Essence was a great server. She made our visit to Hickory Tavern more enjoyable! She gets 5 stars from us. The food was great too! read more

We visited for the first time and had Essence as our hostess for the meal. She was a delight and SO on top of everything, and her personality was the cherry on top of our visit. The food is 10/10, and the atmosphere is amazing- everyone is so friendly and welcoming. We definitely will return! read more

Ashley is AMAZING!!! She provided great service and she was on top of it. Loved the food also didn't have any issues. Beautiful inside of the restaurant. read more

This rating is mostly due to the top notch service we received. I came with a large party- over 20 people- on a weeknight and the restaurant was able to accommodate us. The wait staff was quick with taking and serving our drink orders then food orders. Paying was a breeze as well. Kudos to the wait staff! This was my first time at a Hickory Tavern location, so I picked a safe food option: steak tacos with tater tots. I'd recommend the tacos but with rice. (Not sure what I was thinking ordering tots with tacos.) read more

Hickory Tavern - *Steak Tacos - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Me and my partner are entirely convinced our server was high, but maybe being on drugs makes the food more enjoyable. I ordered the smokehouse burger and my partner ordered the pulled pork sandwich. After 15 minutes, the server came back stating they were out of pulled pork. Fine, it happens, but then we waited another 15 minutes for the most cold and bland substituted chicken tenders on the face of this earth. It doesn't help my burger was also cold and very un-tasteful. Ambiance was fine, not too busy for a friday afternoon, lots of families enjoying themselves. The food and wait was just frustrating, never coming back. read more

Mid-30s visit -- and bummed to say it missed the mark. This place has potential, but it just didn't come together. We came in for a small corporate get-together (about eight people) and I decided to stay for dinner. On a random Tuesday night, it took over 30 minutes for my entrée to arrive--which set the tone. The atmosphere is just... fine. A few TVs, nothing unique, nothing that really creates a "sports bar" experience. I ordered the buffalo wrap, which was surprisingly fried on the outside? Definitely odd, and unfortunately pretty mediocre. I won't be back. Slow service, inattentive staff, and an overall forgettable experience. There are plenty of better options in the Vista--choose one of them instead. read more

Stopped by for quick bite before an event I had. I loved how fat the tacos were and how much meat they gave me. The salsa had a nice spice to it that allowed the taco to not seem so dry. Everything tasted really fresh. Usually they have sugar and honey butter on their fries but I like them plain as I don't like too much sugar and sweetness on them and they were perfect and paired nice with my tacos. I sat at the bar because it was just me and the bartender was super nice and quick with serving me. It is definitely my favorite hickory locations. read more

Hickory Tavern - Blackened Chicken Tacos Sweet Potato Fries (plain) - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

All the sports bar vibes are here. I didn't realize how big this place was from the outside but it is huge. Good for bringing friends to enjoy a game. I happen to come on half off wing day (Wednesday) and tried them out. The hot were good but the honey chipotle style wings were even better. Would get those again. I was looking forward to the cheese stick wedges but they have now changed to logs. They weren't bad but I'm not too big on cheese logs. Overall great vibes during my visit and I would come back to try more. read more

Hickory Tavern - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Food was not good at all. We had wings came out fast I know why they were luke warm and well done. You could not taste the meat from how crisp they were. My freedom burger was also not good. How can you mess up a burger? Fries weren't hot either. Everyone's food was just warm. We ate our food because we waited to eat all day not because it was good. I would not recommend if your visiting out of town go somewhere else. Do not waste your time. Our server was very nice. Ambiance it's pretty chill in there. My booth and my seat were feet's away. I didn't like that either. The table was so far from my seat. Very disappointing after being hungry all day. Would not recommend! read more

