It starts with the amazing aromas upon entrance as you are greeted with friendly faces of the staff. There is a wall of windows for natural light, plenty of seating options to make for a cozy and intimate ambiance. I love that they showcase art and beautiful fixtures from around the globe. I had the Gochugaru Shrimp (Fusion) and my boyfriend had the Cubano (Cuba). Both were equally delicious. We wanted to get the Gumbo but it was such a favorite over the weekend, they were out. I was impressed with carefully curated menu, great job Chef. This was a short walking distance from my hotel in downtown Grand Rapids and it did not disappoint us! If I every get back to Gran Rapids, i will be back! read more

San Chez was my favorite restaurant in GR for years, so when by sheer happenstance I walked into this location and discovered that it's by Sna Chez, my estimations went from curiosity to high expectations. Let me say there was absolutely nothing disappointing about this experience. For some idiotic reason I forgot to write down the name of my dish, probably cause I was shoving it into my mouth super fast but the one thing I can tell you was that it was amazing. The sheer mix of flavors was nothing short of a wild disco on my taste buds. It was so amazingly delicious, the service was impeccable and the setting so stunningly beautiful and I can't wait to come back again. read more

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If you want a wide range of cuisines in one place, Roam is the place to eat. I've never had west African jollof rice nor even seen it on a menu so I had to try it. While warned it was spicy, I did not find it spicy. Yes, it had a touch of heat especially compared to Midwestern American diet, but it got neither my nose nor eyes running and only mildly hit my tongue. If you cook, you know you have to peel away all layers of an onion to the first fully hydrated layer. Partially dehydrated onion once cooked becomes like cardboard or paper. I found once such piece of onion in my dish. Since it was just one, it didn't ruin the dish but they need to peel more carefully in the future. They have good hummus. They serve it with sliced vegetables and pita. It's a generous amount of hummus and vegetables and pita and hummus didn't outlast the dippables and dippables didn't outlast the hummus. GET THE MANGO RICE! Wonderful, toasted, nutty almonds slivers, warm sautéd mango chunks with hint of cinnamon, warm sticky rice, and a lightly sweet cream to pour all over. Reasonable prices, many menu choices. Ambiance is basic but food is great. read more

Roam by San Chez - Mango sticky rice - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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While visiting Grand Rapids, MI, we stopped here for dinner and I was really looking forward to trying the spinning ribeye, but unfortunately they were out of it that night. Nothing else on the menu really caught my attention, so we decided to try a cocktail and an appetizer instead. They do offer some special appetizers that aren't listed on the main menu, which was a nice surprise. The appetizer was a little different, but the quality was definitely good. My drink was delicious, and they even allowed me to purchase a second one to go, which is always a plus lol. It's a nice, quaint little restaurant, and I noticed one server handling the entire place while still doing a great job. On my next visit, I'll definitely give them another try. read more

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We mistakenly thought this was a food hall, but we were still pretty happy with our visit here. It's light and airy inside, with lots of color and references to different countries and cultures. The waiter was friendly and quick to check in. He also made suggestions of things he really liked. I went with a delicious non-alcoholic drink. I love anything with desert or prickly pear, and the Red Desert ended up being the perfect bright and refreshing pairing for our lunch. My husband and I shared the jollof rice. It was good and plenty spicy. It was wonderful with buttery and slightly sweet parantha. Overall, I was very happy this wound up on our radar. read more

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Oh yes! Immediately a yes from me, this is exactly my kinda place! A restaurant that makes dishes from all over the world, yes please! We stopped in here with our food tour ( highly recommend!) we all got a drink and this chinese wrap called Jian Bing, a thin crepe wrapped with egg filled with pork and a sweet like hoisin sauce, it was delicious! Unique, filling, and tasted great! I got a margarita with a mango tajin popsicle in it and super cool you could take it with you and walk around! read more

