Lunch Break-Trolls and Leprechauns Alike

Sampling dishes and diners in and around Miami County 

If you’re a native Daytonian or even a long-term Tipp City resident, you’ve probably been made aware of the largest Saint Patrick’s Day celebration in the area. However, this year things were a little different. What started as a shuttle from the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights to Dublin Pub ended in a delicious lunch, just a few feet away. 

The Dublin Pub Saint Patty’s Day experience is fun in its own way. I loved hearing Father Son and Friends perform their crowd-pleasers, and I enjoyed watching the Irish dancers and reminiscing about days when I took off from school to dance myself. However, nothing is fun when you’re hungry, and although Dublin Pub is known for its incredible Irish cuisine, there was no securing a table to order on Tuesday, the 17th. 

After dancing, enduring the cold, singing along, and clapping our frozen hands off, my friend and I decided to search for a walkable place to eat. Instead of coming up empty-handed, we decided to give the famous Troll Pub a try. 

The adorable brick, Oregon District adjacent building is committed to its trollish theme. A statue stands outside the restaurant, and another troll is climbing up the exterior. We held our breath as we entered, expecting them to be packed to the brim with hungry, green-covered customers from next door, but we were delighted to be seated after just a few minutes of waiting. 

The Troll pub had a new, exciting Saint Patrick’s Day menu, and naturally, I ordered the Reuben. It came in third behind Hinders and the beloved 571 Rueben that cannot be recreated. I'll say, I enjoyed the thick-cut portion of the meat in Troll Pub Reuben, and its unique Thousand Island sauce, which had more of a mayonnaise finish than others. That being said, naturally, I dipped that whole thing in ranch, because that’s how I like it. 

Now the fries at Troll Pub, they’re unmatched. They are absolutely delicious and crispy, and spiced with pepper and seasonings. They aren’t shoestring, and they aren't crinkle, and they aren't any other type of fry that already exists. They were their only heavenly specimen, and I have never had better. So, if anything, go to the Troll Pub for fries at the very least. 

The Troll Pub was the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat and escape the booming green festivities next door on Saint Patrick’s day. It was so warm and inviting that we debated if we ever wanted to leave and return to the madness. I’ll definitely be returning, if not for just the fries. 

Troll Pub, 216 Wayne Ave, Dayton