“One of the great things about the city of Akron is the number of unique restaurants that are just a short drive away from the main campus. I am not talking about places like Panera or Quizno’s, which are great places to go and have lunch or dinner. I am talking about the small places around town where only a select few are privy to the knowledge that these are some of the best places in town.”
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One of the great things about the city of Akron is the number of unique restaurants that are just a short drive away from the main campus.

I am not talking about places like Panera or Quizno’s, which are great places to go and have lunch or dinner. I am talking about the small places around town where only a select few are privy to the knowledge that these are some of the best places in town.

One of these hidden gems is Dante’s Gamesday Grille, located at 1019 N. Main Street, about a ten-minute drive from campus in downtown Akron.

Dante’s is a small sports-themed bar that offers a number of awesome appetizers, sandwiches and wings with reasonably priced beer to complement the food. Since 1995, about the only thing that has changed in the bar is the style of the televisions.

Dante’s has a number of delicious menu items scattered throughout its menu.

Two of the most enticing are the Gamesday Fries and the Broccoli Cheese Poppers. The Gamesday Fries are covered with the house wing sauce- called Gamesday sauce- and are topped off with cheese, bacon and green onions. The Broccoli Cheese Poppers are deep fried and served with a side of Gamesday sauce.

Moving on to the sandwiches, a couple of recommendations for the first time diner: the Buffalo Chicken Wrap and the Chuckie Burger.

The Buffalo Chicken Wrap comes with your choice of sauce and my personal favorites are the original Gameday or the spicier Gamesday Hot. The wrap also comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion.

The Chuckie Burger can be ordered as a single, double or triple cheeseburger and it comes with grilled onions, Gamesday sauce and salami. It sounds different but I promise you that all of these ingredients together are a home run.

Last but certainly not least are the wings. Dante’s has about 10 different types of sauce ranging from the very mild Gamesday to the very spicy Dante’s Inferno. The wings can be ordered in increments of six. The most popular flavor is the Gameday wings.

The best time to visit Dante’s is during the Indians games. The special is 35-cent wings (dine-in only) and the beer special is a $2.25 for a 23 oz. Bud Light draft. On Thursday nights, the bar offers dollar burgers all night and usually a draft special to compliment. So if you are looking for an inexpensive place to grab some awesome food, give Dante’s Gamesday Grille a chance and you will not be disappointed.

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