When it comes to burger/hot dog alternatives, barbecue immediately jumped into our minds. On a mission to find a great spot for some Dayton-style barbecue available for dine-in or carryout, we decided to head over to one of Dayton’s longtime favorites — Old Hickory Bar-B-Q.
Old Hickory has been serving up classic barbecue dishes since 1952. The restaurant on Woodman Drive offers a casual dining experience with six tables seating 28 in the main dining room and a table seating six out in the main lobby. When we recently visited on a Wednesday around 1:30 p.m. for lunch, the place was packed like pickled jalapenos in a jar. Customers order at the front counter, then seat themselves. Carry-out is also available, but you need to call ahead. Old Hickory also offers catering services.
We got a day pass from our diet (woo-hoo), and, well, splurged a little. Hey, we were hungry, and ready for a little feast!
What we tried:
- Mini rib meal: Danish baby back ribs seasoned with a dry rub and coated in a deliciously sweet barbecue sauce. The meal included a drink, two sides and a dinner roll ($9.50). Michelle isn't a fan of most foods that require a wet nap, but these ribs didn't disappoint. Even Connie, who grew up on Texas barbecue, was equally pleased with Dayton's take on ribs. No wonder they are the restaurant's best-seller.
- Broasted chicken meal: We opted for the two-breast meal, though you can buy broasted chicken in an assortment of combinations and by the bucket. Meals range from $5.75 to $11.50 and buckets range from $10.50-$30). "Oh, that's really good!" Connie said. "The skin is very light and crispy, and the chicken is moist and steaming hot."
- Pulled pork sandwich ($5.25). The sandwich was our absolute favorite. The meat was tender and the barbecue sauce was perfectly sweet. "The sandwich was sloppy, but not too sloppy, and the meat to sauce ratio was right on. And no knife and fork needed for this sandwich, as the bun held up really well," Michelle said. This isn't always the case when it comes to a good pulled pork sandwich. So no surprise this is a top-seller at Old Hickory as well.
Also on the menu:
- Burgers: An assortment of deluxe burgers including the Jalapeno burger (jalapeno, lettuce, barbecue sauce, jalapeno cheese), the Hickory burger (cheese, bacon, lettuce and barbecue sauce), the Southern burger (coleslaw, pulled pork and barbecue sauce), the Potato Skin burger (potato salad dressing, fries and bacon) and the Western burger (onion rings, cheese, bacon and barbecue sauce). Deluxe burgers, served with a side dish and a drink, are $6.50 on the lunch menu
- Sandwiches: Beyond the pulled pork, other sandwich options include chicken filet, polish sausage and pork tenderloin, plus a side dish and drink for $5.50 on the lunch menu.
- Daily specials: Cabbage rolls ($7 on Tuesdays), rib dinner ($9.50 on Wednesdays), half chicken ($6.50 on Thursdays)
- Grill ready ribs: Take them home and grill them yourself. Available in three sizes — rack (one pound), $8.50; three racks (three pounds), $24; or six racks (six pounds), $40.
Catering options:
For entertaining, Old Hickory offers BBQ Party Packs that feed anywhere from 10 to 35 people.
- Party Pack 1 (feeds 30-35, $262): 1 gallon pulled pork, 10 pounds ribs, 40 pieces of chicken, two side dishes, 35 rolls and 32 buns.
- Party Pack 2 (feeds 20-25, $174): 8 pounds ribs, 50 pieces of chicken, two side dishes and 35 rolls
- Party Pack 3 (feeds 10-15 people, $108): 6 pounds ribs, 20 pieces of chicken, 2 side dishes, 15 rolls
- Party Pack 4 (feeds 25-30, $132): 1 gallon pulled pork, 32 buns, two side dishes
A la carte options include:
- Pulled pork (buns not included): Pint with four portions ($9), quart with eight portions ($16), gallon with 32 portions ($64)
- Cabbage rolls: 12-pack ($30)
- Side dishes (cole slaw, loaded potato salad, cottage cheese, green beans, baked beans or corn): Pint with four portions ($3.95), quart with eight portions ($7.50) or gallon with 32 portions ($28)
- Large salad with two pints of house dressing ($28)
- Gallons of sauce: House dressing ($26), barbecue sauce ($20) or smokey barbecue sauce ($20)
Note that 24-hour notice is required on party packs; however, staff recommends 48 hours or more on busier weeks.
The info:
What: Old Hickory Bar-B-Q, 241 Woodman Drive, Dayton, OH 45431
Contact info: 937-253-4065 or www.oldhickorybarbq.com
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays.
Final thoughts:
Michelle Fong and Connie Post are two of the Dayton Daily News Dining Divas. Culinary adventurers, they’d love your suggestions for where they should go next. Write them at life@coxinc.com.
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