DAY. Dining

Now this isn’t a comprehensive list, the end all and be all of Dayton dining. But what this is is a starting point. I haven’t been to all of these places but most of them are on my short list. I’ve loosely rated some of these. And it all comes down to the food, drink and atmosphere (that last one can really make or break a place). Don’t be confused when you see a dump rated higher than fine dining spot. It happens.

Abuelos Mexican Food Embassy - 5/5
2420 N. Fairfield Rd.
Dayton, OH 45431

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill
3030 S Dixie Dr.
Dayton, OH 45409

Ben & Jerrys - 5/5
1934 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Blue Moon (RIP) - 5/5!
520 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Blue Moon (formerly Eclipse) (RIP) - 5/5
79 S. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45458

Boston Stoker
34 W. 2nd St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Bravo Restaurant - 5/5
2148 Miamisburg Centerville Rd.
Dayton, OH 45459

Brixx Ice Company - 4/5
500 E. 1st St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Buffalo Wild Wings - 3/5
1900 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Bunny’s Hasty Tasty Pancake House - 5/5
3509 Linden Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Cadillac Jacks - 3/5
2335 S. Smithville Rd.
Kettering, OH 45420

2760 Towne Dr. - 3/5
Dayton, OH 45431

Cafe Boulevard - 4/5
329 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Carvers Restaurant
1535 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd.
Dayton, OH 45459

Cassanos Pizza & Subs - 4/5
1700 E. Stroop Rd.
Dayton, OH 45429

C’est Tout Bistro
2600 Far Hills Ave.
Dayton, OH 45419

Champps Americana - 3/5
7880 Washington Village Dr.
Dayton, OH 45459

Chantille’s - 3.25/5
40 S. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Chipotle Mexican Grill - 4/5
1211 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

3286 New Germany Trebein Rd. - 4/5
Dayton, OH 45431

CiCi’s Pizza - 2/5
2750 N. Fairfield Rd.
Dayton, OH 45431

Citilites Restaurant & Bar
109 N. Main St., Suite 305
Dayton, OH 45402

Clancy’s Tavern
5514 Burkhardt Rd.
Dayton, OH 45431

Coco’s Bistro - 5/5!
515 Wayne Ave.
Dayton OH 45410

Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers
33 S. Jefferson St.
Dayton, OH 45402

2638 Colonel Glenn Hwy. - 3/5
Fairborn, OH 45324

Cold Stone Creamery - 2/5
131 Jasper St.
Dayton, OH 45409

(Jimmie’s) Cornerstone Bar & Grille - 4/5
1001 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Dayton Racquet Club - 4/5
40 North Main St., Kettering Tower, Suite 2900
Dayton, OH 45423

Dayton’s Original Pizza Factory - 4/5
1101 Wayne Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Denny’s - 5/5 (everything tastes good at that time of night)
1136 S. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Deweys Pizza - 3/5
131 Jasper St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Doeblers Bakery
501 Xenia Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Dolcessa - 4/5
510 E. 5th St.
Dayton, Oh 45402

Dominics Italian and American Restaurant (RIP) - 2.5/5
1066 S. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Dublin Pub, The - 4/5
300 Wayne Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Dugout Deli
209 E. 1st St.
Dayton, OH 45402

DVD Pizzeria (RIP) - 4/5
4021 Dayton-Xenia Rd.
Dayton, OH 45432

East of Chicago Pizza - 3/5
3195 Dayton-Xenia Rd.
Dayton, OH 45434

el Meson Restaurante & Catering - 4/5
903 E. Dixie Dr.
Dayton, OH 45449

el Rancho Grande - 3/5
3070 Colonel Glenn Hwy.
Fairborn, OH 45324

Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant - 5/5
3618 Linden Ave.
Dayton,OH

1216 E. Stroop Rd. - 5/5
Dayton, OH 45429

6318 Far Hills Ave. - 5/5
Centerville, OH 4545

Embassy Restaurant
25 S. Ludlow St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Fieldhouse, The - 3.5/5
1126 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Flying Pizza
223 N. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Fox and Hound English Pub and Grille - 3/5
2661 Fairfield Commons Blvd.
Dayton, OH 45431

Franco’s Ristorante Italian - 1/5
824 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Fricker’s Restaurant - 3/5
1818 Woodman Dr.
Dayton, OH 45420

Giovanni’s Pizzeria e Ristorante Italiano - 4/5
215 W. Main St.
Fairborn, OH 45324

Grandma Virgi’s Pies
2615 S. Smithville Rd.
Dayton, OH 45420

Great Steak & Potato Company
143 N. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Grub Steak
1410 N. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45405

Hickory Bar-B-Que
1082 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Jay’s Seafood
225 E. 6th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Joe’s Pizzeria - 5/5
4313 Airway Rd.
Dayton, OH 45431

John Henry’s - 3.5/5
520 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

K & R Pretzel Bakery - 4/5
1700 Flesher Ave.
Dayton, OH 45420

L’Auberge
4120 Far Hills Ave.
Dayton, OH 45429

Las Piramides - 4/5
3908 Wilmington Pike
Dayton, OH 45429

101 W. Franklin St. - 5/5
Centerville, OH 45459

Lincoln Park Grille
580 Lincoln Park Blvd.
Dayton, OH 45429

Linden Grill
2702 Linden Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Mamma Disalvos Italian Restorante - 4/5
1375 E. Stroop Rd.
Dayton, OH 45429

