Little York is a funny thing of a concept for north Dayton’s Vandalia. The tavern’s recognizable as a place for activities, with pool and volleyball courts and dart boards, it’s much like some of the sports bar concepts around town. Unlike the rest though, this one is a pretty decent restaurant at the same time, and it’s got a menu packed with tasty bar grub as well as a well known and well-loved menu of pizzas that come in sizes starting at the 6-inch level and going up. That said though, it’s the kind of place that draws a crowd and a dedicated fan base.
The menu is all about the pizza. That said, the other items on the menu I tried I found to be on the average side.
- Pizza: There’s something to be said for that pizza, it’s a popular option, and it’s served “Columbus style” — that is, on a very thin and crisp crust with a sweet sauce and cit into small square pieces. The crust is sort of a love-hate thing, because I liked it for my taste for Columbus pizza. But others who don’t like that style might think it’s on the drier side. That really depends on the kind of pizza you like. That said, I got the barbecued chicken pizza and it was outstanding; it’s got white meat chunks which seem to be really and honestly barbecued meat, with onions, cheese, and a sweet barbecue sauce to complement it.
- Wings: The wings are jumbo, which is good, but the sauces to top them are pretty simple. In fact I got “honey mustard” because it’s not often that you spot honey mustard on wings in these parts — and it may as well have just been a bottled variety of the sauce put on the wings, nothing to balance them out. The nachos I tried were similarly uninspired.
- Barbecue burger: The barbecue burger is topped with cooked onions on a buttered bun. It’s pub grub, good for the gut!
Service is good; at times it can be slow or inattentive, which is something you can come to expect from a lot of bars of this size, so I can’t fault that, but while the service wasn’t poor it wasn’t as quick or experienced as I might have expected for a bar that has been running for 25 years.
All told, there are a lot of things that will bring people to York, and I’d contend the pizza should be one of them. You can come here to see a DJ or a band or enjoy the patio and the many entertainment amenities that go along with the spot, so I would say at least one visit will be a safe experience.
Recommendations
- York’s pizza is great, and a strong addition to the local pizza scene. It’s the best thing on the menu and I definitely recommend it be your first dish here.
- There is a patio, pool tables, volleyball courts and a lot of entertainment. Some televisions and space for bands to play inside, too.
- Weekly trivia is also popular here.
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