This is a typical sports bar place. Solid menu with salads, wings, burgers and some meals. Spinach dip was really good as well as shrimp appetizer. Friends we were with said wings were good. The chicken sandwich was good. I liked that they had an option to build your own salad even though we didn't use it. Service was good. Food came out a little slow considering it wasn't that crowded but it wasn't an issue. If you want a sports bar this place is good. There is not a lot of parking so leave time to find parking. read more

These folks have been in Columbia a few years now and we go to both locations. Each visit never disappoints! We consistently receive great service and food, a clean well maintained eatery, and a festive, lively atmosphere. I love watching sports and that's easily done here. One occasion that especially stands out was our Dec 23rd Christmas lunch with my co-workers visit at the Vista location. When we arrived we were greeted promptly and cheerfully than sat instantly! The table was ready. Our server was the best! She talked about the food, made great suggestions and was able to answer tough food questions! All the food and drinks were perfect! The roasted Brussels sprouts, the smoked Gouda Mac and cheese, the fish and chips, Reuben, shrimp and grits and nachos were very good. There were no complaints and everyone enjoyed everything! A big shout out to Tyler, that I've seen working both Columbia locations, and his crew for an excellent time out. Keep it up folks! read more

Came here to watch some football on Sunday and it was great to watch the game. They had multiple TV's around so you could watch whatever you came for, but I in particular, came to watch the Bucs play. The food was good! Wish my tenders in rolled on teriyaki sauce were a little bigger but they still tasted delicious and the tater tots were perfectly crunchy! Definitely coming back for football Sunday's since the vibes were really great and the staff was very accommodating !! read more

I wanted to like Hickory Tavern. Their menu was pretty exciting and I was hopeful. To sum it up it's basically Applebee's. It looks like an Applebee's inside, the menu is like Applebee's, and the food tasted like Applebee's. We got salsa and chips as an appetizer. The salsa was actually really good. A nice spice and not chunky. The problem was the chips. They were pretty greasy and you could even see the grease on the chips glistening. I got a shrimp poboy and fries. It was just okay. The shrimp obviously wasnt fresh (we're not close to the coast) and the fries were pretty greasy. Again same problem: you could see the grease glistening on the fries. Like I said; it was not bad...it just wasn't necessarily good. My wife got a burger and she said it was too mushy. Columbia has a lot of restaurants and so many are better. This is on the same level as Applebee's so why not save a few bucks and just go there? A generic review for generic food. read more

Hickory Tavern - Salsa and chips - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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One of the worst experiences we've ever had. The waitress had no clue. None. We ordered wine and she asked if we wanted a 16 or 20 ounce. The mixed drink - she asked if we wanted it draft. The food came out almost 20 minutes apart from other orders. Steak was well. Ordered medium rare. They said they comped things but actually added things 2 or 3 times and comped is for one. The manager has an attitude and the bus boys walked around with their pants around their knees. read more

Had a good lunch at Hickory Tavern. Tried the 'Mericas Burger. Saw several other items on the menu I want to return and try. The staff was friendly. The food is good. I left full but not stuffed. read more

Hickory Tavern - 'Mericas Burger - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

What a disappointment. I really was hoping for a beer list, but it was like picking a good ale from an interstate gas station. This particular "tavern" is surrounded by excellent craft brewers, but the chain must cater to to the barely legal who choose beer that is highest ABV and most like water. The people were. Ice, and the pulled pork tacos were fine. Do avoid the fresh cookies, though. read more

I came here tonight for a friends birthday party. I walked in and was surprised how there was nobody in the restaurant. I thought the service would be good, but unfortunately I was wrong. I ordered the pork tacos with a side of "steamed broccoli". The broccoli was raw and tasteless. The tacos were not much better as the meat was burnt in parts which made it very hard to eat. Not a good experience, I will never be returning. read more

Came here a few days ago service was amazing, server was attentive TALL and helpful. Food however was lacking, cheese bread had half the cheese on the plate and barely on the bread. Chicken was rather cold on my plate, not a big deal. I probably ordered a bad dish anyways. Service outstanding though read more

First time going and it was pretty good. The burger was average and the Mac n cheese was incredible. Only thing about the Mac is the side serving is so small. 4 bites later and it's gone. read more

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

We had amazing service and the food came out very quick. Our waitress brought us free chips and queso which were amazing and the food was delicious! Highly recommend the shrimp tacos! Will be visiting again the next time we are in Columbia! read more

First time I've been to this Hickory Tavern and I will not be returning. Service was mid. Food wasn't good, I only ate because I was hungry. The water was good. Steamed broccoli wasn't cooked well, also very bland. My Philly cheesesteak was very average and the meat was over cooked in a lot of parts. Will be my last time here. read more

