Elegant ambience, nice complementary flavors, and friendly service. Beautiful children's burger, generous petite cheese plate with fantastic cheese and house made crackers, excellent soups, crisp salads with lovely vinergarette and a full bar of cocktails, wines, and brews. The decor was enviable too from the charming fireplace to the immaculate tastefully decorated lavatories!! We enjoyed a peaceful rest stop with great food and wifi. read more

Who would have expected that such a gem could be found in such a little town? If I've had some better food this consistently, I can't remember where. When you walk in, the decor is very classy and low-lit which makes for a very comfortable atmosphere. To start off, you have an excellent choice of wines or Michigan beers. Also, the bartender homebrews his own beers and serves them on draught. Everything from his brewery is excellent. Next, you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Everything is perfectly prepared and presented in style. The Kessler Chop is more like a bacon steak. I was expecting a dainty little pork chop, instead I received a pound of perfectly cooked pork. Also, the black and blue steak is excellent, as is any steak really. They cook perfectly to order and the beef quality is top notch and melts in your mouth. To end, you have your choice of desserts, and dessert coffees and liqueurs. The creme brulee is some of the best I've had so I haven't bothered trying anything else. If you are within even an hour of this place, that far away would still probably be worth driving just to experience this place. read more

We just had drinks and appetizers, but everything was wonderful. We had the French olives and the cheese plate, which were delicious. Our waiter was friendly and helpful, but not overbearing. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful fall evening. A great experience overall. read more

Likely the best restaurant in the area. They are moving toward the local sustainable food movement, and the food is well prepared. Stick to the specials and main entrees, some of the extra items aren't as developed. The home made beer is pretty good, and they have a great wine list. Not ready for Michigan Ave in Chicago, but it smokes the other local options by several miles. read more

This is a great restaurant. It is clear that the Blue Cow was born out of passion for good food sourced as locally as possible. The burger I got was made in house from trimmings of the steaks and was unbelievably juicy and delicious, even though it seemed to be cooked a bit more than medium. My wife ordered the Udon Noodles which were hearty, flavorful, and immensely satisfying. We are in the process of moving to Big Rapids and are sure to become regulars! read more

I ordered dinner for pickup for myself and my parents. It was my dad's 81st birthday and I wanted to bring him something nice without having to make him go out, I thought this would be a good place for that. I have to say the food was excellent but the service (yes, I know I'm talking about a pick-up order) was not good. When I called at 7:10 PM they told me that it would take, "no less than 45 minutes to complete my order." I said that was fine, even though it sounded like they were doing me a favor for taking it. I ordered one entrée, 1 large salad, 1 small salad, and an order of muscles (which specifies that it comes with bread - as do all the entrees). When I showed up 45 minutes later the order was not ready. No problem. I was fine to wait, but no one acknowledged that I had walked in for at least a couple minutes, even though several employees walked right past me multiple times. There were two tables with customers, one just leaving so it was hardly a busy night. When the server came out, I asked if she could please wrap the entrée in foil so it doesn't get cold on the drive home, she told me that she put it under the heat lamps for me. It made me wonder how long it had been sitting there since I stood there for about 10 minutes while they got it ready to go, and also how heat lamps would help me keep it warm on the drive home, but it was a pick-up order and I decided to just let it go and get the food home. I did ask to please make sure there was bread with the order, she looked at me for a couple seconds too long and said that she could add some bread to the order, as if she was doing me a favor. Again, it does specify on the menu that bread comes with the muscles, not to mention the entrees. It turns out I should have looked in the bag. When I got it home, there was one 3" piece of bread which had been cut off from a larger (still small) loaf of bread. The salads were good (we had to add our own tomatoes and cucumbers to the Greek salad because for some reason it didn't have any, even though Greek salads are supposed to have tomatoes and cucumbers) the muscles were excellent, but with hardly any bread, I had to use some that we had at home, the entrée was very good. I always make sure to add a tip to a to-go order, as I did in this case, because I know the wait staff has to work to bring it out to you, I do expect good service in exchange - in this case I felt like I was more of an inconvenience to them as opposed to a valued customer. It is worth mentioning that while I was waiting, a group of 4 came in. It was 8:22 PM and they were told that they may not be able to be seated because the restaurant closes at 9. Seems a bit early to be turning people away considering there was only one other table eating. As with most things, it's the little details that make your experience feel memorable and worth repeating. While The Blue Cow definitely has their food dialed in, I feel like there service doesn't match the level of quality they are trying to attain. In this case, if I were simply given a small loaf of bread as advertised, I would have left a much better review. read more

