Thurman Cafe

Walter Dad and I took a roadtrip to Columbus this past Sunday. I had a couple of things I had to do while I was down there, so it was a perfect opportunity to catch some food at the same time.

I knew that when we got down there that I wanted to take him to Thurman Cafe in German Village. Since it was the weekend I figured lunch was going to be packed; so I planned on a midday visit to avoid any major wait.

We got to Thurman Cafe around 3 and there was about a 5-10 minute wait. It's kind of like Melt in the sense that there is a waiting room on one side, and the bar and dining area on the other. On the plus side, the waiting room offers free popcorn while you wait.

Here's a tip: go at off peak hours. At dinner and lunch the wait can sometimes be measured in hours. There comes a point where the wait isn't worth it. It is an old bar space so (as you can see from the photo below), space is very limited.We sit down and the first thing I notice is that it's much more pleasant to eat here than the old days due to the absence of cigarette smoke. It had been the first time I'd been there since the smoking ban was put into law. Very nice. Looking around the bar you can still see the nicotine patina that coats the walls and ceiling (the smell however is gone.)


I ordered the Jonnie's Special which is a 1/2# burger with blue cheese, horseradish cheese, and bacon served with fries. I can't remember what Walt got but it was massive (pictured below). However, his burger was not as big as the Thurmanator which was the centerpiece of a Man vs. Food episode (a hamburger with a half a pound of ham on it.)


The burgers here are great. Like most things, the best ever is a relative term. I would say Thurman Cafe rates toward the top of the list for most people that have been. The big complaint is going to be the wait. As I said before, do yourself a favor and go at the odd hour - you'll be glad you did.

Thurman Cafe
183 Thurman Ave Columbus, OH 43206 (614) 443-1570 www.thethurmancafe.com