Rosewood Dairy Bar

Rosewood Dairy Bar was... alright. I feel like they're selling nostalgia more than they are high-quality food. Nonetheless, my chicken tenders and fries were solid, and not overly expensive.

I've been eating the Rosewood Dairy Bar for decades. It's the most affordable excellence in quick-serve dining in Columbia. It's NOT a typical fast-food experience. It's family-owned and family-friendly and the food is like my mother used to make. It is not just a restaurant, it's a tradition. It's quick, but nothing is rushed. I don't want to overdo it here, but I honestly don't know how NOT to. Let me tall you about some of my personal favorites. Their fried chicken, BLTs, barbecue, and grilled cheese are all superb. Plus, I HIGHLY recommend their divine vanilla milkshakes. It's the only flavor I've tried. The employees I've met have always been friendly and and accomodating, and the place is spotless. I'm disabled now, but my dear friend David eats there several times a week, and he always remembers what a fan I am, so he gets mine to go--even if he's not working here that day. Math is not my forte, so let me just state that that I'm sitting in my living room about a mile away and I've tried hard to bring up a memory of a lousy experience at the Rosewood Dairy Bar. I can't bring one up. No kidding. Any negative reviews you may read about the Dairy Bar are, in my opinion, either left by competitors, or someone in a very grouchy mood. FYI, this review is being left by someone with extensive experience and absolutely no connection to the Rosewood Dairy Bar family in any way other than dining. Fred Davis Heathwood, SC

Nice little Mom and Pop style place. Food is just as good as chains without the overhead.. The people there are friendly and attentive. I spent $15 dollars but there was enough food for two meals if you portion it correctly.

I came here with my boyfriend’s family. You order outside and then there is a seating area or you can take it home. We took ours home. I got the cheeseburger basket and I shared a medium peanut butter fudge milkshake with my boyfriend. The food was delicious! The milkshake was definitely the highlight of the night- it was not too thick and not too thin. The flavor was just right. We got our food about 10 minutes after ordering it, which was really nice and faster than I expected. The prices were reasonable for it being a local place, and the quality was very good as well.

Wow. When I go to a place I want my food to me fast, accurate and hot. This place was all three. The customer service was superb. He helped me figure out what to order. The chili cheese dog was top of the line no complains. Only only thing I would say is. I did not ask for ketchup on the side for the fries and there was none in the bag. So if you are a sauce guy like me. Make sure to request some with the food.

I see why I stopped going here! It use to be so good but not sure if they are under new management but it’s definitely not the same. All of my wings were covered in feathers. Absolutely disgusting! Couldn’t eat it because of all the feathers. My coleslaw was warm so I didn’t eat it because I was too afraid of getting sick. Should have went to Bernie’s.

I have been coming here all my life because I grew up in Rosewood- sadly, and suddenly, it has gone downhill. That's an understatement. I stopped spontaneously to get a dipped soft-serve about a month ago. Besides the one before this earlier in the summer, every other soft serve I've ever gotten here was firm, creamy, and had defined edges/a distinct swirl when it was dipped. Well, this one awful. The soft serve itself was melting so dang fast, it was icey, flavorless, and falling off the cone. The chocolate dip didn't even fully coat it, I think because it was so loose that the person making it couldn't actually dip it. She handed it to me as it dripped all over her, my hands, the napkins. It was a complete, hard-to-eat mess. I was shocked she even thought it was okay to serve. I three most of it away because it was a flavorless, gross soup in about 3 minutes. I'm so disappointed bc this was my favorite soft serve joint in town. So nostalgic. I guess that's all it is now. I will not be going back. 😞

Echoing the other comments. I’d question whether there is something truly wrong with the Freon in the ice cream machine. It truly tastes like gasoline. Just not edible unfortunately. People were fine but had to throw ice cream away and my mouth had the lingering taste of gasoline for about 5 hours.

