We went recently early on Saturday night. Embarassed to say it is the first time since they moved to the new location. We love the space. Please note there is free parking across the street at the church. Love the new space. Very lovely. Great wallpaper, very airy and light. Cocktails were well made. Our server was great, very attentive even though she also had an 11-top, she didn't miss a beat with us. We all enjoyed our meals. read more

We went to Sovengard for Valentine's Day and it was very busy, which was expected given the night. The space was gorgeous and they had a couple of coat racks in the front which was nice. We had to wait about 10 minutes for our table to be ready. The drinks were okay for the price but not particularly memorable. The standout was the NY strip steak, which was easily the best part of the meal and really well done. We also ordered the beer battered fries to start and they were fine, nothing bad but nothing special about them either. My only real complaint is the limited menu availability. Two of the six entrées were already sold out by the time we got there, even though my partner made the reservation weeks in advance. I understand the realities of a farm to table model and respect the commitment to sourcing and seasonality, but on a fixed, high-demand holiday, the limited options were noticeable and slightly disappointing . Overall it was still a good experience, just one that could have been better with a bit more menu flexibility. Hoping to be back on a less busy day in the summer since I really want to love this restaurant! read more

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Great food. Love the decor. Really enjoy this place. Good service. Good drinks. A gem.

Place was empty... now I know why! Started with an Old Fashioned, it tasted watered down. My wife ordered soup and a salad. The soup was the best of the night, notating much. Wife couldn't eat the salad. She wasn't sure what it was! I had the walleye, just ok! And why did they move? I know they wanted to own and not rent, but location, location, location! read more

Let's get the "bleh" out of the way: service at The Sovengard, while hospitable, was noticeably slow. Drinks, food, and dessert took a looong time to arrive. I was curious what a busy night looks like, and I don't want to find out. Onto what The Sovengard does *really* well: the interior and beer garden are so inviting, the beer list is Michigan-forward (with plenty of non-alcoholic options), and there's a vegetarian-optional HOT DOG NIGHT on Wednesdays. I am *so glad* we came for this weekly night of deliciousness, and I 100% recommend you do too as long as you have the luxury of time. read more

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First we ordered lager, dark beer and strawberry Jin to start. First came the chicken liver. Very tasty. Second came carrots of many colors with cream sauce! Wonderful. Then fish chowder. Then pork belly. All good! We were full but the dessert was the best! Cinnamon pudding! It was out of this world. Hope to come back soon. read more

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The Søvengård is an outstanding "hidden gem" in Grand Rapids. I say hidden because it is not on a busy street in the middle of the city, but amongst a residential neighborhood away from downtown Grand Rapids. If there ever was a restaurant that was worth the search or the drive, the Søvengård is it. The Søvengård is a Farm-to-Table restaurant with a seasonal menu that includes some Vegan or Vegan Option dishes. We visited during the 2025 Grand Rapids Vegan Chef Challenge and had the Seitan n Cheeze Sandwich (fantastic flavors and textures in their House-Made Seitan), Orecchiette Pasta (earthy flavors punctuated by pickled Cherry Bomb Peppers). And from their regular menu, we had their comforting Sour Beer Fries and their fresh, vibrant Heirloom Tomato Open-Faced Sandwich. The beautiful interior of the Søvengård is sleek, clean, open and modern, with plenty of space between the tables. There is a biergarten outside that looked so refreshing that we hope to try on a future visit. The service was outstanding; we informed our server that we were not in a hurry and she made sure the food was timed perfectly to match the pace of our dining. I don't know how crowded it gets during peak times, but when we dined (around 5:00 pm on a Sunday), the restaurant atmosphere was peacefully idyllic. There's lots of parking, either on the street or in the parking lot of the Resurrection Fellowship Church a few steps away on Valley Ave. There's even a small sign at the church parking lot welcoming Søvengård patrons. From the setting to the service to the food, the Søvengård is outstanding! We are looking forward to returning and trying the other dishes on their menu! read more

