Inside the stone mosaic that frames the front door, the space is skinny, a short bar running along the wall before giving way to the kitchen. A handful of green booths extend toward the rear of the space where the bathrooms can be found in addition to a bit of overflow seating that takes advantage of a little alcove in the rear of Dale’s. The result is a comforting combination of a classic diner, old dive bar and modern pub.
Some of the age can be seen in the decorations that dot the walls throughout Dale’s Bar & Grill, many of them framed photos depicting the bar, a sports team or a combination of the two through the years. Dale’s is an Ohio State bar, which may seem natural for a bar located in Ohio but Toledo is a battleground city, much of it filled with Michigan fans, splitting dive bar allegiances throughout the city. Concentrated bursts of sports memorabilia can be found throughout Dale’s, Saturday afternoons transforming the space into a classic sports bar environment.
Just inside the front door, a montage of photos of regulars can be found, adding some personal flavor to the interior décor. The short wall dotted with photos is actually the exterior wall of the Toledo dive bar’s office, the small space visible for those sitting at the bar. In addition to pictures of regulars, Dale’s Bar & Grill maintains an Instagram account devoted to dogs that frequent the outdoor patio during the summer months. Stretching the photo game back even further, the Dale’s web site features a handful of photos that show the building over the years as the city of Maumee developed around it.