Hickory Tavern — Restaurant in Columbia

I've been to this SAME RESTAURANT 3 DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND THEY STILL CAN'T GET IT RIGHT. I'M DONE HERE. The first time I came on a Friday and I sat for over 20 minutes to be greeted by the server. The server came over and said the kitchen stops making food at a certain time. It was past that time. I wasn't aware of this. I WASN'T MAD AT THE SERVER. HE DIDN'T KNOW I WAS THERE. The server told the manager I wanted to speak with him and he NEVER came outta the kitchen. He forgot about me. I called and spoke to a manager name Jennifer. She was nice at first. She offered me a free meal and to come back. I LITERALLY CAME BACK THE NEXT FRIDAY. My friend and her son was with me and my son. My free meal was the nachos and I was paying for the wings and my son's kid's meal. My server was Haley. She is pretty and I'VE HAD HER BEFORE. So I was HAPPY to see her. A familiar face. This particular day, I guess she was having a bad day. I tried to talk to her and she was giving me mixed signals. She told me she had all the tables in the dining room and that we had to hold on to place our order. We were ready at that time to place it. She took the drink order and took OVER 10 MINUTES to come back. I told her my name was in the book and that I spoke to Jennifer. I told her my nachos were free. I tell her the order. I said NO SOUR CREAM. She repeats the order back to me. She brings my food out and there's SOUR CREAM on my nachos. I told her I didn't want it and I wanted it remade. She told me the kitchen wasn't going to. THAT'S RUDE. The picture you see here is from that night with the sour cream on top. She sends a manager and he tells me the same thing. I tell him of course their not gonna remake the nachos because now you guys are about to close. THAT'S NOT MY FAULT. SHE TOOK SO LONG TO COME BACK WHEN WE WERE ORGINALLY READY TO PLACE THE ORDER. If there was a mess up, that would've given them time to fix it. He remade my wings. The first set was warm and slimey. The second set was good. I had a bad experience, I STILL LEFT HALEY A TIP. TO BE NICE. SHE DIDN'T DESERVE IT. $5. My friend said it was wrong with the way they treated me and told me to call again and speak to the same manager Jennifer. I called back again and spoke to Jennifer. She was rude and told me I could speak to the manager that was there that night. I told her I didn't want to. He was rude and not helpful already in my face. I didn't wanna talk to him. I asked to speak to a higher up manager. i spoke to David. He was VERY RUDE AND WAS RUSHING ME OFF THE PHONE. As a manager, that's not how you treat PAYING CUSTOMERS. He asked me what did I want done and I said free food. The nachos they already owe me. He said I can have them free and my name would be in the book to come back. I came back last night, the third time and the service was okay. My server Miles was good at first. Then he started being slack. He took so long to come back each time and didn't offer refills for me and my son's drinks. I ordered the free nachos and guess what? THEY PUT SOUR CREAM ON THEM. I said their wrong and needs to be remade. The remake came out and I got LESS than before. I got wings again and I tried a different flavor. Garlic parmesan. IT DIDN'T TASTE LIKE IT AT ALL. They were too dry, a little overcooked and tasted like grilled wings on a grill. My server Miles said that's how the garlic parmesan wings come. I said okay. I only paid for my son's kid's meal which was SURPRISINGLY GOOD AND FRESH and my wings. I didn't leave a tip. I THINK ALL OF THIS WAS ENTIRELY TOO MUCH. THAT'S NOT HOW YOU TREAT PAYING CUSTOMERS. I CAME THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND EACH TIME, THERE WAS A PROBLEM. I WILL NOT BE COMING BACK HERE. THE MANAGERS AND SERVERS ARE SLACK AND UNPROFESSIONAL. Last night when I was here, the restaurant wasn't busy at all so I don't know why it took Miles so long to come back to the table. I DON'T RECOMMEND anyone come here because you can POTENTIALLY get TREATED BAD and have a BAD EXPERIENCE even when a MANAGER is INVOLVED....

So, I chose this restaurant on Sep. 8th for my birthday dinner on Sep. 18th @ 7:00 p.m., 15 people, patio seating. Called to the restaurant that day (8th) with details and was told to hold for a manager. I did, and spoke to a gentleman who took the reservation and told me "No problem, see you Saturday." I showed up Sat, right at 7, only to be told (VERY RUDELY) that "We don't even make reservations so I don't know why you think you have one." The young man and the young lady up front were extremely rude, and almost insinuating that I was being dishonest about whether or not I had called! When I offered to show them my call log, they then told me, well we can accommodate you, but not on the patio. I said that was fine, I mean what was I gonna do? I had 14 other people on the way to meet me! We waited a few moments for a table to be prepared, which btw, was right next to the bathrooms. Not exactly great seating, but again, people were starting to arrive and I didn't have much choice. Our waitress came over and got drinks started. She was the one shining example of great service. There were a lot of us, but she never left anyone waiting for anything. The bar drinks were AWFUL. We kept trying something different thinking that maybe the next would be better than the last. We were WRONG. They tasted as if they had NO alcohol content at all. No one at my bday dinner is an everyday drinker. But since it was supposed to be a celebration, we all had drinks. None of us felt that they were poured/measured properly. There is no reason why someone who only drinks twice a year, with nothing on their stomach prior, should have been 3 mixed drinks in, as well as a shot of Tequila, and not felt the effects of any of it. As far as the food goes, I can only speak of what my spouse and I had. We ordered two burgers. Both well done, bacon crisp. What we got was two under cooked, pre-made patties with almost raw bacon on the top! It was also supposed to have Gouda Mac on top as well, but there wasn't much on there and it was very bland and dry as if it had been sitting out for a while. I know that myself and my guests had to of spent upwards of $600+ altogether. Very unsatisfied. Left my waitress a GREAT tip, as did all our guests bc SHE DESERVED IT! Everything else was such a disappointment. WILL...

On November 18, 2023, my family and I decided to check out Hickory Tavern, conveniently located at 141 Pelham Dr. in Columbia, SC 29209. Nestled within a shopping center, this place offers ample parking and boasts a fantastic outdoor seating area, adding to its appeal. The warm and welcoming staff greeted us upon our arrival. Our party consisted of 8 people, and our waitress deserves commendation for her excellent service. Our waitress ensured all our needs were met, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable dining experience. As for our food choices, we opted for a variety of dishes. We started with the Pow Pow Shrimp and Tavern Salad. The Pow Pow Shrimp didn't quite hit the mark for us, but everything else was on point. Our orders included the Mushroom, Onion, and Swiss Burger (featuring roasted mushrooms, onions, and Swiss cheese) and the Smokehouse Burger (highlighted by Hickory bacon, BBQ sauce, and cheddar jack cheese). We also enjoyed a side of thick-cut onion rings, which I decided to enjoy separately from my burger. One minor hiccup was that we had assumed the burgers would be served medium rare, but they arrived at our table cooked to medium-well doneness. However, the burgers still managed to impress our taste buds, and rather than waiting for replacements, we decided to savor them. Hickory Tavern's ambiance truly stands out. I've frequented many sports bars, but the sheer number of TVs inside and outside the restaurant was remarkable. I'm already looking forward to returning to enjoy the outdoor seating area during the summer. The atmosphere alone makes me eager to explore more of their menu offerings. This visit marks my first experience at Hickory Tavern. I will rate this restaurant at 4 stars because the burgers were unexpectedly medium-well, and there were some maintenance issues in the bathroom. The overall experience, especially the sports-centric atmosphere, makes it a great spot for watching games and hosting...