We came in on Saturday night, 7/25/26 around 5:30pm before going to a concert at Acrisure. We…read moredidn't have a reservation but fortunately there was room at the bar - which is our preferred seating spot anyway. I was surprised at how long it took for the 2 hosts to greet us - as we were standing directly in front of them. They were talking to one another, and it was probably work related, but to just stand there staring at them for a couple minutes while they ignored us was awkward. When they finally talked to us they weren't very friendly. Anyway, we made our way to the bar and it was full except for 3 seats. I think the bartender waiting on us was new. He seemed like he was pretty overwhelmed/in the weeds. He greeted us quickly and brought us waters when he did, which I appreciated. I ordered a Blackeberry Bourbon Sour and my Mr had Paloma Nuestra. We both enjoyed our drinks they were refreshing and well crafted. For dinner I had a really hard time deciding! I wanted to try so many things! Our bartender said his favorite thing in the menu is the chicken and rice bowl. That was something I was considering and decided to go with that. Excellent recommendation! The chicken was flavorful and so tender. The hot peppers were a nice touch. There was a lot of food too! I couldn't finish it all. Mr had the hanger steak that was served with mushroom and asparagus risotto. He said the risotto was the best he's ever had, and I agree. The asparagus was perfectly cooked and so was the steak. The space is really nice, felt intimate without being overcrowded. We are looking forward to coming back!

Loved the ambiance of this newer downtown restaurant. The decor is very calming…read more Our waitress Maddie was extremely attentive and very nice. She gave us great recommendations. I loved the asparagus and blistered tomatoes. However, the meatloaf and mashed potatoes were under seasoned.

Girl's night out at Bud's. They have a great variety, yummy drinks and our waitress was a doll.read more

I can't wait to go back and get another Reuben and fries. TOP NOTCH Fast and great service.read more

hidden (to me) vegan gem! blue water has never been on my radar for vegan options but they have…read moreplenty. blue water is actually on the water so the view while dining is lovely. there's an upstairs with all indoor seating and lots of windows. the downstairs area is partially covered and opens up to a patio + water view. there are bars both up and downstairs. our server was quick and attentive. though they were busy we received our food very quickly. they have multiple vegan meat substitutes and vegan cheese that you can swap into meals. they also have entrees that are vegan without adjustments. bread is available upon request with entrees and the bread itself is vegan. just make sure you ask for the oil without the cheese. on our first trip we ordered the wild mushroom polenta and the vegan "buttered" cauliflower. one our second trip we ordered the asparagus pizza and the wild mushroom polenta again. they also have a great kids menu. for our daughter we ordered the cavatappi (marinara sauce on the side) and fresh fruit as her side which was an assortments of berries. the asparagus pizza was delicious - pesto, balsamic, and fresh greens on top. the buttered cauliflower was a little undercooked, both the rice and the cauliflower, but the flavors were delicious. the wild mushroom polenta was the star of the show for me with a cashew cream sauce and umami broth. overall a great dining experience and great food.

Blue Water continues to be a family favorite. The menu evolves from time to time, but there are…read moresome items that never change like the Blu Bar Eggrolls, the Blue Water Tacos and some of their signature salads. My boys have always loved this place and I do too. In summer, the outside space is perfect for having a relaxing lunch while the interior fireplaces provide comfort on a cold, blustery day. I have not had anything but good service as long as I can remember. They have had several burger options over the years, and all of them have been excellent. This will continue to be one of my favorite places for lunch or dinner.

We went here for our 22nd wedding anniversary. Sat out on patio. Even though there is construction…read morecurrently out there it is soo relaxing. We could sit out there for hours The staff were warm and inviting, and very efficient and timely. The food: amazing! We questioned why we hadn't gone here before! I got the mahi mahi with a type of cold pasta salad, so good, great flavor and filling! My husband got the pork chop, literally the best pork chop I have ever had, a type of mushroom sauce was to die for and the little potato cakes hit the spot. Drinks: soo delicious. I would go here just for drinks. I got the pornstar martini with the prosecco side car and my husband got a type of bourbon smash I think.. sorry can't remember the name of it. If you haven't been, drop everything and head over there, it's worth it.

This was our first visit to Linear Restaurant, and we went for our once every-other-month date…read morenight before a Broadway Grand Rapids show. Revue Magazine had listed it among the best new area restaurants on the water. As of July 2026, the riverfront seating area is very much a work in progress. Chain link fencing runs along the riverside, and construction work is ongoing. While the views weren't great, the service from Avery and the food were both special. She was friendly and helpful, giving great suggestions. We were there for Golden Hour, so got special pricing on drinks paired with appetizers, then shared our entrees and capped off the night with creme brulee. We will definitely return next summer with the hope that the work is completed, maybe sooner to enjoy a meal inside.

