Sidebar 410

Apparently, it doesn’t matter now, as they closed the day after my sub-​par dinner, but on the chance that they reopen, you should know.
The service was horrible. Our girl was MIA for incredibly long stretches of time, she brought out drinks and seemed to think that was it. We asked her for recommendations, and she said everything was «good» in a flat tone. Uhm, really? Way to make me think everything on your menu sucks. She was also rude, the only time I saw a smile was when she laid down the cashed out checks.
It also totally ticks me off when an automatic gratuity is added on to crappy service. You have to at least make an effort.
The food is pretty good, and the drinks, which can be quite tasty, are inconsistent. My first Moscow Mule was great, the second, so over ginger-​syruped that I felt like (and it tasted like) there was nothing but syrup in the glass!
The positives in no way made up for the bad bad bad service. I remember her name, owner, if you are interested. She is definitely a part of what contributed to your overall problem.

I’ve been to Sidebar 410 twice now, and it has been wonderful each time. It’s a hip little place with speakeasy style cocktails and great tapas style food. The cocktails are a little pricey ($ 9 for a small glass with a quartino), but I am someone who sips slowly at my drinks, so it works for me. Try the two-​step, it tastes like amazing pink lemonade, with a yummy little raspberry in the middle.
I’ve had the caprese salad both times as an appetizer, and it is yummy. For entress I’ve had the seafood opera and the lobster ravioli. The seafood opera had, hands down, the best marinara sauce I’ve had in Dayton (although I am not sure they referred to it as a marinara. whatever…it was a delicious red sauce that went on pasta). The lobster ravioli was equally amazing; it was very rich and contained generous potions of lobster.
My boyfriend and I will definitely be returning.

Stopped in here after dinner on a recent Friday night. It was 9ish and the place was hopping, but we were able to get a patio seat right away. It was a great perch to watch the traffic on 5^th and the assorted Sidebar clientele who were much better dressed than I expected.
I had a glass of Chardonnay that was solid. I also tried their sorbet — a scoop each of pineapple and melon. The flavors were OK. The texture was crushed ice: crunchy and not at all smooth. I’m not sure how, but they missed the bus on the sorbet.
The server was friendly, happy and did a great job.
A good place. I would go back.

It’s my opinion that Sidebar should stick to being a bar. They do have a wide array of liquors and experienced bartenders that can be fun to watch while working their craft. I agree with a previous review that the odd cylindrical ice chunk that takes most of your glass when ordering a mojito or their grapefuit cocktail is pretty unnecessary.
The food is the real disappointment. The owners and chef need to get on the same page as to whether the food is tapas style or not. The food is plated on tapas sized dishes but listed on the menu as entrees and priced as entrees. In further confusion my friend and I asked if the salads were large enough to split because many of them have chicken, bread and other heartier ingredients. Those ingredients listed made us think they were dinner salads and not side salads, we had no issue whatsoever paying for two separate salads it’s just that the ingredients made us think they were meal sized portions. Our bartener was fairly rude when she replied that we each definitely needed to order our own salads. I found that unnecessary.
We both ordered the house mixed greens salad. The greens were very fresh, the artichokes, Manchego cheese, red peppers and pecans worked well together. The pecan dressing tasted literally, just of oil. There was no flavor to speak of whatsoever. Very disappointing.
I ordered the lamb shank with what is listed as «roasted vegetables and parmesan risotto». What appeared on my plate was not parmesan risotto that I have ever encountered before but was Cheese Whiz yellow and tasted like Kraft mac-​n-​cheese, but not in a good old-​school kind of way, this tasted like powdered cheese. The lamb shank was very nicely done but my particular piece of meat was mostly fat.
My friend ordered the seafood opera. I was impressed by the freshness of the pasta in this dish. The shrimp were fairly well sized but the scallops were small for sea scallops. There were only four mussels in the dish, why bother? The broth was deceptively spicy. It was one of those sauces that starts out fine then leaves your lips burning. Both of us happen to like spicy flavors so we were fine with it, but if you were sensitive to such things, this would have been a surprise as the heat level is not indicated on the menu.
I appreciate finer dining when the food really is finer. I felt that they took great ideas and executed them all wrong. The Oregon District is full of great food and I think Sidebar has the right idea, they just need to get their offerings on the same page as their lofty ideas.

