Happy Hour is the best time to explore their food and drink menu. The pros- Great customer service, Great food (so great it sells out quick) that's how you know its fresh and REAL. Gluten free option as well even dessert options are gluten free and dairy free. Farm to table is the only option in my opinion to eat out and still eating REAL FOOD! The staff is Awesome always smiling. Even if they have an upset customer they don't carry that bad energy around to other table. Very accommodating for parties, gatherings and anniversaries. All around just a great business staffed with beautiful people. The Cons- Pricy, Can sell out for the night do to "Farm to Table", The only Red Haven around. Local shrimp are not 100% Non-Gmo I research the farmer in the area. Some times Snobby, Entitled customers (we all are Humans SO act like it.) Food and drinks are meant to bring joy, love and each other together to share common Humanity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Farm To Table" Means fresh and only what's in season hints why they have rotating menu. FYI Just like how the Kings & Queens and Nobles ate and still eat and have great healthy bodies. You pay for your health at the table or @ the doctors office your choice. Just don't take my word for it go and form your own opinion. Every one has one Now a days!! Lol. I will Keep going here until I Can't anymore this I guarantee! read more

Excellent food flavor, quality, presentation, and service. It can be hard, in normal times, to get into this place. Reservations strongly recommended. Winter is not the best time to look for vegetarian selections, given the nature of their farm-to-table approach; but there will be something you'll like. I had the tempeh tacos, which were delicious. A better selection for vegetarians is usually on menu at other times of the year. The menu changes fairly often. read more

I came here with Nate and had the halibutter squash and drank juice out of a mason jar because mason Michigan is close they must source their mason jars locally like the rest of the menus thank you for not using a QR code men u I do r like those and it makes it hard to read the q are code I have to input it by hand and by the.n dinner is Ofer and I haven't eaten read more

My husband and I had been waiting to try Red Haven since we first tried The Purple Carrot. Boy did they not disappoint. The decor is so beautiful! Simple and clean. Love the mason jars for your water, the tables. The barn doors, and of course the pictures hung through out. Service was amazing! Our servers name was Nick. He was very friendly and knowledgeable. Very nice, and very attentive to us and our needs. Explained the menu perfectly, but didn't reveal the most amazing detailed oriented part of the experience. The food! It was without a doubt everything you anticipate. So eloquently put together. It is visually amazing. Even more tasty! We tried about half of the menu we were so excited. The fry, cheese, bisque, sear, and the broil. Never would in your wildest dreams would you think that the food and the seasonings that are used would work so well together. This is definitely a place I suggest everyone should try at least once. Love knowing where my food is coming from and how fresh it is. read more

Red Haven - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Okemos, Michigan

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This place is expensive, but good. The service is good, the food is innovative, and the environment is lovely. I'm excited to visit this place for lunch and during some other seasons. The only drawback is that I will agree with some oversalting on some other reviews. Not everything, but some of the appetizer dishes were a bit salty. Definitely a nice splurge meal for special occasions. If you like coffee, grab some with your dessert! read more

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Two words- inflexible abe poorly appointed dining conditiins. We were intrigued by the menu and made a reservation for 5 on the patio. Sadly there was no light or heat on the patio. The manager would not approve pulling a table for 4 and a table for 2 together inside. She refused even when resy let us reserve a table 3 and one for 2. She said they needed to leave their open their tables inside. The hostess apologized as we left, but we won't return. I shared that we were a family and the 5th was our mom (86 years old) who recently lost her husband. They need to fix the patio or allow for accommodation. Interestingly, we called another high end local restaurant and they adjusted their tables to accommodate. Red Haven has lost our business and advocacy. read more

Interesting veggie options, especially harvest and saute. The bread pudding was amazing too. read more

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Me and my boyfriend came here for valentine's day and I must say that the aesthetic and atmosphere is really quite nice!!! And it is quite a nice concept of farm to table. But the food was absolutely atrocious. I mean EVERYTHING we ordered was way too salty. I thought I was eating a pile of salt. We got the Bisque shooter, a cheese platter, wings, scallops, and lamb chops and everything was consistently SO salty it made me lose my appetite. Granted, I know restaurants tend to make their foods a tad saltier, but this was too much. Also, it is pretty pricey so we basically ate a $100+ dollar bag of salt. Would never come here again! read more

