“When the lights are on, it means the door is open and we’re here for you,” says Town Square Tavern & Eatery Owner Mike Faylor.
Since June 2023, Faylor has been welcoming folks from near and far for warm conversation and delicious dishes that keep people coming back for more.
The tavern offers daily specials that play on seasonal ingredients and superior culinary technique. Faylor says the most popular of these specials is Friday Night Walleye, which draws in foodies from as far as Fort Wayne. For Sunday breakfast the doors open at 8 a.m., and Faylor finds the same people from evening dining at the same tables, ordering morning comfort food to help finish off their weekend. Faylor considers many of the regular customers more like friends than simply people who frequent his tavern. This kind of small-town friendliness is just the way Faylor likes to do business, where people come in for a meal and walk out with a full heart.
With a focus on barbecue throughout his menu, the variety includes prime rib, wings, ribs, chicken and, of course, walleye. Beyond the barbecue, which is slow-cooked to a flavor-packed finish, the menu includes starters, salads and kid-friendly fare. Faylor has recently added a mainstay from a restaurant he owned and ran years back in Culver called Guido’s Pizza. But don’t expect the typical cheese or pepperoni. These pies boast an innovative twist with toppings such as prime rib, Philly cheesesteak, and chicken Alfredo with asparagus.
Faylor has enjoyed success in a variety of culinary quests. In addition to Guido’s Pizza in Culver, Faylor ventured into the food-truck boom during the pandemic, and then began answering the call for catering, which remains a thriving piece of his business today. Local organizations and companies come to Faylor for their fundraisers and corporate events.
“The town of Argos is very supportive of the tavern,” says Faylor, who eagerly participates in town gatherings such as donating pulled-pork sliders at a recent tree lighting ceremony. Faylor’s reputation for delivering a premium menu reaches beyond city limits, including a catered prime rib dinner for a Rochester company’s annual staff event.
Advertising aside, the eatery’s popularity is no accident. Holding the kitchen, the staff and himself to the highest standards is Faylor’s priority. “I’m a part of every dish that comes out of this kitchen,” he says. When a request is made for well-done prime rib, Faylor explains, “there is a right way to do that. Instead of just grilling the meat, the more sensitive method is to use au jus to slowly raise the temperature of the meat.”
Faylor beams when he mentions his staff, led by his wife and the head waitress, Brittany, who has been at the tavern since opening day. Faylor welcomes anyone with a solid work ethic, and commitment to quality customer service, to consider a role at the Tavern.
“We’re always looking for good people who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and have some fun brightening someone’s day with a great meal,” he says.
The tavern will once again offer a festive New Year’s Eve menu of surf and turf, and if you’re looking for an inviting place to meet friends to ring in the new year, look no further.
Town Square Tavern & Eatery is located at 110 South Michigan Street in Argos. For more information, call 574-281-4188.
