Two to try in Michigan

I've nothing to add (I live far away), but just want to note that this is just a pleasant and very civil thread. Not common these days!

quote:

Originally posted by joetank

I also have fond memories of the Bray's chain. I know there's a newer one still open on Ford Road in Westland or Garden City, but are any of the old-school ones with the donkey statues still around?

Though never eaten at Bray's, there is still an "old-school" one in Hazel Park, MI on John R. Rd & 9 Mile that still has the donkey statue on the roof!

the Goat burger at the Bloated Goat in Fowlerville (yes it is 100% beef!!!) and the Big C burger 3/4 # burger at Clydes Drive ins in the Upper Penninsula, honorable mention to The 1# burger at Timber Charlies in Newberry

One of my favorite burgers is a place called Burger Street in Flint. It's on Hill Road between US-23 and I-475 (1 mile from my office, so I eat there regularly). A little drive through place that may seat a dozen people, but they make very good burgers. I reccomend the cheeseburger with everything, but my wife likes the mushroom-Swiss. Order it with Vernors Ginger Ale.

Another good one is Jumbos Bar in Owosso. Locally famous burgers for many years, they are on Washington Street a couple blocks south of M-21.

I'm going to try the Bloated Goat. I've driven by there many times, but never stopped.

The Big C at Clyde's is great, but I _think_ it is over the $5 limit.

If we are staying over the limit, I would include teh Paul Bunyan Burger at the Antlers in Sault Ste Marie.

Keith

PS: Clyde's also does a nice perch sandwich.

quote:

Originally posted by Oneiron339

All you MSU'ers, how about some burger advice for E. Lansing, especially about a few miles east on the main drag from MSU (near the Circuit City).

Try Nip 'N Sip on the north side of Lansing, it's an old drive-in that hasn't changed a bit in 30+ years I've been going there. The Doubleburger is fantastic. More info at http://www.michigandriveins.com/driveinrestaurants.asp

We have been to a great place called Carter's in Dearborn on Outer Drive. It used to be a part of a small chain in the Detroit area. This place is so cool...it is 24 hours and has the greatest burgers! It has stools to sit on and you can drink Vernor's which is our state POP (soda to you other people)They have great onion rings...crispy and hot and tasty. There is one other one in another nearby suburb which we have not made it to yet!Ask for Deinse when you go there...she is the greatest!

I found Millers to be forgettable. The burger was tasteless, raw in the middle, and made from pre-made patties. To me, a good burger contains about a pound of beef, ground to order. The meat must be cooked rare to medium rare (not raw), and must be fatty enough to be juicy without swimming in grease (around 87% lean). The meat must be decent enough quality such that you don't need any condiments to make it tasty.

The atmosphere though was 1950s Detroit.

I've suggested Lena Lous (Ada, MI) in the past. Had a fellow Roadfooder trek down there from Arizona to report back they dont have their kitchen open anymore.. What an insult.. Best burgers in town and they close down..

Anyways, been over a dozen years since I've been to this place, but the Choo Choo Grill (I think thats what its called) on Plainfield just north of Leonard St. (west side of the road) has a decent greasy burger (Grand Rapids).. It's an old train station thats been converted to a restraunt years ago. (Small red sliver of a building). Either way, everyone I talk to recomends this place, so it should be good...

Try the Red Coat Tavern at Woodward and 14 mile. Awesome burgers with a long list of toppings to choose from. Try the regular burger before you go crazy with exotic toppings. Do get the hand battered onion rings or mushrooms or maybe both. Millers doesn't come close IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by dews

the Goat burger at the Bloated Goat in Fowlerville (yes it is 100% beef!!!) and the Big C burger 3/4 # burger at Clydes Drive ins in the Upper Penninsula, honorable mention to The 1# burger at Timber Charlies in Newberry

I'm not familiar with the bloated goat but I did visit the Goat Farm in Novi/Walled Lake. The Goat Farm has lonnnng since become a Mr B's but long ago it really was a goat farm turned restaurant ... had a good burger too!

