Bottoms up: Yesterday’s serves up good food – and drinks

When Brooke Hesano moved to Columbia eight years ago, she wasn’t looking for a job. She was looking for something to eat.

“I came (to Yesterdays), and my dad said, ‘You should apply here, this feels like you,’ and I applied the next day,” she said.

Now a veteran of the bar and restaurant that has served Columbia since 1976, Hesano said Yesterdays not only feels like home to her, but to anyone who has stepped foot into the Five Points location more than once.

“It’s a very family-oriented, homey, down-to-Earth place that you can feel comfortable relaxing in and hanging out for a while,” she said.

On average, Hesano said her customer base is comprised mostly of regulars, with a few out-of-towners and students peppered throughout. For the regulars, Hesano notes that their drink choices rarely change, but that doesn’t mean the bar doesn’t expand its selection.

“A lot of people like draft beer or liquor and mixers, but we do like to try seasonal things and they gain way pretty quickly,” she said.

One of note is called the Yesterdays Sap.

“We have (Red Hare) root beer on draft that’s pure cane sugar, like a Mexican Coke, and it is super sweet and super delicious,” she said. “We pair it with our pecan bourbon (over shaved ice), and that’s been really popular recently.”

Another popular drink has been the Swamp Cabbage Porter Float, which is exactly what it sounds like – take the locally brewed porter beer and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the adult version of a root beer float.

“It’s absolutely delicious,” gushed Hesano.

And with a bar this close to Gamecock Country, it’s no surprise that the Gamecock Martini is another frequently requested cocktail.

“It’s layered to be dark at the bottom,” she said. “It’s like a raspberry cosmo with Kahlua and a chocolate rim. It’s delicious and it shows your pride.”

So the next time you’re in Five Points, be sure to stop in, order a drink, browse the menu and get comfortable because you might find yourself there for a while.

Soon it’ll feel just like home.

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 8:01 PM.