Zaharakos

This gem downtown has been a staple of Columbus for over 100 years! This is my second time visiting and we were not disappointed. Ice cream is really good and you can't beat the old time atmosphere or the music machines you can play songs on for less than a dollar. They also offer a limited food menu along with the ice cream. I did not have any food on this visit but it smelled really good when other customer's food came out. Facility is bright and clean but very busy. They offer clean and well lit bathrooms. Staff is kind but were perhaps understaffed. Wait times were long even on a non holiday weekday afternoon. To ease this congestion, they offer text alerts via a free app download. That way you can continue shopping and just come back later and not miss reservation time. Overall great location, nostalgic building and machines, fun atmosphere, delicious desserts, and helpful staff. Just don't come by if you're in a hurry.

The ice cream is good and fresh, but I think the experience of being in this amazing building is what really drew us here. We love the history of the business and are happy we got a chance to come.

We came here for the ice cream and drinks, but decided to stay for the food. I mist say, the food was a disappointment. Everything was extremely salty, especially the fries, which went pretty much untouched by everyone in our group. We really enjoyed the ice cream and drinks, though. The atmosphere and service were excellent! Our server was very friendly and helpful with all of our questions.

This is a great old fashioned ice cream parlor. The atmosphere was very nostalgic. Our family shared a Big Z Sundae and some sodas from their soda fountain. For the Big Z Sundae you can choose five different scoops of ice cream and three different sauces, whipped cream and cherries were included. The ice cream was creamy, smooth, and flavorful. We included Cookies & Cream, Birthday Cake, Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla. Our chosen toppings were hot fudge, caramel, and marshmallow. It made for a very delicious and delightful treat on a hot day for our family. Our choices from the soda fountain were Green River (Lime), Cola, and Red Raspberry. All were very delicious. We can't wait to go back.

Great staff! Very polite and courteous. Food is great 👍! You will not leave hungry. Ice-cream to die for. One scoop will do!

This place was amazing. A real step back in time. Growing up with Jim and Stella zaharako in union city's sweet shop. It was awesome to see where it all started. Everything was amazing from staff to the food to all the history. Although I was hoping for some of the famous Easter egg and other candies that were hand made.

Zaharakos is a cute old fashioned ice cream parlor. We ordered brownie sundaes and they were good. Liz was our server and did a good job. The museum was very interesting, Even the furniture in the restaurant was cute and added to the charm of an old fashioned ice cream parlor, the chairs were very uncomfortable.

Drove 20 minutes out of the way on a road trip and Zaharakos did not disappoint. I was able to make a reservation online and adjust it when my husband and I were running late. This was our first time visiting. Service was wonderful! We ordered our food and I went to the look at the soda fountain/mechanical instruments museum. Our food was ready before I was done looking at everything. My husband ordered the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich and fries and I ordered a club sandwich and fries. Our food was delicious! Sadly, we didn’t have room for ice cream, but hopefully next time…

Just expected more of an experience. Ambiance just fell flat. Too many kids and parents not controlling them. Portions where huge. Our server brought us water took our order. Food was delivered by someone else. We saw our server again when she brought the bill. I think been there done that fits for here. No reason to ever go back.

Zaharakos is a family favorite for us! We love to play at the Commons and then head over for lunch and/or ice cream! It's so quaint and a cool experience. My 5 yo's current favorite is the old fashioned root beer float - it's delicious! BUT If you have toddlers and they happen to like the same flavor of ice cream, I would suggest splitting it as they do not have kids sizes. One scoop is very big! We've been many times, but we went to Zahakaros at Christmas last year for the first time and quickly decided that this is a new family tradition! It was so charming and a special memory for everyone. All of their ice cream is fantastic, but the peppermint reigns supreme! We love Zaharakos and will continue to come back!

"Charming" doesn't do this place justice. It's full name is Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum, and those are the elements in which they shine. They have early 20th century memorabilia such as an organ that automatically plays at the top of each hour and old school soda fountains. It turns dessert into 'an experience' for adults and kids alike. The ice cream is, well, creamy in the vein of a soft serve. But it's actually served by the scoop which creates a wonderful texture while enjoying your flavor of choice. They also have a warm food menu that I didn't try. I can only imagine that the lower reviews for Zaharakos revolve around that because the "Ice Cream Parlor and Museum" are phenomenal.

