Plank’s Cafe

Pizza tastes fresh, ingredients are good. The crust tastes like it has splenda in it. Not the greatest mixture. The rest of the offerings are pretty standard diner food, the people seem pretty friendly.

Best place in town all around! Love this place, best pizza EVER, great people!!!
We go often… have for many years…
Love you Planks.
Jeannie (Moore) Baker

So many people are crazy about their red sauce, but I don’t care for sweet pizza sauce. The service is fine and I like the vibe for a «historic» place, plenty to look at! The beer list is sad. But I’d like to try their breakfast sometime soon. Will update.

stay away from this place. I’ve better food in my high school cafeteria. well, at least it’s better than jail food. the service sucks too. seriously. many better options.

Just ordered delivery of two large pizza pies… Normally Planks has very good pie… But tonight what a disappointment… They seem to be a little smaller than normal, very thin and very doughy in the middle… And to make things a little worse… I talked to a manager about them… and he just didn’t seem to be that concerned about it… Not the planks I’m used to…

«Matty’s Big 10 Pizzas of Columbus»:
I am a bit of a fanatic when it comes to the old school pizza joints here in the capital city. The franchise chains and sell-​outs (Donato’s and Rotolo’s) have nothing on the original family-​owned and run pizza parlors that serve up our uniquely Ohio take on a true pie; thin crust, toppings to the edge, and the square «city» cut.
That being said, there are very few of these classic establishments left, and even fewer that I haven’t tried at least once. My quest this summer is tough work; to hit as many as possible and rate the very best.
The Pizza House, just off Sinclair, is never disappointing and has and has easily earned a spot in my «Big 10» with a pizza shop that offers the best of both worlds.
Plank’s on Parsons in German Village is a unique selection on my list. While they serve up a delicious thin crust pie with toppings out to the edge, Plank’s crust is a little bit different.
Just a hint of sweetness in the dough makes their offering highly distinctive. Sweet crust may sound strange and it isn’t for everyone, but somehow it works!
Give Plank’s s try next time you are in GV and you will not regret it. This is a quintessentially Ohio experience and a damn good pizza.

Ok so the last couple of reviews do not count I was another person then. I am here to say their is something so nostalgic about this pizza. I hate pepperoni and this pizza has all that I hate about pepperoni, (And I will not tell you what those are because then you will be looking for it and this is supposed to be a positive review, after all) but still for some reason It is soooooo sooooo good. My mouth is watering thinking about it. And the crust sells it. Sweet and yummy.
Careful not not to get it confused with the other plank’s they are not the same at all!

A Columbus Tradition — Plank’s is one of the most tradition filled spots in Columbus. The atmosphere is perfect for an Ohio State basketball game – accompanied by a pitcher of beer – or pizza night with the family. When you step through the door at planks you always feel welcome (yes, a Cheers-​like feeling where everybody knows your name). Plenty of new HD televisions line the walls along with unique Columbus memorabilia (including the licence plates of a former Columbus CEO; huge portraits of Woddy, Tressel, and Matta; and various antiques signs from long defunct Columbus breweries). Be sure to say hi to the owner Tommy who will remind you of Moe from the Simpsons.

Atmosphere is awesome, staff is very good. Pizza is good but had a very unique taste. Very sweet. Takes you by surprise at first. Im more of a savory pizza fan which is the reason for the 3 star.
Would go again but would have to be a craving for it.

Pizza is a sweet crust, can’t fill up on it but great to order and munch on while drinking beers with friends. Beers are a little pricey for the area. Staple of Columbus.

I have been here and had the pizza several times. I knew the pizza crust had a slight sweetness to it and that has been okay, in the past. Tonight I got a small cheese and mushroom with extra sauce and I am glad I only got the small. The crust was SUPER SWEET this time around. So sweet, I think I have diabetes now. Dear, Planks: You’ve GOT to do better.

Why in the world would anyone not love Planks??? I want Planks so bad just writing this review… mmmmmmm so good!!!

I’ll confess to being biased as my family has enjoyed good times at Planks for years. But there has to be a reason we return right? The obvious answer is the pizza. The sauce and crust are the right kind of sweet and the atmosphere is that make yourself at home welcoming.

