If you are from the area this is a staple restaurant spot in Canal Winchester (other locations is in Athens & Heath). The staff is always welcoming & you can tell that it's a family. Food is good. Never have a bad meal just sometimes doesn't sit well with me. We frequent here so you know it's a good time. Parking is mainly street around the corner. Town in small with local shops. Never been during evening times so keep that in mind. read more

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I was super excited for this place, but I didn't even get to eat. On arrival we were told to seat ourselves, 5 minutes later we were told someone would be with us soon, so far so good. Then we waited for 20 minutes. We didn't even get menus. Two tables were seated after us and were already ordering when we decided to give up and try another place. I don't like assuming people are prejudiced. I want to believe our server just happened to overlook the one table of brown people because they're a teenage girl going through a hard time. So that's what I choose to believe. I just hope the place shapes up, because someone else might not have taken it as well as we did. On the bright side, the staff seemed friendly (when we left, two servers near the entrance told us to have a nice day) and the dishes at the tables around us looked really good. I hope to come back and successfully try that chicken noodle soup someday read more

Pros: Great location in downtown Canal Winchester Addie took wonderful care of us and checked in often, even giving us a heads up on when food would come out Easy parking in a walkable area clean bathrooms Food was outstanding - we got Margherita pizza and wings Full bar long-time establishment with lots of regulars Cons: They were pretty busy on a Sunday afternoon, so food took a while to come out. Addie gave us lots of updates, which helped! Pro tip: Definitely worth a visit if you are in town. The regulars dine here and the food is delicious. You can also stop across the street for an ice cream at Johnson's afterwards :) read more

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Service was decent and polite, food was okay but could have been better. I got the wild fries and it came with 3 small chicken chunks. The fries were lightweight soggy. Taste was on point tho and they hooked you up with the fries. Wife got pretzel sticks. A little over cooked but the cheese and honey mustard made up for it. Cold beer on tap. read more

Shade - Pretzel sticks - American Near Me - Canal Winchester, Ohio

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I stopped by for a weekday lunch, so the place wasn't busy and it was easy to find street parking. We were seated quickly, which was great, but the food took a while to come out. Despite the delay, the service was good and the staff was friendly. As for the food, the dessert was the standout--I really loved it. The wings were just okay. If I had to compare, I'd say Roosters has better wing flavor and value overall. Still, the meal here wasn't bad, and the experience was pleasant enough for a casual lunch. Overall, a decent spot with great dessert, okay wings, good service, and convenient weekday parking. read more

I rarely leave negative reviews, but I feel it's important to share my experience. After reading all the other 1 Star reviews it seems like a common occurrence! From the moment we walked in, the service was disappointing. Although there were several staff members present, no one greeted or acknowledged us. We weren't sure whether the restaurant was self-seating and had to ask before finding our own table. After finding a table , we waited an unusually long time without anyone coming to take our order. We eventually decided to leave because we had been waiting so long. As we were walking out, a waitress stopped us and offered to take our order, so we decided to give the restaurant another chance. Unfortunately, the experience only became more frustrating. After placing our order, we waited another 30-45 minutes with no food. During that time, another family was seated behind us. Their order was taken almost immediately, and their food was served well before ours, even though they had arrived significantly later. By that point, we had been waiting for nearly an hour, roughly about 15 -20 minutes for the family behind us. What was most disappointing was the lack of communication and concern. When I spoke with the manager to express my frustration, hoping for an explanation or even an apology, I was met with a response that she didn't know what I wanted her to do about it. There was no accountability, empathy, or effort to make the situation right. Everyone understands that restaurants can get busy and delays can happen. However, good customer service is about communication and making your guests feel valued. Unfortunately, neither happened during our visit. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend this restaurant, and I hope they take steps to improve both their service and the way they handle customer concerns. read more