Awesome place! Whenever we visit Columbus, we make sure to eat here. The shakes are top notch and it is such a nostalgic place!

I thought the food was not good at all and the ice cream was mid. Staff were not very friendly and very slow. Atmosphere was not what I thought it would be.

A step back in time. I have never seen anything like this place. When I think of an ice cream parlor I think old school but not this old. There is a lot of history here and you'll want to take your time taking it all in. From the antique equipment to the architecture inside. Walking in your olfactory is immediately pleased with the smells of sweets and waffle cones. The menu has old timey classics like floats and ice cream sodas so of course an ice cream soda was in order. Having old style soda is the difference maker. The whole aura of this place probably makes everything taste better but I'm not here to argue that.

The ice cream is absolutely amazing. Quaint establishment with a vast selection of functioning player pianos. Pleasant atmosphere, clean and excellent staff. The food menu has a good selection and tasty: but the visit is all about the ice cream.

It was our first visit here and stopped by based off of recommendations from folks who used to live in Columbus. The food was okay, the ice cream was great! I recommend just going for dessert. The Eclipse Brownie sundae did not dissappoint! I understand why it is loved by the locals as it is "old-timey". Our waitress stopped by our table a few times, but half the time we talked to her she said "sorry, I wasn't listening" because she was dialed in on her headset communicating with the other staff whie standing at our table. It is mostly kids working there, but it was still challenging to know when was the right time to talk. Note: Sheeeeshhh I nearly lost my hearing sitting by the torture device they call an organ. The hostess sat us right next to it as it was playing and I had to literally shout requesting to be moved to literally anywhere else. There are definitely lots of screaming children on a Friday evening, so if you are DINKs like us, you may want to avoid.

It has been quite a few years since we were here so an updated review is in order. When you approach from outside you can hear the Christmas music playing and when you walk in it's like a winter wonderland all decorated up for Christmas. We were seated right away and got the menu. Seemed to me like the selections are not the variety they were in the past. So my wife chose the fish sandwich and I chose the pork tenderloin sandwich. The sides were fries and chips. I thought the chips would be homemade, but they were just broken pieces of bag potato chips. The fries were good, however they were over salted which overpowered the flavor. The fish was over fried. The tenderloin was good, but it was very dry. I would rate the food as fair. The service was very below standard. The ice cream sundae's were a real treat and absolutely delicious. If you visit, take time to see all the memorabilia especially the old time dispensers. What a treat.

Went to this wonderful little gem after shopping at the outlet mall. This place is very popular and service is excellent. Staff was quick on getting refills and asking if everything was going well. This was my first time here and I will be returning so I can enjoy with other family members.

After making a reservation for two and a 50 minute drive to try for the first time we were met with an immediate greeting of we are short staffed statement. This would have been understandable except for the 4 people who came in after us with no reservation were seated before us and while we were waiting for 15 minutes to be seated. Once seated we waited for another 30 minutes before we were acknowledged and even asked for a drink order. I counted a total of 18 customers in the restaurant 8 of which were friends I recognized who had been waiting for over an hour to get a check after having ice cream and leaving. Needless to say we did not stay any longer and were very disappointed with the experience. I understand being short staffed and having a delay but this seemed to be an understatement and I actually felt bad for all of the kids working attempting to handle this. my question is where was management/owners to help assist?

This place is a must stop! On a cute street downtown with lots of parking. Inside, you feel transported back decades! The old school vibes and architecture of the building are so cool!! Now let's talk ice cream! I got the brownie Sunday with strawberry ice cream and OMG so so good! First off, it was HUGE! The strawberry ice cream was perfectly smooth and creamy and all natural. The hot fudge was super fudgey .... Alllll the things you want! The cool vibes of the old soda machines and old school games was super cool. Definitely recommend!

A relic from the past, I am really happy that places like this are still open. Came here with my nephew to get him some ice cream, had a very pleasant experience and friendly service.

