These Ohio Restaurants Are Still Serving Portions The Old-Fashioned Way (And We Love It)
I learned something important the day I ordered lunch in Ohio and watched the plate arrive like it had been designed by someone deeply suspicious of moderation.
That moment sent me down a familiar path of pulled-over cars, loosened expectations, and the quiet joy of realizing leftovers were not a possibility but a promise.
Ohio still understands the art of feeding people generously, the kind of places where portions show up unapologetically large and nobody pretends that a meal should feel delicate.
These restaurants skip the tiny plates and visual theatrics and instead focus on stacked sandwiches, broad plates, and comfort food that fills every inch of the table with purpose.
I have eaten my way through booths, counters, and dining rooms across the state, where the portions feel like a respectful nod to long family dinners and hungry travelers alike.
If you miss meals that arrive with confidence and leave you planning tomorrow around what is still in the box, these 13 Ohio spots prove that old-fashioned portions never really went anywhere.
1. Slyman’s Restaurant – Cleveland
Address: 3106 St Clair Ave NE, Cleveland, OH 44114.
Some sandwiches feel generous, but the first time I met a Slyman’s corned beef stack, I realized I had completely misjudged what “piled high” really means.
On a busy weekday lunch, I watched regulars order their usual with a nod, then quietly strategize how to tackle a mountain of meat that could easily feed two sensible people.
My own routine now involves accepting that half the sandwich goes straight into a to-go box, because pretending I can finish it in one sitting is pure optimism.
What keeps me coming back is how old-fashioned the whole experience feels, from the straightforward counter service to plates that clearly never got the memo about modern portion control.
2. Jack’s Deli & Restaurant – University Heights
Address: 14490 Cedar Rd, University Heights, OH 44121.
Some delis build reputation on nostalgia alone, but Jack’s won me over the moment I saw a sandwich so tall it needed structural confidence just to stay upright.
At lunch, I watched a neighboring table share what was technically one corned beef sandwich that looked suspiciously like two full meals in disguise, complete with classic deli sides crowding the plate.
My order usually lands as a pick-two combo that somehow eats like a feast, especially when I forget that matzo ball soup is basically a meal on its own.
Walking out with leftovers tucked under my arm, I always feel like I have smuggled a small Cleveland tradition back to my fridge for a second round.
3. Little Polish Diner – Parma
Address: 5772 Ridge Rd, Parma, OH 44129.
Tiny dining rooms rarely send out food this hearty, but at Little Polish Diner, the plates look ready to test the limits of the table before I even pick up my fork.
One afternoon, I ordered the mixed plate with stuffed cabbage, pierogi, and sides, then realized halfway through that I had casually committed to what most people would fairly call lunch and dinner together.
The stuffed cabbage alone arrives in that old-fashioned, generous style that makes you slow down and appreciate every forkful just to make a dent.
By the time I ask for a box, I have already decided which future meal is getting upgraded by leftover pierogi and a memory of cozy counter chatter.
4. Boyd & Wurthmann Restaurant – Berlin
Address: 4819 E Main St, Berlin, OH 44610.
Some places in Amish Country lean into charm, but Boyd & Wurthmann leans into plates so substantial that I once watched a visitor pause just to laugh at the size of their breakfast.
My first visit started with an innocent plan for eggs and toast, and somehow turned into a table crowded with home fries, sausage, and a slice of pie that clearly thought it was a main course.
Servers glide through the narrow aisles, balancing platters of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and thick slices of bread that feel completely uninterested in modern minimalism.
When I step back out onto Main Street, I always move a little slower, partly from fullness and partly from the feeling that I just attended a quiet celebration disguised as lunch.
5. Der Dutchman – Plain City
Address: 445 S Jefferson Ave, Plain City, OH 43064.
Buffets can be modest, but Der Dutchman’s spread looks like somebody took every Sunday dinner you remember and lined them up along one long, very confident counter.
On my last visit, I started politely with fried chicken and roast beef, added mashed potatoes and noodles, and suddenly realized my plate resembled a small topographical map of comfort food.
The dessert situation does not help restraint, with pies and baked goods that make you understand why people plan entire day trips around this place.
Driving away past the fields, I always tell myself I will take the smaller portion option next time, then remember that the whole point here is not doing that.
6. Schmidt’s Sausage Haus und Restaurant – Columbus
Address: 240 E Kossuth St, Columbus, OH 43206.
Some dinners are simple, but Schmidt’s Autobahn Buffet turns into an enthusiastic negotiation between what I want to try and what my plate can realistically support.
I make a brave start with Bahama Mama sausage, bratwurst, spaetzle, and German potato salad, then remember there is also that absurdly generous cream puff waiting at the finish line.
