I came for the gumbo, and I stayed for the cheese fries. This little diner has been so many different things over the years and has sat empty for so long, it's easy to forget it's even there. The current tenants are serving up a mixed bag of southern fare, burgers and a bit of soul food along the way. Sadly today, the one thing they were out of was the one thing I came in for... the gumbo. Long story short, I will be back because I've heard it's really good. As for the burgers? Super fresh with a home cooking vibe. The fries? Cooked to order with skins on and really great! I added cheese and recommend you do as well. To note: their menu is super limited in addition to their "daily" specials, but it looks like their "daily" specials might be available all the time. Also note: beverage offerings are super limited. No tea or coffee. Just canned soda and bottled water. Next visit, I'm going to hopefully try that gumbo... and maybe some fried fish. Hoping this small joint succeeds, as it adds a missing element to downtown Toledo. Super friendly staff and great prices. This is not fancy food, it's just good food. read more

Hotboxbistro - The cheese fries were hot and super fresh. Totally homemade. - Southern Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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I was visiting our office downtown and the meeting group planned to order in. I didn't want to be high maintenance, so I just ordered a salad - no dressing. I didn't request chicken or anything on it as I didn't want to spend the extra money (or have the company pay extra, more precisely). Our orders were called in and I didn't think anything further of it. When the order arrived, the staff handed out containers of food. I waited and waited and waited. At the end, there was an extra grilled chicken salad (what I would have ordered if I really got what I wanted) - and they handed it to me. YAY! The salad was much like a cobb - with some mixed greens in addition to iceberg lettuce. There was some cheddar, cukes, egg, cut up chicken breast and more. It came with dressing, but I do eat my salads dry. There was enough stuff on it that I really didn't miss having a dressing (I do like oil and vinegar - but again, wouldn't get that on an order being delivered in). Was the salad the best ever? No. But considering I had packed fruit and assume they would bring in something I don't eat, I was quite happy and enjoyed my lunch. I would definitely order this again so I return and be given the same menu options. read more

Hotboxbistro - Grilled chicken salad - Southern Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Always in the mood to try a local, new restaurant, I walked to Hotbox Bistro for lunch. On entering the establishment a few minutes before noon, I was pleasantly surprised to see a half-dozen people already in line ahead of me. For a restaurant that has only been open a couple of months, that is a great sign! On reaching the front of the queue, I ordered a bowl of the Uncle Mike's Gumbo with sausage, plus a can of Pepsi. My bill before tax and tip came to $10, which felt pretty reasonable for downtown. All but one of the orders ahead of me were to-go, so I had my pick of tables. The décor in the establishment was essentially unchanged from its previous life -or was that two restaurants ago?- as Epic Subs and Shawarmas a couple of years ago, with bright red tiles on the walls, and solid white and black booth seating. Other than a painting of a jazz performer in one corner, and a dry-erase board fashioned to look like the torso of a mannequin's body, the restaurant was otherwise devoid of decoration. However as I have said in other reviews, being light on ambiance is a-ok with me, as it allows the owners to focus on what they do best: the food! My meal was ready and delivered to my table in a pretty moderate period of time, especially considering the lunch rush. On removing the lid of the to-go soup bowl, my nose was immediately greeted by the heady aroma of rich, meaty gumbo. After wrestling open the package of plasticware, I dug the puny little plastic teaspoon deep into the bowl in order to thoroughly mix in the rice the menu had said would be on the bottom, then took a big ole bite ... instantly burning the roof of my mouth on the volcanically hot gumbo. Once it cooled enough to eat, I dug into the gumbo just as fast as the tiny little plastic spoon would let me, savouring each thick, flavour-dense bite! The gumbo unexpectedly came with a medium-small piece of homemade cornbread, which was excellent. Almost as good as grandma's cornbread when I was a kid, the outside edges were a little crunchy while the inside was moist. In taste, the cornbread had the perfect balance between sweet and salty. In short, delicious! Pleasingly, once the lunch rush died down, the nice lady who took my order at the counter stopped by my table to ask how I liked the food, and to see if I needed anything else. For a shop that is predominantly geared to be a takeaway place, I felt that was a very nice touch of customer service. PROS: great food with unique flavours, and reasonable prices CONS: this is a pretty minor quibble, but the plastic teaspoon was not really up to the challenge of the rich, thick, meaty gumbo; I felt like a cartoon character, with my arm a blur of motion delivering tiny spoonfuls of gumbo from the bowl to my mouth Overall I rate Hotbox Bistro as being Very Good, and look forward to returning! read more

Hotboxbistro - A bowl of the Uncle Mike's Gumbo with sausage, and a piece of homemade cornbread. Both most excellent! - Southern Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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The worst service ever. The first time I ordered from them I called in the order and when I got there they told me they sold my order to another customer. I called in another order they told me it was going to be it was going to be ready in 20 mins when I get there the lady seemed as if she didn't know what I was talking about and still my order wasn't even done or even being worked on. Will not be going back. read more

the music was nice...the food was nice as well...pricey for what you get but it was seasoned well! The order takers could use a customer service class though...will be returning! read more

This place is a hidden I gem. Tiny place with a smaller menu but they'll make WHATEVER you want as long as it's in the realm of feasibility. Ordered a shrimp po'boy and it was fantastic. This is the type of homely spot you sure hope continues to thrive, they are clearly proud of their food and do a damn good job showing it! read more

Hotboxbistro - Shrimp Po'Boy - Southern Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

The food is excellent and the staff was courteous and helpful the patio was closed but was opened by the owner for me and my associates to enjoy the weather great at outside all around great experience highly recommended Hot Box bistro and I'll be back all summer for sure read more

I was downtown at court with a family member and I went to Yelp to find a suggestion and Hotbox Bistro was the second restaurant on the list. I remember someone I know going here a few months back, so I gave it a shot. I looked at the menu and settled on the chicken gumbo and a fish po boy. The chicken gumbo was a little lighter than any I've ever had, but it had a pretty good flavor. I prefer a little more spice, but it was served at the proper temp and that's always good. The "po boy" was definitely not a po boy like any I've ever had. The fish was definitely under seasoned and it tasted and looked like catfish nuggets, even though I requested whiting. The bun was nice, but it definitely wasn't a po boy as it only had tomato, a few pieces of spinach and plain tartar sauce on the side. Plain tartar sauce doesn't go on a po boy, at least the ones I had when I lived down south. The thing that will have me go back and give this restaurant another chance is the fact that it was fairly clean, the staff was very cordial, polite and attentive and the food was served at the proper temperature. I'll just try something different next time. read more

It's important to me to support Black owned businesses so I was excited about trying HOTBOX bistro - first day great food good service, second day order the same items and also brought an African American out town guest. The guest reported to me that the female cashier (owner) was short with her and appeared irritated when she asked questions about her meal. I was embarrassed by the owners behavior. However, we noticed that she was courteous and smiled while dealing with the White patrons. Once I opened my meal I realized that it wasn't prepared as requested I phoned the restaurant and the owner wasn't engaging in conversation with me until I stated that I wasn't trying to return my meal I just wanted to make her aware my dissatisfied order - she then stated that she would tell the cooker!!! She NEVER apologized. Relationships amongst Black America requires for ALL of us to be kinder to one another!!! Hotbox Bistro OWNER please be as kind to your Black patrons as you are to your White patrons. Always apologize for your mistakes!!! And most importantly SMILE at EVERY dollar that walks through your doors!!! read more