CRUST 54 - DOWNTOWN HOLLANDS BEST KEPT SECRET

Now we don't have to travel to the other side of Grand Rapids to enjoy the decadence of Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza, thanks to CRUST 54.  Located on 8th Street right next too the City Deli, near LemonJello's, this cute little cafe offers some of the best Italian cuisine in all of Holland.

They offer at least three different type of crusts, thin, traditional, and Chicago Style Deep Dish. Pasta dinners, as well as fresh salads. The friendly staff is courteous, and welcoming to everyone who enters their establishment, and the background music adds a positive touch to the surroundings.

If you have never enjoyed a Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza, you own it too yourself to try one at CRUST 54!

Just an FYI, you might call your order in ahead of time, because it takes 45 minutes to bake the deep-dish delight. Other styles of pizza won't take as long to bake, so order the one the suits your taste, and make CRUST 54 a regular stop every time you shop downtown Holland.

As for me and my daughter, one piece each and we were stuffed!  Of course we enjoyed the Tim Wheels as an appetizer to kill some time before the pizza arrived, but we knew that it was a lot of pizza to eat, and we were up for the challenge. The slices are huge, and thick, with the sauce on top, the way a good Chicago Style ought to be.

So thumbs up and kudos's to the folks at CRUST 54!

CRUST 54!

Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern

Bagger Dave's formerly The Bear's Den formerly the Grapevine (Photo credit: Patricia Drury)

Took my daughter to a new place that recently opened up. Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern, upscale burger joint with much more. The place is nicely appointed with interesting signs, and a Choo-Choo Train the circles the dining room, up above patrons heads, near the ceiling. The walls were covered with a very pleasant wood which gives the place a sense of warmth, and welcome.

BaggerDaves_BellsOberon (Photo credit: TheHungryDudes)

The help was courteous, and informed. They seemed to know the menu quite well, and shared with us the specials, and explained the drink selections to us. Be forewarned that they do not have Coke of Pepsi products, Bagger Dave's has it's own crafted soft-drinks, and they charge a little more for them than other places do for name brand soda's, but they give free refills, so drink up! If you rather have an beer, they have several choices to choose from, see their website.

Bagger Dave's features several signature burgers, as well as build your own burger, just the way you want it. If you prefer turkey over beef, you got it! Several side dishes are available to accompany that burger or sandwich, including the Turkey and Black Bean Chili, and Mac-n-Cheese, etc.

I had a cheese burger, and a small order of fries, my daughter built her own burger, and had fries also. My cheese burger was delicious although a little overpriced at $5.89. Honestly I could have gone down the to Culver's and had a burger that was just as tasty for a less money, but I had to give this place a try anyway. If you like eating in an upscale place, and you like beer with your burger and fries, Bagger Dave's is your kind of place. If you like county-fair style french fries, you'll love these fries. I had the hand crafted root-beer, my daughter had the crafted ginger-ale.

They have a bar area that is neat and clean, in fact the entire place was neat and clean, but of course it's brand new also. All I can say is try it for yourself and form your own opinion, you might decide to make Bagger Dave's, your burger place of choice.

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The Grand Coney - for Great, Affordable Dining in Allendale, MI

Took my daughter to a play at the Yellow Box in Allendale, Michigan one Friday night, but before the show we grabbed some dinner at the Grand Coney. Never heard of it? Well I had not either but I was pleasantly surprised by how neat and clean the restaurant was, and how friendly and helpful the waitress was.

This diner is located behind the Huntington Bank in Allendale. It is a favorite of the local folks, but easy to miss as you can't really see it from Lake Michigan Drive. Just look for the bank building, and go back behind it, you'll find it OK.

The food was very good, served promptly, hot, fresh, and more than edible. Prices were decent for the amount of food we were served. Menu had lots of choices, including breakfast anytime! Try this place sometime I think you'll be happy you did.

The Grand Coney -  6101 Lake Michigan Dr.   Allendale, MI

 MENU (PDF)

The Rainbow Grill, Great Food, Very Affordable

I've never been to the Rainbow Grill before, but I can say now that it is a really nice place to sit and relax, and enjoy an affordable meal. Service is fast, friendly, and quick! Food was great! Place was clean and bright, making the time spent their more enjoyable.

There are two Rainbow Grills, the original one is in Grandville, located right on Chicago Drive, and easy to access to parking lot. The newer Restaurant is in Hudsonville, just south of the I-196 EB exit ramp for Hudsonville. Access it off of the service road locate just south of the ramp, I forget the name of the street, but it runs right between the restaurant, and the boating place.

I has the grilled cheese sandwich which comes on delicious homemade cheese bread, w/ a side of fries, and a coke. For desert I enjoyed a chocolate chip cookie sundae. The food is fresh, hot, and ready to eat. My friend had the meatloaf stacker which he clean up rather quickly and seemed to enjoy.