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Delightful Sunday brunch on the northwest side of Grand Rapids. The space strikes that perfect balance between super cute and quietly sophisticated--warm, inviting, and thoughtfully designed without feeling overdone. It's the kind of place you want to linger. Farm-to-table focus. Standout starter was the homemade biscuits served with creamy butter and a wonderful apple spread that felt both comforting and elevated. The crepes were equally impressive: sweet crepes filled with farmer's cheese and sautéed apples were rich without being heavy, and the savory crepes were flavorful and well-balanced. A perfectly poured mimosa and genuinely great coffee, it makes for an ideal brunch. Feels special yet approachable, and it's easy to see this becoming a neighborhood favorite. Highly recommend giving it a visit--you'll leave happy and already planning your return. read more

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Excellent dinner before a show in Grand Rapids. Enjoyed the warm salad, heirloom carrots and the walleye. Exquisitely prepared, fresh and delicious ingredients. Friendly service makes us excited to return! read more

I was so excited to check out the new Sovengard recently with some friends. We made a reservation for 5:45 pm and were seated right away. The space is large, airy, and so gorgeous! The interior design is so pretty, we were all looking around and taking so many photos. I loved the greens and oranges of the furnishings/decor. We sat in the back area near the little "market", this area leads out onto a huge patio. Our server was very sweet and great with recommendations and giving us enough time to look over the menus. The menu is a bit Scandinavian focused with their smorrebrod (open faced sandwiches) but mostly it has a farm to table feel. I saw vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free options listed on the menu. We started with a bunch of small plates: the garlic tasting, raclette, and smashed new potatoes. These all came out at once and we shared them all. My favorite was the potatoes - they were crispy and delicious, with a bit of aioli to dip. The garlic tasting was just one small head (maybe even half of a head) of roasted garlic with some cheese bread and pickled golden beets on the side. The portion was pretty small, and some of the group didn't love that it came inside the garlic skin so you have to squish out the garlic cloves. There were only 3 pieces of bread too which made it tough to share with our group of 4. I had high hopes for the raclette, as I love this cheese, but it was a bit disappointing as it was just a thin layer of cheese that was tough to scrape out of the cast iron dish it came in. I did like the flavors and enjoyed the seedy crackers and toasted bread. For entrees, most of us got the bucatini. I also got the walleye and one friend got the half chicken. The bucatini was vegan but you wouldn't really know it, it was pretty creamy and tasty. The pasta was cooked nicely but I wish it had more mushrooms. The walleye itself was perfectly cooked and seasoned well, but the delicata squash was undercooked. I left most of it on the plate. I really liked the buttermilk sauce. The half chicken was reported to be good and it was a massive portion, easily shareable. We didn't get any dessert but the options were all very fall forward, with sweet potato and apple flavors. Overall this is a cute spot and I would love to come back and try more items, especially some of the smorrebrod. They are also starting brunch soon! Parking is a little tough, with mostly street parking but they do allow parking in a nearby church parking lot (during non-peak church times). There isn't really a ton around that you could easily walk to if you had a long wait time. I recommend making a reservation! read more

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I've been to The Søvengård twice now, both times after their location change. The interior is absolutely beautiful, warm, and welcoming. There are open lounge style seating in some areas as well as a small market that sells local produce and goods. The service is friendly and knowledgable but a touch slow in refilling drinks or checking in on you, but they will not leave you feeling neglected in the slightest. I really enjoyed all the food I had. Many of the dishes were incredibly unique which made it feel like a more fun and adventurous dining experience. The smashed potatoes with tomato aioli was a standout for me! I really like this restaurant and hope to be back soon. read more

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I met up with friends here last week and finally saw their new spot- The space is dreamy- big, spacious, and BRIGHT (an instagram foodies dream ) with some fun moody statement pieces. I started with a delicious cocktail that had a sweet potato reduction in it??? Not take I've ever tried before, but I LOVED it. The hearty flavor was balanced by a spritzy base, which made the cocktail as a whole well rounded! Our table started with the raclette (you guys know I love that stinky cheese), the garlic tasting, and the smashed new potatoes. They were all lovely, but the potatoes were a hit! The raclette was a little difficult to scoop as it began to cool, and we loved the garlic with the garlic tasting, but it does still come in its skin, so you have to squish the garlic out yourself. For entrees, I got the half chicken, and was in AWE of how much food that really is I didn't even eat a quarter of it I don't think (lucky for my husband, who got the leftovers!) Others at the table got the bucatini, which was reported to be amazing, and the walleye, which was also good, although the squash it came on may have been a little undercooked. Overall, this was a great stop! The flavors were great, the space was great, and the service was great! read more

