off....so I drove to the campus area looking for exactly what I found. How awesome! I even parked a block away not knowing where I was going They let me set up my paintings (hence the name) the people working helped me out of the kindness of their hearts. Im so blown away that a place so great exists in South Carolina (oh did I say awesome-full-of-robot-art AND they share a building with a tattoo studio) UM....ART, ART, INK AND GENUINE COOL PEOPLE...STAFF AND CLIENTS. So being from Chicago I may not be hip on the southern states, but 2 of my favorite new places are in this state. Here and Folly Beach. SC is doing alright in my book. Thanks Art Bar for being a little magical place to gain some inspiration and have a good time!

Always a great time with bands like Les Merry Chevaliers!

Went to the Art Bar for an auction and thoroughly enjoyed it. The bar has an eclectic design, kind of industrial with some other vibe. Robots, lights and metal work everywhere. Its split into two rooms. The bar, with an extension to the rear thats kind of like a lounge area, and another room with a small stage and another bar that was serving bb cue the night we went. Staff was helpful, door man was nice. I dont know what type of music they play there but Id go back just for the bb cue.

Havent been enough to give a written review. Seems like a good place tho. :)

A really cool local place for out of town visitors to check out! Good atmosphere and great people! Live music, open mics, great outdoor seating the whole 9 yards

Original, feel good. Great crowd and good service.

Good drinks! Fun, artsy and inclusive environment for everyone! They always have great entertainment and a nice atmosphere.

They have good bands mang.

Live music, reasonably priced drinks, great vibe.

Karaoke night is phenomenal!! You should also eat here because the burger is really good.

First time there and I really enjoyed myself!!

Easily my favorite bar in Columbia. Crowd is always great, karaoke is awesome, bartenders are fantastic and now theres food!

The atmosphere, the music and the frickin WINGS get Korean Gogujang always.

Very chill and inviting atmosphere, eclectic but not to the point of otherworldly. By the event posters on the wall, it almost always has something happening, and on top of it all, really reasonable prices on the drinks. Oh, and the bar is really well stocked so you shouldnt have a difficult time finding something to drink.

Unique bar atmosphere with good drink selection

Awesome venue to see local original bands perform live! Full bar and lots of unique decor.

Fun place, atmosphere is pleasant. Staff is helpful and courteous.

Has a nice vibe! Cool unique art and other crazy stuff. Great bartenders and fast service! Oh and DJ Jason was awesome at spinning. Highly recommend!!!

Oh, my gosh - the Psychoburger.

Bartender was extremely rude, probably cuz he saw some brown people and didn’t like that. Not sure what his deal was but he had a nasty attitude the moment I stepped in. Wouldn’t even let me look at a menu before showing my ID. Then after we showed IDs and brought the drinks out, he followed us out to watch us for some odd reason. Needless to say, this made us extremely uncomfortable. He ended up telling us “you guys need to leave” because we had a fourth person with us without an ID who didn’t even order a drink (the other three of us ordered drinks). We happily left, never to come back again. Good luck

Great variety of entertainment. The new Fire Onion Rings are great.

Beautiful location in the Vista. Locals are friendly and over all exceptional staff. The bar itself is one of the most unique in town with is custom robots and fun decor. Definitely worth a visit almost any night of the week. So many different events and shows that you can pretty much always find something fun to do or just have a relaxing drink. 10 out 10 would recommend any and all days.

1st time there. The band was fun to watch.

They nice. They got drinks. They got karaoke. Good to go.

I went on a Thursday it wasnt that busy but they had trivia. I got my drinks almost as fast as I could say the drink order.

Great atmosphere, but could use a friendly face.

Great alt. Bar . Everybodys welcome. .black white LGBT punk and soul

I dont get out to Art Bar like I used to, but it still remains my favorite bar in Columbia. Great atmosphere, diverse crowd, awesome bar staff and great drink menu/specials. If you like live music, this is also the place to be.

Fun place, fun music to dance for, and not terribly crowded! (After 9-midnight)

I really enjoyed this social bar. It was very artsy. The music variety is great. The beer prices are way higher than our usual spots a block away. Still, great meeting place.

Great staple in Columbia! Love the eclectic mix of people you will find here on any given night!

COLUMBIA & FORT JACKSON NOTICE:This is how their 40 year old employees behave online. If you know someone who served their country, lost a loved one to cancer, or was impacted by suicide; do not allow your money to end up in their coffers.

This a cool artsy venue to just hang out and unwind. Its super chill and there are lots of cool people. Its big enough to not be a hole in the wall, but still small enough to not be overwhelming. Youll usually find an eclectic mix of people once you get inside. Theres also a nice seating section outside where people like to hangout.

Life

It is a busy and fun place to be and do karaoke. And for an introvert, it also has places that you can sit away from the crowds.

I usually come on Wednesday nights for karaoke. Everyone is friendly and the service is quick and drinks are a good price and tastey.

Art Bar keeps it real. And weird. If you want a good Columbia experience, look no further. Good drinks, cool events, and stranger Friday’s. Staff is pretty fun, too. Gonna miss this place once I leave.

Never been, but heard there was an opera. Chill atmosphere, quick bar tenders, and a really unexpectedly great experience. Definitely reccomend giving this place a visit. Will visit again. 5/5

Was just there overnight...stopped in and my husband looked around and said I dont think I wanna eat here, then said what the hell well try it....we had the peel n eat shrimp for an app...delicious, my husband had the carnivore burger and I had the crab cake platter...if you want good food at a good price I recommend trying them out...looks are very deceiving...service was great also

Great place to chill and people watch! Always something going on that you can attend. Karaoke on Wednesdays, Trivia on Thursdays and more. A staple landmark in the community too!

Love the atmosphere, went to watch Hootinnannies live ! Great show!

Really awesome local lgbtq friendly bar with fun bands and comedy nights :)

Girlfriend and i enjoyed watching the last few kareoke singers here. The drinks are reasonably priced and the bar tenders are good at their craft.

Really nice beer selection. Its a very cute, artsy place. We went during the day and at night. During the day it was very calm, the service was really good. At night, it was louder, there is a dance floor, but there are still places to go sit, relax, and talk. A very enjoyable experience.

It’s a dope spot.

Banging decor and trivia

Very cool atmosphere and excellent food!

Casual, simple, fun.

Cheap drinks, great atmosphere.

This underground club is just amazing. The music is great and so is the ambiance. I really like how the place is just amazing for everyone who wants to have a good time. It’s definitely a place worth visiting over and over again.

Killer live music venue! Super friendly staff. Great decor.

Good local people and great mix of everything else

This is a decent bar over Pearls restaurant. They make decent drinks and on the night we went there was a live band. We have been here before and sometimes it can get crowded.

A chill spot, trippy motif and a mellow atmosphere.