Jinny's Cafe

Taking the unknown road may bring you treasure or danger, but the other path will kill you with boredom.

I learnt of this place from someone who lives in the Cincinnati area.  For most people, it's in the middle of nowhere.  It's along a chain of small towns from Portland to Berne along U.S. 27, a road that winds from Florida to Michigan.  Bryant is a bit closer to the north end, obviously.

I'm thinking that, as a child we stopped here on the way to the lakes near Angola.  During summer, my mum would rent a cabin and we would travel all the way up there.  Bryant is over 50 miles away from where we lived and where I currently live, so even now, it's a tiny trip.

If I was here in the past, I don't think the place has changed past the 1970s, and it seems to have had an upgrade back then from the 1940s.  If you're looking for an amazing interior, forget it.  It looks as though it would have been okay in the 1970s.  Now, it just looks tired.  It reminds me of a 1940s truck stop I photographed recently.  This has a dining room, and another room with the counter and a few tables in front of the kitchen.

I ordered a Mushroom Swiss Burger and fries.  The menu mentioned 4 ounces of beef, mushrooms, swiss cheese, and grilled onions.  When it arrived, I was shocked at the mountain of fries.  It was difficult to see the sandwich.  Both were good, but at my first bite into the sandwich, something crunched and I didn't want to find out what it was!  For all I know, it was egg shell because she had just pulled some eggs from the shelf--not the fridge--the shelf that you can see through the pass-thru.  (If it was something else, I really wouldn't want to know.  Some people talk about drunk food, so maybe this place is 100% better when you're drunk.)  The sandwich was great, although I think Hardee's still has the lock on Mushroom Swiss burgers.  The fries were also good--not greasy.  Having a migraine, I was between a sick feeling and needing to eat, so I finished the sandwich and some fries and paid my bill.

Before I left the counter, someone brought a tray of "fresh" sweet rolls.  I don't know anything about Jinny's but I would think that sweet rolls and donuts/doughnuts would be much fresher if they were made and delivered in the morning, instead of 7:30 in the evening.

The waitress was friendly but not overly so.  I listened to a few men sitting near me at the counter, discussing the area, but no one tried to engage me in conversation, but no one gave me weird or angry looks, thankfully.  You'll probably find it an agreeable area and a good place to stop compared to the few options in either direction.

Bryant calls itself the Crossroads of America.  This is a small town with friendly people.  There arent any factories or jobs in town.  If ur looking for Gordon Ramsey or Bobby Flay than this place isnt for you.  What this place has is good, truck stop grub...nothing more and nothing less and thats the way the owner/customers like it.
This place has been around forever.  Best biscuits and gravy in the area.  Very busy in the morning w/breakfast crowd that are mostly locals.  Truckers also come in and enjoy.  If you're looking for a great breakfast than stop in anytime.  Also if u need to sober up than get gravy on ur hash browns.  
No salads or quiche on the menu...just good food.