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Café 36

4.5 (84 reviews)
Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

Café 36 Photos

CAFÉ 36 ATMOSPHERE

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Trendy
Classy
Upscale
Moderate noise

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Recommended Reviews - Café 36

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21-day aged steak
Andrew R.

Okay, I've seen this place described as a hidden gem in other reviews, but honestly, that's a great description for this place. It's on the second floor of a health food grocery store, and so if you don't know what you're looking for, you'll completely miss it. But it's worth finding. The ambience is wonderfully suited for fine dining, and the staff friendly, prompt, and helpful. I came here with a group of ten because I was going with colleagues from an academic conference. The reservation went seamlessly and was ready when we arrived. Waitstaff were helpful and quick without being officious. I ordered the 21-day aged Angus, and it was absolutely amazing. Had the flavor of aged steak, was well-cooked -- medium rare is the minimum, since it's cooked sous-vide -- and came with excellent greens and potatoes. The steak had green peppercorn sauce of which there was just enough not to overwhelm the flavor of the meat, but rather bring it out. The cabernet I ordered, the Educated Guess, was out, but I was informed, had a substitute suggested, and the replacement went off without a hitch. Sometimes when I order a wine to come with the steak, I end up waiting on the drink from the bar, but not so here. I asked for the red wine with the steak, and they came out pretty much simultaneously. There's an excellent selection of beers, wines, and signature cocktails to go with some really first-rate food. If you're ever in Kalamazoo, MI, this is *definitely* the place to eat.

Walleye
Dan R.

A hidden gem in Kalamazoo! As someone who is up on the food scene (at least I thought so) I was surprised I never knew this place existed until this week. Made reservations for Valentine's Day after failing to get in anywhere else. The food was nothing short of fantastic. Large portions and simple yet sophisticated flavors. (The burrata is a MUST try! Order it with the flat bread) The restaurant itself is cozy and elegant and offers unique views of the store below! Seating is comfortable and sturdy. Service is attentive, knowledgeable and very very friendly. This has instantly become my new favorite in town.

Pesto Chicken Pizza
Brittany R.

We are SO EXCITED that y'all are back open. This was the best meal and service that we have had in Kalamazoo since pre-Covid. Absolutely incredible. Our server was attentive and personable. The food was beyond delicious. There is a a HUGE mocktail menu which makes me so happy. 100/10! If you aren't already calling to make a reservation while reading this idk what you are doing!

Short ribs
Mike K.

I've been excited to try the Cafe 36 for quite some time now and finally had my chance to dine here. I was in a group of 7 people. The restaurant is very interesting. It is perched above Sawall's Health food store and overlooks the aisles of goods while shoppers browse. It is not a huge area but a cozy area to dine and visit with friends. We started with drinks and the charcuterie board. I highly recommend this as it was plentiful and varied with cheeses, fruits, meats, olives, etc. Very tasty. The bread was a rosemary seasoned pita-like bread that was warm and quite delicious. We also had shrimp sticks which are fried spring rolls with a sauce that is to die for! I ordered the short ribs. Large portion of meat atop mashed potatoes accompanied by sauteed root vegetables and garnished with some type of sprouts. The flavor was magnificent and the meat was not too fatty as can often occur with short ribs. My colleague ordered the Chicken pot pie. This dish came out and its preparation was finished table side. The server poured steaming gravy from a boat over the bowl and then added a large piece of puff pastry and then finished off the rest of the gravy over that. It looked amazing. Other guests ordered the Mussels, Wild caught sockeye salmon, Atlantic Char and Filet mignon. All the entrees looked outstanding and not one complaint was heard from this writer as we dined. The dessert menu looked great and they also had a selection of Tawney Port wines to choose from as well. We did not order dessert as we were stuffed from the dinner. My only complaint is the noise level. The area is open and with high ceilings, the floor is concrete and there is a lot of echos of other diners voices, chairs moving across the floor etc, etc. It made it hard for all of us to talk and hear each other during our visit.

Bread
Robert E.

Right now, this is the first restaurant I suggest to people in Kalamazoo. I believe Café 36 is the top restaurant when considering service and food. The ambiance is wonderful. The mix of black booths and white chairs makes the room look clean and modern. The place settings are white mats and black napkins. The ying yang of simple contesting colors is soothing and elegant. The neatness calms you has soon as you walk in. It might be the low ceiling or other insulation, but this restaurant is more quiet than other restaurants in Kalamazoo--you can interact with your dining partners without fear of losing your voice the next day. But there is one potential downside to being above a grocery store and you experience can be different depending on your mood and where you sit. We sat over looking the grocery store which places you just above the commercial neon lighting. On a bad day this could easily give someone a migraine. Fortunately, our party of four adjusted quickly and we enjoyed overlooking the isles and making jokes about the isle marker for local honey and wondering which isle is stocked with honey from Vermont. Another note about the atmosphere The gently manner of the of the setting is mirror in the friendless and grace of its staff. Everyone we interacted with is welcoming and excited about what they do. On my first visit the chef walking through the restaurant was easily pulled aside by a server to explain the intricacies shrimp sticks and their dipping sauce (which are fantastic btw). The food we had at Café 36 was wonderful. I have a special for the week, a beef tenderloin with blue cheese sauce, garlic potatoes, and asparagus. The meat was cooked to a perfect pink medium rare and the blue cheese on top added a salty tang. The grilled asparagus gave the dish a smoky element and was cooked to the point where it still had an al dente snap. My wife and mother in-law had the other weekly special: beef cheeks with pasta and a cream sauce. I don't remember all the components, but I ate of their plates as much as I tried to keep them from eating mine. My father in-law had the hanger steak with fries. Again, the steak was cooked perfectly, and the Moroccan spices paired well with this flavorful cut of meat. Overall, Café 36 is a great fine dining experience and one you can have while still being casual. The staff is dressed up, but I don't think I say one customer with a jacket and only a few with a button up shirt. The food and the staff aren't pretentious. They just seem to love what they do and that means I love what they do. And I will be back to share in the enthusiasm.

