Three new restaurants are ready to serve Marion’s downtown community. Lazeez Grill opened April 24 while Smokehouse 101 and OX-B’s prepare for grand openings May 20.
The restaurants have been teased for months as the Henry Development Group sought to fill the store fronts on the first floor of the Lydia Building at the corner of East Church and South Main streets. After Ray Ray’s Hog Pit left Marion, the group hoped to fill the South Main Street location with a similar concept.
“With the Lazeez and the smokehouse opening soon, hopefully it’ll be a great destination for people to come back down,” said Andrew Shayko, co-owner of OX-B’s.
Smokehouse 101 opens first location since fire
While the storefront in Marion is a first for Smokehouse 101 owner Andy Ayers, it isn’t the first time the restaurant has had a physical location. After operating as food truck beginning in 2013, Smokehouse 101 later opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Kenton that burned down in 2024.
Ayers first was hesitant to come to Marion due what he knew about the infrastructure and railroad crossings. But after learning more about downtown revitalization efforts, Ayers took a second look at Marion.
“For Kenton … I was establishing it as like a destination place with hopes of being like the ‘Field of Dreams,’ ‘If we build it, they would come,'” Ayers said. “But I think that’s kind of the same vibe Marion has, right?”
And so far, Ayers has seen excitement in the community for his restaurant to open. The menu at 101 Smokehouse will offer a variety of different options including a newly crafted brisket, chicken wings, brisket smash burgers, smoked pastrami, salads and more.
“We thrive in the smoked meat market, but we also try to offer a well-rounded menu,” Ayers said.
Ayers plans to rebuild his Kenton location, but want to focus on Marion for now.
“All of my restaurants have always just tried to create a good vibe, good atmosphere, good food, family oriented kind of thing,” Ayers said. “So I think that they can expect that, and we’ve always held ourselves to a high standard.”
Smokehouse 101 is located at 138 S. Main St. and is open Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
OX-B’s offers free menu item on May 20
Shayko was shocked at the reception OX-B’s has received since announcing it will join Marion’s food scene. Despite the nearest restaurant being almost an hour away in Westerville, Ohio, Shayko heard customers who already knew of the OX-B’s brand.
“We actually had a family of three that’s been in all three soft-opening days … but each day they just want to try something different,” Shayko said.
The restaurant has held a soft opening in the days leading up to its grand opening May 20. On the day of the grand opening, until 2 p.m., OX-B’s will offer a free menu item to customers. Then from 2 p.m. until the restaurant closes, customers can spin a wheel for a chance to earn OX-B’s swag, gift cards or free wings for a year.
The menu features chicken wings, salads, sandwiches, cornbread, cheese fries and more. But the wraps are one of OX-B’s most popular items, Shayko said.
The restaurant has multiple locations across central Ohio and Shayko and his partners are looking to expand to cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati. While Shayko wasn’t as familiar with the downtown’s history, he’s heard customers excited for new growth in the area.
“I always believe in the more restaurants, the more open businesses, the better, because this can attract more people,” Shayko said. “Like, I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen either bring in ice cream from Whit’s and come down to OX-B’s and get the food or vice versa.”
OX-B’s is located at 172 S. Main St. and is open Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Lazeez Grill finds repeat customers in Marion
Lazeez Grill opened on April 24 in Marion. So far, co-owner Ahmed Qaraja said business has been good.
“They love it,” Qaraja said. “They have repeated customers almost every week, like three, four times a week.”
The family also owns Zaki Mediterranean Grill in Columbus. Qaraja hoped to create a different concept for Lazeez Grill, which he said turned out well.
Lazeez Grill offers all sorts of menu items like hummus, falafel, fresh salads, and bowls and wraps with chicken shawarma, gyro meat, lamb, shrimp and salmon.
The restaurant is located at 121 E. Church St. and is open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Smokehouse 101, OX-B’s and Lazeez Grill join Marion’s downtown
Reporting by Abby Bammerlin, Marion Star / Marion Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