Can someone refresh my fading memory? A couple of years ago, I stopped at a burger place, and I can't remember the name or exactly where it was. It was kind of a stand up, take-out joint, and the burgers had grilled onions with a sweetish sauce. It may have been on Middlebelt Rd., maybe somewhere around Grand River, but I don't know just which municipality it is located in. Does this sound familiar?

That would be Bates Hamburgers ... 9 mile rd./Middlebelt
There's another similar joint 2 miles away ... Greene's Hamburgers ... 10 mile/Orchard Lake Rd.

Both are great but Bates is my favorite.

Thanks Sonny... I thought that it started with a B, but wasn't sure enough to mention it. These were very good, and had a different flavor than anything I've had before or since.

quote:

Originally posted by Michigandriveins

Try Nip 'N Sip on the north side of Lansing, it's an old drive-in that hasn't changed a bit in 30+ years I've been going there. The Doubleburger is fantastic. More info at http://www.michigandriveins.com/driveinrestaurants.asp

I used to have a burger at the Nip 'n Sip in Constatine by the Michigan Indiana border. Went there a couple years ago and they where locked up. (and still locked up)... Had a decent greasy burger, yet nothing spectacular. But in a sad way, I do miss them... Been hitting that little tavern since I've been a kid... Used to be our pit stop heading south.

It's been years since I've been in Detroit, so I don't know if it's still there, but I used to love the burgers at the Bronx Bar on (if I remember correctly) Willis Ave.

Oops! Just googled "Bronx Bar Detroit." Apparently, it's still there, but it's at 4476 Second Ave.:

http://detroit.metblogs.com/archives/2005/07/bronx_bar_burge.phtml

You can't make a list of Great Hamburgers in Michgain without addding Redamak's of New Buffalo Michigan to the list. They are only open March first through October 31.

In the Summer 75% of the customers are from the Great Chicagoland Area!

lINK BELOW:


http://www.redamaks.com/site/index.htm

Redamak's in Southwest Michigan (New Buffalo) used to be great until they changed their ordering rules a couple of years ago and no longer allowed burgers cooked to order. All burgers come well done, although they say medium well. I, for one, will not eat a well done hamburger. There still are a large number of good places that have quality hamburger meat and serve it the way you want it, i.e. medium rare for me.

quote:

Originally posted by BTB

Redamak's in Southwest Michigan (New Buffalo) used to be great until they changed their ordering rules a couple of years ago and no longer allowed burgers cooked to order. All burgers come well done, although they say medium well. I, for one, will not eat a well done hamburger. There still are a large number of good places that have quality hamburger meat and serve it the way you want it, i.e. medium rare for me.

This is what so great about America, I still love Redamak's!

I also used to love Greene's Hamburgers. Anyone know if the one on Seven Mile Rd. & Schaefer is still there?

quote:

Originally posted by gschwim

I also used to love Greene's Hamburgers. Anyone know if the one on Seven Mile Rd. & Schaefer is still there?

I don't think so. There are no listings for it on infospace.
However, here is the url to a couple pages of photos of that Greene's and a number of other hamburger joints ...

http://www.roadsidepeek.com/roadusa/midwest/mweats/mwburger/index3.htm
(that Greene's is midway down the page)
http://www.agilitynut.com/eateries/7d.html

Grew up in Royal Oak and went to undergrad at Wayne; but I spent many a night at the RedCoat Tavern at 13 and Woodward. Honest to God, I have eaten more burgers there than I care to admit...it's my hands-down favorite. Try the burnt onions on top with swiss or american, or maybe blue cheese. I love the RedCoat, I love the RedCoat, I love the RedCoat... Oh, I miss it.

I just want to chime in and echo that both Greene's Hamburgers and Red Coat Tavern are wonderful. They're both very different.

