Steve’s Dakota Grill
1600 Broad Ave.
419-420-9394
Open Monday thru Thursday, 11am-10pm Friday and Saturday, 11am-11pm Sunday, 11am-9pm
We finally found a restaurant in the Findlay area that nearly made us forget about dessert.
Sweet endings are important in our family. We have been known to look at the dessert menu first and order accordingly, to make sure we save room for a treat. Steve’s Dakota Grill, at 1600 Broad Ave., almost broke our dessert track record thanks to its generous portions of hearty food.
The first thing we noticed was the rustic hunting lodge décor — a natural for a restaurant that prides itself on grilled steaks. The second thing we noticed is that the hunting theme is carried throughout, including antler light fixtures and taxidermy on the wall. While this did not bother us, it could be unsettling for some. My girls barely noticed the decor, however, once they were presented with the menu.
We decided to go for lunch, which has a slightly different menu than for dinner. The dinner menu includes more steak, prime rib and seafood offerings, while the lunch menu offers lighter fare. My almost-teenager ordered the golden fried chicken sandwich with fries ($6.99), my tween ordered the penne pasta with grilled shrimp ($8.99) and my husband ordered the barbeque chicken sandwich with fries ($6.99). Even this vegetarian found a nice option on the menu, a Mediterranean veggie wrap for $6.99. Other lunch options, such as a range of salads, can be ordered either without meat or with meat on the side.
We knew we were in trouble when we were presented with rolls topped with honey butter to munch on while waiting. Those weren’t even finished when we received our entrees, which included entire pickles, instead of just spears, with the sandwiches. The pickles were a preview of the rest of the servings— these portions were much bigger than we anticipated for lunch.
“That’s a big chicken sandwich —it’s almost on the verge of being ridiculous,” said the almost-teenager. “You know you’re in for a good meal when you immediately figure out you are taking half of it home.”
And take half home we did, but not before enjoying our sandwiches. Normally we share at restaurants — everyone who wants to gets a nibble off the plate next door. Not so here, where we each took a box home with at least part of our meal. We were satisfied with our plates, and were happy to have leftovers for dinner. Tinier tummies will be happy with the kids’ menu, which includes a junior burger, mac and cheese, chicken tenders, fish and chips, pizza or a hot dog ranging from $3.99 to $4.99.
A big decision then needed to be made. We originally had eyed the offerings of individual dessert shots — key lime pie, peanut butter cream pie or tiramisu for $2.69 each or $6.99 for the trio. We just couldn’t do it, even in a bite-sized portion. It looked like the end of the dessert streak.
Never fear, we came up with a solution. We ordered a piece of New York style cheesecake ($4.99) to go. It didn’t stay in the refrigerator at home for long, however. It was just as good as it would have been at the restaurant, and solved the dessert dilemma.
So despite the best efforts of Steve’s Dakota Grill and its good food, we still had room for dessert — albeit later. Maybe next time we will eat dessert at the restaurant, and take home the entrees. We still have to try the Four Layer Carrot Cake, Chocolate Tower Cake and Steve’s Fudge Brownie.
The Short Course:
Kid-friendly? Yes, includes paper tablecloths and crayons for drawing
To avoid the wait: Consider
off-peak times or lunch
Bathroom amenities: Changing table in the women’s restroom
High chairs? Yes
Got milk? Yes, as well as pink
lemonade, soda and chocolate milk
Anything healthy for the kids? Fresh broccoli, vegetables and
asparagus are on the sides menu
Food allergy concerns?
As always, ask
