Local Watering Holes

  Back in 1890, this building opened as the North Star Saloon and Hotel which closed sometime in the early 1900s. It became Mill Creek Tavern in 1999, and no one we talked to was definite about the time in between. But to be fair, our servers were all fairly new. The current owner, Scott Ingersoll, bought the business in December of 2021. From comments in some facebook history groups (thanks, Jamie Wasilchenko & Nan Schichtel), the following information came to light. Joseph Thiel was an immigrant from Germany who owned the hotel at the time of his death in 1913. And courtesy of Travis Brown:  When the Soldier's Home (Veterans Facility) was built along the Grand River near North park, there was a federal law that prohibited alcohol sales within one mile of the Soldiers Home. Comstock Park was just beyond that one mile threshold and as a result numerous bars sprung up there. Betty's BBQ was somewhere near Mill Creek Tavern, and  Louie's may have been at this location o...

The township of Grattan was formed in 1846 and became an Irish Catholic settlement. It was named after Henry Grattan, an Irish politician (1746-1820). This charming pub was established in 1937 and has since catered to the local population. The menu may not be strictly Irish but they do have Guinness on tap and the decor definitely says Irish. We rounded off the Guinness with an Oberon, an Arnold Palmer and an Old Fashioned. It's best to stick with the beer here and avoid cocktails. Our starters were lightly battered fried mushrooms seasoned with garlic, and onion rings, thick slices of onion dipped in homemade batter. They were both pretty good bar food appetizers with the onion rings being exceptional! Tonight was burrito night and for the first time ever we all ordered the same thing. It was an excellent choice. Spicy seasoned ground beef and refried beans were served up in a flour tortilla and topped with lettuce, chopped tomatoes and onions, melted cheddar cheese and a housemad...

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...