70-Year-Old Diner Cooler than Converse

Do you ever have nights when you want to go out to eat but can’t decide where? I think the technical term is diningum indecisionitis. Thanks to The Blue Danube Restaurant, I don’t have that problem. It’s the ultimate fail-proof fallback eatery. And since 1940, it has offered tasty no-frills grub in a comfy atmosphere. The jukebox tunes are always colorful and the service is always genuinely friendly.

Located just north of the OSU campus, "The Dube" has everything you’d wish from a liberal-leaning diner: PBR on draft, milkshakes, breakfast burritos, four kinds of hotdogs, and nine types of burgers. All house margaritas come with an extra shot of tequila. The kicked-back mainstay, which serves a variety of cuisine ranging from American and Greek to Italian and Mexican, recently introduced some new dishes, like the Irish Eggroll, Sliders, Sweet Potato Fries, Flatbread Pizza, Salmon BLT, Taco Salad, Black & Blue Salad, and Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bowl. Prices generally range from $3 to $8 except for my two favorite menu items: the Dube Dinner Deluxe for $165, which includes a bottle of Dom Perignon and two grilled cheese sandwiches, and the Dube Dinner Ordinaire for $45, which includes “a bottle of amusing, yet unassuming, sparkling Rose wine from the house of Chandon, and two grilled cheese sandwiches.” I’ve never tried either but they’ve been on the menu for as long as I can remember.

Like your oldest pair of Chuck Taylors, The Dube keeps earning more cred with time. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to midnight. For more information, call 614-261-9308. If you live in Columbus and find yourself toiling about where to eat, hit the Dube1. You won’t be disappointed.

1You don't dine at, visit, or frequent The Dube. You hit it.