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The dining halls close at 9 p.m. on Monday to Thursday and 8 p.m. on Friday to Sunday. The other dining options, with the exception of Taco Bell, close well before then. However, hunger knows no such timeline. What then, is the Notre Dame student to eat for fuel during late nights of study and mischief? 

Fortunately, students have been  addressing this issue for many years by creating restaurants within their respective dorms. Dorm restaurants serve multiple purposes. The most immediate one is to provide convenient, affordable bites to eat for students during the hours when the university’s dining options are closed. They also serve a communal purpose, creating hubs of social activity late at night where students, including those of different halls, gather to eat. 

I have sought to compile a comprehensive list of all dorm food services as a resource for hungry students. In the process of creation, I have interviewed owners, workers and diners for their input on the phenomena; I have also received much free food. 

From these forays, I have learned that the relationship between establishment and customer is mutually beneficial. The workers value their interactions with the customers, many of whom they have never met before, and the customers value the convenience of the food as well as its quality. Dorm restaurants foster friendships and provide nourishment. 

Joe Hunt, the owner of Stanford Hall’s Griffin Kitchen, gave his take on the food scene. “Griffin Kitchen bridges the gap between feeding students late at night when there are no food options available and providing opportunities for students to get paid and to build community in their dorm,” Hunt said. His inspiration to create Griffin Kitchen stems from a “love for food and desire to eat quality food that positively affects performance whether in the classroom or outside.” 

With respect to community building, Hunt said, “Stanford has an ongoing joke between ‘puddlers’ and ‘drizzlers,’ people who put the sauce adjacent to the quesadilla or people who drizzle the sauce all over the quesadilla.” These fun labels encourage joking and bonding between the Stanford community. Even after Hunt graduates and leaves Notre Dame, Griffin Kitchen may become a permanent part of Stanford. “I hope that by the end of my time here at Notre Dame,” Hunt said, “Griffin Kitchen will be the most impactful dorm-restaurant on campus for years to come.” Only time will tell. 

Without further delay, please make use of this food guide. Eat well!

Smuggler’s Cove (Baumer Hall)

• Hours: Tue-Thur 8-11 p.m.; Fri-Sat 10-1 a.m.
• Menu
  • Grilled Cheese
    • Traditional $3 (w/ chicken $5)
    • BBQ $3.5
    • Buffalo $3.5
  • Appetizers
    • Chicken nuggets $4
    • Mozzarella sticks $4
  • Milkshakes
    • Vanilla $3
    • Chocolate $3
    • Flavor of the month $3
    • 2 scoops $3

Carroll Kitchen (Carroll Hall)

• Hours: Thur 9-11 p.m.
• Menu
  • Entrée $4
  • Sides $2
  • Milkshake $2
• Comments
  • Carroll Kitchen works with their Multicultural Commissioner to coordinate menus inspired by cuisines from around the world. 

Dillon Food Service (Dillon Hall)

• Hours: Sun-Wed 10-12 a.m.; Tue 9-11 p.m.
• Menu
  • Pizza Bagels
    • Cheese $2 (3 for $5)
    • Pepperoni $2.25 (3 for $5.5)
    • Buffalo Chicken $2.5 (3 for $6)
    • BBQ Chicken $2.5 (3 for $6)
    • Chicken Parmesan $2.5 (3 for $6)
    • Chick Fil A $2.5 (3 for $6)
  • Quesadillas
    • Cheese $1.5
    • Chicken $2
  • Chicken nuggets
    • 6 count $2.5

Duncan Grille (Duncan Hall)

• Hours: Sun-Thur 10-12 a.m.
• Menu
  • Quesadillas
    • Dubbuff* $5; Singlebuff* $3
    • CBR $5; SingleCBR $3
  • Nachos
    • Chicken $3.5
    • Cheese $2.5
  • Miscellaneous 
    • Pizza Roll $0.25 per
    • Soda/Gatorade $1.5
    • Ice cream sandwich $1.5
• Comments
  • *Dubbuff stands for Double Buffalo Chicken, and Single Buff stands for Single Buffalo Chicken. CBR stands for Chicken Bacon Ranch.