The only reason I’m giving this four stars and not three is because I love their pizza. And their Italian sub. I have to agree with Jillian in her analysis of the drink prices. Outrageous. But more on this in a minute.
I’ve been here a few times with my old boss who was a regular and knows the owners personally. I went last weekend with my parents and got something besides pizza. I got their Italian sub. My Mom got chicken and noodles and my Dad got their Swiss steak. I didn’t realize that they even served real, home-​cooked meals. I tried both of theirs and they were outstanding. The Swiss steak sauce had tomatoes in it which is the real way to make Swiss steak, not some brown sauce. The chicken and noodles was outstanding. Very runny but tasty and both of their meals came with mashed potatoes. Italian sub was excellent. It was toasted and had all of the staples: pizza sauce, ham, pepperoni, salami, banana peppers, etc.
Overall, this place is a good, old-​fashioned local yokel place that has been in Columbus for years. It’s mostly an older crowd and families. Ohio State galore and sports themed.
Now, their drink prices… I don’t understand why this place hasn’t invested in a fountain pop machine. They still serve cans of pop. It seems to me that it would be cheaper to have a fountain machine that would provide their customers with free refills. I had one can of Diet Pepsi and felt like I had to nurse it so that I wouldn’t have to pay for another. I ended up just getting a glass of ice water in the end. Their pitcher prices are insane. $ 14 for a pitcher of Blue Moon. It’s not even a huge pitcher. Also, they serve their draft beers in tiny mugs. This is the only beef I have. If they would lower these prices, I’m sure they would get more of the younger crowd of German Village and Merion Village and NW Hospital employees for after work.
Anyway, this business model has apparently worked for them so I applaud it. They have been around since the 1930s and I’m sure I will be going back with some regularity. Damn good pizza no matter what anybody says!

I wasn’t impressed. The pizza crust was way too sweet.
Service was good, the waitress visited 2 or 3 times.

First the good: The people are super nice and welcoming and comfortable.
Yup that’s it.
I had ordered pizza there before and absolutely hated it. And trust me, you’d be hard pressed to see me order a pizza and throw it away. WAY too sweet. It was gross.
Now I live walking distance to the place so was hoping to have a good place to go. This is not it.
Remember before you moved to the city and thought the little restaurant in our town had good food? Then you ate real, fresh food? That’s what this place is like.
I ordered the bacon cheeseburger that doesn’t come with anything. The SMALLEST burger I have ever seen outside of a fast food joint. For 8 bucks. No fries. Nada. The burger itself tasted good but was so small. It brought me back to the «where’s the beef» commercials. The bun it came on was clearly store bought. The kind you had as a kid but not in a good way. They would do well to take advantage of a great local bakery.
Because it came with nothing. NADA. I ordered the Fried Mushrooms. Clearly frozen and popped into the fryer. Again, they’d do themselves and us a huge favor by getting fresh mushrooms and hand breading them.
The menu is very old school and seriously the burger was the only thing that was semi appealing to me.
The older locals must like them as it’s been there, apparently, since the 1930’s. But it surprises me that the older crowd would be willing to spend so much for so little.

The pizza here is delicious! So far I have been to this location on two separate occasions, and both times I have had the pizza. The sweet crust is definitely a unique twist, and I found it to be quite tasty when paired with the zesty tomato sauce. Their pizza prices are a little high, but not completely crazy for a sit-​down restaurant. They also have a popcorn machine, so they offer free baskets of popcorn as well as peanuts. There is plenty of seating, and just the right amount of televisions if you wanted to watch a game without being bombarded by flat screens.
Here’s what I don’t understand about this place– the drink prices! Several others have mentioned this and it’s totally spot-​on. Alcohol prices are way too high for what they offer, and you only get a 12oz pour. They don’t have fountain beverages, so even if you get a soda/​pop they bring you a can (i.e. no free refills). The glasses of wine are fairly priced at $ 5.50, but I can’t imagine a world where a pitcher of beer costs $ 14 in a midwestern city.
Come for the pizza, and get yourself an ice cold glass of water to wash it down.

Sorry Plank’s. I’ve heard good things about you, but sweet pizza is not for me. The crust is just way too sweet for my taste and the aftertaste is not something I’m enjoying.
I really wanted to like you — I love supporting local businesses. Perhaps, I should have ordered a sub or some fish instead of the pizza :(

Very disappointed. I love me some sweet taste in my pizza, but this was the worst pizza I’ve ever had in my life. I have a taste in my mouth that frightens me. Forgive me for these harsh words and more power to you if you enjoy this… t must not be for me.

Planks has been a long time and for good reason they make a slamming pizza pie. The cheese is deliciously real and toppings fresh.
Tonight though, I’m pretty certain they had a miscalculation on ingredient amounts. The crust tasted like a honey bun. Good? Bad? I couldn’t decide — but it was definitely not the normal that I remember from before.
I’d normally give this joint 4 stars but I didn’t care for sweet crust. I’ll pop in soon and give it another try.