Wow! I could have sworn I shared a review for Whataburger not too long ago, but I guess not. So let…read moreme start off by saying I am from the upstate part of South Carolina, where places like Clocks, Pete's, and Sugar-n-Spice are in abundance and their bacon cheeseburger plates are spectacular. If you are looking for a similar-style burger place in the Columbia area, then Whataburger is it. I enjoy the call-ahead drive-through, and there is plenty of parking. The interior is set up as a counter-service diner. The ordering process, whether in person or over the phone, is easy. Their bacon cheeseburgers do not come close to those in the upstate, but they are good. It is satisfactory in size, and the flavor is tasty. They are definitely a great burger option in the area. I wish the bacon was cooked a bit more. Otherwise, their bacon cheeseburger is pretty solid. Their fries are crinkle-cut and lightly salted. The fries I receive are always fresh. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I got coleslaw or not. The customer service is nice and undeniably appreciated.

Great service hot food and an even delicious burger. I been going here since a kid. Nothing change…read morebut the building. I'll Surely be back.

After hearing and see people compliment the burgers here I was excited to try them! This business…read moreis clean and welcoming extremely clean! Parking was accessible. I placed my order quickly and had about a 15 min wait. Mr Johnson was extremely nice. This is literally one of the biggest dine just right old school burgers you can get! And the price was great! The fries were amazing! Seasoned well and crispy! The chicken liver were delicious as well! I can't wait to return to try some other items!

I'm shocked that I've missed this place all these years. I saw the reviews and decided to go . I…read moreordered a hamburger and wings. Mr. Johnson was very polite and kind. Food was made fresh. I thoroughly enjoyed my food. The hamburger was juicy, and the wings were cooked to my liking. I will be back!

It's been a bit since I have been there. Food and service is alway good…read more I ordered a 24 oz ribeye to go and was very very disappointed. When paying $34 it should been out of this world! Get it together guys!

Waited over an hour for food. Salad had orange soggy lettuce. I was served French when I requested…read moreRanch dressing. I would put money that it was put back to give out again after my nasty finger was stuck in it to taste it. Baked potato was old yesterday. It was grey and tough. The salmon might have been good, except it was burnt. Place seems like a neighbor hood joint for locals. I didn't get a tea refill but I got a cup of ice. Yeah! Save your money. Go, no, RUN else wear to eat.

I've been here so many times I can't keep track, but last week I decided to stop by and pick up a…read morecouple of breasts, thights and cole slaw for lunch to take home. I've always had Zestos as one of my favorite three places in Cola area for chicken and it seems like I swap each one of those places back and forth between #1 and #3. Zestos was usually my #1. I've told many people it's the best chicken in the world, but I've always thought that it was a bit too salty. After my wife and I had the chicken I realized this was the saltiest that I'd ever tasted. It's in the batter, not the chicken. It was so salty she couldn't finish her piece. I fiinished a breast bit saved the two thighs for the next day. First time ever that I thought it was almost too salty to eat. I've moved it down to #3 on my list and it'll probably stay there after this. I don't consider KFC, Popeyes, Bojangles in the running between my 3 top chicken places, just because they're more fast food and the chicken is different (although I like Popeyes and KFC a lot). But I almost would take those two over Zestos if the chicken was like it was the other day.

As I rolled into Columbia right around dinner time, I figured it was wise to dodge the worst of…read morerush hour by detouring through the city. That gave me the perfect excuse to finally stop at Zesto--thanks to everyone who's nudged me toward it. Your recommendations were spot on. I ordered a fried chicken dinner at the window, though the handoff system was a bit of a mystery. After paying, I wandered into the dining room and found a seat. A few minutes later, the food arrived--no buzzer, no shout, just a quiet drop-off--and I was ready to dig in. The chicken was fresh from the fryer, piping hot, and fully cooked through. Not spicy, but flavorful and juicy in all the right ways. I polished off every piece with enthusiasm, leaving only the dinner roll untouched. The two little tubs of cole slaw didn't stand a chance either--crisp, creamy, and gone before I knew it. I did linger a moment, debating the chocolate-dipped ice cream cone that Zesto's known for, but tonight wasn't the night. Maybe next time, when I'm not so full or so close to a food coma. [Review 1327 of 2025 - 1324 in South Carolina - 24879 overall]

