Fine dining is par for the course at Bronzwood Golf Club

KINSMAN

If you’re an avid golfer, you probably know about Bronzwood Golf Course, an 18-hole, 149-acre gem nestled in a quiet corner of northern Trumbull County.

What you might not know is that in addition to the rolling green hills of the par-70 course, there’s also an incredible restaurant at Bronzwood, and it’s open to the public, not just golf club members.

“I always say our restaurant is the best-kept secret in Trumbull County,” said Marti Bronson Moses, whose parents, Jim and (the late) Natalie Bronson, founded Bronzwood Golf Club in 1964. “Many people don’t realize we are open seven days a week, have a chef and serve everything from hot dogs, to steaks, to crab legs.”

That’s all about to change now that the secret is out. Bronzwood Golf Club’s restaurant deserves a spot among the top quality places to eat in Trumbull and Mahoning counties.

If you visit Bronzwood for a meal and notice the parking lot is full, don’t be discouraged — it doesn’t mean you’ll have to wait an hour for a table.

“Often a full parking lot means we have a course full of golfers, but there’s still plenty of space in the dining room, which seats 100,” Moses explained.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s talk about the food.

During my visit, I sampled four of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, and I was thoroughly impressed.

The Bronzwood Salad boasts a delightful blend of tangy, sweet, creamy and crunchy. This big salad features spring mix, finely chopped peppers, red onion, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, blue cheese crumbles and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Mine was topped with a baked Ahi tuna steak that was prepared to perfection and blended deliciously with the salad’s pleasing array of tastes and textures.

Next I enjoyed the Beer Batter Fish Sandwich with a side of Crabmeat Soup. The fish — a delicate, flaky cod — is served as an all-you-can-eat special every Friday. The crabmeat soup is one of the late Natalie Bronson’s family recipes, and oh my goodness, it is sublime! Tender chunks of crab crowd a sumptuous creamy base.

“This soup is not for those who are dieting,” Moses joked. “But it is one of our best-sellers.”

Bronzwood offers prime rib specials each Thursday, and the next entree to grace my table was the Prime Rib Dinner with a baked potato and side of green beans. The medium-well prime rib was tender and juicy, and it’s easy to see why it’s one of the restaurant’s most sought-after specials.

Last but not least I tried the Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap. This satisfying wrap combines grilled chicken breast with the zesty zing of cheddar cheese and ranch dressing, the hearty sweetness of bacon, and the crisp freshness of lettuce and tomato.

Bronzwood’s menu includes many varieties of sandwiches, burgers and wraps. The menu also features wings (but not on Fridays), salads, and seafood and steak dinners.

Sundays and Tuesdays mean 50-cent wings, and Saturdays mean surf and turf or crab legs.

Prior to founding Bronzwood 51 years ago, Jim and Natalie Bronson had played golf at Forest Oaks in Southington, a course that no longer exists. Jim and Natalie decided to design their own course and bought land in Kinsman that was being used as a potato farm and horse farm.

“We planned the golf course ourselves and have expanded over the years,” Jim Bronson said. “People like us because we have competitive prices and are comparable to courses in Pittsburgh or Cleveland where you would have to pay more to golf than you do here.”

In addition to golf and great food, Bronzwood’s restaurant also features live entertainment including open mic Thursdays when new and upcoming musicians and performing artists are encouraged to take the stage. Regular bands perform many Saturdays, and the restaurant’s full bar enhances to the festive atmosphere.

Even though Ohio winters put a damper on golfing, Bronzwood’s restaurant remains open year-round and is a popular spot for snowmobilers traveling from bar to bar, sharing a beer with friends.

“We also host New Year’s parties and Valentine’s dances and are the perfect place for graduation parties, baby showers and other special events,” Moses said. “We cater for special events, and our menu changes from winter to spring.”