Great casual dining. Excellent food and service. Very friendly and clean as a whistle.

We stopped expecting a nostalgic, basic little ice cream and snack shop. First of all, very run down, okay that's fine except it looked like they may go out of business mid-order... and that wouldn't be surprising considering that the food was expensive and poor quality and taste (think cafeteria or hospital food), the ice cream was inedible pseudo-soft serve that is weird dairy free plasticky stuff that had a bizarre after taste, the milkshake was the consistency of lotion with a similar viscosity and flavor, staff was unfriendly, and the six or so different signs that give you all kinds of rules, regulations and demands for your behavior (none of which are unreasonable, but overall it gives a very weird impression to have so many word documents printed and posted). I like a little, ratty mom and pop spot but this is a hard pass in the future, no redeeming qualities. Sorry, not even cute nostalgia to be had.

Rosewood Dairy Bar was... alright. I feel like they're selling nostalgia more than they are high-quality food. Nonetheless, my chicken tenders and fries were solid, and not overly expensive.

Quick friendly service but my fries were old to receive them as a dine in. The meat and cheese in the burger was very thin and cheap. The bun was too thick and sweet.

Rosewood dairy is known for its ice cream but when I ordered some today it was so horrible I couldn't eat it. The taste of the ice cream was that of gasoline or kerosene. When I asked at the counter the woman said it was lactose free. I told her it was inedible she didn't seem to care and never offered a refund. I left it on the counter and walked away. Horrible! Horrible ice cream!

Dipped Cones are a favorite of mine. And I had been looking forward to getting one yesterday. Unfortunately, the Rosewood Dairy Bar is using something decidedly non-dairy in their soft-serve machine. I do miss the old days.

Hot dogs with slaw, meat had zero flavor and I mean zero. Not sure what the ingredients are, but the most bland dogs I have eaten in 65 years. Chili was a little better than meh. Do not recommend hot dogs. Staff very nice and they boosted star count.

Anybody have any problems with the Dairy Bar on Rosewood. Went today and gagged as I got out of the car from the stench of what must've been three week old trash. Then the girl told me we would have to wait for a few minutes for the ice cream to harden up. When we finally got our ice cream two adults in four kids it tasted like gasoline and smelled like gasoline.. $12 later I let it go, but then thought that they would want to know there's something was wrong. I called I spoke with a female who tried to tell me that it was just lactose free ice cream and that they could not give me a credit or refund just because I didn't like the way it taste. I've always loved the ice cream and food there, but with that attitude and quality offood, I don't know that I'll be back.

The food was fresh service was fast.. please keep the real ice cream instead of that custard or whatever kind it was .. the ice cream now is better

Stopped here after going to see Christmas lights around town. They have the perfect mom and Pop feel type stand. There was some really nice young girls working and explain items that we didn't understand. The building is a little old and the parking lot can use some work but for the price of the food that we got I'm not complaining. We got cheese fries, a hotdog a corndog and ice cream and everything was solid not overly exceptional but everything got the job done and taste great.

Ordered 2 hot dogs. 1 chili, 1 coke slaw. The hot dogs themselves were extremely bland, no flavor. I suspect they were chicken franks. The coke slaw was bland. The chili was the only saving grace. Pass.

Excellent experience and excellent food! Best old fashion chili cheese slaw dog I've had in a long time. The service was fast and friendly. I was passing by and I'm so glad we stopped in for this wonderful experience. I wish I lived nearby so I could stop in everyday. I really loved the butterscotch dipped ice cream cone. Don't waist any time because it melts very fast.

I love a city staple. Rosewood Dairy Bar is it. Great service and the food is always made to order.

