The Redwood Lodge just off of US-23 in Flint
I don’t usually expect Brew Pubs to be considered “upscale dining”, but when I looked on the Flint Visitors Bureau website that’s what it said. I just figured it was a mistake or Flint has a pretty low standard. I was wrong.
Redwood Lodge is located in a business/hotel park called Gateway Center. It’s right off of US-23 and visibile from the freeway. There’s a huge parking lot out front and the building makes you think of a lodge in the Rocky Mountains. As we were making our way to the entrance, we passed stacks of mesquite wood which would be used in the wood burning oven.
The inside carried on the Rocky Mountain Lodge theme. We were met by a host at the front who showed us to a booth near the bar area. The booths didn’t butt up to the walls like they usually do. They were freestanding and you could enter on either side. A waitress came over and got our order for the usual Diet Pepsi and Pepsi. We passed up the “World’s Largest Bloody Mary Bar.” A great deal at $6 for all you can drink Bloody Mary’s, but neither of us drink Bloody Mary’s so we passed.
Even though it was 2:00 on a Sunday, we were given the dinner menu which didn’t have any sandwiches on it. The menu was much more upscale than the usual brew pub. It reminded me of a place we ate at a couple times in Normal, IL called Destihl (revew HERE). After placing our orders, we were given a loaf of fresh bread to munch on while we ate. You can see into the kitchen from the dining room and sitting on the counter that seperates the dining room and the kitchen were brown bags under a heat lamp. After the waitress asked if we wanted bread, she walked over, grabbed a bag off the counter and set it on the table. J was saying how good of an idea that was. No dishes or laundry to do when you use a bread basket and a napkin. The paper bag kept it warm and it’s a unique idea. There was olive oil on the table and Italian seasoning to dip the bread in.
The Redwood Lodge in Flint. Part of the Blue Collar Gourmet Restaurant Group
J saw a few things on there that looked good to her but she settled on The Redwood Salad. The mixed baby greens came topped with radicchio, roasted walnuts, red onions, dried cherries, and gorgonzola cheese. The Redwood balsamic vinegrette was served on the side. She loved the salad. She’s a real big fan of the walnuts, dried cherries, and cheese on a salad. The portion size was humungous and she ate about half, but she also had a few slices of my pizza.
I love wood fire pizzas and the ingredients they put on the menu looked delicious. You get your choice of sauces, cheeses, then toppings. I ordered a pizza with cayenne sauce, Italian blend cheese, and Mesquitte grilled chicken. The sauce was amazingly good. It was sweet, but it had a distinct cayenne flavor. The chicken was good by itself, but putting it in the sauce made it even better. The pizza was probably big enough for the two of us, but I ate three quarters. I figured it was going to be too much for me, so I ordered it with the intention of sharing.
Our bill was surprisingly cheap at just over $23. The menu said my pizza should have been $13, but when we got the check, it was only $8. The pops were pretty expensive at $2.50 each. We were really happy with our meals though. My pizza was delicious and so was J’s salad. I’ve read a few reviews of Redwood Lodge and they’ve all been pretty positive. Redwood Lodge is a little more upscale than most brew pubs. The lunch menu looks better than the dinner menu to me, but I really like sandwiches…and they have a Kobe beef burger on the menu.
Mid-Michigan Dining 
Flint does have low standards in may ways. Mayoral choices in particular, but I digress.
I bet if you asked the locals where Redwood Lodge is, they would say Grand Blanc. As a former local (I grew up in Flint/Flushing), I would have said Grand Blanc and I’ve eaten there many times.
The pizzas are good, the BLT pizza was a surprise for me; I don’t normally go for that variety but at Redwood, I like it.
If you ever have to go to Clio, Davison, Fenton, or Imlay City, try out Lucky’s Steakhouse. The one in Imlay City is close to my hometown, and the Davison is another right off I-69. I haven’t been to the other two, but it’s good food at a good price. Service is good…I think only once or twice has it been a little slow due to being packed in the many times I’ve went. They also do yummy fresh bread in paper bags…that is what made me think of it.
The address was Flint so that’s what I used. I really, really liked the pizza. The menu wasn’t what I was expecting for a micro brewery, but it turned out really good.
We don’t do a lot of actual dinners…as much as I’d like to get a steak everytime we go out, it’s just not possible, so meals like that are reserved for special occassions.