Eating your way around Tiffin, Ohio
August 17, 2007
Being a teacher in Midwest
Please keep in mind that I'm reviewing all of these as lunch places. Dad has an hour, which is a good amount of time;
While, amazingly enough, I've eaten at MANY places in
So hopefully you are heading through
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First pizza restaurant (1951) in Seneca County. Pasta, veal, chicken dished, foldovers, subs and salads. Full wine list and bar service.
What a hidden little gem. From the outside, Reino's is easy to overlook. DON'T! It's located on a one way street in downtown and parking is a bit limited (there is a city lot right around the corner.) When you're done eating, there are many local, quaint shops of interest within walking distance. Seating is a bit limited as the restaurant isn't overly big, but that buffet is more than worth it! While the restaurant and buffet is not as big as Fort Ball, it's fresh and well stocked. The staff is VERY friendly. The whole place has a very "home-town" feel to it. If you like GOOD Italian, this is the place for you. This may be the closest thing to authentic Italian food in or near Tiffin. Maranara is made in-house from scratch and all breads and doughs are also made in-house. One other reason I gave Reino's a perfect score is that it's consistantly good. I know when I walk in that door, I'm going to get great service and great food. There's no second guessing anything on the menu, it's all prepared excellently. For the money, Reino's can't be beat.
What a hidden little gem. From the outside, Reino's is easy to overlook. DON'T! It's located on a one way street in downtown and parking is a bit limited (there is a city lot right around the corner.) When you're done eating, there are many local, quaint shops of interest within walking distance. Seating is a bit limited as the restaurant isn't overly big, but that buffet is more than worth it! While the restaurant and buffet is not as big as Fort Ball, it's fresh and well stocked. The staff is VERY friendly. The whole place has a very "home-town" feel to it. If you like GOOD Italian, this is the place for you. This may be the closest thing to authentic Italian food in or near Tiffin. Maranara is made in-house from scratch and all breads and doughs are also made in-house. One other reason I gave Reino's a perfect score is that it's consistantly good. I know when I walk in that door, I'm going to get great service and great food. There's no second guessing anything on the menu, it's all prepared excellently. For the money, Reino's can't be beat.
Megan's is a bar located off of a one way street. It's is pretty well marked with a large sign out front. The exterior is pretty basic. Megan's seems to be known for it's breaded cutlet (veal), which is what I had with fries. The sandwich was VERY good and the place is reasonably priced. Dad and I had 2 sandwiches, fries, and drinks. With tip it was just around $15.
Our server was prompt and friendly. The restaurant was busy (when we arrived only 2 tables free, when we left, there were no available tables but a couple places at the bar) but our order arrived hot and in a good amount of time for a quick lunch. The bathroom was very clean, as was the table. The menu was a bit sticky, but not bad.
It's a very "local" type bar. It is dimly lit (small windows letting in little to no natural light). However, I will go back because the food is good, service was good, and the restaurant was clean.
Our server was prompt and friendly. The restaurant was busy (when we arrived only 2 tables free, when we left, there were no available tables but a couple places at the bar) but our order arrived hot and in a good amount of time for a quick lunch. The bathroom was very clean, as was the table. The menu was a bit sticky, but not bad.
It's a very "local" type bar. It is dimly lit (small windows letting in little to no natural light). However, I will go back because the food is good, service was good, and the restaurant was clean.
Let's get the logistics of the place out of the way. Dinner buffet is $7.69 for adults and $3.50 for kids under 10. Lunch is $5.49 for adults and $2.50 for kids. They are open from 11 a.m. - 2:30 and 5:00 - 9:00. They also have a regular menu for eat-in or carry-out.
It's your basic Chinese buffet. About a quarter of the food was not "Chinese" (mozzarella sticks, red Jell-O-type buffet items.) One thing we all noted was how clean the restaurant was. The plates, table, chairs, buffet surface, and restrooms were all very clean. All buffet items were hot and cold as appropriate. I sampled most everything on the buffet and only found one thing I didn't care for (beef), but that may have been a matter of taste. We had a few "try this" moments and we all wondered where the pork was in the pork egg rolls, but they had good flavor. The help was very friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. The hot tea tasted more like Lipton than oolong, but it was fresh and had nice flavor. The dessert cake seemed homemade rather than the "Gordon-food" frozen dessert, but I can't be sure. It was pretty good either way.
