Ben Aguirre

Sports Photographer

On Carter and 5th Avenue, The Soda Barn is walking distance from your classes. Last August, they moved from Chubbuck to a superior location giving it the name ‘The Soda Barn 2.0.’ This past weekend was family weekend here at ISU, so I invited my family to come along, all the way from California.

Walking through the door, you are taken aback by a hipster-like vibe that happens to be decorated like a barn. The cozy but modern take on a barn aspect is an interesting and smart feature. My favorite decoration was a quote on the back wall that read “Be Yourself”.

As you approach the counter you are greeted by a large, overwhelming but appetizing menu. I was surprised to see fresh cookies and cupped cookie dough being sold, I was under the impression only sodas were sold.

As a guy who enjoys the cherry flavor, I got a medium “Big Red” which just tasted like a big cherry and it was delicious. The cookies were very doughy, so it depends on personal preference if you are fond of them or not. You have 8 cookie options; Coconut Lime, Classic Sugar, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Cookies and Cream, Monster and Oatmeal Cream Pie. There is also a cookie of the month. This month is Raspberry Almond.

I visited on a Saturday afternoon, so I assumed that it would be packed with customers, but it was absolutely dead inside. The staff was very attentive and informative on some of the flavors and how the process is done. Fast service was included, about 5 minutes to wait for our order of five sodas and four warm cookies.

I can see this place having potential as a popular spot for students to hang out, do homework and enjoy each other’s company. If only it could catch on and become popular with the locals, as it seems to be pretty dormant and in the shadows since its debut in the current location.

There are hundreds of different mixes you could make. There are 27 soda and 40 flavor shot options to choose from. There are 16 favorite mixes and 4 kid’s favorites on the menu that they recommend. A flavor that surprised me was butterbeer, as it tasted identical to the famous theme park drink at Universal Studios Hollywood.

I noticed the creative wording on the combos after looking back at my photos. For those of you who are budget conscious, you have options. “Date Night” comes with 2 drinks and cookies or chips. “Just for Me” includes 1 drink and a cookie, “Fun for One” is 1 drink and a cup of cookie dough. All depending on the size drink, it is still under $7 which is excellent for struggling college students.

You have four flavor options for cookie dough which include S’mores, Death by Chocolate, Monster and Chocolate Chip. My personal favorite and the one I recommend is Death by Chocolate.

I would recommend Soda Barn at least for a first try, out on a date night or with your friends. You can’t go wrong with any soda, it’s pure sugar so it’s obviously gonna taste great. The only must-buy is a warm cookie, if you leave without getting one, you’re making a huge mistake.