I have visited Blue Cow a few times; for lunch on my own and dinner with my husband. It's about a 45 minute to get there, otherwise I would drop in more frequently. Blue Cow is a gem. It is hard to find nearby eateries that have excellent food, decent service, and a good wine list. Blue Cow consistently meets all of those criteria. We ate there yesterday evening, a busy Friday dinner. The place was about 75% full, but, since the tables are well placed and spaced, diners don't feel crowded. The ambiance is elegant, but not fussy. White cloth linens, paintings by local artists, lots of wood. Music is mostly classical piano, kept at a reasonable volume that allows for conversation. Blue Cow has some regular menu items, but they change many of their offerings according to season. They take the "fresh, seasonal, and local when possible" mantra very seriously. The food is beautifully presented and creative. Best of all, the entrees are not the over-salted, cheese-laden, doused in sauce fare that is the norm in too many midwestern eateries. Having relocated from California, my husband and I enjoy a good glass of wine with our meal. Blue Cow offers a nice array of wine by the glass and bottle. If you find something you like, you can buy a bottle to take home. Because they make their food fresh, don't stop in if you are in a rush. Go to Blue Cow with the expectation of a slow food experience. Your appetizer will be delivered quickly, as will a basket of warm, fresh bread, but expect to wait 15 minutes for the entree. The servers are mostly students from nearby Ferris State. They are friendly and attentive, but without the polish displayed by the experienced staff in high-end restaurants. read more

As everyone says in the other posts, who'd have thought that such a small town would have such a fabulous place to eat. Food is always consistent. Atmosphere is great. Don't let this place pass you by! Try the hot pretzel appetizer. Excellent! read more

DELICIOUS food. Especially the Thai rice, tomato basil soup and chicken salad croissant. Lovely atmosphere and service. Would recommend to everyone. read more

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Been looking to try this restaurant for some time after seeing it featured on Michigan Under A he Radar. Not disappointed. The appetizer special was Brussel sprouts with bacon and pecans. To die for delicious! Friend ordered the burger with bleu cheese and an egg on top. He thoroughly enjoyed it. I ordered the ribeye with bleu cheese sauce, medium rare. The steak was more rare than medium rare, although quite tasty. The bread with garlic butter also good. Would be 5 stars if not for the potatoes gratin. Didn't understand this side dish. Seemed, to me anyway, that nutmeg was a little heavy handed. Will be back though. Also, served with a sweet potato mash. Shouldn't be 2 starches on the plate. read more

Blue Cow - Brussel sprouts with bacon and pecans. Delish!!! - American Near Me - Big Rapids, Michigan

This is such a great place to dine! Had a 4 course meal, bruschetta, house salad with the house dressing, Champagne Chicken and cheescake for dessert and was all amazing. The ambiance was perfect with great art on the walls. The bathrooms were so cool. Definitely will come back and cannot wait to return. Only drawback was the coffee bar closed down before the restaurant did. read more

It's a very high end restaurant with a very small menu only went there because we had a gift card and the food wasn't even that great. Like the atmosphere and the art tho read more

Liked it so well ate here more than once during move in weekend at Ferris! Great Oasis for parents from campus to share a farewell or birthday dinner with kids! Service was great (thanks Zack) and atmosphere wonderful. Oh yeah, great food too! I will return every tie I am in Big Rapids! read more

Blue Cow - Bananas Foster! Thanks Zach! - American Near Me - Big Rapids, Michigan

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Great Food especially the mussels!! Great wine selection!! Best restaurant in Big Rapids by far !! read more

Service & staff excellent. We had the chicken marsala and it was amazing. Cocktails were perfectly made.