Set in the Vista, this was a solid choice for a get together. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. It's a large venue but maintains a rather cozy, inviting charm. We wanted to be seated outside on the spacious covered patio but so did everyone else. It's also dog friendly. We chose to be seated inside versus waiting on a patio table to open. I shared the BBQ chicken nachos and they were tasty. The toppings could have been more proportional and the chicken was sparse. The chips were a tad old but overall they were good. I had the Korean tacos with the roasted brussel sprouts. The tacos were good however the edamame kimchi missed the mark. It was crying for some acid and more flavor. The sprouts were outstanding! Service was decent. Our party of 9 was satisfied over all. I will say the restaurant suffers from employees who don't pay attention to detail. There was an unacceptable amount of trash on the floor that was very noticeable on the trek to the bathroom. Any employee who cares would have made certain that trash was up and the floors clean. 4 stars might be a tad generous but I really liked the atmosphere. More attention to detail and this place could really excel. read more

Hickory Tavern - Korean tacos ( the difference in the sesame seeds makes my eye twitch ) - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I had very high hope of a good experience when I chose this restaurant, boy was I wrong. I wanted to sit outside so the hostess at the front desk pointed me to the stairs nd told me that it was open seating up there. That should have been a sign for me but I didn't "pick up what she was putting down"! I went up to the roof dining area and thought my best bet for the "Open Seating" status was to sit at the bar and have the bartender wait on me, Boy, was I wrong! The bartender was extremely friendly but EXTREMELY busy and seemed to be waiting on the entire upstairs dining area even though there was a food server that was also working the dining area. The bartender kept disappearing from behind the bar distributing and collecting checks, bussing tables and running everywhere. I'm not sure if the server was in training but she was completely useless. After I got my drink, the bartender disappeared again, for a while and when she came back, she asked me if the other server took my food order, which she didn't. I finally got to give my order, of which I ordered an appetizer and sandwich which came out 4 minutes apart. I finished my first drink and was never asked if I wanted another until I flagged the bartender down and asked for a second drink! It was empty for awhile and I thought for sure SOMEONE would have noticed and offered me a refill! Not sure what happened to the bartender, never saw her again. I finished my food and had to flag down the "Server" and ask her for my check. As a former restaurant operator, I have to hold the management 100% accountable for my poor experience. The bartender should not have had to leave the bar and there should have been at least one COMPETENT food server up there, if not 2, if not the manager should have been up there to help. NEVER saw a manager and felt sorry for the bartender as she was in the weeds during my entire visit and had to work with a useless body! The food was good but I left too mad about spending $30+ and being ignored. NO WAY will I ever go back, there are wayyyy to many other options. read more

I went here tonight with a big group of 8 people for a social event. Finding parking was a nightmare as there's only a limited amount of spots in a small alley next to the restaurant and a tiny parking lot in front of the restaurant. For a Thursday at 6:30, they weren't really too busy and we sat at a long table by the bar. Our waitress was very attentive as she was quick to grab our beer and menu orders and kept checking up on us. They have around 30 or so TVs showing various sport games and an outside patio area where you can also be seated. For appetizers we had the Spinach Artichoke Dip, BBQ Chicken Nachos, and Chicken Quesadilla. I enjoyed the Spinach Artichoke, but the Chicken Nachos and Quesadilla weren't very flavorful and kinda bland. For my entree, I got the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with tater tats that I liked. It didn't taste spicy at all to me, but the chicken was soft, tender, and crispy. Overall, this restaurant doesn't do a strong job of standing out among the many other sport bars in the Vista area. I'll probably come back, but not for a while. read more

Just recently went there for my sister's 20th birthday and can honestly say it's one of my favorite places at the moment. Recap: So we decided to pick Hickory Tavern because Applebees & Olive Garden wait times were RIDICULOUSLY long. First thing I would like to mention was the lady at the bar. She was AWESOME and deserves all the tips. Her personality was amazing and I have never met a hostess more perfect and nice then she was Saturday night. Just amazing. Second thing is the FOOD. I wish I would've took pictures because it was great. We had ordered hot wings, steak & frites, a burger with mac & cheese on it, and a chicken sandwich. All of our food was great and was made perfectly. Final thing is the speed of service. We got menus immediately as we sat down and after we ordered it took less than 20 minutes to receive our fresh and hot food. This place is great and is a must try. read more

We stopped in for pre and post holiday party drinks. We didn't get food either time. The bartenders were friendly for the most part--we had a slight issue with one of them not realizing we were with a larger party. The drinks were good. The food looked like typical bar items--nothing spectacular. The location is decent. It can be difficult to find if you're not familiar with the area since it is located on the back of another establishment. There are plenty of TVs so this is a good spot to watch games. read more

