First off, this place is like stepping back in time to the 70's, wood panel walls, formica tabletops, old beer signs and other cool details, a lot of thought went into it, just a really cool vibe and staff was friendly and helpful. The new dining area on the other side of the patio has an old tube tv with vhs tapes you can play, the other tv was playing episodes of my favorite show Twin Peaks and they had cool merch, a shirt that looked like the Black Flag logo and one with Henry from Eraserhead on it (they must be huge Lynch fans like myself). The french fries were delicious and they give you an enormous amount of them, enough for like 3 people, I really do wish they had a smaller size, if it's just you you'll either walk out with a ton of them, I'll put mine in the air fryer or you'll just toss them and I don't like wasting food. Mine I got with the vinegar salt, to me they just tasted like normal salted fries. I got the basic Proper burger, shredded lettuce, pickles, american cheese, and a variation of the classic burger sauce, they call it a smashburger but it's not a smashburger, it's much bigger, doesn't have that super thin patty with the lacy edges and a hard sear, also it wasn't really seasoned all that well if at all, the bun was fancier than it needed to be for something like this and the burger sauce wasn't particularly flavorful, didn't stand out at all, I found myself dipping it in ketchup which I don't ever put on my burgers but it needed something extra. The burger itself was also kinda dry. You want to go out and get a better thing than you could make at home and I just make a better smashburger than this. I would definitely go back though, they had a ton of interesting sounding specialty burgers on a menu that seemed very well curated and maybe one of those would hit the spot more than the Proper.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Susanne V.
Wanted a quick "little bite" and hubby was craving a burger. Well we didn't get "little" but it was fantastic. The place is just cool from inside out and the service was amazing. They were super friendly when you walked in and schooled you on how they worked. Lots of specialty burgers and then a build your own option. We built our own and got fries (only in a pound of them as an option--there went the "little bite" cuz we had to try them). Everything was amazing, fresh, well prepared. They also had a nice selection of craft beers which my husband enjoyed. Would definitely come back many times.
Henry Roeters (V)
Just got some fries from here, and they are SO good. I've had a burger in the past, and they are also amazing. Great place to check out for sure.Dietary restrictions: The fries are fried in soybean oil for anyone who's wondering.
(Sorry for my horrible pictures) This is the best burger I've ever had. The bacon is so thick and is honestly the best bacon I've ever had on a burger. I absolutely love the ranch as well. I had this 4 nights in a row. Also the peanut butter shake is GREAT! I cannot wait to come back to Traverse City I miss this burger so much lol
Des F.
I loved loved everything. Everything hot and fresh when it gets to your table. Nice vibes great ppl. Burgers juicy. Fries HOT. Decor is warm welcoming. Lil Southern hospitality at its finest. The orange and cream shake taste like my childhood summers. Thank you
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Proper Sauce, Hand Cut Fries
Jennifer Fields
What a great burger joint! Had the patty melt and it was delicious! Onions were grilled just the way I like them, cheese was melted perfectly, sauce was excellent, and the patty was cooked to perfection! Definitely will stop by again when in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Patty Melt Burger
Amy Miller
Most amazing burgers in Northern MI!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
UpNorth G
**Updated to reflect that I no longer eat here as I have since learned from the owner that they add a gluten-containing seasoning to their beef. Initially, I was told the beef was safe, but now that I know, I can't safely eat here anymore. **Everything was very good, probably more than I would normally pay but worth the splurge.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
madison
Amazing place with newer mom and pop shop vibe! Food was excellent tasting and so presentable. The owners are husband and wife, it's easter and no where is open. They decided to open last minute and did not disappoint! Will be back when we visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Smashburgers
BadZodiac
Stopped in for our first time on a recommendation and was not disappointed. I grew up eating the best olive burger on the planet in southern Michigan and after life moved me away have been on a quest to find one that compares. The Oliver Twist now shares the throne! My quest is over!! The hand-cut fries are a must have have side
Delicious burgers with a wide variety of unique toppings provide a fun and satisfying experience at this hole-in-the-wall, family owned restaurant. For those with a smaller appetite, you might want to split one of these generously sized burgers with a friend... they're very filling! Seating is very limited, but they do a lot of carryout business. If you do dine in and you'd like a beer with your burger, they have a very interesting selection of unique beer options in their cooler! We definitely enjoyed our first visit here, and look forward to trying more of their tantalizing burger creations!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Trisha Marek
Drove by this cute and cozy place many times over the last 3 years but never stopped. My husband and I brought our dog in for emergency surgery and didn't want to go far from the hospital. Tons of detours due to road construction brought us to Oakwood Proper Burgers for the very first time. We were greeted with a hello and a smile. We also got the VIP treatment with a first-timers explanation of how things worked. Fresh filtered water. Quaint atmosphere. Awesome music. The burgers are huge and delicious. Let's not forget the one pound of hand cut fries which were cooked to perfection. Not to mention we were thanked for coming in. Don't get that service in to many places these days! So much food... glad we split it. Now we know what we have been missing for the last 3 years... guaranteed we will be back! Thank you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Oakwood Burger, Hand Cut Fries
Samuel “Cpt Scooter” Mahoney
Wonderful and quick service, from taking order to table, less then 5 minutes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Oakwood Burger, Hand Cut Fries
Troy Seaburg
Really good quality ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Papas Fritas, Smashburgers
Jim Fisher
Great food! Fantastic service. Definitely would recommend them.