If I could give half a star I would. Filthy . Over priced for soggy fries, dry chicken, and an abundance of giant roach corpses surrounding the tables. Rude employees that dont seem to want returning customers. Zestos it is for my money! :)

The WORST! So disappointed. We walked the lovely neighborhood and anticipated a tasty ice cream sundae as a reward. We ordered two icecream sundaes, bit into them at the same time and both wanted to spit it back out! The ice cream tasted like cleaning chemicals or metal of some sort. I suspect they didn't rinse the machine well after cleaning it. When my friend took the ice cream back to say that it didn't taste right, she was told it was fine and only tasted different because it was non-dairy!! And that they only sell non-dairy products!! No where on the signage did it say that all of their "ice cream" at the "dairy bar" was non-dairy. I am confident that the taste was not due to the non-dairy status but rather from the equipment. I still taste metal in my mouth two hours afterward. Too bad! We were really looking forward to a memory lane treat.

The service is horrific and the ice cream tastes sour. One lick and then we threw it straight into the trash.

If I could give no stars that would still be too many. Went there for some soft serve, and was met by the nastiest girl I've ever encountered at any type of food establishment. We were ignored when we said hello, just given dirty looks in response. Aside from the absolute worst customer service imaginable, the soft serve was an absolute travesty. Tasted like dirty golf ball water, with some random chunks of god only knows what. Two tastes into a cone, and 2 shakes, they hit the trash. Hard to believe this place is called a "dairy bar", it's the worst thing I've experienced in a long while.

so garbage simply don't waste your time. my dad stopped taking me here when i was 12, 10 years later he was right all that time. ice cream is literal water, and service is lacking for how small of a business it is. place is on it's last leg, never go here!!

My husband and I came on a random date night to just try it out without the kids, reviews were mixed but I love a hole in the wall place so we came by. It was okay. Overall, the building and outside could use some TLC and when we sat waiting for our food there was an over pungent smell of cat urine which was a bit offsetting prior to eating. The worker who helped us was kind and patient as we decided what to eat but there was no connection at all. The food wasn't bad for a mom and pop place and for a quick bite to eat but nothing to go out of your way for. I almost get the sense nobody cares about it anymore like it's just open to be open. We didn't bother getting dessert since the food was slightly underwhelming. The little open storefront that offers inside seating is great and offers plenty of seating. It was pretty clean but needed some updating: I can see where if you're from the area, where the hype is, maybe growing up and going there and the prices are great for what you get. It was less than $20 for two burger plates (so burger, fries and coleslaw) and a drink . It's worth a shot if you've never been but I'm unsure when and if we will be back sadly.

A classic walk-up spot with a menu loaded with tasty treats both hot and cold. I visited midafternoon on a warm October Thursday and was pleasantly surprised at the number of folks enjoying food from the Dairy Bar. The woman at the counter was friendly as I ordered two hot dogs and fries. The food was ready quickly and the prices were really good. I enjoyed my meal. The slaw was a bit heavily applied for my typical liking but it was good slaw so I'm ok with it. Chili flavor meshed well with the slaw and mustard also. Fries were crispy and really well-seasoned. What more can you ask for? I was tempted to get some ice cream but resisted this time. I guess I'll have to go back!

Ok the food here isn't bad, but it also isn't good. This place is your run of the mill fried food joint. However, If you're craving soft serve in the rosewood area, then you've found your joint. Highly recommend adding sprinkles and snapping a cute pic!

Order was called in at 7:03 in the evening. They said give them 15 minutes we paid for the order upon arrival about 10 minutes after it was called in. Another 20 minutes past and they finally gave us the order. The food was cold and seems as if it was cooked a few days ago. When I called back to complain, a female identifying herself as a manager said that the Cook was there and he remembered the order because he cooked it and we pulled up two minutes after the order to pick it up. This was not true. The female said that if he said it then it had to be true and that perhaps we have made an error. She offered to replace the food if I brought the nasty food back. After giving it much thought in consideration, I decided to just throw it away because I don't want anything else from dairy bar. One man came up to the counter while we were waiting and ordered his food and was gone long before we got ours. it seems as if they have some sort of social issues. I noticed the vehicle park next to us had to wait for a long time for their food while others could walk up to the window and get there immediately. My money is not going to be spent where I am not wanted. Or appreciate it.

