Dan’s Drive In

I’m just kind of obsessed with Dan’s right now!
Love the Harley Décor (reminds me of my Dad so much!) and the food and service and prices are all ON POINT!
If you go, might I suggest a few items?
The Turkey or Roast Beef Stack. Either one is delightful!
The grilled ham and cheese. They’ve nailed it!
The Dan’s «Big Mouth» burger. My son, that is a Burger Expert, gives this burger 2 thumbs up and jazzes the rest of his fingers too!
Love Love LOVE Dan’s!!!

Dans Drive In, while not a drive in anymore, is arguably the best value breakfast you can find in Columbus. My friends and I love to come here on starving, lazy mornings, filling up the table with every serving of home cooked breakfast goodness that we’ve been craving, and leaving with a full belly and wallet. The biscuits & gravy is delicious and heart melting, and the pancakes will have you unbuttoning your pants for a little breathing room. Even though I moved a distance away from this gem, I still try to make the trip back down here from time to time when the hearty breakfast cravings are kicking.

Like several other folx said Dan’s isn’t a fancy place so you gotta go in with the right mind set. I’ve been here twice now once for lunch and once for breakfast. The atmosphere is fun to look at, but the bathroom is very dirty.
The first visit was on an off hour so we were one of the only tables there. The service was slow and the food took a lot longer then i expected considering the lack of people there. The food was tepid at best so i didn’t much plan to go back.
My second visit was a busy Saturday morning for breakfast the place was packed and there was a line of us waiting, but we didn’t wait too long. Server was much nicer one this time and she promptly took care of us. Our food took about 20 minutes (i only know this because they have a large clock right on there pos.) I ordered the big country breakfast and the temperature was again off the biscuits n gravy luke warm, the eggs less warm, sausage patties cold and tough, but home fries were nice n hot. So i think for me by default i should just ask servers to microwave my breakast everywhere, but considering my first visit here i feel it’s a common occurance and they need to work on there cooks timing. The person i was with said his eggs were hot, but the potatoes were cold (mine were hot probably cuz i added onions,) and his sausage patties were cold and tough.
Overall the price vs portion is very good we both had big breakfasts and coffee and our bill was just $ 11.00 plus tip. The menu is very vast with plenty of choices for all, and when they’re hopping it’s a fun atmosphere to behold. I just recommend you ask them to make sure its hot or to microwave it lol.

Wow, how have I missed reviewing Dan’s Drive-​In? I’ve been coming here for years, with my dad and now with the spouse. We’ll hit Dan’s on our way out of town for breakfast on a Saturday. Everyone here is friendly — the wait staff, the cooks and the other diners — regulars, most of them. I’ve had both breakfast and lunch here, and I’d choose the Greek omelet over about anything else. It’s a sad day when I’m here and know my waistline is going to limit me to eggs, bacon and toast — but I know it will all be delicious.
The décor is 50s style, white bright and chrome, with lots of booth space and a long service counter. The TV is old-​school and always on. Dan’s is worth swinging down to the south side.

I was happy with my first time. The themed 50’s diner drive-​in décor was unique, and the barstool setup at the counter was a good touch. The wait staff are nice, friendly, and busy all in one. I agree the crowd is all over the grid, so therefore people watching is great. You will leave with the faint to moderate smell of a greasy diner, which is just a subtle reminder of the deliciousness. I added this to the rotation of my other favorite breakfast joints.
Meal: 2−2−2 which includes bacon or sausage, french toast or pancakes, eggs or grits. I added a side of hashbrowns and got a coffee. Cost me just shy of $ 10 and I ate everything.

I stopped here for dinner real quick. They had a special on fish and chips so I went with that. It came out fairly quickly so that was nice. The fish was severely overcooked and was just frozen fish. I won’t go back for dinner but I hear brunch is fantastic.

My teenaged mother met the man she would eventually marry here in the 60’s
Lucky for me, right?
It is what America was built on, a local spot that offered and still offers low cost, filling fare, and in a place that looks like it is straight out of Fast Times At Ridgemont High.
All that is missing are the poodle skirts, skates and car parks.
It isn’t a five star joint, but it is one of Columbus’ last few relics that hangs in there.
Historic. Honest. Hearty.
Their parking lot car shows should be a magnet for a certain crowd and their big breakfast, coffee and tip will eat a ten spot at most.
What more can you ask for?