Why only three stars then, you ask? Well, the 3 star rating is listed as "Good". 4 stars is "Exceptional" and 2 stars is "average". While I think this buffet was above average for it's cleanliness and for the temperature of the food (I've been to some really BAD buffets, and this one ranks on the better side of a bell curve), it was not an "exceptional" experience, which to me is "WOW we found a hidden little gem, here." If you told me you were in Tiffin and wanted Chinese, I'd send you here. However, if you asked me to recommend a place to eat lunch, this one probably won't be on the list because there's one in most every town.
It's your basic Chinese buffet. About a quarter of the food was not "Chinese" (mozzarella sticks, red Jell-O-type buffet items.) One thing we all noted was how clean the restaurant was. The plates, table, chairs, buffet surface, and restrooms were all very clean. All buffet items were hot and cold as appropriate. I sampled most everything on the buffet and only found one thing I didn't care for (beef), but that may have been a matter of taste. We had a few "try this" moments and we all wondered where the pork was in the pork egg rolls, but they had good flavor. The help was very friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. The hot tea tasted more like Lipton than oolong, but it was fresh and had nice flavor. The dessert cake seemed homemade rather than the "Gordon-food" frozen dessert, but I can't be sure. It was pretty good either way.
Why only three stars then, you ask? Well, the 3 star rating is listed as "Good". 4 stars is "Exceptional" and 2 stars is "average". While I think this buffet was above average for it's cleanliness and for the temperature of the food (I've been to some really BAD buffets, and this one ranks on the better side of a bell curve), it was not an "exceptional" experience, which to me is "WOW we found a hidden little gem, here." If you told me you were in Tiffin and wanted Chinese, I'd send you here. However, if you asked me to recommend a place to eat lunch, this one probably won't be on the list because there's one in most every town.
Shell Shuckers is a casual restaurant and bar attached to a Quality Inn on Routes 53 and 224 in Tiffin, Ohio.
I rated this restaurant "average" simply because that's what my experiences have been, average. While I have not had a bad experience, it's never been particularly memorable, either.
The atmosphere is top notch. If it's not busy, request a table overlooking the Sandusky River. The river is very peaceful here and makes for some very nice views. There is a patio along the river as well. The rest of the restaurant has sports memorabilia throughout, most from local sports teams, and televisions set to sports channels. Oh, the best part of the restaurant. There's a bucket of peanuts on each table. You can have as many as you want and throw the shells right on the floor (hence the restaurant's name...)
They have specialty nights. Wednesday is “Mexican night” when they make Mexican (more like Tex-Mex and American-Mexican) and have Mexican beer on special. One night is specialty pizza night.
The food is what made the experience "average". They have a WIDE variety from fish, burgers, pasta dishes, and salads. You won't have any trouble finding something for everyone on this menu. (Perhaps a vegetarian would be limited, as most everything has meat. The salads charge extra for the meat, so if you're a vegetarian, you're pretty much limited to salad.) The best way to describe the food is to tell you of my families' last trip:
Mom ordered a Hawaiian chicken salad. It, by far, was the best meal at the table. A large helping of chicken salad came served on a quarter sliced fresh pineapple. This was surrounded by fresh strawberries and other fruit. There was also this very yummy orange-bread that was REALLY good. The texture was perfect. Her plate was not only extremely pleasing to look at, but had an excellent mixture of tastes.
My husband had the beer-battered cod sandwich with cross-cut French fries. The lightly seasoned fries were very good. However, the fish was over-fried. The outside of the fish was dark brown to black in places and too crisp, like they left it in the oil WAY too long. He will not order it again.
Dad ordered an appetizer: a half pound of wings with the Texas sauce. The sauce was VERY good. The boneless wings were good, but again, left in the fryer a little too long.
Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma all ordered a steak wrap. They agreed that they could have each easily eaten half. It was loaded with large portions of steak. I did not try it, and there were no complaints from any of the three. No compliments other than about the size, either.
I had the Greek Salad (no chicken). I will only order this again with the dressing on the side. I think they mixed in a gallon of the stuff. It was coated to the point of almost inedible. The dressing was very good, but my lettuce was literally dripping with it.
The staff was very friendly. They weren't overly fast, we waited awhile for drinks, meals, checks, etc. But we like to sit and talk, so this didn't bother us much. All three checks had some kind of mistake that needed fixed, which was taken care of with no problems.
Will I go back? Of course. It's a nice place to eat, especially with a group of about 4 - 8. However, I'll avoid anything fried and tell them to put all dressings on the side. Maybe I'll just order that Hawaiian Chicken salad - YUMMY!
