After hearing so much about Blue Marlin, we were excited to finally give it a try. We arrived around 8 p.m. on a Tuesday, and the place was nearly full—always a good sign.
Unfortunately, the enthusiasm dipped a bit after that. We started with the calamari appetizer. While the sauce was flavorful, the calamari itself was overly crispy with very little actual meat. I wouldn’t recommend it, especially with other more promising options on the menu.
For our main course, two people in our group ordered salads—the wedge and the Caesar. Both were just okay—nothing special, not terrible, but not memorable either.
I had the pan-seared scallops, substituting the sweet mash for regular mashed potatoes. This dish was the highlight of the night. The scallops were fresh, cooked perfectly, and complemented by a light, well-balanced sauce. The Brussels sprouts, though slightly overcooked, still had a nice flavor. I’d highly recommend this entrée.
For dessert, one of us tried the key lime pie and was very disappointed. It was served at room temperature, and the flavor seemed off—possibly a bad batch or something that had been sitting out too long. Definitely a hard pass on that one.
Overall, this was an average experience. I might return if I’m craving seafood, but with several better dining options in town, I’d probably explore those first before coming back to Blue Marlin.
ADRIENNE DAVENPORT
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February 11, 2025
I made a reservation which I highly recommend (if no reservation it was over an hour wait). When you first walk in it was so crowded. The silverware was dirty, my glass had food on it. We ordered a jack and coke and it was a little on the weak side. The ribeye was ok but the filet mignon was delicious. It was so tender. We got the cheesecake and chocolate cake which was ok also. I have been wanting to try this place for a while. The price was not bad but not one of my top choices to go.
Ella Spence
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April 11, 2025
From start to finish...an amazing place!!!! We were greeted in such a friendly manner...had the specials all explained by our server and the food came out perfectly seasoned and hot!!!! Couldn't be happier with the Blue Marlin!!!!
Junhua Chen
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November 27, 2024
Our waiter’s recommendations were spot on. The salmon was perfectly cooked, the steak was flavorful, and the scallops were incredibly tender. Every dish was delicious, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting.
Carol Smith
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November 23, 2024
Excellent food! My two colleagues and I were all thrilled with our dishes. One got the Salmon stuffed with feta (new special), another the fish with grits, and I had the scallop pasta (very, very good).
Nice staff and great outdoor seating for warm evenings. Indoor seating seemed fine but a bit too fishy smelling even for this fish loving crowd (probably just need to charge an air filter).
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1200 Lincoln St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
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After hearing so much about Blue Marlin, we were excited to finally give it a try. We arrived around 8 p.m. on a Tuesday, and the place was nearly full—always a good sign. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm dipped a bit after that. We started with the calamari appetizer. While the sauce was flavorful, the calamari itself was overly crispy with very little actual meat. I wouldn’t recommend it, especially with other more promising options on the menu. For our main course, two people in our group ordered salads—the wedge and the Caesar. Both were just okay—nothing special, not terrible, but not memorable either. I had the pan-seared scallops, substituting the sweet mash for regular mashed potatoes. This dish was the highlight of the night. The scallops were fresh, cooked perfectly, and complemented by a light, well-balanced sauce. The Brussels sprouts, though slightly overcooked, still had a nice flavor. I’d highly recommend this entrée. For dessert, one of us tried the key lime pie and was very disappointed. It was served at room temperature, and the flavor seemed off—possibly a bad batch or something that had been sitting out too long. Definitely a hard pass on that one. Overall, this was an average experience. I might return if I’m craving seafood, but with several better dining options in town, I’d probably explore those first before coming back to Blue Marlin.
I made a reservation which I highly recommend (if no reservation it was over an hour wait). When you first walk in it was so crowded. The silverware was dirty, my glass had food on it. We ordered a jack and coke and it was a little on the weak side. The ribeye was ok but the filet mignon was delicious. It was so tender. We got the cheesecake and chocolate cake which was ok also. I have been wanting to try this place for a while. The price was not bad but not one of my top choices to go.
From start to finish...an amazing place!!!! We were greeted in such a friendly manner...had the specials all explained by our server and the food came out perfectly seasoned and hot!!!! Couldn't be happier with the Blue Marlin!!!!
Our waiter’s recommendations were spot on. The salmon was perfectly cooked, the steak was flavorful, and the scallops were incredibly tender. Every dish was delicious, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting.
Excellent food! My two colleagues and I were all thrilled with our dishes. One got the Salmon stuffed with feta (new special), another the fish with grits, and I had the scallop pasta (very, very good). Nice staff and great outdoor seating for warm evenings. Indoor seating seemed fine but a bit too fishy smelling even for this fish loving crowd (probably just need to charge an air filter).