Overall, very impressed. Have to admit, we aren’t finding too many awesome finds in Dayton, but happy to note that Sidebar is a cut above!
Great location and ambiance. Hip, cool, the kinda place you want to dress smartly for. Valet parking even though you can see the lot, and your car, right across the street. Good thing it is free.
Her Grapefruit cocktail was very good, despite the artsy cylindrical ice chunk occupying most of the space. Wine by quartino was nice and a decent value. The starter hummus was a great touch.
We decided to pseudo-​tapas the meal and split the quinoas salad (steak grilled to order and dressing sublime). Big hit. We also tried the sole poppettes (ok, so I’m not French) and the seafood pizza. The former was a bit of a dud in that the description does not infer it is fried in light batter. Not bad, but I did not get the taste I was expecting from the prosciutto and basil. The pizza, on the other hand, was incredible. Awesome thin crust, great big chunks of scallops and shrimp, and everything glistening in pesto. Yum.
Service was overall ‘OK, though we think our waiter got some distressing news mid dinner; his great initial attitude seemed to change as the evening progressed. Like the poppettes, not bad, just … well … kinda flat
It won’t keep us away, however… We will be back.

I went here for the first time with a few colleagues when visiting Dayton for a business trip. We went on Thursday evening and the place was pretty packed. Fortunately, we had called ahead to make reservations and were seated as soon as we arrived.
The restaurant is We ordered some drinks and snacked on some pita and hummus that was provided to us while we perused the menu. The hummus was really tasty and had a nice creamy texture. The pita slices were a little tough, though. Not quite as crunchy as chips and not soft like fresh pita. I wasn’t sure what they were trying to be exactly.
We soon ordered and this is what we got:
Beef Tenderloin Empanadas — Flaky dough encompassing tender, well-​seasoned pieces of beef. The dough was a little dry, but once they were cracked open, the beef and its accompanying sauce helped moisten the experience. Tasty and toasty.
Beef Saltado Pizza — A well-​executed version of the classic Peruvian dish (minus the french fries). Sizable and tasty. Excellent ingredients.
Grilled Chicken and Shrimp Skewers — Well prepared and very flavorful. Texture of the shrimp was excellent.
Chef’s Choice of Fresh Fish — I don’t remember what kind of white fish it was, but it was well prepared. Light and flaky. Really good.
Scallops Parmesan — I didn’t have any of these but I heard they were good.
Tres Leches — Super moist and sweet. Delicious.
Lucuma Cheesecake — Also really tasty.
Summary: As you can tell from the commonality of the notes for each dish above, the food is fantastic. High quality and really tasty. Reasonably priced given the combination. There is street parking and a lot across the street and behind a building. The next time I’m in Dayton, I’ll try to his this place up again for sure.

We visited Sidebar to scout out a venue for my sister’s wedding rehearsal dinner. We double dated and had an awesome time. I ordered the tilapia fritters, which I loved. I knew it was tapas styled and prepared our party for small dishes, but I was pleased with all of our portions. My husband had the chicken pizza, and the soon-to-be’s shared the pork filet mignon. Everything was SO good. I asked the waitress (who was wonderful) for a drink recommendation, and she brought me the Two Step. I was disappointed by the size of it, but it was really good. My husband and I shared the Tres Leches for dessert. It was everything I hoped it would be. Overall the atmosphere, food, and prices will definitely have us back. I’ll update after we have the rehearsal dinner here.

This is a hip place. Love the concept and décor is pretty good. I have been here numerous times so I figured I need to finally write a review. Tonight, we stopped by for an after dinner drink. I need to remember to have a cocktail here instead of wine. By the glass choices are not my favorite; only one California red. Bonus though– wine is poured in «quartinos» 8 oz. so it is a decent price. But the reason I say I need to order a straight up cocktail is because that is what this place is known for– craft cocktails. They have a great liquor selection and even just watching the bartenders make the drinks is entertaining.
We did not order food tonight, but I can say on a consistent basis it is very good. Even had brunch here and it was good. Try the octopus– you will not be disappointed. The chef is South American so there are some wonderful dishes on the menu. Even though they are technically tapas, the portion sizes are very fair for the prices.
The back rooms here are very cool… almost a VIP atmosphere. Service is OK, sometimes slow, but I have noticed they have retained most of the same staff for some time. I think that says something. Valet parking is also available which makes it very convenient.
I wish half stars were available, because this would be a 3.5. Definitely try Sidebar. You might forget you’re in Dayton.

