My friends and I decided to have a girls night here and was pleasantly surprised at the experience!…read moreThey truly do embody the "casual" environment and is very approachable. They have a smaller dining space, so a reservation is recommended (you have to call, no online option) but when we arrived, they were ready and seated us promptly! We each got some sort of steak, potato and veggie combo and it was all VERY delicious! They offer you complementary homemade bread (this did take a bit of time, but they were warm when they came out) and we easily devoured it! I will say that it was a little slower than anticipated, but still very good. I would hope the bread would come out sooner than our appetizers. I ordered the caesar salad (very large) and included bleu cheese which was not listed on the menu. I would definitely list that on the menu unless it was an accident? We got bleu cheese on the bruschetta which listed another cheese, so again, I do think that they need to disclose this. I like it but most do not! I also ordered the $29 steak deal, which for the size and meal, I am very happy with! I ordered it medium rare and it was cooked properly. More rare than medium, which is how I like it! I think I'd like to come back and try it again, but for a good steak meal, it's approachable without feeling like it's TOO casual with peanuts on the ground. Parking is available across the street, but you do have to cross West River Drive, which can be a lot, but cars were patient while we made our way across. I'll definitely be back!

I am honestly shocked by how great some of the reviews are. It makes me wonder if it depends…read moreentirely on the day you go. My husband and I decided to check this place out on a Monday night for dinner. He had been craving a good steak for awhile, and we were excited to try a new spot. Nearly immediate disappointment. It was completely empty when we walked in, and right away we were asked if we had a reservation. We did not. The hostess seemed a little put off by this, but sat us anyway. I do understand that it's possible they had a whole group of reservations about to show up, but it was an off-putting reaction for our first time in. Our tablecloth was a little dirty and the music was a little loud, but we didn't want that to deter us, so we ordered drinks, and started looking over the menu. I decided on the salmon, and my husband was deciding on which steak. It turns out, they were out of the 6oz and all 3 of the 10oz steaks. If we had known this when we were seated, we may have come back another night. He decided on the 16oz Prime New York Strip with asparagus and mashed potatoes as the sides. Oh, they were also out of the salmon, so I ordered the shrimp accompaniment and the side Caesar salad. Already facing disappointment since they were out of so much of the menu. It got so much worse when the food arrived. The steak certainly didn't look like an actual 16oz cut, and was as thin as a cafeteria steak. It was at least cooked as asked at medium rare and had a decent char, but it was also served nearly room temperature. The steak knife was also super dull, which didn't help. The asparagus melted in your mouth, in a kind of over-cooked way, and the potatoes were so dry it was like they had been under a heat lamp for half an hour. The gravy basically tasted like a cheap canned gravy. My Caesar salad was...weird. Yes, it was a side salad, but the bowl it came in was huge, so it looked like a sad little thrown together salad. It tasted fine until I got to the bottom and there were massive chunks of bleu cheese. First of all, the menu did NOT say the Caesar would have bleu cheese - I wouldn't have ordered it. And I'm not sure it was supposed to be there since it was just chunks at the bottom, almost like they started serving the wrong salad and just plopped the correct one on top. The shrimp accompaniment was the star of the whole meal. Decent sized, seasoned well, and not over-cooked. The whole experience was just not good. I'm giving 2 stars since we did eat our food, and didn't complain to anyone, but realistically we probably should have just left when we learned they were out of 4 of their 8 steaks and the basic fish entree. Based on the experience, and how many other restaurants there are in town, I'm pretty confident we won't go back.

They gave me the wrong expensive bill and the Gm was…read moreincredibly rude as well as sarah a mgr , They made me call back 3 times for less than a $10 discrepancy and provided no incentive to return, I would never recommend this as the food was just less than mediocre and the staff sloppy, As a retired person I would never return to a place I was treated so poorly.

