KEWPEE vs. RITZY's As far as burger joints, go the original American burger joint was KEWPEE up in Lima, Ohio, that opened back during the oil fields of ancient days when photographs were taken in black and white. The owner with no vision or appetite to franchise lost his original idea to the Wendy's hamburger joint as Dave Thomas took the idea Nationwide. If you're not in LIMA, the next best thing and maybe just something even a little bit better or at least different for sure, is RITZY'S in Columbus, Ohio, right in the middle of everything on high Street! The good: upgraded love to the buns here came from some fancy bread company. This is not like your average bun out of a bag that KEWPEE uses from a factory down the street. These are almost like a brioche bun that just didn't get toasted. That would be some next level they could put on it when they don't have an entire baseball team dropped off and in line to all get a Fitzys combo with fries and a Coke well actually you gotta get Dr Pepper around here. They don't have a Coke distributor ship. the bad: I gotta tell you the only thing I can find wrong with this place is that you want to be lucky enough to be in front of the bus bringing all their kids here to buy them all one double stack Fitzy's combo with Fitzy sauce and special melted cheese and bacon, along with the signature skinny fries that don't come out soggy but crispy every single time. I can't say I've ever been disappointed and got lame fries like other places. the ugly: well, I guess the ugly for this place would have to be the fact that you couldn't eat here every day or you might drop dead of a heart attack. It's not for Dr. Quinn medicine woman or Dr. Oz in his leather chewing Koehl dietary repertoire this is for MEN! Men that like to eat burgers. The food channel came through here and somehow got tricked down to the THURMANATOR hamburger which is half bread, according to The Report from my foodie friend David Aaron Rosenberg. Whatever you do, don't think about crispy, smash burgers with edges crunching at your first bite, all the way to your last bite, on buns that take into account every continuous bite within the five minute rule of the perfect hamburger. #5MinuteRule #NiceBuns #Smashburger #KEWPEEvsRITZYS The ambience of this place is your old-fashioned burger joint with that 50s feel standup tables against the wall window and some tables in the middle if you come with a group. Got my food fast, but I was in front of the baseball team that just showed up! #ProTIPritzys : if the line inside is really long, I saw people ordering from the parking lot and coming right in the front door by the street to get their order quicker. I don't know if they had just happened to Order before the whole baseball team showed up or if there's a little secret to get in the queue faster than the long line that's waiting. Yes you can order online. read more

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This is a must stop place for us anytime we are passing through Columbus. Great little smash burgers, and I truly mean smash burgers, with lacey edges and everything, darn tasty chili dogs, shoestring fries, and some great frozen treats. The family and I stopped on our way through, I had the Ritz, which is a double smash burgers, toppings, etc. As I mentioned, the edges of the burger are actually crispy, the cheese was nice and melted, the bun was soft and chewy. Really nice! I also had a chili cheese dog. They really go for it with the cheese on these things, it's just mounded on there. The chili is a little spicy, not like hot, just warm, and goes great with the beef hot dog, and then the bun for this was perfect again, nice and soft but held up to the toppings well. My wife had a three way chili which is chili and cheese over spaghetti, which sounds kinda funky but she liked it! The kids had kids meals, one hot dog, the other a nice looking grilled cheese. Each kids meal also came with some great ice cream, or so I was told, I didn't try any. It was right around 1:00 pm on a weekday, and it was poppin in there, so make sure you plan to wait a bit for the food line depending on when you go, but it was worth the wait. It's kind of a retro throwback in there, a little bit of old school diner, so kind of cool to just hang out and read the old signs while you wait. read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - 3-way Chili - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Great burger and shake spots. Loved the old diner look. Staffs were very welcoming. Food made to order, was good. read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Ritzy's - Columbus, OH 4 out of 5 stars This was a first-time visit for everyone in our group, and we came in with a mission: each person orders something different, no duplicates, and we all share. Smart move. We left full, satisfied, and already planning what to try on the next round. Unless it was a signature item like the Rodeo Burger or Crispy Pickle Burger, we all ordered our burgers "everything style" -- that includes mayo, ketchup, mustard, tomato, pickle, onion, and lettuce. It's a great way to get a full feel for the standard build if you're new to Ritzy's. This spot had already been talked about as a future lunch stop with my 12-year-old foodie nephew (he wasn't with us this time, but he's definitely coming soon). His comment? "The burgers are crispy on the edges like smash burgers are supposed to be." And yep -- he was absolutely right. -- My Pick: Ritzy Way Burger (with bacon + jalapeños) Great texture, juicy in the middle, crispy edge, and super fresh toppings. I added bacon and jalapeños, but next time I'd go lighter. This is one of those burgers where less really lets the meat shine -- a thoughtful build hits harder than a stacked one. Crispy Pickle Burger We initially thought it could've used something fresh (lettuce? tomato?) but then remembered: it's a tribute to a fried pickle. Crunchy, tangy, and bold -- it nails what it's trying to be. Rodeo Burger I didn't try it (personal ketchup preference), but it looked stacked -- BBQ sauce, cheddar, fried onions, and jalapeños. The group described it as "a rodeo in burger form," and gave it a full-on "Yeehaw." Chili Cheese Dog Surprisingly great! Hot dog had that perfect snap, and the toppings (yellow and brown mustard, chili, cheese, onions) came together perfectly. This chili isn't trying to win awards solo -- but it does its job on a dog, and it does it well. Next time I'm going for the Chicago-style or a build-your-own combo. Fries (Regular + Cheese) Regular fries were crispy, hot, and pretty salty -- which I personally love. Cheese fries were no-frills, just a layer of melted shredded cheddar over fresh fries. Comfort food vibes. Milkshakes (Vanilla & Peach) I didn't try them myself, but the teens with me gave them their full attention. Vanilla was the clear winner -- thick, classic, and just sweet enough. Peach needed a good stir to wake up, but eventually made an appearance. As one teen said: "Vanilla ate. Peach woke up eventually." -- The Vibe: Bright, clean, and fun. Retro diner energy with chrome details, red umbrellas outside, and fast, friendly service. Totally family-friendly, teen-approved, and relaxed -- even when busy. Final Thoughts: In my opinion, Ritzy's beats Five Guys on both price and food quality. Better customization, crispier patties, hot dogs worth ordering (finally), and a more diverse menu. It also gives Culver's a run for its money thanks to stronger flavors and a seasoning game that doesn't miss. First visit = win. Next visit = that Pimento Burger is getting ordered. read more