Went here for a friends birthday. Drinks were really good. We shared 3 entrees for 3 people. Food was good. Steak was delicious. I did feel things were just a bit pricey. Normally I wouldn't say this.. but I just wasnt wow'd for some reason. But there weren't any issues and it was all satisfactory. read more

Red Haven - Very flavorful. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Okemos, Michigan

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Delicious food. Quick lunch service and totally worth stopping in. Farm to table menu. read more

Red Haven - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Okemos, Michigan

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Very good service, super cute spot, but I had higher expectations for the food. Everything was sooo sweet, from the soups to the burgers to the salad, with no other flavors other than sweet. Odd chef? I'm not sure. I probably wouldn't go back, even though I loved the vibes. read more

I've been to Red Haven three times now and I must say it is starting to disappoint... Reasons to go: Cappadoccio salad - the best salad I've ever had!! Pickled Ramps!!! Low-key ambiance (you can dress as casual as you like) Interesting menu items (it's an adventure) Support farm-to-table/local food sources! Reasons to not go: Inconsistent menu - some dishes are so good! Others need a lot of work The menu is confusing (always ask your server if you are unsure about what the item is - I ordered an item that I thought had pork in it, when it apparently didn't) If you don't have a lot of money - it's super expensive for what you get Bad food preparation - they didn't clean their morel mushrooms properly. I had dirt/grit in my mouth from one bite If you want to hear the people you are dining with - it is super loud read more

I'm so glad to see that mid-Michigan is getting more good restaurants that serve local food. Red Haven also offers a trendy but casual environment with solid food at a reasonable price - this sort of place is a staple in urban environments, but I feel in most smaller towns you find "fancy restaurants" where you feel like you need to dress up, and casual restaurants where the food is cheap and you can dress-down. But urban centers have tons of places with a cool atmosphere, yet you can still wear jeans, and the food will surprise and delight you. Red Haven is aiming to be this kind of restaurant, and though I'm a big-city snob, I'd say they did a nice job! Red Haven has an open kitchen, and a wraparound counter where people can eat and watch the cooking. They also have a small "bar" area with a few stools, which surround the taps and the bottled drafts. But it's a small restaurant, so there aren't really separate areas. It's loud in there, largely due to the open kitchen and acoustics in a crowded restaurant. The atmosphere is simple - I hesitate to call it trendy (again, snobbery). The walls are mostly windows. None of the decor stood out to me as particularly noticeable. Our server was friendly, didn't give the best descriptions of the food but they had *just* changed their menu a day before, so I think she wasn't perfectly up to speed. Red Haven's menu is organized by the method of preparation (roast, toss, grill, etc) followed by a list of the main ingredients. They change their menu often, focusing on local ingredients (including the large local beer list). It's lovely to have a place in Lansing that is so devoted to seasonality, sorely lacking at a lot of other restaurants. I started with an herbal gin cocktail, I believe called the Ginny and Sandy (or something like that). My mom had a cocktail with floral vodka and ginger. They both tasted strongly of their flavoring ingredients, and less of alcohol. I was a bit disappointed as I would've liked the gin and vodka flavors to come through, and not be overpowered by ginger and sage - both very strong ingredients! I also didn't like the rim on mine - not just sugar or salt, it was almost like an herbal cookie-crumb rim? It didn't dissolve when the glass met my lips - the little crumbs stayed in my mouth. Also the cocktail wasn't strained. Not bad, but not a very elegant beginning. We started with Roast (sweet potato, tempeh, turnip, maple syrup). I felt everything was undercooked and with too much of a raw crunch, although I enjoyed the maple glaze. I believe roasted veg should be softer - caramelized and luxurious, and this required far too much of a bite! But the maple glaze was nice, tasted like autumn. Followed with Toss (winter greens, cranberries, feta, butternut squash). To my surprise, this was a total toss - meaning, no other preparation done to any ingredient - meaning cranberries and squash both raw. The greens were dressed in a gorgeous dressing, not too heavy, and totally delicious. The salad worked better than we all thought. I was a bit weirded out by the raw ingredients, but they did work. Just know what you're getting going in. I'd recommend this to cut some of the heavier dishes. Fry (potato, yolk, rosemary, lemon) was certainly interesting. Fries were indulgent and herbal, not crispy at all unfortunately, but did have a gourmet, pleasant taste. Mash (butterball potato, smoked trout, chive, creme fraiche) was one of my favorites. The potato-trout mash was lightly fried in a square croquette, which yielded easily to the fork but maintained a nice crisp. The mash was salty (due to the trout, mainly), but a wonderful idea and generally well-executed. Minus a bit of salt and it would be perfect. Creamy, buttery potatoes with smoked trout in a crispy shell - can't go wrong. Ravioli (ricotta, spinach, egg, dill) was not my thing. $9 for three extremely small and frankly mediocre ravioli was really disappointing. They were so tiny - and there was no sauce or rich flavor or anything to elevate them! The ravioli were a little chewy, creamy on the inside from the ricotta, but no real flavor except dill. Disappointing. Grill (ribeye, stilton, meyer lemon, black trumpet mushroom) was our closer. The steak really impressed me. It was well-cooked to medium rare (which was their choice, we weren't asked) and had a gorgeous meaty flavor. Lots of meyer-lemon cream on top which I think was nice, but I mainly just remember the meat. The stilton was essentially a fried cheese ball which I couldn't eat much of after the Mash. I'm not a mushroom fan so shouldn't commit on those (did try them though!) Overall, I felt the meal was touch and go, and I did think some dishes should've been served at a hotter temperature, but it was so promising and so delightful for Michigan! This could be an amazing restaurant if they consistently performed at the level of their best dishes! read more

