Make Time for the Tick Tock

You won’t find the Tick Tock Tavern on Greater Lafayette’s traditional trail of restaurants. Tucked off N. Ninth St., it’s the kind of spot where regulars inquire about tomorrow’s specials while savoring the special they ordered today.

The Tick Tock has been an institution for more than 70 years, maintaining its name since its 1947 conversion from a cigar/grocery shop. With a wide array of burgers, sandwiches, entrees and breakfast items (available all day), the restaurant blends both the bar and diner aesthetic.

Portions are plentiful no matter what you order, so you won’t head home hungry. And if you visit when there are no sports on, the TVs above the bar are just as apt to show an episode of “The Price is Right” or perhaps the afternoon news.

A standout among the standard omelet fare is the Tick Tock’s Reuben omelet, served with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese along with a side of Thousand Island dressing. (You can also get a Reuben burger.) The corned beef has a good texture, and the ingredient ratio rides the line just right — the sour and savory snap of the sauerkraut colliding nicely with the cheese-and-egg comforts of an omelet. Throw in a side of well-browned, crisp-top hash browns, and you’ve got a breakfast blend of seasoned and surprising tastes for which you’ll want to make time.