We needed a quick easy dinner so stopped in Hickory Tavern we have been to others in North Carolina. My wife Belter on salad which came out with Romain and looked great no problem there. I got the tuna tacos and warm housemaid chips. The tuna tacos did not look impressive but they tasted great and we're done well. The housemaid chips were crispy but disappointingly stale. The beers were good lots of TVs if you want to watch sports.I would recommend it as an easy stop with lots of choices on the menu but, there's a lot of places on the street so might be far down the list for me next time. read more

The closest thing to a tourist trap within Columbia. The prices are noticeably higher than all other restaurants. The service is slow and disorganized. The atmosphere is loud and decorations disorganized. I went a few times just because it was convenient, but convenience is not an indicator of quality. The beer prices alone were double of other downtown restaurants, and anything beyond a burger feels like burning money. I understand that Hickory Tavern wants to be a "sports bar", but sports bars that are worth going to are not trying to squeeze every cent out of your pocket. read more

This has easily become my favorite date day place. It is reasonably priced and normally really good! Mondays are BOGO burgers and that is our favorite day to go. We did go a few days ago and I saw they had a new sandwich sandwich Cuban. This is my all time favorite sandwich. I love it. I suggest thT the cooks double check what is on a Cuban. Mustard and Pickles! There was none. It was so dry, and when I said to the waitress, where are the pickles and mustard? She said it doesn't come on the sandwich. I said,well it isn't a Cuban. after I questioned her, she let my drink go dry and basically ignored us the rest of the night, I had never seen her before. I completely get that staffing is an issue, however, a little friendliness goes a long way. We will be back but I'll think twice if I see her has my sever. read more

Terrible service. The place was packed so we decided to sit outside since it was empty and had plenty of seating area. I was told we had to wait an hour for a party of 6. Really....you have no one seated outside.....still an hour. So we waited 30 minutes and still no one was seated in the area we wanted. We asked again about the seating and got told the same thing again. Customer service means everything to me and they failed. read more

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

The wait to get a table was a little too long for a near-empty restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating available. The food was underwhelming, to say the least. I got the Turkey Melt and it was so salty it was hard to eat, and my boyfriend got a burger that was mediocre at best. The prices are honestly too expensive for the food and service you get. We had to wait long periods of time to get drink refills and see our waiter to ask him questions. Needless to say, we won't be going back, and while the food was edible and the TVs are nice for watching a game, in my opinion, there are many better options in Columbia to enjoy a meal read more

I only had the salad with ranch dressing but it was good! It had ham, bacon, cheese (I held the tomatoes). And I also tried the potato chips, which were just made fresh and were potatoes sliced not too thin and fried...not as much like a chip than a nice sliver of potato to dip in the great sauce. Also, I read a review about the bathroom but when I went, it smelled nice of air freshener and was clean. Also, when we first came in, a guy had his book bag on and was heading out the door but saw that no one was there to show us to a table and he did. He was very nice! read more

The GM literally yelled at all the people at the bar to get out tonight as they closed. Look I totally get wanting to leave when the night is over but yelling at customer who have been there all night paying their hard earned money deserve a little more respect then to be yelled at, at the end of the night. I was literally just waiting for to go silverware so I could eat my left over food. I didn't have a drink left or anything and he literally yells at me to leave. the only reason I give a 2nd star is because Matt is amazing or else I'd give 1 star. read more

We came to this resturant to have a nice meal, and we ended up waiting over an hour for our food. Then they lied to us and said they dropped the food. Never come here! read more

Above average sports bar in downtown Columbia. Plenty of drink options, good food. I came here for a fantasy draft and college football. An enjoyable environment. read more

i wish i could give a negative star rating :( . i made reservations at this establishment 3 weeks in advance and the week (and day of) my reservation i call to confirm that the table is still available and they say they never took the reservation. i was also told i would receive a phone call from the manager and never did. never the less, i was disappointed by the service without stepping foot in the place of business. read more

Service was fast, friendly, and attentive on a busy Sunday. There's televisions all over so you can view whatever sport strikes your fancy. Had the BBQ nacho appetizer and tavern burger, and each was pretty satisfying for a hungry stomach. Generally, a good atmosphere for catching up with friends. Parking lot is pretty small, and street parking was difficult to find. read more

I've been coming here for almost 10 years. This will be my last time. You can only blame crappy service, dirty restaurant, wrong menu items being delivered on pandemic so long. Today, football Sunday, they're out of half the menu items! Wrong keg on beer tap. Get it together. read more

Man was I disappointed. I had canned beans for lunch that tasted better than that burger. If ur looking for a good place to get a burger, this is not it... on the bright side the atmosphere outside is pretty nice. ... PS I still ate the burger but the food has given me a stomachache read more