Fantastic date spot. My girlfriend and I headed here after dinner at Thai 9.
+1 for good location (Oregon District)
+1 for great atmosphere. Good, dim lighting. Neat, real-​fire arrangements on either side of the bar.
+1 for plenty of seating
+1 for fun, friendly wait staff
+1 for good selection of wines
+1 for serving wine in quartinos (a small carafe containing ~8oz)
We will return. Recommended.

I have been here for a meal, drinks and dessert, and brunch. Each time was a very different experience, but none was better than «meh».
Every time, especially for brunch, the service was slow. I mean it is one thing to have a slow and leisurely meal, but the time we went for brunch, they barely checked on us, and I remember wanting another drink and some hot sauce and getting them close to never. It made for a pretty high-​stress meal because I felt like I spent most of the brunch waiting for a server rather than enjoying the company that I was eating with.
the time i went for drinks and dessert, I had some of their «homemade baileys’ (the server’s words and not mine), and it was really good when I sipped it, but when i mixed it with the coffee i ordered to go with it, it wasn’t that great, and there was some oily something on the top.
I think there are other places that are better for drinks and interesting eats, so I don’t think i will go here again unless I see something something on the menu that I really must try!

Another great meal at Sidebar! Hubby and I split the beef epanadas and the grilled beef tenderloin skewers with bleu cheese sauce and parmesan risotto. Loved both. The meals are small plates, so the huge deserts came as a surprise. Hubby had the Chocolate Madness Cake while I opted for the Bruselina, a mousse cake that tasted like an almond topped éclair. Both were really good, but I would have rather had a smaller piece at a smaller price. I couldn’t finish mine, so next time will have to split a desert instead of getting two.
Tip: Ask for a window table. The Oregon District is a constant parade of interesting people. :)

Not bad! A nice space and excellent wait staff.
The plates we interesting and and tasty. I would have liked to see less creamy sauces in the dishes, they seemed like an afterthought on most dishes.
To elaborate on the excellent staff, our server urged us to to try the tres leche and when we declined because we were so full, she brought it to us on the house.
If you’re looking for excellent cocktails, I think these are the best Dayton has to offer.

Very good customer service here! Great area for a get together with a few friends. One of the better places in the Oregon District especially once you get into the back lounge area with the nice décor and plush carpeting. Always has been a good experience having a few drinks here!

Well poop, and I really wanted to like it too.
Seriously, the only thing worth going back for was the hummus. There was a little drizzle of kalamata olive oil on it that I could have ordered by the glass and been fine with the calorie consumption.
What we experienced was a roller coaster of an evening that I’ll drag you along in the retelling…
3.5 stars… We went on a Tuesday night just to treat ourselves. It wasn’t busy, we were seated right away without a reservation
4 stars… Our server was Johnny on the Spot, very nice, very attentive and knowledgeable without being intrusive.
4.5 stars… The hummus was heavenly. Again, the olive oil was the real show stealer in that dish. Our server asked if we wanted more but I was afraid I’d ruin my dinner, you know… the real reason we were there…
4 stars… And then the waiting began… and lingered… on and on. I thought the wait was extreme for a Tuesday night when they weren’t busy. I found myself wishing I’d have let him bring more hummus.
3.5 stars… I ordered the Tortilla Española and it arrived after a short lifetime of waiting. And I stared at it. My sweetheart ordered the beef with bleu cheese mushroom sauce and I politely waited for his dish to come out of the kitchen as well. So I sit here, eyeing the little bits of omelet that were getting colder by the minute. After 10 minutes had passed I finally as the waiter to take it back to the kitchen and keep it warm till both of us could eat at the same time.
3 stars… Finally both dishes appear among many apologies. And after waiting so long for my omelet I was under impressed to say the least. The portion was small and there was no warning that this was a small plate. It was presented on the menu as an entrée. The thing about Tortillas is that the potatoes are almost literally boiled in olive oil before being stirred into the egg and put back on the fire. As a result there should have been a lovely, green flavor from the oil and there was none. In fact, it was just a plane bit of baked potato and egg, nothing special there at all.
We shared a dessert of Tres Leches and they redeemed themselves slightly with the dense, soggy with milk cake that I know and love but I’m only giving them a rating of 2 because, frankly… I don’t like roller coasters.
I had asked the chef for a job back when they were just opening up. I’m rather glad he didn’t extend an offer to me as I think his food lacks vision and I’m not sure working there would gain me any juice.
It’s very overpriced and very underwhelming. Save your money, there are better places in town. Now, if you want to talk about the coffee bar that’s a horse of a much different color and I’ll go out of my way for a real and wonderful espresso any day.

