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Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum is an important part of living American history—a soda fountain and ice cream parlor from the early 1900s that is unlike any other in the nation. Zaharakos opened October 20, 1900. When you visit, you will delight all of your senses with a spectacular double backbar, Tiffany-style lamp and other elegant icons of the soda fountain era. These rare and beautiful items have been carefully restored to delight your senses as you linger over sweet and savory treats and listen to the beautiful, bold sounds of the Welte orchestrion and other mechanical music instruments. Zaharakos is an enchanting place with an enticing menu serving soups, salads, sandwiches, sodas, sundaes and smiles for over a century!
Carved oak & stained glass adorn this 1900 ice cream parlor with a classic American menu & a museum.
Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–8 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 329 Washington St, Columbus, IN 47201
Phone: (812) 378-1900
Website: http://www.zaharakos.com/
Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum | Since 1900
When three brothers from Greece opened Zaharakos (Zuh-HARE-uh-koes) as a candy store in Columbus, Indiana, they opened what has become one of the finest ice …
Zaharakos | Columbus IN – Facebook
Historic Landmark in Columbus, IN. Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor. Opened Oct. 20, 1900. Soda fount. Ice Cream Shop · $$ · (812) 378-1900.
Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor – Wikipedia
Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor is a restaurant in Columbus, Indiana. Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor. Map. Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap. Interactive map of Zaharakos …
Reviews
Jolee S
I absolutely adored this place!
We found this hidden gem on a road trip and it was finally open so we decided to go in.
Talk about stepping back in time.the nostalgia was amazing as well as the history of this soda icecream shoppe and the ice cream was absolutely phenomenal I ordered the pistachio waffle cone. It was so good..
And it’s conveniently right across from the commons okay area and by the kids museum
So if you find yourself in Columbus. Stop and try it. You won’t be sorry
… moreWe found this hidden gem on a road trip and it was finally open so we decided to go in.
Talk about stepping back in time.the nostalgia was amazing as well as the history of this soda icecream shoppe and the ice cream was absolutely phenomenal I ordered the pistachio waffle cone. It was so good..
And it’s conveniently right across from the commons okay area and by the kids museum
So if you find yourself in Columbus. Stop and try it. You won’t be sorry
David R
Waited 30 minutes for a table for 2, then waited an additional 25 minutes at the table before our server even introduced themselves to tell us that she was sorry about the wait and would be with us. Still not sure about the food as I don’t know when it will arrive.
*Edit, food arrived (twice) ice cream was fantastic and decently portioned. Service was still rough. Come with an expectation of waiting and you will have a better time.
… more*Edit, food arrived (twice) ice cream was fantastic and decently portioned. Service was still rough. Come with an expectation of waiting and you will have a better time.
Markus
Have been here several times over the past year. The ice cream is always rich and creamy with good flavor. The atmosphere is the big thing with all the vintage ice cream parlor equipment. It also has a playing music machine that mechanically plays several instruments with the banjo being the most interesting. This place is my daughter’s favorite place in town.
… moreJennifer Hawkins
Very sad experience. Went in and was elated at the nostalgic atmosphere and furnishings. Went on the waiting list at 6:30pm. Came back at 7:15pm to check on our place in line and the hostess said we were skipped. I told her we didn’t receive a text and she said ok I’ll be next. Waited 4ft from the hostess and asked at 8:00pm why others were being seated. Somehow there was a mixup and no attempt was made to apologize or correct.
… moreMelike Yozgatli
Extremely disappointing and unacceptable experience
Yesterday, I came here with my Korean friend, her 2.5-year-old daughter, and my 17-month-old son, hoping to enjoy a simple dinner and ice cream together. What we experienced instead was over two hours of confusion, waiting, and complete disrespect.
We arrived at 5:00 PM and were told the wait would be 35 minutes. We waited outside, then inside, watching our spot on the app, and ended up waiting nearly an hour. While inside, an Indian family told us they had already been waiting 1.5 hours and still had not been seated even though their number was 0 in the list. Then, at 6:00 PM, staff suddenly told us that food service had already ended — something that was never mentioned when we joined the waitlist.
I was fasting and had been waiting the entire time for dinner.
We finally left to eat somewhere else, completely exhausted and disappointed, but later decided to return around 7:00 PM just to at least try the famous ice cream. There was no line and the place was not busy, yet it took 20 minutes just to take our order, and then we waited over 40 minutes without receiving a single item. I added photos (taken around 7:40) to show the place was clearly not crowded.
By 8:00 PM, we were the only table left in the seating area (others who came later than us were already served and left). Our children were restless, bored, and overwhelmed. When my friend gently spoke to the manager about everything we had gone through, she responded rudely, said there was nothing she could do, and even angrily walked over to my son and grabbed a Christmas ornament near him.
After more than two hours, we left —frustrated and sad— without receiving anything but disrespect.
This was not just poor service. It felt deeply unfair and humiliating. Watching how differently we were treated from others, we honestly could not ignore the feeling that race may have influenced how our situation was handled.
They seriously need to learn basic business management and customer service. This experience was far below even the most basic expectations.
We will never return, and I strongly warn families — especially those with young children — to avoid this place.
