News & Events
Toot's restaurant has a getaway vibe
May 12, 2006
Nikki Kingery
Cincinnati Enquirer Contributor
Bridgett Johnson of West Chester serves Diane Schnake of Trenton at Toot's restaurant in Loveland.
CINCINNATI, OH - When a caged iguana greets us at the door, I know dinner at Toot's will be a little out of the ordinary.
"This place is like a carnival," my husband says, chasing our 3-year-old son to the video arcade.
After checking out the menu and decor, I decide it's more of a carnival wrapped in a sports bar inside a beach shack.
We expect a long wait at 6 o'clock on a Saturday, but are seated right away in the nonsmoking area. With a low ceiling, plank floors and wisecracking signs, this area gives the sense of an enclosed porch near the shore - if you ignore the view of the parking lot. Menu offerings such as snow crab legs ($12.96), steamed shrimp ($8.41) and fried oysters ($8.37) add to the feeling of a fish joint.
The music is an upbeat mix of oldies. It's not ear-splitting, but it easily drowns out your neighbor's conversation.
In the bar area, basketball plays on two projection screens, and sports memorabilia blankets the walls. The menu reflects the tavern side with baby back ribs (half, $9.29; full, $13.27) and chicken wings (15 pieces, $8.46) in four choices of sauce, including "napalm."
There are a handful of healthy-sounding options on the menu, such as shrimp salad ($7.57) and steamed new potatoes ($1.99). But the fry cook couldn't be busier at a county fair. Along with the addictive curly french fries ($1.99), fried fare includes cheese ($5.41), dill pickle chips (small, $2.96) and for the truly adventurous, frog legs ($8.71 for a basket with curly fries and hush puppies).
My husband has the catfish sandwich ($6.34) and washes it down with a Foster's lager ($3.85). The breading is light and mild, but maybe a tad bland. I opt for the basket of fried clams ($7.96). The clams are sweet and the portion generous. I keep with the vacation theme and decide to try a margarita special ($3). Served over the rocks, it's one of the smoothest I can remember - not too strong or tart.
Children are quite comfortable here. All kids younger than 12 are entitled to a free hot dog, balloon and soft-serve ice cream. Our son has the grilled cheese basket ($2.99). Kid-sized baskets of shrimp, chicken fingers and cheeseburgers are also available ($3.59).
Dessert is limited to strawberry cheesecake. Of course, you can try to steal some of your kid's ice cream while he's off visiting the iguanas.
What we thought
Family friendly service: 4
Food for kids: 3
Food for adults: 3
1=yuck; 2=ok; 3=cool; 4=awesome; 5=yum!
