Jackie’s Diner – Dimondale

14 08 2009
  • 7262 Lansing Road
  • Dimondale, MI 48821
  • (517) 646-0974
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Jackies Diner on Lansing Road in Dimondale.

Jackie's Diner on Lansing Road in Dimondale.

When J and I moved here, one of the first restaurant recommendations we got was for Don’s Windmill Truckstop in Dimondale.  We ate there one weekend and enjoyed the classic diner setting.  Don’s hit some hard times and the restaurant closed.  In comes Jackie’s Diner.

We’ve eaten at Jackie’s Diner on Pennsylvania and, again, enjoyed the greasy spoon diner aspect of the place.  J and I were out in Delta Township and decided to check out the new place on the way home.

Jackie’s Diner is on Lansing Road in Dimondale in the old Don’s Windmill building.  Not much, if anything, has changed other than the lack of gasoline sales.  We entered the truck stop through the restaurant where we found a sign that told us to wait to be seated.  A waitress took us to a booth near where the buffet is.  She took drink orders right away as we looked over the huge menu.

When she came back with the Coke’s, we were still wading through the large menu.  They serve breakfast all day and that menu alone is daunting.  There are 50 types of pancakes, 20 kinds of French Toast, and 25 Belgian waffles.  J’s more of a breakfast person than I am, so I went straight to the lunch portion of the menu while she looked over the morning food. Read the rest of this entry »

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Categories : breakfast, Dimondale, Diner, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Press Release – Don’s Windmill Truckstop Closing

27 04 2009

I heard a while ago this might happen.  Still, a sad day.  Don’s was one of the first restaurants that was recommended to J and I when we moved here.  The restaurant will close Friday.  From a press release…..

DON’S THANKS VISITORS FOR 54 YEARS OF BUSINESS

Dimondale, MI – (April 27, 2009) Don’s Windmill Truck Stop of Dimondale announced today that it will close its doors after its 54 year run as travelers’ one-stop-shop. Don’s Windmill Family Restaurant started in 1955 as a ten tables diner named after the late Donald Millisor, who passed summer of 2006. Don and his wife Shirley saw their business grow rapidly as the Interstate-96 and Interstate-69 was built around Lansing, and their customer-base became predominately truck drivers and travelers. The 24 hours restaurant/travel center/fuel station today services hundreds of truckers and travelers a week, as well as many locals.

Due to the failing Michigan economy and the current U.S. recession the third and forth generation family business has no choice but to shut down operations. The Windmill Restaurant, which has become known for its friendly service and its delicious breakfast buffets, will close Friday, May 1, 2009 as well as the Diesel Center. The Travel Center and Gas Station will remain open until the business completes final closing procedures.

According General Manager, Daniel Millisor, son of Don and Shirley, “Our family is heartbroken to have to close the family Business. It has been a vital part of our entire lives, as well as a local icon to our many loyal customers”

The Millisor Family would like to thank their valued employees, many of them who have served the business for as long as 45 years. The family would also like to recognize the number of loyal customers who have been the heart of keeping the business open for 54 years. It’s disappointing to the community to see another ‘mom n’ pops’ business come to an end, but the years of memories it holds will not be forgotten.

Don’s Windmill would like to announce an invitation to everyone for one last meal at the nostalgic diner. Whether its the first time or the 10,000th time, come in for homemade soups and pies, all-you-can-eat spaghetti and meatballs, super-sized chopped steak dinner, build-your-own omelet, hot biscuits and gravy, or come in to finally conquer the one pound Monster Burger!
 


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Categories : Dimondale, Food News, Michigan, Press Releases

GM Cuts Could Close Don’s Windmill

27 01 2009

I just noticed this story in my RSS feeds.   The ripple effect of GM cutting employees trickles down to the businesses around the plant.

Don’s Windmill Restaurant is one of those establishments, and manager Alexis Millisor describes business as slowly dying.

“With an additional 1,200 people being laid off that’s another 1,200 that won’t be able to have money to go out to eat,” Millisor said.

Millisor says she’s worried about the future of the restaurant since much of her business comes from GM workers at the Delta plant along with truck drivers who supply parts to the factory.