I rated this restaurant "average" simply because that's what my experiences have been, average. While I have not had a bad experience, it's never been particularly memorable, either.
The atmosphere is top notch. If it's not busy, request a table overlooking the Sandusky River. The river is very peaceful here and makes for some very nice views. There is a patio along the river as well. The rest of the restaurant has sports memorabilia throughout, most from local sports teams, and televisions set to sports channels. Oh, the best part of the restaurant. There's a bucket of peanuts on each table. You can have as many as you want and throw the shells right on the floor (hence the restaurant's name...)
They have specialty nights. Wednesday is “Mexican night” when they make Mexican (more like Tex-Mex and American-Mexican) and have Mexican beer on special. One night is specialty pizza night.
The food is what made the experience "average". They have a WIDE variety from fish, burgers, pasta dishes, and salads. You won't have any trouble finding something for everyone on this menu. (Perhaps a vegetarian would be limited, as most everything has meat. The salads charge extra for the meat, so if you're a vegetarian, you're pretty much limited to salad.) The best way to describe the food is to tell you of my families' last trip:
Mom ordered a Hawaiian chicken salad. It, by far, was the best meal at the table. A large helping of chicken salad came served on a quarter sliced fresh pineapple. This was surrounded by fresh strawberries and other fruit. There was also this very yummy orange-bread that was REALLY good. The texture was perfect. Her plate was not only extremely pleasing to look at, but had an excellent mixture of tastes.
My husband had the beer-battered cod sandwich with cross-cut French fries. The lightly seasoned fries were very good. However, the fish was over-fried. The outside of the fish was dark brown to black in places and too crisp, like they left it in the oil WAY too long. He will not order it again.
Dad ordered an appetizer: a half pound of wings with the Texas sauce. The sauce was VERY good. The boneless wings were good, but again, left in the fryer a little too long.
Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma all ordered a steak wrap. They agreed that they could have each easily eaten half. It was loaded with large portions of steak. I did not try it, and there were no complaints from any of the three. No compliments other than about the size, either.
I had the Greek Salad (no chicken). I will only order this again with the dressing on the side. I think they mixed in a gallon of the stuff. It was coated to the point of almost inedible. The dressing was very good, but my lettuce was literally dripping with it.
The staff was very friendly. They weren't overly fast, we waited awhile for drinks, meals, checks, etc. But we like to sit and talk, so this didn't bother us much. All three checks had some kind of mistake that needed fixed, which was taken care of with no problems.
Will I go back? Of course. It's a nice place to eat, especially with a group of about 4 - 8. However, I'll avoid anything fried and tell them to put all dressings on the side. Maybe I'll just order that Hawaiian Chicken salad - YUMMY!
I'm rating this as a place to eat lunch ONLY. As a bar, I'll bet it's awesome. However, I was there in the middle of the day for lunch, so that's how I'm writing this review.
I was impressed by the atmosphere and how clean it was. The chrome walls were a nice touch. Again, another sports-themed bar in Tiffin. Dad mentioned that it had recently changed hands and the last time he was in there it was more of a "bar" with a dance floor and not as clean. The pool and recreation tables all looked new. The digital jukebox was $0.50 a song (unless you want to pay $0.75 to assure that your song will play next and beat out all the cheapskates who don't want to waste $0.25 on being guarenteed to hear their song) and had a very nice selection of music from Ozzy to Buffett to Brooks and Dunn as well as top 40.
The menu had your typical half-pound bar burgers, wraps and such. I got a chicken wrap and Dad got a burger. He said his burger was tasty but nothing special. My wrap had good flavor, but again, nothing to rave about. My side order of pasta salad was way too saucy for me and I didn't finish it. Dad's fries were baked like those frozen ones you get in the frozen-food aisle of the grocery. Again, good, but nothing to write home about.
As far as a quick lunch, this isn't the place to go. Apparently most of Tiffin, Ohio knows that, too because we were the only patrons at the time. A larger group did come in as we were leaving, but they seemed more interested in playing music and pool that a quick lunch.
Our bill, with tip, was over $25, which was pricey considering all the other options downtown and for the quality.
I would go back to TKO's, but only with some friends on a Saturday night for snacks and drinks. As far as lunch goes, there's better food for a better value at other places in Tiffin.