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I have a rule of thumb when trying new restaurants: If I can't pronounce it, then it's probably worth trying. The Sovengard takes this and dials it up to an eleven - I felt like I was having minor aneurysms whenever I tried to order the svielkaksa or the skyifgge (I made those words up but they sound pretty real, no?) Clearly I know very little about Nordic culture and cuisine, and yet I cannot speak highly enough of this place. Everything is created with craft and care, from the unique and delicious cocktails that have NO business being as good as they are, to the starting plates that completely reshaped my definition of what a cracker is, to the main plates that are simple in design, yet bursting with complexity and flavor underneath. The space is gorgeous, the staff is kind and friendly, and the gastronomy does. Not. Miss. Perfect spot for a date night or if you just want to pull up, have a cocktail, and pretend to read the latest trendy book to look cool (no shame if that's the case, been there done that.) read more

The Søvengård - Bucatini, our two cocktails, and the remnants of the melted cheese plate. DELICIOUS. - Scandinavian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Soooo happy The Søvengård has opened again! We absolutely loved it before and fell in love all over again last night at dinner! Right away when you walk in, the interior is just so beautiful and impressive it's hard to not be excited about the experience you're about to have here. You get glimpses of different areas like the bar, the kitchen and a couple different sections of rooms as you're walking to your table. We were able to see they had an impressive size patio out back as well with umbrellas at every table and a beautiful floral mural on the back wall. Once we were seated we glanced over our drink menu. Weston ordered the Midnight Sun. Right away his first impression of the drink was a huge grin and he told me "Wow, that's amazing." I was happy to see they had some NA options and I went with the Ruby mocktail. It was absolutely refreshing and delicious. It also came in a gorgeous glass. I felt really fancy drinking out of it. For some starters we ordered the grilled sweet corn and smashed potatoes. The grilled sweet corn was covered in a garlic-herb aioli and some other herbs/spices and it just felt like summer in my mouth. I love grilled corn this time of year and demolished this in the most lady-like way possible. Eating corn off the cob is so messy but I promise this was worth every fiber of corn stuck in my teeth afterwards hahaha. The smashed potatoes were an easy win. I'm not picky at all when it comes to potatoes and these were roasted to perfection you could see a mix of purple potatoes in there too. I don't know what it is about a mix of potatoes like that- that makes me feel like a healthier person somehow. They had a good amount of salt and there was a bit of a smoked tomato aioli in the bowl that tasted phenomenal with the potatoes. Weston ordered the Koji Chicken for his entree and said the chicken was cooked really well and loved everything else it was plated with. I went with the Duck Breast entree and was pleasantly surprised with how good the savory duck meat tasted with the roasted summer fruit. I love a good sweet and savory combo. For dessert we chose the olive oil cake. Once our server said it came with peaches, we locked eyes and confirmed silently before she finished describing it to us haha. This dessert was SO good. I enjoyed whatever cream was on top of the cake as well. 10/10 experience here tonight. From walking in to leaving. I have to say that everyone we came in contact with here was incredibly kind to us. Especially our server! I love the look of the restaurant - they did such an amazing job with the interior! I truly cannot wait til I can eat here again! Try to make a reservation to ensure a table and support this place soon! read more

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If you know me, you know I love a good happy hour, and The Sovengard's new spot delivers. Light, airy, and packed with character, this revamped Westside space is gorgeous--think cozy fireplace, wood tones, and an open, inviting feel. Their new happy hour? Elite. $7 mini (bartender's choice) cocktails and a $4 hot dog that was, no joke, the most elevated hot dog I've ever had. The bartender had so much care and passion for his creations. I can't to wait to come back for a full meal, especially when their summer market and patio is in full swing. This place has been taken care of with care. read more

