Doing dinner downtown at Dave's

"It's kind of the default hang out," said fifth-year Thaddeus Hollingsworth. "If you need somewhere just to hang out, Dave's is the place to go."

Dave's Taverna offers a taste of Greece-gyros, olives, and spanakopita. The menu does not stop there. Pizza, pasta, and burgers also top the list. Dave's offers an eclectic range of more exotic pizza toppings: Romano and feta cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and pesto sauce.

"I don't like onions," said junior Emily Miller, "but there's this one pizza-the Athenian-that has onions on it and it's so good that I don't even mind."

A mixture of good food and atmosphere has made Dave's Taverna-known affectionately as Dave's-a Harrisonburg hit. The restaurant moved from its former location two years ago and now operates at 121 S. Main St., one block away. They have kept much of the style and menu-including the winding metal staircase to the second floor.

When one steps in the front entrance, port-style windows offer glimpses of the busy kitchen.

Ambient lighting is key at Dave's. Their signature blue lamps are visible from the street. All the attention given to lighting in the dining area seems to have stopped at the bathrooms, however. The restroom lighting is harsh and bright, especially compared to the dimmed lighting around the tables.

The scene at Dave's is usually hopping on any night. College students, couples, and professionals can be found nestled around tables up until after 12 a.m. Senior Travis Geiser appreciates the downtown restaurant because "it's not only JMU students running around."

"The atmosphere is real chill. It's homey," said Geiser. His favorite dish is the souvlaki, "substitute the side house salad for the fries, because they've got great Greek dressing."

One cannot go wrong with the Lunch Express Pizza: a personal pizza, salad, and bread for $5.75. The salads are quite fresh, and the Taverna burger comes with fries for under $4. There are only four deserts to choose from, but the baklava is especially tasty.

The restaurant offers live music every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Saturday shows have a $5 cover charge. The Bridge plays this Saturday night for Valentine's Day. The Baltimore-based band mixes a number of styles-bluegrass, funk, jazz and rock. Oscar's Mad, a Harrisonburg band with members from EMU plays this Tuesday at 8 p.m.

One of the disadvantages of dining in Harrisonburg is the 14 percent dining tax. The higher dining tax, established last year, aims to bring in additional revenues for the city. Dining in Harrisonburg is one of the large draws to the city, and also attracts Harrisonburg's many university students.

Getting a table at Dave's can be difficult when the restaurant fills up. It can be hard to accommodate large parties, especially during peak business hours; but the wait is usually worth it.

Dave Miller owns Dave's Taverna. Miller also owns 14 Carrots. The vegan restaurant was built on the premises of the former Dave's Taverna site.