Great spot for food and drinks. My cousin and I have been here several times and what can I say... it's a good spot. The appetizers are plentiful - I like the "Pow Pow" shrimp. The main courses are varied. The salmon is excellent! As far as drinks go there is a nice bar! The staff is very helpful and friendly. The only issue I have with the place is parking is sometimes difficult but it's worth the walk if you can't get close. Go check them out! read more

It was nice but the food was very plain & bland to be so expensive . Super long wait even though the restaurant was basically empty . Wait staff was very poor. I asked for sauce to eat my plain a** fries with multiple times & the waitress said she would get it then went to the bathroom and started fixing her hair & gossiping with other waitresses . I had to get up and walk to the bar and ask the bartender for my sauce & for a refill on my drink . Definitely will not return . read more

Bad black beans on salad. Hope they aren't still serving them. Wish manager came out and reassure us they would be replaced.

Always like this location verses the one on garners ferry... My waitress was very nice and literally sat down with with to chat while taking my order ... I don't know if she was tired or just being friendly because I was by myself but either way she was nice ... I ordered the shrimp and grits with sweet potato fries... weird combination but I think that's the best side on their menu ... no complaints.. just unsure why toast comes with the shrimp and grits? read more

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

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Pretty good little place. We sat outside and had excellent service, and were able to watch all the games on tv. I had wings, which were better than average. Pretty nice beer selection, and great location. Check this place out! read more

What a great spot. I'm not really sure why they have such mixd reviews here but we had a great experience here. We stopped in and had the 'Merica's Burger and Swiss mushroom burger, and the Pow Pow Shrimp. The pow pow shrimp was my favorite and is very similar to Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp. Both burgers were cooked perfectly and they were great. The service was wonderful and the GM was also extremely friendly. If you're a sports fan I definitely would recommend coming to watch games here as they have a crazy amount of TVs. Also, the daily specials are a ridiculously good deal. Monday's are Bourbon and Burgers. We received $2 off bourbon drinks and burgers were buy one get one free. The only critique I would point out is that the fries could be better. They aren't terrible, they just aren't that great. A little dry, but other than that everything was great. Would definitely come back. read more

Hickory Tavern - Merica's burger! - Sports Bars Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Meh. Hard pass next time I am in town. Sat at the mostly empty bar for about 5 min before anyone asked if I needed anything. Ordered a beer and the steak tacos. They were ok. At some point the bar tender asked the cook to come out to kill a cockroach. He came out, stomped on it. Then announced I got the f@cker. Picked it up and put it in the trash. read more

To start, the service was pretty terrible. We never got any refills until we were leaving, even after asking. The food took forever and a day to come out. Our dinner was not gross, but it was very average. They got my wife's order wrong, but we decided not to wait another 30 minutes for it to be redone. I hate posting poor reviews, but we won't be back. read more

Visiting for a business trip, and while house hunting, we stopped here..just because it was close to the hotel. We were so pleasantly surprised at how amazing the food was. We left fro the weekend and are coming back this week, and we cannot wait to go back. I am hoping to have this as a staple when we move to the area...I had the build your own salad, and my husband had the fiesta salad...(he is such a picky eater, and loved everything about this salad).. One thing: Sitting outside on the patio, smokers were going out and smoking outside of the railing, and so cigarette smoke was very prevalent on the patio. I do wish they had a place for the smokers to go to keep away from the rest of the customers. read more

Worst place I've EVER eaten at. I started off by ordering queso and chips. I'm pretty sure it was jar Tostito queso. I would have to See them make it to prove to me that it wasn't. AND it was cold, thick, and clumpy. I asked the waitress to reheat it and luckily she was nice enough to refund it without having to ask. When our food came ( I ordered chicken tenders) the breading on them was so soggy and oily it just slipped right off every single chicken as I went to pick them up. It was so bad that I asked her to take them off the tab and didn't even eat any of the chicken. In my child's kids meal, he got a cup of fruit. It was clearly canned fruit dumped into a bowl, but it had chunks of unidentifiable food in it as well. One piece looked like maybe a chunk of ham? Wasn't very happy considering my son has a lot of allergies. My mom got the nachos. She couldn't even finish them because the chicken was rubbery and gross, as if it was frozen pre cooked chicken bought from the store and then microwaved to be reheated. Too many coincidences of gross incidents to ever go back. The only good thing about this place was that we had a nice waitress who was very understanding - but also disappeared for long periods of time even though the restaurant was dead inside. But 0/10 absolute worst food I've ever had in my life at a restaurant. There was so much wrong with it and so gross, my mom felt too bad to ask for her nachos to get taken off as well. read more