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Soooo glad I finally got to try this spot! I know they used to be more on the east side of Bridge St, but they're now on the west end of Bridge St, making the location a little less ideal, although it's less busy in the new area. I love the clean, Nordic-style interior with earthy colors and cozy vibes. We didn't go out to the biergarten area but it looked spacious and well-lit! It was easy to make a Yelp reservation for 3 for Friday at 6:30. The service was amazing; our waiter was really nice and at the end, our friend was undecided on getting the vegan dessert, and he ended up bringing us the dessert for free. We shared the Mother Earth appetizer, which was plentiful with bread, seed crackers, cashew cheese spread, chili butter (in the center), red bean dip, and roasted and picked veggies. I had the espresso martini (4/5 stars) and the market beef entree (5/5 stars, cooked perfectly medium rare). I know Sovengard promoted themselves as farm to table/locally sourced, but the food truly did taste fresh, simple, yet well-prepared. I would definitely come back in the future for a nice dinner that isn't wildly expensive. It was perfect for a girls night! read more

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The girls and I had dinner here and it was a lovely experience! I've never had Scandinavian food before so it was a cool experience! I booked ahead on Yelp and we got seated right away. On the outside the space looks small but it's very spacious inside with a fireplace, a bar, and cozy decor. I got the breakfast for dinner smorrebrod (open faced sandwhich) with pork sausage scotch egg and pickled onions on maple griddle brioche and it was amazing! I love a good boiled egg and this was next level! My friends got the potato leek gratin, chicken stroganoff, and the vegan Mother Earth. The food was good but the drinks were stronger than what I'm used to. I usually like fruity drinks so we asked for a recommendation and got the walk in the woods but it was too strong. I wish they had a wider variety of drinks, but other than that we had a cool experience and the service was lovely. read more

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Food, service, ambiance all excellent. Excited to return when the weather is nice to enjoy their back patio.

Sitting back with their Fig Leaf cocktail in my right hand, after compiling the perfect bite from their Mother Earth plate containing chili butter, pickled veg, and bean spread on their house cracker - I am in a blissful state beyond sentient comprehension. As a vegan snob who longs for the days where we've evolved past Beyond Burgers, grilled tofu wraps, and avocado toast brunches - The Sovengard is our bright future. Their menu continues to show a high level of creativity in how they use mushrooms, from a savory bucatini wine sauce collaboration to a crispy, punching tempura over toast - I always look forward to see how they've incorporated fungi into a new plate. My partner and I go for special occasions and The Sovengard elevates our experience each and every time. The environment, the quality and impactful flavor of each bite, and mission they are after make it my favorite restaurant in Grand Rapids. read more

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First time at the newly opened Sovengard just down the street from its first location. The atmosphere was very welcoming and felt like you stepped into a home. The service was still working through some kinks (ie infrequently checking in, no water refills, suggesting the highest priced wine options). The food was alright. Our favorite by far was the smashed potatoes - the aioli really elevated the dish. Our chicken was cold and lacked flavor. The menu seemed limited and mostly shareable plates (predominately veggies). Overall, for the price and atmosphere, the food did not live up to our expectations. I'll be trying this in a few months to see if any improvements have been made. read more

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The decor is lovely and simple. The service was friendly but a bit slow. We ordered "breakfast for dinner" and steak frites. The breakfast for dinner was really delicious, the scotch egg was PERFECT and all the flavors really complimented each other. The steak frites flavor was decent. Unfortunately both the steak and fries were cold. Overall I had a good experience and I would try it again. read more

The Søvengård - Breakfast for dinner and steak frites - Scandinavian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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This is the first time I've been to Sovengard since they reopened in their new location and I am so impressed! I absolutely love the aesthetic of this place and was very happy that my friends and I could visit. Parking is going to be a little tricky (it's right near the curve of the road so depending on the time of day, that area can be a bit chaotic). You can park in the nearby church (during non-peak church times) but you can also find some street parking. I really appreciated that they had a couple handicap street parking spots right in front of the restaurant. We made a reservation through Yelp and were promptly greeted and seated. The space is very open, airy and spacious! There are 3 different rooms and an outdoor patio. Each room had a different feel but all still very cohesive. The whole place was very bright (which I loved! But they did decide to turn down the lighting towards the later portion of our reservation) and it was actually very quiet. While it wasn't the most busy while we were there, there were a few tables and most restaurants in GR are a bit loud with a lot of people. I assume that because it's so spacious, I didn't notice the noise at all. We ordered a few items (Garlic tasting, raclette and smashed potatoes) to share and I think my favorite were the smashed potatoes. I didn't mind the garlic tasting or raclette but feel like they were just okay and not something I'd order again. I chose to order the mushroom bucatini pasta - it's vegan but you definitely could not tell! I do wish that there was an option to add protein or more mushrooms to it though. I look forward to trying it again and enjoying the patio in the warmer months! Definitely make a reservation though, it just saves you a headache of not getting a table on a busier evening. read more

