GRDine

What do you get when you take an EQ3, gut it, and add over 250 seats to a 10,000 square foot warehouse?  You get the best new arrival to Grand Rapids in some time…Peppino’s Sports Lounge.

Just after EQ3 left the space

You probably know Peppino’s for the delicious take-out pizza with over 10 locations around Grand Rapids.  The owners decided to take that delicious taste, expand it to several new menu items, and match it with the perfect compliment…Sports.

The new sports lounge is located on Ionia, and will give other bars and restaurants on the street a run for their money.  Then they added an assortment sports memorabilia, 46 flat screen TVs, including screens inside most booths. Behind the concrete-topped bars are 36 taps offering 20 draft beers.  This place can beat out any other sports bar on several different levels.

Besides the incredible location, and the several beers on tap, and the several TVs, and the good prices, the menu dives deeper than what you would expect in a sports bar.  They have dishes like the Taste of Italy, Chicken Spiedini, Sicilian Ribeye, and of course pizza.  Since I know Peppino’s primarily for their pizza, it was difficult for me to deviate far from the comfort zone.  I tried their build your own calzone and filled it with pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and green olives.  The beast of a calzone was incredible and not a doughy as what you might get at other pizza establishments.

I have decided that this is now my new favorite Sunday Football spot, and can’t wait to try out some of the other dishes.

-Jon

I’m surprised it took me this long to get over to Bull’s Head since starting this blog.  Bull’s Head truly encompasses an establishment that tries to be everything to everyone, and they do a damn good job of accomplishing this.

The first time I visited, I went primarily for drinks for friends.  The menu seemed limited, but the drinks were plentiful.  I actually went around telling friends that they lacked significantly on the dinner selections, and that the food was primarily upscale bar-fare.  I couldn’t have been more incorrect.  Over the last week I actually made two trips here; once for dinner upstairs and once for lunch downstairs.  The experiences couldn’t have been more different.

Dinner upstairs:  The setting moves beyond the tavern look and the setting is white table cloth with full dinner menu including some of their signature Buffalo and Ostrich burgers, but expanded to include Smoked Gouda Chicken Pasta and Sashimi Tuna Steak.  The service is friendly and alert since this portion of the restaurant can’t seat much more than maybe 40 patrons.  Prices are comparable with restaurants of the same caliber.  Not to mention…once you are done with dinner you can retreat to the lower level for a few libations.

Lunch:  At lunch you are presented a completely different menu that focuses on appetizers, salads and sandwiches.  There are a few lower prices lunch entrees that stuck out as well…a great value.  I opted for their Cuban and was not disappointed.

The bottom line is that this place will suit you well whether it is a quick lunch with a colleague, dinner with a significant other, or happy hour to late night drinks with your friends.  It is not easy to pull off the dining trinity, but Bull’s Head has a great thing going.

-Jon

Yes, another Rockford entry making this two trips to Rockford back to back.  I didn’t intend on my dining choice to be the Rogue River Tavern when committing to the 50 mile, round trip drive it takes me to get to Rockford from my house in Cascade.  My intended victim was the Corner Bar where I was hoping to experience hotdogs that supposedly rival some of GRs best.  Unfortunately, upon arriving Corner Bar around 7pm on a Friday, it was either dogs to go, or at least an hour wait.  Since a group of us had ventured out to Rockford, we looked for a close alternative.  Fate brought us to Rogue River Tavern.

RRT can be found right on Main Street cattycorner from Corner Bar, and looks like it has recently been refinished from the outside.  Essentially, it is a very local restaurant and bar that is frequented by the Rockford locals.  This was made very clear when it started to overflow with the color orange after a Rockford high school football game.

RRT likely wouldn’t be a spot that I would return to based purely on location.  It was a very warm feeling establishment that served pretty decent bar food, has your typical drink selection, and is broken up into two key areas: Dining and Gaming.  The gaming side has tables, but has a few pool tables and tvs.  Their Friday night claim to fame is the karaoke…however, the karaoke talent in Rockford seems to fall behind what I’ve experienced at Cascade Roadhouse (I do have to keep in mind the time of the evening I’ve experienced both…It always tends to sound better as the night wears on.).

I feel pretty indifferent about RRT, but would love more insight from someone who has been here a few more times than myself.  If it were downtown, or in Cascade I could see myself making the return.

-Jon

PS: Looks like RRT has been working on changing their image

Grand Rapids lacks true sports bars.  Sure, I have highlighted a few that I have enjoyed in the blog previously (Uccello’s, My Bar, and Vitale’s in Ada).  When you look at the number of eating and drinking establishments in Grand Rapids, you have to be shocked by the slim count.  Z’s is a true sports bar and staple of Grand Rapids.  I’ve spent many a time at Z’s cheering for the Pistons or cursing the Lions.