Awful awful Easter brunch experience. Shit show and unfriendly service. Then we had to walk about…read morea mile through the crowds at the front desk to get our food. It was not worth the money and will never go back. Also, the service staff were not friendly, and honestly, not dressed appropriately for a "finer dining" experience Not impressed and contemplating asking for the $$ back.

Having a good time together on the 27th floor at the Amway Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. Caroline…read moreand her husband came from Arizona for the Board Meeting in Michigan. Meeting new people is always fun! Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and Madrid Tapas Bar had beautiful views and great ambiance. We had ceviche, octopus, pork belly and sangria together!

I had one of the best meals I can remember at MDRD. First, the restaurant has a beautiful view of…read morethe river. I was with a large group, so I got to sample a number of tapas, which were ordered for the table. I loved the Iberico Pork Belly, and the Wild Boar Empanadas. I thought the Croquetas and the Patatas Bravos were good, though there are other things I'd order in the future. I thought the Ceviche Mixta was ok, though I'm not usually a fan of ceviche, and this was better than most. My least favorite was the Pulpo a la Gallega. While the octopus was tender, it had an unpleasant fishy flavor. I got the Chuletas de Cordero for a main course, and was so happy with the dish. The lamb chops were cooked perfectly and seasoned well. I really liked the chickpea topping. My only quibble was the dried apple slices added nothing to the dish. They had an unpleasant chewy texture, little flavor, and didn't add to the aesthetics. I would order this again in a heartbeat. I ordered the Árbol de Frambuesa, and it was an amazing dessert. The chocolate souffle was thicker and creamier than I expected, but it was so delicious! I don't want to ruin the surpise of this dish by describing how it looked. I would also order this again.

We tried a little bit of everything and it was all amazing! From the moment you walk in, the mood…read moreis elegant, sexy, and cozy. Each room features a different theme, like the game clue. We ate in the study--it was cozy and intimate complete with a fireplace. We were visiting friends and I wish we lived closer bc I'd definitely go back! Everything was 10/10. What we tried: Starters: Bar cheese Dates Mains: Bison short ribs Butterflied rainbow trout Lamb T-bones Roasted Amish chicken Wine: Domain de couron Merlot Drinks: NA phone Negroni NA sage in scarlet

We went to dinner at this fabulous restaurant in Grand Rapids. Scholar is such a beautiful space…read more It has three distinct levels. We sat in the Study on the lower level. The study was beautifully decorated, warm and inviting. Cameron took care of us. Nice guy and attentive. Hubby and I started with cocktails. He had an interesting bourbon drink with aperol and amaro. It was so good - and pretty! I had my usual bees knees. Missed the mark unfortunately. It had some fizz, which it should just be gin, lemon and honey. No soda. We ordered the deviled eggs as a starter. They were made with dijon and cornichons, topped with paprika, chives and lardon. Such a delicious bite. Hubby had the salmon tacos from the daily special menu. He loved the Spanish rice that came on the plate and the perfectly seasoned moist salmon. I had the seafood tagliatelle with shrimp, crab, salmon belly, fennel, and capers in a vodka sauce topped with toasted breadcrumbs. It was amazing! Thankfully, we had a refrigerator in our hotel room because I took half the tagliatelle to go. I highly recommend this restaurant if you're ever in the Grand Rapids area. The space is beautiful, the food is delicious and the service is spot on. Great find!

Everything we had was totally awesome. Giving it 5 stars, however, we put in our reservation we…read morewere celebrating a birthday. We were celebrating two. We were never asked if it was special occasion by host or waiter. It wasn't the exact day but I heard waiter ask every one else. Also kitchen forgot to add the seafood to my gazpacho. Fixed error promptly. It was excellent by the way. Pics of Easter Halibut and Filet Oscar.

This restaurant was right across the street from our hotel and we hadn't made reservations but we…read morewere able to sit at a high top table in the bar area. The prices are high, but not as high as Ruth's Chris across the street and I actually liked the food better. I got the Lump Crab cake dinner and it is amazing! It comes with 2 crab cakes, mashed potatoes and green beans. I took leftovers and had a great snack later. My friend got the fish and chips and said it was delicious and he had leftovers too because it was a big portion. The service was great and food was phenomenal!