I was impressed by the atmosphere and how clean it was. The chrome walls were a nice touch. Again, another sports-themed bar in Tiffin. Dad mentioned that it had recently changed hands and the last time he was in there it was more of a "bar" with a dance floor and not as clean. The pool and recreation tables all looked new. The digital jukebox was $0.50 a song (unless you want to pay $0.75 to assure that your song will play next and beat out all the cheapskates who don't want to waste $0.25 on being guarenteed to hear their song) and had a very nice selection of music from Ozzy to Buffett to Brooks and Dunn as well as top 40.
The menu had your typical half-pound bar burgers, wraps and such. I got a chicken wrap and Dad got a burger. He said his burger was tasty but nothing special. My wrap had good flavor, but again, nothing to rave about. My side order of pasta salad was way too saucy for me and I didn't finish it. Dad's fries were baked like those frozen ones you get in the frozen-food aisle of the grocery. Again, good, but nothing to write home about.
As far as a quick lunch, this isn't the place to go. Apparently most of Tiffin, Ohio knows that, too because we were the only patrons at the time. A larger group did come in as we were leaving, but they seemed more interested in playing music and pool that a quick lunch.
Our bill, with tip, was over $25, which was pricey considering all the other options downtown and for the quality.
I would go back to TKO's, but only with some friends on a Saturday night for snacks and drinks. As far as lunch goes, there's better food for a better value at other places in Tiffin.
It's not a place to go for a quick (less than 30 minute) lunch, but without a doubt the place to go for good food at reasonable prices and great atmosphere. I had the mushroom and swiss burger which was cooked exactly to my liking and had excellent flavor. The cheese was not chewy at all, but well melted. Dad had a steak wrap that was out of this world. It had a nice amount of a horseradish sauce that really added to the flavor. The "chips" are restaurant-made thinly sliced fried potatoes. They were good, but some weren't completely done and those were a bit mushy, but overall had good flavor. I would have liked a bit more seasoning to them, but that's a matter of taste.
They have a full bar with drink specials. There's a nice menu for kids under the age of 9. Carmie's is attached to a large and popular reception hall, which is literally a few feet from a very nice Hampton Inn just on the south edge of Tiffin, right off of route 224.
If I was going to recommend Carmie's, I would say go at night for a larger dinner and a few drinks. They have many flat screen TV's for various sporting events and the general atmosphere is sports. The restaurant is well laid out. I'll be back!
They have a full bar with drink specials. There's a nice menu for kids under the age of 9. Carmie's is attached to a large and popular reception hall, which is literally a few feet from a very nice Hampton Inn just on the south edge of Tiffin, right off of route 224.
If I was going to recommend Carmie's, I would say go at night for a larger dinner and a few drinks. They have many flat screen TV's for various sporting events and the general atmosphere is sports. The restaurant is well laid out. I'll be back!
The Clover Club is first and foremost, a sports bar. It is also a great place to catch lunch! The burgers were made to order and very tasty; my salad was crisp and fresh. As the name implies, it has a bit of an Irish theme. It is a larger sized bar and I have heard from many locals a great place to catch a beer after work.
While I have not been to this one as much as some other restaurants in Tiffin, I have been satisfied with my experiences. It is a wonderful place to go if there is a game on; there are many easy-to-see televisions. The staff was very friendly and prompt.
It’s fairly easy to find located on the edge of downtown on Washington Street. There is a lot nearby but easiest parking is parallel on the street right in front.
While I have not been to this one as much as some other restaurants in Tiffin, I have been satisfied with my experiences. It is a wonderful place to go if there is a game on; there are many easy-to-see televisions. The staff was very friendly and prompt.
It’s fairly easy to find located on the edge of downtown on Washington Street. There is a lot nearby but easiest parking is parallel on the street right in front.
YUM! That about sums this place up! YUM!
The buffet is out of this world. It's freshly stocked often with bread, pizza, fresh salad, and at least 6 different kinds of pasta. Everything on the buffet was excellent quality, better than I usually expect from a pizza buffet. The best part is that the buffet is less than $5! Quite a deal for high quality, unlimited food. If you walk out of Fort Ball hungry, you did something terribly wrong.
Their sub sandwiches are fresh made and have excellent flavor. If you go during "busy times" (lunch), you might not want to order one, it took over 20 minutes to get mine because the staff were focused on keeping the buffet clean, fresh, and stocked. However, when I got my sub, it was excellent. The cheese was melted without being too chewy. It really had excellent flavor.
I was last there when it was extremely busy, our table had been wiped down, but spots were missed. The menu was fairly clean. The waitress seemed surprised that I wanted a menu as most everyone heads for the yummy buffet. I simply wasn’t that hungry. A 6” sub and chips (more than I could eat) was only $3.95. For that quality, I was impressed.