I had already eaten but I really wanted to stop in to see all the cool things in person that I had seen online. On a busy Wednesday afternoon I popped in Zaharakos to see all the cool old timey soda fountains. When I got inside there was only seating and no actual bar area where I could sit like an old 50's diner and get a milkshake. No big deal. I order a couple scoops to go and have time to walk around looking at all the old soda fountains while I wait. Customer service was 10/10. Super friendly people who were more than happy to give information about the machines. It was really cool walking through the mini museum and reading all about the soda fountains and music machines.

FOOD - Root Beer Float: tasty ice cream in hand pulled root beer. Delicious! 4.5/5 - My kids enjoyed their chocolate and strawberry ice cream. 4.5/5 SERVICE: Our server was friendly but it took her forever to wait on us after we sat down. People who came after us got to order before us. It was pretty busy but we should have been waited on before people who came after us. 3/5 FINAL THOUGHTS: I would come back but hopefully they provide better service next time.

Awesome atmosphere. All of the servers are extremely pleasant. The ice cream scoops are the size of softballs- you'll be fine with getting one scoop. But off you want the brownie get the two scoops because it'll end up being the same price - the brownie a la carte and one scoop versus the brownie sundae. Delicious!!

So good. So nostalgic. Ambiance feels like you're stepping back in time. HUGE scoops of delicious ice cream. Love this place. Service is friendly and quick. So fun

Amazing ice cream parlor!!! Food was ok. The ice cream was amazing. They have old time soda fountain drinks. A must visit if you are in Columbus, Indiana

Zaharakos is definitely worth a stop since you'll feel like you've been transported in time once you walk inside. Really cool old school ice cream and soda shop that has been kept up and restored over the years. The ambiance itself was a highlight. Apparently this spot has been around since 1900. On a Friday night around 6pm we were seated immediately. Our server got our drink and food order first. Aside from your usual soda offerings, they also have a variety of retro fountain soda options which are hand mixed. Make sure you specify if you want a fountain soda. As for the food, it was fine. Basic diner fare and the price point is pretty cheap. We tried the burger and grilled cheese. We were both asked if we wanted a side of fries or fruit when we ordered so we tried both. Sides are up charges though so keep that in mind. My bad for not paying more attention to the menu I suppose, but at least they were cheap ($2-2.50). After making sure we saved room for dessert, we ordered our ice cream. I went with a one scoop sundae - raspberry chocolate chip ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry. My partner ordered a single scoop of vanilla topped with sprinkles and mini chocolate chips. They brought a small cup of chocolate chips on the side too since they didn't stick well. The ice cream was decent, and the portion sizes were HUGE. A one scoop sundae was $5.25 and I could barely even finish half of it. The hot fudge was very good. We saw someone else order a banana split that was bigger than my head. Definitely a fun place to grab an indulgent dessert to share. Overall our service was fine, and I would recommend stopping in once for the experience if you're in the area. You can skip the food and stick with the ice cream, but if you need to eat, it's not bad.

Got the Avocado grill sandwich and a brownie sundae with vanilla and strawberry ice cream! Food tasted great, service was great, ambience spectacular. It's got an old time style on it, real nice place!

Food was great. Service and atmosphere were pleasant. Glad we stopped in here for brunch. I recommend coming here if you're in the area.

I loved how cute this place was!! It definitely gave off ice cream parlor vibes :) I thought it was amazing that they made soda the old fashioned way. They even had a nice $8 lunch special that included half an entree and a side dish :) it definitely felt like a good deal. While eating I heard the organ play and they had Christmas music playing as well. It had me in the Christmas spirit! Another thing I took note of was how they have a small kids table which was adorable. For anyone looking to explore Columbus, IN, you should make a stop here and take in the amazing food, ice cream desserts and ambiance.

I haven't had Zaharako's for years and was recently surprised at work when a coworker treated us with a selection of all their yummy flavors. My personal favorite was the raspberry chocolate chip and the cookies-n-cream but everyone raved about their choices. What a generous and tasty unexpected treat it was! I'm now scouring the food menu and looking forward to returning with my family for dinner soon. Can't wait to go try more than ice cream!