… moreYesterday, I came here with my Korean friend, her 2.5-year-old daughter, and my 17-month-old son, hoping to enjoy a simple dinner and ice cream together. What we experienced instead was over two hours of confusion, waiting, and complete disrespect.
We arrived at 5:00 PM and were told the wait would be 35 minutes. We waited outside, then inside, watching our spot on the app, and ended up waiting nearly an hour. While inside, an Indian family told us they had already been waiting 1.5 hours and still had not been seated even though their number was 0 in the list. Then, at 6:00 PM, staff suddenly told us that food service had already ended — something that was never mentioned when we joined the waitlist.
I was fasting and had been waiting the entire time for dinner.
We finally left to eat somewhere else, completely exhausted and disappointed, but later decided to return around 7:00 PM just to at least try the famous ice cream. There was no line and the place was not busy, yet it took 20 minutes just to take our order, and then we waited over 40 minutes without receiving a single item. I added photos (taken around 7:40) to show the place was clearly not crowded.
By 8:00 PM, we were the only table left in the seating area (others who came later than us were already served and left). Our children were restless, bored, and overwhelmed. When my friend gently spoke to the manager about everything we had gone through, she responded rudely, said there was nothing she could do, and even angrily walked over to my son and grabbed a Christmas ornament near him.
After more than two hours, we left —frustrated and sad— without receiving anything but disrespect.
This was not just poor service. It felt deeply unfair and humiliating. Watching how differently we were treated from others, we honestly could not ignore the feeling that race may have influenced how our situation was handled.
They seriously need to learn basic business management and customer service. This experience was far below even the most basic expectations.
We will never return, and I strongly warn families — especially those with young children — to avoid this place.
David Mendez
Sat down for the simple goal of getting ice cream. The place is about 6/10 full. Normal Saturday rush. One order. Two scoops.
They took our order after about 5 minutes. 12 minutes after that, a different waitress came to our table pretending we were new customers and asking to take our drink order. Only after that did our original waitress actually bother to take our drink order and only brought it out later after carrying out two checks and a completely different food order… At that point the people that came in both before and after us had already gotten their real food (not just ice cream), and eaten.
It’s a shame because their ice cream is genuinely really good but the waitresses would rather dilly dally than do their jobs. After 27 minutes of waiting, we left with no ice cream and $12 poorer. It was faster and cheaper to drive to Walmart and pick out an entire tub of ice cream for about $5
… moreThey took our order after about 5 minutes. 12 minutes after that, a different waitress came to our table pretending we were new customers and asking to take our drink order. Only after that did our original waitress actually bother to take our drink order and only brought it out later after carrying out two checks and a completely different food order… At that point the people that came in both before and after us had already gotten their real food (not just ice cream), and eaten.
It’s a shame because their ice cream is genuinely really good but the waitresses would rather dilly dally than do their jobs. After 27 minutes of waiting, we left with no ice cream and $12 poorer. It was faster and cheaper to drive to Walmart and pick out an entire tub of ice cream for about $5
Nick Wilcox
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.
… moreThis 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.
Jennifer Rosenstein
We drove an hour and a half to visit this magical hidden gem, and it was absolutely worth it. The atmosphere and ambiance were wonderful. I couldn’t stop admiring the beautiful ornamental woodwork, ceilings, and light fixtures. The music was amazing, and the self-playing instruments were truly fascinating to watch.
As someone with celiac disease, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the food—but I was pleasantly surprised. If you’re gluten-free, you will love the handmade burger with their delicious gluten-free bread. It’s not dry, doesn’t have an odd taste, and is made to perfection. I haven’t been able to enjoy a burger out since 2023, so this was such a treat! I couldn’t have the fries, but that was okay because the vegetable medley was delicious.
And the ice cream—hands down the best I’ve ever had. I ordered the mint chocolate chip with hot fudge, and now I need more!
The service was great, and we’re already planning to come back when the weather is warmer so we can explore the area more.
… moreAs someone with celiac disease, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the food—but I was pleasantly surprised. If you’re gluten-free, you will love the handmade burger with their delicious gluten-free bread. It’s not dry, doesn’t have an odd taste, and is made to perfection. I haven’t been able to enjoy a burger out since 2023, so this was such a treat! I couldn’t have the fries, but that was okay because the vegetable medley was delicious.
And the ice cream—hands down the best I’ve ever had. I ordered the mint chocolate chip with hot fudge, and now I need more!
The service was great, and we’re already planning to come back when the weather is warmer so we can explore the area more.
Anna R.
Very cool old fashioned ice cream parlor! The wait was long, but they seemed to be very busy at the time so it was understandable. Nice sized servings of very delicious ice cream! Will be bringing the kids back again for the fun experience.
… moreBrooklynn Hebel
My family and I ordered carryout, but the experience was disappointing. The staff seemed very unorganized — receipts were scattered all over the place, items were being made multiple times for the same order, and ice cream was left melting on the counter. One worker even took something that had been made for another customer and used it for themselves. On top of that, the general manager stopped employees from making ice cream to discuss where she was going, which slowed everything down even more. The whole process felt chaotic and unprofessional. I really hope management can work on improving organization and focus.
… more