Greene's are delicious little sliders. THey place the patty on the grill, let it cook for a bit and then press the cheese (if you ordered it) and a mound of super thin-sliced onion on top of it (you can get it without, if you don't like onion). They heat the buns on the grill next to it, and then slide it all together.

Red Coat Tavern has already been described above. They've been open for 35 years and many local people's favorite burger place. Their recipe hasn't changed at all. Amazing and delicious 1/2 burgers. You can choose from an enormous list of different toppings, sauces and cheese to have on your burger. You can also have your burger made with Piedmontese beef for $1 or $2 more, which tastes just as good IMO, and only has 5 grams of fat. Red Coat Tavern recently opened up Zinc Brasserie & Wine Bar in West Bloomfield (Orchard Lake & 15 Mile). They're more French cuisine, but also serve a "Red Coat Burger" which is just as good as the Woodward version. The only difference is that they don't have as many topping and cheese choices to choose from.

We recently went to Beau Jack's in Bloomfield Hills (15 Mile & Telegraph). Their burgers are really good, and they also now have the option of Piedmontese Beef, which seems to be catching on. Here's a few pics of our outing.

French Onion Soup:



My dad ordered pork chops:



And the burgers:

quote:

Originally posted by heavy liquid

...

We recently went to Beau Jack's in Bloomfield Hills (15 Mile & Telegraph). ...

That is some fine lookin food, heavy liquid!!

Beau Jacks is one of my absolute favorite places. It's one of those "secret" places on many peoples short list.
It's also where the mounted red fox mascot from Machus Red Fox resides.
(a moment of silence for Machus Red Fox ...)

Great food, great atmosphere, a really nice piano bar and very relaxing ... it's been at least a year since I've been there; I think I'm due for a visit.

Another place I used to really enjoy is the restaurant at Copper Creek golf course in Farmington near 12 mile and Halstead.
I have not been there since the restaurant changed hands about 5 years ago or so and has been renamed "Loving Spoonful" ... a ridiculous name for an upscale dining restaurant if I've ever heard one ... sounds more to the "Big Johns Hamburger Fixins" side of the menu than a nice dinner restaurant (which is what Copper Creek was). (not that I didn't used to like the Big Johns mix, mind you)

Out of curiosity I still might give them a try sometime if I'm in the area.

I know this is an old thread but stumbled on it. 

The Mounted  Machus Red Fox is not at any restaurant - it is privately owned

I ate at Miller's Bar in Dearborn just a couple months ago.  Although it wasn't the best burger I ever had, it was still quite good.

When you are done eating you go to the bar, tell them what you ate and they tell you how much you owe.

Since I collect menus from all the places I go, I asked the bartender if they have a take-out menu I could have.  He looked at me kind of funny and told me they don't have a menu.

Beau Jack's in Bloomfield Hills (15 Mile & Telegraph Road).  Isn't that the same restaurant that used to be the Mounted Machus Red Fox?  Isn't that the same restaurant where Jimmy Hoffa was last seen alive?  Or do I have that confused with another restaurant nearby?

Anyone ever been to the Bates on 5 mile in Livonia? These things are fantasic... the girlfriend's family lives within walking distance of this place... nothing like getting hammered and picking up a sack of those little burgers late at night....

Being from Michigan, this thread caught my eye...

Let me throw a couple of places in the hat...

I grew up in Kalamazoo...so I wish i could figure out which bar the earlier post was at WMU...so since I cant, I will suggest...the bar at Airway Lanes on Portage road, right by the airport...GREAT greasy hamburgers..if its still there...been probably 20 years since I had been there...also a place downtown that was called "Holly's Grill" (now its an airplane themed place) used to have the best diner cheeseburgers...used to ride the bus downtown when i was a kid (in the suburbs) and that was always a highlight....

And if you are up North....Traverse City area to be exact, try Bubba's (its on Front St downtown) makes a great burger, and a great pulled pork BBQ sandwich...

It's all good!