First time here and we loved it. Sat outside comfortably on a hot day and had a lovely lunch, enjoying the piped in music. I had the vineyard salad with chicken, nuts snd grapes, and hubs had the croque monsieur with the best French onion soup. Definitely a great place with quality all around. Loved the atmosphere and decor! read more

We arrived at the Blue Cow Cafe @ 330pm on 8/26. We were seated after a few minutes of standing at the hostess area. This was my first clue this was not going to be a pleasant experience. So after we were seated it became busy. Why did it become busy due to a college function that was happening. I don't understand how their management could purposely ignore this event. Not to mention it is opening weekend for Ferris. We had to ask our waitress for our appetizer. This was 1 hour 10 minutes into our visit. We feared to finish our water due to the simple fact there was no chance in getting a refill. At an hour and forty minutes we walked out. Threw a $20 on the table to cover the appetizer and soda. Shame on you. Your restaurant was full but yet your service was the absolutely atrocious. Not sure if we will ever try your restaurant again. read more

Blue cow, though oddly named, has an amazing menu that does not disappoint. Had the chef's walleye special. The food was incredible, wine was amazing, and the service was the best. I recommend the bruschetta, as well. read more

Our visit here was on a Sunday at noon. Friendly staff. The waitress was aware of what was and wasn't gluten free. Bloody mary isn't GF. Their wine list is undesirable. Settled with a glass of Veuve. Menu was about 20% gluten free or could be modified as so. We ordered the hash and brunch tacos. The serving size was just right for a meal. We sat on their patio - comfortable seating. Difficult to gauge noise levels because there were few patrons and BR streets on Sunday at noon were vacant. Clean bathrooms and overall environment. read more

Stopped here on the way to Cadillac. Started with the mussels marnier & French bread. Mussels were outstanding! Dinner consisted of the pork chop, salmon, champagne chicken & smoked chicken penne. All of the dishes were wonderful. Also, amazing wine selection. The Albertoni Chardonnay is fantastic! read more

I'll first get this out there. This was my 1st time at Blue Cow. I had a burger with gruyere & my wife had mussels with frites. The burger was very underwhelming with the meat being bland, mushy & not much warmer than room temp. The cheese was thin and transparent which limited the punch that I enjoy in a gruyere. The homemade chips were satisfying with just the right amount of salt & crunch. The mussels were too salty and in very little juice which caused them to dry out through the meal. The sauce is also a little treat with frites or bread. Blue Cows take on frites was interesting but did not succeed with this dish. They were large pieces of sweet potato that seemed to be cooked then sautéed in oil, not your traditional frites. Service was ok and the restaurant was nicely decorated, clean & quiet. My overall experience was so-so and I probably won't go out of my way to dine there again. read more

I have eaten here a couple of different times and each time has been great food. For the most part. Pros: 1. Champagne Chicken with parmesan risotto is so good. The best chicken dish I've ever eaten, hands down. 2. Cheesecake is so good. I've never had such fantastic cheesecake. 3: Atmosphere of the restaurant is great. I love being in there - it's inviting, comfortable, and is just great to be at. Cons: 1: Croque Monsieur was hard as a rock on the edges, yet soggy in the middle. 2: Servers either seem to be indifferent to the customers (ignoring our drinks, leaving us to wait for 45 minutes for lunch). 3: Servers really aren't that knowledgeable about the menu and drinks. There was a lot of "I can ask". 4: Tables are wobbly, both outside and inside. I'll definitely be back. It's just that for a single mom and her 11 year old daughter, we won't be eating here as often as we'd like, given the prices. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Blue Cow. We began the meal with the Smoked Salmon Crostini...crisp toast with traditional, well balanced flavors of salmon, dill, and capers...a wonderful appetizer. For the main course, I ordered the the Duck Montmorency from the seasonal menu. This dish was an absolute delight. The duck was flavorful, cooked with the fat, and the cherry compote complimented the meat without being too sweet or overpowering. The grilled polenta on the side was likewise the perfect texture and flavor. Keep up the good work! We will definitely be back. read more

