Silver Grove Dari-Bar

Ahhhhhh, I grew up on this place and still love coming here. This place is not fancy, but if you’re looking for a dari bar, you need not go anywhere but here! Burgers are the way to go here — I always go for the cheeseburger deluxe. The sides are hard to choose — you’re making a good decision, whether or not you go with the cheese fries, onion rings, or cheddar tots. Of course, you need to round out your meal with some delicious ice cream. I’m quite partial to the Butterfinger blitz (basically a blizzard), but I also really like the pineapple soft serve — it’s dairy-​free for those of you with allergies. No matter what ice cream treat you go with, make sure you get it with a face! Service here is quick, so don’t worry even if there is a long line. The issue tends to be more with finding seating when it’s busy. Check out the Silver Grove Dari Bar; you won’t be disappointed!

The soft serve is so delicious and everything is so cheap! I love that this place is off the beaten path and the same as it was back in the day. You just don’t see places like this one anymore. Lines can be long because it’s a popular place, but it is worth it! Making the drive down there on a nice night is fun. I can’t attest to the food since I’ve never tried it, but the ice cream is great.

Great soft serve ice cream… service was very fast so there is not a long wait even though they always have long lines… ;-)

I am a Campbell Countian born and raised, so the Dari-​Bar is a go-​to for me. I’ve been visiting this place since I was a baby. But I wanted to put it out there for those unfortunate souls who haven’t had the extreme pleasure in eating here. Its so home-​y and delicious. The dari-​Bar is about the same as the creamy whip in Sharonville if that helps give it a comparison.
Located in Silver Grove, Ky along the river sits this little building that’s only open during the summer. (Boo). They have GREAT food and ice cream that is just somehow better than everyone elses. I don’t know what it is or how to describe it, but it is. Its just better; more Ice like maybe? Or more flavorful? Whatever it is, its good.
And their food is not grand or gourmet, but it hits the spot. There is very few things I love in this world more than cheese. (true story) Well the Dari-​Bar has cheesy tots that will rock your socks off. I’ve driven over 45 min just for these tots before. (Then ordered three orders of them.) Always melty and perfect. The cheeseburgers are also yummy. They dont look like much, but you’ll want to eat more than one. They taste almost identical to Frischs in my opinion but at half price. Lauren likes their chicken fries and coneys too. I’ve eaten there for 31 years and never found anything I didnt like.
But the dari-​Bar is all about the ice cream. Every flavor, dip, combination and topping you could want. But the ice cream is so good I eat mine plain or with oreos. If you go, I recommend going during the week. The weekend is packed with people and the line can get pretty long. PS– also CASH ONLY!

Really adorable creamy whip stand that’s a must stop if taking a summer drive east on Route 8. It’s right off the main road, so it is easy to find. There is plenty of on and off street parking, and they have a few picnic tables around to eat at.
Of course, the taste of the ice cream is the most important factor, and so we always get pretty standard cones the first time we go somewhere new. This ice cream is not quite a custard, but it is close. It’s dense and creamy and overall lovely. My husband got vanilla in a waffle cone, and he liked it. His only complaint was that the cone seemed a bit stale and prepackaged. I got a twist in a regular cone, and I liked both the chocolate and the vanilla flavors. Our kids got vanilla cones with chocolate dip top, and though they aren’t the most discerning about ice cream, they certainly didn’t complain.
Next time, we’ll have to try food, because I noticed that their hot menu was sue princely bigger than their cold treats. For now, we were pretty pleased. This isn’t a particularly unique option for ice cream, but it gets the basics right. Oh, and all of our cones came in at just over $ 6. So, so affordable!
We’ve been to a lot of stands with our kids, and although it’s a bit of a drive for regular trips, this place definitely ends up high on our list. We’ll go back.

Looking at the front of this place, you would swear you are back in the 1950’s. Actually, just driving in the area, you’d think you were in the 1950’s.
This is just your typical Dairy Bar… wait, Dairy Bars aren’t typical. This is a nice refreshing reprieve from your conglomerate DQs & …well whatever else is like a DQ.
This CASH ONLY place is really cool — apparently they have rave reviews about the food (so says the people there), but I just had ice cream. I got a Reese Cup ice cream thingy, and it was amazing — I finished it in like 3 minutes!
I’d definitely check this place out if you want to get some ice cream and want to get away from the hustle & bustle of the metropolis.

Stale cones, watery ice cream, teeny boppers that can’t count change back waiting on you. The older workers never smile and are rude. They do though have «dip tops» but they are not like any I’ve ever tasted before. Eating area in the back is always messy and dirty, dogs always snarling and growling at you through the fences. Young new drivers flying through the parking lot makes it dangerous. You have to ask for ANY condiments-​even salt! And then you get one packet unless you ask for more and they don’t lke giving out more. The previous owners cared about quality-​the present owners only care about quantity (meaning money.) With gas prices being so high, take my word for it and get something closer to home. Chances are you’ll be happier if you don’t spend your dollar at this place. The person who wrote about all of the signs being old is right-​they have posters in the windows advertising things they don’t even serve anymore! It needs a new outside paint job as well and I’m almost sure it won’t get done because of the $ it will cost :(

The peanut butter chocolate shake had a good flavor but not as good as UDF across the river. The hot fudge sundae was pathetic — only 1 T of sauce, minimal ice cream, 1 t of nuts — and very overpriced. Better to cross the river and go into Anderson.