My friends and I read the reviews and went there for dinner. We ordered 3 appetizers and 3 entrees. They gave each of us a soup cuz it was the first time we'd been there. The soup was the most tasty thing among all the other dishes. The fried brussel sprouts were the most terrifying thing I have ever had. I understand they were fried, but they were literally burned. They looked burned and tasted burned, very bitter and salty. The goose and its sause were very salty too. The amount of food was very tiny. Each plate had only probably two bites and definitely over priced. Three of us spent 125 in total. With the price, we could have gone to a better and fancier place. The service is good tho. The waiter came to clean our plates after every dish. read more

FOOD! favorites on the menu: FRY basically french fries, but the best french fries you will put in your mouth, ever. period. CARPACCIO fresh, thinly sliced local veg plate with a delicious, tart yet sweet, dressing. its so good i can't really describe it. RAVIOLI the only thing on the menu that I wish was a bigger portion because its so freaking delicious. SEAR perfectly cooked steak and get this... A FREAKING CHEESE BALL. unreal. this is the most expensive thing on the menu at $20 but this and a dessert is more than enough to satisfy! BACON AND PB CARAMEL APPLES i said bacon... so enough said. CHOCOLATE candy bar. so think of something chocolaty, caramely, nutty, and crunchy and then think of it hand made with love and a caramel sculpture behind it. COCKTAILS!!! so they now have a full bar with LOCAL liquor! who knew there was Michigan tequila!! I am a big whiskey fan so I opted for the big daddy or something like that, it was absolutely delicious and if I didn't have to drive home I would have tried others! What to expect on your visit to Red Haven?? I have been to Red Haven twice now, opening night and this past Sunday. To avoid a possible long line make a reservation or call ahead (but seriously its worth the wait). When you enter the restaurant check out the wood work and the cool door by the entrance it is all made from an old barn in the area! how cool! when you sit down, don't be worried about the lack of silverware, they bring only what you need when you order! The menu is tapas style. This means smaller portions made to share, so do it! it will be too hard to not want to try your eating companions choices if you decided to be greedy! I disagree about the prices that others have complained about. When I go out to dinner I expect to spend $30 for a meal. If anything they could raise the prices and I wouldn't be at all offended. The chef has worked in some of the best restaurants in the country. basically just go. eat. be happy. read more

Great, high quality farm-to-table restaurant. Locally sourced shrimp burger is the bomb! Staff is great as well. I am for sure coming back!!