Such a unique and nostalgic place to get some great food and ice cream. Personally love the GOM sandwich- there's nothing like it anywhere else!

The best part of my day was when my coworker had brought in a taste of this amazing ice cream. I'm not kidding when I say it is the best ice cream ever! The flavors are unique and delicious. This will definitely be both mine and my husband's go-to spot for ice cream. Can't wait to visit. I've tried many ice cream places, but this one stands out. The quality and taste are top-notch. Its definitely a must-visit!"

Very fub ambiance. Not too busy. The food was ok. The server was fantastic. It took a long time to get our sundae and it was very melty.

Stay for the Ice Cream that makes you feel like a kid again, but run away from extremely loud organ that plays when actual kids press the button. Seriously, that thing is the single loudest machine on planet Earth. The ice cream is top notch, 10/10, you should go here, but... that organ... They actually have a table directly in front of it. Who do they put there and they go, "This is fine!"? The screaming baby next to us was a more welcome sound than the organ. Once the song finished and the worst family in the world was satisfied, off in the distance you hear a sound. The sound of a SECOND organ. Sweet baby jesus, why? What possible reason do they have for playing it that loud. I really can't think of any reason other than torture. They punish you... wait that's it! They punish you for eating the ice cream. This is some classical conditioning to associate the worst sound on the planet to eating the most delicious ice cream. Zaharakos is out here making us healthier. I hear the joyous crescendos of Mozart and I put my ice cream cone down and run. Cardio supports heart health. The service was nice. Our server couldn't hear our order and asked to repeat it. You might be going, "Oh, the organ?", but you'd be wrong. They had an ear piece with other employees talking to them and they just weren't listening to us. Funny enough, they waited to talk to us until the organ was done playing, so they have to notice. I wonder if they have a favorite tune. I wonder if they even hear it...wait... the ear piece??!! They don't hear it, they save themselves by wearing ear protection so only WE must endure. This place is something else. Also, the ice cream is really, really good. They take reservations, oddly enough, but unless they let you specify where NOT to be seated, you can just walk in most of the time.

Just had ice cream sundaes, but they were tasty and the ambience was delightful. Staff was friendly, the sundaes were nicely sized

What an amazing blast from the past! A beautiful little restaurant. Delicious food & ice cream. Absolutely worth the visit if you happen to be in the area.

This is a mini gem in the middle of Columbus IN downtown. We just happened to walk in this place and were taken by surprise. They serve ice cream and chocolates and maybe some food too. We did not eat food. I just bought some chocolates and coloring books from their museum. Their museum is attached to the store which is a small place but has old musical instruments. You can listen to music if you put it in quarters. The customer service was quick and easy. This will be a fun place for families with kids. I highly recommend this place.

Wonderful food, terrific friendly service and fabulous ice cream desserts! The lively music and great holiday decorations are the cherry on top!

This place is amazing! Old fashioned drinks are the best! Definitely try the banana split! We will definitely be back!

Amazing place full of fun history. Good food and sodas and ice cream. It's a very neat bit of American history.

Brown County, IN and Columbus, IN are destination visits for us. We always visit Zaharakos in Columbus, IN for ice cream and a trip back in time. Zaharakos was founded in 1900, and this business is preserved in history. We recommend a tour of the photographs at zaharakos.com. Zaharakos is a magnet calling us to ice cream. is a longstanding Columbus tradition. We like that Zaharakos is in the center of Columbus; we like that there is adequate parking. This shop is busy year round. We enjoy a visit to Columbus; neat shops, restaurants, and parking. Products Five Star Service Four Star Ambience Four Star My favorite ice cream always begins with C. My wife is aft to adventure through the menu. The ambience is dairy fresh and diary clean. We like the service. The tariff is appropriate for the fare.

The ambiance is fantastic. The old soda fountain really is a nice touch. The ice cream floats were delicious! The food,sadly, was subpar at best. Fried pickles were dry and salty. The chicken on my sandwich was dry. The Mac n cheese with chicken was lukewarm. The hotdog with Gom sauce was a disappointment. Great place overall. Will stick to ice cream and floats next time. The wait staff did great under the overwhelming circumstances. They were busting their rears.