I dined at Sidebar 410 sans reservations with my friend on Saturday. We arrived around 7:45 p.m. and waited about an hour for a table which was fine because we enjoyed the lounge area in which they sat us. The lounge seating is a side room behind the bar which is beautifully decorated with burgundy sari-​like patchwork tapestries on the walls and features two decent televisions to entertain customers while waiting. The seating was sufficient and comfortable for those waiting; we definitely did not feel crammed like at some restaurants where the only room to wait is at the bar. Our waitress in the lounge was very nice and cheerful. I ordered a fresh fruit gimlet ($ 9) which contained gin, strawberry and lime which was presented nicely and tasted fresh and delicious, not too sweet and contained just the right amount of tartness as well as alcohol.
The dining area in which we were seated was directly across from the bar and the path of most traffic. We had a good view of the valet out the window and Fifth Street. The noise level was bearable but at times it felt like my friend and I were in a shouting match. Unfortunately, I do not know whether I was seated behind a customer who smelled unsavory or the seat in which I sat smelled this way, but my nose did not enjoy the odor in which I was placed. Our waitress in the dining area did not seem to know much about the menu and did not notice we did not have any utensils to dine with. When we asked her about one of the featured desserts she did not know what it was and when she asked someone else she came back with description of another dessert, not the one we asked about.
Since I was not that hungry after watching Tangled at the movie theatre with my daughters and filling up on popcorn and Junior Mints, I ordered the Goat Cheese Salad and shared a bottle of Moscato d’asti ($ 25) with my friend. The salad presentation was lovely, however, it did not come as I imagined it would from the description given on the menu. On the menu, the goat cheese is described as herbed and baked and I assumed it simply came on the salad; instead, the goat cheese did not actually lie on the salad, but was baked on baguettes surrounding the salad. Although these tasted wonderfully, I would have preferred the mention of this on the menu because I do not like bread/​croutons on my salad and would have rather had the goat cheese crumbled on my salad as imagined.
For dessert, I ordered the Bruselina which was described as a delicate mousse cake consisting of butterscotch, chantilly, toasted almonds and drizzled with butterscotch sauce. Unfortunately, I was not impressed. The dessert was overwhelmingly sweet which disguised any flavours available to my palate. I felt as though the entire dessert consisted entirely of heavy cream which coated my tongue and although I realize the Bruselina as described should be sweet and rich, that does not mean it should taste and feel like a clump of overly sweetened whipped cream with sliced almonds on top.
Sidebar 410 is an eclectic place to eat with many walks of life enjoying the atmosphere and the food. We saw both old and young folks as well as different cultures there. It is definitely an interesting dining experience and the alcohol is worth drinking, though costly at the end of the night. I do not think I would go there again for dessert, but perhaps drinks and the savory tapas would be worth a trip back with friends.

My first impression of Sidebar was the lovely lounge area, where the wall is covered in a patchwork of sari-​like material and you can get comfortable to have a drink. I went with my friend for dinner on a Saturday night and did not make a reservation. Probably advisable, since we ended up waiting quite a while. We weren’t in a hurry though, so not a big deal for us.
The dining area is nicely decorated and very contemporary, but was rather loud. Something about the set-​up did not absorb much of the sound and it was hard to hear across the table at times. The servers were very nice, though we had to ask for our silverware. Was it slightly overpriced? Yes, but not so much that I would not try it out a few times. It would be good to go with a larger group so you can get more tastes– it’s harder to get a variety with just two people.
My friend got the fruit gimlet, which looked amazing (and she loved it), and I had a grapefruit vodka, which was also delicious (but maybe not worth $ 9). The drink menu in general was somewhat pricey, but there was still many under $ 10 cocktail options. The food was good, though I think the menu could perhaps do a better job explaining the choices. I ordered a dessert special, and was told it was fruit sorbet, and it was not at all fruit sorbet. It was still very good, but not what I was going for, and I spent the rest of the meal trying to figure out what was in the dessert.
I would try Sidebar again, maybe with a larger group to get a better example of all the tastes. I like the décor and atmosphere, and we had a great time people watching (a very diverse crowd). I read in another review that there were complimentary hummus and pita chips, and if that is the case, I am sad that we did not get any! This is a potential 4 star for me, I just am not quite sure yet.

