I kind of dig REO Town. It's not Old Town, but I like that's it's not trying to be either. It has…read moreits own vibe. Just a quick skip across I-496 from downtown Lansing, the shops, salons, and eateries offer a small town feel as there's just enough walkability/bike access. However, it has plenty of edgy eclectic charm to balance the adjacent park and garden spaces making it an attractive location for many festivals. The anchors of the area include GM's Grand River Assembly Plant. the Board of Water & Light that occupies a former train depot, and several visual and performing arts hubs. The area has seen good BBQ, coffee, craft beer, New American, breakfast, and pizza but longevity continues to be a challenge. Even this month's review, REO Town Clubhouse, has gone through a change over the last 24 months having just been Ellison's Brewing Co. which we reviewed in August of 2023. REO Town Clubhouse took over a massive footprint on S. Washington and benefits from the previous facility upgrade work turning the warehouse into a brewhouse. The transition to the Clubhouse has been nothing short of extraordinary with modern lighting, seating, and décor in abundance. Marketed as an Italian restaurant, pizza shop, event space, and pool hall, REO Town Clubhouse aims to have a lasting place in the area and serve as a new anchor for entertainment. Walking in and you will be immediately taken aback by the sheer vastness. To the left, you'll find the upstairs event space, which is spacious and lovely, as is the main dining room on the first floor. To the right sits the pool hall, which is also quite large offering sharks and beginners alike enough room to run the table. In the middle sits the pizza shop with its rounded stone hearth oven shrouded in beautiful teal tile. What's Uneven? The brunch menu is intriguing, offering many traditional American breakfast items and others with a more Italian flare. I arrived around 11 on a Sunday morning with my much better half and the littlest of my daughters, having seen the brunch service started at 9 AM on REO Town Clubhouse's own social media. We walked into a mostly empty restaurant and a service crew that seemed to be scrambling to find their sea legs as coffee had not yet been brewed and the waitstaff, while very pleasant, reminded me of a team that hadn't yet had their first cup of coffee yet either. The food was also fairly uneven. My Biscuits and Gravy ($15) was quite tasty. The gravy was creamy and savory with notes of black pepper and the biscuits were dense enough to stand up to the gravy but not sit too heavy afterwards. The golden fried potatoes were crispy, and the sausage patties were large and packed with sage flavor. My much better half enjoyed a Bloody Mary ($9) that had a Caprese skewer atop the glass. She also ordered the Sweet Crespelle Crepes ($15) that looked better than they tasted. The lemon curd overpowered the palette, and the Sugar Cured Ham ($4) is an absolute waste of protein and money. Limp and lifeless with not a single hint of sugar to be found nor a streak of a sear on the meat itself. What's Better I met a mentor/friend/colleague for lunch and had a much better experience. We both ordered the Lunch Pasta Combo. The Caesar salads were fresh and plentiful, especially to be part of lunch combos. I had the Spaghetti and Meatballs ($14) and though the crushed tomatoes will never be my favorite, the meatballs were large and packed with layers of garlic, herbs, and parmesan cheese. The pasta was a bit overcooked, but the dish overall was solid. My companion ordered the Chicken Alfredo ($16) and said it was one of the best she'd ever had. Thick and creamy alfredo sauce was a yummy revelation. The chicken was more well done than I typically care for but spot on for her. She wanted me to be sure to relay that she would return at least 17 times. Best Bite The Fried Shrimp ($16) with a Calabrian pepper sauce were very good. The breading on the shrimp had been fried hard enough to withstand the oil and butter-based bath in which they rested. The sauce was tasty and perfectly spicy for lunch.

I really love what they've done with the place. I've been a few times and so far the best thing on…read morethe menu is the wood fired pizza. Esp if you do the Build-Your-Own. The pasta is CONSISTENTLY a miss. I'm not sure what it is with the sauces but they never turn out right. The chicken Marsala sauce was gelatinous. The flounder with lemon butter and capers, was sour. The Tuscan chicken pasta was just olive oil. All in all, I keep coming back because they have so much potential and I don't want them to close. But man do they need some work when it comes to pastas and actually making sauces that taste good and actually stick to the noodles.

We have visited Lansing Shuffle several times. Each time we have enjoyed the atmosphere, options,…read moreand prices. On this particular instance we attended a "roadtrip" event. For a cover charge you got to sample nice sized portions from each location. The MC was hilarious, the DJ fantastic, it was open to everyone. It was an all around good time! The parking can be a major annoyance but once you find a space it's worth it! I do wish that there were table wipes readily available since the tables turn over so quickly but don't always get wiped down between patrons.

Great location right on the river. The indoor space has shuffle games and a few other activities…read morelike corn hole. My only beef is $6 to park for an hour when there is no event and parking lot is empty! Lots of different cuisine to choose from. The crab nachos were insanely good. We really loved the tikka masala as well. Everyone was so friendly and helpful while we walked around and tried to decide what to eat.