Me and my family are still getting settled in Ohio, trying the local dives, enjoying the feel of small town America, which we have definitely found in this area. Me and my wife were driving by Canal, and saw this spot, so wanted to give it a shot. I always start with the cleanliness of the establishment, which was an A+. Very friendly staff right from the start, and a very little wait, especially for the lunch rush. The menu wasn't overbearing, like some spots you visit. We went very basic, My wife had the burger, and I had the chicken sandwich. Coming from Texas, your just used to the portions being over the top and sometimes a little ridiculous. What I like about this place, was that it hit the spot, didn't feel guilty at the end of my meal, the portions were just right. My wife's burger was nothing spectacular, not juicy, but not bad either. My chicken sandwich is where this fell apart. It was flat, as if pounded to make a bigger filet to overlap the bun, not quite sure why so flat. The chicken breast is something that chefs are very good at, with sealing juices, or just completely off the mark. This chicken sandwich needs a trip back to the chalkboard. Very dry, and over seasoned, which was salty. I still won't paint the board with just these 2 items, I'd still like to be back to sample the rest of the menu. Overall good and friendly vibe to this spot. read more

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Good place. My father and I went on a Friday night and it was quite busy so we went to the Homestead brewery across the street before our table was ready. We had a half spinach artichoke dip and half pickle pizza. The service was good but gave me a Miller Lite instead of a pumpkin beer I wanted from their extensive beer menu but it's not surprising since it was loud. Pizza is quite good but not quite as good as Little Italy in Groveport and Rubinos in Bexley. read more

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My family and I came here for lunch this past weekend. We enjoyed the food and atmosphere. I'm not sure if it is was the stress and chaos of the weekend crowd, but a few of the employees definitely didn't want to be there and it showed. If we're in the area I'm sure we will go back, in hopes that we get the same server we had. read more

Love this place in Canal. If you can't find what you want for dinner here then I don't know what's wrong. There's something for everyone. Plenty of seating for everyone. Service is nice, friendly, and super attentive. So much to see here with all the decor they are clearly Steelers fans. read more

This restaurant was crowded on a Saturday evening but we still got seated quickly. Our server tended to our drinks and order promptly. The menu was huge and it was hard to decide what to order. We decided on a pizza quesadilla, pretzels, and turkey sub. I love a good baked pretzel! My absolute favorite appetizer. Not greasy at all because it was baked to perfection. My husband loved his pizza quesadilla and I thoroughly enjoyed my Gobbler turkey sub. Even though the restaurant was busy the noise wasn't too loud. We will definitely be back to try other items on the menu. read more

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I grew up coming here. The food used to be something I would look forward to! Now every time I've been, the food is gross :( I used to be obsessed with their buffalo chicken dip and this last time was absolutely disappointing and sooo gross. However, The bread they serve with it was delicious!! read more

Shade - Overly greasy buffalo chicken dip - American Near Me - Canal Winchester, Ohio

Really great "bar" food with a few twists. The menu is pretty expansive with sandwiches, tacos, pizza, and salads. I don't eat land animal meat, and had plenty of options including a fish Reuben! It was delish. The service is great and the place is clean and just the right level of music. Our entrees took a bit long but they were super busy. Would definitely go back!! read more

They're still using the electric hand dryer. So you'll have to circulate the air from homeboy taking a dump to dry your hands. Chow down

Was hungry band found this close to the plant. Was pretty busy for a lunch break but after sitting and eating I now know why. The food and service was awesome. Next time I'm in town I will try more of the menu for sure. Only bad thing is the U of M bear in the mouse trap. I wish I could of saved you little buddy... Go Blue!!! read more

Shade - American Near Me - Canal Winchester, Ohio

It was our first time going here. And it's super cute. Very family friendly and all the staff are extremely nice and friendly. Food was good & hot. Their fries and ranch together are something that should be in history books - yeah.. that good. The ONLY complaint is that they were having issues w their beers on tap - and our two bud lights were flatter than a board. They took them off our check without us ever asking for that - we were willing to pay for them - and were suuuper grateful we told them because they thought the problem was already fixed. Will be back! read more

Stopped by for lunch on our way south. Great sports bar atmosphere. Family friendly. I had the Jamaican Jerk slider and the hubs had the 9 iron. The sliders were super flavorful with just a hint of spice. I'd say more sweet than spicy. The chicken was tender and not at all dry. The fries were crisp and hot, but a little over seasoned for my taste. The 9 iron was chock full of ham and turkey - a messy delight! read more

Used to be a favorite spot but the food has changed. The boneless wings have been terrible lately. I hope they bring back the old menu. Please bring the old wings back! read more