This place is awful. I don't intend to be mean, but this is the worst meal I've ever had....and paying over $100 for this (I want to say it was around $150, but I'm not too sure) was just an insult after a terrible meal. We tried: -"Cheese": burnt homemade crackers, honey, and 1 cube of cheese -"Bisque": some cold peach bisque poured over chocolate and some other stuff. No flavor, gross texture -"Fry": 2 soggy tempura squash blossoms with ricotta cheese over cucumber noodles (cucumbers sliced extremely thinly) -"Press": fajita-style beef, onions, and I think bell peppers(?) on a cast iron pan with 3 small tortillas that were undercooked. This was the only dish I liked bc I personally really like tacos. -"Ceviche": shrimp, onions, stale popcorn. Its flavor tasted very similar to Vietnamse goi (salad) -"Broil": I don't even know what was in this, but it was god awful and inedible. The bf and I each took a bite and left the rest of the $20-25 plate untouched. -"Cure": extremely salty pork belly I'm all for local/farm to table food. I'm also a huge fan of restaurants like this, but the execution was just not there. Service was nothing remarkable - in fact, when we told our waitress that our food wasn't good, she didn't really seem to care other than issue a superficial apology. All this food and an obscene amount of money (for poor quality) later, we left starving and had to go home and eat leftovers. Don't even bother wasting your time or money. read more

I wanted to love it, but I didn't. I don't think that I'll be back. On paper, it's everything that I would have hoped for: unique, local, farm-to-table dining. In practice, I felt like I didn't know what to do or how to order, which led to a disappointing experience. I've done tapas, american tapas, small plates, blah blah blah, in a number of different places. The descriptions are quirky, and I felt like I had no idea what I was ordering so that I could make complementary choices. Our server seemed pretty disinterested in helping us sort it out. I kept looking at other tables to try to figure out what to order, but I didn't know what was what. Some plates seemed to be a decent value, like the Fry and the Mash. The Grill was delicious, but for $20, I expected more than about an ounce of meat with some spiral sliced beets. From what I saw, the deserts seemed to go the other way in terms of value--a lot of bang for your buck. read more

Let's say I was a little let down. I had high hopes and was genuinely excited to try Red Haven. But I don't think I will be back. My basis for comparison of a small plates/tapas establishment was built around great places in Milwaukee such as Odd Duck, AP, Balzac, Blue Jacket, La Merenda, Wolf Peach, etc. Those restaurants informed my understanding of small plates to be creative, well executed food to share and experience a wide swath of flavors, textures, and cuisines, or at least their influences, at a fair price. Red Haven did not quite match up with those. First and foremost, I must say we had great service. Our server was very good about being attentive while allowing us to enjoy the meal. And the servers who brought out our dishes to the table did an excellent job describing the dishes in detail. Tied into that, the presentation was spot on and attractive. Beverages were a mixed bag. I ordered a whiskey drink that was not as nuanced as it's description/ingredients suggested. That kept me from ordering another drink the rest of the meal. My fiancee ordered two different drinks and enjoyed them both and was kind enough to share the second with me, which was rather tasty. Overall, the food was good. We ordered five different dishes that ran the gamut. There was some inconsistency in the seasoning, but overall I enjoyed the flavors. The portion sizes, though, did leave something to be desired. And while I have no problem being left wanting more, but I also want to feel that I've gotten value along with my experience. That's where the greatest disappointment comes in. The prices while looking at the menu don't seem unreasonable, but by the end of the meal, we felt a little cheated. Our bill ended up being over $100 for the five plates and three drinks. Had I enjoyed my $15 drink and we felt satisfied at the end of the meal, we would have no issue with a $100+ bill, but that was not the case. Going back to the places I mentioned earlier (which are in what I would argue is a more expensive city) for reference, we would have certainly either had a lower bill, or have been able to enjoy more plates and/or food and drinks for the same cost. This is where the experience really fell apart for us. I'm not sure what drives the prices, but it doesn't fully come through in the food or drinks. read more

I really want Red Haven to be great, but each time (5 total) I've been here I have left disappointed. The staff, location, service, and concept are all great, no complaints about that. However, the food is just not up to par, especially when you consider the price level ($100+ for 2 people if each has one alcoholic beverage). I have no issue at all paying $100+ for great food, but it needs to be great. My main complaint is that the (often) great raw ingredients are muddled by too many competing flavors. I.e. I had the Smoke yesterday (BBQ ribs) and the smoke flavor was almost acrid. The same with the cheese course which was served with candied, smoked walnuts. Another shortcoming of the cheese course is the fact that it only has one cheese. To me, being able to compare and contrast a few different cheeses is really a key experience with a cheese course. Also, as a restaurant that promotes sharing of plates, I find it odd that it only included 3 paper thin baguette chips instead of a few slices of the in-house bread. I believe the cheese course was $14. I also tried the smelt, deep fried and dredged in cornmeal w/ a dill, creme cheese dipping sauce. The dish wasn't bad (my son ate most of it), but the dipping sauce was overpowering the fish. My wife always gets the carpaccio, which is basically a raw root vegetable salad with some puffed rice and a cherry vinegar vinaigrette. Not bad, but too heavy handed with the sweetness level. The deserts have always been great, probably the best part of the meal. They really strike a good balance of sweet and savory and use solid technique and execution. In summary, I want so much more from Red Haven and I've waited a long time to do this review. Hoping that each trip may prove me wrong. The Lansing area is certainly not drowning in great restaurants, but I did not review Red Haven compared to other local restaurants, I reviewed it compared to places I've eaten across the country and in Europe. I will keep going to Red Haven, but not for a full meal. I'll go for a drink and an appetizer or for dessert. read more