I ate here the other day because a friend dragged me along. It looks to be a old plain building on the outside, but on the inside old school classic dinner going on. The food was great and good price. Tho nothing came with sides. If you want. A burger you also have to order a side of fries. Not a fan of that. But I still loved the food. I’ll be back!

As diners go, I’d say it’s an easy four stars. They have a huge menu with just about anything. I had the open faced turkey sandwich and my wife had the open faced meatloaf sandwich. I made quick work out of my meal. It did not seem like anything truly homemade, but it was good. Now, I don’t like meatloaf but I did try my wife’s meal and the meatloaf was pretty good.
We will go back, with so many options on their menu the only problem is trying to decide what to try next.

I’ve had Dan’s Drive In bookmarked for three years, and lucky for me – the stars aligned today.
Y’ALL… When I walked in the door, the most beautiful man was there to greet us. He had the biggest smile, and was so incredibly friendly. I definitely got a little tongue-​tied and wanted to run away and hide.
But the sweet service didn’t stop there. Our server was equally as lovely! You know how sometimes folks at greasy spoon diners get a little too salty? Not here. She was upbeat, sweet, and very helpful.
The diner itself is really nice. I mean… for a hole in the wall place – it’s really nice. Everything was very clean, and they even have free wifi!
My food was A-​OK. Nothing spectacular, but totally fine. I had steak and eggs, and it’s actually exactly what I expected. Don’t order this dish expecting a thick, juicy ribeye – it’s a diner-​style thin steak that’s cooked through and through. It was still tasty, and not the least bit tough. But as a southern boy, I have to tell you about the grits. I’m disappointed in about 99% of grits in Cbus, and this dish at Dan’s is no different. So it’s not that they’re necessarily bad here – they’re just not the grits I love.
And the price? So cheap! Two of us ate for less than $ 20, including tip.
As soon as I got home, I googled Dan’s Drive In because I needed to understand their story. Come to find out, this biz has been open since 1951! But the new owner, Lucky Sahota, bought it in 2007. And btw, the super handsome guy that I mentioned? That’s Lucky.
So for me, the service and experience were 5 stars, and the food is 3. And that’s how I land at a 4-​star review!

Wanted to try a place for breakfast where I hadn’t been and this showed up on my radar.
This place has been there since 1951. When you walk inside it looks very similar in décor to Tommy’s Diner on Broad. Or Tommy’s looks a lot like this place since Dan’s has been here much longer. The neighborhood has seen better days on this stretch of High Street but the diner itself is well kept and inviting. A bright spot on a drab, run down area.
The thing that stood out for me today was the service. The woman who waited on me (I wish I’d gotten her name to appropriately give her kudos on here) was a ray of sunshine she was so positive, friendly and, most importantly a really good waitress. Blondish and great smile. Accommodating and on top of everything. At the moment she was the only server. One gentleman let her know his coffee was cold and she immediately brought fresh coffee to the entire table.
Now the food. The menu is huge and you can order anything at any time. I am hesitant when there’s a huge menu as how can a kitchen do all of that good? I can only speak on the Biscuits and Gravy which I enjoyed. I wish the sausage gravy had more sausage chunks in it but the flavor was good.
I had this meal (biscuits and gravy, two eggs, potatoes and coffee) and my total before tip was 7.16! The cheap prices make it a great meeting place for the older crowd on a Sunday morning and the ones I saw seemed to be enjoying it.
I will be back!

Pretty decent little diner. I go here for lunch very often, mainly because my bosses go here. I often get the Greek Village Salad with chicken, which is filled with fresh vegtables and a tasty greek dressing. Their omelettes are nice sized and come with potatoes and toast for well under $ 10.00. Its not fancy dining, but is a great value. It is a 1950’s inspired diner that doesn’t try to be anything else than that, which is nice.