Roam by San Chez - Jian Bing - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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First getting in we were greeted by Shawna, made us feel appreciated. She ended up waiting on us as well and we loved her. Friendly and great sense of humor. Very knowledgeable about the menu and Grand Rapids in general. The food was excellent. For myself, I got the gumbo. I have been to New Orleans a dozen times and I would rate this gumbo right up with what I have had in New Orleans. Overall great experience. The restaurant itself was eclectic and cool. read more

Service was phenomenal here! Also every bite felt very well crafted and intentional. Where my experience felt missed was with the jollof rice and the paratha- I was confused about the two pieces when the meal didn't necessarily need that. Paratha is usually dipped in a curry or scooped with fried veggies, but not with rice. So just confused about the plating otherwise perfect portion sizes! The smokiness of the corn really elevated the ensalada de elote!! The inside of the restaurant was perfect for both date nights and big group dinners- the lighting and vibes 5/5! read more

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while in town for conference, we decided to give Roam a try and we were so pleased that we did. Their menu is a variety of ethnic cuisines that one would only describe as unique to the area. Servers were very attentive, and the food was very flavorful. A very short walk from our hotel and I'd certainly come back and try it again. read more

Roam by San Chez - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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This spot is always packed on Broadway GR performance nights due to its proximity to DeVos but it was just never really on my radar. I went in 2018 and that was the last time I'd been, until recently. A friend told me about the paneer poutine and how much she loved it, so I decided to check and see if I could get a reservation before our showing of Hamilton. The only time I could get at first was 4:15 pm (for our 7:30 show)... not ideal, but I took it just to have on the books. I checked the afternoon of the show and was able to update to a 6 pm reservation, which was perfect. The menu is really interesting because they serve dishes from all over the world. Some of the items are fusion/inspired cuisine, and everything sounded really tasty. There are not many options for vegans. We were seated right away when we arrived and the whole restaurant was full. Definitely make a reservation! Even if you think it won't be busy, with the Amway across the street and convention attendees etc. it's a popular spot. It was also VERY loud. Our server was very kind and friendly and pointed out some special features, including their fun Hamilton-themed cocktails. Nate was pretty hungry but I didn't want to eat too much before the show... spoiler alert, we still got way too much food. I ordered the paneer poutine with lamb, and Nate got the paratha tacos (one mojo chicken and one Korean BBQ) and we also ordered a side of veggies, for health. Our food did take longer to come out than I was expecting, considering they were hustling and must be used to the pre-show dinner rush crowd. I was actually getting a little anxious as I saw other dishes coming out for other groups, but we finally got our food and it was delicious! The poutine was so tasty and a massive portion. We definitely could have split just that and still been very full. It would make a good starter for a group of 4. The tacos were a big portion and the paratha bread they're on is super delicious and flaky. I really loved the food we had and would definitely come back before a future show! I'll just remember to order less. read more

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Roam is a gorgeous melting pot of different cuisines from around the globe at a central location in downtown Grand Rapids. The food was excellent and the drinks were even better! read more

Roam by San Chez - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Pleasantly surprised! Love the concept it's so fun trying different foods from around the world. The fried were delicious I love the sauces it came with, the hummus was good the raw garlic was a bit sharp, and the fried potato balls were great. Lovely drinks, ambiance, and service as well. read more

Roam by San Chez - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

We were looking for a unique experience and found Roam. We absolutely loved the environment! It was beautifully decorated. Lots of windows and sunlight. We enjoyed some delicious cocktails and really enjoyed our meals. read more

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I only am eating out because I'm traveling, and was looking for something healthy, local and not corporatized. Lured in by marketing and hype but regret it $50 later for two lunch items. Parking is $3 even for pick up, food is clever but expensive, and no evidence the food is sourced from other than corporate conglomerates. Yet even with expensive price they add surcharge for the credit card fee (do they even take cash for to go orders?), and mandate a tip even for pick up - pay your employees a living wage and health care! read more