I came here with friends during the daily happy hour (5-7) at the bar. If you are someone who wants to try this place without paying super high prices ($5 a plate from a limited selection)...happy hour is for you. I ordered the DIP - an amazing goat cheese, swiss chard, and fennel spread served with rye bread that was truly delicious. I only wish I had more of this plate. The second plate I ordered was the ROAST - their take on an eggplant "meatball". This plate was very tasty and had some unique flavor combos. Finally I got the PRESS - two tiny tacos that were jam packed with flavor. The food here is delicious, but don't expect to leave full. I would come here if you are looking for a fun and creative dinning experience. I also have to say that I was not impressed by the cocktail I ordered. It looked nice on paper, but it tasted like watered down lemonade. read more

This is a very excellent eatery. The food is tasty and creative, with a strong emphasis on local. (And kudos for having a beverage selection to back up the local theme.) We stopped in on opening night, and the place was hopping, even nearing closing time. A great space, great menu, great food. Too bad it isn't walkable to downtown EL. Hat tip to Nina and the gang. You have put the Lansing food scene on notice. read more

I am completely into tapas and farm to table, I was looking forward to trying this place for months. I was completely utterly disappointed :( The server was snobby and the food was terrible. He told us we had to order all our food at once...ok. Four poor tasting dishes and a lot of money later, we left hungry and went to another restaurant. The major negative was when I had little splintered bones all throughout my duck. I mentioned it to the waiter, he went to the kitchen and "asked" about it, came back to our table and said "here's your desert menu!". Skip this hole and go to the Soup Spoon!! read more

The food was delicious. Ordered were the squash blossoms, asparagus bisque, and papillote and we were definitely not disappointed. Beverages hit the mark as well. What marred this nice experience was the lack of professionalism by the staff. Our server was great. Though on several occasions, I would look up from taking a photo of my plate only to see rest of the staff behind the bar making fun of me. Patrons should be allowed to take photos of their food without the fear of being made fun of by the house staff. I waited tables plenty when I was in grad school and did my share of smack talking but not in front of the guest as to make them feel inferior. It got so bad that I even thought about asking to change tables. I had my friend sitting across the table from me take photos instead. Between pandemic and veterinary school, I have not been able to enjoy restaurant dining very much here in Michigan and was really looking forward to trying this place out. Please try and refrain from acting this way in front of guests from now on. read more

I was very excited to try this restaurant. Like many have said, we need more quality choices in this area. I found the atmosphere surprising. The outdoor patio looked more like a picnic area than an upscale outdoor patio. The inside of the restaurant is nice but so loud we could not hear our server. The spinach blossoms were very flavorful and a pleasant surprise. The big disappointment came with the proteins. Both overcooked and dry. I am trying to think about what other dishes we tried that stuck out as memorable but nothing comes to mind. Hmmm... I hope this was an off night but I won't be rushing back in. read more

Red Haven was our Valentine's Day spot this year. Not being big V-Day people it was a group of three couples plus our exchange student (a vegetarian). Despite the rave reviews and word of mouth, I wasn't impressed and probably won't go back. Despite having a reservation it took a long time to get seated. It's a busy night and I get this but the hostess staff could and should have given us an update offered to bring us drinks from the bar, a nice touch most places included even if it's limited like bottle service. After getting seated our waitress took a while, knew very little about the menu and was flaky as all heck. Because of this, we ordered things that were not what we imagined. Part of the issue was also with the menu, which highlights ingredients but not necessarily how they are put together. We ordered a cheese plate. It was three huge chunks of blue cheese. Each was the same. First off, I love cheese. Love. Cheese. But a cheese plate should be a variety of cheeses, not three huge hunks of the same cheese. Small plates were good but again, it was hard to tell what was what. A vegetarian dish that says it has carpaccio? Confusing. Limited details led to things being a little confused. Sometimes we were pleasantly surprised but most times not. Also, the dessert cheese plate is EXACTLY the same as the appetizer cheese plate. Three huge chunks of blue cheese. What?! Thank god for good friends and laughter, because that was what made this night awesome. As for the restaurant? No thanks! read more