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I was in town for the Bama/SC game this past weekend and we needed a spot to watch the early games, get some food, and drink some beer. It turns out that this place did a great job of all three. I wouldn't say there is anything inherently "special" about the Hickory Tavern. But they seem to know what their job and do it well. A good example of this are the numerous TVs located around the establishment. They were all tuned into various games and it was very easy to locate the games we were interested in. The food wasn't anything to really write home about. But it was good pub grub. Prices and portions were both good. I think my only real complaint is that I would have liked to see more local beers on tap. They didn't appear to have any. As someone from out of town I would have liked to try some local SC beer. But, that being said, I'd totally hit this place back up. Great spot for a game and some food/drink. read more

Hickory Tavern - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Hickory Tavern was pretty good. Now, I'm grading it on a curve because there's not a lot of great sports bars in Columbia. Hickory Tavern seems like a relatively good place to grab a beer and watch some sporting events. While I was impressed with the selection of beers, the food was a little expensive as compared to the actual quality of it. The bartender was pretty cool, but if I had to nitpick, the bar surface was wet and I had to ask for a paper towel to wipe it down before I sat down. All-in-all, Hickory Tavern is a solid, but relatively unspectacular local sports bar, but one that I would recommend, as it's probably the best option for this type of bar in the area. read more

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Surprising how busy this spot was at 5pm on a weekday. Tried several items off the menu and nothing was terrible but nothing was great/stood out. The fish and chips was way too heavy breading and someone forgot to use salt entirely. Wings on the other hand were too salty. Service was fine - my server followed up several times. read more

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When attending a sporting event at Colonial Life Arena, it might be a good idea to get some food in your gut before heading in - especially if you're not a fan of concession foods and prices. We did just that and stopped into Hickory Tavern before watching a women's basketball game. NOTE: make sure you have enough time since we found the food and service was VERY good but also equally SLOW. Just a short walk from CLA in the Vista, makes a visit very easy. Although the parking was minimal, it didn't bother us in the least. The food and atmosphere was good - typical sports bar offerings and setting. Again, the only negative is the service was exceptionally SLOW. read more

We came here to have a drink before heading to the night college football game. They serve food but I wasn't even going to attempt it. The bar upstairs on the patio balcony serves basic drinks so if you want one of their house cocktails you need to go to the inside downstairs bar. We settled on kettle one on the rocks and people watched. I'm sure this place gets packed by college students during games and on weekends. It wasn't our jam but for one drink it was fine. read more

Discrimination!!!' Was the only black family in the place on a Sunday afternoon 4/26/26. Arrived early, seated orders drinks, appetizers and entrees. Got the drinks and appetizer timely. The restaurant started getting busy and then I noticed everyone around us had their food but us. The waitress first stated we were waiting for our wings and ribs. Then we were told the cook lost the ticket for the wings and ribs and meanwhile food is being brought out for all the other people around us who came in way after we did, some were getting their bill and leaving. I finally asked for a manager. The next thing I know they are bringing our food which I declined and was told fine just pay for your drinks and appetizer. Never saw the manager. Poor service!!!!!!! read more

Ashely was amazing! the food and service is awesome! It was very well kept and warm welcomings.

Lily was a fantastic server. Food was delivered promptly. Fresh ingredients. Minor problem with my salad addressed quickly w/apology. Mgr came as we were ready to pay thanking us for coming. Very good to excellent all around! read more

We stopped in tonight for dinner during our stay in Columbia. Our server Essence was very friendly and welcoming. We ordered some drinks and entrees at about 8pm. The others at the table received their entrees (burgers) at 9pm. An hour to prepare burgers seemed excessive, given there were only about 25 people in the restaurant at the time. I was told that the bbq chicken nachos I ordered from the appetizer menu had been made and left sitting in the window for an extended period waiting for the other entrees to be made, so they said they would remake them. It took another 45 minutes for them to remake the bbq chicken nachos. My food arrived to the table at 9:45pm, about an hour and 45 minutes after they were ordered. I have never had to wait so long for a meal, especially an appetizer. After my food arrived, I asked for a second vodka/soda cocktail, and was told that the bartender had already shut down the bar. So, to recap, my nachos took an hour and 45 minutes to arrive and then I was informed that the bartender closed the bar an hour and 15 minutes before their stated closing time. After some cajoling, the bartender reluctantly agreed to make me a vodka soda. The nachos were ok, but there wasn't much chicken in my chicken nachos and the tortilla chips were extremely salty. My friends said their burgers were ok, when they finally got them. While our server was very apologetic and very nice, I will likely not return to this restaurant for a meal in the future. read more

