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If you missed part one of this two part extravaganza, you can find it here. Today burger23 over at our friends One Foot Down will let us know where to grab a bite to eat and grab some beers while visiting Notre Dame.
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Ok, you've made it to campus and the game isn't going to start for a few hours. Where can you grab a bite to eat? The better question might be, where can't you get something to eat? The dining halls are open to the public, so you can always hit up South Dining Hall (SDH) or North Dining Hall (NDH). However, you'll be paying somewhere around $13 a person and you'll be fighting for space with the undergrads. And don't even try to find a table at SDH when the band gets there. Overall, I'd avoid the dining halls. Fun fact, some people like to compare South Dining Hall to the Great Hall in the Harry Potter movies and books because of the long rows of tables. Notre Dame even held "Harry Potter Day" last year and turned all the tables so they ran the length of the dining room like in the movies.
Inspiration for Harry Potter? You decide.
via sas-origin.onstreammedia.com
Of course, there are cheaper and easier options. Out on the quads you'll find tons of stands run by different dorms and organizations raising money. Find the one with the shortest line or run by your favorite dorm/organization (might I suggest looking for the one manned by the men of Dillon Hall?) and grab a burger or brat. They're set up all over, so finding one won't be a problem.
If you want something with a little more tradition, the Knights of Columbus sell steak sandwiches on South Quad before every game and have been for over thirty years. Just find the guy sitting on a ladder yelling at people through a bullhorn and you're all set. The line can get long, but the money goes towards a good cause and the sandwiches are good.
Finally, if you want to go inside to eat, you can go to Reckers, which is located behind SDH. They serve mostly sandwiches and have pretty good smoothies and milkshakes. It's a little pricey and will probably be quite busy, so I would probably recommend staying away.
After the game, you'll probably be hungry, and luckily there are a lot of options to choose from.
First, you can try going to SDH or NDH. While for lunch it's a bit of a rip-off, you might find it worthwhile for dinner. The dining halls hold a candlelight dinner and serve some pretty high quality food. A few times a year they have prime rib and they always have a mix of really good deserts. If you want to plan ahead, you can check the menu here. Again, it's going to be expensive and crowded, but the crowds aren't too bad if you're willing to wait until 60-90 minutes after the game ends (but don't be too late because they close two hours after the game ends), but then you run the risk of them running out of the really good food and deserts. Unfortunately, it does happen sometimes.
If you're in the mood for a sports bar-type place, you can go to Legends, which is located near the stadium. The food is good and the beer and liquor selection isn't too bad and neither are their prices. This is will probably require a long wait, however. After the thrashing Notre Dame inevitably gives South Florida, you may not be in the mood to eat at a place where the walls are lined with Notre Dame stuff, so keep that in mind.
Drankin'
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Well if you don't know what to do in South Bend now, I don't know how to help you. Thanks again to burger and the guys at OFD for helping out.