50 Best American Restaurants in Grand Rapids

“My Wife and I stopped in for dinner tonight, and everything was amazing! She had some kind of salmon and I had the melt in your mouth smoked ribeye sandwich. We also had an order of Brussels sprouts that were the best I have ever had.“

“Have been twice, about 2 years apart. It really is an experience. Beautiful food and service. On the way home my wife and I decided to make Grove our anniversary tradition. Thank you for the lovely evening.“

“I have been wanting to try Papa Chops since it opened and today I was finally able to. It was a great feeling to walk in and know that I could eat anything on the menu. I chose a wrap and fries. Both were amazing! One of the best wraps I have ever have. I will definitely be back! Thank you!“

“Not only are you eating good, quality food with depth of flavor, you walk in and immediately feel welcomed into community. We are new to this area and this very quickly became our family's spot.“

“the food was hot, fresh, and so full of flavor. The customer service was amazing, and our waot time was minimal despite them being extremely busy. My Grandson is really picky and he loved EVERYTHING my son, Daughter, friend and I had.“

“Superb! Fantastic lunch at ROAM! Was our fav food spot during our week long visit in Grand Rapids! Selena, our server, was attentive and friendly and the best server we had all week. 👏 Food was delicious-tacos on paratha bread, ensalada de elote Rangoon dip and mango sticky rice all yum! Vibe and decor awesome!“

“Love the diner feel. The food is amazing, fast. the staff super friendly. We will definitely be back.“

“This place has socialize on the way but if you're having too much fun they'll tell you they have to serve another table amd tneed you to cash out. If you want to have fun and socialize...I Do NOT recommend you go to West Sife Socal because that is not the vibe of this place. More like ANTI social!!! Don't go...parking and socializing is terrible.“

“Amazing service! Ian was our bartender and he made sure we had a unique experience by introducing us to Megan, the owner, after said we wanted to try something we had never had before. She proceeded to ask us a series of questions and then proceed to make a pour based on our answers. She did awesome, as we tried two new bourbon we have never had and enjoyed the bourbon as well. This is a must stop if you enjoy sipping bourbon!“

“Just a darling place! Food is yummy and they have some inventive specials. Perfect for a casual brunch experience at a place with deep roots and history. They are just missing the patio with umbrella tables, but otherwise you feel very much like you're in a cafe. We'll definitely be back!“

“Food and service was excellent Bartender Christopher was excellent Drinks were amazing as well Vanilla sky, espresso Yoself, tin something c at remember , all good We had the deviled eggs, bbq sliders, fish and chips and the duck 🦆 eggrolls“

“This place got rated as the third best burger in Grand Rapids. Which is untrue. This place has, hands down, the best burger in Grand Rapids. Maybe even the state. The meat they use far surpasses any other burger I've had. I wish I could give it six stars.“

“My girlfriends and I met at Blue Water for dinner tonight. Our waiter named Will made our dinner so enjoyable and fun. Our dinner came out so fast and the food was delicious. We split a dessert that we all didn’t care for. The General Manager Sheena came over immediately and offered us to try something different. She brought us a new dessert. She was so sweet and personable.“

“I got ribs and my husband got a steak. Food was decent. Its a typical Applebee's. I called in for pickup. There wasn't any utensils or napkins and I had to ask for the extra condiments that I paid for. Its like no one cares anymore.“

“Amazing food, environment, drinks💗You must go!“

“Unique and creative craft food and drink menu, all reasonable priced. Staff is friendly and professional. Best river front restaurat in Grand Rapids. Plenty of FREE parking after 5pm. Highly recommend if you're looking for a new dining experience. They will not disappoint!“

“Great food and service 👌“

“Went to the Rockford location on opening day and it was great! Paige was our server and super helpful in helping us choose drinks and food. We live 2 blocks away and are super happy about having this dining option downtown!“

“Shaun the bartender, server, host busses, was Amazing! Kept our glasses full, made sure we had everything and everything was satisfactory. The Mr Fable burger took me back in time, was amazing. Cheese curds cooked to perfection. It's a hidden spot you need to visit. (it's in the Double Tree Hotel)“

“The Old Goat restaurant was so good. Service was top notch. Our server Bailey was new and did a great job!“

“We have gone here for years and have never cared for the vinegar red Cole slaw. Tonight we went and it is a green Cole slaw and was delicious. Great change. Maxie was our waitress and I was so impressed with her. Great job! One of the best servers at Walker Roadhouse“