Overall, it is a good place for a quick bite to eat. The food is decent, the milkshake was very good. They need to work on the dining room to make it more appealing for their customers and it could use a good deep cleaning. I love old nostalgic places and I will be back.

I had never ate in a burger there it's strictly takeout. I was disappointed in the quality of the burger itself, and the way it was prepared. I took it home in microwaved it to warm it up but overall I don't see any reason I would ever go back. The French fries were not particularly great either. I know it is a great Columbia institution in many people love it so all I'm saying is it didn't ring my bell

The food is cheap but not bad and their ice cream is creamy and nice and sweet. The staff is nice and helpful and the service was a little slow but it was a busy time of day. They have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating space and a decent sized parking lot. The indoor space is air conditioned and have some old games like pinball and a video game and plenty of other interesting things. I reccomend this place to anyone who like traditional American food and ice cream cones. The milkshakes here are also amazing and they have lots of flavors.

Butterscotch milkshake is the best in the business. Honestly it's so hard to be anywhere near Rosewoood and not stop

Very Dirty... the people working inside had dirty clothes, a the cook was standing over the chicken and eating French fries... I would never eat there again!

We have only had a few opportunities to enjoy he wonderful food and staff but every time it's a pure delight!

They have the best food and hands down in my opinion beats zesto! I recommend trying it. The service is great and it's just a fun little place to eat at.

Opened in 1942, Rosewood Dairy Bar is a Columbia institution! No doubt about it! We went on Sunday (05/05/19). My wife and I had the Dairy Bar Burger. Our oldest daughter had a hotdog. Our youngest had a grilled cheese. The kids' food looked good and they downed quickly. The burger is an old school, short order delight. You can taste the history in every bite. Oh... Do yourself a favor and get a shake. My go-to is the pineapple.

This dairy bar feels like something out of the 70's with its simplicity and decor. There's a small amount of parking right in front of the dairy bar. The main building is an old red and white stand that you order from. There are 3 or 4 picnic tables next to it for seating. They also have a building with mostly booths filled with some old arcade games, an old jukebox, and some TVs for additional seating. This dairy bar seems like a very local's place and they're been slightly busy both times that I've been here on weekday nights. I've only tried their chocolate ice cream and their hot dog which were both pretty good! For $2, their small ice cream cone is huge! They also have corn dogs, various sandwiches, chicken tenders, sundaes, and shakes which I need to try next time I come. Their food looks fresh when it comes out and made to order. A hotdog is a hotdog, but theirs doesn't taste like it was cheaply made. Their kitchen was pretty quick at getting our food made. Also, their menu prices seemed cheap to me and they have specials on different food items everyday. I'm giving this place 5 stars because it's rare to see a vintage dairy bar like this around anymore and I like the unique throwback feeling that this place has. It's a very nice chill place to get cheap good food with friends.

Went down to Rosewood at 6:30 on a Saturday night to get food and ice creams. Yelp said they were open till 9:00. They were NOT. I know a lot of places have staffing issues I just wish they would change the operating times.

Very good shakes indeed sir! Reece's peanut butter shakes are the bomb in a half. Butter scotch shakes are the second best. Food is decent enough to eat as well.

I love places like this. So I really wanted to love it. But the service was mediocre and so was the food. The hot dog all the way seemed like it sat in water too long and had no flavor, but the chili was good, just didn't care for their slaw. It took 10 minutes to get the food so I figured they cooked everything to order, but my cheeseburger had a cold bun and the meat was barely warm and I ate it immediately. Such a disappointment for this first time guest.