Z’s has a great location downtown, but is tucked away slightly on Campau Ave.  It is a stone throw away from the BOB.  However, Z’s never seems to be very busy.  It is a pretty small establishment that vaguely reminds me of the bar from Cheers.  However, I’m pretty sure no one ever remembered my name, and the crowd varies drastically depending on the night.  They have a huge U shaped bar that wraps around the entire interior and takes up 80% of the seating. Around the bar they have a handful of booths and tables.  The largest TV would be a screen that is pulled down in front of the Golden Tee game.  I’m not going to go out of my way to say this place is pretty, but it feels like a comfortable place to go and watch the game. (I forgot to take pictures, and unfortunately nothing is available online.  It is a bit of an eye sore, but you should try to see past that.)

The food is surprisingly good.  It’s nothing gourmet, but it is on the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to bar/pub food.  They like to tout their ribs.  The baby back ribs are very good… However, I wouldn’t call them the best in town.  It’s a safe bet to go with the burger or the make your own pizza.  The pizza is fantastic!

In order to truly call yourself a local you have to experience Z’s!

-Jon

No not my bar, My Bar.  The name just asks for the terrible joke.

I believe it was named that way to serve as an unconscious reminder that this place needs to be your bar.  They are on the right path with 32 TV’s  (they have yet to invest in HD…you are not complete until you get the HD), 16 beers on tap, HD Golden Tee and Big Buck Hunter, and my favorite table accessory…an emergency beer switch.  Just hit the light switch and a red bulb lights up above your table demanding that your drink be refreshed immediately.  What more could you need?

Located at 1 Ionia, My Bar boasts food that is a notch above your typical bar fare.  I can support that claim with my trip to My Bar for dinner.  Not exactly a place that would immediately jump out as a place you would go for dinner primarily.  However, with most establishments closed on Sunday, and the Tigers game in the 9^th inning, My Bar could support our food needs and sports fix.

I had absolutely no expectations when it came to the food.  In fact, My Bar had never crossed my mind for the blog.  I ordered a buffalo chicken sub with fries.  Tough to screw up, but when it is done well you can really taste the difference.  I walked away stuffed having enjoyed a great sandwich.  The menu seems pretty diverse.

If you are around and need a quick and inexpensive bite, My Bar and Grill is a great option.  You have to support this newcomer to the Grand Rapids market.  –JD

Note:  Thanks to Josh from grnow.com for the images.

While strolling through downtown recently my wife and I came across The Cottage Bar.  We had both heard good things about the place from friends so we decided to give it a try. The restaurant sits just south of One Trick Pony  (its sister restaurant) on the corner of Fulton and La Grave.

The Ambiance

Upon entering you immediately feel like you are in a cozy, up North bar with it’s dark wood paneling, low ceilings, and nautical fare hanging from the walls organized just perfectly enough that it doesn’t feel cheap or inauthentic (after all, they’ve been doing it since 1927). 

My only complaint would be to say that it is a little smoky, but when we went it wasn’t too smoky not to bring the little one.  They have high chairs available, btw.

The Service

While I’ve only been there once, the service that I experienced was top-notch.  Jon has been there many times before (he used to live just down the street), and he agreed with my assessment.

The one and only Cottage Burger

 The Food

I had, what I feel, is the best hamburger in town:  the Cottage burger.  Served on a rye bun with olives, bacon, two kinds of cheese, and a hickory mayonaisse, you can’t possibly go wrong.  The burger is cooked to order, which is refreshing in this day and age of pre-cooked meat (try and get medium rare at most hamburger joints…I bet you can’t).  Top that with delicious waffle fries dipped in ranch, and you got yourself a tasty meal.

I’m told that they’re potato nachos are the thing to get (wedges covered in cheese), so you can be assured that’s getting sampled next time I swing by.

 Summary

Although a bit smoky (it is after all, a bar), the Cottage Bar is truly an excellent place to grab a beer and a good deal on good food.

I’ve eaten at Uccello’s on multiple occasions.  This has always been my go-to sports bar when I actually want quality food (Buffalo Wild Wings seems to the go-to for a lot of people…and don’t get me wrong…I enjoy my wings, but the food is not quality when you put it up against a great establishment like Uccello’s).  In my opinion, Grand Rapids lacks a larger selection of sports bars.

Saturday night I went to the Uccello’s on Beltline specifically for the food as there wasn’t a game on I wanted to see, and the Lion’s playback game wasn’t starting until 7:30.  A few of my friends were all out driving around and we decided we needed a central spot where we could convene and grab a quick dinner and a beer.  I was specifically interested in pizza and beer (Uccello’s is specifically know for their pizza.  Faro Uccello has been in the pizza business for years and has a very interesting story.)

The wait staff was extremely friendly, and sat us on the bar side as soon as we entered.  I noticed they had nearly one sever for every table.  Either they were not planning for a slower night, or this supports Faro’s philosophy to provide the customer with more than they expect (The service is incredibly attentive and friendly).

They just happened to have a pizza and beer special to satisfy my exact craving…$14.99 got me a pitcher of beer and a 14 inch, 2 topping pizza.  No joke, I would have ordered this exactly even if the special was not available.  Besides the pizza, the table shared an order of cheese fries and their famous Pizza Puffs (fried and seasoned pizza dough that can be dipped in marinara or cheese sauce).

