Dewberry 1850: A Spacious, Comfortable Spot for Holiday Happy Hours and Group Gatherings

By Alexis Larsen, Dine Out Dayton Correspondent, December 22, 2025

If you haven’t been to the Marriott at the University of Dayton lately, you might be surprised at what’s happening inside. Just off the lobby sits Dewberry 1850 Restaurant & Lounge, a stylish, open space that’s quietly become one of Dayton’s most reliable spots for work happy hours and group dinners that don’t require shouting across the table.

When I first wrote about Dewberry 1850 back in 2017 when it opened, the hotel had just wrapped up a $23 million renovation that completely transformed its look and feel. The dated Gambit’s Bar & Grill and Parmizzano’s were replaced with a modern, open-concept restaurant that introduced sleek finishes, warm lighting and a menu focused on locally sourced ingredients. Even then, the change felt significant with a fresh, modern identity for a dated property that had been part of Dayton’s landscape for decades.

Chef Tim Skiber and the original team that opened it helped define that new era with creative menus and a focus on farm-to-table dining. The space quickly became known for its open layout, generous bar and relaxed sense of sophistication.

These days, the restaurant’s Divvy & Split section of the menu is one of the places where Dewberry 1850 really shines for the holidays. It’s tailor-made for happy-hour grazing and group sharing with generous portions, crowd-pleasing flavors and plates that are easy to pass around.

The flatbreads are the headliners. Each one is large enough for a group to split and crisped perfectly at the edges.

• The Pesto version layers tomatoes, asiago, mozzarella and balsamic-tossed greens.

• The BBQ Chicken is smoky-sweet with red onion, a mozzarella-provolone cheese blend and Memphis-style sauce.

• The Caramelized Wild Mushroom brings roasted garlic, onion and parmesan together in earthy balance.

• And the Traditional keeps it classic with mozzarella, pepperoni and sausage which is always an easy crowd favorite.

Then there are the Cowboy Brisket Nachos ($18) featuring smoked BBQ brisket over fresh-fried tortilla chips with aged cheddar, Gouda and jack cheeses, roasted cherry-jalapeño pico, pickled onions and a bourbon hot-honey BBQ drizzle. They’re big, a little messy and absolutely made for sharing.

In addition to the food menu, that same long, gleaming bar that wowed guests when the renovation first debuted remains one of Dewberry 1850’s best features. There’s space to stretch out, plenty of seats and a well-stocked lineup of local craft beers, wine and bourbon-forward cocktails. It’s the kind of place where coworkers can grab a drink after a meeting, small groups can gather before a Flyers game, or friends can host a casual holiday get together without the stress of planning a private event.

Heading into the busy season of office parties and reunions, Dewberry 1850 hits an easy-to-love sweet spot: stylish but relaxed, with plenty of parking, good food and a staff used to handling large tables. It’s not flashy or trying too hard, it’s simply dependable, flexible and comfortable with the kind of space that makes conversation over something to eat easy and relaxed.

For those that visit and wonder about the name, it’s a nod to a defining moment in the University of Dayton’s history. In the mid-1800s, during a cholera epidemic, Father Leo Meyer, S.M., came to Dayton to minister to the sick. There he met John Stuart, a local man whose young daughter had recently died from the disease. Stuart wanted to sell his property, known as Dewberry Farm, and return to Europe. Father Meyer offered him a medal of St. Joseph and a promise of $12,000 in exchange for the 125-acre property filled with orchards and a farmhouse.

On July 1, 1850, St. Mary’s School for Boys opened on that land, a modest building that would grow over time into what we now know as the University of Dayton. The restaurant’s name, Dewberry 1850, honors both that farm and the spirit of community and renewal that took root there.

And just like a farm, it’s built for gathering. It’s also built for sharing and unwinding for hotel guests and anyone who knows it’s a convenient, easy place to meet up with a group. The food is generous, the bar is stocked and the atmosphere strikes that rare balance between polished and easygoing.

As your holiday season takes shape and happy hours stack up, keep Dewberry 1850 top of mind. From shareable flatbreads and appetizers to a full dining menu and bar with room for groups, it’s a reliable, inviting hub that channels the Dayton spirit woven into its name for more than 170 years.

The Details
What: Dewberry 1850 in the Dayton Marriott at the University of Dayton
Where: 1414 South Patterson Boulevard, Dayton
More information: 937-223-1000 or http://dewberry1850.com

Alexis Larsen is the Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Dine Out Dayton Correspondent and is The Dayton Dish food columnist for the Dayton Business Journal. Stay tuned for more articles from Larsen who has been covering local restaurants and food and dining for more than two decades. When she’s not out dining and writing on nights and weekends Larsen serves as the Chief of Philanthropy for Five Rivers MetroParks.