The four of us go out quite often to try new restaurants. Being as we live in Rodney, the Blue Cow was designated as the bite of the night. We were quickly seated, server took our drink order right away - things were going great! We placed our orders......... after having to ASK two different times if we were going to eat soon our food finally arrived 1 1/2 hours later! We were told that several people had come in AFTER us and it backed up the kitchen. Hmmmmm - something just doesn't seem right but OK as long as the food was great we would let it go. WELL our perch had no flavor what so ever - the pork chop was over done and the paella had a mass of grease in the bottom of the bowl. We will say the French Onion Soup was very good. We had to ask several times for additional beverages, had to ask to have our dishes cleared and had to ask for the check - which arrived promptly. Sad to say we have all decided to never try it again. We don't mind spending more money on dinner than usual but this was not acceptable at all. read more

I experienced Blue Cow for the first time today & I was pleasantly surprised! As a Ferris student, there seems to be an inaccurate perception that this restaurant is too expensive & sophisticated. Maybe this is what kept me away for so long. Too bad because I'd been missing out on full flavored, farm-to-table cuisine that's delicious & affordable. I'm already anticipating my next visit to try their home brewed beer & dinner menu. read more

Blue Cow - Mint + Lemon. Delicious! - American Near Me - Big Rapids, Michigan

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Stopped in for lunch as we were traveling through Michigan and were quite pleased. Very nice setting, food was very good, and the service was great. Not much more to say, I couldn't have been happier with our selection. read more

Great place! My husband and I were travel up north and decide to stop in Big Rapids for lunch. Glad we chose Blue Cow! Food was delicious and creative. Atmosphere was elegant but comfortable . We will definitely stop again ! ( would have given 5 stars but kitchen was a little slow which was surprising since not many customers at the time we came ) waiter was apologetic and great . read more

Amazing food! We loved the cheese plate, I had the vineyard chicken salad and my dining companion had the blueberry bleu cheese salad, both were delicious! Our server, Lauren, was phenomenal! We will go out of our way to stop at this delightful restaurant on future visits to northern michigan. read more

Great place to eat and excellent food. Salmon sandwich was wonderful.

We had a terrible experience next door and wandered into this place a few days ago. Excellent food, service, ambiance,... comfortable and sophisticated. We returned tonight from Traverse City. Well worth it. We will be back with our best friends. Waitstaff both times were perfect and added to everything! read more

I was really disappointed that the chicken had antibiotics and hormones and all meats but the hamburger are grass fed. The salmon is farm raised as well. At least they use olive oil and butter to cook in and in their housemade salad dressings. We have been here before and apparently have not been told the truth to. They advertise farm to table but apparently that means just the veggies. Used to go out of my way to go there but no thanks. read more

Wow what a delightful place for a romantic date. So enjoyed my meal. Oh my word delicious. Yes it was a little costly but I got money worth. read more

