UPDATE: This location of Scrambler Marie’s has CLOSED. Check their website for other locations.
Scrambler Marie’s
6152 Cleveland Ave.
Columbus, OH 43231
(614) 901-9604
Open 6:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily
Accepts cash and credit cards
Date of Visit: Friday, July 17, 2009 at 7:30 a.m.
IMPRESSIONS: I’ve been going to Scrambler Marie’s (or just Scrambler’s, as it was once known) for years. There was a group of guys who used to meet every Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast and conversation. We became such regulars that we had a set table, a set server, and they knew most of our orders. Yeah, we were those guys.
ATMOSPHERE: The two Scrambler’s I’ve visited indicate that the early opening, the quiet atmosphere, and reliable food and service make this a great place for regular meetings or visits. The restaurant is split into several different sections and levels, so it offers booths and tables with a decent amount of privacy. Case in point: the group of guys I used to visit with. The folks at Scrambler’s got to know us so well that they pushed together a couple tables in a side room for us. That way we could talk and laugh without bothering anyone else.
The decor reminds me of First Watch: a mix of cool beige and turquoise with warm oranges.
FOOD: Scrambler’s offers a sizable breakfast menu: pancakes, waffles, French toast, sandwiches, omelets, wraps, skillets, benedicts, even a light menu and selections for seniors. Plus the All-American Breakfasts, which offer your eggs/meat/potatoes combos. Not to mention the “Bread Pantry” and the sides. Each area is named after a member of Marie’s family: Peter’s Breakfast Wraps, Heidi Marie’s Omelets, and so on. One of the skillets is called Uncle Moose’s Manhandler, a skillet full of potatoes, bacon, ham, sausage, onions, cheese, and covered with two basted eggs. We once asked, and, yes, there is an Uncle Moose. And his skillet handles you more than you handle it. We also had a friend who ate these so regularly he earned the nickname “Uncle Moose.”
My favorite is usually The Classic or The American. Three eggs, choice of meat (bacon!), choice of side (hash browns!), plus pancakes on the side. The All-American Breakfasts are offered at special prices ($1-2 cheaper) Monday through Friday, 6:30-11 a.m. Bonus! Coffee is always decent, although you have to ask for Splenda – my sweetener of choice. I don’t like the taste of Equal and Sweet N Low is too bitter. Although I feel like I should switch to plain old sugar. Anyway…
Overall, I consider the food here pretty average. Not bad, but just a wide variety done in pretty standard ways.
SERVICE: Service is always good here. They also always set out water with lemon for you, and they leave the pot of coffee on the table. (You can also buy pounds of their coffee at the door.) The food moves quickly, and they’re always friendly. Plenty of the middle-aged sassy-type servers.
OVERALL: I always enjoy Scrambler’s for breakfast. I don’t find it to be anything exceptional, but they open early, are always friendly, and the food is reliable and filling. I would give Scrambler’s stand-by status, meaning that it’s always a good stand-by when you need someplace to go for breakfast, but there are better options out there.
OTHER LINKS:
