Angie’s firehouse

Reminders of the old Angi’s in the Tavern

Dayton firehouse nostalgia meets bar comfort food, all on the corner of Watervliet Drive, near the Smithville intersection. Welcome to this week’s Food Adventure feature.

Located at the edge of a neighborhood, in an old 2-story home, Angie’s Firehouse is yet another Belmont sports bar and dinner option. Parking is kind of unusual, being on the side street curb, or a small back parking lot. As you enter the side entrance, you can usually find a handful of regulars on the patio sipping brews outside. They greet all who enter, in between their conversation and laughs. The other entrance is the front door facing Watervliet, and is a far less dramatic entrance.

HUNGRY? THIRSTY? You came to the right extinguisher. Let your Food Adventure begin.

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON ANGIE’S FIREHOUSE:

Firefighter Decor

—The tavern is owned by a former local firefighter Captain named Pat Reed. His daughter also helps run day-to-day operations.

—Before it was Angie’s Firehouse, it was a Greek family owned restaurant called “Angi’s.” Pat saved money on the sign by keeping the name the same when he bought it. The old sign is now on display in the dining room.

—The inside of the restaurant consists of 2 areas, roughly cut in half. One side is the bar area, with dart boards and high tops that accompany an inviting watering hole. The atmosphere is casual, and firehouse knickknacks adorn the walls. From fireman helmets to pictures of Dayton firefighters from 1910, there are antiques in every nook and cranny.

—Angie’s Firehouse Tavern is located at 702 Watervliet Ave, Dayton, OH 45420, with hours of 11am-2:30am everyday

The Haddock Dinner is wonderful, but only available Fridays

The menu is a wide variety of tavern fare and comfort food. They have a few specialties that stick out, and after numerous visits to Angie’s Firehouse Tavern, we have scoured the menu and come up with their “Must Eats.”

MUST EATS at ANGIE’s FIREHOUSE TAVERN:

—THE HADDOCK FISH DINNER:
Only offered on Fridays, this dinner is absolutely delicious. It is a great way to satisfy your craving for a fish fry. The thick haddock is hand breaded and deep-fried to a golden brown. There is also a Grouper fish dinner available Fridays, but we think the Haddock dinner is heads and shoulders above the rest. Try the Haddock, seriously… with mashed potatoes and gravy.

—HOMEMADE CABBAGE ROLLS:

The Homemade Cabbage Rolls are legendary at Angie’s Firehouse Tavern

Family recipe, and they are the hit of the menu at Angie’s. Served piping hot from the oven with options of mashed potatoes, this plate is a taste of home goodness. It’s like being at Grandma’s house. This is the dish that brings people in from all over town.

—GRANDPA REED’S CHIP DIP and MIKESELL’S GROOVY CHIPS:
Grandpa Reed’s old secret family recipe, passed down from evenings at home with the family. This classic french onion and dill type dip goes perfect with you hometown Mikesells chips. Addicting and sharable we bet you order a

Grandpa Reeds Chip dip – try the family tradition with Mikesells

2nd basket, because they go fast in a group.

—“SPICY BBQ” FLAVORED CHICKEN WINGS:
Ok, so this item was HOT. We mean spicy. But we couldn’t stop eating the wings. Tossed in a Sweet BBQ sauce, the wings are then rolled in hot crushed red pepper. We were sweating, and using up napkins like crazy. Definitely the hottest BBQ wings we have ever eaten, and some of the most delicious. NOT for the faint of heart.

The Bad Lieutenant Cheeseburger

—“THE BAD LIEUTENANT” CHEESEBURGER:
A half pound, hand smashed burger with cheese and onion straws on top. Of course all the other toppings such as ketchup, mustard, mayo, onion, pickle, lettuce and tomato are available. We loaded it all up. Good, messy and worth every bite.

—BELMONT CATERING POTATO SALAD as a side item:

Belmont Catering Potato Salad is a side at Angie’s

We do not know of too many places in Dayton that have the worlds greatest potato salad on their menu, from Belmont Catering. Angie’s does! Take full advantage of this side item and taste the shredded potato salad that people buy across the street to the tune of over 1000lbs per week. Served cold, it will put you in a dream world. Whatever the meal, get this as one of your side options.

—DEEP FRIED PICKLE CHIPS:
Sliced thin, breaded and deep-fried to perfection, these have that sour and slaty taste you crave. Get some ranch for dipping and you are off to a great Food Adventure at Angie’s Firehouse Tavern. Again, another addicting appetizer. You will not be able to keep your hands out of the basket and will slap yourself.

Deep Fried Pickle Chips

*Keep in mind they have a full service bar, and many drink specials are in play. Your server can let you know what deals are running, so you can wet your whistle.

So there you have it – next time you pull the alarm on your hunger, head to Angie’s Firehouse Tavern to hose yourself down with good eats. Family owned, and already deep in tradition, it is a unique spot, with some good things to offer. We pointed you in the right direction on menu selection, the rest is up to you.

Hot BBQ Wings – the hottest BBQ wings we’ve ever had

Hey Foodies ! Want even more Miami Valley area and Dayton eating info? Then follow The Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax HERE ON FACEBOOK. Like us on our page, love us in your hearts. See you at Angie’s…...

Check out our gallery below, from our multiple visits to Angie’s Firehouse Tavern

You might be cool, but are you “Gomer Pyle asked me to lunch cool?”

Shrimp dinner

Phone booth for booster seat storage

Pot Stickers

More Firefighter memorabelia

When is the last time you saw one of these at your booth?

We saw Santa Kissing Cabbage Rolls …

Shrimp Dizzle

Mashed Potatoes and gravy

dining at Angie’s

Grouper Dinner and Mac

DRRRankin Specials

Mac n cheese – please

Nacho time

Cheesecake Bites

Belmont Catering Potato Salad is a side at Angie’s

Bad Lieutenant burger

Onion straws come on the Bad Lieutenant Burger

Memories on the wall

Frisch’s Hot Fudge Cake is Sinful

We all have them, we all need them… guilty pleasures. As we get older, we try to eat healthier, but once in a while, you gotta splurge. Dayton is a great place to do so. Sure, there is fear in seeing the calorie count, and scary scale readings the following week… but sometimes you gotta have a ghastly, full blown Food Adventure.

So without further ado, we present present our list of the Top 15 Guilty Food Pleasures of the Dayton Area:

15) THE FOOTLONG CHILI DOG at THE ROOT BEER STANDE: Long and strong, we came to get the friction on. This wiener is a mouthful of goodness and a ruined shirt waiting to happen. Eat it in your car, roll up the windows so no one can see,. But we know… this is one of your guilty pleasures.

14) FRICKER’S RIBS & WINGS DINNER: This huge meal comes with a half rack of ribs, those famous fried chicken wings, cole slaw, roll and an side. Finger lickin’ good, and a naughty belt buster for sure.

13) THE PEANUT BUTTER SUNDAE at JET FREEZE: Homemade peanut butter sauce, ice cream, whip cream, nuts and a cherry on top. The peanut butter sauce alone is so sinful that it catapults it onto the list.

12) THE BROOKYLYN BRAWLER PIZZA at JOHNNY’S SLICE of NY: When you serve a giant, stuffed pizza as big as a spare tire, it has to be a guilty pleasure. Big eaters of the Miami Valley come from far and wide not only to eat this giant creation, but to see if 2 of them can finish it in 30 minutes or less to get on the wall of fame. Filled with various meats and cheeses, this guilty pleasure is for serious eaters.

11) THE SEAFOOD PLATTER at TREASURE ISLAND: Deep fried scallops, a cod filet, frog legs, fried shrimp and stuffed crab on a plate with 2 sides. You can taste it all, but don’t test your cholesterol that day. The over the top moment of this dinner is when they serve you some drawn butter for dipping. Oh, behave !

