New restaurant coming to Tavernette site in Clark County

“It made us really happy and hopeful when we bought it,” Gilroy said.

The menu will include “some of the nostalgia the Tavernette had from steaks to comfort food and pork chops,” Gilroy said, “but we wanted a more casual menu for families to enjoy also.”

He described it as traditional American pub fare but locally sourced from farm to table with items that could change through the year depending on what is available.

“It will be more of our menu coming from community resources,” he said.

Gilroy said they also want to introduce the area to fried pizza, a street food staple in Naples, where the Gilroys lived for four years. The crust is stuffed with a couple ingredients, folded over and deep fried, then garlic butter and seasonings are added.

The Tavernette had been around since 1939, according to News-Sun archives, and it gave way to the 316 Tap & Barrel Grill in 2020 amid the pandemic. About a year later, 316 Tap & Barrel Grill closed, and the space has been vacant since.

The work now on the building includes some changes to the decor, Gilroy said, though not radically different.

He said the front part will be perfect for those wanting to go on a date night or enjoy time together, focusing on talking to each other. Televisions that were part of the 316 front portion will be removed.

The “awesome patio in the back,” as Gilroy said, will be a casual place with more of a party vibe.

On Friday, the 316′s Facebook page, silent for nearly 21 months, teased a return, saying, ”Medway has gone far too long without its favorite gathering place. New owners are looking forward to making this a community staple once again.”

The social media post received more than 100 comments and 100 shares expressing optimism and appreciation for the new restaurant planned.

“It was actually really amazing,” Gilroy said. “We did not think it would be as widely shared or as popular as it was.”

He said the post was “more for us being able to realize our dream.”

“We were both very happy, surprised and grateful” for the response, he said.

The goal of opening about a week or so before Labor Day will depending on getting the interior refresh done and hiring staff.

“Trying to get contractors during the middle of the busiest construction season is hard,” Gilroy said. “The restaurant labor market is a challenge for staffing.”

The Mad River Grill tentatively will be open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday initially, with lunch added for the weekends. It will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

The Tavernette was known for its steakhouse style food and unique collection of antique toys and artifacts. The move to the 316 Tap & Barrel changed the decor to a more casual, bar-style atmosphere with more traditional pub food.

He wants the Mad River Tavern to draw from Springfield, New Carlisle and Huber Heights areas, and noted that more Wright-Patterson Air Force Base people are living on the restaurant’s side of Interstate 70 now.

“I want it to become a tradition again,” Gilroy said.

The Gilroys live in Bethel Twp., Miami County, not far from the restaurant, where they plan to be fixtures.

“Oh, you will see us,” Gilroy said. “Both of us and our kids will be there, making sure you are having a good time, enjoying the food, getting to know the customers.”