Great place with a great ambiance. Only go Once a year around Christmas. First time we had dinner here and it was good. Place has been there for a long time.

Incredible nostalgia!!!!! Everything about this place is incredible! Bring your family- and a pocket full of quarters!!!! Food is amazing and the ice cream deserts are incomparable!! Order your ice cream with your food and bring a cushion for your chair- if you're gonna take a while eating;))) lol! Have a blast!

This is one of those times where I wish I could give 3.5 stars. The food and especially our ice cream drinks were phenomenal. However, it took a really long time to get our food. I could kind of understand, as they seated a very large party just before we arrived. But two other tables who came after us were served before us - one table even finished their food and paid before our food came out. My order was wrong, but I'm not sure the server could fully hear me order. They have a VERY LOUD player piano and it started playing right as she was trying to take my order. Looking back, I wish she would have read it back to me to confirm it was right. It wasn't a terrible experience, and we will definitely be back, if only for the ice cream. I'm hopeful we will have a better experience on the service side.

This is always a delightful place to visit. A homemade root beer float and a sundae were enough for today. Next time we'll stop for a full meal. The hamburger looked wonderful. We toured the antiques and just enjoyed the ambience of the place.

This cute little restaurant situated in downtown Columbus is great! The ice cream is amazing but you might as well get one of their delicious sandwiches while you're there.

Great location and atmosphere!! Ice cream is by far a family favorite that keeps us coming back. Make sure to stop in during the holiday season!

A great ice cream shop to visit. They have Antique Soda Fountains from the turn of the 1900's and Old time music players. Their Ice Cream is great with Generous scoops. The Potato soup is great but stay away from the Turkey Club. Over all a fun place to visit.

I'm disappointed and surprised. I went in for lunch and had the $8 deal. The salad was small and didn't have the egg or cucumber, as the menu promised. Ranch dressing was provided although I wasn't given an option of what to choose. But I got fries, which I wasn't expecting. The turkey sandwich was a bit deceiving as butter was used to warm the bread. If there was an allergy, that would have been a HUGE issue. Salad entrees are not available. But the price of $8 is fabulous during inflation times, although only a single soda refill was given. So... Kinda good. They're trying.

Museum gets five stars. The music machines still work. The parlor is authentic. The handles and flavoring brought back a lot of old memories. The ice cream gets three stars. I was making better chocolate sodas and I learned just from watching the local soda "jerks". The Green River was green. That's about it. Not much taste. Overall disappointing.

Old classic soda shop. You can't get any better than this. Old style music, old style ice creams and soda. Cute spot for a date. I had a root beer float, it was the best I have ever had. I love the old decor. Beautiful place, where you would never expect! You cannot miss this stop! Kids or no kids... all age kids will love this place. Service was really good, a handsome blonde young man taught us all kinds of things. Really informative and enthusiastic staff!!! Will visit again!

This is a really cool historic place and a great stop if in or passing through Columbus. We enjoyed an ice cream and walked around looking at the historic soda fountains they have on display. Would like to try the food. I recommend stopping by for a briefly walk back in time!

Best place to get ice cream. Takes me back in time to my childhood. I have been going there for years. I believe it was like 1965 my first time

My wife surprised me tonight and we came here, it wasn't super crowded here tonight and it was clean, the food was good, but don't get everything the prices were a little overpriced and probably won't be coming here anytime soon

I had a disappointing dining experience today. Fie the positives. The wait time for a table of four was very short, and we were seated quickly. We loved the atmosphere. Now to the negatives, Initially our server started great, quick to bring our drinks and quick to take our order, however that was the last time we saw her before asking another sever if we could have our bill. During the meal, no drinks were refilled or any checks made to see if we needed anything.... which we did. As the food arrived, we had not been provided silverware. We requested and were provided 2 sets, enough for my daughters to use. They and my wife did enjoy their meals, I however did not. I ordered a bowl of chili and a salad. The chili to start was room temperature at best and bland. I cannot comment on the sald since I never received utensils to eat it. We have had enjoyable dining experiences here in the past, so this could be chalked up to an inexperienced/innatentive server.