Have to say this has become one of our favorites for casual dining with amazing food. Drove to downtown Delaware and found easy parking on the street (there are also nearby lots). Backstretch is super casual (given Ohio Wesleyan is nearby - its almost a college/town bar) but great to come in a sit at the bar or one of their booths. It isnt big, maybe 15-20 bar stools and 12 booths and 1-2 tables. This time we picked a booth and a great server (Jacobi) helped us right away. Fun part of backstretch is the staff. Servers are friendly, you can watch the cooks prepare your food, and they have a full bar. Note they dont have many draft beer options, but servers tried hard to get us something we liked. Food here is fresh off the grill and tastes like home cooked food - from their Reuben(which was amazing) to Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (has kick but so good) - you cant go wrong. This time we added Tots, Mac and Cheese, and the Deviled eggs (most sandwiches are served with a deviled egg - tasty). We also tried Jacobi recommendation of Hencock Tots - wing sauce - cheese and bacon. Should have just made that my meal. Amazing. They dont take reservations but unless there is an event in downtown, you can usually walk in for dinner. This was our third visit in 60 days! Ready to go back - thanks Jacobi for a fun night and see you all soon. read more

Came here for the tater tots and wasn't disappointed! So good and the star. My wife had the nut crusted chicken salad which was also good. I had the Reuben...big mistake, not a lot of meat. Get the tots when you come here and thank me later!!! read more

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Met friends here on a Saturday evening for food and drinks. Started outs with one of their known drinks " the Trashcan" Had a good flavor. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan Sandwich with homemade fries. Hubby ordered the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich with fries. My sandwich was very good with tasted like homemade red sauce with chunks of chicken and cheese. Fries were Awesome! Would of liked more of them please. Hubby loved his sandwich he said the heat was nice for his liking and the fries were awesome. And the deviled egg with each plate was great as well. We will be back to try some more of the menu out. The service was top notch. Kept the group of 5 of us well taken care of. Thanks see you soon. read more

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Good service and good food. Everything is cooked in front of you and it's good quality with some unique twists.

This place is an absolute must if you're in the Delaware area! My husband and I have eaten here for the past 4 years! The menu is also so innovative and the team that works here are always friendly! The homemade tots and fries are a staple every time we come!! I have two observations based on the food pictured: 1. The mango salsa hardly had any mango in it, and tasted more like a spiced cucumber salad, still absolutely delicious! (the owners son did mention they were running low on mangos Saturday, so I'm looking forward to tryout again) 2. The Dolce de leche burger was very very sweet. It has both peanut butter and dolce de leche on it. I would suggest picking one or the other, and adding a contrast to subdue the sweetness a little. read more

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My son said their Nashville chicken sandwich was to die for, so me and my daughter went to try it out for ourselves during one of our many girls day outing And omg it certainly was worth the hype!! My daughter got the Mac and Cheese, and despite what most people have said about it, she said it was great. I got the chicken sandwich my son asked me to try and it did not disappoint. My Trimasu White Russian was a little too milky for my tastes, but it wasn't too bad. Will probably come back very soon! read more

Nut crusted chicken sandwich is the best sandwich in Ohio....Great atmosphere and you can't beat the fries!

First time review of The Backstretch. Evening pop-in with a friend. I came away with the feeling this is a local Delaware pub-grub stop. Two of us threw in on a Thursday at 5:30pm. Lightly attended. Line cooks doing food behind the bar. Ample booths (smallish) with a few tables in the back. Loads of bar countertop space. Food ordered was bowls of chili (excellent taste and loads of meat and beans; spicey). Hush puppies came with chili and they were cooked to perfection. The mac & cheese was about a 7 out of possible 10, but arrived hot, too. Simple side salad was smallish but fresh. Drinks? Served in small, thin-glass rock style. Kinda small. Pours were medium-lite. I felt The Backstretch, with live music, would be jumpin' at night. Long front to back as a room ... could be fun. Really, try the chili. I'm hoping it's always the same - deelish. Try Backstretch, do it. read more