Saw this spot was 3/5 stars going in. Still tried it. It earned every bit of that 3/5. Food was okay. Not bad, not great. Most of our table would agree. Service was okay. Wait staff was attentive, but our orders took just under an hour to make it to us. Some were lukewarm, others were fresh. Prices are not bad, and it was half-off burgers when we showed up, so I don't feel like it was too pricey for the 3/5 experience and flavor. Ambiance? They have close to 1,000 televisions so if you wanna watch sports while you're there, they got you covered. If you just hungry, go ahead and go. You'll be okay. If you wanna eat while watching sports, go ahead and go. If you want a really good food experience, try another spot probably. read more

Debbie upstairs at the bar was on something, talking on the phone all night. Workers you were there tonight. Y'all saw this. I know the managers did too. Yall gotta do something, that made us not want to come back. read more

Lilly was a great waitress!! she was so sweet and food came out fast and just how we ordered!! We will be back!!!

We were in town visiting USC and had the best service and waitress! I would definitely go again! Thanks Suttyn for a great experience!

First time in Columbia, South Carolina. Hickory Tavern is a very sports bar type restaurant. Lots of tvs and pretty noisy but manageable! Very friendly staff. Server was Travis, A+++ service! Sweet tea was great! Chips and queso were very good! My friend ordered a mix drink and was very happy. Gonna be a good night for him. Food came quick! Pics posted below! Carolina wings...omg. Gotta try. read more

Hickory Tavern - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Could have been a very cool spot however, it was Valentine's Day, there was a concert and a Mardis Gras event in town. They were out of several appetizers, several drinks and almost everything we wanted to order. 1 person working a very busy and large bar. Service was mostly good but frustration by the staff was evident. Should have been much more prepared for a busy night but we were told this is a regular thing. Unfortunate for such a good spot! read more

Hickory Tavern is a sports bar with a family vibe twist. The atmosphere was as expected for a Monday afternoon, with all the TVs showing sports news. Our waitress was very friendly, and our cups stayed full, which is a must for me. The food was good and hot. The BBQ chicken nachos were a bit dry, possibly from sitting for a while, but I was hungry, so I ate them anyway. Overall, the experience was great, and the prices were reasonable for what you receive. I will definitely return for a visit. read more

The food is pretty good! But for 15 dollars I would like full sized tenders, and these were the size of small boneless wings. The service was great and they were very kind and attentive. read more

Hickory Tavern - Chicken Tenders - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Just bar hopping in The Vistas and checking out the bars tonight. This is definitely a sports spot with lots of TVs read more

Hickory Tavern - Bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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One star because my first visit yesterday was a C+. Tonight's visit was a F~ at best! Sat at the table for over 10 minutes without being acknowledged, stopped a waiter and asked to be served and was told to wait... "I will be back". Another 5 minutes go by and still no service... did I mention there was only 10 people in the tavern? It beyond me why the service was so terrible. I will NEVER go back and don't wish this on anyone else. read more

Stopped in tonight to catch the game and enjoy a beer based on all the favorable reviews. Sat at a table in the bar for 15+ min, multiple servers assisting tables on either side of me but was never acknowledged or offered a menu. Gave up and went to another local place, had a beer in my hand in 3 minutes. Hoping to give Hickory a second chance next time I'm in the area. read more

Vinny was amazing! We had a very large party and everything came out exactly as we had ordered. If we asked for it, Vinny delivered it quickly with a smile. read more

