The Good, The Bad, and The Very Very Ugly: Oxley’s 

The Good, The Bad, and the Very Very Ugly is an AROUSE special series tackling the ins and outs of campus food.

When I first arrived on this campus in the Fall of 2022, I was scared out of my mind. It was my first time away from home, and all I really knew how to cook was chicken, rice, and boxed macaroni and cheese. Even so, I could barely actually cook when living in the dorms. Thankfully, of course, I had a meal plan, and since I lived on North Campus, the closest dining hall to me was Scott Traditions. I quickly grew tired of getting the same old Scott burger and waffles with that drizzle of honey, or the occasional grilled cheese, so I decided to branch out elsewhere. I was rummaging through the onslaught of options on Grubhub when I saw Oxley’s for the first time. 

My love story with Oxley’s starts here. I remember ordering an English Muffin breakfast sandwich with a Buckeye Mocha. I hadn’t tasted a meal so good in months, and I was immediately head over heels for this tiny breakfast sandwich. Originally, I thought my fondness for this sandwich arose just because I was so deprived of any good, real food for so long, and I assumed my love would soon fade. But no, it didn’t. Now, as I am halfway through my third year, I still almost always choose Oxley’s for lunch. You can customize their menu items with so many different options. Whether you’re feeling a bagel, English muffin, croissant, or even a pretzel bun, this little guy has got your back. 

I know I named this section The Good, The Bad, and The Very Very Ugly, so I can’t just rave about Oxley’s the whole time. Honestly, though, there’s nothing in “The Bad” section I can even think of. Besides the sheer lack of seating and long wait times that comes with the ever-overpopulated Ohio State University, there is nothing I can say against this little café on North Campus. 

That was, until I was editing this article late at night, and realized I missed The Very Very Ugly… my biggest pet peeve with this piece of heaven is their sound system. There are TWO different sound systems with different radio stations playing at the same time. Just yesterday, I made the horrid mistake of forgetting my headphones at home. So, of course, I went to the only place on campus that can be justified as comfort food. I noticed that the area right by the Grub-Hub pick-up spot was a disharmony of Spice Girls and Taio Cruz, and it bothered me to whole new level. 

Tangent aside, Oxley’s by the Numbers is one of the best places you can spend your swipes on. You can build your own egg sandwich, sandwich, sub, or your own hot dog too! Whether you just had a rough exam and need some comfort food, want a spot for a date nicer than Canes, or simply need a quick bite to eat in between your classes, Oxley’s is for you.