Bantam Chef

Very nice décor in the restaurant and cheap prices but not much else. They stop selling biscuits early in the morning which was also disappointing.
I got the bantom burger which was nothing special. Very friendly staff.

I don’t get the hype of this diner. Nearly everything about it is just below average. It’s run down, the staff seems nonexistent, and the food doesn’t live up to its reputation.
It ain’t horribly expensive or anything, but the food is just not really good. I had a «large bacon cheeseburger» with fries. These fries were average. And think of the burger like this; a skimpy, small and dry frozen patty with bacon and Velveeta cheese.
The place is stuck in the past, although not in a very good way. There was sticky floors, poor maintenance, etc. Maybe it’s that I went late at night.
Staff seemed just merely there, like they hate their job. And we didn’t get lids with our cups.
There is some really rad 1950s décor and a couple of arcade games, but that’s about the only saving grace. I did like the room full of classic cars. While the exterior may look inviting, you simply can’t judge a book by its cover.
I honestly wouldn’t come here again as the food was pretty forgettable. A Waffle House is far superior (and cheaper) than this!

Great 50’s theme restaurant. Like eating in an antique store. Great food too! Had a bacon cheeseburger. it was wonderful.
My friend lives in Chesnee and has eaten in this restaurant his entire life. He’s always liked it and it’s always, according to him, had great food. We had a great experience! great little dive.
Only one small problem. Water tastes bad. They even had a sign up, that I missed, stating the water tastes like crap. Drink something else.

I Love this place. It is a must stop for breakfast when I’m driving from NC to FL. Delicious country style home made breakfasts. Their Bacon, Egg & Cheese biscuits are one of my faves. Great coffee, great grits, you can’t go wrong. Cash only, so have cash on hand or use their ATM.
1950s décor but home cooked country style food.

Wow– what a funky little place! Stopped here while heading back to Florida to get a quick snack and as usual referred to Unilocal for guidance. Went with a country ham biscuit & a sweet Tea. yum! Real «southern country style ham» and the biscuit was perfect. Would have loved to tried some more down home goodness, but that was enough for now. Everything looked delicious that was coming out of the kitchen. Very much a «locals» place… southern diner fare and country folks are a fav for me!

I can only review the drive-​through, since I haven’t had the chance yet to venture inside. My bf has family in Chesnee, and we were there recently for a wedding. We pass the Bantam Chef, whenever we’re in town, and I always get a chuckle from the giant rooster, car rear end, Capt. America and other 50’s memorabilia on the roof and building.
With cousin D’s house right down the road, and no one wanting to cook, we made the Bantam Chef’s big, delicious biscuits our choice two mornings in a row. These are real, Southern biscuits done right: no lead dough balls or barely held together dried crumbs here. The biscuits are moist yet fluffy and light with a mild, flaky, buttery flavor. I had mine with bacon and egg. The portion of bacon was very generous. The country ham biscuit was well-​laden with salty, meaty goodness as well. Our cousin opted for a local specialty, Liver Mush. It’s a patty made from pig liver, other parts, spices and corn meal. It’s apparently got lots of flavor, and is a real «comfort food» for Carolinians.
If you’re in the area, definitely give the Bantam Chef a try, for the atmosphere and for the food!

I forgot to mention the slaw-dogs…Yes, my CA-​bred husband looks at me like I am an idiot when I say that I like slaw-​dogs! (I guess it’s a southern thing, especially since I haven’t been able to find them west of the Mississippi.)
Anyway, at Bantam Chef, their slaw dogs come with homemade chili (no beans), wiener, bun, onions, mustard, catsup all topped with slaw. Make sure you have plenty of napkins… and don’t ever think about eating them while driving!

We were looking for local flair on a drive through South Carolina and boy did we find it! In a tiny town called Chesnee is a tiny diner called Bantam Chef.
This is the type of place where the employees all have two first names like «Marie Sue» or «Emma Jane» and a thick deep south drawl. The ladies in front of us actually had a conversation about whether the one had remembered her teeth! No kidding!
They have a pretty big menu of typical diner fare but it is all really CHEAP. $ 3 for a bacon cheeseburger with all the fixins’. $ 2 for a heap of fries or onion rings. Milkshakes and ice cream. I must say the my burger was actually great as were the fries. The onions rings were the big, crispy kind and would have been delicious too if they hadn’t been overcooked. My boy got a kids meal which came in the cutest paper car which he loved so much we brought it home.
The place was pretty filthy. As we opened the door I remembered that smoking is allowing in South Carolina restaurants. As a nonsmoker in Florida I’m spoiled that I can dine smoke-​free anywhere. The place stunk of stale cigarette smoke but after being in it for 10 minutes you didn’t notice it as much. The floor looked like it hadn’t been mopped in weeks. There were black and white checkered tiles but they looked were more like grey and black. The ladies room was so nasty we changed my toddler’s diaper in the car.
Even the grunge and grime of the place somehow seemed to fit. There was a big crowd at lunchtime so I’m sure it attracts business from quite a distance. Not that I’d ever be travelin’ that way again but if I were this city girl would stop back by the Bantam Chef.