I am sentimental about the Silver Grove Dairy Bar since it was a staple of my childhood. I loved this place as a kid! Now that I’m an adult and have been back after a many year absence, I can honestly say that it’s just OK. It’s soft serve ice cream — which you can get anywhere — and other fast food type items like burgers, fries, shakes, hot dogs, etc. all of mediocre quality.
Honestly, I think I’m more annoyed by the ridiculous amount of scantily glad high school girls, the rednecks squealing tires through the parking lot and the obnoxious kids being left unattended by their parents more than anything. Unfortunately, the atmosphere leaves much to be desired.
One tip — I noticed that a reviewer below says they don’t have dip tops. They actually do, but they don’t call it a ‘dip top’. If you ask them for the hard top chocolate, they know what you are talking about.

I’m sure sentimentality factors high in the ratings of a local ice cream stand but having not grown up around this place and only been there a time or two before I can safely say it’s a 3 star A-​OK place. It’s not a place I’m going to drive too far to have an ice cream from.
One thing I liked was that they had several tables around back to use and they were spread out far from each other. But since it had just rained I didn’t use them.
The staff was nice and pleasant as someone slingin’ cones should be. But the building was looking a bit worn and the sun-​faded signs in the window added to it as much as the horrible 1960s plastic signs that stood by the road. Oh, and why are the flavors on the side of the building instead of in the front? My guess is that someone just stuck it there years ago and that was that. I had to get out of line to see what was offered.
My ice cream was the usual soft-​serve stuff they serve across the country but it was a bit too soft as if their machine wasn’t cold enough or it had been left out. And the sugar cone I had was stale. My guess was that someone hadn’t really closed up the plastic bags they came in and the humidity had gotten to them. The texture of the crisp cone should compliment the smooth ice cream. My cone didn’t snap when I bit it but kinda just bent over and had to be torn off.

Just what you want in a Dari Bar. Greasy burgs, mediocre hot dogs, and delicious ICE CREAM! This place rocks. We ordered the blizzard with oreo’s and it was fantastic! I was super surprised to see how crowded this place was for a Sunday afternoon, then I asked around to see if anyone had heard of this place and they erupted with happy memories here.
My only complaint was that they didn’t have dip tops. If your a classic Dari Bar you gots to have the dip tops!!!

I count down the days until the Dari Bar opens after it closes in the fall.
From a young age I’ve visited the Dari Bar after soccer games. It is always delicious and never too long of a wait (unless you go on Saturday’s around 12−3p m, during which you’ll hit the soccer crowd). But even then it’s worth the wait.
The *only* complaint I have is when I order a hot dog instead of a footlong. I usually get mine with chili (NOT a coney!!) and they always give me a coney sized dog instead of a regular one. I always ask for half of a footlong, but they just seem confused. I think it’s just due to the KY/​OH coney obsession. Oh well.
It’s cash only, so don’t forget to stop by the bank!

I LOVE SILVER GROVE DARI BAR!!! If you are a fan of Mr. SOFTEE you will no doubt love their soft serve ice cream it is so delicious. Chicken fries are to die for. my only problem is the long wait in line. There doesnt seem to be any order in the way they run the orders. It should be 1 window to take the order and the 2^nd window to pick up your food. It should go in order of the way the orders were taken. other than that. its awesome!!!

Never disappointed by the Silver grove Dairy Bar. Serving up cool summer treats and greasy fried goodies for as long as I can remember. Served at a walk up window surrounded by Giant Silver Oak trees and picnic tables.
We only make it a couple times a season but the Silver Grove Dari bar is worth the trip and never disappoints.

You just don’t see these kind of places anymore, locally owned and operated, a real gem right in the NKY area.
I also stopped here many times as a kid after soccer practice and games and was always a fan of the Butterfinger Blitz and the footlong chili dogs.
The people of NKY should count themselves lucky to have such a wonderful establishment a stones throw away!
Note: Only open from the start of spring to the mid fall, closed during the winter.

BurgerQuest Review
Burger: 1.5
tiny. seemed like fresh meat, but it was so small i couldn’t tell. what i could taste, tasted good.
Bun: 2
average white hamburger bun. tasted fresh.
Toppings: 2.75
it was the standard stuff, but i could taste the freshness on the onions and lettuce and tomato. and it only cost ¢20 to upgrade from the regular.
Accoutrements: 3
some frozen fries, cooked in a weird oil. it made my stomach turn a little bit later on. had a reese’s cup «blast» and all the classic ice cream stand treats.
Atmosphere: 2.5
its all walk-​up windows, parking lot and picnic tables. you get your mix of boaters in from a day on the river, kids after their baseball or soccer games, and old timers taking a trip back in time. its a quiet town that holds down the line between the country and the city. Pure Americana.
Overall: 2.35
The burger score is low, but it really depends on your expectations. yeah, this isn’t a big gourmet thing, but it does it’s job which is be a little treat to go along with the ice cream, the real stars of the show, on a little roadside stand. I wouldn’t make a special trip here just for the burgers, but at $ 1.75 for a «deluxe cheeseburger», its not too bad.

What is there to really say about the Dari Bar, aside from that it is perfect.
The dari bar has been hammered into my mind as a summer tradition as long as I can remember, from playing soccer games at Pendery Park as a young child and stopping by the Dari Bar on our way home. It was the perfect treat. Although a bit out of the way for most, it is a wonderful treat, something not matched by DariQueen or the other large corporations.
The Dari Bar is something special, go with family or friends, and just enjoy your time there, and you will realize why it is different than the mainstream frozen treat places!
On that note, they have hot foods as well! Corn dogs, chicken fries, burgers, hot dogs, whatever you could possibly be craving, they stock.
Dari Bar is well worth the trip, and its a possibility you could see me there, because I sure am a decent regular.
Side note: Make sure you take cash!