Where should you go with your friends to say goodbye? Whether it's for the summer or before you move to new places after graduation.Here are some of my favorite places to eat in The City of Dreams! With the semester winding down, many students will try to cherish all of their time left with their friends from far away. So many students at our University come from out-of-state and decide to return home for the summer. For those students splitting up and leaving Columbia for the summer, I would suggest going out to a nice dinner with some of your friends. As college students, I know that many of us don’t ever want to spend a lot of money on dinner- because frankly we do not have that money to waste. However, I think that splurging on a nice final meal, and a great last memory with some college friends is worth the cost. Some restaurants that I think students would enjoy going to are Motor Supply Company Bistro, Miyo’s, Hunter Gatherer and Liberty on the Lake.
Motor Supply Company Bistro is a popular restaurant for dates for university students. The restaurant is nicer than many typical dinner locations for students, but the menu and service is worth it.  It’s open daily for lunch and dinner, and offers a large variety of meal options. Instead of focusing on a certain type of cuisine, Motor Supply Company is a blend of Italian, Asian, French and American cuisine. In the Best of Columbia 2013, Motor Supply Company won the category for best specialty drink for the restaurants innovative cocktail menu. This would be great for those students over 21 to enjoy and relax after a week of stressful finals and studying.
Miyo’s has been around Columbia since 1996, and desires to offer their guests a wide variety of food options on their menu. While it’s popular with locals around Columbia, I feel that many students overlook Miyo’s for other sushi restaurants around campus. Going to Miyo’s and trying something new towards the end of the year would be a great end of the semester celebration. What’s great about Miyo’s is their variety of food options. In fact, the restaurant prides itself on its mixture of Asian cuisine. Miyo’s offers Chinese cuisine, Korean style BBQ, Japanese sushi, and Thai and Vietnamese inspired dishes. The restaurant was named the best sushi by the Free Times 2013. Along with being named the best sushi restaurant, Free Times also rated Miyo’s as the best take out food for 2013. This makes it easy for students who don’t want to sit around and eat in the restaurant to go back to their apartment and eat their food. Miyo’s also has the same menu as M-Vista if the location suits you better.
Hunter Gatherer: Located right by the end of the Horseshoe, Hunter Gatherer is a unique restaurant that I recommend trying with your friends. In addition to their menu, they also brew their own beer! Pale Ale, Wheat, and ESB Beers are all only $4.25 or you can try 4oz samples for just $1 each. 
While the menu isn't very long, they have a wide variety of dishes to fit anyones interest. Some of my favorites are the Carolina Crab Cakes, Mac & Cheese (with a goldfish crust!!), and the gyros. They have pizza, burgers, salads, and even tofu for vegan needs. Every Thursday they hold jazz nights, making it a great place to go with all of your friends for some live music.
Liberty on the Lake: This is a change to the classic favorite Liberty Tap Room in the Vista. Offering the same menu, Liberty on the Lake is located about 30 minutes away on Lake Murray. While you might be thinking that's too far..it is worth the drive. Call days in advance when nice weather is planned and make a reservation for the outdoor patio during sunset, you wont regret it! 
They offer great specials throughout the week. For example, on Monday is a burger & brew special for $9, Tuesday's special is $20 for a rack of ribs, fries & slaw, and Saturday is ladies half price martinis. Make sure to try out this beautiful restaurant before you graduate! It is also a great place to go with your family.