Eastern Hills - Dayton, OH Area Guide

Eastern Hills development began in the 1920s, but it came to a halt during the Great Depression and didn’t resume until the 1940s, when Dayton’s wartime efforts brought new jobs to the area. Throughout the 1940s and most of the 1950s, Eastern Hills served as a transitional area between Dayton and its suburbs, and in that respect, the neighborhood remains much the same. The area still functions as a family-oriented neighborhood with affordable housing options that appeal to families who don’t want to live in the inner city.

You won’t find a thriving arts scene, museums or annual events in Eastern Hills. However, residents frequently visit the Dayton Art Institute, the Victoria Theater and the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton. The downtown area also hosts several annual events, including the Hispanic Heritage Festival and the Dayton Celtic Festival.

You won’t find a huge restaurant selection in this residential neighborhood. In fact, other than a handful of fast food restaurants located on Smithville Road, Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant and Hasty Tasty Pancake House — both on Linden Avenue — remain the only neighborhood eateries.

Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant serves a combination of Mexican-American dishes and sports-bar-style food, but locals will tell you to try the legendary Bad Juan margarita. When you arrive at Elsa’s, your server welcomes you with a basket of tortilla chips and a bowl of homemade salsa. Several customers recommend Elsa’s ribs and chicken wings, but regulars know to skip the sports-bar food and order the Super Burrito. This massive burrito comes stuffed with your choice of chicken, pork carnitas or ground beef, and it includes all the fixings like lettuce, shredded cheese, black olives, a mild taco sauce, pico de gallo and sour cream. If you have a smaller appetite, stick with the Mini Super — the smaller version of the Super Burrito.

Hasty Tasty Pancake House sits across the street from Elsa’s. The small diner opened its doors in the early 1950s, and not much has changed since then. Try to avoid judging Hasty Tasty by atmosphere alone, because like most greasy spoons, it’s not the decor but rather the huge portions of made-to-order breakfast foods, sandwiches and burgers that attract customers from all over the city. Regulars rave about the diner’s home fries, omelettes, and pie, which comes topped with large dollops of whipped cream. However, first-timers should order the biscuits and gravy — Hasty Tasty serves the best sausage gravy in Dayton.

Located just north of Eastern Hills, Joe’s Pizzeria attracts customers from all over the Dayton area. The family-owned restaurant serves thin-crust pizza cut into small squares. Customers recommend ordering your pizza topped with the restaurant’s tiny pepperoni rounds and sausage, and if you like your pizza crispy, have it sent through the conveyor twice.

Eastern Hills houses a few popular dive bars complete with laid-back crowds, pool tables and jukeboxes. A few local favorites include Toby’s Tavern, Pat’s Bar and Peggy’s Pub. Residents looking for a little more excitement take State Route 35 into Dayton’s Oregon District, which hosts a variety of dance clubs and bars that feature live music.

Residents living in Dayton’s Eastern Hills neighborhood depend on their own vehicles for transportation, because ample free parking and easy highway access make it the most convenient option. The main streets get congested around rush hour, and the neighborhood lacks dedicated bike lanes, so you won’t see many cyclists on the street. Due to the neighborhood’s hills, most residents reserve walking for relaxing evening strolls.

Neither Uber nor cab companies service the Eastern Hills neighborhood. However, Greater Dayton RTA’s public buses have several routes in the area that transport residents downtown and to several other Dayton suburbs.

The only park in the neighborhood, Pinewood Park, sits behind Kemp Elementary School. This kid-friendly park contains a playground for school-age children, a large field, a baseball field and tennis courts. If you have younger children, take them to the playground area next to the school’s entrance, which features equipment designed specifically for preschool-age kids. While the park’s massive fenced-in field looks like a great place to let your dog roam free, city laws require dogs in public areas to remain on their leashes. Because of this, residents typically walk their dogs through the neighborhood instead.

Downtown Dayton’s RiverScape MetroPark hosts several events throughout the year, including the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration and fireworks, Memorial Day fireworks and the annual CITYFOLK Festival. The RiverScape MetroPark also facilitates several activities that attract both families and exercise enthusiasts, including an ice skating rink in the winter and kayak rentals and an interactive splash fountain in the summer. The park also maintains paved trails — the main hub of the city’s 60-mile system of paved bike trails — which people use to ride bikes, walk, jog and roller skate.

The cost of living in Eastern Hills sits around one percent higher than the average cost of living in Dayton. Residents should expect to pay approximately $485 per month to rent a one-bedroom apartment, under $2 for a one-way bus ride and approximately $3 for a beer at one of the neighborhood bars. Gas prices that hover around nine percent lower than the national average make driving a cost-effective mode of transportation.

No high-end retail establishments maintain locations in Eastern Hills, but the neighborhood does house two small shopping centers: Pinewood Plaza and Eastown Shopping Center. Both centers have a few shops like supermarkets and drugstores, but for the most part, residents visit the downtown area and the suburbs for their shopping needs. A 15-minute drive east on State Route 35 takes you to the Mall at Fairfield Commons, and a five-minute drive west takes you to downtown Dayton's Oregon District, which contains several small boutiques. Alternatively, take State Route 35 East to I-675 South to visit the Greene Town Center, or take State Route 35 West to I-75 South to visit the Dayton Mall.

Located in Eastown Shopping Center, Village Discount Outlet dubs itself Ohio's best thrift store. The massive store features a wide variety of second-hand, name-brand clothing and miscellaneous household items.

Residents do their regular grocery shopping at the Kroger located at Pinewood Plaza or Aldi at Airway Shopping Center. Though Eastern Hills itself doesn't have a farmers market, residents frequently visit the 2nd Street Market for fresh produce and baked goods. This year-round farmers market, located on Second Street in downtown Dayton, opens weekly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.