Crabill's

How many seats does a restaurant need before actually being classified as a sit-down restaurant?  If you look up this question, you will find varying answers from ADA regulations, how many tables are needed, and the max capacity of the building.  I could not find one answer that stated how many seats.  Now you may be wondering why I would look up such a question, but I promise there is a good reason.  Part two of my first question, was what classified a restaurant as a “dive?”  I don’t like using the term dive, but sometimes it is needed, so I looked up what it meant on any given day.  A dive is an Informal, relaxed neighborhood restaurant.  This was the answer that I was looking for.

However, it isn’t your normal dive restaurant that you are thinking, there is no restroom, there are on 6 bar stools, and about 30 pounds of grease that belongs to this wonderful “hole in the wall” restaurant.                                                   

Welcome to Crabill’s in Urbana, Ohio.

It all started in 1927, so you know they are doing things the right way if they have been around that long doing the same thing day in and day out.  We all have to say thank you to the mastermind that started out of his garage selling hamburgers for only a nickel, so thank you Mr. Forest Crabill.  After he passed the store went to his wife who continued for many years, until she passed the work onto other family members.

I will say that when we pulled up to this small little shack I didn’t know what I was in for, but glad that we did.  There was already a crowd gathering and happy to find only two bar stools available among the lunch crowd that was trying to order and pick up their little hamburgers.  While the price was evolved from just a nickel you can still get a hamburger for 90 cents and a cheeseburger for 95 cents, you can also get doubles, hot dogs or a cheese dog, soups, and a slice of pie.  The condiments are brown mustard, sweet relish, and onion. On their sign they did make sure to add that in 1990 they did add ketchup to the list of condiments, how very nice of them to do.  That is all they wrote.  They do have a drive-thru and an outside seating area if you feel that you don’t want the true experience of seeing the magic happen at the counter.

The magic that I am talking about happens from the time you order until the time you leave.  When you walk in try and grab a seat while you can, ever better if you can get one closest to the grill.  The hamburgers themselves are just a little bit bigger than a silver dollar when they start out all rolled into a ball before being smashed into the grease.  This process steams and fries the hamburger all at the same time giving it a very unique taste.  If you have no health issues get you bun dunked into the grease and you will get more of that flavor, just get extra napkins if you do this.  You will be surprised at how many they are cooking at a time to keep up with all of the orders coming in.  I decided to order three cheeseburgers since I could tell that would be my limit.  They place a plain bun down if the customer wants no cheese, but I would highly recommend getting the cheese.  After the hamburger is done, they then start with the toppings.  A slab of brown mustard, relish, then the onion, and to the customer it goes.  The relish sits in a big white and blue bowl right beside the grill with a note placed on the counter that reads “Please do not reach over the counter for any reason.”  Believe it or not it’s hard not to when you are all of an arms-length away from goodness. 

I do have to warn you, if you get it to go, make sure that you do not sit the bag down for any reason in your car.  If you do need to sit the bag down, place it in the floor board of your car.  The grease will soak the double brown bag they give you.  Also, make sure you take some tums if you have any indigestion issues, you will thank me in the end.  They have your normal drinks that almost everyone has, plus they have cream soda in a bottle! 

If you are feeling adventurous after everything stated above you could try and get into their “Hall of Fame.”  This list is for those that eat the most in one sitting.  Right now, they have 33 singles, 26 doubles, and 12 hot dogs as the high numbers.  Those numbers may not seem like a lot, but after my 3 I can attest that those numbers are higher than what I would ever try to eat.

Crabill’s is that “hole in the wall” or “dive” that everyone should try at least once in their life if they are in the area of Urbana.  I mean after 90 years in business they must be doing something right. 

I know that I will be going back for my cheeseburgers when I’m in town next!