O’Neil’s

29 09 2008
  • 1017 E. Grand River Avenue
  • East Lansing, MI 48823-4526
  • (517) 507-3002
  • Website (Jukebox Grill Website)
  • Menu
ONeils on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

O'Neil's on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.

I’m not a morning person.  The fact that I’m even up for breakfast means there was something else going on that caused me to get up.  I was at DeMartin Stadium for a soccer game on a Sunday morning.  J told me to call her when I got my lunch (breakfast) break and she would meet me somewhere in East Lansing for breakfast.  I was released for lunch at 9:00 and I called J and told her to meet me at the Jukebox Grill for breakfast.

I know you’re confused by now because I just called it The Jukebox Grill, but the title is O’Neil’s.  I’m guessing they just changed the name to O’Neil’s very recently.  The menus now say O’Neil’s and we were given a coupon that says they are now called O’Neil’s (formerly Jukebox Grill).  The outside of the building still says The Jukebox Grill, but there’s also a sign in the window that says O’Neil’s.  So, since everything said O’Neil’s, that’s what I’m going with.

O’Neil’s sits right on Grand Avenue with no parking in front.  We found parking behind the restaurant.  When we walked in, we didn’t realize there was an entrance around the side for those parking in the back.  We walked all the way around the front.  We walked in and found a booth near the front.  There are a handful of booths, a couple tables and a lunch counter.  It’s not a very big place.  The booths are all big enough you could probably fit six people in them.  The walls are painted a light yellow color and there’s a big, old fashioned jukebox in the middle of the dining room.  The place has a real homey feel to it. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : breakfast, East Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

Delhi Cafe

8 09 2008
  • 4625 Willoughby Rd.
  • Holt, MI 48842
  • (517) 694-8655
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
The Delhi Cafe on Willoughby Road in Holt.

The Delhi Cafe on Willoughby Road in Holt.

Finally!  Back in Michigan.  I got home late last night and slept in to almost lunch time.  My girlfriend needed to run to the dry cleaner to drop off my suit and she waited for me to get up so we could grab something for lunch.  She suggested hitting a drive thru, but I was tired of fast food.  I suggested we check out that cafe we saw on Willoughby Road while driving home from East Lansing one night.

The Delhi Cafe is part of a strip mall about half a mile of Cedar Street in Holt.  There’s not much else there, but the Cafe takes up a good chunk of the space.  The sign out front claims the cafe has some Greek influence.  We didn’t notice that on the way in, but after looking at the menu, it makes sense.  It’s not a Greek menu, but there is definitely some Greek inspiration. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Holt, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

Huck Finn Restaurant – Oak Lawn

9 08 2008
  • 10501 S. Cicero Ave.
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60453
  • (708 ) 499-1112
  • Website
  • Menu

One of three Huck Finn Restaurants in the Chicagoland Area

I have got this strange fascination with 24 hour diners.  When we go to my girlfriend’s parents house, we leave Lansing when she gets off work around midnight.  That puts us in the Chicago area around 2:00 AM CST.  This night was no different.  We made it to town just after 2:00.  Like the lazy college kids we aren’t, we piled all of our dirty clothes into her car and took over her parents laundry room.  Because we had plans Saturday afternoon, J wanted to get a couple loads done before we went to bed.  We put in a load of whites and realized we were both hungry.  Even though Huck Finn has been there since she was in high school, she never ate there.  Since it’s only a few blocks away, we hoped back in the car and went for breakfast.

Huck Finn is a chain of three restaurants in the Chicago area.  They’re open 24/7 and they work on the unique model of being not only a restaurant, but a donut and ice cream shop too.  The parking lot was packed even though it was 2:30 in the AM.  We headed inside and a hostess showed us to a booth along the back wall.  We just seem to not have much luck with waiters in Chicago area 24/7 places.  We had an absolutely disasters meal at White Palace Grill (review HERE) in the south Loop and this one started out that way.  Fortunately, the waiter recovered and everything turned out ok.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : 24-Hour Diner, breakfast, Chicago, Oak Lawn, Restaurant, Reviews

Need Suggestions – Breakfast and Karaoke…

7 08 2008

….but not at the same place.  I had to get up early (at least early for us) for a job interview this morning.  Since I was done by a little after 9:00, we decided to go get some breakfast.  Getting up before 11:00 is pretty rare for us since my girlfriend works until almost midnight.  Anyway, we headed downtown to Soup to Nutz Bistro AGAIN since it keeps getting recommended.  Well, they hit strike three.  Stike one was on Saturday.  We waited in line for two hours for Obama tickets, didn’t get them, and needed something to eat.  They’re not open on Saturday.  Today, we get there at about 9:30…they don’t open until 10:00. Strike two.  So, we put more change in the meter and walked around downtown for a half hour to kill time.  We get back about 10:10 and go in…the kitchen.  The sign is above the kitchen/catering entrance, not the dining room entrance and the dining room isn’t even marked.  We go out and into the right door and a server comes out and says they don’t do breakfast during the week.  Then why the hell are you open at 10:00 AM?  Who’s eating lunch that early?  Strike 3.  Their website doesn’t say anything about brunch only being served on Sunday.  Sunday’s a day to relax and sleep in….not get up for breakfast.  We’re most likely done with trying to get here.  I’m not ruling it out totally, but we probably won’t make a special effort anymore.  Sorry, Amy.

