Quote:The Gradkowski's and Social Gastropub teams are joining forces this summer. On Friday, July 8th our Gradkowski's location will be closed for remodeling for approx 4 weeks. It will reopen as part of our Social Gastropub family. We would like to invite all our friends and guests to come out and enjoy all your favorite Gradkowski's dishes and cocktails, one last time. Don't fret, we will still have the same great quality and service you have come to love and respect. We hope to see you all out this week!

Checked Yelp, it pains, but the gastropub gets blasted. Went to G's myself on campus for lunch twice. Wi-fi not working and it was to be a working lunch so I left the first time. Second time, food and service was...ok. Desert well made but not to my tastes. They chose a fairly crowded market theme both food and atmosphere wise....

REALLY wish he'd gone with a Pittsburgh themed place because I can't think of one, not here. I recall posting the same thought when it was first announced he was going to open up a restaurant. Might not even be a thought of idea, outside of Pittsburgh? There's Chicago places and Philly and NY places... but this is HUGE Steeler area, one of the few geographically disconnected NFL fan bases in the country. Even to just franchise a Primanti's or something... near a sports campus would seem to be a good location.

The place next door seems busy every time I've gone by. I only went in once but it was quality and affordable and it has a cool vibe, felt like I was overseas. As good as anything in Ann Arbor (my opinion). So there's no problem with location. I just don't think what he's going for has a market there. Would like to see that Shwarmaholic in that facility, instead of hidden back in that strip mall on Secor-central, where you can only get at it if you're driving north. Theirs also has a campus vibe and is affordable but maybe that location is working for them.

Well, best of luck to Gradkowski. I definitely think there are opportunities for him here, just has to find the right market.

Just ate there (Gradkowski's)Thursday. Best service I can recall, even left a note on the receipt to that effect. Food was, as always, very good. It's a long trip for me but one I intentionally make a few times a year. Hope it comes back strong. The next good thing I hear about the Perrysburg location will be the first but I never ate there.

(07-09-2016 06:32 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  Just ate there (Gradkowski's)Thursday. Best service I can recall, even left a note on the receipt to that effect. Food was, as always, very good. It's a long trip for me but one I intentionally make a few times a year. Hope it comes back strong. The next good thing I hear about the Perrysburg location will be the first but I never ate there.

Oh come on, Waterville isn't that far!

(07-09-2016 06:52 PM)inductchuck16 Wrote:  

(07-09-2016 06:32 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  Just ate there (Gradkowski's)Thursday. Best service I can recall, even left a note on the receipt to that effect. Food was, as always, very good. It's a long trip for me but one I intentionally make a few times a year. Hope it comes back strong. The next good thing I hear about the Perrysburg location will be the first but I never ate there.

Oh come on, Waterville isn't that far!

No. But it's a twenty minute drive with lots of nearer places to eat. Not someplace you just stop because you're close by. I have a hard time getting past Deetz.

(07-09-2016 06:32 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  Just ate there (Gradkowski's)Thursday. Best service I can recall, even left a note on the receipt to that effect. Food was, as always, very good.

Wish mine had been. Lunch or dinner?

Wonder what the issue is with the P-Burg site? If one is good and the other not so good, why are they changing the good one to the model of the not so good one? Seems odd.

What's the difference between the two?

(07-09-2016 08:40 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(07-09-2016 06:32 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  Just ate there (Gradkowski's)Thursday. Best service I can recall, even left a note on the receipt to that effect. Food was, as always, very good.

Wish mine had been. Lunch or dinner?

Wonder what the issue is with the P-Burg site? If one is good and the other not so good, why are they changing the good one to the model of the not so good one? Seems odd.

What's the difference between the two?

From observation and WOM the P-Burg site is aimed at, and draws, a younger crowd. Grad's may be too traditional in style (dark and quiet) to attract college kids and other young professional types. It seemed pretty busy at lunch the other day. My wife is notoriously picky but is pretty fond of Grad's.

I was at Gradkowski's last night (Saturday the 9th of July). Bruce came over to my table and said the restaurant is closing for a month for remodeling and will be more like the Perrysburg location when it reopens. Bruce also said training camp begins for him on July 28th. There was a nice crowd there but it was not packed.

I'm not sure who is being critical of Social, but I and nearly everyone I've spoken with have liked the place and we're all deeply involved in Toledo food culture. Gradkowskis has been inconsistent in my experience. The service at times being flat-out bad. Hopefully a remodel does them some good at that location.

(07-10-2016 08:25 AM)toledobigmike Wrote:  I'm not sure who is being critical of Social, but I and nearly everyone I've spoken with have liked the place and we're all deeply involved in Toledo food culture. Gradkowskis has been inconsistent in my experience. The service at times being flat-out bad. Hopefully a remodel does them some good at that location.

I don't recall another place with such a plethora of mixed bag reviews. Food was excellent, service not. Service was excellent, food was not. Service/food sucked but then they made it good....


With service reviews, I generally read both ends with a grain of salt. For example, there could be Grad fans that could say no wrong and Grad rivals (BG fans) who want to grind. But these reviews have both kinds of comments in the same review and that fairly accurately reflects my experience.


I think I see what he's going for (I think). Not unlike Jimmy Jackson's attempt, a place priced middle so the average joe can OCCASIONALLY afford what has appearance of being upper-crusty without the $50 a plate prices. From MY experience, he has some service and presentation problems to work out in order to meet that experience.

I liked the appearance of Jackson's place, though never ate there. It had that bourbon and cigar (neither of which I partake), hobnobby feel to it. It felt very big-city. It felt owner operated. Nice dark wood interior. Looked like nice eating utensils and glasses.

Last meal I had at Grads before a basketball game last season was fantastic. Not necessarily a steak place. But my steak and sides were prepared perfectly, service was fine. Haven't been to Social yet. But we will see if it flies.

Social has a pretty ecelectic menu which changes every 2-3 months. Been there a few times. Twice had difficulty picking between several good menu options and one time didn't like anything on the menu. Favorite meal so far was cheddar grits & shrimp with maple syrup.