Sleepy Hollow
378 Bridge Street
Loveland, Ohio
677-0290

Location, location, location. Every new bar and restaurant built today is primarily concerned with finding a location with high visibility, easy access and nearby shopping areas. Some of us however, prefer to seek out those little hideaways nested in a nook of their own. You know the kind of place, snugly tucked away off the beaten path, mainly frequented by neighbors who realized long ago how a warm, cozy pub is the perfect place to eat, drink, make new friends or catch up with old ones. To me shiny new, corporate pubs have all the authenticity and ambience of a Kings Island restaurant. Neighborhood pubs simply cannot be corporately cloned without sterilizing the very essence of a pub. Sleepy Hollow is one pub with extraordinary essence. Tucked behind the train tracks just of Loveland Madeira Rd. on Bridge Branch Hill, Sleepy Hollow sits seemingly napping. However, inside it’s always Christmas.
The owner was asked by a customer to keep the Christmas lights up until her son serving overseas came home. That was years ago, now Sleepy Hollow is permanently locked in a December 25 time warp. There are no carolers, no presents under the tree (yes, there is a tree) but otherwise it’s christmas.
It’s hard to tell if the regulars are smiling from all of the Christmas cheer or the food they ordered. Even the staff has a twinkle in their eye.
After receiving an E-Mail encouraging us to visit the Sleepy Hollow we stopped in for our dose of July Christmas spirit. Seated at the table of our choice (by the juke box), we were greeted by a most pleasant and attentive server. Fish N Chips ($6.95) seemed fitting to me and my companion opted for a Cobb salad ($7.25). The heat was unbelievable so we both drank water (served with an iced pitcher on the side). During the brief wait on the food I sipped my water and realized with the right kind of eyes you can see the holiday spirit possess the room and all in it.
I loved my food, I loved the scene and I would give my money to Sleepy Hollow any day of the year...and so should you. When you do, do tip a little extra, it is Christmas after all.