If zero stars were possible, that's exactly what this venue would get from us. Our wedding day took…read moreplace in a truly beautiful setting, and if not for the endless issues with the staff, it would have been a perfect five-star experience. My wedding day should have been a joyful, worry-free celebration, and while my incredible coordinator and wedding party worked tirelessly to shield me from issues, the venue's rude and unprofessional behavior added unnecessary stress and frustration for everyone involved. Throughout the day, the venue staff acted with an astonishing lack of respect toward my coordinator, who was repeatedly interrupted and questioned about matters that had already been addressed. One of the most disruptive issues revolved around our dog (a well-behaved pug, who napped half the time he was there). He had been present at pre-event meetings, and nothing was ever mentioned about restrictions on him being there. Yet, on the day of the wedding, the venue staff fixated on him, even though he was only briefly there. The staff repeatedly pestered not only our coordinator but also our other vendors--including our photographer and bartender--to "confirm the plan" regarding the dog, over and over. My coordinator handled this graciously, keeping me blissfully unaware, but the venue's disruption and hostility were completely unwarranted. To make matters worse, the venue's staff began to hound my coordinator about our departure time early in the evening, despite our clear timeline and previous agreements. They insisted on last call announcements as early as 9:30 p.m. and returned multiple times to "remind" everyone that we needed to be out by midnight, making us feel unwelcome long before the event was even close to ending. There was no help or hospitality, either. Basic requests were met with resistance--when we needed additional trash bags, they refused to replace full ones and only begrudgingly provided a bag at the end of the night after the groom attempted to make peace. Simple requests, like unlocking the door or providing a bandaid were met with irritation, as though we were inconveniencing them. On top of this unprofessional behavior, they withheld $100 of our deposit solely because of our dog, even though he'd been present at previous meetings without issue. Additionally, and most shockingly, one of the staff even insulted my sister-in-law, calling her an inappropriate name. Had my coordinator and wedding party not gone above and beyond to handle all of this quietly, my day would have been overshadowed by these issues. But no couple should have to endure this type of treatment, and no one should ever have to rely on their wedding party to absorb such poor behavior from a venue. I cannot recommend this place to anyone seeking a respectful, cooperative environment on their wedding day, no matter how beautiful the setting.

Our wedding reception was held here. The experience was awesome. The staff was very helpful and…read morefriendly. Our reception ran very smoothly with no mishaps. We are so happy that we decided to go with the Cadillac Room. There was no better choice!

What an absolutely wonderful nature center! There are so many nooks & crannies to this space and…read morejust so much educational learning to be had here. I came here in the winter and really loved walking the trails throughout the center. It helped that one of my friends, Dan, manages the programs here and would point out all the cool trees, plants, and general history as we walked along. He truly made my first time at Woldumar so memorable and his passion for this nature center truly shines through in everything he does - even when he's off the clock just showing boring ol' me around! I've heard so much of all the work Dan has put into this place over the years and he truly makes Woldumar shine bright for all those who come and visit, whether for an afternoon or for a summer-long program! I imagine this place overrun with kids and adults alike when the weather is great and can only imagine how much fun it would be to experience this place in the summertime. There is truly something for everyone here and definitely recommend this if you're looking for a low-key place where not a ton of people will be with some majorly high-key fun and exploration!

Our family loves WNC! Snow shoeing the winter trails is magical and one of our favorite traditions!read more

We went to a wedding that COP catered and the food was amazing. When it came time to book the…read morecaterer for my own wedding in July 2024, we wanted COP. We met and discussed options and made a down payment for her services. About a month before the event, she sent us a message that she would no longer be able to cater for us due to a traumatic accident. We gave her time to heal and get through PT but now, a year after paying our deposit, we still have not gotten it back. We also no longer get responses to emails or txts. Wanted to share our experience so others do not have this same experience with COP.

I utilized Center of the Plate for a Baby Shower. The owner is extremely professional and timely…read morein responding to questions. She offered great suggestions and help us to find a great option within our budget when the party kept growing in guests. Communication was great through the planning period and she arrived early to deliver the food. She even helped out with a few other non food related tasks when we didn't even ask her to do so. The food was OUTSTANDING! The absolute best catered food I have ever had. The food was very flavorful, beautifully presented and high quality. Guests raved about the food and a few went back for seconds and thirds. Having owned an event planning company and worked on planning many events that required catering service, I must say that Center of the Plate is the best I've ever worked with and apparently a best kept secret of Lansing.

Cleats is my favorite summertime bar! The only thing I would change is its proximity to my house!…read more This open air, comfortable and adorable bar is located within a sports complex. Don't let that discourage you, as they are well stocked with any beverage you could want and their food menu has several options to satisfy any lunch, dinner, or snack craving. There is plenty of seating, some outside and some under a covering. Under the covering there are picnic tables and TV's. There are fire pits for chilly summer nights and lots of plants and hanging baskets to set-off the esthetic on the patio. Parking is free and there are clean, park-style restrooms available. Please note that this is a sports complex so games takes place on the fields that surround the bar, I think it adds to the charm of the backdrop. I look forward to spending many more summer afternoons at Cleats!!

Recently went in with the family and the service was amazing! Ordered the Turkey BLT and it was…read moreyummy, we ordered the garlic parm to share and I'm still craving them and it's been days! 100/10 recommend!

Think Space is a fantastic venue to hold a meeting of any kind! Work Meeting, Board Meeting,…read moreNon-Profit Meeting, Book Club; you name it, Think Space will make it a wonderful experience. The staff made sure the event was prepared for success. Our experience could not have been better & I highly recommend Think Space for your next meeting space!

From the owner: Think Space is a unique business meeting and retreat center focused on providing you a creative and…read moreamazing experience. We have spent countless hours in dull conference rooms struggling to stay awake and wishing there were a better way to energize our meetings and improve results. That's why we created Think Space, where new ideas are born. We believe when you combine the right elements, inspiration and creativity ensue. We have those key ingredients - a passionate team of innovators, a historic building on the banks of the Grand River, and a focus on creativity, flexibility, and comfort. Think Space is specifically designed to help your team have fun and productive meetings. Whether you seek to invent the next great product or you simply want to energize a training session, Think Space is your destination for something different.