In 1973, when the first Submarine House Bar and Grill sprouted up in Dayton, it was a simple place. The owners weren't dreaming of today's multiple, thriving locations. They didn't expect there would be sports bars in most of their future sub shops, either. The shop was just called Submarine House, and its mission was as simple as its name: to bring the East Coast's cheesesteak subs to Dayton.

The import was an instant, cheesy hit. The team has now sold thousands of them, and the sandwich remains the shop's signature dish. It comes in lengths of up to 16 inches, just like any worthwhile finger puppet, and meat lovers can opt for the "Super" or the "Super Duper" incarnation. (These have two and three times as much meat, respectively, as the original.) Of course, the culinary team sates appetites with more than cheesesteaks. They also craft veggie subs and custom pizzas, and the bartenders at select locations create zesty vodka-lemonades.