This is one of my favorite places to eat in Tiffin. It's worth checking out. (Pictures taken from Fort Ball's website: http://www.fortballpizzapalace.com/)
The buffet is out of this world. It's freshly stocked often with bread, pizza, fresh salad, and at least 6 different kinds of pasta. Everything on the buffet was excellent quality, better than I usually expect from a pizza buffet. The best part is that the buffet is less than $5! Quite a deal for high quality, unlimited food. If you walk out of Fort Ball hungry, you did something terribly wrong.
Their sub sandwiches are fresh made and have excellent flavor. If you go during "busy times" (lunch), you might not want to order one, it took over 20 minutes to get mine because the staff were focused on keeping the buffet clean, fresh, and stocked. However, when I got my sub, it was excellent. The cheese was melted without being too chewy. It really had excellent flavor.
I was last there when it was extremely busy, our table had been wiped down, but spots were missed. The menu was fairly clean. The waitress seemed surprised that I wanted a menu as most everyone heads for the yummy buffet. I simply wasn’t that hungry. A 6” sub and chips (more than I could eat) was only $3.95. For that quality, I was impressed.
This is one of my favorite places to eat in Tiffin. It's worth checking out. (Pictures taken from Fort Ball's website: http://www.fortballpizzapalace.com/)
If you want Mexican food, and you’re in Tiffin, turn right out of the mall, find Route 53, head 25 minutes directly to Upper Sandusky, and go to Los Arcos.
While I found some very positive reviews of XCaret, I’m writing about my personal experience. This is one of the few places I’m writing about in Tiffin that’s a dinner review (not lunch)
The staff seemed annoyed at us from the second we walked in the door. We were sat hastily. It took almost 10 minutes to get our drinks and menus. Menus were very dirty with sticky salsa and other food. My margarita was more watery than I like.
Food was better than Chi-Chi’s and Taco Bell, but it was average at best. I found my dish (I can’t even remember what I had, it was that memorable) to be bland. My tortilla was rubbery. Mom, Dad, and Dan found their meals to be the same.
While we ate, the staff stood close to the table and stared at us, which was uncomfortable. Their English was very limited, so they did not approach to ask us about our meal or needs, they simply stood and watched us eat.
Our table was dirty, the carpet was dirty, and the bathrooms were in great need of attention. The restaurant was very oddly and unusually dark (not just atmosphere-mood dark, like, don’t want to turn the lights on, or we’re not here so go-away dark) which made it almost impossible to read the menus. Prices were more than Los Arcos (around $10 a meal) for what I felt to be sub-standard food.
I will not be back. With one of the best Mexican restaurants right here in my town, I just do not see the need to eat here. There is MUCH better places to eat in Tiffin. If you love Mexican, give it a try for yourself. I believe you should never completely miss out on anything because of someone else’s opinion, but don’t make it your only food stop in Tiffin.
While I found some very positive reviews of XCaret, I’m writing about my personal experience. This is one of the few places I’m writing about in Tiffin that’s a dinner review (not lunch)
The staff seemed annoyed at us from the second we walked in the door. We were sat hastily. It took almost 10 minutes to get our drinks and menus. Menus were very dirty with sticky salsa and other food. My margarita was more watery than I like.
Food was better than Chi-Chi’s and Taco Bell, but it was average at best. I found my dish (I can’t even remember what I had, it was that memorable) to be bland. My tortilla was rubbery. Mom, Dad, and Dan found their meals to be the same.
While we ate, the staff stood close to the table and stared at us, which was uncomfortable. Their English was very limited, so they did not approach to ask us about our meal or needs, they simply stood and watched us eat.
Our table was dirty, the carpet was dirty, and the bathrooms were in great need of attention. The restaurant was very oddly and unusually dark (not just atmosphere-mood dark, like, don’t want to turn the lights on, or we’re not here so go-away dark) which made it almost impossible to read the menus. Prices were more than Los Arcos (around $10 a meal) for what I felt to be sub-standard food.
I will not be back. With one of the best Mexican restaurants right here in my town, I just do not see the need to eat here. There is MUCH better places to eat in Tiffin. If you love Mexican, give it a try for yourself. I believe you should never completely miss out on anything because of someone else’s opinion, but don’t make it your only food stop in Tiffin.