We explored this place for lunch today and were so impressed! Roam has this modern eclectic global vibe that made for such a cool and unique place. Dylan helped us out and shared menu highlights and the special (brisket boa buns appetizer- incredible!!) and had that perfect balance of checking in/taking care of us and giving us our space to cram delicious food into our mouths- without any judgement but tons of friendliness. We ended up sharing so many things because it was too hard to pick 1-2. Hash balls- perfection! Perfect balance of crispy outside and creamy and saucy on the inside. That cilantro "ranch" was the perfect sauce to pair it with and I do not like cilantro. The Joloff Rice had such an amazing depth of flavors, it made me smile when I took my first bite. We got the Filipino Pork Skewers with the java rice and when you have both of those in one bite, it's so delicious and balanced. We also shared the Smoky Havana taco and Seoul Street taco and it was my first time having paratha bread as a taco shell but now I'm questioning why isn't that just the norm. Why?? The depth of flavor in both these tacos is what fusion cooking is all about. I wanted to fall out of my chair it was so darn good. Round of applause to the chefs and the stunningly talented person(s) who came up with this menu!! Highly recommend this place and we can't wait to go back! read more

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Very unique restaurant concept- every menu item is from a distinct country/location. The food was delicious. I did feel like the service was adequate- but our waitress seemed to not be as attentive to us after we decided not to order drinks (compared to the service I saw her give others)- that would be the improvement I would suggest to earn the 5th star. I would return again though. read more

Roam by San Chez - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Four of us came in for dinner this past Friday. Food, service and price all exceeded our expectations. We each had a different cuisine for dinner. They were all exceptional. Our waiter was attentive. We also loved the music that was playing! read more

I could see Roam from my hotel window and had to try it. I am still thinking about the scrumptious Sweet Aloha Skewers: Two sweet & salty glazed pork belly & pineapple skewers, mango guacamole, pepper jelly, charcoal grilled corn in the husk. My friend had the fish and chips and they were a bit too crispy. I also had the Gochugaru Shrimp: Cast Iron skillet shrimp with clarified butter, garlic, gochugaru flakes, cilantro, & lemon. Served with crostini. The shrimp were quite flavorful and I loved dipping the Crostini into the butter sauce! They also have a very nice drink menu. I liked the relaxing casual industrial vibe and the customer service was excellent. I wanted to try to go back before leaving but unfortunately could not make it back over. However I do plan to return when back in Grand Rapids just for the skewers if nothing else! read more

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Truly an eclectic menu with influences from all over the world. You are sure to find something (if not many things) that spark your interest. Also great options/modifications for vegetarian/vegan. I'm still dreaming about the mango sticky rice and the slam slammy. I will say, the parking situation is not ideal and it's right in front of the theater so be aware if there is a big show, might be more challenging or just be prepared to park in one of many parking lots. read more

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Roam is still one of my favorite restaurants to eat ate. Dinned in alone and I started with the Paneer Poutine and I will tell you I texted a few different people to tell them how delicious this was and that they need to get down there and try it! Words truly don't describe how delicious it was! I never had poutine with an Indian twist on it and it was phenomenal. Every ingredient mixed together so well, the pickled onions with the spicy tiki masala sauce the creamy coconut drizzle, and then the crunchy cheese curds with the fries. I might have to go back again before the menu changes, which is another thing I love about is Roam the menu is always changing. I then got my favorite Paratha Tacos. I ordered the Korean barbecue and the chicken and the cream of barbecue is my favorite with the spicy pork and the kimchi on it and I don't know how they make their shells, but they are so good! I I also got a cocktail Don't wanna lychee go and it was very good a very tropical twist. I will definitely be back again and again. read more

Roam by San Chez - Paneer Poutine - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Unique, delicious food & drinks, great service & atmosphere, recommend the fish taco & a margarita.