Delicious sole meunière

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4 months ago

Great food and service . Try it u will like it try the pizza it will surprise you. My son in law said he had the best steak ever here also.

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2 years ago

Great food, friendly staff, quirky atmosphere (inside a grocery store). Cafe 36 really cares about the food they serve, and it shows.

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8 years ago

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Ask the Community - Café 36

What's the noise level like on scale of 1-10? 10 = so loud you must shout to be heard by people at your table 1 = quiet enough that lovers can gently speak sweet nothings across the table & be heard only by each other

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600 Kitchen & Bar - French onion soup

600 Kitchen & Bar

4.0(293 reviews)
3.0 mi
$$$

600 is such a cute place for a lovely meal!…read more We have been multiple times but stopped in on a recent sunny afternoon for some lunch. 600 is so light and airy, we really love the atmosphere!! We had a really great waitress, I wish I would have gotten her name! She was doing the job of hostess and waitress to multiple tables, and doing it all very well! We ordered a chicken sandwich and a salad for our lunch entrees! Both were very good and presented very well! While the food is good and quality feels high - the price is also on the high side. For a sandwich and a salad, waters to drink, we spent over $50 for our lunch! Just something to be aware of! While we had time - the experience was not fast. Something to be aware of if needing a quick lunch. The restaurant was not overly busy but the wait was a little long to receive our order. I ordered a salmon salad - the menu nor the website specify if the salmon is wild caught or farmed. I would really love to know this information - the price would be much better reflected if it were indeed wild caught. :)

A group of six of us came in for brunch and were seated upstairs, which we really enjoyed. It was…read morequieter and felt more private, making it a nice space for conversation. The service was on the slower side and could have used more attention to detail--coffee refills were missed, and we didn't have spoons to stir our coffee. That said, our server was kind and had a gentle, pleasant demeanor. The food overall was very good. Only one person in our group was disappointed--the chicken and waffles were described as dry, with the chicken coating lacking flavor. Everyone else enjoyed their meals, and the desserts were a standout; they were excellent and loved by all. One area that could use improvement is the upstairs bathroom. While it was well stocked with supplies, it needed cleaning. Clear signage for the upstairs restroom and perhaps a nice piece of artwork would also be welcome touches. Overall, a nice brunch experience with great desserts and room for a few improvements.

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600 Kitchen & Bar - Upstairs Seating

Upstairs Seating

600 Kitchen & Bar
600 Kitchen & Bar - From second floor seating area.

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From second floor seating area.

The Old Goat Tavern - Blackbean burger with fries

The Old Goat Tavern

3.5(123 reviews)
1.5 mi
$

Restaurant Name: The Old goat tavern…read more Dish: pickle chips, BELT, The forty eighty Date Visited:3/15/26 First Impressions: The atmosphere is wonderful it has pick your seat seating a very lovely bar where you can see them make your food multiple TVs to watch the games and a front and back entrance. It's a pretty peaceful college bar next to a really nice coffee shop. Presentation - 10/10 Taste & Flavor - 10/10 When getting food here you can get a good variety of spicy and savory especially when it comes to their burgers their drinks are made with much care. Nothing is too overpowering Portion Size - 10/10 I have a very small stomach so things tend to fill me up regardless however my husband is an endless pit and the burger seemed to fill him up for the time being. Value for your money? I would say you get a good value and a full meal for the price you're going to pay You get good service especially on a Sunday when there's only a very few people in there and you're just trying to relax. ‍ Service - 10/10 The service in overall 10 out of 10 The bartender was extremely friendly kept a decent conversation going & greeted us when we entered, most of the staff is college students so you know they're working hard when it comes to both school and being servers. Overall Rating: 10/10 Final Verdict: The Old goat tavern is by far place I would return to especially for a quick bite and something that's going to kill me up for a cheap price. It's good for a night out on the town or just drinks with friends they have a wide variety of drinks and drafts and a good burger. I highly recommend giving this place a try if you haven't already they live up to the hype.

Best burger I had in a while. Reason is that size is big, they don't skim on ingredients. Burger is…read morenot supposed to be tiny especially from a tavern. My burger has layers of cheese and meat and sauce. Mouth full of goodness. Also my "back forty" burger is only $13. Pretty good deal in 2024. Sides are extra though Sides are not so much, just taste like they are from the freezer and straight into the fryer. Burger is the main character anyway. Drinks are weak, you can probably down a couple mix drinks and still blow below limit. With that being said, this is still a better place to eat and watch a game than BWW.

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The Old Goat Tavern
The Old Goat Tavern - American burger with onion rings

American burger with onion rings

The Old Goat Tavern - Bomb Pop drink

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Bomb Pop drink

Café 36 - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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