Loved this place! Great food and drinks. My boyfriend and I were lucky and arrived during happy hour (5 - 7 pm). They have $5 plates and drinks, so our bill was very manageable. Loved the cabritos tacos! The meat was tender and the flavor was complex. I wish I could figure out what went on it. We also got "confit", which was duck two ways with a yummy sauce and adorable micro-greens. The drink specials were great too! I love a moscow mule with a strong ginger bite to it. It's a good thing I live 2.5 hours from Lansing, otherwise I'd get fat and poor from eating here too much. read more

I was REALLY excited to try this place, we definitely need more restaurants like this in East Lansing. However, we made reservations for a 4 top, and ended up waiting around a half hour for our table. It didn't feel like there was much point in making a reservation at all. The food was delicious, everything tasted fresh and had unique flavors. The bisque was AMAZING. Half of the plates felt like a good value and were enough to share between tastings for four people, and the other half felt over priced and were better to share between two. The server had little knowledge on what items were gluten free, however they were accommodating and had a chef mark off the items that were. One downside is that it was incredibly loud, I couldn't hear anything the server was saying and it was very difficult to carry on conversations just at our table. The decor is cute and the mason jars for water were fun. I will probably go back to see what they have for other seasons. read more

Fantastic food! Great atmosphere! Food presentation was beautiful! If you are a foodie, you gotta check them out. Only disappointing thing is that I don't live here. I may never check out the fabulous food pairings or great drinks again. I watched dish after dish of mouth watering goodness come out of the open kitchen. Locals... you are blessed with a gem!!! read more

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Five of us had dinner here last night and it was amazing. I forgot my phone so I don't have pictures, which is a shame because the food is as pretty as it is delicious. We tried ten dishes and only one was good, not great. The other nine were the kind of thing where you shut your eyes for a moment during that first bite and mmmm. Service was outstanding. A few highlights: bisque, cheese, broil and the candy bar dessert and the meringue. read more

I'd been meaning to try this place for a while now and my husband and I finally went for the restaurant week lunch special (lunch for 2 for $25). It included a shared first course, two mains and a dessert. We started with the Bake- basket of bread and four spreads/sauces. Bread was excellent and we loved three of the four spreads, the fourth was a weird flavor combo (made out of blueberries but tasted strangely like dijon or horseradish) but also ok. I had the mushroom tartine and husband had the chicken burger, both of which were fantastic. The crust of the tartine was flaky, filling was very tasty and went well with the goat cheese on top. Chicken burger was also delicious - very juicy, good sauce, good wheat bun. We ended with lavender panna cotta for dessert, also very good and included some yummy blueberry and lemon sauces. This was certainly one of the best meals I've had in the Lansing area... I'm generally disappointed with the huge selection of bar food and lack of other options. The prices for lunch were reasonable (even though we were there for the special, I looked at the same items on the regular menu and it was comparably priced). I'm not a huge eater, but I also thought that the portions were totally sufficient. The price and portion sizes were exactly what I'd expect given the high-quality ingredients and well-prepared food. Service was excellent also but they weren't busy. Our waiter was patient with our questions about the somewhat ambiguous and annoyingly-trendy menu. Probably would give them four stars elsewhere, but five relative to the selection of places to eat in the area. read more

A great place if you are looking for a slight change in atmosphere and something unique. This is unlike most places in East Lansing. They have a very simple menu with basic ingredients. Their concept is fresh, local food so I assume that locals will be surprised with seasonal changes in the menu. As it is a tapas style, their dishes are small, often insufficient for one person but they encourage you to order several dishes and share. I went with 2 other friends and liked all the dishes we ordered - bake, mash, fried, confit and poach. We also got their ice-cream sandwich dessert which seems to be very popular. Their dish presentation is definitely unique but their prices are a little high. One complain though - their main dishes are a little too small, insufficient for a table of 3 to get satisfying taste of the dish while their dessert is way too big. The ice-cream was too frozen that we had to hammer our spoon to get a bite. Overall, I like their concept and the food. I would visit again because it is a lovely place to chat and enjoy a good meal with friends. read more

