Bites Nearby: Deekers Sidetrack

Craig Diekmann's vision when designing  was fun: "For me, it's like that recreational basement that you put in your house."

So, two bocce courts, a horseshoe pit, five sets of cornhole boards, five dartboards, two pool tables and four sand volleyball courts later, , with the ambience of a converted train station, has been fun since it opened in August of 2007.

Open late, Deekers has a Wednesday Ladies Night (buy a drink, get one free), and a 3 to 7 p.m. Happy Hour every day except Saturday.

"We've remodeled all three of our bars this year," Diekmann said. "Our back bar has been reduced to open more dance space. Our outdoor has been improved, made bigger by two and a half times."

And the menu has now been leased out. Nachos ($6.99), potato poppers ($4.99), O-rings ($4.99) and pretzels ($4.99) lead the appetizers, a strong category in a bar atmosphere.

The rest of the "Two Guys One Grille" menu can be found online at www.deekerssidetracks.com. Expect meat sandwiches — choice of potato, macaroni or pasta salad, chips or coleslaw — all about $7 and under. It's good and greasy food that adheres to the motto: "Have fun ... Enjoy life ... Don't sweat the small stuff" as posted on the website.

There are plenty of corners for casual conversation if the entertainment Deekers provides proves overwhelming.

The outdoor bar has seen weather extremes with some rain and cold in June and two weeks of heat wave. "Both of those extremes have slowed things down," Diekmann said.

But with his co-owner, Dale, Diekmann takes great pride in the restaurant at 8455 Station St., which was formerly Gatsby's. "I remodeled it myself for the first two of three years I owned the property. We kept trying to think of a cool name. When I used to work at Lincoln Electric, that was my nickname there, so when it came time to hang a sign and I still hadn't come up with anything, Deekers it was."