Fabulous food! Great ambiance, love the chef's passion. If you are a foodie, you have to try it!!read more

My wife and I went for dinner tonight, and were impressed! We were served by the chef/owner…read moreBenjamin, who was really nice! We started with the bruschetta, which was light, fresh and flavorful. My wife had the bacon wrapped pork loin, which was very tender and had a really nice sauce. I had the seared duck breast, which was the best meal I've had in several months. This is definitely one to try out!

I quite adored this little restaurant. It felt very elevated with the service to match. It was a…read morepleasant experience from the beginning. Although it is small with limited seating, I think it makes it difficult for reservations as they cannot always clear the table at your reservation time. But in their defense, I can see how you would want to spend more time at your table catching up with friends or a loved one with how intimate this restaurant is. However, I thought the food was excellent. It was all perfectly cooked and displayed eloquently. The handmade pasta most certainly did not disappoint. The ingredients tasted fresh. I personally enjoy when the plates are smaller, it's always fun to share with others. Though it would be worth mentioning that each plate is quite pricey but I thought it was worth the cost.

We came in around 10:15pm on Saturday 6/13/26 after seeing a show at the DeVos. We sat at the bar…read moreand were taken care of by both bartenders. Things were definitely winding down - but we didn't feel rushed or like they wanted us to leave. We enjoyed a couple cocktails and the whipped feta appetizer, which is seasonal. The bread that is served with it is so darn good!

Trust me when I say... put Trust Restaurant on your list of places to try. It's "new American with…read moresoul" and features a 7 course chef's tasting menu each night they're open for dinner (Thursday through Saturday as of their opening). This is upscale dining and a whole experience and I really enjoyed it. It's not going to be for everyone at $100 per person for the tasting menu (no a la carte options available for dinner as of now), but I thought it was definitely worth it with the quality of ingredients and unique takes on traditional dishes. Reservations are required and the whole spot only seats 20-25 people, with a chef's table option where you can see into the open kitchen or the other small dining area towards the entrance. We were greeted right away when we walked in and were brought to our table that had personalized menus in envelopes with wax seals. I loved that. The courses were served in a leisurely fashion, allowing time for relaxing and chatting. Nate and I weren't in a hurry, but allow for extra time for this experience as they tighten up their service a bit. (We were there for about three hours.) The menu will change monthly and seasonally, but my favorites were the Tea Party (a unique and interactive take on collard greens), Crimson and Cream (grits in a ravioli + lobster, yum), and Blessed By Smoke (wagyu steak with savory, creamy beans). All of the food was seasoned very well and everything was cooked perfectly. The portions are not huge, but I felt satisfied after the full 7 rounds. There are wine pairings available, but I would stick to a glass or two next time. I found that the pairings were a bit pricey for someone like me who's not a wine connoisseur. You can also order cocktails from Teller's Lounge next door and they will bring them right to your table. I'm glad to see another fine dining option in the area that has personality and flair! The playlist was bumping (in a good way) and I can't wait to come back to try brunch. I'm excited to see how this spot evolves.

I don't say this lightly: this was the best meal I've had at a restaurant in Grand Rapids. Full…read morestop. Chef Trimell Hawkins has built something truly special at Trust GR. The seven-course tasting menu is called "New American with soul," and that description couldn't be more accurate. Every course had a name that told a story before you even took a bite - Confit at Midnight, Blessed by Smoke, Caramel and Craquelin. He had me at smoked labneh. The bottom of the menu defines the word "trust," and it sets the tone perfectly. Chef Trimell isn't just opening a restaurant. He's making a promise to every guest who walks through that door, and he absolutely delivers on it. The space is intimate and beautiful, the service is warm and attentive, and the food is on another level. This is the kind of dining experience Grand Rapids has been waiting for. Go make a reservation. You won't regret it.