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Before you notice the food, you will notice the service which is helpful and kind. This was very important because my wife and I were Ritzy's first-timers just trying to get our bearings. We each got a hot dog, and split a double burger & regular fries. Really we could have used a triple burger and large fries because we we weren't full afterwards. Fortunately the ice cream scoops and milkshake helped fill the void, at least for me with the scoops. Unfortunately my wife's peanut butter milkshake was very light in flavor almost to the point of tasting watered down. The Chicago style hot dog had pickle chips instead of a spear which contributed to more of the toppings ending up on the plate than my mouth. The Coney dog was fine. The burger was definitely the star. It was kind of like having a Wendy's burger with McDonald's fries (which I say with fond intent). If you've never been to Ritzy's, go at least once for the charm of this old-time throwback. read more

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This is easily the best milkshake i have ever had the food is amazing. service is good everyone is so nice. ambiance is so good they go fair a retro vibe easily 5 stars. read more

I placed an online order. My food was ready to go when I arrived. Service was fantastic. The staff was very friendly. The restaurant has a classic diner motif. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich for myself, a double cheeseburger for my dad and fries to share. My chicken sandwich was delicious. Chicken was well cooked, toppings provided a good compliment of flavors and the bun was toasted to perfection. My dad raved about his burger. The fries were also good. I need to pay another visit to try the PB&J sandwich and their milkshakes. read more

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This place is great! The staff were very friendly and helpful. It has an old style diner feel in the decor. The food is incredible. They bake their own buns and they are really tasty! The ingredients were fresh and flavorful and the burger was really great. They had crispy shoestring fries, which were delicious! There are a lot of cool throw-back things here too. Overall a really cool place, despite its small size. Also - I tried their ice cream which was also great. Good selection and good options! I've driven by here so much and finally checked them out. I am happy I did and maybe next time i will try a Chicago Dog or chili dog. I highly recommend Ritzy's! read more

