Sparky&#x27;s Diner

We had an absolute blast at Traverse City Whiskey! My BF loves their whiskey and decided to make a…read morehuge purchase for his bday! lol He asked the manager how many different bottles of bourbon were available, 13 to be exact, to please package them up! Hahaa I guess we needed a bar restock anyway!

Imagine requesting an old fashioned then being told "oh we just cleaned up sorry but I can do a…read morepour" while they're fixing an Old Fashioned for a few buddies. I literally bought over $400 in merch. Ughhhh and people wonder if prejudices exist!?

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Menu cover page

Bubba's Burgers And Bar

4.0(732 reviews)

2.1 mi

Visited Bubba's when visiting TC for my first time and glad I chose here for lunch!…read more It was a Sunday and the place was packed but was able to find a seat at the bar since I was solo. There are large screens that had a game on and noise wasn't too loud. The bartender was attentive and service was great despite the rush. There was a good selection of beer on tap and other cocktails. I had the Haystack burger with fries and ordered it cooked medium. It was cooked perfect and was very tasty. If visiting Traverse City, make sure to check them out if looking for a great place for a beer and burger!

The atmosphere here very much feels like a tavern. However a tavern with a welcoming feel to it…read more I ordered the Shrek Burger ($22). The 1/2 pound burger is topped with Fried Cheese, Fresh Jalapeño, Pulled Pork, Cole Slaw, Haystack Onions, Bourbon BBQ Sauce. The burger was very good with a few caveats. The pulled pork is very average and doesn't add anything to the burger. The fried cheese was very good and did add to thd burger. The bourbon bbq sauce was meh and didn't add much. However the meat itself is excellent and I think a plainer burger would have been better. The fries that came with the burger were very good. I also ordered a Chocolate Shake and it was fantastic. the service was very good and everyone was very friendly. Overall a solid 4 star review. Would I return? Absolutely. Definitely for the shakes and I very much believe a simpler burger would have been better.

Iced coffee kicker and a side of bacon

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Peanut Butter Shake

Rare Bird Brewpub

4.3(778 reviews)

1.9 mi

Nikki is the best bartender in town! We come from Bay City and our first stop is always Rare Bird…read moreto see Nikki and get drinks!!

Great atmosphere, beers and hospitality!…read more Good selection of food - the pecorino fries are and awesome appetizer.

Outside patio

Lamb burger

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In zehn & cucumber jalapeño margarita

The Filling Station Microbrewery

4.5(837 reviews)

1.7 mi

We enjoyed a dinner after arriving in town on a recent Friday evening. It was quite busy, and there…read morewas a decent wait, but we passed the time in the beer garden. It was a mixed crowd, with lots of families and young children. I had the Northwoods Blueberry Açaí mineral water while I waited and it was SO GOOD. Once we were seated and placed our order at the bar, the food came out fairly quickly.We had the hummus appetizer, the Rocket and the Three Rivers. I loved the Rocket - I love any pizza with goat cheese! This was a great spot to kick off our vacation with the fam after a long day of travel!

Super cool brewery located in at an old train depot with a huge patio for seating!! They specialize…read morein flatbread pizzas and beers. When we got there, the hostess warned us that the pizzas were taking up to an hour to make. I appreciate that they warned us before we committed to dining there! We didn't mind the wait. There are no waiters, so you order everything at the bar then they bring your food to you with a table number. I ordered the raspberry beer and it was really good. I typically don't like beer, but I love fruit flavors. As an appetizer, we got the red pepper hummus and it was meh--I didn't really like it. It was thick and had the texture of cold refried beans and instead of pita, it was served with tortilla chips that tasted like Tostitos brand. For my flatbread pizza, I chose the Wolverine which was topped with pineapple, pepperoni, jalapeños. I've never had pineapple on pizza so I can't really be a good judge, but it was alright. I liked how thin the crust was. For dessert, we got the mini ice cream bars as recommended by the woman sitting near us. They're Ice Box Brand Ice Cream Bars by a Michigan-based company. They sell two sizes: regular and mini. I chose a mini toffee crunch and it was the perfect size. It was really good. I'd love to just buy these ice cream bars to have at home!!

Mini toffee crunch ice cream bar

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Firebox...not too hot and definitely shy of filling and flavor

Frank's 231

4.9(11 reviews)

0.5 mi

Loved it here - so glad we stopped in! Our food was AMAZING! We enjoyed everything - my ZLT…read moresandwich was so fresh and yummy and my husband loved his catfish Po Boy. Service was superb as well! Couldn't be happier with our lunch decision.

Definitely suggest!!…read more Came to T.C. to visit a friend and did NOT want to pay for parking and walk around to find food. Holy crap were we surprised! The Thai chicken salad was killer put a little of Vanessa's tropical hot sauce (local hot sauce company now call Maria's) and it was delightfully spicy. My side was corn soufflé and it was delicious Friend got the pupusa and they were also amazing. He got the cucumber salad and it was cold and bright perfect for a how day. Definitely coming back when in town. They gave us homemade almond brittle that was so good! Service was good and food came out quickly. Love this little spot l.

