Press

Garden & Gun Magazine | 100 Southern Foods

Pimento Burger
Kingsman Restaurant
Cayce, South Carolina

Pimento burgers are the national food of Columbia, a statement complicated by the fact that Columbia is not sovereign. But never mind that. And never mind that the Kingsman is technically in the Columbia suburb of Cayce. When a hot patty hits a cool patch of pimento cheese, melt is achieved and goodness blossoms. -John T. Edge

Free Times | Columbia’s Top 25 Dishes: Volume 2

16-oz. Ribeye
The Kingsman Restaurant (936 Axtell Dr.)

One of only two steaks to make this list, the fact that it’s made in a diner-style restaurant where there’s as much blue collar as white only adds to its appeal. This is a basic steak — there are no fancy rubs, emulsions or reducted sauces. You can top your steak with mushrooms, peppers or onions if you like, but there’s no need. The flavor of the ribeye comes from the fact that it’s prepared on a grill that has been seasoned by the thousands of ribeyes that have come before it, and its immense size means you’ll never leave the Kingsman hungry. The Kingsman proves that you don’t have to put on your Sunday finest to enjoy Columbia’s best food, and the down-home atmosphere and people-first staff make every visit worthwhile. -Ron Aiken

ESPN | Pulled Pork & Pigskin, a Love Letter to College Football

The Kingsman Restaurant, Cayce, SC

I love most everything about Southern football, but more than anything else, I love for it to begin. This year, the twinges hit hard in mid-July. A work trip takes me to Cayce, near the South Carolina campus, where I find myself sitting at the counter of a local restaurant called the Kingsman. It’s one of those places that seems as if it has been there forever, like the planets, or Styrofoam. I order a pimento cheeseburger. The Kingsman’s famous for these gobs of cholesterol-laden goodness. They’re messier than a small-town divorce, but damn, they’re good. A woman works a hot griddle covered in sizzling, dancing meat. Then, apropos of nothing, she turns to a waitress who’s calling in an order. The spirit’s in her. And it’s got to come out.

“Only 52 more days ’til football!” she hollers.

They’ve both stopped work for a moment. The waitress shakes her head.

“It’s 51!” she hollers back.

The wait is almost over.  -Wright Thompson

Maria, Lets Eat! | The Kingsman Restaurant, Cayce SC

Pimento Burger
Kingsman Restaurant, Cayce, SC

[T]his burger was terrific. The meat was cooked just right and the cheese was really perfect, gooey and dripping and flavorful. The burger was hot and the cheese rapidly turned into a glorious, melted mess.

The Website of April Adams | Columbia Restaurants: The Kingsman

The Kingsman Restaurant

I’ll be going back to The Kingsman again. That obscure little place in the corner of the strip mall is now a land of yummy steaky treasures.

Columbia’s Lunch Review | The Kingsman Restaurant

The Kingsman, Cayce, SC

While we all opted for the special, past experience tells me the regular menu is no slouch. The ribeye and steak tips are particular standouts. Garden and Gun magazine even named the Kingsman’s pimento burger one of the “100 Southern Foods You Absolutely, Positively Must Try Before You Die” [...] So, go on, drive on across the Blossom Street bridge and treat yourself to some fine hospitality and even better food. Try the ribeye, steak tips and pimento burger – but don’t miss the Pork Chop Special.

Capital City Eatz | The Kingsman

The Kingsman Restaurant, Cayce, SC

Presentation was a bit lacking, but I suppose speed trumps visual appeal when you are churning out food to a polite yet hungry mob of Thursday night regulars. Our tender steaks and the warm atmosphere combined to form an enjoyable dining experience among friendly company.

Located on Axtel Drive, right across the Blossom St. Bridge, the Kingsman Restaurant boasts some delicious Southern classics. Come on in and try what “Garden and Gun” calls one of the top 100 Southern foods you must try before you die, the “Famous Pimento Burger,” or perhaps the “Kingsman Famous Ribeye,” their specialty for 30 years.