Jack and Benny’s
2563 N High St, 43202
Phone: 263-0242
Web Site: http://www.jackandbennys.com
I guess the most notable thing about Jack and Benny’s is how much people rave about it, and the big crowds, even though there’s really nothing special going on here.
Jack and Benny’s does a whopping business; on weekends there are often people lined up outside the door. I’m not sure why. Jack and Benny’s isn’t bad; it’s all right. But the number of people who give this place raving, 5-star reviews is puzzling to me. (So was the same phenomenon with regard to Nancy’s before it closed.) “Best Breakfast” four or five years in a row??? Come on! It’s OK, but it’s absolutely NOT the best breakfast. Then again, those “Best Breakfast” awards are from the same audience that votes for Bob Evans as best breakfast. It’s about average for a diner, in some ways maybe slightly better than average, in some ways maybe slightly below average. Maybe it’s fashionable – people praise it because other people praise it? Is it the only not-terrible diner that’s well-known among OSU fans? Well, there’s Tommy’s, which is better and is also popular with OSU fans, but that’s further away from campus. (I think a lot of the people who say how wonderful this place is just don’t have much experience with eating breakfast out. A lot of them write that Jack and Benny’s is small – it’s really not small at all compared to other diners in town.)
At first it looks like the breakfast menu is huge, but then you may notice that every tiny variation gets its own menu name and listing. So it’s really mostly traditional local breakfast food with a lot of Latin-American variation added.
Coffee is decent diner coffee.
Today I had Huevos Rancheros. It was OK, with fresh vegetable ingredients. There was plenty of it.
My total was $9. Average value.
Tags: "Greasy Spoon", Diner Heaven, Fifties Diner, Latin-American
I understand your frustration with clueless big-talkers. If Nancy’s is so popular with Clintonvillians, why did it go out of business (and is already looking pretty slow on the weekends). However, I think you missed the mark on Jack and Benny’s. The potato options, especially the potato cakes, are great. The vegetables seem more fresh than most diners (I assume it has something to do with being affiliated with Garcia’s). You’re right; the coffee is fair. But the south of Clintonville, north of campus clientele strong Mexican influence make the place a top five.