Guidebook for Grand Haven

David & Debbie
Guidebook for Grand Haven

Food Scene

These are our personal recommendations in the area. The downtown area has food that tends to be purely-mediocre in quality and "tourist priced" - so these are mostly not in the touristy area of town. If you are eating in the tourist area you are probably better off at one of the small, quirky sandwich shops (especially the Toasted Pickle) or doing something totally "Grand Haven," like Butch's Beach Burritos, so that at least you are getting something unique that you won't find elsewhere.
Not just a good Indian restaurant, but the best Indian restaurant in all of West Michigan hands-down (and yes, we've tried them all.) Excellent local hole in the wall type of place.
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Cumin Fresh Indian Kitchen
1106 Robbins Rd
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Not just a good Indian restaurant, but the best Indian restaurant in all of West Michigan hands-down (and yes, we've tried them all.) Excellent local hole in the wall type of place.
Worth the 25-minute drive, this place has excellent Thai food (not just excellent for West Michigan; but excellent, period.) This restaurant is not in a touristy area (unless you are visiting the nearby GVSU Allendale campus), but if you are craving something flavorful this is a great place to try. If you search, you'll see that there is a much-closer Thai restaurant right here in Grand Haven. It's more average in quality, but if you want Thai and don't want to drive far, then give Mama's Thai a try.
Aroy Thai
3900 Lake Michigan Drive Northwest
Worth the 25-minute drive, this place has excellent Thai food (not just excellent for West Michigan; but excellent, period.) This restaurant is not in a touristy area (unless you are visiting the nearby GVSU Allendale campus), but if you are craving something flavorful this is a great place to try. If you search, you'll see that there is a much-closer Thai restaurant right here in Grand Haven. It's more average in quality, but if you want Thai and don't want to drive far, then give Mama's Thai a try.
An excellent Sushi and Hibachi Cafe (Hibachi not performed at your table.). Owned by the same family that runs the neighboring Fortune Cookie Chinese restaurant (best Chinese in the area).
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Lucky Sushi Cafe
1705 S Beacon Blvd
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An excellent Sushi and Hibachi Cafe (Hibachi not performed at your table.). Owned by the same family that runs the neighboring Fortune Cookie Chinese restaurant (best Chinese in the area).
Our favorite Chinese food in the area. Also try the Lucky Tea & Lucky Sushi Cafe just next-door, owned by the same family.
The Fortune Cookie
1705 S Beacon Blvd
Our favorite Chinese food in the area. Also try the Lucky Tea & Lucky Sushi Cafe just next-door, owned by the same family.
We usually go for one of their wood-fired pizzas per person (keeps the bill down and we feel it is one of their best items). Food is quite good but not outstanding. The key here is the atmosphere; it's a great date-night destination due to the romantic atmosphere.
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Two Tonys Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar
723 E Savidge St
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We usually go for one of their wood-fired pizzas per person (keeps the bill down and we feel it is one of their best items). Food is quite good but not outstanding. The key here is the atmosphere; it's a great date-night destination due to the romantic atmosphere.
Actual Shave Ice. Not just snow cones with a fancy name, not "shaved ice" (always a bad sign that it's just a snow-cone) but real, Hawaiian-style Shave Ice. Great flavor selection as well. Go here instead of an ice-cream place for a nice, refreshing and extremely hard-to-find treat. Located right along the Grand River not far from Butch's Beach Burritos.
Halaula
907 S Harbor Dr
Actual Shave Ice. Not just snow cones with a fancy name, not "shaved ice" (always a bad sign that it's just a snow-cone) but real, Hawaiian-style Shave Ice. Great flavor selection as well. Go here instead of an ice-cream place for a nice, refreshing and extremely hard-to-find treat. Located right along the Grand River not far from Butch's Beach Burritos.
A local favorite. This place isn't really Mexican, but it is unique and enjoyable. Seating is outdoor only. Worth a try if you're looking for something uniquely West Michigan.
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Butch's Beach Burritos
726 S Harbor Dr
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A local favorite. This place isn't really Mexican, but it is unique and enjoyable. Seating is outdoor only. Worth a try if you're looking for something uniquely West Michigan.
One of the few truly excellent restaurants in the area. If you are looking for something interesting and tasty this is a good place to try. Can get very busy!
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The Paisley Pig Gastropub
501 Miller Dr
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One of the few truly excellent restaurants in the area. If you are looking for something interesting and tasty this is a good place to try. Can get very busy!
Stanz is one of our newer restaurants and it just keeps getting better. It's on the east side, so it has more locals than tourists and while it is often busy it's still less busy that the tourist-area alternatives. We recommend this place a lot now; good breakfasts (really good steak in the Steak and Egg breakfast) and lunches plus a slightly upscale dinner menu. Full bar. Lots of outdoor seating during the summer, so you can sit outside for breakfast sipping mimosas if you wish!
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Stanz Cafe
1118 Washington Ave
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Stanz is one of our newer restaurants and it just keeps getting better. It's on the east side, so it has more locals than tourists and while it is often busy it's still less busy that the tourist-area alternatives. We recommend this place a lot now; good breakfasts (really good steak in the Steak and Egg breakfast) and lunches plus a slightly upscale dinner menu. Full bar. Lots of outdoor seating during the summer, so you can sit outside for breakfast sipping mimosas if you wish!
Pretty much our favorite food in the tourist area. Good (and creative) sandwiches. Available to order at Odd Sides. If you are at Odd Sides place your order for PICKUP and then add your Odd Sides table number to the order.
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The Toasted Pickle
112 Washington Ave
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Pretty much our favorite food in the tourist area. Good (and creative) sandwiches. Available to order at Odd Sides. If you are at Odd Sides place your order for PICKUP and then add your Odd Sides table number to the order.
A hip and trendy bar and restaurant at which we've had some excellent food and drinks. Check the current menu and hours as we've found them both to be 'flexible.'
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fuel bar + refuge
228 W Savidge St
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A hip and trendy bar and restaurant at which we've had some excellent food and drinks. Check the current menu and hours as we've found them both to be 'flexible.'

