New Holland Brewing Company (Holland, MI)

We spent a day in Holland last month. We ate and drank at a handful of different places. For dinner we ended up at the New Holland Brewing Co, which is located smack dab in the center of downtown Holland. Holland is a nice little lake-side community just down the road from legendary Oval Beach.

We ate outside - it was about 8pm when we arrived, and we waited 5 minutes for a table to open up. The atmosphere was great - it was busy outside and there were pedestrations walking by constantly. Our server was a really friendly guy, our french fry appetizer didn't come until the main courses came, but he was at least cordial about it and took the fries off of the bill. And the fries were excellent by the way - a huge plate of waffle fries covered in cheese and bacon. You've got to love waffle fries, the caviar of the french fry community.

We had a chicken sandwich and a turkey sandwich, and both were excellent. Great taste, huge portions, fresh veggies, really good bread - both were really solid sandwiches.

Oh yeah, and the beer is very good as well. I had three Existential beers, and I was very happy. It's a higher alcohol content beer, so it's really hoppy and has an aggressive taste, but it still totally drinkable on a warm summer night. I've had Sun Dog and Full Circle in the past, and both are solid beers. Unfortunately New Holland does not brew any non-alcoholic beers, which was a disappointment.

Overall it was a good experience - good weather, sitting outside at a busy restaurant in downtown Holland, surprisingly really good food, interesting beers, and solid service - we'll definitely be back.

www.newhollandbrew.com

Stillwater (Brighton, MI)

We tried to sit down for dinner and drinks at Stillwater on a recent Friday night. We walked in at 7:30pm, and were told that the outdoors patio was full, and that they weren't seating anymore parties outside. Which was frustrating. The hostess didn't even suggest that we grab a drink at the bar and wait 10 minutes, the vibe was clearly that they were winding down and didn't want a table seated at 8pm - which is really crazy. It's a Friday night, and they don't want to seat tables after 8pm?

www.stillwatergrill.com

Buffalo WIld Wings (Green Oak, MI)

BWW's is what it is - a place to watch a game or games. Boneless buffalo wings in a variety of sauces, wraps, apps - good, consistent bar food. Nice place to catch a Saturday afternoon baseball game outside. Their patio holds about 50 people or so, and there are 4 TV's so you can usually get a requested game tuned in.

BAB's Deli (Brighton, MI)

Bab's Deli, located on Grand River in downtown Brighton, has the best bagels in town. The bagels are always fresh, and there is a great selection of bagels - the asiago, cheddar, everything, chocolate chip, and jalapeno are all bagels that we've had and enjoyed. Bab's also does an awesome job in putting cream cheese on the bagels - they are generous w/ the spread, and the bagels are always toasted just the right amount.

Decent coffee. There is always four or five choices of coffee, which is nice. The muffins are also good - soft, not too heavy, etc. Great, friendly service. Place is always clean. Nice little tables to eat. Usually a stray newspaper laying around to read. One thing Bab's could do is up the music level - it such a pleasant, upbeat place, that I think that good music could really make Bab's a great morning spot.

Stonefire Bistro (Brighton, MI)

My wife and I stopped in at Stonefire on a recent Friday night at about 6:15pm. The sun was still blazing and it was 80 degrees, so we really wanted to sit somewhere outside and have a drink. We grabbed a table outside, and had a couple beers, a soup and a salad. Our table provided a nice view of Main Street, and we were entertained w/ the train lights malfunctioning and stopping traffic every three minutes. There are also outdoor speakers, and the music was at a great level, and playing good music - contemporary, some older rock, just a good upbeat mix.

The service was very good. The clam chowder was advertised as being "peppery", and it was. The chowder was good, flavorful, filling, etc - but it was more soup than chowder. My wife had a simple garden salad, and was really happy w/ the crisp vegetables. All in all it was a good experience at Stonefire. Good simple food, cold beers, sunny night, good people watching, music, and good service.

Lu & Carl's (Brighton, MI)

Lu & Carl's is a bar/restaurant on the corner of Grand River and Main St in downtown Brighton. Great location, plenty of parking, eay walk to the pond, markets, shops, etc. The bar itself is top notch - it's shaped like a square - so there are 20+ seats at the bar and great people watching. It's a decent place to watch a game. The beer is a tad expensive for the atmosphere, but still it's usually a simple, solid option. There are tables and booths inside as well.

We had lunch outside at Lu & Carl's earlier in the week. The served apparently wasn't that excited to serve us outside, so we didn't feel as welcomed as we'd hoped, but the food was fine. We all had flats, which are a Lu & Carl's staple - basically sandwiches with a twist. We had the veggie flat, a BBQ chicken flat, and a spicy chicken flat. Everyone finished their sandwiches. The prices are a bit high, and Lu & Carl's is one of those annoying places that charge extra to get fries with your meal. Usually they just give you plain tortilla chips. The fries are $2 extra, so each flat w/ fries is usually $10 - which is a bit steep for this place.

Overall, we are fans of Lu & Carl's, but feel that it's a better option to grab a drink or hit Happy Hour.

www.luandcarls.net

Zukey Lake Tavern (Pinckney, MI)

We had dinner at Zukey Lake the other night with two kids and another couple. Apparently Tuesday nights are Mexican night at Zukey, and the roof deck was really busy. The roof deck is the place to be at Zukey in the summer - 40+ tables, bar, great lake views, sunshine, etc. There is a limited menu outside - mostly pizzas, burgers, salads, etc. We split two pizzas - a cheese pie and a BBQ pizza. Both were excellent. The pizza is a bit thick so it's filling, but the crust was cooked perfect and the flavors were great.

The service...wasn't so good. I'll spare you the details. Regardless, we'll give Zukey's mulligan on this one, as we've eaten there dozens of times, and the service is usually fine.

Overall, the outdoor deck at Zukey's is a great summer option. Get there early or prepare to wait for a table. The atmosphere is great - lake views, a dock out front where boats can tie off and grab a drink or bite to eat.

www.zukeylaketavern.com