Grand Rapids Restaurant Rumor Mill

[snoogit]

Pansies.

I gotta admit I'm a polar bear at heart

[GRGridGirl]

Does anyone know the new name of Cambridge House's new bar at the old Scoreboard? Its "_______ Crossing" and they'll be opening soon.

Bye, bye Scoreboard! Congrats to Larry and Brian on their new venture.

1223 Plainfield Ave NE

[Veronica]

Yeah, there will be two outdoor bars once we get through the cold winter.

Sorry I just saw this thread today....Haven't been on for a while. I went to the McFaddens grand opening and was not all that impressed. They did have Smithwicks though, so that made the waiting for snacks bareable, I thought the juggling leprecan(sp) dude was a bit much, but then after the DJ started blasting tunes it seemed to turn into your usual meat market kind of bar. By the way, he needs to check his mix...the bass was way over and I couldn't hear the tune at all. I'm sure there are plenty of people who love that kind of atmosphere, and that's cool...just not for me. Perhaps I'll go back for an actual dinner to give it another try. I wonder how they are going to do with Black Rose just down the street??

[twoshort]

Perhaps I'll go back for an actual dinner to give it another try. I wonder how they are going to do with Black Rose just down the street??

I ate there on Friday and it was pretty good. Fed two people w/o alcohol for $17.00. It was kinda loud, but hey, it's a bar.

Also, I think it's probably going to draw a different crowd than The Black Rose does.. I think anyway.

Edited November 21, 2005 by twoshort

[sstroh]

Also, I think it's probably going to draw a different crowd than The Black Rose does.. I think anyway.

From what I saw on Friday night, it is definitely a different crowd than Black Rose. I stopped in there around 10:30pm and because it was so crowded I couldn't make out much of the decor. It was like the same Tiki Bob crowd but with different background. The music was really loud both upstairs & down. It didn't matter much to me, I have fun anywhere....but the friend I was with didn't like it much.

[GRguy]

has anyone tried the new Mexican place in Eastown yet? If so, good food? Prices?

[EastownBoy]

has anyone tried the new Mexican place in Eastown yet? If so, good food? Prices?

Not bad prices, VERY spicy, they said they were workin on the menu a bit.

[svs650k3]

From what I saw on Friday night, it is definitely a different crowd than Black Rose. I stopped in there around 10:30pm and because it was so crowded I couldn't make out much of the decor. It was like the same Tiki Bob crowd but with different background. The music was really loud both upstairs & down. It didn't matter much to me, I have fun anywhere....but the friend I was with didn't like it much.

Is their target to be a pub or a dance club? I think that if it's supposed to be a pub concept the dance club goers will stop going there to dance when they all realize it's not Tiki Bob's. I'm willing to bet a lot of people that have gone in there the past week were expecting Tiki's to be open and not a new Irish bar. But I haven't been there yet so maybe it's a night club with Irish decor.

[snoogit]

Not bad prices, VERY spicy, they said they were workin on the menu a bit.

Excellent! I need to get the pipes flowing again

[GR8scott]

this may have been mentioned and some of you might not care but Culvers recently opened a new location in cascade and red robin in grandville. culvers has been here for a few years now but this is GRs first RR, they are both premium fast food chains if you ask me pobably the 2 best as far as quality food and clean restraunts.

[GRCentro]

Did anyone else catch the blurb on WOOD TV8? Apparently due to the fire, Big O's is planning to relocate to a location on Ottawa St downtown.

[GRDadof3]

Did anyone else catch the blurb on WOOD TV8? Apparently due to the fire, Big O's is planning to relocate to a location on Ottawa St downtown.

I heard that too. I wonder if they are going to go in the space in the basement of the Aldrich Building?

[GRDadof3]

There's an article about XO in the Press, Andy (and everyone else):

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/frontpage/pdfs/Bu_Saturday.pdf

[twoshort]

Linky no worky

[GRDadof3]

Linky no worky

Huh.. That's weird, it's working for me. Try going HERE and go down to "Business" and "Saturday".

[twoshort]

The issue is that you have to have logged into MLive recently (with your zip code and year you were born). I haven't done that on this machine.

[GRDadof3]

The issue is that you have to have logged into MLive recently (with your zip code and year you were born). I haven't done that on this machine.

Oh yah. I think if you do it once, it will go right through the next time (as long as you don't reset your browser settings).

[torgo]

There's an article about XO in the Press, Andy (and everyone else):

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/frontpage/pdfs/Bu_Saturday.pdf

Thanks jeff!! Has anyone been there yet? And if so, how 'bout a review?

[Prankster]

Thanks jeff!! Has anyone been there yet? And if so, how 'bout a review?

Good food, not great. A solid addition to downtown's eating scene, but not someplace that you would take an out of town visitor to impress. ie - San Chez.

[torgo]

Good food, not great. A solid addition to downtown's eating scene, but not someplace that you would take an out of town visitor to impress. ie - San Chez.

thanks!

will it cost me an arm and a leg to eat there?

[Prankster]

thanks!

will it cost me an arm and a leg to eat there?

No, very much in line with other restaurants. They also have menus in a box outside the front door that you can grab while passing by.

Edited November 29, 2005 by Prankster

[torgo]

No, very much in line with other restaurants.

Excellent...

I'll hafta try it. Thanks again prankster.

[svs650k3]

I thought lunch was good. Good portions of food and you also get 2 crab rangoons as well as an eggroll with your entree/rice. I thought the eggrolls were great.

[fluffy]

I can't wait to eat there! I've been working so much I haven't had time to head downtown.

[woz]

I've gotten take-out from XO a couple of times now. Green Curry with Flank Steak: very good! Pad Thai with Chicken: bad. I mean, not disgustingly bad (I ate all of it), but dry and pretty tasteless. I haven't tried any of the Chinese dishes yet, but for Thai food, I think I'll keep driving to 28th Street unless I'm really crunched for time.

Speaking of time -- and I HATE to add my voice to the chorus of folks usually complaining about this -- finding a parking spot at night on Monroe Center is a pain! I'll walk 10 or 15 blocks from a parking spot if I'm going to sit down and enjoy a meal downtown, but I think it's reasonable to expect some monitored free or even metered parking within a block of a restaurant that offers take-out. The city needs to start enforcing meters on Monroe Center 24 hours a day. Including some 10 minute parking only spots wouldn't be a bad idea either. If you want to get in and out of XO, Jimmy John's, Morado (the sushi place), Cafe Solace, etc., you're going to spend way too much time looking for a parking spot for take-out at any of these places to be convenient.