A Dayton chain with one location downtown and the other just off Patterson Road near Kettering, Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers is sort of a low-cost bar that also serves some bar fare. It’s all pretty simple stuff, served alongside a lot of different drink specials on the weeknights that seems to bring an active clientele. Nachos, chicken wings, burgers and other things are on the menu, with different degrees of quality. All in all, though, I might suggest this be the kind of place you go for the drinks, not for the food.
The bar food is all pretty generic, with aforementioned typical bar items being the mainstays on the menu, and all of it under $10. There are some dinner items that are a little fancier, with classy meats like ribeye steak, barbecue ribs, surf and turf, fish and chips, most of it in the range of $15 or less. But to illustrate the experience with this spot, take the “famous” CBCB Classic Cheeseburger. The usual veggies over top of a burger. The problem is that the burger is a frozen patty served with what tastes very much like a prepackaged slice of cheese. Nothing creative about it, nothing beyond a pretty simple recipe of prefab ingredients heated up and assembled. The fries are good, but they’re also frozen. In theory, there was suppsoed to be cole slaw to try to go along with these things, but I never got that. They forgot about it. Even though I was literally the only order in the restaurant with food.
There’s a reason for that, unfortunately, and it’s because nothing here is especially worth trying. I don’t even recommend the bar unless you absolutely already like the place. It’s clean and it’s a place where the locals do go to drink, but it is not at all a destination for food. The food is something of an afterthought. If you’re already familiar with this nightspot, it may be a place you’re already comfortable eating, but if not, don’t make a special trip.
Recommendations
- There are some specials. A special of the day is offered each week, and there are some online coupons for people with large orders.
- If you don’t already like the bar, I don’t recommend making a special trip for the food. It’s just not worth it.
- Don’t like the bar food? Do try the “dinners” such as ribs, fish, steak, and chicken.
Another Food Critic 