It's been years since I've been to Ritzy's. I think I came here when they first reopened. It was busy, and I just wasn't impressed. Flash forward to now, my boyfriend and I are always looking for a new smash burger. I decided to give them another shot and thank goodness I did! They burgers are fantastic. We both got the double burger and loved how they put on the toppings right in front of you. The bun being homemade definitely makes a difference and for the better. The burgers are flavorful, buttery, and huge! So yummy. The fries are fine. Very similar to steak and shake. The ice cream part of the restaurant was popping so clearly it's a favorite of the community. We were stuffed but I will have to be back and try. Clean inside, nice and helpful staff, and decently priced! read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - "The Ritz" Double, small Shoestring French Fries - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I have been to Ritzy's 5 times since the reopening, and 5 times the food and service have been terrible. I commented this on a FB ad of theirs on my feed. People have gone back with me in the comments over my opinion. That's nothing out of the ordinary. But what REALLY earned Ritzy's a 1star review, is the behavior of Ritzy's employee "Corey." Corey, displeased with my comments, decided to confront me directly about them. That would be ok, had he chose to do it at an appropriately time, in an appropriate fashion. Instead, he chose 7am on Christmas Morning to attempt to pick a fight. Corey felt some type of way, and wanted an explanation as to why I "feel the need to publicly throw hate" aka give feedback. He then points out their small size as a business, as if being small meant you were above any sort of criticism? As if I owed YOU my silence, over your repeatedly terrible service... because you're a small business? Ironically, you expect ABOVE AVERAGE customer service from a small family owned business. You don't expect your order to be wrong and slow with rude employees every time, and you certainly don't expect them to harass you at 7am on Christmas Day when you are opening presents with your children. The idea that Ritzy's is this Family owned, Family friendly eatery - but they have such little respect for Christmas, the Holiest day of the year, and probably the most important family holiday of the year... Ritzy's has such little respect for their customers, they have no issue harassing them on Christmas Day, because they have no respect for my Family as well. The irony of Corey pointing out they're a small family business, while attempting to harass me/my family on Christmas Morning at 7am is just hilarious. When I pointed out the day and time he intentionally chose to confront me, rather than apologize for choosing to harass me on Christmas Morning, he doubles down and makes a snide remark with a backhanded "Merry Christmas," as if that would somehow make his behavior acceptable. Incredible. Very Trump-ish. Makes you wonder about what kind of family owns Ritzy's? There was nothing reasonable about attempting to pick a fight at 7am on Christmas morning over FB comments from days/weeks ago. To aggressively confront me directly over my feedback at all would never be appropriate, but to intentionally interrupt my Christmas Morning opening gifts with my children? over a negative comment on Facebook from the week prior? That's a new level of pathetic pettiness. read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - Who harasses customers at 7am on Christmas Day?! - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

After passing Ritzy's a number of times and commenting on how fun it looks, we decided it was time to finally check it out! We opted for a Beyond Burger with cheese on Texas toast - it's nice that they offer a couple of bread/lettuce wrap options - and a Ritzy Way burger on a bun, which comes fully loaded with tomato, pickles, onion, lettuce, cheese, bacon, and Ritzy's sauce. Both were excellent and much enjoyed. The large fry was a very generous portion size and perfect for sharing, but could have used a little more salt. The dessert options were excellent - the chocolate chip cookie was fresh and homemade, so good, just wished it was bigger... so maybe we need to get more next time! The mint Oreo ice cream was delicious too. There is a small parking lot available. Service was fast and efficient despite a crowd. read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - Ritzy Way burger with fries. - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I ordered a Beyond Burger to go from their website. I was thinking they had a drive up window, but they do not. I parked and went inside. The associate handed me my bag with a smile. It was great. Fresh bun with all the toppings. I won't hesitate to order again. read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - Beyond Burger - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The burgers were incredible, the team was very engaging and helpful and the restaurant itself was reminiscent of the diners that I grew up with. My wife and I enjoyed the whole experience and will definitely return! read more

Service was professional, food was delicious and the milkshakes were amazing!! Ambiance was very nostalgic!!

Staff are nice. Food is good, love the fries hot and salty. But no matter how busy or slow they are they can't remember what you just told them. You will get asked at least 4 times what you have and what you want on it or with it. They probably need to give up on whatever they are trying to do and just write it down or use a POS or order system. read more

The cutest place inside and one of my most favorite burgers!! Plus the fries with cheese sauce! Chefs Kiss!!

First time here and it was a pretty cool experience and place! There's not a ton of parking, but there's a decent amount. I'm sure on their busy days, their parking lot fills up quickly. There's a decent amount of seating inside too. It's a line style ordering and it was a bit confusing at first for me, but it's quick and simple. I got the Itzy, which is a single patty and then customized the toppings and sauce. There are a few toppings that are an upcharge, but their basic toppings are included and you can customize those. The burger was made well and not dry, the toppings were wonderful add-ons, and the fries were delicious. I think their shoestring fries were delicious, but very oversalted. One large fry was enough for two of us, it was a good amount! Overall, the atmosphere was welcoming and lively. Staff was very nice, they were so friendly and welcoming. The burgers were pretty good, a quality smashburger. I would recommend this place for small groups, burgers, good fries, and a bit of a throwback experience. read more

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Maybe I just had too many expectations going in? I envisioned a fun 50s throwback diner with thick, juicy burgers. The atmosphere and the food were not that. Fries were hot, fresh and salty. All good there. The "single" burger was super thin and flavorless. It had no discernible burger flavor at all. I ordered it with "the works" toppings and it mostly just tasted like mustard, as they put tons of it on for some reason. I feel like if you have a sign on your building that just says "hamburgers".....you really need to stick the landing with the burger. read more

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Great food and best ice cream! The staff are always friendly and we love the old style diner look inside.

