Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill looks like a hole-in-the-wall bar nestled in a small shopping plaza off Laskey Road in Toledo. And, indeed, if you’re looking for a small hometown bar, then you won’t be disappointed by its dim lighting, the televisions lining the walls, and what appear to be regulars relaxing at the bar and at the tables. 

But don’t write off Pat and Dandy’s as just another local watering hole: You’d miss out on delectable food at surprisingly low prices. 

If parking seems tight when you enter the small lot in front of the building, you’ll likely find many more spaces by rounding the corner toward the rear of the establishment. The place fills up around 6 p.m. on weekdays, and empties out for a time about an hour or so later. 

Diners seat themselves, at booths set up with their own 35-inch televisions, small tables toward the middle, and outdoors on the patio. On first impression, parents might wonder if this bar is suited to children, but they shouldn’t worry: Pat and Dandy’s is actually equal parts family diner. 

Bill of Fare

Rice Blvd delivers great sushi at unbeatable prices

One way to judge whether you’ve found a good diner-bar, beyond atmosphere, is to look at the beer selection. While Pat and Dandy’s offers your typical domestics on tap, it also has at least one craft beer as well. 

But of course, the most important factor is the cuisine. And this is where Pat and Dandy’s surpassed all my expectations — and not just with its fried food, although that’s one area this restaurant certainly excels. 

On our first visit, my small troupe started things off with what is arguably the best appetizer on the menu: the homemade potato skins ($10.95). These shells filled with cheese and topped with bacon seem like they should be simple fare, but they have an almost sweet aftertaste, as if they were seasoned with a hint of cinnamon. Like all of the food we were served, these came out hot and fresh. 

This is not to put down the other appetizer options, such as the mozzarella cheese sticks ($8.85) or the nachos ($9.79), which were topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa, and jalapeños with the choice of taco or chicken (or neither for $7.99).

During our first visit, we stuck to the basics and moved from appetizers into the burgers. There are five burger options on the menu, but you can basically build whatever you want ($10.99). If you like more spice with your burger, as I do, try the Flaming Hot Burger ($12.99), which includes a Cajun-spiced patty that is topped with jalapeños, grilled onions, and pepper jack cheese. 

What I like about these burgers is they’re not only huge (half-pound patties), but their flavor comes from the perfect way they’re cooked as well as the combination of the toppings and spices; they’re not drowned with sauce. I also like that the fries aren’t saturated with salt or seasoning, although my dining companions didn’t share this opinion. If you like something with a bit more seasoning, go for a fried favorite: the tater-tots.

On our second visit I veered away from the  burgers and ordered their 10-oz. New York strip steak ($16.95). Pat and Dandy’s might be a relaxed bar setting, but it takes its cooking seriously, and it showed with a steak that was juicy and flavorful to the point that I didn’t need any added sauce. Get a small bowl of the lobster bisque (a must-have) for another $1.50. 

Bill of Fare

Eat local at Northwood's Prime Thyme Eatery

A dining companion went for the P&D’s Famous Chicken Wings. Just like the burgers, they can be ordered just how you like ’em: 10 and 50 wings, breaded ($1 more per 10 wings), served as all drums (for $2 more), and/or with sauces on the wings or on the side. Like all the fried foods at Pat and Dandy, the wings are excellent and a must-try for any wing connoisseur. 

My only complaint is on our second visit our food came not in stages, but all at once, making for table with appetizers and meals. Luckily the food was so good and fresh I was instantly mollified. But those who arrive during the dinner rush should be warned. 

You’ll likely feel too full for dessert, but make sure to try one of their homemade cheesecakes regardless, with options of plain ($6.95), chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, or turtle ($7.49). They’re fluffy and moist, with a crumbly crust that all goes down smooth. 

Pat and Dandy’s might look like a just another local watering hole, but it’s a diamond in the rough for anyone who craves fried goodness, a tasty burger, or a juicy steak, the last of which will be for a much lower price than most of Pat and Dandy’s competitors. If it’s a hole in the wall, it’s one you should definitely crawl into — although you’ll likely be too full to easily clamber out of again.

First Published August 18, 2022, 1:00 p.m.