Lansing is finally getting better food! Let me start by saying they are NOT open for lunch. I made the mistake of not checking the hours of operation before stopping in and found an empty restaurant. Thinking ahead, we did make reservations because of all of the hype surrounding this place. When we got there (the second time), the place was alive and packed! The decor was modern/industrial. Very cool light fixtures. Tables are a little close but nothing too uncomfortable. The kitchen is wide open behind the dinner bar (another bar next to the alcohol bar where you can eat, similar to a sushi bar) you can watch the chefs work their magic. We were told that we would have to wait about 5-10 minutes for our reserved table to open up so we decided we would have a drink at the bar. They have amazing michigan craft/microbrews on tap and in the bottle. I believe most of the alcohol is local. Alex was our bar tender and was very knowledgeable. We enjoyed talking with him so much we decided to have dinner at the bar. We started with the duck fat fries and the cheese plate. I was not impressed with the fries but the wife loved them. I was after the cheese! I can't remember the types of cheeses but there were three different decent size portions served with some sort of caramel sauce and biscotti. It threw me off a bit having the sweet stuff as an appetizer but that was my fault for ordering it first (as it is on the dessert menu as well). Moving on we tried the confit served atop of a wheat waffle and kale (a twist on chicken and waffles?). Trust me no knife needed! If you look at this dish too hard it will start to fall off of the bone. Juicy and melt in your mouth. Next, we had some type of shrimp burger. Served open-faced with heirloom tomato and arugula on sour dough (I believe). It was good but not the best. This was probably because I was eating this along side "The Poach". "The Poach" being my absolute favorite part of dinner. Sashimi grade Scottish salmon cooked to perfection in a sous vide. Some of the most delicious salmon I've had, outside of sushi, served with an egg, kale and capers. The egg is poached the same way in the sous vide. Cooked just enough so that the yolk is thick enough to use as a sauce for the salmon. For dessert, we had the birthday cake and the bread pudding. All of the desserts are made from scratch from what Alex tells us. Had the desserts been to die for, this place would be a 5 star. Unfortunately, I didn't care much for either dessert. My wife on the other hand, single-handedly demolished the birthday cake (she will probably be angry that I shared this lol) but not all in one sitting. All things considered, this place was great! We will try the other desserts next time and hopefully they redeem themselves to gain that 5th star. Lucky for me though, I discovered this nice little patisserie a few blocks away. Chapleure, which I will be reviewing next! read more

To see the successful growth from the Purple Carrot food truck to this rustically elegant cuisine is impressive. Localvore foodies rejoice! For all you Know-Your-Grower types, the farms are listed on the menu, which is arranged by cooking technique: Mash, Broil, Sear, Carpaccio etc. and it sounds like the menu will adapt with the growing season. The atmosphere was lively and the service was great. Dishes ranged from $4-$20, and they recommend 2-3 per person. My wife and I had 5 between the two of us and it felt just right. read more

Hallelujah a restaurant in the Lansing area that isn't a chain!!! Furthermore, it's a Farm-to-table restaurant! I understand that this isn't a big deal in bigger cities, however, one shouldn't judge what Red Haven might be if it was in NYC because it's not-it's in East Lansing, MI. So I m judging it in the context of this area. This is a wonderful addition to the area. Red Haven uses local, seasonal ingredients and creates tapas style dishes to share with your table. Each dish has a distinctive look and flavor. Another aspect I enjoy is the fact that the kitchen is open to the restaurant so you can watch the cooks work which adds a theatrical flair to the environment. This is a great place to go with friends or for a date. The menu is a little pricy for this area, however fresh, seasonal ingredients cost more than frozen, mass-produced foods. Also, it's nice to eat at restaurant that isn't filled with college students wearing leggings with ugg boots and backwards baseball caps. This venue attracts a crowd that's a little more discerning. read more

