After a popular online poll through our GalionLive and Richland Source Facebook pages, we decided to try our readers’ favorite burger stops. Two weeks ago we visited Uncle John’s Place in Mansfield to try out their reader-recommended menu. On Friday, we found out that Taylor’s in Galion also takes pride in its cuisine and Taylor family traditions.
The restaurant at the intersection of Portland and Harding Way opened shop 47 years ago, when Richard Taylor’s father was owner. Richard “Dick” Taylor has been a part of the business since age 12, when his father opened the establishment. Taylor worked for his father before taking over in 1990 and carries on many of his family’s recipes, methods, and ethics.
Tuesday through Sunday, you might find Taylor floating around the restaurant, talking and meeting with customers. He takes pride in meeting every individual person sitting around the table by shaking their hands and asking their name, which he did for Richland Source as well.
“He knows something about everybody. He memorizes everyone’s name and he knows something about each person. It’s amazing, I’ve never seen anybody do that before,” noted Richland Source Account Executive Shawna Layland, who lives in Galion.
Taylor’s is known for their curly fries and hearty burgers. Server Kourtney Tallentire noted that all their meats and cheeses are cut in-house, including the famous fries. They also prepare all the restaurant’s soups – they aren’t frozen. And speaking of frozen, the ice cream? It’s homemade.
Our server, Meagan Lehman, was helpful and friendly, which contributed to the restaurant’s friendly atmosphere. There is a sense of nostalgia that’s included with the check, as if patrons know they are buying more than just good food, they are also buying a memory, a genuine experience.
The food got satisfied reviews from the Richland Source team. Editor Rhonda Bletner ordered the Grilled Chicken Salad sandwich with fresh cut fries.
“I’m a little bit of a chicken salad snob. I don’t like having chicken chunks, but this one is really good. No chunks, and the bread is homemade so it’s nice and thick. And the fries were good, too,” said Bletner.
She compared the fries to fair fries, noting Taylor’s fries were less greasy, making them the better choice.
Editor David Yoder ordered the Belt Buster – a monster of a burger. It takes up half the plate with two beefy patties smothered in American cheese, loaded with all the burger veggie fashions. He ordered the trusty curly fries as a side-kick.
“I really enjoyed it. I eat a lot of burgers throughout the week. This is a first class burger. And the fries … equally delicious,” said Yoder.
Layland ordered her favorite Taylor’s dish, the large Chef Salad, which is loaded with all sorts of mouth-watering ingredients. It comes with what you would expect a house salad to have, but then surprises you with pecans, olives, boiled egg slivers and shredded turkey. Layland orders it with the ranch and blue cheese dressing.
Harrell ordered the Chopped Beef with a baked potato as a gluten-free substitute for cottage cheese. “It was really good. The meat tasted the way meat is supposed to taste,” said Harrell.
I chose the Cuban Sandwich, which comes with homemade buns, salami and ham with pepper jack cheese, pickle and mustard. I also had the half-order of the famous curly fries, because I wanted to save room for their homemade soup. It was the perfect compliment on an Ohio fall day.
The fries were different than other restaurant fries. They tasted good doused in vinegar with an additional pinch of salt. I agreed with Bletner, they resembled fair fries, minus the high amount of grease.
The sandwich was good, especially the bun. The meat was a little too salty for my liking, making it hard to distinguish between the two different meats.
Give Taylor’s a visit. You will be greeted with a friendly staff an atmosphere rich with history. If you decide to join them for lunch on Sunday, be prepared, it’s their busiest day of the week. To make reservations, call 419-468-2833.