I will preface this by saying the experience here is normally worth 4/5 stars. The wait time was horrific: almost 2 and a half hours from the time we (party of 5) sat down until we received the check. The only short part was our waiter bringing the check back to leave a tip. We received incorrect drinks, luke warm food, and asked for napkins that were completely forgotten about. We were also told by other staff members that this was a recurring theme with our waiter. read more

Friendly/Pleasant staff. Sports bar with many TVs. Had the best lowcountry shrimp and grits in along time! Went two times - once at night and once for lunch. Seems like fun place on Friday/Saturday nights. read more

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Customer service is kinda bottom of the barrel. I ordered the BBQ chicken nachos based on their description on the menu (makes sense, right? Lol). What the waitress brought didn't match the description at all. No toppings and no queso. I asked her where all the toppings were and she told me they were out of them. Why wouldn't you tell me that when I ordered? Why would I want to pay $15 for a plate missing half its ingredients? I know we're supposed to expect less of customer service now but come on. At least try to offer a solution. Prices keep going up while food standards get lower and lower. read more

Went during lunch on Saturday and were sat immediately. Walking distance from the convention center. Didn't have to wait long for drinks or our food. Came out quickly and was hot. Everything tasted wonderful. Salmon was cooked perfectly and the broccoli was seasoned and soft. Will definitely go back when visiting Columbia again. read more

I can't thank Hickory Tavern enough for the incredible experience my family and I had there. We arrived during a bit of a family misunderstanding, and the staff didn't miss a beat--they quietly noticed and went above and beyond to make sure my husband and I felt comfortable. Their genuine kindness and attentiveness turned our whole evening around. The food was fantastic--hot, fresh, and full of flavor! Each dish was clearly made with care, and you could tell they prioritize quality in everything they serve. The atmosphere was welcoming, and it felt like the entire team genuinely wanted us to enjoy our time there. It's rare to find a place where the staff not only delivers amazing food but also truly cares about their guests' well-being. Hickory Tavern is more than a great spot to eat--it's a place where people care, and it shows. We left not only satisfied with our meal but also so grateful for the thoughtful service. We will definitely be back! Thank you to the Tee,Travis , and Arnold ! Much love from Vegas read more

Excellent food and service! I had the citrus shrimp tacos with the cheesy grits and it was amazing! Waitress was friendly and prompt! read more

Hickory Tavern - Citrus shrimp tacos and cheesy grits - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I was in this past week Columbia for a conference, and the Hickory Tavern is across the street from my hotel. First, the servers were awful. I visited twin the same day, and the service was equally bad. I am a former food server, and food servers were either poorly trained or not trained at all. You waited forever for everything. Second, the food was mediocre at best. I had Charred Lemon Pepper chicken wings that were poorly seasoned. The one thing I had that I enjoyed and would order again is the build your own salad. That I will give two thumbs up. Finally, THEY WERE OUT OF EVERYTHING! One of my friends LITERALLY ordered four different beers and a Philly Cheesesteak only for the server to come back to the table (after a very long wait) and say they were out that food or beverage, which goes back to the training of the staff. Why does the server not know what is available on the menu, and why are you showing the guests a drink and food menu that multiple items are unavailable for purchase. I don't recommend The Hickory at this time. I hope they read this review and commit to being a better establishment. read more

Dinner after a nine hour traffic laden drive. Amazing beer menu including some local offerings. The cheese straws were a hit as well as my Philly. read more

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If I could give a zero star I would. Was seated...sat for 20 minutes..multiple servers walked by and looked at us and never spoke to us. Finally got fed up and just left. The people working weren't friendly to the customers they were taking care of. I would understand if it as busy but it wasn't. read more

I've been to hickory tavern so many times and every time it's so good. Service is fast and waiters are so kind. It's a really great place to go to catch a game and get a good meal. read more

Hickory Tavern - Chicken tenders - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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