I agree with other reviewers: Sidebar 410 is good but overpriced.
However, if you go for flavors and not to get full, it isn’t unreasonable.
I recommend taking a date, ordering two entrees and two (divinely strawberry) gimlets and filling up on the complimentary hummus and pita chips.
As for the entrees, you can’t go wrong with the giant scallops baked with loads of rich cheese. And try the sea bass with anchovy sauce; it isn’t fishy at all!
If you feel like an extra something, the goat cheese salad is a winner.

As other reviewers have indicated, the food is indeed excellent and the cocktails are exceptional. The atmosphere is sophisticated, perhaps too much so for Dayton’s crime ridden Oregon District. The two star rating stems from location, pricing, and service.
First, Location: While considered by some to be cool and hip, I find the Oregon District to be a cesspool of crime, overrun with panhandlers, prostitutes, and vomiting drunks. Fifth Street between Wayne Ave. and Jefferson is filthy, plagued by run down vacant buildings and unsavory bars offering cheap drinks and potent shots, apparently mainly to those employed by the slightly more respectable establishments in the area including Sidebar. Parking is nightmarish. Although there is a large public lot behind Jay’s Seafood and Thai 9, it is not well lit nor patrolled by security. Walking even the short distance to Sidebar is fraught with inconvenience if not outright danger, depending on the nature of the bums you will encounter along the way. And it is difficult to enjoy any time away from your vehicle which is likely to be burglarized.
Second, Pricing: Although the products offered from both the cocktail and food menus are of high quality, the costs are astronomical. While I am prepared to pay $ 9 and up for a drink in New York, Chicago, or San Francisco, I cannot justify this price for a beverage in downtown Dayton, Ohio, in an area plagued with all the aforementioned problems. After three visits, I can attest the chef works wonders in the kitchen. However, the pricing is ludicrous. The small plate/​tapas portions are in fact small. The menu states that any plate may be doubled to entrée size, but at such ridiculous prices this is not an appealing option. And it is difficult to appreciate the food and drinks while dreading the trek back to the car through the gauntlet of drunken panhandlers.
Third, Service: All the staff I’ve encountered at Sidebar are friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and well-​trained, so this issue is not about personnel but rather the mechanics of the operation. At $ 9 and up per cocktail, it is inexcusable to receive appetizers and entrees before a drink which was ordered while reviewing the dinner menu. This effectively ruins the dining experience and certainly prevents ordering another cocktail. Perhaps this problem is merely a symptom of the inevitable growing pains suffered by all new establishments, but even if it was cured I would not return because of the location and pricing.
If the owners are in search of real success, I recommend moving their operation to a more conducive location. Try the Greene or other suburban spot. When people feel safe and secure in their surroundings, they are less bothered by prices and hiccups in the operation.

We went here a couple of times on our recent trip to Dayton. We loved their take on classic cocktails — my friend’s Old Fashioned was a work of art. Their food is done tapas style and is very good. But the item that stands out to me weeks later is on the dessert menu — the Strawberry Dacquoise is not to be missed.

Daytons hottest new club is called Puuuuuush.
Bar owner Brian Higgens is at it again.
walk in the door and you are immediately greeted by Abigail and Brittany Hensel, that two headed girl from TLC.
And hey look, whats that over in the corner. Why its Kenny Rodgers… wait actually its just some fat kid with biscuit knees playing poker in a wind storm.
ok its not a nightclub or called push, but I have and do go there. Lately very often, because it is the best bar in Dayton for mixed drinks and good food.
The cocktail menu was assembled with the help of Chicago mixologist Michael Rubel, who works as a bartender and bar manager at the Wicker Park lounge Violet Hour. The drinks here are just as good and slightly cheaper. I’ve had the Dark and Stormy, Moscow Mule, and others. They also have a good selection of beers.
The restaurant food is by chef Margot Blondet. Small plates, pizzas, etc. I have always enjoyed the food I’ve ordered. It is vegan friendly. I have had very friendly and helpful waitresses and bartenders, only one slip up so far. When you compare the atmosphere to the feel and look of the Violet Hour which how could you not due to the drinks, its not quite there, but then I dont think Thomas Schlesser was the designer.
I name dropped 7 times in this review.
I’m sorry if you went expecting Kenny Rodgers or the Hensel girls.
go for the drinks and food instead.