Fire Station Bar and Grill, Maumee

One of the first things you notice is the full-size cab of a fire engine sticking out of the wall above the bar — part of one of three trucks from across the United States that are spending their retirement as decorations at Jamie Wietrzykowski’s Fire Station Bar and Grill in Maumee. Other thematic touches include antique pedal cars from the 1940s and custom-painted fire hydrants, including one made up to look like a Dalmatian. 

Wietrzykowski opened his restaurant in fall 2019, as a way to support local firefighters and other first responders in the community. Aside from the decor, the restaurant offers special promotions, where customers can present a coupon on a certain day of the week and 10 percent of their bill will go to a charity supported by a local firehouse. 

“They literally risk their lives for their job on a daily basis,” Wietrzykowski says. “People who appreciate them will come in here and feel good about supporting them.”

The menu features classic bar food, ranging from burgers and sandwiches to tacos and wings, as well as pot pies on a fun menu that plays up the firehouse vibe. For example, you can opt for the Smoke Alarm (hot cheese curds with sausage and banana peppers) or the Fire Ax Skillet (macaroni noodles with bourbon-soaked bacon tossed in beer cheese and breadcrumbs). Another choice is the Captain Crunch Chicken Tenders (chicken tossed in Cap’N Crunch Cereal and deep-fried). In fact, chicken is among the restaurant’s most popular offerings, says Wietrzykowski. 

“We have a thing called the bucket brigade, which will feed a family,” he adds. “We [also] have these monster jumbo smoked wings that are, I mean, literally the size of your fist.”  — Megan Grantham

6040 Knights Inn Place, Maumee 43537, 419/491-9911, firestationbarandgrill.com