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Incredible brunch spot! Friendly, accommodating service and spectacular food. The restaurant and garden are stunning. A true gem we'll definitely be back! read more

The Søvengård - Scandinavian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

i've been patiently awaiting the return of the sovengard... and it was worth the wait. my partner deemed this one of the best meals he's had in grand rapids. drinks: no mocktail menu but i asked if the bartender could make me a mocktail - whatever they wanted to mix up. it was okay. it kind of just tasted like kombucha with a rosemary sprig though. food: the star of the show. ordering was confusing. our server told us (v) stood for vegetarian even though the menu says "(v) vegan". when i asked for clarification she said v meant it could be made vegan but then wouldn't that be (VO) which was listed on the menu as "(vo) vegan option"? anyway... we figured it out and i just made she she knew our items needed to be vegan. We got the mother earth board - i LOVE pickled veg and the vegan chili butter was so good. this was such a delicious and fun thing to pick at. we also got the bbq lions mane and the bucatini. the lions mane was so salty and smoky - my favorite of the two. the bucatini was buttery and rich. there was one vegan dessert - an olive oil cake which we passed on this time but it sounded delicious. loved the wallpaper and the vibes were cozy. read more

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As a pickier eater, I did struggle with the menu a bit trying to find something where I didn't have to alter the dish. Fortunately I did find some items but it was either straight carbs or a $38 steak lol. I did enjoy the smashed potatoes, flatbread, and cheese app, as well as the Jerry bear salad. The atmosphere is gorgeous. They did an amazing job renovating this place, inside and out. We had a table of 7 and service was fantastic. Shout out to Mario! Apparently there's parking down the road at a church for sovengard but I was unaware of this. Not sure it's posted anywhere but someone told me about it. read more

This is by far my most favorite restaurant in all of Grand Rapids. The inside is super cute, clean, and thoughtfully laid out. The outside patio is fabulous. There is no other patio on the West side of Grand Rapids that can compare. The food, although many pairings that at first may seem a bit strange as they have a Scandinavian influence, are absolutely fantastic. I have tried many items and have yet to be disappointed. It seems as if every dish is super flavorful and absolutely delicious. Also, it is obvious a lot of care is put into the presentation of the food - it looks beautiful too. I cannot wait to go back and enjoy the patio again. I would encourage everyone to try this gem of a restaurant! So yummy!! read more

The Søvengård - The Hearty Woodsperson. This was amazing!! - Scandinavian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Absolutely amazing. The food is unique and seasonal. Very vegan friendly. We had a large party recently and they were very accommodating. They also have a beautiful patio during the warmer months. read more

We tried out The Sovengard for the first time tonight and weren't disappointed! The ambiance was very classy yet unique, we loved the vibes here! The food was delicious- we ordered the raclette appetizer to share which was small but very good. For dinner we ordered chicken stroganoff and steak and frites, both were super flavorful! Definitely recommend trying the chicken stroganoff, I plan to return soon to have it again. The only complaint we had was our service- our waitress was not super attentive and the ordering/waiting process seemed long considering that it wasn't very busy in the restaurant at the time. read more

The Søvengård - Chicken Stroganoff, Steak and frites - Scandinavian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