So, that brings me to my question.  Where is a good place to go for breakfast in Lansing?  Since it was already 10:15 by the time we found out Soup to Nutz didn’t serve breakfast, we didn’t look for someplace else because neither of us could think of a place off the top of our heads.  Any diners that serve an outstanding omelet? 

My next question is Karaoke bars and if you say Crunchy’s, I will track you down and kick you in the shins.  Everyone keeps saying Crunchy’s.  If they’re the best Karaoke bar in town, I feel sorry for you  all never getting to experience a good one.  Crunchy’s sucks.  The accoustics are bad.  The song selection is terrible.  In our last town, there was a Karaoke theatre outside of town.  If an artist released a single on Tuesday, they had a karaoke version by Thursday.  There were literally thousands of songs and the space was set up with monitor speakers, televisions in the ceiling and a little stage complete with lights.  THAT, was a Karaoke bar.  I realize we probably won’t find anything like that in Lansing, but is there any good places that have a good song selection that includes more than classic rock?

Sorry about the rants this morning….it hasn’t been a good start to the day…..


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Categories : Food News, Lansing

Country Market Restaurant and Buffet- LaSalle, IL

20 07 2008
  • 343 N. 30th Rd
  • LaSalle, IL 61301
  • (815) 220-0622
  • Website
  • Menu
Country Market Restaurant and Buffet located inside the Flying J Truckstop in La Salle, IL

Country Market Restaurant and Buffet located inside the Flying J Truckstop in La Salle, IL

Country Market is located at the Flying J Truckstop just off of I-80 near LaSalle.  I was in the area for a concert at the Cedar Point Sportsmen Club where Sugarland was playing a charity concert.  I was with my girlfriend and my parents.  My mom has some friends over in that area and they suggested we all meet at the truck stop before the show.

The Country Market is a staple at Flying J’s around the country.  I’ve passed many times, but never stopped.  We were shown to a table near the back of the restaurant past the buffet by a hostess.  While we were rearranging the tables, a waitress came to get drink orders.  Waitressing 101 tells you that you shouldn’t have to ask people what they ordered when you bring it back, but even with drinks, our waitress couldn’t remember who ordered what and I had to ask.  There were six of us so it took a while.  By the time she got done, we weren’t quite ready to order so she left and came back when we were.

My girlfriend and I had just eaten lunch at Portillo’s (review HERE) a couple hours earlier, so we weren’t really hungry.  I went with a chicken tender appetizer.  The four definately out of a bag chicken tenders came with a side of BBQ dipping sauce.  Like I said, I wasn’t super hungry, so I didn’t want a whole lot.  This was just about the right amount for how I was feeling.  The chicken and the BBQ were canned, so nothing special, but not bad either. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Big Ten Tour, breakfast, Burgers, Illinois, Restaurant, Reviews, Truck Stop

Sawyer’s Gourmet Pancake House

3 07 2008
  • 608 W. Saginaw St.Sawyer\'s Gourmet Pancake House
  • Lansing, MI 48933
  • (517) 485-9410
  • Website
  • Menu

I am not a morning person so the fact that I even got up for breakfast is kind of amazing.  We had some early morning errands to run and since we were up before eight o’clock, I suggested we go to breakfast before doing our shopping.  I’ve drove by Sawyer’s Gourmet Pancake House many times and saw a review on Runs With Spatula.  We headed down Saginaw to find Sawyer’s little, quaint building for some “early morning” grub.

Not being a morning person, I’m not really a breakfast person either.  I’m bad.  Most days breakfast is a Pepsi before lunch, but I like eggs.  In fact, I’ll cook omeletts or fried eggs for dinner sometimes.  Since we were at a “gourmet pancake house” I thought it’d be best to try the pancakes.  I went simple and ordered three buttermilk pancakes which come with real maple flavored syrup and whipped butter.  The thing I notice about breakfast places is the never give you enough butter with the pancakes.  There was just a tiny scoop on the top.  Not enough to really do any damage on the top pancake let alone the two underneath it.  That was initially a disappointment.  That is, until I took a bite.  These were the best pancakes I’ve had in a long time and much better than anything I’ve ever made myself.  They were light and fluffy and there was still a bite to them.  The inside was perfectly cooked as far as I’m concerned.  They were just a little “doughy” which made them heavy and very filling.  I also ordered two eggs over easy and I ended up stuffed with a few bites left on my plate.  I really needed a nap after that meal. Read the rest of this entry »