Saturday night I realized that Uccello’s pizza beats Big Bob’s for my favorite pizza in town.  You have to support this local chain.  -JD

I have come under criticism in the past for not posting a negative article but no worries:  this will no longer be the case.

I have dined at the Winchester before and don’t get me wrong:  their food is pretty good, but the problem lies in the attitude of the restaurant.

Strolling into Winchester on Wednesday my wife and I were looking for some good food and beer.  My daughter was with us (she’s one), and as such we needed a high chair to accommodate her.  When we asked the waitress about this she informed us that there are no high chairs in the restaurant.

Now, I understand there are space limitation concerns with any restaurant, but I don’t think there is any excuse for not having a high chair that would take up minimal space.

The only conclusion I can draw from this is that the purposefully don’t want infants/toddlers in their restaurant.  This is slightly confusing, because while everyone has experienced “that one noisy kid”, the layout of the bar (long and narrow) makes it prone to being loud whenever the bar isn’t empty, thus making any child (noisy or not) virtually unnoticeable.

Memo: Having a high chair available for your patrons does not make you a family restaurant.

Another problem I have is that it is the mission of our website to support local, and we hold restaurants to that same standard.  Why they have no Founders beer on tap is beyond me.  I’ve heard it’s because they “want to be different”.  If that’s the case, then why do you have Miller Lite on tap?  Please.  Don’t punish your patrons for a company’s success.

All of this taken in its entirety comes off as arrogant.  As such, I will provide a list of restaurants below with a similar “feel” (although in some cases not exact) to Winchester to provide as an alternative.

Greenwell (www.thegreenwell.com/)

Cottage Bar  (www.bonetgroup.com/CottageBar/HomePage.html)

Gardella’s  (www.jgardellastavern.com/)

Hopcat  (www.hopcatgr.com/)

Bar Divani  (www.bar-divani.com/)

Founders (www.foundersbrewing.com)

–TM

When it comes to the Cascade Roadhouse, I struggle for much to say about the place.  It’s not that I don’t like the place, but I feel that they try so hard to meet so many things.  On one side of the restaurant they try to be a pub, and even have karaoke on Saturday nights.  On the other side they have white table cloth dining with a mid-range menu consisting of pastas, steaks and seafood.   I have experienced both sides, but frankly I stick to the Tavern side.  The finer fare is nothing special…especially when you have the Thornapple Daily grill just 3.5 miles down the street in Ada.

So now that you’re sticking to the Tavern side here are some things that you will come to expect.  The menu on this side is strictly pub fare with nothing that would stand out from any other pub.  If you are going for a beer with a friend then you really aren’t looking for anything much beyond this anyhow.  The draft beer selection is always decent and seems to rotate on a somewhat frequent basis.  There is a small deck right off the Tavern that is fantastic for lunch dining with a beer.  I had a great mid-day lunch with a friend that resulted in the typical burger and a few IPAs.

Like Karaoke?  I’ve enjoyed a few nights of karaoke here and there, and once at the Tavern.  For those who are not frequent karaoke goers like me, beware of the regulars.  They come in large groups, and maybe try very hard to resemble Elvis from the early 90’s.  But Elvis didn’t live in the 90’s you say…Well apparently there are many who like to keep him alive in their hearts, but had a difficult time keeping up with modern trends.  Perhaps the one Elvis who wears 4 watches over 2 armbands struggles to see how he can push the image any further.

So basically…average restaurant, but certainly can be entertaining under the right circumstances.  - JD

This local chain can be seen throughout Grand Rapids at a few different locations.  However, each Viatle’s location has their own special taste.  From what I understand, each location is run by a different member of the family, and the only difference comes in the form of the pizza sauce they make.  Vitale’s in Ada is known for their sweeter sauce.  Honestly, the Vitale’s on Leonard has the best sauce of the local chain…but this is strictly my opinion as my family and friends all rave that this place has the best pizza sauce.

Vitale’s Ada lives in the small row of retail in downtown Ada.  From the front there isn’t much to see.  When you enter you will notice their pickup and delivery station where a lot of the action takes place.  Moving past the delivery station you will notice a very bland dining area, and the stainless steel buffet station.  I have not had their lunch buffet, but I understand it is a great Friday night treat.  My treat is when you file through the first two sections into the recent addition…the sports bar.  Vitale’s did a fantastic job of creating a fun atmosphere with a focus on sports, great food, and good beer.  I can always count on getting my Oberon here.

On my last visit, I gave the calzone a try.  Being that I’m not the biggest fan of the sweeter sauce, I opted for a side of the pizza sauce.  I ordered my calzone with mozzarella, pepperoni, homemade sausage and green olives.  The concoction resulted in a very delicious meal.  I did use the tomato sauce, but in moderation.  Too much sweet in the sauce just doesn’t work for me.  The only complaint would be my meat/cheese ratio to bread…there were several bites that consisted of bread only.

Vitale’s is a staple in Ada, and I will continue to visit their sports bar and sample from their huge selection of sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas.  You can even order online!  Check it out.  –JD