Came in for lunch on a Wednesday. Place was packed! Asked for a Greek salad with blackened chicken. Plenty of food on the plate, though the chicken wasn't blackened. There were 3 Kalamata olives on the plate, but enough Feta to choke a horse. I think there were 2 pieces of onion and a couple slices of bell pepper, which has no place on a Greek salad. Dressing was very good. Overall, a decent salad, just not what I expected. Service was a bit slow, both taking the order and brining out the food, though I will write that off to the lunch rush. read more

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My family and I went here as we were passing through and we had a very lack-luster experience. The things that stick out to me was the extremely long wait on the food (not the waitress, I think more the kitchen) and the fact that the floor and our table was literally shaking under us. We came in after the lunch rush and ordered as soon as we could (took a minute to be greeted). The place is kind of your typical sports bar, not super clean, not super dirty. We had the Spicy Pickle spears (which weren't spicy), the Margherita Pizza & a side of fries. The menu boasted award winning pizza but this was definitely nothing special, not sure if we just ordered the wrong one, but luckily all pizza is tolerable. I would say that the 12" pizza wasn't worth the almost $18. read more

Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone with a large group. Called in a week prior to provide an update on a large party coming in, they stated they do not take reservations. Showed up to the restaurant on a Wednesday afternoon where due to the party size a wait was required. They would not accommodate with tables and wanted to split the group up in booths. They were not helpful with providing chairs, tables, etc. for the group. One of the hostess stated they were not sure if the kitchen would be able to handle a large group. I'm sure there is no way this is the first party of 10 people that has been served at this restaurant. This location needs someone above the age of 15 available to support hostess, servers, etc. read more

This is a staple in the Canal area. I love the chili dogs, made with Nathan's dogs. The fries are spot on. They have a wild fry app and that was amazing. If you have issues with large menus and a lot of things to choose from you will have an issue with this menu. With that being said I have enjoyed all of the food I have gotten from them. The wait staff is perfect and always friendly. If community means a lot to you then you have made the right choice as they give so much back. read more

The food could be better, but I like the history and the place itself enough that I come back periodically.

Having snuck some money out of my (working) son's wallet, my wife and I decided to try out a new restaurant today. Thankfully, she always has a spot in mind that I never heard of. Today's pick, Shade On The Canal. Upon arrival, we almost talked ourselves out of entering, it being graduation day for many high schools and all. The back parking lot was full, giving the impression that it was jam-packed with families. Yet and still, we decided to take a chance. It was almost filled to capacity, but seating was readily available. What I really like was the wooden and plastic partition systems installed between tables and booths to better comply with COVID pandemic control best practices. We were promptly greeted and instructed to sit wherever we chose. Our server, Cheyanne was prompt and incredibly kind and cheerful, making us feel at home instantly. After some brief discussion/introduction to various popular items, we decided on wings of two different flavors, Honey BBQ and mild (my not-so-young body can't do that spicy stuff anymore - I don't plan to have any more children, but I'd still like to be ABLE to). For the entrees, we decided on The Fish Sandwich and the "Say, Philly Please!" sandwich. [See attached photos.] The wings came out in a satisfactory amount of time and let me tell you, they were worth an even longer wait. Larger than expected, meaty, temperature-hot, well-seasoned & breaded, deliciously "sauced up" with a great texture. We had read the reviews on it and I'm happy to say that no one was exaggerating in the least. We could easily return just to have these again. The main items took a little longer than expected, but our server was kind enough to check on us periodically and assure us that our order was on the way. Seconds later, it did indeed appear. The fish was good, but nothing spectacular. Cooked well, with good flavor, but it didn't necessarily stand out beyond what we expected (no points lost there). The steak sandwich came in about the same, a bit beyond tepid in temperature and adequate in taste. Again, nothing was wrong with either one, but they weren't quite the "Superior Sandwiches" as was the category of the items on the menu. I think the contrast between their temperature and the very hot fries which accompanied them is what made us take note. The fries were very tasty, not as crispy as I'd hoped, but there is no rule to that anyway. Just my preference. Still winners, especially with ketchup. I have to give plus points to the music as well. We got hit with an assortment of classic soul, disco and R&B, which although may not be the genre of choice for everyone else, were just fine with us. Looking back, I'd have to say that the real superstars were the wings (which we will definitely order again, but in different flavors) and Cheyanne, whose service was exemplary. She's the kind of person you want to call ahead to ensure that she's working that evening. Her performance, in conjunction with the wings and music made for a wonderful experience. So much so that we intend to return soon, heck, maybe even tomorrow (after we call ahead to see if she's on the clock) if I can get ahold of my son's wallet again... When we DO return, we intend to try other items, as the menu is large and quite diverse. Definitely put this one on your list and check it out. read more