Meadowlark Restaurant - 3/5
2094 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd.
Dayton, OH 45459

Milanos Atlantic City Subs - 3/5
1834 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Mom’s Diner
2701 E. 3rd St.
Dayton, OH 45403

Mr. Lee’s Fine Asian Dining
7580 Poe Ave.
Vandalia, OH 45377

Oakwood Club - 4/5
2414 Far Hills Ave.
Dayton, OH 45419

Old Hickory Bar-B-Q
241 Woodman Dr.
Dayton, OH 45431

Oregon Emporium, The - 4/5
400 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Pacchia - 4/5
410 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Pepitos Mexican Restaurant & Cantina - 4/5
3618 Wilmington Pike
Dayton, OH 45429

Pine Club
1926 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Pizza Factory
see Dayton’s Original Pizza Factory

Polo Grille Restaurant
11 S Ludlow St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Rick’s Pizza - 3/5
605 Spinning Rd.
Dayton, OH 45431

Ritters Frozen Custard - 4/5
2531 Dayton-Xenia Rd.
Dayton, OH 45434

Roc-A-Fellas Pizzaria & Grill, A Taste of New York
298 N. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45459

Root Beer Stande, The (RIP)
1727 Woodman Dr.
Dayton, OH 45420

Shannon’s Rockin’ Sub Shop
15 E. 1st St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Smales Pretzel Bakery
210 Xenia Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Solganiks Takeaway & Cafe
110 N. Main St., Suite 112
Dayton, OH 45402

South Park Tavern and Pizza
1301 Wayne Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Spaghetti Warehouse - 3/5
36 W. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Stars Lounge & Restaurant - 3/5
33 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Stockyards Inn, The - 5/5 (in its own weird way)
1065 Springfield St.
Dayton, OH 4540

Super Subby’s - 4/5
27 W. 1st St.
Dayton, OH 45402

1 S. Main St. - 4/5
Dayton, OH 45402

Swisher’s Cafe and Catering
6 N. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Tank’s Bar and Grill - 5/5
2033 Wayne Ave.
Dayton, OH 45410

Terra Cotta Cafe
46 W. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Thai Nine - 4/5
11 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Tony’s
2920 Wayne Ave.
Dayton, OH 45420

Trolley Stop, The - 3/5
530 E. 5th St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Therapy Cafe - 4/5
452 E. 3rd St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Tickets Pub and Eatery - 3/5
7 W Main St.
Fairborn, OH 45324

Uno Chicago Grill - 4/5
126 N. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Walnut Hills Burgers & Brew
1151 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409

Winds, The
215 Xenia Ave.
Yellow Springs, OH 45387

Wine Gallery and Cafe - 5/5
424 E. 3rd St.
Dayton, OH 45402

Wympee
416 E. 3rd St.
Dayton, OH 45402

White Lotus
327 E. 3rd St.
Dayton, OH 45402

15 Comments

  • DVD Pizzeria and Linden Grille are no longer in business. Just thought you might want to update your list.

  • Not my dear sweet DVD Pizzeria!

  • I take that back. Linden Grille just had its Grand (re-) Opening. I think it was being remodeled.

  • Blue Moon on 5th in Dayton has closed.

  • - South Park Grill is gone.
    - Yummy Burger is now White Lotus (they still make “Yummy Burgers”, but I prefer the pad thai)
    - Rock Stars is now Shannon’s Rockin Sub Shop

    Add to your list (downtown Dayton area) :
    - Embassy Restaurant - 25 S Ludlow
    - Swisher’s Cafe and Catering - 6 N Main (Lower Level of the National City Center Building)

    and check out the Tartan Terrace at Sinclair (reservation required) well worth it

    There are also a number of small places like:
    - The Lucky (Wright Stop Plaza)
    - One Dayton food court
    - Arbys/Roly Poly/Quizno/Subway (all downtown)
    and all the vendors at courthouse square

    and don’t get me started on all the places on Brown street …

  • Thanks for the updates! I’ll make sure to get those added.

  • I noticed that there is no review yet for Bunny’s. Maybe sometime if you’re feeling brave we could check it out. Tell Erin I say hey. I miss you guys.

  • Oh the Hasty Tasty? Let’s have it then.

  • Name the time. I’ll bring the Pepto and you bring the roach spray. You enjoying the cozy scarf and jacket weather?

  • Walnut Hills is closed. The bar in its place is called Barga, I believe. Not as good of a menu but my fiance is thrilled that they have Old Style on tap.

  • I’m always updating you on DVD. But now it’s Rockafellas Pizza.

  • happy anniversay phill.

  • Liz and I hit up Elsa’s tonight.
    It was everything I wanted and more.
    Besides the fact that we wanted chicken and got steak. Who am I, the paying customer, to be choosey?
    Mostly I just get into that disgusting Mexican cheese.

  • Yeah, I was in town last night and heard you guys were livin large at Elsa’s. And boy was I jealous. Getting the wrong thing when you order is what makes Elsa’s classic though—it’s part of the aura. Kidding, you shoulda busted some chops over that one. Check it out on a Friday night around 8:30/9:00. The place gets crackin. I’m proud of your decision to become a real Daytonian.

  • And my goal in life is to make you proud Phillip.

Leave a Reply