Lunch Break

With Cailey Petsch

Sampling dishes and diners in and around Miami County

You Oughta Know About Bunkers

Vandalia is home to one of the best Ohio sports bars around, Frickers. And my family regularly visits Parkmore Chicken Sundays. That being said, I was in the mood to shake it up and try another Vandalia bar with great food, fun vibes, and a sporty atmosphere. This week, I decided to take a quick trip to Bunkers.

Bunkers is your regular sports bar, with Touch Tunes, karaoke Fridays, and booths and tables that fill the entire building from wall to wall. However, the atmosphere pulses with some family restaurant undertones, which make it a fun and upbeat place to grab some good old bar grub with friends and loved ones.

Every time someone brings up Bunkers, they bring up the crowd and the pretzel sticks. The small town sports pub has quite the clientele. The parking lot is packed, and the inside is booming with conversation. In a stark contrast the outside patio is a peaceful spot to enjoy a warm summer night with friends.

When I ordered, I made sure to include the pretzel sticks as an appetizer, and when they arrived, they quickly turned into a crowd pleaser. The creamy and savory queso is a perfect alternative to beer or nacho cheese, and tastes uniquely incredible when paired with the warm, fluffy, and steaming sticks of dough. I was full after one, but quickly regained my appetite when my meal arrived.

Bunkers might be a sports bar, but I wasn’t craving chicken tenders or a burger. Instead, I embraced my inner Nickelback and said, “I’ll have the quesadilla.” I’ve also eaten too many French fries in the past month, and I need to start pacing myself. So, I ate the lettuce with some delicious house made ranch, as a sort of D.I.Y. side salad, and then enjoyed my Quesadilla. It was bursting with both spicy and cheesy flavor, and chunks of seasoned baked chicken. Then, I had the genius idea to pour the pretzel queso over the quesadilla. I said genius, not original. This was truly what put the cherry on top of a perfect meal and summer night.

If you’re on the social anxiety train, I would still brave the parking and sit outside at Bunker's Sports Bar and Grill, even if it’s just to try the pretzel sticks. I mean, hey, at the very least there’s 42 beers on tap, and you can’t really beat that. If you are a people person, then let me know Friday night if my Alanis Morissette impression could use some more practice.

Bunkers Sports Bar & Grill, 893 East National Road, Vandalia