An exciting night on the town may seem like heaven after hours of being stuck in a boring classroom or dorm studying, which makes Blind Bob’s the ideal place to go for the classic bar scene. Located in the Oregon district of Dayton, the pub is an increasingly popular spot for any locals looking for burgers, beer and entertainment.
Blind Bob’s story is simple, according to their website: “Bob wanted a bar. Nate wanted to run a business. Lisa wanted Bob and Nate out of her hair.”
So in August of 2008, the Mendenhalls opened up the family business. Not only does the location offer an enjoyable experience, but it is also an award-winning refurbishment, having received the Golden Hammer Award from the Oregon Historic District Society.
Being in the Oregon district has been beneficial, according to Nate Mendenhall, general manager and son of the owners. “The atmosphere is loud and fun and robust, especially at night. In the day, it’s more of a laid-back atmosphere.”
With the music featured, Mendenhall’s description seems all the more accurate. Local musicians and touring bands—sometimes hailing from places like Norway, Sweden and Japan—visit the stage all the time.
“We play blue grass, indie, groove and lots of rock, like punk and metal—we play a bit of everything,” Mendenhal states. “We’ve got strong networking and it gets us a great slew of musicians…. The experience is unique.”
Karaoke nights, open mics and occasional theme nights are mixed in with their everyday music, making sure that there are plenty of options for any taste.
What can make or break a bar experience, though, is the menu. With six beers on tap and multiple mixed drink options in addition to bottled brands, there are plenty of possibilities for a customer to pair up with a homemade main dish or appetizer. That’s right—homemade.
Mendenhall describes their menu as “eclectic” and it’s tough to disagree. In addition to burgers with the regular fixings, Blind Bob’s sells unusual sandwiches like Island Delights—a pineapple, teriyaki, pepper-jack and wasabi-mayo burger—Garden Burgers for the growing vegetarian crowd, chicken and waffles, grilled PB&Js, the Ultimate Falafal and more. Plenty of appetizers and salads complete the menu.
“It was hard to choose a dish with all the options,” says Patrick Ferguson, a WSU student. “But what I got was good, and it was just a really great experience.”
Blind Bob’s is a Dayton hotspot and with friendly staff, heavy portions of good food and great music every night, it’s the perfect place for the Dayton college student.
