Dingle House. West Chester, OH.

9102 W Chester Towne Centre Road #4

Price for a Guinness: $7.50 | Overall Rating: 7.25

The Dingle House is magnificent. It really is. I believe that if the owner used his/her entire budget at a different location in the city with half the price tag on rent and utilities in a more unique building this place would have had potential to be a top Pub in the nation. For a place that's not part of a chain, it really has the feel of a nationwide chain to it, unfortunately, and that's all credited to the location.

The patina here has that "manufactured" feel to it, whereas they painted the "worn out-ness" and "used and abused" feel to the walls, furniture, etc. Everyone Pub owner wants patina, but you can't force it. You just have to let it develop on its own.

The architecture is incredible from head to toe with stone, nicely painted walls, Crown Moulding, a nice patio, and good furniture. It's definitely a proper Pub. However, it sits in a property that could have easily been a large Chiropractor's office with the modern, metal windowsills, commercial looking front door, and window posters that you only typically find at large nationwide chains like B-Dubs.

They have a well above average Whiskey selection and a phenomenal draft beer list, having Smithwick's, Harp, Magners, and Guinness available at all times of the year. The food is very delicious, although the prices are pretty steep. Over $15 for a Reuben and chips while a pour of Guinness runs you $7.50. If you come during the day then you can always expect a terrific pour. Inflation a few years from now will make these prices look cheap!

The employees wear kilts and the bartenders are normally pretty outgoing and knowledgeable. The entire place is clean and the bathrooms are very well kept. The people that come in here are normally business guys during lunch and middle to upper class throughout the evening. The immediate area has expensive condos and semi-expensive hotels down the street. The locals are no strangers to chatting, though, so you'll find the Craic on a good day!

A big take away is how open, spacious, and bright it is inside. The dining room does fill up so the space gets utilized, however, the Craic isn't consistent here. At the end of the day, when sitting inside the Dingle House it just feels too much like a chain restaurant that should be having a nationwide commercial campaign about kids eating free on Tuesdays rather than a cozy Irish hideout. This place goes to show you that just because you look the part that doesn't mean you fit the part. I leave here with hopes that maybe a decade from now it'll grow to a 9.25 because it certainly has the potential to do so.

Thanks for the many pours, Dingle House. I've been back many times since! Slainte.

Slainte.