Went to Rosewood Dairy Bar yesterday (have been a customer for over 20 years now) and had a terrible customer service experience. My sister ordered a cheeseburger and specified how she wanted it (didn't want mayo, etc.) the cashier wrote down her request very haphazardly and even scribbled over some of it at one point and then turned around and told the cooks we wanted a cheeseburger basket, not mentioning the specifics. Sure enough, when we sat down to eat, her burger was covered in mayo. She had requested they fix it and they agreed. I went to ask if they could bring it to us after they had corrected the problem. The cashier (this time it was the cashier who wears a hair net and has thick glasses) was horrible. I was told they couldn't bring it out to me, even though it was their mistake. I pressed the issue and was finally told they could bring it, if it wasn't busy. After getting push back on something that was so easily a customer service win for them, no way was I not staying to watch them make the burger. While waiting, I asked why the other cashier even bothers to try and write the order down, if there isn't a system in place to ensure order accuracy. The rude cashier said they didn't see what the problem is, which wasn't what I wanted to hear. I asked why this customer service employee couldn't see what the problem was. They told me not to get upset, this usually sets people off. I calmed down. When I finally got the burger, there was no other customers around for them to assist. I mentioned to the cashier that they could've just brought me the burger after all and the cashier called me a "dick" and told me not to come back. This review could, easily, be about how they went above and beyond. Instead, it's about a grumpy cashier and their inability to provide even the most basic customer service. Later, I tried calling the restaurant to speak with management about the issue and the line trilled for 20 times before I gave up and came to Yelp to explain the situation. In my opinion, management should bring corrective action against the hair net, glasses clad employee with customer service more suited for the dmv or sanitation services, speak with their employees about answering the phone (I could've been a customer with a large order), and make sure there's a more clear expectation of the order taking and communicating process within the bar. The food was great but the service left me with a bad taste and I won't be back for a while (guessing, hoping, this inept employee won't make it there long.)

I was disappointed by the ice cream selection they had, but this ice cream I got was good.

Rosewood Dairy Bar is one of my favorite places to eat simply due to its flexibility and range of options. Whether you crave a decent burger, hotdogs, chicken, a bucket of fries, or soft serve ice cream, and whether you are looking for a meal, snack, or dessert - this place is bound to have something to meet your needs and satisfy your cravings. Located on Rosewood across from Dano's, it has its own private lot, though it can be fairly annoying to access since it is so close to the road. The bar also has two separate buildings - one you order and grab your food from and another where you have the option to sit down and eat. There is also outdoor seating available. As I stated previously, Rosewood Dairy Bar has a fair amount of options available, whether that be burgers, hotdogs, corn dogs, chicken, etc. We've tried the burgers and chicken so far and that has been good. Not the absolute greatest, but good enough to satisfy that craving you have for a delicious meal of burgers, fries, and ice cream. I will say that I do not think their coleslaw is good at all, unfortunately. I'd consider this place the perfect example of the phrase: "Jack of all trades." I wouldn't necessarily say they are master of none, though! Their ice cream and other dairy products, as their name suggests, are absolutely top-notch. This is my go-to place for ice cream and floats of any sort. People may rank soft serve ice cream lower on their list of preferred types of ice cream, but when soft serve is done right, it is so good - and rosewood does it right. It is creamy, smooth, and tastes fantastic. I would definitely recommend stopping by and trying their ice cream at the very least, but stop by at your leisure! As stated previously, this place is good for satisfying most any craving and can meet any situation as a snack, dessert, or regular meal.

Old school nostalgic place. The food is ok but not as good as it was. I mean part of cooking is seasoning the food. The customer service is what is really lacking here. The employees just don't seem to care and it effects the food as well as the service.

This was my first visit. I Got the cheese burger and fries. Burger was very good. Fresh toppings and burger was cooked properly. The fries were not up to the expectations. Warm and dried out. Friendly staff. $10.50 A little pricey for this item. IMHO.