Good food — sat at the counter so the service was fast. Grits and a breakfast sandwich add bacon were delish

I have heard about this place for a LONG time and always heard it was good from many different people (including the weird, picky ones!), so I decided to try it. NO regrets.
Service was decent, they were very busy and I was sitting at the counter, but I got plenty of attention. In and out in an hour with a full restaurant, so kudos to the wait staff. The interior is a 50’s theme, complete with license plates and model cars from the era. Not to mention, the bright red chairs and gray circle-​print counter tops round out the theme.
I got a simple mushroom and swiss burger and it was superb. Cooked well and very juicy. My first thought on my first bite was WOW. It had a lot of flavor, slightly greasy but hey, it’s a burger and I prefer greasy! Good generous helping of mushrooms, sealed onto the burger with a good serving of swiss cheese. All on a big bun (that actually FITS the burger) with lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle.
On the side I got cole slaw and onion rings, both of which were very good. The cole slaw isn’t much to look at, but the taste is unique and awesome!
The total came to $ 12 (with a pink lemonade), so if you’re looking for a cheap and good meal, go here!

Very Good Food. Just stopped in for breakfast. Waitstaff was extraordinarily friendly. Menu was larger than expected. Nice range of options. Excellent prices. I had eggs, home fries and ham. Just about perfect. My wife had a waffle which she declared very good. Coffee was OK. The crowd was mixed and friendly if a bit loud. My only reason for not giving this four stars (I am a BIG fan of old-​style diners) is that it just wasn’t very clean. Don’t get me wrong, the table, tableware and dishware were just fine. The walls, window sills and counter tops could have used some TLC with cleaner and sanitizer. Still, go for the great breakfast.

Very solid overall experience. They have lots of options to pick from on the menu. I went with the fried fish dinner. Two very large haddock filets, fries, coleslaw. Overall a nice meal, friendly service, and fun décor. I can easily see this being a four star once I find some go to menu items.

Great greasy spoon diner with cool décor. Great for breakfast on the cheap. Free wifi. Tons of parking. Grits. Not fancy, no booze but just basic down home food.

My husband and I are a Fan after visiting Dan’s this past Sunday for Breakfast. It’s a 50’s inspired Diner located down South High (Past German Village). It sits right off of High, you can’t miss it. The Diner itself, isn’t anything to brag about, but our overall experience is what made us enjoy the visit.
We wanted a traditional breakfast on Sunday, and we passed the Diner many times heading to Lowes on S. High, so we thought we would give it a shot. We both tried a bit of everything; eggs, biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage, hash browns and pancakes. Needless to say, we enjoyed everything.
My favorite part of everything we tried were the pancakes, and oddly, I’m not a big pancake fan!
The staff was very very nice and consistent throughout the entire visit. We were immediately seated, immediately assisted and were checked on multiple times.
I feel it’s a great place if you live in the German/​Merion Village area and want a traditional breakfast, but don’t want to wait for 45 minutes to an Hour at a German Village Restaurant.
We had a good experience, and I’m sure we will visit again.

I can’t disagree with anything I’ve read in the reviews. But you have to go into Dan’s with the right mindset. Is it a five-​star restaurant? No! But that is not what they strive to be. It is a cheap, quick, decent greasy spoon, and I will definitely be back!
We came for breakfast on a Saturday. The wait staff were all very friendly, and the coffee refills were always right on time. We both had huge breakfasts that met our expectations, and the bill was only $ 13.
Point: if you come in ready for some heavy, greasy, diner food, you will not be disappointed!

It’s an American diner with some Greek fusion. There’s the usual diner staples such as pancakes, omelette, burgers etc. which are just ok. They also serve gyro and baklava. It makes you question how authentic is your american diner experience is they serve Greek food. However, hummus with hot pita was delicious so I can’t really complain. It was actually much much better than the philly cheese steak sandwich I ordered. They serve the root beer in ice cold mugs which are good too.
Seems like the décor was a little bit revamped since it looks new. It still has the diner feel which is great.
Service is just ok. Nothing spectacular or great about it. It was a good diner experience. Will I go back again? Probably not.