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Food was awesome and service was great. The garlic Parmesan wings were the best Lot of flavor with the garlic Parmesan wings. And the sour cream french fries were awesome. read more

I highly recommend this place. I did not wait long for service and they were super friendly. The place was super clean and of course they had a pickle pizza and it was delicious. read more

Shade - Pickle pizza - American Near Me - Canal Winchester, Ohio

Everything! We waited for 35-45 minutes for our food and when it finally came out, it was not edible. We couldn't get our waitress to our table, and when we finally did I inquired about our food and said, I hope it's not sitting back there getting cold. She assured us it wasn't and that they were waiting on the mini corn dogs..... Corn dogs!!! The easiest thing that was ordered! We finally asked for the manager, expressed our frustration, and she told us that 35-45 minutes was a normal wait time. That's fine if the food isn't cold and dried up. My husband's Watty Burger looked like a hockey puck. We have been to Shades many times and we have had really good food and really mediocre food but there were people that came in after us, ate and left before we got our cold food. We offered to pay for our drinks but not the food. The manager said, I'll take care of it, so ww thought that meant we would get a bill for the drinks. After 10 more minutes of waiting we asked again for the manager, a bill, something and she said, I took care of it...... We had an awful experience and we will never be going back there! read more

I absolutely love this place and have been going there for years but unfortunately I will never go there again! I spent over $50 and my fries were cold, chicken was hard and when we told the manager he said," it looks good to me and if it's not good enough for you maybe you should find somewhere else to eat and never come back... I am absolutely shocked that he said that to me, he should be fired! Because of him they lost a life long customer. read more

No one ever picks up the phone. I've called 3 times this week, and every single time I was waiting for up to 5 minutes, and then it has an automated voice that says "Management is unavailable.". It then just ends the call. Frustrating. Food is yummy, but I won't be going back or calling again. read more

Street parking which was challenging in the evening. Menu is immense so may overwhelm. Was here for a work supper. Service attentive and solid. Beer select was challenging with limited local options and not a lot a variety. Since a working supper we had nachos and typical bar food. I would like to come back and try some of the other food options and hopefully they will have a better selection of beers. read more

Got 5 hot wings and 10 boneless garlic parm. I was surprised to see there was no visual sauce on my hot wings - just chicken grease. They had a great crisp to them and lush taste. Idk if I would call them dank, I think if I get a side of hot sauce to add, then they will be dank AF. As a famous bodybuilder once said, "I will be back" to eat here again. read more

Shade - Hot wings. And garlic parm boneless. - American Near Me - Canal Winchester, Ohio

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Great local spot to eat. The wings huge and come with a ton of different sauces, I love the garlic parmesan and the fatali. Beer selection is plentiful and service is great. read more

I honestly don't know why we don't frequent Shades more. Seriously. It's less than five minutes away, our neighbors' daughters are servers there, and there are SO many different food options on their menu! My daughter and I stopped in for lunch last week and had a great time. I was actually surprised by how full the restaurant was. Every table was taken by the time we walked in except one - ours! The restaurant is very clean, the tables are separated by plastic dividers, and the menu is full of yummy options that are large in variety. My daughter ordered the grilled cheese with smiley face fries and I ordered the Cuban with fries. My daughters grilled cheese and smiley face fries were both delish and cooked perfectly. I mean - how do you mess up grilled cheese or smiley fries? The grilled cheese was cooked to a nice, golden brown color and filled with ooey gooey cheese and the smiley face fries were nice and crispy. My Cuban on the other hand was alright. I say alright because I felt that the sandwich was overpowered by the large amount of pulled pork that was put on the sandwich. While I enjoyed the pulled pork, I felt that it took away from the rest of the Cuban sandwich. I also did not like the sweet pickles that they put on the sandwich. I' have never had sweet pickles on a Cuban sandwich before. I replaced the sweet pickles with the dill pickles that were served on the side of my daughter's grilled cheese. The sandwich was super filling as it was extremely large in size. I barely touched the fries on the side which I did enjoy. They had a hint of Cajun flavor. While I didn't care too much for the Cuban, there are so many more options to explore on the Shades menu. I also enjoyed the rest of our experience. The servers were super friendly and on their game. I do plan on being back soon to explore other food options! read more

