If you go to Danny Boy's expecting this:
Don’t be surprised when you get this:
There’s a new upstart semi-chain Italian restaurant in town…and it’s in it to win it. I always wondered about outside Italian restaurants opening in Youngstown. Gives new definition to the phrase Carrying Coals to New Castle…or should I say Carrying Cavatelli to Calabria. But "sum a ma bitch", this place pulls it off.
Located on Rt. 224 in the old Jeremiah Bullfrog’s, I didn’t know what to expect when I went there the first time. I had never heard of the place. I thought who in their right mind would go into a space that apparently had some bad vibes. It didn’t look like much from the outside. But my son and I wanted to try something new, and our jaws dropped to the floor when we walked through the door.
This place is a shrine to just about every Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Godfather, Goodfellas cliché that exists. They couldn’t get one more piece of memorabilia on the wall if they tried. And that ain’t no rock music coming through the sound system. The music is exactly what you think it would be given the décor. Goombah chic…call nona and tell her we are goina Youngs-a-town for some pizz. Where did they buy this stuff? And I can tell you that the locals here are going to eat this up, literally and figuratively. Of course they would come to Youngstown…where else could you do this and look normal? Even its phone number spells FRANK…at all of its restaurants!!!
Danny Boy’s is a chain out of Rocky River, Ohio. Including Boardman, it has five locations throughout northern Ohio. It is a pizza joint on steroids. The menu is huge. The portions are huge. The prices are moderate. And most importantly, the food is good…and the service is good. These folks know what they are doing.
The specialty, of course, is pizza. It has regular, deep dish and thin. I have both the regular and the deep dish Chicago…which come complete with a 14 inch sausage patty. Both are outstanding, and will give other local pizza establishments a run for their money. But the menu is filled with calzones, and salads, and melts…with all sorts of corny names like the “Hammy Davis, Jr. Melt” (someone got paid to come up with that) and the Luca Brasi (a chicken parm sub…it will make you swim with the fishes). I didn’t know whether to cringe, laugh, cry, or run for cover!!!!! It takes some time to go through the menu. It has an entrée section, but small with items like the Perfectly Frank Fettuccini, and Blue Eyes Mac ‘n Cheese. Madonna Mia.
Danny Boy’s runs smoothly. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The Ta-Da girls at the front desk could use a little personality, but the wait staff is outstanding. WARNING WARNING WARNING: Danny Boy's is family friendly, so expect lots of little darlin’s scarfing down the pizza and Fly Me to the Moon foldovers.
I am not a big gimmick fan, but this place has won me over with its good natured kitsch, but mostly with its really good food. Best of luck to owners Joe Alexander, Scott Nanosky and Camille and Laurie Chamoun. Give it a try.
Four pizza pie meatballs
2 comments:
I agree, a cute concept/theme. The bread and calzone crust was nicely flaky. The menu choices were almost overwhelming! Will go back but probably not on a Friday - they were packed.
"Luigi" and "The Big" and her family enjoyed the food, the music, the service and the atmosphere. Everything was just right for that evening of celebration of "The Big's" 39th(?) birthday.
Kudos to the entire staff who went the extra mile and made the experience extra special. Even the musician/singer, Stan Miller (Jazz), added to the evening's memory by singing a request from "The Big" - "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime."
Yous-a-gonna-love-a-dis-place!
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