Two carrot salad.

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PBLT

The Cottage

4.0(326 reviews)

2.1 mi

Highly recommend The Cottage. We ate there one day and it was so good we came back the next day!…read moreThe Traverse City Cherry Pancakes were phenomenal. The service was excellent. Our orders came quickly and everything was hot and tasty.

The atmosphere here does have a homey feel to it. I just wished it had more matched it's name and…read morehave a cottagey feel to it. That being picky though, the place feels welcoming and is brightly lit and feels well cared for. I ordered the Pot Roast ($20). It's described as slow roasted with carrots and onions and mashed potatoes. It was fantastic. The meat was tender and delicious. the gravy was perfect without overpowering. The carrots and onions were a great compliment. Plus the real mashed potatoes were made to perfection. Smooth, yet still had the potatoness to the texture. The taste was one of the better mashed potatoes I've had in TC. I don't know what they do th their TC Cherry Coke, but it is spectacular. Lastly for dessert I got their Lava Cake ($7), it was fine, but disappointing after such a great meal. I don't know if it was from frozen or what. However the texture was a little off andvthe taste was only okay. I wouldn't get it again. The service was very friendly and super helpful. Overall a 4 1/2 star review. Since I have to round, I'm going to forgive the dessert and give a full 5 stars. Would I return? Absolutely. Especially if I'm craving Pot Roast.

Booths and tables

Eggs, bacon and well done hash browns -- served w toast or pancakes

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Poppycocks

4.1(662 reviews)

2.2 mi

Service left a lot to be desired. Food was average at best…read more Brother in law order a speciality drink. It was missing half the amount ingredients. Called the server back, she said no that's the drink we just ran out of .. XYZ. So basically it was wine with ice. Soups were average nothing to write home about. I ordered the market steak, if was grainy fat with zero flavor in the meat parts. Very disappointing. Definitely would not recommends. If you're near and they have a table and you're hungry it will do. There are much better places that are cheaper or at least worth the money you will spend

We came here for a late lunch and honestly, it was still very busy but after we finished enjoying…read moreour meal and dessert, I can understand why. We were seated at a table close to the bar. When you come in, you are immediately and pleasantly assaulted by their dessert display case so feast your eyes and meanwhile, plan to save some room in your belly because trust me, you'll want some of their dessert. As a result, I ordered a salad, the up north cobb which was good and moderately filling and my husband had the special which was a chicken salad sandwich served with chips. We both had a nice lighter lunch followed by some delicious desserts. Generally, I order dessert and my husband eats what I cannot but this time, he orders his own. I had the cherry crumble and he had the sticky toffee pudding. Their dessert definitely satisfies the sweet tooth craving. So good and so much food! Service was fine. We ended up with the bartender as our waitress who had to do both roles during a busy time. She was a bit flustered but was generally pleasant whenever she came to the table to get our order and check on us. I only wish we were able to come here for dinner but lunch definitely did not disappoint and the dessert was epic!

Menu

Butterscotch Budino

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Can't remember the names of all the drinks but we had a good variety.

Randy's Diner

4.2(101 reviews)

1.1 mi

We had breakfast for dinner and all was good. The sweet potato fries are so delicious. Service was…read moregreat. Dont expect any ambiance, this is a very old restaurant that hasn't been updated but it's fun if you want to find a long-time local favorite.

Dang, I really wanted to like this place. They certainly have a following but our experience was on…read morethe low end of average. Even my wife said the eggs were overcooked. The French toast was dry. Maybe our experience was not typical because they have the crowds.

3. Mushroom Swiss Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

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7 Monks Taproom

4.3(608 reviews)

2.2 mi

Served within 25 minutes of closing time with a…read more Lively older vibe if you want to escape the racous twentysomething crowd.

Waitress was kinda crappy but still not a bad place. Do have air conditioning. Pretzels were weird…read morebut good. More like a bread. Beer cheese is ok. Which also makes the mac n cheese ahhhh. I wouldn't get it and glad I didn't order it. Beet salad was actually pretty good!! Specially if u like picked beets. Didn't like their homemade dressing that came with it though, it was horrible. Would go again. Was convenient.

Pretzel bites

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Beer flight

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13 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Alan W.

0

1

0

4 years ago

Visiting Traverse City for the first time recently and wanted to find a local traditional breakfast place. Walking in I thought that is exactly what we might be getting. I was really excited when I noticed it was owned/ran by Latinos. Thought they might give it a flare with chorizo, etc. I could not be more wrong! Service was good, place looked clean, but the food was absolutely awful. How can you mess up breakfast! I had biscuits and gravy with a side of hash browns. My wife had The Traditional. We believe that all the food except the toast/English muffin are made ahead, put in warming pans, and then plated later. It all came barely warm. Gravy tasted like it was out of a can and the hash browns tasted like they had been reheated from the day prior. If we return to Traverse City in the future we will not go back to this restaurant. read more

Kate C.