It is not often that we get a chance to enjoy brunch on a Sunday, so when the opportunity presented itself, we took full advantage. We were the first ones in that morning and sat ourselves at the bar. We were promptly and friendly greeted. I ordered the Stanley, which is the biscuits and gravy with two eggs and my husband ordered the white fish eggs Benedict and we decided to split a cinnamon roll. Everything came out exemplary. Their food is both beautiful and delicious. The biscuits and gravy still had some nice crunch to the biscuit and the gravy was not overly greasy and had terrific flavor. The eggs on my husband's eggs Benedict were perfectly cooked and the white fish was light and refreshing. The cinnamon roll Holy cow was the best one I've ever had in my life. Something about those pops of pink peppercorn on top elevated the entire experience it was fantastic! The only thing I would say needed is a proper hot sauce. I asked for one and was given their house hot sauce, which is a mango habanero, but it is really more like a chutney, almost applesauce, like inconsistency and has no heat. The kitchen admitted as much and given the talent that they have I am sure they could come up with a hot hot sauce that would blow our socks off. Still absolutely five stars delicious read more

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We visited the Sovengard for the first time this weekend and just had a number of things that added up to a poor experience. First, we had reservations, and still had to wait about 20 minutes for a table to open up. Second, the menu was different than the one I had seen online earlier that day. It was the first of the month so perhaps it just hadn't been updated yet. It was the first day of Restaurant Week and my wife ordered the special 3 course meal. The first course of leak and fennel soup was very good. The second course of short rib was very fatty, she ate about half. When it was time for dessert the server informed us that they only had one of the three options left. It wasn't what she wanted, but okay. Then she came back and told us that actually they were out of all desserts and didn't have anything for her. Our party asked if maybe she could get a raincheck, or maybe a discount, to which she kind of laughed it off but sure enough when the bill came, no effort to right the situation had been made. I asked once again if she could knock off something for the lack of a course, and she was able to that time. As for me, I ordered the half chicken, which was very good. I only ate a little bit since we had loaded up on sharables as a table. I brought home the leftovers and the next day when I cut up the half chicken to reheat I found a large portion of it was raw. Overall there was a lack of attention to the details. For what our evening cost I expected much better. All of those things added up and it was a really disappointing experience. We don't feel the desire to return anytime soon. read more

The Søvengård - Half Chicken - Scandinavian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Very unique experience. The food was wonderful, very shareable. Nice ambiance. Would recommend.

A unique gem in Grand Rapids. Extraordinary food, inventive cocktails, and an always-changing, creative menu. I'm glad they are part of this community. Their growing edge is definitely service, which is considerably slow, and not particularly gracious. If they can remedy that, it will remain -- as GR Magazine recently rated it -- the best in the city. read more

Our dinner at The Sovengard was one of the most memorable meals we've had in a long time. We started with a beautiful amuse-bouche from Sous Chef Dave--featuring chicken and smoked trout roe--which set the tone perfectly. The appetizers were stellar. The bone marrow with golden beet relish was rich and silky, and the sour beer fries brought a crispy, tangy punch with their remoulade. For mains, the duck breast was seared to perfection, balanced with parsnip puree, citrus gastrique, and crispy Brussels leaves. But the real standout was the chicken stroganoff--confit chicken over Kluski noodles in a velvety chicken glace, finished with root veggies, sour cream, and dill. It was comforting, flavorful, and felt like a warm hug in every bite. Thoughtful, seasonal, and deeply satisfying--The Sovengard absolutely delivered. read more

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We loved the food, the ambience and the service. Highly recommend! The simplicity of the decor (very Scandinavian) was enjoyable--not stuffed and overcrowded like many restaurants. read more

I can't wait for the Sovengard to reopen their new location! Food was really good (will say my friend's meal - meat was a tad dry, but otherwise was very much enjoyed). Drink options on point. Aesthetics/vibe was chill and classy. Staff was very friendly. read more

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I love the atmosphere here. Great spot for date night, girls night, or showing out-of-towners a gem of Grand Rapids. Food was amazing. Make sure you check out the little shop! read more

The food was amazing. The service was great. We loved the ambiance. Highly recommend getting the table bread it was so good. We will definitely be back. read more

The Søvengård - Trout - Scandinavian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Great food and great presentation and great service. Always "worried" that there are not more people on this out of the restaurant. But it's worth the drive. Enjoy weekend brunch there. Easy free parking nearby. read more

As always, we were served excellently prepared and tasting food and drinks by our usual friendly server. The restaurant is beautiful inside and out and we can't wait to return soon! read more

Brunch is delicious, atmosphere is trendy yet cozy & staff were very attentive. Would absolutely recommend for special occasions or just a quaint meal out with a friend or spouse. read more