Drinks & Nightlife

A fun brewery-pub in the tourist area. Lots of interesting concoctions plus they will make snakebites if you wish (they usually have at least one locally-sourced cider on-hand). They don't make their own food, but you can bring food in or order it from a collection of local restaurants. Plenty of outdoor seating.
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Odd Side Ales
41 Washington Ave
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A fun brewery-pub in the tourist area. Lots of interesting concoctions plus they will make snakebites if you wish (they usually have at least one locally-sourced cider on-hand). They don't make their own food, but you can bring food in or order it from a collection of local restaurants. Plenty of outdoor seating.
A very well-known place for live Jazz on Mondays and Saturdays, plus guest artists. Monday-night Live Jazz Jam (6-9 fall, winter, spring, 6-10 summer) is open-mic and open-instrument! Occasionally pulls performers from as far away as Chicago, Detroit, and Indy! Really fun and friendly place 45 minutes south of Grand Haven and easy to get to. Gets very, very busy on Monday nights, so if you are really interested get here quite early - like 5:00 at the latest, or you will certainly wait in line outside - OR come late, like 7:30 for a late dinner and the last half of the set. Food is plenty good for a pub/roadhouse environment. Place has quite a long and storied history, ask some of the old-timers there about it!
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What-Not-Inn
2405 68th St
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A very well-known place for live Jazz on Mondays and Saturdays, plus guest artists. Monday-night Live Jazz Jam (6-9 fall, winter, spring, 6-10 summer) is open-mic and open-instrument! Occasionally pulls performers from as far away as Chicago, Detroit, and Indy! Really fun and friendly place 45 minutes south of Grand Haven and easy to get to. Gets very, very busy on Monday nights, so if you are really interested get here quite early - like 5:00 at the latest, or you will certainly wait in line outside - OR come late, like 7:30 for a late dinner and the last half of the set. Food is plenty good for a pub/roadhouse environment. Place has quite a long and storied history, ask some of the old-timers there about it!
A new brewery on the east side makes it a good choice when you don't want to battle the downtown crowds. It's also a local favorite because it's proven to be truly excellent. Check their facebook page to see their food truck schedule too!
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Burzurk Brewing Co.
1442 Washington Avenue
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A new brewery on the east side makes it a good choice when you don't want to battle the downtown crowds. It's also a local favorite because it's proven to be truly excellent. Check their facebook page to see their food truck schedule too!
Stanz is one of our newer restaurants and it just keeps getting better. It's on the east side, so it has more locals than tourists and while it is often busy it's still less busy that the tourist-area alternatives. We recommend this place a lot now; good breakfasts (really good steak in the Steak and Egg breakfast) and lunches plus a slightly upscale dinner menu. Full bar. Lots of outdoor seating during the summer, so you can sit outside for breakfast sipping mimosas if you wish!
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Stanz Cafe
1118 Washington Ave
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Stanz is one of our newer restaurants and it just keeps getting better. It's on the east side, so it has more locals than tourists and while it is often busy it's still less busy that the tourist-area alternatives. We recommend this place a lot now; good breakfasts (really good steak in the Steak and Egg breakfast) and lunches plus a slightly upscale dinner menu. Full bar. Lots of outdoor seating during the summer, so you can sit outside for breakfast sipping mimosas if you wish!