I'll start by saying that this place was highly recommended to me as a "farm to table" type of establishment. It was easy to find as we passed through Big Rapids, and not too busy for a Tuesday night. The mixed drinks were very reasonably priced as well. That's where the good pretty much ends. Service is key in a place like this - I expect the server to know about the menu and suggest pairings to us. Insofar as the menu changes often (per the website), this is key to a good dining experience. Our server was terrible and essentially ruined our meal. A few examples: 1) I asked if the mussels were fresh or frozen (a logical Q given that the menu prides itself on local and I don't know of any local mussels) - she had to go ask and returned with this pearl - "they are local and fresh." I ventured to order them anyway despite the clarity. They were either frozen or overcooked and had lots of broken shells (kitchen, please never serve these) 2) my friend ordered the chef's choice wine. She delivered it without knowing what it was. "I'll go find out." (this happened a lot, can you tell yet?) 3) my mussels were delivered without the bread the menu promised. It took about 15 minutes to heat and was only about 5 small slices. I was done anyway by the time it arrived. 4) someone asked what the well gin was (...let me ask) and she didn't even know the other options. 5) she was clearly unable to multitask. We counted 4 visits to the table NEXT to us where she never even looked at us to see our empty drinks. I had to go to the bar to order my own drink. Like I said, I'd heard good things and was excited to try the Blue Cow, but the horrible, unqualified and vapid server ruined our experience. It's sad - the menu looked great, the place looked great, and I'm sure there were some gems on the menu that a good server would have steered us to...but not this one :-( read more

After a terrible experience the first time, I hoped that it was just a one time thing. When we went back again it was even worse. Not only slow service (waited over an hour in an empty restaurant), but rude service and bland, boring food. Save your money...you will be disappointed at Blue Cow Cafe. read more

I really wanted to like this restaurant but it was super disappointing! I ordered the entree size tenderloin salad which was supposed to have blue cheese and blue cheese dressing on it. The steak was cooked fine, but literally had no flavor whatsoever. I found one tiny piece of blue cheese in my salad and when my salad arrived I couldn't see any dressing on it, so I asked for an extra side of dressing and my server told me they would prefer I try the salad first because I probably wouldn't need anymore. The dressing is labeled as made in house, which I probably wouldn't brag about since it was so watery and also had barely any blue cheese flavor! I spent the whole dinner adding salt and pepper to my salad and wishing for more blue cheese. My husband had the pork chop and while he liked it, he felt it was extremely dry and the potatoes which sounded so amazing on the menu were dry and flavorless. This is touted as one of the best restaurants in Big Rapids which I think is unfortunately because it definitely fell short of our expectations. read more

I was really excited to find a fine dining restaurant in Big Rapids! We had a medium group, made a reservation, ordered a couple of appetizers and then dinner. About the time we were expecting our dinners to be delivered a visiting team arrived and our server was diverted to help deliver salads to that table. I believe our dinners sat for 20 minutes before being delivered. Our vegetables were cold and the steaks were cool. One of the steaks was severely over cooked. Two meals were sent back and others at the table I think just accepted a sub standard meal. My biggest issue was the grizzly "filet". I was disappointed. I will say they took off a small percent from the two meals sent back so tried to compensate but even with that the price paid for the meal didn't begin to support the value received. read more

Best food hands down in Big Rapids. Only gets 4 stars as it is a little bit high priced, great menu, great drinks, great atmosphere. Try it he duck will not be sorry. read more

Risotto was bland and over cooked. Salmon looked like chum.. also tasted like canned tuna. Best part about the whole experience was the bread and butter. Should cook like it's Friday night service all the time. Will not return. Got very sick, and food poisoning! Stay away from this establishment! read more

Excellent menu, food was delicious, server was pleasant and professional. Sat on the patio as we had our little dog with us. We were on our way from Northern Michigan to Grand Rapids and went a little out of our way when we found this on Yelp...it was so worth it. The seafood penne pasta was wonderful as was the flatbread pizza. The menu is inventive, French based but with other influences mixed in. Well worth a visit. read more

We have stoped here several times. There are not a lot of options between Traverse City and Grand Rapids and it can take a lot of extra time getting in and out of there. We were able to walk in on a Friday night, and there was enough of a crowd that with the nice background music it felt festive with a neighborhood bistro feel. My old fashioned with a local male bourbon was great. Our entrees, champagne chicken and perch, were delicious. I love their Caesar salad, the dressing is lighter with a tiny bit of sweetness. I loved that the vegetables were crisp and that our waitress asked me if I wanted the full or half portion of chicken with my entree. The single breast of chicken was more than enough! read more