G&R Tavern in Waldo, Ohio: A Small-Town, Cash-Only Legend with a Global Reputation

Address: 103 N Marion St, Waldo, OH 43356

Phone: 740‑726‑9685

Website: gandrtavern.com

Service: Dine‑in ✅ · Takeout ✅

Note: Cash‑only (ATM on site)

In Waldo, pride runs deeper than the village’s size might suggest. It’s a place where generations still wave from porches, where Friday-night lights glint across farm fields, and where a local business has anchored community life for decades. Among them, few capture that spirit quite like G & R Tavern, still family-owned by the Lewis family. Bernie Lewis—who, with his late wife Joy, took over in 1985—remains the owner, and their daughter Misty Mercer now runs day-to-day operations.

Inside its brick walls, farmers, truckers, and families sit shoulder to shoulder—locals catching up over lunch, travelers discovering a slice of genuine Midwestern hospitality. The tavern’s hand-painted sign, “Home of the Famous Bologna Sandwich,” may draw the first-time visitor, but what keeps them coming back is more than one sandwich.

It’s the world-famous fried bologna sandwich, served with pickles, onions, melted Monterey Jack, and a side of nostalgia—as well as the delectable homemade cream pies that Joy introduced and the family still bakes fresh every morning. This is the kind of place where you can walk in a stranger and walk out knowing three people by name.

For Marion County, G & R isn’t just a bar and restaurant—it’s a reminder of how small-town America still thrives when food, family, and familiarity come together. In Waldo, pride isn’t loud. It’s lived quietly in places like this—one sandwich and one conversation at a time.

From George & Roy to Joy & Bernie: The Making of a Marion County Landmark

In 1962, two friends — the late George Yake and the late Roy Klingel — opened the doors of what would become a Marion County landmark: a small tavern on Marion Street in the heart of Waldo, Ohio. The building itself, dating to the early 1900s, had seen everything from dry-goods counters to lunch counters before becoming what locals now affectionately call “The G&R.” George and Roy’s idea was straightforward: a neighborhood place where farmers, truck drivers, and locals could grab a cold beer, share a sandwich, and swap stories after a long day in the fields or on the road. The initials on the sign — G & R — were never meant to be famous; they simply marked a friendship built on hard work and hometown loyalty.

For more than two decades, G&R was exactly that — a blue-collar meeting spot that welcomed everyone. Farmers parked their pickups out front. Factory workers came for lunch specials. Highway travelers along U.S. 23 learned to time their stops for one of Roy’s hearty sandwiches. In those early years, the tavern earned its reputation the old-fashioned way — with consistency, good company, and a reputation for serving simple food done right.

Pictured here back in 2019 are the beloved owners, the late Joy Lewis (left) and her husband, Bernie Lewis, whose family continues to carry on the G&R Tavern, epic legacy in Waldo, Ohio.

In 1985, Bernie and Joy Lewis stepped in as the next custodians of the name. Their vision expanded on what George and Roy had built without erasing it. Bernie, a former truck driver who’d eaten at G&R countless times, believed the tavern could remain a local bar while becoming a destination for families, travelers, and pie lovers alike. Bernie often says he and Joy “just wanted to serve good food in a friendly place.” Joy brought her baking talent, introducing the now-famous homemade cream pies that would share top billing with the legendary bologna sandwich.

Joy’s Legendary Pies — a taste of Waldo’s sweetest legacy.

Under their stewardship, G & R added homemade pies, brightened the interior, and introduced a kitchen rhythm that still defines the tavern today: simple food, made from scratch, served fast, no gimmicks. Joy’s cream pies quickly shared top billing with the bologna sandwich, and the tavern shifted from rough-and-ready bar to family-friendly institution without losing its soul.

Over the next four decades, the Lewises reshaped G&R from an EPIC neighborhood tavern into a regional institution — fresh paint on the walls, cleaner lines behind the bar, but the same handwritten menus and laughter echoing through the booths.

When their daughter Misty Mercer took over daily operations, the family’s third generation continued the formula: keep the food scratch-made, the service quick, and the spirit genuine. Misty and her family now carry the torch, ensuring the third generation of Lewises keeps Waldo fed. Many of the employees have been there for years, and some families can trace their G&R connection through three generations of customers and staff alike.

Today, the sign out front — “Home of the Famous Bologna Sandwich” — tells only part of the story. The rest lives inside: a place born from friendship, sustained by family, and carried forward by community.

Fame, Accolades, and Media Spotlight

It’s a bit of irony for a self-proclaimed “best kept secret” to become known around the world — yet G&R Tavern has managed just that through word-of-mouth and steady media attention. Over the past few decades, the tavern’s fame has spread far beyond Marion County, landing it on the radar of food enthusiasts nationally and internationally.

Early hints of broader renown came with CBS Sunday Morning (2003), which visited Waldo to sample the sandwich and marveled that this “35-year-old pub on Marion Street” drew loyal customers from miles around for what might be the biggest bologna sandwich they’d seen. A co-owner on camera explained that the thick bologna is fried “very crispy on both sides” — simple, solid food at country prices — and people can’t get enough.

From there the shout-outs grew. The Travel Channel featured G&R on Roker on the Road, with Al Roker highlighting America’s best sandwiches — and detouring to Waldo for the ultimate fried bologna. Food Network likewise spotlighted the tavern in a special on sandwich heroes, affirming that folks drive from all over the country for bologna bliss.