This is one of my go-to's for fast food burgers and fries. Sometime you just feel like some really…read moregood shoe-string fries and smash burger. Staff is friendly and we generally eat at the restaurant. So glad one is near by

I don't know who the manager is at this location, but they deserve a raise!! We went on Friday…read morenight and ate inside. I was amazed at how polite everyone was and every single employee in there was doing their job!! Everyone was working, not standing around or cutting up. Each person had their own job and they were doing it. I don't know the last time I have seen this. Was so expressed!! Great job !!

This place was an absolute must try after seeing it pop up in my feeds. I checked the website and…read moreit showed they were closing in an hour. I called and tried to place a Togo order and they do not allow for that. They did say though that they keep serving customers even if it's past closing. So took the drive to the other side of Columbia and it was very much worthwhile. They sell out of things and so if things are cross off the menu, then you should have went earlier. I missed out on the smoked links. It was pretty quiet for a Sunday afternoon and there were not that other many people in the dining area. Hopefully, that's just because it's a Sunday in South Carolina. The burnt ends, wings, wings, collards, beans, corn bread and rich with hash we're all stand outs. The staff was very friendly and helped make this place a gem that I'll highly recommend.

It was an experience - some good, some bad…read more They do things a little different here. You wait to order in an indoor/covered outdoor line. They don't have a set menu but what's available that day is posted in a couple of places, while you wait to order. They mark out things as they run out. I arrived just after 1 pm and there was already no more dessert. Not cool. Seating is odd and limited. Great for groups of 6 but horrible for 1-4 people unless you want to eat with strangers. Indoor has AC and outdoor is upstairs with narrow tables and it's stupid hot even with 2 fans. To order, you request your meat then slide down and order sides and desserts. They put it on a tray then you order drinks and pay. A tip was requested at checkout. A staff member did check on me 2 times for drink refills. Unfortunately it's clear you are to bus your table. Everything I ordered was really good and really expensive. Brace yourself...$33 for one person. I requested "a pound of ribs" which equaled to 2 ribs and was priced according to weight -$14.40. Good flavor and sauce but not very meaty. It's good that the smallest sides ARE large enough for 2 to share. There were no smaller single portion options, so I enjoyed the $6 cornbread pudding, $5 collard greens, a good sized $2 piece of cornbread - you get to choose center or side/corner - and a $3 sweet tea. Read that again: $14.40 for 2 ribs and $16 for 2 sides, bread and a drink. Overall good food but stupid expensive and unwelcome seating options. Posted hours: Saturday 12-5 and Sunday 12-3. Closed Monday to Friday.

The service is what sets this fast food (local) chain apart from others. The workers are all nice…read moreand they remember you. As for ambience, I would say that the restaurant feels very much like what I imagine the 80s were like. The food is also always consistent. The chili burger is perfect and their fries always have the perfect amount of crisp. The chicken sandwich is also really juicy (slightly lacking in breading).

I really wanted to like this place, but it was one of the worst burger experiences I've had. The…read moreburger was dry, the toppings looked like they'd been sitting out for hours, and the fries were cold and soggy. The restaurant itself wasn't much better--the dining area felt dirty, and the overall lack of attention to cleanliness made it hard to enjoy the meal. The staff wasn't rude, but they didn't seem to care that customers were leaving disappointed. It's unfortunate because every restaurant has bad days, but this felt like a place that has stopped trying altogether. At this point, it might be better for the owners to close the doors, regroup, and rethink the business rather than continue damaging their reputation. I can't recommend eating here in its current state.