PDR – Pizza Dunne Right (Dunne Hall)

• Hours: Sun-Thur 9-12 a.m.
• Menu
  • Pizza $1-$1.5 slice/$7-$10 pie

Café Far Far (Farley Hall)

• Hours: Not Yet Established
• Menu
  • Smoothies $3
  • Milkshakes $3
• Comments
  • Café Far Far has been open for sale in past years but has not yet established hours of operations.

Zaland (Keenan Hall)

• Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30-12:30 a.m.; Sat-Sun 11:30-2:30 a.m.
• Menu
  • Pizza $1 slice/$8 pie

Knott Food Sales (Knott Hall)

• Hours: Sun-Wed 7-10 p.m.
• Menu
  • Sunday: Pizza Bagels
  • Monday: Grilled Cheese
  • Tuesday: Ramen
  • Wednesday: Waffles
• Comments
  • The menu changes by each day, and prices vary. All proceeds go to charity.

Snack Shack (McGlinn Hall)

• Hours: Sun/Wed 9:30-10:30 p.m.
• Menu
  • Brownie sundaes $1
• Comments
  • Brownie sundaes are served after dorm masses. All proceeds go directly to St. Adalbert’s Catholic Church. 

Yaz’s (Morrissey Manor)

• Hours: Sun-Wed 10:30-12 a.m.
• Menu
  • Mac ‘n Cheese 
    • Plain $1
    • W/ Chicken $2
    • W/ Pork $2.5
  • Sliders
    • Chicken $1
    • Pork $1.5
  • Meat Boat
    • Chicken $3
    • Chicken and pork $3.5
    • Pork $4
  • Milkshakes
    • Shake of the day
• Comments
  • The food is served with a wide variety of different BBQ sauces. A meat boat is the pulled meat served a la carte.

Spanky’s (O’ Neill Family Hall)

• Hours: Mon-Thur 10-12 a.m.
• Menu
  • Whole Pizza
    • Pepperoni $5
  • STIX* (Pep, BBQ Chick, CBR)
    • 2 for $3; 3 for $4
  • Miscellaneous
    • Chips and Soda $1.5
    • Chicken Nuggets 5 for $1
    • Soda $1
    • Chips $1
    • Mozzarella Sticks 2 for $1.5
    • Cookies (sugar/chocolate chip) 2 for $1
    • Pizza Rolls 5 for $1
• Comments
  • *STIX are essentially miniature pizzas: the respective toppings are arranged on breadsticks and baked, hence the name STIX. Pep stands for pepperoni; BBQ Chick stands for barbecue chicken; and CBR stands for chicken bacon ranch. A variety of sauces are served with STIX’s.

Eds (St. Edward’s Hall)

• Hours: Sun-Thur 10-12 a.m.
• Menu
  • Chicken Nuggets $2
  • Mozzarella Sticks $2
  • Milkshakes $2
  • Smoothies $2
  • Paninis $4

Eddy’s Late Night Eats (Sorin Hall)

• Hours: Fri-Sat 11:30-2:15 a.m.
• Menu
  • Soft Pretzel (salted or cinnamon sugar)
  • 8-Count Chicken Nuggets
  • Beverages
    • Minute-Maid Lemonade
    • Bottled Water
    • Coke
    • Diet Coke
    • Sprite
• Comments
  • Food is ordered via QR code. Pretzels are served either with cheese dip or icing. A variety of sauces are offered with chicken nuggets.

Griffin Kitchen (Stanford Hall)

• Hours: Mon-Sat 10-12:30 a.m.
• Menu
  • Griffidillas*
    • Chicken $3
    • Cheese $2
• Comments
  • *The name Griffidilla is a play on the words Griffin, the legendary creature that is part lion and part eagle, and quesadilla, a Mexican dish consisting of a griddle-cooked tortilla traditionally filled with meat and cheese. Griffidillas are garnished with cilantro and served with the house special sauce.