Kuma’s Corner – Chicago, IL

24 09 2009
  • 2900 W. Belmont Avenue
  • Chicago, IL 60618
  • (773) 604-8769
  • Website
  • Menu
Kumas Corner on W. Belmont on Chicagos northside.

Kuma's Corner on W. Belmont on Chicago's northside.

 We finally made plans to make the trip the north side of Chicago.  We had to pick up the first of three out-of-town bridesmaids who flew in early to stay with another friend who lived in Bucktown.  We offered just to pick her up at her friend’s place because it was only a ten minute drive to West Belmont and I’d finally get to chow down on Illinois’ best burger.

Kuma’s Corner is on the corner of West Belmont Avenue and North Francisco Avenue in Chicago’s Avondale Neighborhood.  It’s an old corner building that doesn’t look like it should house such a popular restaurant.  The door was open and there were people spilling out when we drove by.  Like most of these neighborhood places, there is no specific parking.  You’re own your own to find something along the street.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chicago, Illinois, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Courtside Cafe

28 08 2009
  • 101 N. Washington Street
  • Owosso, MI 48867
  • (989) 720-8161
  • Website
  • Menu
The Courtside Cafe on Washington Street in Owosso.

The Courtside Cafe on Washington Street in Owosso.

J and I made a trip to Owosso to conduct a little business.  It took a little longer than we expected and J had to be back in Lansing to get work.  It was pushing noon by the time we were done and we wanted to grab lunch before heading home. 

I did a little research and found a sandwich shop in downtown Owosso. Since we were heading back that way, I put the address in the GPS to get us back to where we needed to be.  My hope was we could get in and get out pretty quickly because we were really pushing the time limit now. 

The Courtside Cafe is in downtown Owosso on the corner of Main and Washington Streets.  It’s a small corner building on a very busy intersection.  We actually couldn’t even find parking near the building.  We ended up having to park a block down and around the corner. 

The Courtside Cafe is not what I expected.  It’s actually a sit down restaurant with servers. I was just expecting a place to grab a sandwich from a counter.  There was a lunch counter and that’s where J and I headed.  We grabbed a server and asked if we could put in a carry-out order.  She said she’d be right back which gave us time to look over the menu. 

The food at the Courtside Cafe is what you expect from this kind of place.  There are a number of sandwiches listed by number on the menu.  There are some salads, soups, quesidila’s, and even some baked goods from Zingerman’s.  No deep fryer which means no fries.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Cafe, Michigan, Owosso, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Tony’s I-75 Restaurant

22 08 2009
  • 8781 Main Street
  • Birch Run, MI 48415
  • (989) 624-5860
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Tonys I-75 Restaurant on Main Street in Birch Run.

Tony's I-75 Restaurant on Main Street in Birch Run.

I love bacon.  So much so, my favorite comedy routine is Jim Gaffigan’s King Baby show where he keeps talking about bacon (Is he still talking about bacon?). 

A few weeks ago, I was watching Sandwich Paradise on The Travel Channel and one of the places featured was a diner in Birch Run.  Sure, I’ve had a few people tell me I needed to check out and try their BLT that comes with a pound of bacon.  I thought they were just over hyping the place…..like the fish that gets bigger every time they tell the story.  I was wrong.

Tony’s I-75 Restaurant is on Main Street in Birch Run just a block or so from Interstate 75.  The restaurant has the distinction of being the only local joint in a sea of chains.  This particular area of Birch Run is very highly developed.  They have the Prime Outlets (which we of course checked out) and just about every type of chain cuisine you can imagine. 

We showed up just before noon on a Saturday.  The parking lot was packed.  There is a large lot behind the restaurant and that’s where we eventually found a spot.  When we opened the door to enter the restaurant, we were greeted with a line ten people deep.  The waiting area is actually outside the actual restaurant in a long, narrow hallway that looks like it was added on after the fact so people wouldn’t have to wait outside in the cold.  

Not long after getting in line, an employee stuck her head out and asked how big each of our parties were.  There was a group of seven, two and three in front of us.  Still, we waited in line only about five minutes.  We were asked if we would like a seat at the lunch counter.  Initially, we said no, but after reconsidering it, we took the two seats at the counter which proved to be entertaining.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Birch Run, Diner, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines

14 08 2009
  • 904 W. Eisenhower Parkway
  • Ann Arbor, MI 48103
  • (734) 997-9011
  • Website
  • Menu
DiBellas Old Fashioned Submarines in Cranbrook Village in Ann Arbor.

DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines in Cranbrook Village in Ann Arbor.

Whenever I work in Ann Arbor, I get a request from J to make a Whole Foods run.   Since I’m going to be working a lot over the next week, I won’t be home to make dinner every night.  She’s a fan of one of the prepackaged salads from Whole Foods and she loves the pre cut fruit to snack on during the day.

After I got off work, I headed to the Whole Foods at Cranbrook Village.  Sure, I could have grabbed something for myself out of the deli, but where’s the fun in that?  I saw a sandwich shop in the same strip, so I grabbed the items for J then went to get myself a sandwich.

DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines is a chain out of New York, but the only Michigan location is in Ann Arbor.  In fact, there’s only five stores outside of New York….and in the state, they’re only in Rochester and Buffalo, so they’re not a large chain store by any means. 

The Ann Arbor location is on Eisenhower Parkway in the Cranbrook Village shopping center.  The shop sits right in the middle when you turn into the center from Eisenhower.  I found a parking spot then walked across the roadway.  The inside has sort of a throwback feel.  There’s a lot of red that accents the dark wood.  The employees all wear paper hats to add to the feel.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ann Arbor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Pink Pony Bar & Grill

27 07 2009
  • P.O. Box 250, Main Street
  • Mackinac Island, MI 49757
  • (906) 847-3341
  • Website
  • Menu
The Pink Pony Bar & Grill in downtown Mackinac Island.

The Pink Pony Bar & Grill in downtown Mackinac Island.

After our carriage tour of Mackinac Island, J and I made our way back to Main Street.  It was now pushing 5:30 and we still hadn’t bought any fudge.  J mentioned we should probably buy some then added she could go for dinner.  I felt the same way. We burned a lot of energy today and lunch seemed so long ago. 

This was going to be our last meal on the Island and there were still so many choices. I picked up a Mackinac Island dining guide from the Visitor’s Center, but there were no address or maps of where any of the places were.  As we toured the Island, we walked by a number of places that would normally catch our attention. I stopped and browsed menus at a few, but when it comes down to it, J and I are really pub food people. 

I thought it might be nice if we could spend the end of the day enjoying dinner overlooking Lake Hudson.  The first place that popped into my head was the Pink Pony.  We walked by earlier in the day and it looked cute plus the back of the building overlooked the harbor.

The Pink Pony Bar & Grill is on Main Street inside the Chippewa Hotel.  The bar/restaurant takes up a large portion of the bottom floor and it’s divided into several sections.  If you walk into the bar, there is no hostess station, but there is a sign pointing you to the lobby of the hotel.  We just stayed outside and walked to the lobby where we found a hostess just in front of the main dining room.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Downtown, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Fatburger – Orland Park, IL

16 06 2009
  • 15110 S. La Grange Road #A
  • Orland Park, IL 60462
  • (708) 364-8380
  • Website
  • Menu
Fatburger on La Grange Road in Orland Park, IL

Fatburger on La Grange Road in Orland Park, IL

Our wedding planning trip to Chicago continued this morning with a trip to meet with the Reverend we chose for the ceremony.  After we took care of that meeting, we had a couple hours before our next appointment and J was starving.  Since we were already in Orland Park, we headed over to the big business street and started looking for food.  J’s mom suggested a brew pub on La Grange Road.  I said any place with a burger was fine with me.  We started towards the brew pub, but as we were driving, J noticed the Fatburger.  She figured that would be faster than a sit down restaurant and it would satisfy the burger criteria. 

Fatburger is a west coast burger chain that, at one time, was co-owned by former Spartan Magic Johnson.  The chain was started in 1952 in Los Angeles.  Up until the mid-9o’s, the chain pretty much only existed on the west coast, but expansion brought store farther to the east.  The company now has 93 restaurants across North America, Asia, and the Middle East. 

The store in Orland Park is in a strip mall on La Grange Road near 151st Street.  We pulled in just after 11:00 and there was only one other person in line.  Fatburger’s slogan is “The Last Great Hamburger Stand.”  The decor is that of a sixties diner and while it’s technically considered fast food, they do cook your food to order.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Chains, Fast Food, Illinois, Orland Park, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Blimpie Subs & Salads – S. Pennsylvania

22 05 2009
  • 6030 S. Pennsylvania Avenue #11
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 393-5477
  • Website
  • Menu
Blimpie Subs & Salads on South Pennsylvania in Lansing.

Blimpie Subs & Salads on South Pennsylvania in Lansing.

We had to kick off our Memorial Day weekend with a few errands before J went to work.  Everything we needed to do, we could do on the south side of town, so there was no need to go out to Delta Township.  The thing with staying close to home is that we are running out of new places to eat lunch.  There are definitely a few places that we have been making repeat visits to, but tyring something new is always more fun. 

One of the places we haven’t tried is Blimpie in the strip mall at the corner of Pennsylvania and Miller.  In fact, neither one of us had ever eaten at a Blimpie.  J didn’t even realize it was there and she goes by it everyday on her way to work.  I see the signs near the road for $5 12 inch subs and I’ve seen some pretty good specials at other stores.  J said she just wanted a sandwich anyway, so we went to check out a new place.

Blimpie is set up like most sub sandwich shops.  They have an assembly line counter with three ladies who made different parts of your sandwich.  The first lady cuts the meat.  She has a deli slicer in front of her and they cut the meat to order.  The next lady puts the toppings on.  There’s not as many options as some of their competitors, but they still have the most popular items.  The third lady took care of drinks and the cash register. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Michigan

Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill

21 02 2009
  • 3004 W. Main Street
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 484-7940
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
The Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill on Main Street in Lansing.

The Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill on Main Street in Lansing.

Saturday nights are usually relaxed nights for us.  After being lazy all afternoon and watching the NASCAR truck race, we decided to go out for dinner again.  We still  haven’t been to the grocery store since getting back to Michigan so there’s not a lot of food in the house yet and since shopping hungry is a bad idea, we just found a bar.  Quite a while ago, someone suggested the Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill.

The Dispatch Sports Pub & Grill is on Main Street near I-496.  It’s kind of out there by itself.  There’s not a whole lot in the area yet the parking lot was packed even though it was a crappy, snowy night.  We trekked through the snow only to be confused again.  There were two doors.  Neither were marked.  Neither gave any indication that it was the entrance. One of them was a little fancier than the other so that’s the one I chose.  I peeked in through the window and it looked right so we went in.  Good thing I chose that one.  The other one would have led to the kitchen.

The inside is a typical sports pub.  There are at least three pretty good size dining areas.  The bar is the first thing you run into.  From there, there are two dining areas off to the side.  I took a second to look around and didn’t really see anything other than tables for large groups.  Then I noticed some booths at the far end of the bar.  The decor is all beer company freebies.  It’s a comfortable, familiar setting.

The Dispatch near I-496 on Main Street in Lansing

The Dispatch near I-496 on Main Street in Lansing

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Categories : Lansing, Michigan, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, Sports Bar

RiverHouse Inn

21 02 2009
  • 310 W. Grand River Avenue 
  • Williamston, MI 48895
  • (517) 655-4300
  • No Known Website
  • Menu 
The Riverhouse Inn on Grand River Avenue in Williamston

The Riverhouse Inn on Grand River Avenue in Williamston

Back in January, I made reservations for Valentine’s Day at the RiverHouse Inn in Williamston. It’s a place that I have been wanting to eat at since it opened late last summer. It just looked like a neat place. Our Valentine’s plans changed a couple times and we ended up back in Chicago after having to cancel a trip to Dayton.  I told J as we were heading to Hot Chocolate (review HERE) on Chicago’s north side that I actually had reservations for a place in Michigan that I canceled.  It worked out for the best.  We loved our dinner in Chicago and the lunch menu at RiverHouse Inn was actually more our style, so our first weekend back in Lansing in quite some time, we decided to brave a snow storm and head to Williamston for lunch.

The RiverHouse Inn is a gorgeous old house that sits on the banks of the Red Cedar River on the west side of Williamston.  The building was actually built in 1929 and for 77 years, it was a private residence.  The current owners of the building planned to remodel the place into a bed and breakfast, but that never really happened.  Instead, they opened a restaurant.  The inside of the building still looks like a house.  When you walk through the front door, you come to a hostess station in a hallway between two rooms.  The sign said “please seat yourself” so we started looking for the best place to sit.  There were no people in the two rooms you can see when you walk in, but I could kind of see a staircase that led down to a bar area.  I figured that was the best place to go since there would at least be a bartender who could see we were there.

We headed through what was probably an old living room or dining room that had just a couple tables in it on our way to the bar.  Every table in the house is in a pretty intimate setting.  It’s really hard to describe the ambiance.  It looks like they used the existing layout instead of trying to open everything up and only keep load bearing walls.  The place just had a charm that you can’t get from a new building. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Fine Dining, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, Williamston

Deja Brew Bar & Grill- Oak Lawn, IL

12 02 2009
  • 5219 W. 95th Street
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60435
  • (708 ) 423-0484
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Deja Brew on 95th Street in downtown Oak Lawn, IL

Deja Brew on 95th Street in downtown Oak Lawn, IL

After taking care of some things this morning, my girlfriend, her family, and I headed out for lunch.  Our first stop was Palermos 95th (review HERE), but they were even packed for lunch, so we went to J’s parents favorite bar in downtown Oak Lawn.

Deja Brew Bar & Grill is located on 95th Street in downtown Oak Lawn.  It fronts the busy highway, but the parking and main entrance is actually in the back which is accessible by an alley.  When you walk in that back door, you come into an enclosed courtyard.  From there, there’s another set of doors to actually enter the establishment. 

Inside is a typical sports bar.  There are LCD’s hanging from the ceiling.  There’s a large, odd shaped bar that takes a good chunk of the space.  The shape of the bar is a little hard to describe.  Around the bar are a few pub tables.  Along the opposite wall is a step up with more tables.  We took a table near the windows and waited for a watiress.

The waitress actually came over pretty quickly to get our drink orders, but then took a really long time to come back with them.  She spilled a little bit of J’s mom’s beer and went to get something to clean it up with before taking lunch orders.  It took a good ten minutes for her to come back with a bar towel.  Once we got the spilled beer taken care of, we put in lunch orders.  Another half hour later and we finally got our food.  During the time, J and her uncle both ran out of Diet Coke but there was no refilling until the food came out. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Downtown, Illinois, Oak Lawn, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, Sports Bar

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