Legendary | Worth driving from anywhere
Crabill’s
Review by: Michael Stern
Hamburger lovers will smile with joy upon walking in the door of this minuscule, 8-stool diner where small sliders come on small buns, with small squares of cheese, and, if desired, with mustard and/or relish. Six or eight make a meal.
From the counter, you can watch them cooked on a grill to the left. A golf ball-size glob of meat is placed upon the hot iron in what appears to be about a half inch of bubbling oil. It is flattened out with a spatula, becoming a sort of free-form tile of meat that is thoroughly immersed in the hot grease. It is then gradually moved to the left on the grill, where there is somewhat less oil, and where the cooked patties sizzle until dark. They have a crunch to their exterior, and because they are so thin, they have no interior. Like White Castles, but better, these little fellas, even in their buns, are two-bite sandwiches.
What to eat at Crabill’s in Urbana, OH
Doubles are a good way to go if you believe these hamburgers are just too small; but in our experience, the single burger in its spongy little bun, with a single slice of orange cheese melted from the heat, garnished with Crabill’s dark mustard, is one of the perfect foods, not to be modified in any way.
Directions & Hours
Information
| Price | $ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Breakfast, Lunch |
| Credit Cards Accepted | No |
| Alcohol Served | No |
| Outdoor Seating | No |
What To Eat
Crabill’s Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of Crabill’s?
One Response to “Crabill’s”
Vince McNary
January 30th, 2004
These are the best greasy burgers you’ll ever find. The burgers are small, but they pack a lot of taste. That’s because they scoop them out of the grease, put the top of the bun on, give it one big shake (to get rid of “excess” grease), and slide it onto the bottom half of the bun. What makes the restaraunt truly unique though, is the atmosphere and the little nods to tradition. If you order your burger with “everything,” you get what used to be everything. Brown mustard, relish and strong onions (now they keep ketchup under the counter for the rebels). Six of the stools are from the original location (the only 6 seats in the old store), and there’s a picture of Mrs. Crabill on the wall. I grew up eating Crabill burgers (with chocolate milk), and I never miss the chance to stop in when I’m in town. You can get a Quarter Pounder with cheese anywhere in the world, but you will never match the ecstasy found here.