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Theio’s Restaurant

16 06 2008
  • 2650 E. Michigan Ave.Theio's
  • Lansing, MI 48912
  • (517) 487-3955
  • No Known Website
  • Menu

I love 24-hour restaurants.  My dad and a buddy of mine came to town for the NASCAR races at Michigan International Speedway.  My buddy had to work until 5:00 (CST) back home in Illinois, so they got a pretty late start to the three and half hour drive.  After getting a little lost getting to my place, they were both pretty hungry.  It was after 10:00 (EST now) and neither had eaten dinner.  I figured the choices were either fast food or a diner.  So, of course, I chose the diner.

I had drove by Theio’s a few times, but never stopped.  I knew at some point it would make a great late night stop.  We drove through downtown East Lansing first to see if there was a pizza-by-the slice place, but when we couldn’t find one, we headed back down Michigan.  It looked like there were a lot of cars in the parking lot, but most of them must have been at the bar next door.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : 24-Hour Diner, Burgers, Lansing, Local Flavor, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Fleetwood Diner – Ann Arbor

11 04 2008
  • 300 S Ashley St                                                                      Fleetwood Diner
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48104
    (734) 995-5502
  • Website
  • Menu

I’m gonna start by saying the Fleetwood Dine was a huge surprise. I was at the University of Michigan for work, so when it came time for lunch, I put the Fleetwood in my GPS and went looking for a neighborhood diner. What I found was this great little shack located just off downtown. I actually drove by it twice cussing at my GPS because I couldn’t find it. It was hidden behind a delivery truck.

I had eaten at the sister restaurant in Lansing and was expecting the same thing. The food was the same, but the atmosphere was totally different. The size is ridiculous. In the entire restaurant, there are 6 tables and less than10 stools at the counter.

I was by myself, so took a seat at the counter and the waitress asked if I needed a menu. I did, but I really didn’t. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a coke. It took about 10 minutes for the lone cook working the flattop just on the other side of the counter to send my order up. The waitress got sidetrack with some punks who came in wanting to start trouble, but still was able to not neglect her other customers.

My bill was a little over $7 and in less than a half hour, I had a decent meal. The burger was nothing special and the fries were out of the bag…it was classic diner grub in a truly classic…and unique diner.


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Categories : 24-Hour Diner, Ann Arbor, Big Ten Tour, Diner, Local Flavor, Michigan, Reviews

Fleetwood Diner – Lansing

11 04 2008
  • 2211 S Cedar Street
  • Lansing, MI 48910-3131
  • Phone: (517) 267-7606
  • Website
  • Menu

The Fleetwood Diner is a throwback and exactly what you think of when you think of the word “diner.” My first weekend in Lansing, I accidently stumbled on the Fleetwood while driving around lost trying to get back to my new place, so, of course, the next day we headed back for breakfast.

The Fleetwood is an interesting place. The exterior is a metallic silver. The inside is cramped. You walk into the counter and to either side is a small dining room. One smoking and one non-smoking. There is a bench that runs along with wall with tables pushed up against them and chairs on the other side and there are a couple booths along the back wall plus a few tables in between. We were seated at one of the in between tables.

The host gave us the menus and took drink orders. A different waitress came back with drink and took our meal order. I got a bacon omelet which came with four pieces of toast and hash browns. The omelet took up a good portion of the plate and had big chunks of cripsy bacon. The toast could have used a little more butter and I didn’t really dive into the hashbrowns since I’m not really a fan.

The other guy in my group got the french toast and a cup of coffee. His plate came with 6 pretty good slices of bread which he polished off pretty quickly.

Now, the ladies dove right into the Fleetwood’s specialty….the Hippie Hash. My girlfriend got eggs and toast and got the Hash as a side. She didn’t say anything about either the eggs or the toast, but really enjoyed the hash. Hippie Hash consists of the Fleetwood’s homemade hash browns topped with grilled tomato, green pepper, onion, mushroom and broccoli topped with feta cheese. On the plate, it just looks like a mess, but both my girlfriend and her mom (who ordered the Hippie Hash as a meal) enjoyed it and will probably go back for it.

The Fleetwood is just a classic 24 hour diner. The people were great, the atmosphere is that retro diner feel I’m always looking for in a new city. The food was alright, but I’m sure this is a place I’m going to take anyone and everyone who comes to town for a visit. You just have to see the Fleetwood.   I always thought this would be a great place for the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, but when I e-mailed the producer, he e-mailed back and said they’ve contacted The Fleetwood and the owners weren’t intersted.  Too bad because that would have made a great episode


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Categories : 24-Hour Diner, Diner, Lansing, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

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