This is a delightful restaurant with great food, great service and great ambiance. Their thoughtful…read morefarm to table menu was outstanding. I'm sad I was only in town for one night because I was forced to pick just one item. I decided on the Short Rib Ragu Gnocchi. It was a good choice, but everybody's meals looked great. We had 8 at a table and our server did an excellent job engaging with everyone, getting our drinks out in a timely manner and serving us all at the same time. I tried someone else's Salmon and it was delicious also. 2 people got the hanger steak and gave it 5 stars. The prices were reasonable given the quality, freshness and presentation of our dinners. We got there just before happy hour ended and our server was nice enough to clue us in and we got a few appetizers and drinks before the prices went up. Definitely go if you get a chance. I'll be back if I find myself in GR's again.

I had such a great experience here. The staff really knew their stuff, especially when it came to…read moregluten allergies, which honestly made me feel so much more comfortable right away. Our waitress was awesome too--super friendly and helpful without being over the top. The whole place has a clean, modern vibe but still feels really family-friendly, which I liked. It's one of those spots that just feels easy to be in. I ordered the hanger steak, and not even kidding, it was one of the best meals I've had. I never clear my plate, and this time I did. Every bite was that good. You'd never know it was gluten-free--the flavor was incredible and nothing felt like it was missing. Then I somehow made room for cheesecake and finished that too, which says a lot. Same thing there--no way you'd guess it was gluten-free. Overall, they just really know how to do gluten-free right. Nothing felt like a compromise at all. I'd 100% go back.

The staff seem so happy, you can taste it in the food. The 1/2 chicken was as tender as our…read moreservice. The ambiance is spectacular, dessert was a perfect touch. The staff moved like they knew their places, how to hold themselves, and genuinely grateful for our prescience. The trainee under Robin did a fantastic job tonight, very welcoming, entertaining, funnyyy absolutely loved him (sadly misplaced his name)! *hats off to Robin for her training*. Management (Josh) seemed thoroughly happy to be there and happy to aid the staff, along with providing excellent hospitality. Hugo spritz's 10/10 old fashion also 10/10.

Excellent food and great service. I will definitely come back very soon…read more Great way to spend my birthday plus I got a birthday treat!!

If you want to make your trip to Michigan and your visit to Grand Rapids even more enjoyable,…read moredefinitely stop by Littlebird. Such a charming, atmospheric little place with beautiful presentation and wonderfully prepared food. The menu is small -- exactly as it should be at a place like this. The four of us ordered four different dishes and shared tastes of everything, and every single dish was excellent. And a little tip: order the tea! They source their teas from a specialty supplier, and you can tell they put thought into even the smallest details. The service was absolutely outstanding. Littlebird was one of those places that made our visit to Grand Rapids even more memorable.

It's my birthday weekend and wanted to treat myself to a luxurious brunch. Of course I chose…read moreLittlebird for the best French omelettes in the area. I adore crab so ordering that was a no brainer. Their coffee is strong. It took a ton of cream to change the color... though it was delicious with free refills for $5. The omelette was heaven. All the flavors melded well and I appreciated the crisp acidic salad to cut the richness of the omelette. My only critique is wishing the crab salad topping was a bit more decadent. For $21 I was hoping for big lumps of crab rather than cool shredded mayo based salad. All in all, I love this place, I love the concept. It was quite busy and was thankful to snag a seat at the bar. The service was friendly and quick. Best hipster establishment I've patronized in a long time. Make a reservation if you have a group or pray there is a seat at the bar. Keep doing your thang Littlebird!!

Let's start with, if they don't have a Michelin star they should! This is high quality cooking and…read morea must stop in Grand Rapids for sure. Our reservation was at 8pm. We arrived a few minutes early and the restaurant was quite busy. The ladies at the front were great, they explained the seat is not quite ready yet but should be right at our time. We were seated on time. Our server was very knowledgeable and made great recommendations. It was quite busy on a Tuesday with families and small groups. It is loud but not too much. You can tell it is "the spot" There was a selected menu with small shareable plate style options. We ordered the "Grove for two" then added on to accommodate the 3 of us. Of course we started with the bread and butter, this was simply sinfully good. Our list of plates were, summer salad, fritto misto, hash brown, asparagus, fjord trout, braised pork, short rib, lamb, and flat iron steak. They brought each plate as they thought should be. Omg the flavors. Every plate was done to perfection and brought out in perfect timing. We ordered a bottle of their Pinot Noir which worked perfectly. Our dessert was the strawberry shortcake with the basil ice cream as recommended by our server, topped things off wonderfully.

One of the best spots in Grand Rapids! We went to the Grove to celebrate a birthday and it did not…read moredisappoint! Great service and a peaceful atmosphere. We had a stroller with us and the staff were able to accommodate our seating with room for the stroller. Each meal was throughly enjoyed and finished completely! We can't wait to return for another meal! Food: The scallops with pomegranates were cooked to perfection. Taste was incredible! Beef tartare was exceptional and full of flavor.