After a two-year hiatus due to renovations to the campus center and COVID-19 delays, Dagger John’s has officially reopened for the 2022-2023 school year. The dining spot is located in the basement of the McShane Campus Center in the back of the club suite. Fordham students have been trekking to the depths of McShane to try out the newest dining options on campus.

The dining room itself is dimly lit with a long community table paired with plenty of other seating options that gives it a comforting feel, despite the lack of windows. The set up invites groups to sit and chat or gives students a peaceful study spot while eating. The only downside to the physical space is the temperature. Since it’s in the basement, the dining room is always uncomfortably cold. Everytime I have eaten at Dagger John’s, I’ve left the establishment cold to the bone. I’d recommend layering up or even taking the food to go if you happen to run cold. 

As far as the food itself goes, I find Dagger John’s to be pretty exceptional as far as on-campus dining is concerned. It contains two restaurants, BONMi and Saiko Sushi, both containing a plethora of food to choose from. 

BONMi features Southeast Asia inspired bowls and sandwiches. Examples of the cuisine on the menu include Bao Bun Sandwiches, a Kickshaw Salad and a build-your-own (BYO) bowl station with Vietnamese-inspired ingredients. The array of options in the BYO bowl bar appeals to a majority of diets, with buffalo cauliflower and mushrooms being some of the protein options. 

I opted to build my own bowl with jasmine rice and quinoa with cauliflower bites as well as all the toppings. It was a nice, refreshing meal that featured lots of vegetables and could be modified to fit all diets. 

Saiko’s is also a great choice with a diverse selection of sushi rolls. Even so, requesting a special roll should pose no issues. I opted to get an avocado roll which, although basic, was a light and restoring meal. If you are hungry, you may need to get more than one roll seeing how they usually feature just six pieces of sushi (and sometimes only three if it is a specialized roll). Nevertheless, if you are in the mood for a quick sushi fix, Saiko’s can do the job just fine. 

The boba at Dagger John’s has been the talk of many students. There are many flavor options including matcha, green tea and taro. If you are a boba fan, be sure to try it out. Laura Rodriguez, FCRH ’26 said, “The boba itself is good, but the fact it’s an entire meal swipe makes me not want to get it.” So if you’re not willing to waste a meal swipe on a drink, it might not be for you. 

My personal favorite Dagger John’s feature is the poke bowls, which also include a BYO option. Included in the meal are two different types of protein, including a vegan tofu option. The toppings range from avocado to mango, and one of the signature sauces. 

All in all, the only bone I have to pick with Dagger John’s is the price. The sushi and BONMi options are all a meal swipe for the food they offer. However, the poke bowls are a meal swipe with an additional $2.99 added on. Personally, I would gladly spend the extra three dining dollars to get the fulfilling and flavorful poke bowls. However, I can see how some students would much rather just use their meal swipe at the cafeteria where they can get unlimited food and drink as opposed to one bowl that they have to pay extra for.

Overall, Dagger John’s is a great option for on-campus dining. Out of all the restaurants on campus, I would personally rank it a close second to Urban Kitchen. It is a little less chaotic than Cosi, but try to avoid the dinner rush if you need your food quickly. However, it is almost if not just as quick and painless as getting food at Urban tends to be. If you haven’t ventured into the McShane basement to try it, I 100% think it would be worth the trip.