Parks & Nature

If we had to choose a single beach excursion in the are it would be this one, but it's a bit of a hike. This area has lovely dune-walks through sand and woods to a beach that's often far less busy than others in the area. Lots of stairs too, for a good dose of exercise if you wish!
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Rosy Mound Natural Area
Rosy Mound Natural Area
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If we had to choose a single beach excursion in the are it would be this one, but it's a bit of a hike. This area has lovely dune-walks through sand and woods to a beach that's often far less busy than others in the area. Lots of stairs too, for a good dose of exercise if you wish!
Hofma is a lovely nearby park with a large number of hiking trails. This is not a beach park, but has trails that run through wooded areas and wetlands. There are also bathrooms and play-areas for children. You'll definitely want to use the the Western entrance at the end of Sleeper St. (off of 168th.) From your AirBnB drive East (right out of the driveway) to Lakeshore Dr. Turn right on Lakeshore and drive to Hayes (only on the left). Turn left on Hayes and take it to 168th. Turn right and then keep an eye out for Sleeper St. and a sign to Hofma on the left. (If you end up at an intersection with an antique mall you missed it.) Turn left onto Sleeper and follow it all the way to the end.
Hofma Preserve
16295 Sleeper St
Hofma is a lovely nearby park with a large number of hiking trails. This is not a beach park, but has trails that run through wooded areas and wetlands. There are also bathrooms and play-areas for children. You'll definitely want to use the the Western entrance at the end of Sleeper St. (off of 168th.) From your AirBnB drive East (right out of the driveway) to Lakeshore Dr. Turn right on Lakeshore and drive to Hayes (only on the left). Turn left on Hayes and take it to 168th. Turn right and then keep an eye out for Sleeper St. and a sign to Hofma on the left. (If you end up at an intersection with an antique mall you missed it.) Turn left onto Sleeper and follow it all the way to the end.

Essentials

Just a grocery store; usually much less busy than Meijer, so if you aren't doing a big shopping trip give this one a try.
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D & W Fresh Markets
1116 Robbins Rd
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Just a grocery store; usually much less busy than Meijer, so if you aren't doing a big shopping trip give this one a try.

Entertainment & Activities

STILL CLOSED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. MIGHT NOT REOPEN: OK, remember, the house rents with a big-screen home theater, but if you MUST go to an actual movie-theater, the Grand Haven 9 is just a few miles away, and reasonably priced for a movie theater.
GQT Grand Haven 9
17220 Hayes St
STILL CLOSED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. MIGHT NOT REOPEN: OK, remember, the house rents with a big-screen home theater, but if you MUST go to an actual movie-theater, the Grand Haven 9 is just a few miles away, and reasonably priced for a movie theater.
The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a favorite of locals and tourists alike, especially those with children. Much more entertaining than you would expect and definitely worth seeing. Showtime is "daily at dusk from Memorial Day through Labor Day as well as Fridays and Saturdays in May and September." See http://ghfountain.com/ for more info.
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Grand Haven Tónlistar Gjónum
1 N Harbor Dr
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The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a favorite of locals and tourists alike, especially those with children. Much more entertaining than you would expect and definitely worth seeing. Showtime is "daily at dusk from Memorial Day through Labor Day as well as Fridays and Saturdays in May and September." See http://ghfountain.com/ for more info.
Check the website. Live music events still fluid due to Pandemic. A very well-known place for live Jazz on Mondays and Saturdays, plus guest artists. Monday-night Live Jazz Jam (6-9 fall, winter, spring, 6-10 summer) is open-mic and open-instrument! Occasionally pulls performers from as far away as Chicago, Detroit, and Indy! Really fun and friendly place 45 minutes south of Grand Haven and easy to get to. Gets very, very busy on Monday nights, so if you are really interested get here quite early - like 5:00 at the latest, or you will certainly wait in line outside - OR come late, like 7:30 for a late dinner and the last half of the set. Food is plenty good for a pub/roadhouse environment. Place has quite a long and storied history, ask some of the old-timers there about it!
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What-Not-Inn
2405 68th St
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Check the website. Live music events still fluid due to Pandemic. A very well-known place for live Jazz on Mondays and Saturdays, plus guest artists. Monday-night Live Jazz Jam (6-9 fall, winter, spring, 6-10 summer) is open-mic and open-instrument! Occasionally pulls performers from as far away as Chicago, Detroit, and Indy! Really fun and friendly place 45 minutes south of Grand Haven and easy to get to. Gets very, very busy on Monday nights, so if you are really interested get here quite early - like 5:00 at the latest, or you will certainly wait in line outside - OR come late, like 7:30 for a late dinner and the last half of the set. Food is plenty good for a pub/roadhouse environment. Place has quite a long and storied history, ask some of the old-timers there about it!

Wet Day Activities

A few activities we suggest for wet days.
Frederik Meijer Gardens has a fair number of indoor and rain-friendly activities, including the butterfly gardens! If the forecast calls for rain all day this is one of the better options in our opinion. Take a look at the website and see if it is for you.
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Frederik Meijer garðar
1000 E Beltline Ave NE
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Frederik Meijer Gardens has a fair number of indoor and rain-friendly activities, including the butterfly gardens! If the forecast calls for rain all day this is one of the better options in our opinion. Take a look at the website and see if it is for you.
We've listed a number of local art galleries in the house manual (pdf and printed versions). Take a look there for more galleries.
Gallery Uptown
201 Washington Ave
We've listed a number of local art galleries in the house manual (pdf and printed versions). Take a look there for more galleries.