If you're a student at USC with limited meal swipes or just wondering which dining hall you should go to, look no further for this is my honest review of USC's three dining halls.
1. Everybody's Kitchen (EVK)
Sandwiched between Birnkrant and New North, EVK is the closest restaurant for students living in Birnkrant, New North, and the South Residential Colleges. Its hot line usually consists of mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, thick crust pizza, green beans, fried chicken, and meat loaf. Occasionally, EVK serves up a customizable fries bar with regular or curry french fries to choose from. The best part about EVK is its soup and self-serve salad bar. However, you can expect to see them still serving breakfast food such as bacon, french toast, and scrambled eggs at 2PM on the weekends.
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
2. Parkside Restaurant & Grill
Situated near the southwest Exposition lawn, Parkside is notorious for being a long walk for students living in the south and east freshmen dorms. There is usually a long line for Parkside's Bistro options which rotate from customizable ravioli, noodles, fried rice, or poke bowl. However, Parkside is the place for you if you're looking for Asian for vegetarian food.
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
3. Village
USC's newest dining hall is the Village, which opened fall of 2017 to replace USC's previous dining hall, Café 84. With its architecture reminiscent of Hogwarts, the Village is by far my most anticipated restaurant to visit. You can probably find healthy options such as tofu, kale, and some type of fish here. Nevertheless, its main attraction is the crepes and gelato. Obviously, they are not nearly as tasty as Crepevine or Talenti, but you can order as much as you want if you wait in line again.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
In conclusion, considering the fact that they are located on a college campus, USC's dining halls have exceeded my expectations. The meals are healthy enough to the point where you don't have to worry about gaining the freshmen fifteen if you watch what you eat. So swipe away and bon appétit!
