Danny Boys Italian Eatery

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Updated Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 5:00am by Anonymous

Location

When you walk in the door at Danny Boys Italian Eatery, you can't miss the unmistakable sound of customers having a great time.

I've only stopped by this restaurant on Milan Road twice, but on both occasions, the place was filled. Even though we took the last available parking space in the lot and there were no open tables last Saturday night when we arrived, the wait was reasonable.

We were seated and reviewing menus in less than half an hour. Our waitress was very friendly and gave us a hearty greeting when she arrived.

It doesn't take long to become aware this restaurant has a theme. Glancing around the small portion of the room in which we were seated, it dawned on me immediately that I was in the middle of a shrine, paying homage to a very young Frank Sinatra. Posters, photos, record albums, magazine covers and an imaginative assortment of Sinatra memorabilia decorate the walls.

Not to leave out Frank's former sidekicks, other photos included Frank along with his notorious Rat Pack buddies.

I also began to realize I was listening to the unmistakable vocals of Dean Martin on the sound system. Dean was followed by tunes from Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr. and, of course, Sinatra himself. The music combined perfectly with the dÃˆcor and set the mood.

One thing you will be guaranteed when you eat at Danny Boys is that you will not go away hungry. The portions are gigantic and the food is outstanding. It appeared all orders are served on oversized dishes that are filled to overflowing. I opted to share a medium deluxe pizza and there was more than enough for the two of us. The pizza is a thick crust and is definitely one of the best in the area.

Pizzas come in four sizes (small 10-inch; medium 12-inch; large 16-inch; and a sheet pizza - 18" X 24").

If a traditional Italian style pizza sounds too tame, there are specialty pizzas (which include such selections as BBQ Chicken, the Bridgeside Buffalo Ranchero Pizza and Chicken Alfredo, just to name a few), calzones and foldovers. There are specialty pasta dishes, all of which sound exquisitely tempting on the menu, or you can be the pasta chef and build your own dish. Choose the pasta you want and add a sauce and other meats, vegetables and cheeses.

St. Louis style BBQ ribs offer yet another choice on the extensive menu. Hoboken pierogie dinners are another option.

Children can order an entrÃˆe from the "Little Frank's" menu or a Rat Pack Pizza, which are thin appetizer size pies. One of the downsides to this restaurant is that all of the food sounds so good, making a decision is difficult.

If you're not very hungry, try a dinner salad, a pita sandwich or one of Danny Boys signature subs with such descriptive names as The Big Lebowski, Rocky Balboa and the "Tony Soprano" Sub. These are 10-inch subs, but don't be mistaken about how much food can be packed into a 10-inch bun.

Two of my dinner companions decided to share a Hoss Cartwright (Sizzling steak, sautÃˆed onions, green peppers & mushrooms with melted Danny Boys pizza cheese and mayo) and there was enough to satisfy both of them. All subs come with fries and are a bargain at $7.95.

You can tell from the menu that this place is dedicated to having fun.

Try to save some room for dessert, if you can. We ordered a slice of pumpkin cheesecake, which was the special cheesecake flavor of the week. It, like everything else, was wonderful.

Even though the restaurant was full, we didn't feel rushed to leave. Our waitress was more than happy to serve dessert and then bring over some coffee while we sat and talked.

With massive portions, an amiable atmosphere and enjoyable food, it is easy to see why this restaurant is so popular.

Danny Boys Italian Eatery is new to the Sandusky area and is located at 6207 Milan Road. If you love the food and have a special event coming up, Danny Boys specializes in drop-off catering with an Italian flair and will design a personal menu for the occasion.

Also, if you're out and about around Cleveland, you could make a stop at the original Danny Boys that opened in Rocky River in 1992.

They have the same great menu and Frank stares down at all the customers from those walls, too.