“We are a Greek family and love the Greek dishes that Leo's Coney Island offers. We have dined there frequently, often bring friends. The food is always good and the service fantastic. That being said; however, we have decided not to dine there any longer during the cold months, as the owner chooses to keep the dining room quite frigid. We heat our home at 68 degrees and are comfortable at that temp. We have tried mutliptle visits to Leo's Coney Island this winter...and each time the dining room has always been uncomfortablly chilly. When we pay to go out to eat, dining with our winter coats on and still being cold is not a relaxing or enjoyable dining experience. We gave it another try last night visiting around 5:30pm (hoping the furnace was turned up). The dining area was extremely C-O-L-D! This could be why there were not many customers there? We asked the waitress if the heat could be turned up, and she replied, "No, the only person allowed to adjust the temperature is the owner, and he is not here". NOTE to Owner: Saving money by turning down the heat in the cold of winter does not provide a pleasant dining experience for your customers and certainly cannot be good for your business! So...we'll see you in the summer?.... ~ Chuck and Denise Antonopulos“

“My daughter and I went to Cork Wine & Grille for an afternoon birthday lunch! The food was delicious. We had shrimp tacos, recommended by our server, Haley and for dessert a peanut butter pie. Great service and excellent food, we will definitely be back!“

“I had a great experience at Olives tonight. Everyone from the hostess (Elise) to our waitress (Emily) exemplified great customer service. A couple of my favorites were the brussel sprouts and the lychee drink. We will be back!“

“Convenient.

- Cheeseburger Basket - $11.75: The cheeseburger was taken from a warmer. The cheese was melted, but solid and stuck to the bun and tore the bun while trying to add toppings that were given separate from the cheeseburger. The toppings were very fresh and crisp, however. The burger patty was still juicy and cooked good. The bun was still soft and fresh.

- Fries (included in basket): Crinkle cut and on the thinner side. They cooled really fast and were tough. Eat them immediately. They needed a bit of salt, too.

- Super Pretzel - $6: Soft inside and lots of salt. It was on the darker side and tough, but okay.

- Service: Fairly immediate and helpful.

- Conclusion: You are mainly paying for convenience here. It is not bad, but it is nothing much to write home about. The burger was okay.

Visited on a Friday (Fourth of July) at 3:30pm.“

“Highly recommend dining here. Everything we had from appetizers to main course was outstanding. The staff went above and beyond and were very friendly. It was by far the best quality dining out meal we have had in a long time. 5 stars!“

“I just tried this place out for dinner tonight and I 100% will be back. I ordered a double cheese burger meal and it was delicious. Great portion size for the price. (Which is getting rarer these days) I'm a 240lbs dude and I was full afterward. They are going to be seeing a lot of me now that football and the MLB playoffs are coming up. I'm gonna be in wing heaven! 5 stars!“

“Our favorite restaurant no longer serves Manhattan style clam chowder and we are nothing less than heartbroken. We didn't realize that our favorite thing there wasn't popular enough to retain as a menu item when Leo's changed hands. We can live with the smaller lobster tails, but this is really hard for us to take. Cry.“

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“Just visited last night and the staff and the atmosphere was amazing! Highly recommend!!!“

“The food was great, our server was fantastic, especially considering she was a single server waiting on a table of 16, and the atmosphere was awesome. Only thing I would say is the writings on the wall are not child friendly , and even worse in the bathroom 😅 it was interesting to hear what each person read on the walls when they came back to the table😂 it did provide some entertainment though!“

“We came to try out the city sen restaurant. My husband had the mushroom goat cheeseburger. He said it was juicy and flavorful --no condiments necessary. I had the beef quesadillas. although this was on the shareable menu, it was quite large enough for me as a meal. The food was good, but it was the little amenities that made it very special --the unique silverware, carafe of ice water and pleasant ambient music in a modern setting made it a very special place for our date. It was fun to people watch through the open air windows. ( they fold close to keep in the AC if needed )Alex the manager shared with us some things we want to come back for, live music, etc. definitely planning to go back!

Wheelchair accessibility: The restrooms are quite large with low sinks and wide stalls. Although they are on the lower level, the elevator is also large and quite quick.“

“Shout out to Eric. He was the bartender (supervisor too?) here. Super personable guy. Made me feel extremely welcome and comfortable while waiting on my delayed flight. Great sense of humor. Really great having him.

The food was delicious. I had a chili-crisp hummus and a chicken bacon flatbread. The former was a combination that I didn't expect, but it was great. and a chicken bacon flatbread.