We were there on a Wednesday night (5:45 to 6:50 pm), ate at the bar as we didn't have reservations. The decor was very cool with beautiful light fixtures hanging down. There is an outside area for dining, when MI weather cooperates. I had the Kati Roll & oh my gosh the flavorful explosion on my first bite all the way through. All I can say is WOW! it was all wonderful, would highly recommend this place. read more

Roam by San Chez - The Kati Roll with fries. - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I went back and got the Singapore Curry because it seemed to also get some good reviews. I'm sorry, but I wasn't a fan of it. It just didn't taste authentic... and didn't have that real curry kick to it. But I don't want to dock them off stars for just that; I think if you're not too picky with curry, this dish is fine for you. But the presentation was nice! But I also got the Jian Bing again and it was still just as good. Also got the Hash Balls - okay, those were REALLY good, and I would recommend them. Crispy on the outside but soft on the inside - I loved the texture. Came out piping hot. Very flavorful and fun to eat. Also got the Kati Roll - it was fine. It was a bit dry on the inside and the lamb and eggs just tasted breakfasty to me, but it was still good to eat. I probably wouldn't get it again though, but it might just be a personal preference. Fries were good! But, the vibe of this place is super cool and I still like this place a lot because of the ambience and the service. read more

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Recent repeat visit to Roam reminded me what a nice niche this place fills. Firstly, it's the closest restaurant and bar to the performance hall and convention center, right across the street. Now, they have started to accept evening reservations for dinner, which is TOTALLY AWESOME, especially when you have a timed event to go to before or after dinner. During my most recent visit, it was a busy Saturday night. I was out with a mid-size group and we enjoyed very good service. We really enjoyed a sampling of skewers, as well as drinks and a few entrees. There really is something for everyone on the menu! read more

Roam by San Chez - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I've been twice and loved it both times. The food is excellent, and the staff is super friendly. Highly recommend it! read more

Roam by San Chez - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Food - great, very unique Ambience - intriguing Service - awesome! We had Satay (chicken), Gochugaru Shrimp, and Poutine. We would order again! read more

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Haven't been to Roam in a while but wanted to take the husband for our anniversary. This is such a great restaurant! Service is always quick and the food is delicious! I love the hash balls. Tonight we tried the Korean BBQ tacos and they were amazing! Drinks are also very tasty. Everything is so unique, but oh so good! It is smaller so depending on the time of day you may want to make a reservation. It can get noisy when busy but it is nicely located near a lot of local attractions. Definitely worth a stop if you are downtown! read more

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Great vibes, amazing meal, and wonderful staff. I really enjoyed the twist on mango sticky rice and the steak was incredible read more

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Amazing food & Service! I would come back just for the Hash Balls alone. They were so delicious and the sauce they used was so sweet. The food I got was a perfect mix of flavors and proteins. Just the right amount of spice too! Definitely recommend this spot. read more

Roam by San Chez - Food - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Amazing service, cocktails and food! Helpfully made a reservation to grab dinner before a show. Everything was phenomenal. read more

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We're in town for work. Linked up with a friend of mine. Since we were both runners we decided to do an easy 5k around the river. The off to brunch. Right here, cause you know, I'm doing the review, obviously. Let's get to the food. Handheld Special: Terriyaki Pork Sandwich was super good. Had a good kick of spice but not overwhelming. Well, not for me, but I'm sure it'll be something harsh for non spice people. Elote Salad: Roasted corn was to die for. I adore the combination with the avocado and the greens. Definitely a great eating salad in my book. I am very happy with the decor of the place. Open concept, industrial style with a very inviting atmosphere. The service was really good as well. Our host was extremely welcoming, although had to request a different table from his first suggestion. We wanted to be closer to the window so we can get a good view. We like to eat and have the option to people watch. Our server was superb thought and that is what's important. Overall, I'm giving this spot all the 5 stars. Great experience, awesome food and very close to our hotel. Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!! Muchisimas Gracias y hasta pronto! read more