10) ALL-YOU-CAN EAT FISH at the HASTY TASTY PANCAKE HOUSE: For just $7.25, you can literally fill yourself to the gills. Breaded and crispy, it is one of the best ‘bangs for your buck’ as far as sinful meals go. The fish is Alaskan pollock, and when you add the sides, rolls and butter slabs, the wheels come off the diet train.

9) BROASTED CHICKEN at GEORGE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT: Deep fried in a pressure cooker, this stuff is guilty fun for the while family. Moist inside, the chicken is always cooked to perfection. Get some heavenly comfort food sides and complete this trip to dream street.

North China’s Crispy Shrimp: Rich, Spicy Flavor with a Touch of Sweetness

8) CRISPY SHRIMP at NORTH CHINA: One of our favorite Chinese restaurants serves us a sweet sauced, deep fried shrimp dish that will knock you on your socks. The taste, the crunch, the bites of sauce mixed with rice. Overdone richness? Guilty as charged.

7) POTATO SKIN CUPS at ANGIE’S FIREHOUSE: Stuffed with chili, bacon, onions, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, green onions, jalapenos and sour cream they are a beautiful piece of work. You will find yourself eating an entire plate of these and passing out in a food coma.

6) BISCUITS & GRAVY at TANK’S: Delicious, artery clogging goodness. Although this legendary spot on Wayne Avenue has many treasures, we find this to be our most guilty pleasure.

5) THE HOT FUDGE CAKE at FRISCH’S: We know, this is semi-local and more of a regional treat, but it deserves a spot on our list. Hot, steaming fudge, hitting the cool cake and ice cream. The feeling of the whip cream and hot fudge on your lips is worth every calorie.

4) THE PANZAROTTI at MAMMA DISALVO’S: This is pretty much a calzone that is the size of a small kid. Imagine an extra large pizza full of toppings and cheese, that has been folded in half. Served with dipping sauce, it is like cutting into a turkey to begin eating. Go all out and dip your forkfuls into marina or ranch. It is absolutely delicious.

Click to Enlarge: Broasted Chicken from George’s Family Restaurant

3) THE HOG BURGER at VOLTZY’s: Voltzy says he named the burger after his ex-wife. All we know is that this mammoth 20 ounce burger melts in your mouth, and you find yourself saying “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.”

2) CASSANO’S BIG CHEESE PIZZA: Like Vic Cassano Sr said “It’s one heck of a pizza.” That famous Cassano’s crust and sauce, loaded with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, olives and finished off with a m0und of cheese. The proof is in the taste.

The Big Bo BJ Breakfast Sandwich from B&B Carryout

1) THE “BIG BO BJ” at B&B CARRYOUT: Get your mind out of the gutter, this is a breakfast sandwich. And it is one helluva guilty pleasure. This craziness is a bun with sausage, a fried egg, a hash brown patty, American cheese,strips of bacon and hot pepper cheese. You won’t feel that guilty, because the every bite is just so darn good. A handful of greasy, gooeyness, with great flavor. If you haven’t tried the Big Bo BJ, you need to grab yourself one.

Do you feel guilty yet? Naughty nibbles indeed. Honorable Mention to : Paragon Supper Club’s Paragon Supreme Dessert- a peanut butter and chocolate ice cream mousse, Marion’s Super Cheese Pizza – delicious, Tank’s Chili Cheese Fries-out of this world, and Submarine House’s Super Duper Cheesesteak– triple the meat and cheese & 16 inches long.

DID WE LEAVE ANY OUT? WHICH OF YOUR FAVORITE GUILTY PLEASURES SHOULD WE HAVE INCLUDED IN OUR LIST??

Please comment below and let us know !

For more fun from Dayton’s one-of-a-kind foodies visit FOOD ADVENTURES with THE BIG RAGU, CHEF HOUSE and HUNGRY JAX on FACEBOOK and “like” us HERE .

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Angie’s Firehouse: This Grill is on Fi-ya!

The Fearsome 15: Top Guilty Food Pleasures in Dayton

Angie's firehouse