First off, this place is like stepping back in time to the 70's, wood panel walls, formica tabletops, old beer signs and other cool details, a lot of thought went into it, just a really cool vibe and staff was friendly and helpful. The new dining area on the other side of the patio has an old tube tv with vhs tapes you can play, the other tv was playing episodes of my favorite show Twin Peaks and they had cool merch, a shirt that looked like the Black Flag logo and one with Henry from Eraserhead on it (they must be huge Lynch fans like myself). The french fries were delicious and they give you an enormous amount of them, enough for like 3 people, I really do wish they had a smaller size, if it's just you you'll either walk out with a ton of them, I'll put mine in the air fryer or you'll just toss them and I don't like wasting food. Mine I got with the vinegar salt, to me they just tasted like normal salted fries. I got the basic Proper burger, shredded lettuce, pickles, american cheese, and a variation of the classic burger sauce, they call it a smashburger but it's not a smashburger, it's much bigger, doesn't have that super thin patty with the lacy edges and a hard sear, also it wasn't really seasoned all that well if at all, the bun was fancier than it needed to be for something like this and the burger sauce wasn't particularly flavorful, didn't stand out at all, I found myself dipping it in ketchup which I don't ever put on my burgers but it needed something extra. The burger itself was also kinda dry. You want to go out and get a better thing than you could make at home and I just make a better smashburger than this. I would definitely go back though, they had a ton of interesting sounding specialty burgers on a menu that seemed very well curated and maybe one of those would hit the spot more than the Proper.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Wanted a quick "little bite" and hubby was craving a burger. Well we didn't get "little" but it was fantastic. The place is just cool from inside out and the service was amazing. They were super friendly when you walked in and schooled you on how they worked. Lots of specialty burgers and then a build your own option. We built our own and got fries (only in a pound of them as an option--there went the "little bite" cuz we had to try them). Everything was amazing, fresh, well prepared. They also had a nice selection of craft beers which my husband enjoyed. Would definitely come back many times.
Just got some fries from here, and they are SO good. I've had a burger in the past, and they are also amazing. Great place to check out for sure.Dietary restrictions: The fries are fried in soybean oil for anyone who's wondering.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Plain Fries, Oakwood Burger, Hand Cut Fries, Smashburgers, Cajun Fries
(Sorry for my horrible pictures) This is the best burger I've ever had. The bacon is so thick and is honestly the best bacon I've ever had on a burger. I absolutely love the ranch as well. I had this 4 nights in a row. Also the peanut butter shake is GREAT! I cannot wait to come back to Traverse City I miss this burger so much lol
I loved loved everything. Everything hot and fresh when it gets to your table. Nice vibes great ppl. Burgers juicy. Fries HOT. Decor is warm welcoming. Lil Southern hospitality at its finest. The orange and cream shake taste like my childhood summers. Thank you
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Proper Sauce, Hand Cut Fries
What a great burger joint! Had the patty melt and it was delicious! Onions were grilled just the way I like them, cheese was melted perfectly, sauce was excellent, and the patty was cooked to perfection! Definitely will stop by again when in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Patty Melt Burger
Most amazing burgers in Northern MI!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
**Updated to reflect that I no longer eat here as I have since learned from the owner that they add a gluten-containing seasoning to their beef. Initially, I was told the beef was safe, but now that I know, I can't safely eat here anymore. **Everything was very good, probably more than I would normally pay but worth the splurge.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Amazing place with newer mom and pop shop vibe! Food was excellent tasting and so presentable. The owners are husband and wife, it's easter and no where is open. They decided to open last minute and did not disappoint! Will be back when we visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Smashburgers
Stopped in for our first time on a recommendation and was not disappointed. I grew up eating the best olive burger on the planet in southern Michigan and after life moved me away have been on a quest to find one that compares. The Oliver Twist now shares the throne! My quest is over!! The hand-cut fries are a must have have side
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicious burgers with a wide variety of unique toppings provide a fun and satisfying experience at this hole-in-the-wall, family owned restaurant. For those with a smaller appetite, you might want to split one of these generously sized burgers with a friend... they're very filling! Seating is very limited, but they do a lot of carryout business. If you do dine in and you'd like a beer with your burger, they have a very interesting selection of unique beer options in their cooler! We definitely enjoyed our first visit here, and look forward to trying more of their tantalizing burger creations!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Drove by this cute and cozy place many times over the last 3 years but never stopped. My husband and I brought our dog in for emergency surgery and didn't want to go far from the hospital. Tons of detours due to road construction brought us to Oakwood Proper Burgers for the very first time. We were greeted with a hello and a smile. We also got the VIP treatment with a first-timers explanation of how things worked. Fresh filtered water. Quaint atmosphere. Awesome music. The burgers are huge and delicious. Let's not forget the one pound of hand cut fries which were cooked to perfection. Not to mention we were thanked for coming in. Don't get that service in to many places these days! So much food... glad we split it. Now we know what we have been missing for the last 3 years... guaranteed we will be back! Thank you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Oakwood Burger, Hand Cut Fries
Wonderful and quick service, from taking order to table, less then 5 minutes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Oakwood Burger, Hand Cut Fries
Really good quality ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Papas Fritas, Smashburgers
Great food! Fantastic service. Definitely would recommend them.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fries Shakes, Oakwood Burger, Smashburgers