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This was the first place Dad took me to for our “lunches” in Tiffin. If you’re at Wymie’s, order a salad. They’re very good. My chef salad is LOADED with yummies (ham, peppers, egg, cheese, lettuce) and has always been fresh. They have a nice selection of dressings as well.
When I’m not eating a salad, I’m having a burger. While my burger has never been bad by ANY means, it’s a regular bar-burger with regular bar fries.
Wymie’s is probably what I would call the most “townie” place to eat. The one waitress knows everyone who comes in the door. Occasionally you’ll hear an order or question being shouted out of the kitchen, and there’s always a neat little local news bulletin on the tables. While it is a bar with older tables, some ripped chairs and bench seat, and a darker “bar” atmosphere; it’s a clean, friendly, nice place to eat. There’s plenty of parking in the back if you can’t find a parallel spot out front.
Wymie’s is my “old standby” when I want something familiar that I know is going to be quick and good! It’s definitely worth a try! Prices are reasonable for the amount and quality.
When I’m not eating a salad, I’m having a burger. While my burger has never been bad by ANY means, it’s a regular bar-burger with regular bar fries.
Wymie’s is probably what I would call the most “townie” place to eat. The one waitress knows everyone who comes in the door. Occasionally you’ll hear an order or question being shouted out of the kitchen, and there’s always a neat little local news bulletin on the tables. While it is a bar with older tables, some ripped chairs and bench seat, and a darker “bar” atmosphere; it’s a clean, friendly, nice place to eat. There’s plenty of parking in the back if you can’t find a parallel spot out front.
Wymie’s is my “old standby” when I want something familiar that I know is going to be quick and good! It’s definitely worth a try! Prices are reasonable for the amount and quality.
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I don’t know if you’ve written a review about a restaurant, but the five-star option has the subtitle “If I had to choose one last meal, it would be from here”; I can honestly say if I was ever faced with that situation, I would SERIOUSLY consider a foot long from Jollys.
If you love romantic atmosphere, gourmet food, and professional service, please don’t eat at Jollys. Jollys is a eat-in-your-car hot dog / root beer stand that’s only open from about Memorial Day to Labor Day. It’s painted bright orange. The young (high school aged) girls that work there are sitting at the bar flirting with the high school aged boys that do the “cooking” in the food area. Service is quick, but basic. They take your order, take your money, give you your food, and pick the tray up when you’re done. However, they always have smiles on their faces and are upbeat. They are usually in jeans or jean shorts and t-shirts.
Two people (one being my husband and a large eater) can eat, tip and all, for less than around $15. This would include 6 sandwiches, 2 drinks, and an order of nachos. The hot dogs are heated either on one of those roll-around, baseball park-style things or boiled / roasted and put in a pot to stay warm; and I’m sure the sloppy joes are made fresh every morning from someones grandma’s recipe and put in the crock pot all day. I’ve heard varying reports that the root-beer is made in house. Whether it is or not, I don’t really care. It comes “draft” in a chilled mug and it’s AWESOME. The root beer floats are to die for.
Again, it’s not a classy joint, but it’s just good. I can’t put a finger on what makes it so good, but it is. I’ve been known to drive up to Tiffin on a late spring day JUST to see if, by chance, Jollys is open yet.
If you love romantic atmosphere, gourmet food, and professional service, please don’t eat at Jollys. Jollys is a eat-in-your-car hot dog / root beer stand that’s only open from about Memorial Day to Labor Day. It’s painted bright orange. The young (high school aged) girls that work there are sitting at the bar flirting with the high school aged boys that do the “cooking” in the food area. Service is quick, but basic. They take your order, take your money, give you your food, and pick the tray up when you’re done. However, they always have smiles on their faces and are upbeat. They are usually in jeans or jean shorts and t-shirts.
Two people (one being my husband and a large eater) can eat, tip and all, for less than around $15. This would include 6 sandwiches, 2 drinks, and an order of nachos. The hot dogs are heated either on one of those roll-around, baseball park-style things or boiled / roasted and put in a pot to stay warm; and I’m sure the sloppy joes are made fresh every morning from someones grandma’s recipe and put in the crock pot all day. I’ve heard varying reports that the root-beer is made in house. Whether it is or not, I don’t really care. It comes “draft” in a chilled mug and it’s AWESOME. The root beer floats are to die for.
Again, it’s not a classy joint, but it’s just good. I can’t put a finger on what makes it so good, but it is. I’ve been known to drive up to Tiffin on a late spring day JUST to see if, by chance, Jollys is open yet.