We went to Ritzy's for the first time and definitely recommend this fun 50s throw back diner / restaurant. Fast service, with a great classic menu of burger, fries, ice cream with a twist of unique burger toppings and flavors. My husband had the crispy pickle burger & I ventured out and ordered the PB&J burger with bacon! It was a great sweet and savory combo. The shoestring fries were perfect. It was hard to choose from the fun ice cream flavors, everything from classic vanilla to banana pudding. Yum! Check it out! read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - Ritzy's fun patio seating and take out ice cream window. - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

A splash from the past!! GD Ritzys was a favorite of ours in the 80's. I was excited when I heard someone opened one up in Clintonville, and it has taken me awhile to get there. But all I can say is wow! The burgers are the smashed crispy edge burgers I remember and the fries were so good. We ordered a Chicago dog (I don't remember having those in 80's??) but it had the casing that pops when you bite it. Very very yummy. The crew behind the counter were very friendly and welcoming. There is plenty indoor seating and outdoor seating with umbrellas. The dining room was very clean. Very original burgers and fries, definitely recommend. read more

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I drive out of my way for the burgers and fries here. So delicious and always hot and fresh! Yum!! Fast friendly service.

I have been driving by this place for years, I finally decided to try. In a world of 100 of burger places this place is top notch, friendly service. The bread they use for their burger makes it stand out from five guys and stake a shake. It was so good it won't be my last, unless of course life happens, I hope they can build more locations, i understand this place has been around for years. To bad such a small location, but as far as the burger, quality food read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - a view of the dining area - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Ritzy's has been opened or reopened in Beechwold for a while and I've gone infrequently. They've got a good Chicago dog, great burgers and fries and the ice cream is as good as I remember. They've cherry cordial flavor needs to make a permanent comeback. read more

Let's start with the pros: - super friendly staff - quick service, got the food fresh and fast - 7/10 quality of food - fries were really good and they don't skimp on the portion of them the Cons: - oh my lord that burger was GREASYYYY. I couldn't believe how greasy it was for two paper thin patties. This is why they're only getting two stars. It was literally leaking and smash burgers don't really do that. - I love a smash burger but these were like beyond paper thing and $12 for basically just veggies and bun doesn't really make this an affordable option in my eyes it was $16+ for that and large fries and for $4 more I can get a banging burger at Northstar down the street and it's way higher quality and an 1 1/2 thick. was pretty disappointed not gonna the lie. the fries saved the day read more

I was honestly so impressed by this Ritzy's! I grew up outside of Columbus, and my hometown "G. D." Ritzy's is known to be pretty run-down and decent at best. That is what I expected here, but it absolutely exceeded my expectations. This location is way bigger than it looks from the outside and very clean inside. In addition to stool and table seating, there is seating outside. Lots of parking that you can't see from the street too. Prices and menus are clearly posted, and the cook and cashier we interacted with were both very friendly and helpful. The patties at Ritzy's are thin ("smashed", I guess?) and a bit crispy on the edges. They are so good!! They are offering a plant-based option of Beyond Beef burgers (will try next time!) but keep in mind that they are cooked on the same grill as the meat. Our burgers and fries were a bit salty, but still delicious. My partner added bacon to his burger, and it had a great texture and sweetness for a burger. The fries are shoestring fries, PERFECTLY crispy. The cheese sauce isn't the greatest, but it's not Ritzy's without the cheese sauce. The smallest burger along with fries was the perfect amount for me. I wish I hadn't made assumptions about this place, because it is a top tier fast food joint for very reasonable prices, for Columbus. We will definitely be back! read more

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Amazing burger and fries. The milkshakes are second to none. If you remember Ritzy's on campus in the 80's, this is the place!