Our first visit was a good one. My husband started off with an on draft selection of a Worthington Ohio-brewed IPA Hazy Miss Daisy. It was a winner! For lunch, the hubs ordered a Chicken Brussels Sprout Wrap that comes with a side of house made chips & French onion dip. I got a French Onion Melt with hand-cut fries. Both sandwiches came with a tasty deviled egg, a nice alternative to a standard dill pickle. My husband liked the wrap because it was something a little different from the norm. My sandwich was filled with a generous amount of Swiss cheese and perfectly caramelized onions. It was accompanied by an au jus dip which was a nice enhancement. The best part of the sandwich was the airy and crunchy ciabatta bread. The star of the plate was the perfectly prepared fries. They were piping hot, straight out of the fryer. The freshly cut potatoes were seasoned with the precise amount of salt. These were the best fries I've had in a long time and worth the $1 up charge. We had arrived within a few minutes of the 3:00 opening, but it didn't take long for the available seating to start filling up. If we were closer to Delaware, we would be frequent visitors here. Also, a shout out to the servers. In these days of staffing shortages, these guys did a great job. Oh wait, I forgot. My husband ordered a cup of the soup of the week. I think it was a Shrimp Crab Chowder (or maybe Shrimp Clam Chowder?). Regardless, he scarfed it down in about a minute! He's a soup guy and this one did not disappoint. read more

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If you're looking for a diamond in the rough type of Dive Bar- look no further. This place has it. Great atmosphere, great menu, and the Food is DELICIOUS! Got the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich and cheeseballs. So good and a lot of food as well. I was impressed. I'll be back for sure!!! Our Bartender did a great job of highlighting the Top choices and the History of this Bar. read more

Never have I ever had a pizza roll in an egg roll wrapping. I will never forget this masterpiece, and yes it was delicious. Drinks and service was great too!!! read more

The Backstretch - Pizza rolls - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

I'm sure people would see this place as an old bar and really underestimate the food. The food is incredible! The deviled egg and homemade chips and dip. Amazing. The hot chicken sandwich?? Honestly, one of the best things I've ever had and it's enormous. Love this place and they sometimes have really fun events, such as wine and food pairings. read more

My wife and I relocated to Delaware, and this was one of the first places we had dinner at. This is an old tavern / restaurant along the main drag of Delaware, and full of character. We sat at the bar for dinner, and was served by one of the owners who shared background on the city as well as the restaurant. The food was great - I had the Blackberry Bacon Melt sandwich and my wife had the Summer Tacos. Very friendly staff - even the cook came out and asked how our dinner was. Will be back again. read more

One of our favorite Delaware restaurants. Dive bar appearance but this place is really about the food. Possibly the best appetizers in town, and some of the best sandwiches. Love how each sandwich comes with a deviled egg. Try the tots, Reuben, Nashville chicken, and the croque Monsieur/madame if it's available. The rotating seasonal items keep things interesting! read more

Friendly staff. Very hole in the wall vibe of a bar setting. Ordered a pint and the Reuben rolls. Were friend wontons stuffed with sauerkraut and corned beef with a honey mustard like sauce on the side. Cool dated environment. Enjoyable experience. Would not recommend as family friendly environment though, personally. read more

The Backstretch - Reuben rolls 6 in order - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

We were told to check this place out for their food but we were greeted by a not so happy lady that my husband was not wearing a mask. The rest of our group had them on but my husband had a brain tumor removed and wearing a mask gives him horrible headaches and throws off his balance. Our service was great, our drink never had a chance to be empty but she continued to be aggressive to the point we did not feel welcomed. We decided not to stay and eat even though the menu looked great. I get Covid scares people and establishments don't want to be shut down but some people can't wear mask. read more

The Backstretch - Menu's for easy access and no touching or wasting paper - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

Yet again we are in town for Ironman, and yet again this place does not disappoint! On Wednesday we ordered the BLT with avocado, the new "Hawaiian" style hotdog, and my son had the hotdog/Mac-n-cheese combo. Today I had a stuffed avocado (delicious and healthy and FRESH) with toast points, my husband had the "pick two" salad with blackberry bacon melt. The food is creative and always delicious. A great, casual place that is family friendly. Don't miss this gem of a place while in Delaware! read more

The Backstretch - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

Came here with our 4 kids. Waiting staff is nice and some of the food is done well like the hushpuppies but we won't be going here again. My husband got the beef stroganoff and couldn't make it past one bite as it was gross so for the first time ever my husband sent food back. The waitress told us the manager said there was nothing wrong with it so we have to still pay for it even though he didnt eat it. Very poor customer service when there is an issue and half of the food is not good. read more

Spent a perfect sunny November afternoon on their patio. Beer was cold, and the service by Taylor was great. Had their awesome corn fritters for an app. Also had their spicy Nashville chicken sandwich, but was not impressed. Had too much paprika or some other foreign spice, and was tough. It was also a little weird that their beer list was online only, and couldn't find it on their web site. Overall a positive dining experience. We'll definitely come back. read more

