Carmichael’s Pub
Location: 3011 Wayne Avenue 
Dayton, OH 45420
Contact Number: 937-258-6058
Hours of Operation: Monday – Sunday
11:00 am – 11:00 pm
*Bar open until 2:30 am
By Greg Yerke
Looking to discover new dining venues with character around the City of Dayton? As part of the “Hidden Gems Project” conducted by students at the University of Dayton, this article was written to communicate the uncovering of a few local dining spots and their historical background. We were required to make visits to each place, interview the owners and/or workers, and record our experiences of each “Hidden Gem”. The benefit that came from this project is that it serves as a means to learn about the history of Dayton through restaurants which have been around for generations. It also helps to spread the word that these restaurants are still around and have their own story to tell—along with their food and spirits.
Carmichael’s Pub is one of those places where you can see and feel the history. This pub has been around since the early 1930’s. Originally the building currently occupied by Carmichael’s Pub was three different businesses. These consisted of the bar, a convenience store, and a drug store. Now Carmichael’s Pub spans all three storefronts.
The current pub has gone through many hands to get to its current owner, Chris Carmichael. He was the sixth owner of the building when he purchased it in 2010. Since then he has done much to improve the overall appearance and quality of the pub in an attempt to point the pub into a new, family oriented place where you can go and hangout with your family and friends. These improvements include taking out the old carpet to show the original hardwood floor, moving the main cooler to give more room, adding tables, pool table, arcade games, TV’s, and a projector for the big games and. The major improvement, however, is the addition of the kitchen which opened in June of 2010. Out of the kitchen come home cooked meals. Best known for their burger and wings, though, Carmichael’s Pub has a homemade special every day for $6.
I recently visited Carmichael’s Pub for dinner. Upon arrival I was surprised at how roomy it was on the inside. Immediately after walking in, it is easy to tell that the pub did not take up the entire space; it is easy to see that there were three storefronts that now make up Carmichael’s Pub. We sat at a table in an area that looked like where the bar was before all three storefronts joined. In this section was the original wooden bar from the early 1930’s, a few tables, and electronic dart boards. There were a few people hanging out and playing darts with each other. We were greeted by the manager and ordered food. I ordered the Carmella Melt; a turkey sandwich with bacon, cheese, and tomato on Asiago bread and pressed to a nice crisp. All the items on the menu are reasonably priced for what you are getting, a homemade meal. I left very satisfied with the food and the experience and will be going back in the near future.
Read the previous stories in the UD Hidden Gems Project:
Leave a Reply