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Shades in Canal Winchester is a great place. We usually go on a weekday as they can become swamped on the weekends. Shades has a massive menu, and everything we have eaten there has been good. The Bayou Berger is the bomb. The burger comes with Cajun spices, red onion, shredded lettuce & blue cheese dressing. In either ¼ or 1/2 pound and can be gluten-free upon request. Parmesan Chicken Sandwich is also a favorite, with chargrilled chicken breast, Provolone cheese, topped with marinara & fresh grated Parmesan. Chili dogs, 2 Nathan's Famous beef hot dogs topped with mustard, chili, Cheddar cheese & onion messy but good. Wings are super, and we go with the boneless. You can choose from numerous sauces: Honey Barbq, Teriyaki, Carolina Yellow, Oriental, Island, Mild, Parmesan Garlic, Garlic, Hoppin, Korean, Chipotle Q, Hot, Jamaican Jerk, Ragin, Inferno, Fatalii. If you want something a little lighter, I love The Funky Chicken Salad with mixed greens, marinated chargrilled chicken, tomato, cucumber, red onion & Cheddar cheese. I have only scratched the surface of what is on the menu. The service is always super, and there is a large parking lot behind the restaurant. If you are down Canal, Winchester way, check them out. read more

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After driving by this restaurant a few times, we decided to check it out on a Thursday night. There was a wait for a table so we snagged two seats that had opened up at the bar. Our waitress was very informative about the menu and suggested choices. I got a homemade wedding soup which was tasty. The grilled chicken salad was good as well. My boyfriend ordered boneless wings. The wings came out traditional and our server noticed immediately she entered the order incorrectly and told us to munch on the traditional wings while they made the boneless wing order. Needless to say, that's exceptional service. We had extra wings for lunch the next day. We ordered for takeout just the other night. The burger was cooked as ordered as was the chicken. read more

Parmesan garlic wings are great. sometimes they get a little busy and there's a wait. Mac &cheese is great Fried bologna sandwiches great read more

The menu is full of choices and our party each tried something different. The loaded fries with boneless wings was a full plate of food almost too much to eat. The chili dogs were good, burger was awesome. The fresh cut east coast style fries kicked butt. Will definitely be back soon. read more

Very good "bar" menu. Good selection of draft beers. Servers are very friendly and are attentive. Nothing really fancy about insides. Definitely Buckeye centric atmosphere. My only issue is that the high top table chairs can be uncomfortable for larger people. read more

Consistently good. Great wings and Bleu Cheese (homemade). Fries are the best! Very cold beer and friendly staff.

Out of towners staying at a hotel around the corner. Front desk staff said this place was good and to get the Mac n cheese pizza. Ok, we'll bite. Got there and there was a wait with a full dining room (good sign). They waitress said they'd call us when there was an available table in about 25 minutes. Ok, fine. Almost 25 minutes later we get a call and walk back over. We get seated and take a look at the menu. It's a super busy menu and we are wondering is what we're getting is going to be good. We ordered the Mac n cheese pizza, loaded fries (wild fries?) and pickle Spears. I also ended up getting a cup of Natty chowder I believe. It took a bit for the food to start coming out but they are short staffed currently. The soup and Spears came out first. The pickles had a bit of spice to them and the chowder was pretty good. We'd order them again but they weren't mind blowing. The fries and pizza though we're awesome. The fries were piled high with chicken, bacon, cheese, and all kinds of goodness. The pizza was properly made and didn't fall completely apart when you picked up a slice. The flavors were amazing - all cuper cheesy and you can just taste all the individual flavors & textures. It was brilliantly made and seasoned. It had already been a long day so we took most to the hotel and stuffed them in the fridge. Next day we headed home and reheated them in the oven and I swear they were better than fresh. Give them a try and go for the pizza (and wings). They're worth the drive. read more