The Backstretch - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by an old school bar atmosphere and an innovative tasty restaurant menu! Love the twist because I love a good beer in a old school bar but I hate the old school bar food! The owner and son were so nice and friendly and took the time out of serving and cooking to give some personal history and give great service. Cant wait to stop back in for another bite ... maybe the bacon jam and bleu burger or BlackBerry bacon melt! I know there are many choices on the strip but don't pass up this mother and son place with ""real food" read more

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I popped in while waiting on my son's drum lessons to end and ordered a simple bowl of chili and a beer. Beer I got immediately, 27 minutes later, still waiting on the bowl of chili. You can do better When I finally got the chili it was spicy but lacking in depth. The hush puppies that come with them were dry and overdone. That said, they could have had an off night. I will try them again but order something else. I hope their service improves to match their other ratings. read more

A Delaware landmark, though it's had some remodeling done since we came to town 14 years ago, it's a gem. It's what I think of as a true college town bar. Back then, the only food they had were bagged snacks. They'd let you bring in your pizza from Amato's carry-out though. (Their restaurant wasn't there yet.) We used order our pizza then walk down to the Backstretch. Sometime soon we'll have to try their food, as they have been offering it for a few years now. read more

The food here is kick ass for a dive bar! The menu has some great unique choices for appetizers and sandwiches. Pleasantly surprised how flavorful was the backstretch food. We ordered the sweet and spicy Carolina wings. Not the meatiest wings I've had, but these wings were fried to perfection glazed in a delicious flavorful sweet and spicy sauce served with homemade blue cheese dressing. Another home run was the cheesy ball appetizer. An ooey gooey deliciousness of 4 cheeses fried nicely and served with a cheese dipping sauce. Also ordered the reuban. A nice balance of quality corned beef with sauerkraut and swiss cheese grilled to a nice crisp. I suggest ordering the fries instead of chips. The fries are fresh cut! Great dive bar with amazing pub fare. Pretty lively atmosphere with a small outdoor patio. Highly recommended! read more

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Always a favorite stop whether we are meeting friends for drinks or grabbing a bite to eat. We love the atmosphere, history, chatting with other customers and checking out what's new on the menu. read more

I shared the Chicken Bacon Ranch and the Reuben with a friend. The fries are great but I liked the chips better. The ketchup was made in house as are the potato products! I'd come back for the chicken sandwich again and the chips. The deviled eggs were fab also! read more

The Backstretch - Shared lunch with a friend. Reuben and Chicken Bacon Ranch! Yumm! - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

This place is awesome! I have been a few times with my wife now. We absolutely love the deviled eggs and they include them in most meals. But the appetizer is well worth the cost. We have had several of their sandwiches and they have always been delicious. The menu is actually quite impressive and varied and the cooks here do a GREAT job with the dishes every time. We don't usually drink alcohol so I can't speak to the drinks but the food is great. Has a kinda dive bar type vibe to it but the place is clean. A great little spot on Sandusky in Delaware. read more

This place was a mixed bag for us, our aps which were tots and pretzels were good but very expensive for aps at 11.99 a piece. Our main dishes were also split my chicken parm sandwich was awful, the bread was overtoasted and the grilled chicken was dry. My wife's Monte Cristo was good, but my son's chicken was overcooked. The service I thought was the worst thing our waitress seemed completely out of it and it was hard to understand her. I would probably not be back anytime soon. read more

I know it might look like a tough bar, but the food is quite impressive! Very excellent quality and ample portions. The chef really know what they're doing when they develop the menu. They were doing Sunday family take home dinners at one point and they were amazing. The hot chicken sandwich is what I normally get and it is beyond incredible. The homemade chips and dip and a deviled egg served with many of the meals is a really nice touch. read more

The Backstretch has to be one of the hidden gems in downtown Delaware when it comes to unique menu items! Seasonal and local produce are utilized by a chef that obviously has a knack for exploring flavor combinations! Do yourself a favor and stop for lunch, have a burger with the hand made chips (with French onion dipping sauce!), as well as a deviled egg that reminds you of homemade!! The seasonal "strawberry Gouda burger" is freaking amazing. Service was attentive and friendly!! read more

The Backstretch - Strawberry Gouda burger! - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

A great old family owned bar with unique and ingenious food and flavors you won't find anywhere else. The burgers are the best in Delaware and change with the seasons. The tater tots are handmade and fantastic. A great place. read more

