The Scene: The Roadhouse

7/12/2012
The patio and outdoor bar at The Roadhouse.
The patio and outdoor bar at The Roadhouse.

Address: 11535 Central Ave., Richfield Center

Origin of name: This is a long-standing location in Richfield Center. It has been in business in the community roughly 70 years. It evolved into a tavern for farmers to gather and have a few drinks and discuss the season's news regarding their crops and livestock. It later provided a kitchen for the same locals to grab a sandwich and a bite to eat and included music and entertainment.

What makes your place unique: Our claim to fame is our outstanding food. Our kitchen manager, Tom Madalinski, deserves most of the credit. His homemade soups and roast beef, cooked in-house, are some of his specialties. Our half-pound burgers are made fresh daily and are one of the best-selling sandwiches on the menu. The corned beef and turkey reubens are outstanding along with one of customer's favorite sandwiches, yellow Lake Erie perch. We also have full dinners, strip steaks, perch, liver and onions, and grilled chicken breast offered several ways. On average, we now serve as much food as we do adult beverages.

Clientele: Our customers come from various places, some as far as Oregon, Point Place, and the surrounding areas such as Swanton, Metamora, and Sylvania. We even have elected officials from Lucas County as well as the city of Toledo who stop in on a regular basis.

Entertainment: Our entertainment in the summer on the patio is karaoke on Wednesday nights, and on Thursday and Sunday evenings we host live music. We throw in a Saturday night performance once a month or so in the summer. The venue includes rhythm and blues by Curtis Jr. and The Midnight Rockers, blues with Johnny Reed and The House Rockers, and classic rock and southern rock.

Upcoming events: In September we are hosting a Poker Run to benefit Bittersweet Farms. More information is available on at bittersweetfarms.org.

Web site: Go to Facebook and search for Russ' Roadhouse and The Roadhouse pages.