0

2

0

16 years ago

Not so fast! Everyone should know that the Sparks put all of their heart and soul into this restaurant. Brent and Paul worked at Don's Drive in for a very long time. They decided to go into business together. What could go wrong? Well, after trusting Brent completely, they were hoodwinked and taken advantage of by Brent, the current and sole owner. The Sparks gave this place everything they had, and got the big SCREW in the end. This family is a trusting, kind group who did nothing but work like crazy and put in countless hours and personal time. In the end, it is Brent that can be looked at for the future of this once cute place. Good luck Brent, cuz you'll need it. Shame on you for your despicable behavior. You deserve no success and you know exactly WHY, and remember.....you reap what you sow. Shameful. I hope people choose another diner. read more

Meme S.

0

2

0

11 years ago

I've eaten here multiple times, and let me tell you, ITS GOOD. I usually get a grilled cheese, or other basic meals, but they always do a good job with the food. Another pro is that if you have kids, this is a good place. Not much they won't like, and the inside has an interesting enough design to look around at for a while. Pinball machine and Jukebox are cool to. But in the end, if you just want a good old middle-of-the-day lunch, this is the place to go. read more

Cheeseburger L.

0

1

0

18 years ago

Okay, okay. To be fair, the food WAS quite good. Other than the "look" of the place, I found it to be a bit like J&S Hamburg, which is where I've loved to eat for many years. So again, in all fairness, I did enjoy my meal. I will not however, retract my remark about the time it took to get waited on. That was absolutely rediculous. read more

Johnny L.

0

5

0

3 years ago

Awful food and even worse service. The owner of this place was a complete jerk to a customer in front of everyone like he's already too rich to do this. The seats were terribly dirty as was the kitchen... Won't be back! read more

Marc A.

17

9

8

12 years ago

Sorry, the food was not very good. Hash browns came in a hard square and tasted bad, the pancakes were bland. Toast was hard. Eggs okay though. Staff were very nice. Low prices attracts lots of regulars. read more

Diane M.

0

4

0

2 years ago

New owners. What a disappointment. Sparky's use to be one of the best gathering places on the east side of Traverse City. NO MORE. Too many illegals have taken over the restaurant. read more

Carol C.

0

25

4

8 months ago

I always think about stopping here. Well the food is amazing, the menu selection is amazing. Service fantastic. A little chilly due to our cold weather but still great. read more

Tootiredtocare M.

0

4

1

5 years ago

Sparky's has really good food but the owner of this restaurant is the same owner of a restaurant on Munson av that has supported the "Q" theory. Will not support. read more

Brycen P.

0

5

0

7 years ago

The service was not that good and I would go there but bring something to do while you are waiting it has good enough food but service there is very slow read more

Abbiegail B.

0

6

2

8 years ago

Amazing customer service. Know me by name and remember my family that also comes in. Food is just like a home cooked meal.

Tim S.

1

6

0

16 years ago

A good place to eat , cozy and the food has always been very good.

Mike H.

0

70

1

7 years ago

Overpriced rubber trash served with a side of bad attitude.

Sparky's Diner - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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Loved it here - so glad we stopped in! Our food was AMAZING! We enjoyed everything - my ZLT…read moresandwich was so fresh and yummy and my husband loved his catfish Po Boy. Service was superb as well! Couldn't be happier with our lunch decision.

Definitely suggest!!…read more Came to T.C. to visit a friend and did NOT want to pay for parking and walk around to find food. Holy crap were we surprised! The Thai chicken salad was killer put a little of Vanessa's tropical hot sauce (local hot sauce company now call Maria's) and it was delightfully spicy. My side was corn soufflé and it was delicious Friend got the pupusa and they were also amazing. He got the cucumber salad and it was cold and bright perfect for a how day. Definitely coming back when in town. They gave us homemade almond brittle that was so good! Service was good and food came out quickly. Love this little spot l.

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Visited Bubba's when visiting TC for my first time and glad I chose here for lunch!…read more It was a Sunday and the place was packed but was able to find a seat at the bar since I was solo. There are large screens that had a game on and noise wasn't too loud. The bartender was attentive and service was great despite the rush. There was a good selection of beer on tap and other cocktails. I had the Haystack burger with fries and ordered it cooked medium. It was cooked perfect and was very tasty. If visiting Traverse City, make sure to check them out if looking for a great place for a beer and burger!

The atmosphere here very much feels like a tavern. However a tavern with a welcoming feel to it…read more I ordered the Shrek Burger ($22). The 1/2 pound burger is topped with Fried Cheese, Fresh Jalapeño, Pulled Pork, Cole Slaw, Haystack Onions, Bourbon BBQ Sauce. The burger was very good with a few caveats. The pulled pork is very average and doesn't add anything to the burger. The fried cheese was very good and did add to thd burger. The bourbon bbq sauce was meh and didn't add much. However the meat itself is excellent and I think a plainer burger would have been better. The fries that came with the burger were very good. I also ordered a Chocolate Shake and it was fantastic. the service was very good and everyone was very friendly. Overall a solid 4 star review. Would I return? Absolutely. Definitely for the shakes and I very much believe a simpler burger would have been better.

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