4 out of 5 stars

When contemplating where to go out for breakfast after a long night, one can’t forget the usual prospects like Perkins and IHOP. I like to think there are two guidelines when picking a good breakfast place. It has to have bacon, and good bacon at that, and it absolutely must be cheap enough for me to afford on my own.

While restaurants like IHOP and Perkins are relatively close to campus and well known, they tend to charge a little more than I have in my wallet. Yes, they may have bacon, and the same choices as other places within the vicinity, however I find that they don’t have the same small town charm as say, Northside Café.

Located on Gateway Drive, this small diner offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and none of them disappoint. When I visited Northside Café this past weekend, I was delighted to see that nothing had changed. It is still the same charming diner I have grown to know and love in my year as a student on campus. You know the feeling when you show up at a restaurant and the line is out the door and your heart just sinks? Northside is always busy, yet it excites me rather than disappoints me. I would wait in line for the Western Omelet until the sun went down if necessary.

When arriving, you are instructed to seat yourself at the next available table you see. Granted, you may have to stand for a few minutes, but gazing around at all of the people thoroughly enjoying their food and each other, puts you at ease and makes the wait worthwhile.

Saturday afternoon when I visited the diner for the first time this year, I waited a short amount of time and eventually seated myself at a nearby booth.

Service was quick and hospitable, with our food out to us in ten minutes or less. If you can’t already tell, I’m not big on change, so I ordered my usual: Pancakes with bacon and a side of hash-browns.

My meal was devoured in less time than it took for it to be delivered to our table. A sure sign of enjoyment.

If I had one bone to pick with Northside, it would be the portion size. It gets to be a little excessive. My pancake for example was double the size of my face. However, who can complain about having leftovers to take home and eat a few hours later when you wish you could go back and order more?

Not only does Northside meet my two guidelines, it exceeds my expectations time and time again. Considering price, portion size and service, I would give the diner a 4/5 stars. Whether I order the Pancakes, or the Western Omelet, the service is fast and friendly, and leaves me wanting more. So the next time you are comparing your choices for a breakfast out on the town, think past the big name restaurants. At Northside café, the space may be little, but the taste is big.

Hannah Amundson is a features writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]