25 | August | 2008 | Mid-Michigan Dining

Redamak’s Tavern

25 08 2008

616 E. Buffalo St.
New Buffalo, MI 49117
(269) 469-4522
Website
Menu

Redamak's Tavern in New Buffalo, MI

I had heard about a little bar in New Buffalo that may have the best hamburgers in the state. In fact, I read that in a book at Barnes and Noble. I don’t remember the name of the book, but the premise was the best hamburgers in each state. In Michigan, there was Blimpy Burger in Ann Arbor (review HERE), Red Coat Tavern in Royal Oak (review HERE) another place I don’t remember and Redamak’s Tavern in New Buffalo. For quite some time now, I’ve been wanting to stop at Redamak’s on our way home from Chicago. After a three day weekend at my parents in Iroquois County, we finally got the chance, but not before a brief stop at Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets in Michigan City, IN.

We took a detour off of I-94 into Michigan City just because J had never been there and it had been years since I had. We walked around, bought some candles at Yankee Candle and moved on. Redamak’s is about 10 miles from Lighthouse Place and Blue Chip Casino. Our GPS didn’t take us back to the Interstate, but instead took us on a two lane state highway through New Buffalo. The tavern is located right on that busy highway. We started turning into the parking lot and wondered if this was a good idea. It was packed. We went inside and again, had doubts about getting dinner. There were quite a few people sitting down waiting to be seated. We made our way up to the hostess stand and she asked the usual questions. Smoking or non (damn Michigan) and then if we wanted to sit in the main dining room or the four seasons patio. We said non-smoking preferably and we didn’t care. Whichever would get us seated fastest. To our surprise, she grabbed a couple menus right away and told us to follow. We ended up sitting in the main dining room in a booth for two. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: Bar, Burgers, Michigan, New Buffalo, Redamak's, tavern
Categories : Bar, Burgers, Local Flavor, Michigan, New Buffalo, Restaurant, Reviews

Bull’s Pit Smoked BBQ – Kankakee, IL

25 08 2008

125 W. Staion St.
Kankakee, IL 60901
(815) 932-2399
Website
Menu

Bull's Pit Smoked BBQ in Kankakee, IL

Kankakee is the closest big town comapred to the tiny town of 750 people where I grew up. People who live in that small town, work in the Kankakee/Bradley/Bourbonnais tri-city area and they do a majority of their shopping, entertaining and dining out there as well. For the longest time, I had the same complaint about Kankakee that I did about Lansing. There was no good barbecue joint. That finally changed at the beginning of 2008.

A girl I went to high school with and her husband opened up the first BBQ joint in the area that I’m aware of. They turned an old building near downtown Kankakee into a great Memphis style smokehouse. I made my first trip to Bull’s just after it opened with my brother. At that time, I had a few complaints, but loved the BBQ. My girlfriend and I were heading from her parents in Chicago to mine south of Kankakee for a weekend of drinking and catching up with old friends. Along the way, I wanted to stop and try Bull’s again to see if the little things I didn’t like had improved.

Like I said, Bull’s is located just off of downtown Kankakee. Downtown has been run down for years and there’s not much there other than a bank, a liquor store, and a movie theater. There’s a couple business along the main road, but nothing that you would make a destination. Bull’s changes that. The business is located in a pretty non-descript building on Station St. There is a parking lot, but we found spot on the street in front of the store. There’s just a sign out front that lets you know you’re in the right place…that is until you get out and smell the smoke. Once inside, you have to make a left to get to the order counter. The layout is a little wierd with two rooms downstairs. One is the kitchen/order area. The other is the dining room. There are only a few tables, but there is a bar that runs the whole length of the room with pub stools. It really gives the feel of a Southern BBQ lunch spot. The staircase to go to the upstairs dining room is right as you enter the door. It’s a massive feature and takes up and good portion of the building. Read the rest of this entry »