DEET'S BBQ * * *
Address: 1835 Conant St., Maumee.
Phone: 419-893-2335.
Category: Casual.
Menu: Barbecue.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Reservations are not accepted.
Wheelchair access: Yes.
Average price: $.
Credit Cards: AE, Dis, MC, V.
Web site: deetsbbq.com.
Ratings: * * * * * Outstanding; * * * * Very Good; * * * Good; * * Fair; * Poor.
Sides include home-style baked beans ($1), cole slaw ($1), cinnamon apple sauce ($1), corn muffins (50 cents), and creamy macaroni and cheese. All the sides we tried tasted truly homemade. The apple sauce was chunky and loaded with cinnamon, the baked beans didn’t taste like they came out of a can, and the mac and cheese was similar to what your mom might make.
The downside of Deet’s was made clear both times we visited. The weather was bitterly cold and the interior of restaurant, tucked away in a strip mall next to Meijer, seemed to drop 20 degrees every time someone opened the door. There are only a few tables that seat a total of 12 people, and we sat about 15 feet from the door, huddled in our coats.
This is unfortunate and could be a sign of a business in transition. Owned by Bob, Trevor and Lisa Deeter along with Allen Laurel, Deet’s started as a catering business, and the restaurant has only been open since September. The result is a place that seems set up more as a carry-out than an actual diner, and Deet’s still is heavily involved in catering.
It’s clear the business is growing, and given the high quality of its food and the friendly customer service (and, we should note, excellent blues music playing on the in-house sound system) here’s hoping they can afford to move into a bigger place and continue expanding.
As it stands, Deet’s offers four-star food in a two-star place. If it grows into a bigger restaurant and keeps the menu simple and economical, we’re predicting booming business.
Contact Bill of Fare at:
fare@theblade.com