The drinks were good too. Nice and chill. The customer service by Eric was superb.“

“I love going here to eat after class anytime I can. I love their food so much, it is criminally underrated. The only issue is that it opens at 11am and closes at 3pm. I have classes that end at 4pm. Because of this I can never get there. This is just a suggestion, but it would be great if you were at least open for another hour or 2? Please?“

“Went in to watch Tiger game - had mysic on but once Rob Butler realized it was the first playoff game in 10 yrs he had the play by play turned on. It was electric!! People jumping around! Great pizza and ask for Amber to wait on you.“

“1st time coming here and it was wonderful! Service was spectacular thanks to my wonderful server Tomas! Food was good too. I always like to go with a standard when I go somewhere new and they didn't disappoint! I got the chicken tenders and loaded tots. And im telling you, that breading/seasoning on the chicken was delicious. Even the sauces were superb. My only complaint was I had nothing to take home because I smashed all of it. Bonus note, if there's a game on that you want to watch, just ask! There's enough tvs in here for everyone.“

“This restaurant came recommend to me as the best steakhouse in Grand Rapids. I was not disappointed. The staff was friendly (Kathryn) and answered all my questions. The atmosphere is perfect for a fancy date. Very romantic setting to impress. I don't drink alcohol and they had an alcohol free 0% Giasen Merlot which was exquisite. I started with French Onion Soup and Cheese Popover Muffins. For an entree, I had Australian Rib Lamb Chops with a Mint Demi Glase. For a side, I enjoyed Brussels Sprouts with Honey Dijon Mustard Sause. Everything exceeded my expectations and the Merlot paired nicely with the Lamb Chops. I highly recommend the Chop House as a must visit dining destination in the heart of Grand Rapids.“

“Amazing food. We popped in arround noon. my party had pancakes, chicken sandwich & shrimp/pork belly fried rice. I wish I didnt live over 2 hours away. We will be back next time we are in GR.“

“Ordered a lamb gyro for lunch and enough left over for dinner, It’s delicious!“

“This place is amazing. Great food made fresh, and the employees are nice and polite. Only downside I think you'll run into is that its always busy, probably because its so good. Definitely recommended to bring the family. Get the beef pot roast platter on sour dough bread with instead of a roll.“

“FENOMINAL!! staff was great and food was really good ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“We are a Greek family and love the Greek dishes that Leo's Coney Island offers. We have dined there frequently, often bring friends. The food is always good and the service fantastic. That being said; however, we have decided not to dine there any longer during the cold months, as the owner chooses to keep the dining room quite frigid. We heat our home at 68 degrees and are comfortable at that temp. We have tried mutliptle visits to Leo's Coney Island this winter...and each time the dining room has always been uncomfortablly chilly. When we pay to go out to eat, dining with our winter coats on and still being cold is not a relaxing or enjoyable dining experience. We gave it another try last night visiting around 5:30pm (hoping the furnace was turned up). The dining area was extremely C-O-L-D! This could be why there were not many customers there? We asked the waitress if the heat could be turned up, and she replied, "No, the only person allowed to adjust the temperature is the owner, and he is not here". NOTE to Owner: Saving money by turning down the heat in the cold of winter does not provide a pleasant dining experience for your customers and certainly cannot be good for your business! So...we'll see you in the summer?.... ~ Chuck and Denise Antonopulos“

“Came in the other day for a drink and tried the February drink specials. This month’s specials all looked so good! I was not disappointed with my chocolate covered strawberry martini! Thanks to the wonderful staff for helping me choose which one to try. I will definitely be back to try next months!“

“I absolutely LOVE Electric Cheetah! The food and drinks are always amazing, I would highly recommend their fries!!! It’s a great place to go if you want a casual restaurant with amazing food!“

“The most amazing brunch I’ve ever had!!! The food was absolutely phenomenal!! Can’t believe it took me this long to go. Our server was super knowledgeable and gave us great recommendations.“

“Awesome place and awesome people. Love the leaderboard“

“This is a great place to eat and drink! Service is fantastic! The Chef brought us a couple samples of ribs and asked our thoughts. We did order the ribs they were yummy!“

“Fantastic food!!!! Would highly recommend and will definitely be back soon!!! The staff was really friendly and welcoming. Best catfish I've ever had hands down and I am very picky about my catfish. The fried chicken ..... Sweet baby Jesus delicious. Everything was great!!! Love you guys keep up the awesome work!!“

“I recommend taking the place in as a whole. The story, the owners, the service, the food, the folks sitting next to you ready to have a friendly conversation. You just have to see it for yourself.“

“We had Two Scotts cater our wedding. Best decision we’ve ever made. The guests went nuts!! Pinto Mac and cheese is INSANELY good. They are very professional, punctual, friendly, and their food is amazing. I’m late on this review, but just felt the need to share. Whether is catering or a stop in the restaurant, HIGHLY recommend my friends.“