The prices are really decent here, my sandwich was priced under three dollars, came w/ fries, and the desert was also priced around three dollars, very cost effective, maybe even cheaper than some of the fast food places around.

If you've never tried the Rainbow Grill, you should try it tonight!

http://rainbowgrillmichigan.com/main/

The Farmhouse Restaurant - Zeeland

My memory from my childhood is faint, but I can remember Jay's restaurant on the west end of Zeeland, and how as a young child I thought Jay's Potato Chips must somehow be connected to Jay's restaurant, however that was not so.

There was an italian place that was in the building for a short while, but soon that closed up and went away, and the building sat vacant for a few more years. Then some people bought it, cleaned it up, and opened up J's Again. and the restaurant did well for a number of years, but then it changed hands, and reopened as The Farmhouse Restaurant.

Community Restaurant is on the other side of town, but they only take cash, so if you want to use your credit, or debit card, The Farmhouse is the place for you/

The Farmhouse is a clean, friendly place to eat, with a large enough menu to suit everyone in your family. When I eat there I enjoy their famous pizza with the 'dutch touch', a recipe carried over from their Holland restaurant, or a wet burrito w/ chips and salsa as an appetizer before hand.

There is lots more to choose from like homemade sandwiches, burgers, and even Hot beef w/ gravy and mashed potatoes. Want spaghetti, no problem! How about a nice hot homemade breakfast, maybe a pig n the blanket? They have a large menu of homemade goodness, just what you would expect to find in a small town.

The Waitresses are friendly, and take decent care of their customers. Food is served hot and ready to eat, so come on down to the Farmhouse, and sit a spell, please keep your shoes on however, and spend that money locally supporting local, and family owned businesses like the farmhouse.

Many of us remember Arnie who worked cleaning tables at J's Again (now the Farmhouse). Arnie is no longer clearing the tables, talking with the customers, and whistling "His eye is on the sparrow".  Arnie past away a while ago, and will be forever missed, but the restaurant will continue to serve it's customers hot, delicious food, under the new name and ownership.

GOING CHICAGO STYLE AT MR. KOZAKS GYRO's

You don't have to drive all the way to Chicago to get the taste of the windy city in our mouth, just stop by at Mr. Kozaks Gyros in either Holland or Grand Haven.

I promise you that you will have hot fresh food that you will enjoy. So maybe Gyro's are not your thing, don't worry Mr. Kozaks has plenty of other choices on their menu. I like the Italian beef w/sweet peppers! The thin sliced roast beef is seasoned to perfection, and served on a grilled Hoagie bun. Throw in some sweet or hot peppers to round out the experience, you just might want another one.

Eating at Mr. Kozak's in an experience unlike any other eating establishment I've come across in the area. if you've never tried it, stop in and order yourself a Gyro, or something else of their menu. I am positive you will enjoy whatever you eat there, and you'll come back again.

Mr. Kozaks Gyro's in Holland is located on eighth street, just around the curve next to Verhage Motors. If you don't slow down you just might miss your turn. The Holland location offers a drive-thru window for customer convenience, so drive on thru today!

   http://www.mrkozaksgyros.com/menu.php

http://holland.org/locations/494-mr-kozak-s-ii

https://plus.google.com/106479522729027833675/about?gl=US&hl=en-US

G&L Chili Dogs of Holland

Well I have driven past this place a hundred times, never stopped in because I don't like hot dogs, but when I saw their menu online they had plenty of other things to eat that I do enjoy. So one fine afternoon, after taking my daughter to a doctors appointment, we stopped in for a light snack, and ended up eating an early dinner.

I was expecting your average run of the mill fast food place where you order at the counter, pay, and then wait for your food. Not at G&L Greek Chili Dogs, we were ushered to a booth, the waitress took our drink orders, and gave us ample time to decide what we wanted to eat.

They of course have their proprietary hot dogs, and chili dogs, but they have aprox. forty different items on their menu, so everyone can find something they like to eat even if they are like me, and hate hot dogs. Let me just say that yes the hot dogs are skinny little dogs compared to other places, but the reason is that they are all meat, and NO fillers like the other guys dogs. So if you've never tried one of G&L's chili dogs, go try one today!

I had the grilled cheese w/ fries, and my daughter has the chicken strips meal. She could not stop raving about how good the strips were compared to all the fast food chain restaurants she has been too. The grilled cheese was on thick texas toast, buttered and grilled to perfection. On the next two trips I enjoyed the double cheese burger w. just ketchup on it. The burgers are made from high quality fresh ground beef, and served hot and fresh every time.

The waitresses are friendly and helpful, the cook who runs the place likes to talk to the customers, very friendly.  The place in clean, and a nice place to eat at a good price. Support local West Michigan based businesses!  Try G&L today, they have three restaurants in Muskegon, and one in Holland on Lakewood Blvd.!

* As of recently the Holland location has closed, sorry

http://www.glchilidogs.com