Inside: The Blue Danube

Photos:

The Blue Danube, a campus staple for more than 60 years, is a dingy dive with a glistening personality. This restaurant and bar, located on the corner of North High Street and Blake Avenue, offers an extensive and eclectic menu, which is almost as diverse as the patrons who frequent the bustling and laid-back establishment. From sweet potato fries served with the decadent Berries Inferno sauce to the Black and Blue salad to spaghetti, this spacious campus hang-out has it all, and for a price fit for a starving academic or a thirsty frat boy.

The painted ceiling tiles—each individually crafted by a patron with artistic flare—are a testament of time at this dimly lit eatery. Known as “The Dube” to the regulars, the hodgepodge atmosphere offers nooks for studying, bar stools for guzzling beers, cozy booths for engaging in intimate conversations with companions, and group dining areas for larger parties.

Happy Hour features $2 Long Islands along with other drink specials, and the pies of the day pair perfectly with a never-ending cup of coffee. The Dube has something for everyone, whether you're looking for a quick bite to eat between classes or a place to whittle away the evening munching on fries and jamming to the jukebox's continuous tunes.

Food: The hefty menu at The Blue Danube encourages you to mix and match your favorite culinary creations, which are tailored to appetites big and small. For starters, the appetizers range from zesty fries ($2.99) to nachos loaded with chili ($7.99). There also are many fried favorites such as mushrooms, zucchini and cauliflower, along with chicken fingers and the Blue Danube Combo, which offers a sampling of the most popular appetizers. If you're looking for something on the lighter side, the daily soup specials are delightful, and the salad selections are fresh and dressed to order.

Moving on to the main menu, you’ll get overwhelmed with dishes of Italian, Greek and Mediterranean origin, along with many vegetarian selections. Pitas, sandwiches such as the Dube turkey melt and new salmon BLT, burgers and the Dube dog pound ($4.99) are served in many varieties. There are also seafood, French and Mexican portions of the menu and a diverse American section including ultimate mac and cheese ($7.99) and steak and shrimp ($9.99).

The dessert menu includes the daily chef's pies, baklava, ice cream sundaes and other mouth-watering treats fit for satisfying any sweet tooth.

The Dube is now featuring many new items including Irish egg rolls, sliders and signature flat-bread pizzas.

Libations: Upon entering the Dube, you’ll be greeted with a wooden bar spanning the length of an entire wall that is stocked with shelves of liquor. Tall wooden seats line the spacious bar area, and the bartenders are quick to mix your favorite concoction.

Happy hour runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and includes many drink specials ideal for people on a tight budget who enjoy a stiff drink. The Black & Blue – a combination of Blue Moon and Guinness – is one of the Dube's signature beers. The house cocktails include a special margarita and a Manhattan.

Décor: The ceiling tiles are individually painted by “local artists,” giving this offbeat and charming dive a unique and creative flare. The walls are lined with mirrors and generations of framed Guinness posters. Decorative lights hang from the ceiling, casting a warm and welcoming glow over the dining area.

Service: Patience is a virtue at the Dube, especially on busier nights. While the food is served hot and made-to-order, it might take longer for it to arrive than a rumbling tummy would like, but it's well worth the wait.

Crowd: The crowd at the Dube varies as much as the menu, ranging from academics to young professionals to jovial drinkers to coffee sippers poring over the paper. Basically, anyone can frequent the Dube because its ambiance is tailored to cater to so many different tastes.

Specials: There are several daily delights that spice up the regular offerings. Blue Plate Specials are available for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, and Tuesday night is Dube Dog Night from 10 p.m. to close.

Insider's Tip: Don't come to the Dube with great expectations -- come for the food, the fun, the drinks, the crowd. Come because you want a cup of coffee to perk you up between classes. Come because you want to hang out with the gang and blow of some steam or muse about the meaning of life. Try the daily soup or the chef's pie of the day. Try something new every time, and it will still take you eons to try everything. It's really hard not to find what you're looking for in this campus cornerstone.

Bottom Line: The Dube's diverse menu and eclectic crowd are what make it the Dube. It's an ideal stomping grounds for anyone who likes decent food for a reasonable price, kicking back with a frosty beverage, sipping black coffee and reading “News of the Weird,” or just hanging out. Hopefully it will be around for another 60 years, ushering in future generations of patrons to dive into Danube.

Add a comment