I used to wish I could enjoy this cozy throwback of a place - but alas and alack, until the State of Ohio forced them to be smoke free, I simply could not stand to be in it. Now, Jim's is my favorite local breakfast and lunch joint.
Jim's is a tiny little place, crammed into a small strip of stores on Aurora Road, Rt. 43.
The first thing you might notice as you enter (or the last thing you might notice as you leave), are the utensils embedded in the sidewalk in front.
What this says to me is: this is a place that knows how to play with its food!
So we ventured in.
Yes, they have a functional jukebox at each of the 8 or so tables.
Seeing the grill already in full lunch mode, we decided to have burgers, even though breakfast food is available through lunch.
We sat at the counter to more fully appreciate the ballet practiced by the two cooks, who deftly managed to keep the orders moving correctly and completely without banging into one another. The sights and smells were so delicious, I even forgave them for pressing on the burgers to make them cook faster. They were, after all, cooking from scratch for a crowd. The fries were also made up in small batches, even though they had the equipment to make more at a time and hold them.
Bob's Cheeseburger & Fries
I forgot the cute name for this burger (and they were out of paper menus) - dressed with bacon, cheese, and Thousand Island dressing, and at my request, lettuce and tomato.
A hearty meal served up with a smile by local folks, which held us all the way down to Cincinnati and then some.
My wife and I LOVE Jim's Open Kitchen. It's great watching the cooks crank out the food when it's a busy morning and the orders are flying in fast. Every time we go, we get a kick out of the photo of the sign on 422 that shows the restaurants near the exit. It lists the chains nearby with the addition of a little sign underneath that says "Oh Yeah, and Jim's Open Kitchen." You just can't beat a great diner like Jim's.
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