Roam by San Chez - (",) - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ate here again a year later for dinner, plus popped in once for appetizers. Still very good, great staff. No more fish tacos, which is sad; I loved those. Now it was a chicken taco, very large, my friend enjoyed but could only eat one, packed the other to go. One had fish & chips, she enjoyed it but couldn't eat it all--2 large pieces fish on top of tons of fries. One had the Kati Roll & really enjoyed it (I had that last year & really liked it). I had the Bao Buns & was under impressed, the pork belly pieces were small & very fatty/chewy, & it had way too much kimchi--the dish just seemed in balanced. One day we popped in for an appetizer & LOVED the hash balls--so cheesy & delicious! Cute place, bright & cheery read more

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I have been wanting to try this place for a long time and it did not disappoint! I loved the varied menu and cocktails. I recommend the crab Rangoon dip and hash balls. The poke bowl with fried tofu was also delicious. The service was great as well. Attentive but not intrusive. read more

During my work trip to Grand Rapids I wanted to eat something unique and Roam hit the spot. My entire meal had its on twist to the usual dinner options. Tacos warmed my belly and the lemonade was quenching. Welcoming service as soon as I opened the door which I appreciated. Small and quaint..I like. The jury is still out on that kimchi ;) read more

Roam by San Chez - Chicken taco and pork taco with extra kimchi. Lemonade to drink. - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I loved this place! We stopped in before a show across the street, and it was such a wonderful time. The food and drinks were delicious, and the service was great. We dined outside, and the street ambiance was relaxing. I will definitely return to this location. Sorry, no cute curated photos of food today because it was so delicious we cleaned our plates. The other posted food pictures are accurate. When I return, maybe I'll have enough patience to photograph before eating. Enjoy!! read more

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Roam has always held a special place in our hearts since we are such avid lovers of food from different cultures. It's the perfect place for when you feel like Thai food and your partner is craving fish and chips. The food is always well seasoned and transports you across the world from the comfort of GR. read more

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We came on a quiet, rainy day, which I loved--it made the atmosphere feel so calm and peaceful, especially since we were the only ones there at the time. The restaurant has big windows and cute hanging lights, which added to the cozy vibe and inviting atmosphere. Our server was incredibly kind and helpful, making our first visit a great experience. As for the food, everything was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. Overall, a wonderful spot that I'd definitely recommend! The food was delicious and cooked perfectly, but I didn't feel great after eating. However, my two friends were completely fine, so it may have just been me. Because of that, I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5. read more

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I finally tried Roam by San Chez with a friend a few weeks ago and it was amazing! We were running a little late for our reservation, but they were extremely kind and understanding about it (Tip: I recommend making reservations online, however, they do keep half of the restaurant open for walk ins. Also, if you're running a little late, like we were, give them a quick call to let them know!) Our server Nate was super friendly and helpful (definitely made the entire experience better!). The inside was small and intimate, which I quite liked! My friend and I ordered the hummus appetizer to share and I ordered the jian bing. Both were super delicious! The bing was humongous, and super flavorful. It had the right amount of spiciness and was very filling. I loved that the menu had a lot of different types of dishes to choose from (if you have a party/group of friends that are indecisive or want a variety of dishes, this is the place to go to!). I'll definitely have to come back and try more of their dishes! read more

Roam by San Chez - Hummus - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Came here for lunch on a snowy Saturday in December right when they opened and we were definitely the only people here for a while. They are located in more of the business-y area of downtown Grand Rapids, so maybe that's a part of it. Absolutely LOVE ROAM! The ambiance is immaculate - great music, great staff, and great references to pop culture in their drink menu!! Also INCREDIBLE FOOD! They have different kinds of food from all over the world showcased on their menu and there are options for every dietary restriction as well! I had vegans and gluten free friends in my group and everyone came away happy with what they had ordered! I love it here, the vibes are casual so very well suited for lunch, but I can also see how it gets bumping more into the evening! San Chez is a staple in the Grand Rapids area and has a few different restaurants located throughout. Looking forward to trying some of these other ones whenever I'm in the area! read more

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Food was amazing and service was great! We are looking forward to going there again in the future with friends.