We love the Backstretch and especially their interesting and ever changing menu. The food is always perfectly packed and they go through much care to make sure of that. We have loved every meal we've ever ordered. The deviled eggs are so good so always get an extra one, you won't be sorry. Thank you for providing yummy food and amazing customer service. read more

I didn't even know this place served food. My girlfriend suggested it yesterday when we were trying to come up with ideas for lunch. She told me that they have a seasonal menu and it's usually quite tasty. So, we went! I've only been to this place once, and it was when the bar was in full force on a Saturday night. It's quaint, with booths along one side, and a few tables in back. You can sit at the bar, of course, too. I was very eager to try items on the menu. We opted for an appetizer, so we ordered the chicken and waffle croquettes. They were ok, but not at all what I had imagined. More like a fried chicken meatball that you dip into a spicy maple syrup. I also ordered the Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich. It was supposed to come with coleslaw, which I'm not a huge fan of, but they were out anyway. The chicken breast was cooked to perfection, but I couldn't really taste anything but spice... again, I'm not sure what I was looking for, but the flavor was bland beyond the spice. I'll bet the coleslaw would have helped with that. The homemade chips and deviled egg were a nice touch and were yummy. I did take a bite of my friend's Strawberry Gouda burger and that was delicious! If I get the chance to go back, that's what I'm getting. The service was friendly, and there was a nice little lunch gathering. It's street parking, so we had to drive around the block a few times to get a close spot to get out of the rain. Overall, it was a neat little surprise in downtown Delaware! read more

The Backstretch - Nashville Hot Fried Chicken with homemade chips and French onion dip - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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This was our first visit and I wish we wouldn't have waited so long! We went for lunch and loved it. When you walk in, it may feel like a hole-in-wall place but don't let it scare you off. My wife had the apple bacon burger which came with homemade chips and homemade French onion dip. She said it was delicious. I had the vegetarian tacos but added chicken. They were filled with black beans, sweet potatoes, onions, and feta cheese. They were really good. One of the better tacos I've had. Staff was also super friendly and they now have a patio area out front. Highly recommend and look forward to going back! Update: this has become one of our favorite spots. When we can figure out where to go, we always know that we will get great food and awesome service at The Backstretch. read more

Doing our best to support local businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, we tried this place for the first time. Food was spectacular, highly recommend. We had the following: Nashville Hot Chicken with Fries-Excellent sandwich! Just right on the spice and extra crispy! The fries were great pub fries with house made ketchup. Bruschetta Burger with Hush Puppies-Great flavor for the burger, thick patty cooked medium-well. Hush puppies were awesome came with a dipping sauce, didn't use it as they were great on their own. Croque Monsieur with Hush Puppies-Sandwich was out of this world. If you love cheese and Black Forest ham...this sandwich will be your jam. Will be back again...soon. read more

I always thought this was just a bar but the food was excellent... great place for wings, I had the Nashville hot chicken sandwich... and had some of my wife's wings... will definitely be back read more

The Backstretch - Bars Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

This place gets wicked crowded on certain weekends when OWU students and alumni flock here. Halloween, Homecoming, Graduation, etc. find this place to be packed! It also gets crowded when there is live music, for the sheer fact that the band takes up a lot of standing room.. On weekdays, it's nice and quiet, and you can find good drink specials. Bar staff are very friendly, for the most part, and drink prices are moderate even on weekends. Not much to eat unless you like chips, but I'm pretty sure they will let you bring in your own food. They also have Wi-Fi! read more

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They've really made a transition on food! Pretty good place to go for eating on the patio, I'm not a huge fan of the inside, all dark and cold. It's a bar, I get it but if you want to offer "high end" food and you want people to come inside, brighten it up a bit. read more

This is one of our Delaware favorites and we frequent it often. The food is excellent. The menu changes seasonally which is fun. The pork Mac n cheese is a fall favorite. Lots of great appetizers and drinks throughout the year. The staff is always friendly and helpful. read more

Checked this place out a couple weekends ago on our way through Delaware. The food and drinks were good. The menu is a little more unique and elevated than your typical sports bar. But it still has the small town watering hole type of feel. The staff is very friendly and attentive and let us know the menu gets adjusted from time to time to keep things fresh. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! What's a better Saturday night than Trash Cans and cheese balls at The Backstretch?!? Weekends can be a bit overrun with college kids but that is a given with the location. Dakota behind the bar is always smiling and efficient. Hands down my favorite place to drink in Delaware. read more