Wow! A small is a large, a medium is an xtra large, and a large is gigantic! Creamy dairy desserts at affordable prices on a very sunny day. Flavored dipped cones and root beer floats! Satisfying and fun. Options to eat indoors or out. A very friendly staff. Kids will love it and adults will feel like kids! I'll be back!

This is not a review of their food, but their utter lack of safe procedures during the COVID 19 Pandemic. Only one staff had a mask on and the person pulled it up and down. The staff prepping the food did not wear masks. Only one other customer (out of about 10) wore a mask. They staff did not ensure customers maintained a safe distance from each other and as I was ordering they called out to other customers to get their food and the customers came to the window to get their food meaning there was no separation between the staff, the other customers and me. I previously lived about 1/2 mile away and would go there frequently. I loved the vibe and supporting a local business with history in Rosewood and Columbia, SC. But based on this experience I won't go back again.

There was a time in this country where friends and family gathered at the local hop on Saturday evening to dine on food prepared on a greasy stove, catch up on the latest happenings, and indulge on soft serve concoctions and banana splits. Every town had one. Unfortunately, very few like Rosewood Dairy Bar, still exist. People no longer gather to catch up on gossip but at Rosewood they still serve the American Classics from that time we see in reruns. The cuisine that perhaps our parents ate on their first date. The kind of place where you have to lean in to order from a small window; while doing so, you catch the pleasant aroma of burgers on the grill and onion rings in the fryer. A scent that even vegans are tempted to admire. Is there anything more American than a soft served dipped vanilla cone? I like to think not.

A little dirty, super high waste with all disposable everything, but also the best/ cheapest ice cream in Columbia. This family owned Columbia classic is a perfect stop for a fried chicken, hotdog, burger and fries-typa' dinner topped with a hot fudge Sunday or dipped cone. There's private parking, picnic tables or indoor dining and a handful of arcade games. The order and pickup at window will take you back to childhood no matter how old you are. This is absolutely a business everyone who likes fast food or ice cream should support.

Wow! I have not eaten here since college. This is not where we planned to dine on memorial day, but I'm certainly glad that's how it worked out. We had hot dogs, hamburgers, and french fries. No shakes on this visit. Everything seems to be made to order based on the time it took to get our food. I'm okay with that -I like things hot and fresh. The burgers and hotdogs were really good and the fries were perfectly golden brown. I love, love that they serve Pepsi products! This is definitely a "locals" place, serving the Shandon and Rosewood neighborhoods. You are certain to see USC students as well. It may even classify as a "dive". There are picnic tables outside, and then a separate building with indoor tables, a few game machines and the restrooms. The meal and setting really hit the spot, it won't be another 10 years before I go back.

I found this place by complete accident since I never go to that part of town. I just happened to be meeting some people there, and they told me the chicken was famous... So I ordered the small basket, which was very reasonably priced. Im not a big fried chicken fan... But this stuff was amazing! Truly the best fried chicken I have ever had anywhere. Not a greaseball or dried up... perfect stuff. Another point to note is that this place is a Zestos by another name. Its owned by the same people and use the same recipes. This place is a throwback to a bygone age of local ice cream shops and eateries... Very nostalgic. My only problem is the parking. If you park up front you have to have nerves of steel to get back onto rosewood. As for the cost... you get maximum bang for your buck.

Their food is amazing especially their pimento cheese I recommend anybody to put pimento on EVERYTHING. I really enjoy the fact that I see all smiles when I go especially from the window workers. Alexia was very polite and I appreciate her because you never know when a smile could make somebody's day! Great job dairy bar

Best burger and shakes!! Not a fan of crinkle fries but that's a personal preference. Prices are very fair and we will be back!

Erratic hours. Advertises they are open till 10pm but were closed at 8:30pm. Do not drive here expecting them to be open, they probably are not.

Always a family favorite. If you want to experience a popular spot in Columbia then check them out. You can never go wrong with a mixed ice cream cone along with some fries. Burgers, fried chicken, sandwiches endless options.