fdamstra/freds-grand-rapids-restaurant-list

A list of dishes and restaurants in Grand Rapids with recommendations

Fred's Grand Rapids, MI Restaurant Recommendations

Summary

A friend asked me for a list of restaurant recommendation in Grand Rapids. There are so many good restaurants in the area that it hard to know which ones to try, and even once you get there, what are their truly "great" dishes. So here are some of my recommendations.

These are obviously personal choices. I like big, bold flavors and highly seasoned food. I like variety, even within the dish itself (e.g. bibimbap). And I like new and different things. I've had bacon and eggs for breakfast too many times; give me garlic chicken and eggs on texas toast with Hollandaise, please (Bring it back, Wolfgangs!).

Additionally, I wanted to keep a list of restaurants that I intend to try. Feel free to submit more recommendations for me. Whenever possible, please include a particular dish to try!

All opinions are my own, based on my own experience.

Top Favorites

Each section is roughly in order of my preference.

Sit Down

These are places where you should go for a nice sit down dinner or long lunch. There's no reason you can't go to lunch at these places, but it's not "in and out" like the others.

Restaurant	Location	Style	Recommended Dish(es)	Notes
Electric Cheetah	East Hills	Sandwiches (modern)		Menu changes frequently. Also has a Root Beer menu.
Uncle Cheetah's Soup Shop	East Hills	Soup and Sandwiches (modern)	Absolutely Everything	For lunch, get there before 11:45 or the layout of the place makes it awkward. (Finally: Soup Descriptions!
Green Well	East Hills	New American	Spaetzle	Their menu changes frequently, and everything is good, but they seem to really know what to do with Spaetzel.
Bistro Bella Vita	Downtown	New American	Beef Bourguignon	Same owners as green well but slightly fancier.
Grove	East Hills	Farm to Table	Tasting Menu	Expensive, but the tasting menu lets you get an appetizer, main, and dessert for $35.
Bosna Express	28th & 131	Bosnian	Grille Platter or Cevapi	Despite the name, is a sitdown restaurant.
San Chez Bistro	Downtown	Tapas	Any and all	Shrimp with bananas? Crazy! Crazy delicious!
Sheshco	Knapps Corner	Meditteranean	Bread and garlic	Bread and garlic comes with every meal. You want more.
Thai Fusion	Rockford / 28th and Beltline	Thai	Red Curry Fried Rice (extra curry!)

Short Order

Places where you can grab a quick bite. Often order at the counter and take to your own table.

Restaurant	Location	Style	Recommended Dish(es)	Notes
Schnitz Deli	Fulton Heights	Sandwiches (classic)	#2 Schnitz Reuben	Limited Hours - Check website
Taco's El Cunado	Downtown Market	Steak Tacos	Just great simple tacos
Wiki Wiki Poke Shop	East Hills	Wiki Minaj	Pricey but worth it.
Jody's	Rockford	Diner	Olive Burger	In Rockford. "Greasy spoon" does it a disservice. Really good food, and healthy options as well.
Sami's Pita House	28th and Beltline	Mediterranean	Sami's Gyro
Maggie's Kitchen	Bridge St	Mexican	Barbacoa Tacos	Authentic tacos
Windy City Grille	Wyoming	American	Italian Beef	Italian beef and hot dogs.

Breakfast

Restaurant	Location	Recommended Dish(es)	Notes
Wolfgang's	Easttown	Anything	Get there early on weekends or you will wait.
Manna Cafe	Cascade and Forest Hill	Manna Hash	The hash is so good because of their corned beef.

Pizza

Restaurant	Location	Recommended Dish(es)	Notes
Carlucci's Pizza	Leonard/Fuller	Chicago Style	I don't know why it's called Chicago Style, but it is fantastic.
Vitale's on Leonard	Leonard/Diamond	Sausage Pizza	The other Vitale's pizzerias in town are not the same.

Other Recommendations

Restaurant	Location	Style	Notes
Butcher's Union	Bridge St	New American	I remember liking this place, but no specifics.

To Try

Open an issue to add suggestions! Try to recommend a particular dish.

Restaurant	Location	Style	Notes
Hotel Merten's	Downtown	French	Croquembouche on the dessert menu?
Carolina Low Country Kitchen	East Grand Rapids	Southern	$1 oysters and $2 Miller Drafts every Monday.
Forty Acres	East Hills	Soul Food	Gumbo?
Terra GR	Easttown	Farm to Table
Roam	Downtown	World Fusion
Eastern Deli		?	Best Cheesesteak?

License

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