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For one of the Lounge Lizards, the trip to Norton's Grill in Kettering was like visiting an old friend. Alexis spent many nights during her college years playing pool and enjoying a frosty beverage at the longtime Wilmington Pike establishment.

Hearing that Norton's had recently completed some updates, including a brand new patio area for those looking to kick back outside, the Lounge Lizards had to check it out for themselves.

Though the pool table is gone, Alexis' faux tears were short-lived after seeing a bevy of TV screens and games scattered around the bar. Not too much else has changed indoors. Norton's is still the timeworn bar and grill we remembered. It's a dependable spot that offers a number of seating options that can easily accommodate large or small groups.

While the Lounge Lizards enjoy the out-of-doors just fine, we're more inclined to carve out a spot inside and enjoy the low-key vibe. Recent changes aren't limited to the patio area outdoors. Norton's owner Fred McGhee has added a chef to the staff and is looking to build on its 22-year reputation as the place for "good food."

Trekking through the menu, the Lounge Lizards paired a cold beer with what may be our newest favorite bar food item, Norton's Gourmet Wings (6 for $6.49, 12 for $8.99 or 20 for $14.99). We chose ours served in the garlic sauce and fell in love. We're not quite sure how they do it — the wings and mini-legs appear to be broasted and fried to create one of the crunchiest exteriors and the juiciest centers we've found yet in our bar travels. The garlic sauce is mild and pairs perfectly with the meat of the wings to add flavor and not overpower the delicate balance. You'll need to find some more garlic somewhere else if you are looking to keep any vampires at bay, as the garlic is employed to subtle effect.

Other Lounge Lizards' favorites included the Quesadilla Rolls ($6.99), small, crunchy cigar-sized rolls of marinated chicken wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried. This starter was crisp, flaky and worth a try.

The menu bills the Black and Bleu burger ($6.99) as "our best burger yet." How could we pass it up? Despite our love of burgers and blue cheese, we found this dish well cooked but with little flavor, blue cheese or otherwise, despite the ingredients.

On another visit, we tried the Classic Norton Burger ($6.99) and found a burger we would order again. Well-proportioned and well-flavored with notes of char, this burger was tender and memorable. The Teriyaki Burger ($6.99) served with bacon, sauteed onions and covered with teriyaki sauce, also was a standout made even better thanks to the addition of Swiss cheese that a helpful server recommended.

All of Norton's sandwiches are served with a choice of chips, fries or onion rings. Go for the rings if you can. Crispy and crunchy, they proved to be as much a treat as the burgers.

Along with the outdoor patio addition, Norton's recently added a pizza oven. While the kitchen works out some of the quirks, it is offering Ciabatta bread pizzas. If it were up to us, we would wait for the next version and see how that goes. On our visit, the bread overpowered the cheese, sauce and pepperoni, though the dish did seem to be headed on the right track.

The addition of Bill Webb in the kitchen, who brings a bevy of experience, including stints at Carver's and the Dayton Country Club, is a major step in moving Norton's from being a place to grab a drink to a place to grab a bite and a drink.

Some things have changed, but one thing remains the same: Norton's is still an unassuming workhorse — sturdy, unpretentious and reliable with far more hits than misses. And you really can't ask for too much more than that in a neighborhood watering hole.