By the 2010s, journalists were making pilgrimages: the Chicago Tribune ran “Bologna spelled R-E-S-P-E-C-T in Ohio,” impressed by how G&R elevated a humble meat into something craveable. The Tribune piece — and a travel follow-up — helped cement G&R as a must-stop on Midwest food road trips.

Accolades piled up. Ohio Magazine named G&R one of “30 Famous Ohio Food Spots” every Ohioan should try. Regional outlets — from Columbus Monthly to Salt Magazine — praised it as a preserved slice of Ohio food culture. G&R consistently tops lists of best bologna sandwiches in Ohio (many consider it the benchmark).

Beyond awards, it holds an average ~4.5-star rating across major review platforms, reflecting hundreds of glowing reviews. Local news and food blogs have featured G&R more times than you can count.

Despite the spotlight, Bernie and Joy Lewis remained modest. They often noted that the real benefit is how fame brings people to the area: curious travelers who discover other Marion County gems after stopping in Waldo. As Bernie puts it, “It isn’t just fame that the G&R gives to Waldo” — it’s community pride and an economic boost.

One fun angle: the global mix of visitors. Staff recall serving tourists from Europe, Asia, and Australia who found G&R via TV or press. A Facebook review from Guatemala praised the “friendly service, terrific food, unbelievable prices.”

An Australian fan says a G&R stop is tradition whenever she’s in Ohio. The tavern embraces the attention with good humor — walls of clippings and celebrity photos — and local campaigns like MarionMade! have saluted G&R for “bringing world fame to Marion.”

In short, the accolades aren’t just personal laurels — they’re shared victories for the hometown.

What the Customers Say: Reviews from the Heart

Ask anyone who’s eaten at G&R what stands out, and answers range from “that huge bologna sandwich” to “the friendliest folks around” to “it feels like home.” The sentiment is overwhelmingly affectionate. Many arrive skeptically — Can a bologna sandwich really be that good? — and leave as loyal fans planning their next trip back. Reviews read like love letters to small-town hospitality and comfort food.

A typical out-of-state traveler writes, “This place is hometown personified — friendly service, terrific food, unbelievable prices.” A Pennsylvanian notes, “People come from all over to have a fried bologna sandwich. Very nice people that work there as well.” Warmth from staff is a theme — “they treated us like family” appears often. Speed gets high marks, too; despite crowds, the kitchen keeps things moving without sacrificing quality.

The food inspires poetry. The bologna sandwich headlines countless anecdotes — “craveworthy,” “magical,” “nostalgic.” One longtime employee puts it plainly: “It reminds you of your childhood, but we do it so much differently.” Reviewers admit they’ve driven an hour or more just for the sandwich — and would do it again. Even skeptics come around after tasting the smoky, griddled edges and balanced toppings. The pies inspire their own devotion: “Save room for pie — one piece is enough to share for two,” advises a TripAdvisor review. Peanut-butter-and-chocolate is a headliner; fruit pies get raves for flaky crusts. A frequent comment: “We couldn’t finish our slices… but we loved every bite.”

What makes these testimonials powerful is sincerity. Many reviewers identify as second- or third-time visitors, or as families who make an annual pilgrimage. There’s a personal connection — people don’t just like the food; they feel fond of the place. It’s where birthdays happen, reunions unfold, and road trips detour — because it’s comforting and special at once. Even the rare constructive notes are mild: be ready to wait at busy times, and remember the cash-only policy. Some travelers lament arriving too late for pie — lesson learned: go early for the full selection.

Almost no one leaves unhappy. G&R has that intangible ability to make visitors feel part of a local tradition — even if they came from hundreds of miles away.

G&R Tavern may be a modest roadside eatery in a one-stoplight village, but it embodies what makes Ohio’s small-town culture special. It has history and heart in equal measure — owners who pour their lives into the place, staff who greet regulars by name, and a mental guestbook of memories: weekly after-church lunches, cross-country detours, first bites that become forever stories.

The journey from local hangout to globally recognized food destination is a feel-good story by itself. Yet through all the spotlight, G&R hasn’t lost sight of why people love it. It’s the simple joys: the snap of a perfectly fried bologna, the cold refreshment of a $3 beer, the crumbly goodness of a homemade pie crust, and the genuine smile from a waitress who’s been there 15 years and still loves it.

In the grand tapestry of American eateries, G&R is a vibrant patch of living Americana — a menu that’s a time capsule of comfort foods and a welcome that feels like home. It’s where high-school teams celebrate, retirees swap fishing stories, and curious foodies confirm that yes, the sandwich is worth the trip. In Waldo (population 326), you’ll find a tavern with a line out the door and fans across the globe. That paradox is the magic: by staying true to its roots, G&R became universally appealing. As one food writer put it, G&R offers “a bit of local flavor and history — and most important of all, the food is great!”

If you’re driving up U.S. 23 and spot the sign for Waldo, hit the brakes and drop in. Grab a stool or a window table. Order the bologna (you know you want to) and a slice of peanut-butter pie for later. Talk to the person next to you — they probably have a tip on which pie to pick. In a world that’s always rushing, G&R invites you to slow down and savor something familiar, done exceptionally well. You don’t need truffles or tweezers to touch people’s lives; sometimes it’s bologna, love, and a little Waldo magic. G&R Tavern proves the American roadside tavern is alive and well — and that even the simplest foods can inspire the greatest devotion.