Local Watering Holes

You don't have to worry about whether to enter from the front or the back because the restaurant won't let you enter in the front 😊 So around the back we went. After a small hallway we found two dining rooms, one that included the bar and that's the space we wanted. It looked cozy and comfortable with some really cool ceiling lamps. There is lots of fun and informative signage everywhere. We started with a Salted Carmel Porter, and Boston Lager, an Old Fashioned, and a Bud. The Bud came in a large aluminum bottle and tasted like college 😉 We were all happy with our choices. Our appetizers were the Tavern Pickles with Ranch, and Pizza Puffs with Beer Cheese and Tomato Sauce.  Dill pickle spears, ham, and swiss cheese are wrapped in egg roll skins and deep fried - artfully constructed and pretty, pretty good. We also enjoyed the fluffy fried dough balls, aka Pizza Puffs. Some appetizers were just $6.00 during Happy Hour which is an excellent value. Three of us went for the ...

Any conversation regarding this restaurant has to begin with the historic building. According to Zillow, it was built in 1920. Bono Italian restaurant was established here in 1974 and their name is still on the structure. The Sazerac Lounge opened in 2005 (this 2011 photo shows the Sazerac name).  (Information from Michael Page in the West Michigan Then & Now group states that this three story building was built in 1890 and was known as the Shanahan block. Maurice Shanahan lived in a nearby house and was treasurer of the Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company for many years. Part of the building called Shanahan Hall was used as a meeting place for fraternal organizations and various neighborhood groups. Maurice Shanahan, 8/3/1848 - 12/24/1910.) In 2012, the lounge was forced to change its name due to trademark bullying by The Sazerac Company of New Orleans. Since then it's been the Rezervoir. However, they still serve Sazeracs, the official cocktail of New Orleans. The restaurant has a...