Thurman Cafe

Without a doubt Thurman Cafe is the best dive in Columbus.  If you are willing to wait an hour to be seated in a place where drunkenness is key and cleanliness is overlooked to eat one greasy, cheesy, heart attack of a burger, Thurman Cafe is for you.  A Columbus staple, Thurmans is located on Thurman street in German Village.  This bar is loud, packed, dark and dirty and our server, obviously intoxicated, was animated, to say the least.  Featured on The Travel Channel’s popular show Man v Food, Thurman Cafe is a legendary staple of the carnivorous Columbus community.  What more can one say about Thurman Cafe?  It provides a dirty bar atmosphere service, and  some of the most behemoth burgers this town has to offer.  Thurman Cafe delivers nothing short of what they offer.

Atmosphere:  A dive bar atmosphere.  There is a popcorn maker in the waiting area and dollar bills stuck on every inch of wall in the dining room.  The atmosphere is a lingering stench of burgers and beer.  Loud music, loud people, and loud food culminates the Thurman dining experience.

Cleanliness:   In short, Thurman Cafe did not receive fame from the local health department.  The bathroom was, well… a woman’s sanitary napkin was stuck to the wall.  The booths were dirty and sticky and my shoes were actually stuck to the floor.  If cleanliness is your thing, Thurman’s is not. 

Service:  Drunk and aggressive.  When we were sat, the server’s aggressive behavior and demeanor was evident.  The server used profane and pervasive language and was not afraid to show her distaste or impatience.  Despite the drunkenness, the food and drinks were promptly served.  Although we were a bit afraid, the service was efficient. 

Food:   This is the burger to have when you visit Columbus.  Thurman Cafe offers burger’s prepared by expert grill masters.  The beer flows from the taps and the burgers burn in your heart.  The Thurman Burger is a perfectly charrred 6 inch beef patty with cheese and ham towering between two toasted buns.  The Blue Burger was the favorite at the table and the Southwest came in a close second.  The Thurminator, not mentioned in the menu, was the featured burger on the Travel Channel and is a heart attack waiting to happen.  The fries are greasy and the chips are salty.  This is the quintessential give me a heart attack burger cuisine.

Value:  If your not filled up after this 10$ burger, you may need to see a doctor.  The value is great.  The portions are huge and our party of four was unbuckling our belts after 40$ of food.

Overall:  Thurman Cafe is a success in food and a failure in cleanliness.  Let all prejudices behind and bring your friends for good beer, good burgers, and great fun.  B+