They’ve been in business 55 years and it may be the end of the line. Don’s Windmill was one of the first restaurant recommendations we got from one of J’s co-workers.  It was good, greasy diner food.  Nothing great, but somehow comforting.   Losing Don’s Windmill would be sad.


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Categories : Dimondale, Food News, Michigan

Mike’s Village Restaurant

30 07 2008
  • 115 N. Bridge St.
  • Dimondale, MI 48821
  • (517) 646-6804
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Mikes Village Restaurant in downtown Dimondale

Mike's Village Restaurant in downtown Dimondale

I’m not sure how I first heard about Mike’s.  I’m pretty sure I saw a recommendation posted a couple years ago on Chowhound.  When we were at the farmer’s market at the State Capitol last week, I heard a lady advertising the Dimondale Farmer’s Market.  When someone asked her where it was, she said, “Across from the restaurant.  You know, Mike’s.”  From that comment, it sounded like it’s one of those places that everyone in the area knows about. 

We made our weekly trip to Horrock’s and Wal-Mart.  Like most of the trips, it was around lunchtime.  Dimondale is sort of on the way home so we started heading that way.  I didn’t grab an address, but I told my girlfriend to put the city center of Dimondal in the GPS.  I had a sneaking suspicion that it would get us to the right place.  Once we turned on Bridge St., we actually found quite a few restaurants which was a little surprising for such a small town.

Mike’s Village Restaurant wasn’t quite what I was expecting.  What I was expecting was a fairly good size family restaurant.  What we found was a somewhat small family diner.  The green awning out front let us know we were in the right place.  Mike’s is probably a turn of the century store front.  The entry way is up a couple steps and has an old, heavy, wooden door that pushes in to open. I tried to pull and couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t open.  Once I figured it out, I went in first and went to pass the weight of the door back to my girlfriend.  Instead, it closed in a hurry and almost smashed her.  Neither of us were expecting that and now I feel bad.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Dimondale, Diner, Downtown, Local Flavor, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Don’s Windmill Truckstop

27 04 2008
  • 7262 Lansing Rd.Don's Windmill Truckstop
  • Dimondale, MI 48821
  • (517) 646-6752
  • Website
  • No Menu Online
  • Don’s Windmill is now closed.  To see the place that replaced it,
    CLICK HERE

Don’s was a suggestion of one of my girlfriend’s co-workers.  We both like greasy spoons anyway and both have fond memories of truckstops from our pasts, so on our way to Horrock’s one Sunday, we took a little detour to Don’s.

The truckstop is exactly what you expect.  It’s kind of run down and not at all fine dining.  There’s a lunch counter with little coin operated TV’s then booths spread throughout the remaining space.  We just missed the breakfast buffet, so we showed ourselves to a booth in the non-smoking section and started looking over the menu while we waited for the waitress.

Don's Windmill TruckstopWe both got pop’s while we looked over the huge menu.  They do breakfast all day and offer some unique items like veal parmigana while making sure not to stray too far from what makes truck stop food great.  I ordered the Pepper Jack Cheeseburger.  The burger is a 1/3 lb frozen patty topped with a slice of pepper jack cheese served with coleslaw on the side and crinkle cut fries.  I don’t expect a whole lot when it comes to these types of places and I got exactly what I expected.  The meal was not great by any standard, but it was comforting and brought back memories of late night drunkeness in college.  There’s just something about a greasy diner burger and salt that’s comforting to me.

My girlfriend ordered the Gigantic Grilled Cheese sandwich.  Here’s a situation where Don’s went a little bit above expectations and served a grilled cheese with Texas Toast.  Like me, the memories of truck stops out west came rushing back.  She said her grilled cheese was delicious and appreciated the Texas Toast over regular bread.  Neither one of us really ate the cole slaw that came with the meal. It’s just one of those things your taught in the restaurant business….you never know when it was made.  She tried one bite just to see if it’d knock her socks off and it didn’t. The fries were a little soggy, but alright.  I salted them up pretty good.  Again, it’s truck stop food.  I wasn’t expecting anything great, but it was filling.

Our bill was just under $20 before tip.  Really, the food was good and exceeded expectations, but not worth that much.  The diner is open 24 hours and that’s what makes it appealing to me.  I love 24 hour places and will most likely be back to settle a late night craving.


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Categories : Dimondale, Diner, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Truck Stop