First time at Ritzys, I've passed this place so many times since I work over this way. I have to say it was subpar, everything was so over priced for what you got. The burger patty was so thin and cheese was .75 cents extra. However the shake was good along with the fries. Service was 10/10, the guy made us new fries and walked our shakes outside for us without hesitation. It was a nice day to eat outside on there picnic tables, which were clean. I would defiantly go back for the shakes and ice cream, but not the food. read more

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Old- fashioned style diner ambiance with excellent food, good options for kids, and friendly service and staff.

Honestly, I'm upset I lived 38 years of my life without knowing about this place!! This is everything I've ever wanted in a diner - thin burger patties, shoestring fries, ample food/side options BESIDES just burgers and fries, quality ingredients, and THE most delicious shakes. The only thing they need to offer is a punch card for frequent diners! :) read more

I've stopped in at Ritzy's a couple of times since it opened for fries or ice cream, but am not a regular because I don't eat beef and (believe it or not) am not a huge PB&J fan, though theirs looks pretty special. The hand dipped shakes are rich and creamy with just the right amount of whipped cream. This is important, I don't want too much, but I do love it. They serve shoestring fries with some seasoned salt, which I just love. So, I was Beyond excited to drive past last week and see a sandwich board out front offering Beyond burgers for a "limited time," pun intended. In we go! My fake burger was MTO and they were very efficient. After ordering, you chose your vegetable toppings and ketchup/mayo/mustard. I got lettuce, chopped tomato, crispy onions (!), and swiss with mayo. The burger is a little smashed, and I really like a good smash burger. I'm down for anything with crispy onions. Finally, they don't bag your fries until the rest of the order is ready, whether it's ice cream or a burger, to keep them nice and fresh, which I thought was a nice touch. I loved my burger, well cooked and a nice flavor from the crispy onions. I really hope the keep Beyond around long term! I'll be back for sure, maybe tomorrow. read more

Ritzy's Clintonville - Pup cup on the patio for @korajopuppup - Burgers Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Do Yourself and family a Solid and go see my Peoples Ms.Georgia and find out what a 1970's chocolate shake is All About!!!!' The coneys are Great and so are the cheeseburgers!!!! Thank You again Ms.Georgia My chocolate shake barista!!!!! LoL To the management, she deserves to be Acknowledged! read more

Went there last night and was so disappointed. The burger had no flavor - none the bacon was too salty the tomato was not ripe the only thing tasty on my burger was the onion. $17 wasted. read more

What a throwback... This place is really cool it is like the restaurants of the 50's and 60's. The service was awesome - great staff. The burgers were delicious. The chili cheese fries were really good. I don't normally eat at "fast food" restaurants but this was a great time. It has that steak and shake vibe but ritzy's has great service and really good food. read more

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I LOVE going here when I'm nearby! It's not fast food cheap, but it's definitely not Five Guys expensive either. I believe it is far better than any fast food burger/fry combos when you look at quality vs price. The fries are super fresh (I enjoy the original sauce to dip them in), and I admit this is a weird combo, but if anyone has ever been to Bearden's up in Cleveland, peanut butter on a burger is amazing (and is an option here!) I personally like to get the peanut butter, jam, and crispy onion on my burger. I bet the fruit and peanuts they also have would be nice additions (similar to how they do their PBJ), but I believe they cost extra. Their shakes and ice cream are also pretty awesome. Service is great -- any small mistakes (which occur infrequently) have been corrected quickly and graciously. It's not exactly a 50s diner vibe, but it's a pretty good modern, fast food take on one. read more

Reminds me of Johnny rockets that no longer is in Columbus, only better. I need to try other items there but a solid choice for smash burger style. read more

I can't believe it's taken me this long to come here, but I finally made it today. I grew up going to the Huntington WV location and I was thrilled when Columbus opened up one once again. It's a fast food 1950s style place. Thin crispy hamburger patties, shoestring French fries. It's one of the only places I ever like fries so it's a treat for me. The burger patties remind me of what Wendy's was many years ago, plenty of beef and crispy on the wedges. The staff was very kind and there are dividers up around the tables. I will happily come back again very soon. read more

I love you guys and your food, but please don't ever package someone's food like this again, what a mess. Hotdogs were stacked up at the bottom of the food bag. Half the toppings remained inside the bag. What happened to the old way you packaged food? It was so much better when the food was actually wrapped up or boxed up in the case of burgers. read more

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They had a GD Ritzy's in my hometown when I was a kid, but they went out of business years ago and I had no idea they were even still in existence. Was really glad yo find one in Columbus. The food was just as good as I remembered. read more

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Love the burgers, love the fries. One of my favorites in Columbus. My kids like the ice cream too. I wish there were more than one.