On busy evenings, the dining room hums as plates of sausage and sides land in front of guests who clearly showed up ready to take the old-fashioned “hearty” brief very seriously.
By the time I step back onto the cobblestone streets of German Village, I feel as if I have attended a festival disguised as an ordinary weeknight meal.
7. The Thurman Cafe – Columbus
Address: 183 Thurman Ave, Columbus, OH 43206.
Burger portions always seem generous on paper, but Thurman’s 12-ounce patties prove that reading about size and actually lifting it are two very different experiences.
I still remember my first Thurmanator arriving, towering with toppings and looking more like a personal challenge than a casual dinner, while the server calmly dropped extra napkins with a knowing smile.
Regulars around me treated their burgers like long-time acquaintances, cutting them in half, planning leftovers, and swapping stories about the first time they tried to finish one in a single sitting.
Walking out of that snug German Village space, I always feel proud if I even get close to the halfway mark, which is exactly the kind of ridiculous standard I secretly enjoy.
8. Cap City Fine Diner & Bar – Grandview (Columbus)
Address: 1299 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43212.
Retro style is fun, but the first time I ordered the famous meatloaf at Cap City, the plate arrived with the confidence of a full-scale throwback dinner.
There it was, stacked on Texas toast with mashed potatoes and crispy onion strings, the kind of portion that makes you pause and quietly cancel any evening snack plans.
I love how dessert here refuses to shrink for modern trends, with slices of pie and cake that look determined to recreate the idea of a full diner treat.
Every time I leave, I feel like I have stepped out of a movie scene where the portions stayed delightfully stuck in a more generous era.
9. Schmucker’s Restaurant – Toledo
Address: 2103 N Reynolds Rd, Toledo, OH 43615.
Some diners trade on charm, but Schmucker’s has spent decades quietly sending out plates and pies so substantial that regulars talk about leftovers as part of the plan.
My last visit started with a classic hot roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes that arrived swimming in gravy, then escalated when I insisted on trying a slice of one of their many pies.
By the time dessert hit the table, the slice size made it very clear that “just a piece of pie” here really means “clear some serious space.”
Leaving that low-slung building, I always feel like I have stepped out of a living postcard from 1948, where nobody ever decided to scale back portions.
10. The Spot Restaurant – Sidney
Address: 201 S Ohio Ave, Sidney, OH 45365.
Courthouse squares have plenty of history, but The Spot adds its own story in the form of burgers, pies, and platters that do not understand the concept of restraint.
I pulled up once, planning a quick burger, and found myself facing a patty, hand-breaded onion rings, and a slice of pie that made my tray look like a nostalgic advertisement.
Carhop service and the glow of the sign give everything that classic feel, but it is the way plates actually fill you up that really nails the old-fashioned promise.
Driving away around the square, I always think about how many road trips here have probably been planned purely around those generous burgers and pies.
11. Nancy’s Main Street Diner – Grafton
Address: 426 Main St, Grafton, OH 44044.
Vintage diners already tug at me, but Nancy’s adds real weight to the experience with breakfasts that arrive looking ready to fuel a full workday and then some.
On one visit, my pancakes spread almost to the rim of the plate, with eggs, bacon, and toast crowding the rest of the space like they refused to be sidelined.
Locals chat over bottomless coffee while plates of meatloaf, open-faced sandwiches, and daily specials land with that comforting, no-nonsense energy diners used to take for granted.
Stepping back out onto Main Street, I always feel like I just visited relatives who insist on feeding you until you admit defeat and ask for a container.
12. The Pine Club – Dayton
Address: 1926 Brown St, Dayton, OH 45409.
Dark wood booths and white plates set a serious tone at The Pine Club, but the real statement is the size of the steaks arriving from the kitchen.
My first ribeye here covered so much of the plate that the classic sides almost had to negotiate for space at the edges.
Dinner includes those traditional accompaniments, so by the time the last forkful hits, it feels less like I ordered an entrée and more like I signed up for an entire occasion.
Walking into the Dayton night afterward, I always have the satisfied sense that The Pine Club has no intention of adopting smaller, trendier portions anytime soon.
13. Camp Washington Chili – Cincinnati
Address: 3005 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45225.
Chili parlors often promise comfort, but Camp Washington Chili backs it up with plates and bowls that look built for people who skipped lunch on purpose.
I once ordered a three-way and a couple of coneys, thinking I was being reasonable, then realized halfway through that I had underestimated both the portion sizes and my own ambition.
Late at night, the room fills with regulars who order with the shorthand of people who have tested every combination of chili, cheese, and noodles and know exactly how full they intend to be.
Stepping back out by the corner of Hopple and Colerain, I always feel like I have paid proper respect to an old-school Cincinnati ritual that still believes in generous scoops.