In the course of a person’s day to day existence, which is more rewarding:
1. Knowing of a great restaurant with excellent food, formal atmosphere, professionally courteous wait staff, and price levels that make visits a ’special occasions only’ event, or …
2. Knowing of a modest restaurant with consistently decent food, laid back atmosphere, waitresses who treat you like family, and reasonable prices?
Oler’s Bar and Grill, 708 Lima Avenue, Findlay (across the street from Cooper Tire), definitely falls into the second category.
Let’s start with the building: Describing it as ‘modest’ would be giving it way too much credit, with its Tobacco Road shingle siding, dilapidated signage and industrial setting. The folks at Oler’s describe the place as “delightfully tacky” and most would agree they are at least half right. But you’re going there to eat, not study the architecture, right? And there’s something deeply satisfying, in a 60’s anti-establishment way, about spending my money there instead of one of the national restaurant franchises.
The measure of the worth of any restaurant is its food. Oler’s specializes in Tex Mex - Not strictly authentic Mexican. The food is consistently good, with plentiful portions. Your meal begins with drinks and complimentary chips and salsa. If you like your salsa on the hot side, be sure to tell the waitress. The full menu includes a variety of choices including appetizers, full dinners, a la carte items, dinner salads, sandwiches and deserts. My particular favorite, the Enchilada Mexicale, is no longer on the menu but can still be ordered. I like it ‘hot and wet’, as they say at Oler’s. That means prepared with hot peppers and drenched with ‘gravy’ (a sort of spicy brown rue).
I saved the best for last. Oler’s has arguably the best waitresses in Findlay, especially the core of veterans who have worked there for many years. If you become a regular, don’t be surprised if your waitress has your favorite beverage ready even before you are seated. They are super friendly and make you feel very much at home.
If I had to describe Oler’s with a single word, I think that word would be “comfortable”.
Getting back to the opening question, I pick “2”!