Lovely evening with the missus and my first experience with tapas-style dinner! Order: [bisque][toss][ravioli][stuffed][char] root beer Price: $63 minus tip Ambiance: I can only describe it as a chic barn motif. The lighting and atmosphere is that of a fine wine atmosphere with simplistic furniture consisting of wooden chairs and tables stained different colors. There are also mock sheet metal barn doors decorating the otherwise plain pastel walls. With concrete floors, higher ceilings and lack of walls to break the space up, I can see how noise could be an issue but the place wasn't busy at 5:30 pm when we went. I really enjoyed the open kitchen where you can see the chefs working attentively. The service was great although, again, we were only one of the 5 tables filled. Food: Everything here was extremely well crafted. The root beer tasted like Mugs/Dad's brand but it was thick and hearty like a stout, delicious! Everything else that came afterwards was extremely flavorful with fresh, quality ingredients and interesting composition. They tend to use heavily reduced sauces and pastes which result in very concentrated flavors. The [toss] consisted of a pumpkin paste smear with 3 grilled shrimp and a side of spinach and pumpkin slices dressed in a tangy-orangey vinaigrette. We both agreed we could have had a whole bowl of it as our dinner. The butternut [bisque] was hilarious as it is initially presented as five 0.5 cm cubes in a bowl but they pour in the soup part at the table (maybe 5-6 oz?). The texture was absolutely perfect and the butternut not too heavy or sweet. The chestnut [ravioli] was interesting, it was puréed with coffee and chocolate and served with salty pumpkin crisps on top. A dessert-y ravioli wasn't my favorite but it was still a fun experience. Finally we ended on the [char] and [stuffed]. The first is essentially a ground brisket burger on a perfect brioche bun. It was served with an amazingly savory sauce and healthy slab of cheddar. The bacon flavor was not overwhelming at all which I appreciated. The second dish was a sweet-savory stuffed goose breast served over earthy sautéed chard and a salty celery cream. The goose was a tad chewy but the sheer complexity of flavors was literally awe-inspiring; I even made sure it was the last bite I took to leave a nice aftertaste to the evening! Impression: I can't recommend this place enough. It IS spendy but the execution and creativity with everything from presentation, texture, flavor, and composition are unparalleled in the Lansing area. I'd recommend getting 2.5-3 dishes a person and taking your time eating, we initially craved more but agreed we were comfortably full 10 minutes after we had finished our meal. Soapbox: Both fine dining and tapas have never been about getting stuffed, they are about enjoying the experience of eating and sharing food with good company! Just a heads up, dishes generally are divided into thirds making sharing with 4 ppl potentially difficult. read more

I look forward to coming here every time I'm in Lansing. The bartender is amazing and there's always been a good crowd for conversation seated around the bar. Coming in from out of town, I always look for a local spot and Red Haven doesn't disappoint. Everything is local - from the booze and bitters to the meats and cheese. It's infinitely better than any chain and a more interesting experience than the pubs/eateries typically found in a college town. I only wish they were open Mondays, as that's when I'm typically in town but I understand that the staff has to sleep at sometime. I'll have to adjust my own travels. Next time you're in start off with a Manhattan made with local whiskey and the bartender's bespoke bitters. And let her know if you're familiar with the legal intricacies of interstate bitters commerce. read more

Stopped in on a trip to MSU and was beyond pleasantly surprised by this place. Great selection of food, cocktails, and beers. It was a busy night and we sat at the chef's table. The servers were charming, helpful, and attentive. We ordered five dishes- a twist on a Ruben and a dish with beets and apples were the highlights. Food came out quickly and it was fun to watch the kitchen staff work their magic (and, as a side note, I think being easy on the eyes is a prerequisite to working there). Definitely will be returning if we end up moving here. read more

For the area, this is a 5 star quality restaurant. Good service, excellent food, and tasty house drinks to boot. The food and drinks are mostly, if not all locally sourced, the menu tends to reflect the season and the flavors clearly come from an experience and refined palate. Prices are high for the area, but it's worth a splurge for a graduation, anniversary, etc meal. read more

Went here for Valentine's Day and wow, was it outstanding. Both the husband and I agreed that it was the best meal we'd had in the East Lansing area, aside from the appalling couple next to us who referred to a goat and cow hybrid as "miscegenation"... but that's neither here nor there. We had a five-course sort of set meal with some options so we got to try a lot of different things. We definitely liked some things more than others but it was just generally such a great experience. The set up is also cool in that you basically choose your dishes based on the ingredients that are going to be in them, but I really couldn't have guessed how many of them would taste or even be arranged, so each course was like a pleasant surprise. The flavor combinations were unique and interesting, in a very good way. Service was great too--dishes came out well-timed--and really nice decor and ambiance. Can't wait to go back. read more