Jannelle's Family Restaurant

Location:
110 Saginaw St,Byron,MI 48418

This little place is a bit out of the way unless you live in Byron,but for the first time in quite a while I was actually impressed.

The prices seem kind of high,but given the quality of the food and the very polite service,I really am not going to complain,and we did have a gift certificate for $25.00 off....thanks to Restaurant.com,so be sure to check that website out.

Tonight was a busy night for them,as they had a banquet going on as well,so the waitstaff was running around like crazy,but never once did I see an employee not smiling or keeping check on all the tables.

The manager came up and introduced himself,chatted for a moment,and was generally very friendly.

The food was good,hot,and made exactly as we ordered it.

We started out with two apps. an order of cheese stix and an order of potato skins,we only ate half of each,not wanting to be too full before our main course,but they were very good,and I could have made a meal out of just the potato skins.

My husband ordered the Steak Diane,which he said was excellent,and extremely tender.I ordered the Southern Fried Catfish,which was very good,and the portions were more than generous,so much so that I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

The service was a tad slow,but I think that was mostly due to the banquet they were also serving for in the next room,I'm sure on a normal night,the service would be much faster.

SO,I have no comlaints about this little restaurant,if you're in the Byron area,or in the mood for a nice quiet drive,go check it out.

Sheryls Place

I think I spelled that right,but it could be Cheryl's Place.Anyway it's located at Old US 23 and Spencer road,it's not a new place by any means,and they are only open from 7-3 daily.

OK,I am not going to post in open public what the results were of our dining adverture there,but PLEASE feel free to email me(leeandgary98@hotmail.com) with any questions you have.I will be more than happy answer them and give you a heads up.

It's not in my nature to make any type of accusations in public forum.

Let's just say we WILL NOT be dining there again at any price.

SideWays Grill

OK,I may be a bit partial to this little place.....my hubby's aunt owns it.

They opened in October 2009,having taken over what was formerly known as Joe's Cafe.

It's located on Milford Rd,about 1 mile off M-59.In a tiny little plaza with a couple of other businesses.

Well,I don't know if you had ever been to Joe's,but the place has been gutted,remodeled,renamed and the former owner/staff are long gone!Apparently the place did not have a good rep.with the community.

Come check it out if you're out that way,the prices are reasonable,the food is good and the new owner is friendly.The menu has everything from sliders and mozz.sticks to prime rib and a new item cajun blackened salmon,YUM!

SandBagger

This is sort of a new place,I don't think it's been open more than about a year.It's located on Grand River in Howell and is attached to the Howell Bowl e Drome....

Ok,this place just rocks!The food is cheap and hot,and good....The Friday fish fry can't be beat.For $6.99,from 5-9 pm.It's all you can eat,hot out of the kitchen,and they bring you more until you ask them to stop....my limit is three pieces,I'm a light weight I guess.

But here's the kicker,the hot wings are FREE....HOT and free,what a deal!I've been told they are very hot,but my hubby didn't seem to think they were too too hot.

The service is friendly and fast,the owner comes around and talks to all the patrons,it's just gernally an overall nice place to go....

So today is friday,go check it out!

Don't forget to ask for potato chips instead of fries,they are homemade right there,seasoned well,and delicious!

Brighton Burger King

WOW! I hadn't realized it's been a month since my last post! Sorry about that!

OK,we went to the Brighton Burger King yesterday,believe it or not,even though I work just blocks away,I had never gotten lunch from there before.

Let's just says chances are pretty good I won't again.

For starters,the service,being a fast food place,was unbelievably slow......it's supposed to be fast food,right?

The lady who took our order,overcharged us for my husband's drink....it's quite clearly posted on the $1.00 menu "small soft drink $1.00"....she charged us $1.64?
Rather odd.

The order was to go....so what did she do? Gave it to us on a tray...then didn't even say a word,like I'm sorry,or sorry about that,NOTHING...just the grabs the food and puts it in a bag....

Then there was the obvious lack of personal hygiene(excuse my bad spelling if this is wrong)...umm,ok you work with food..at the very least shower,brush your hair and pull it back,right? Not to mention the fact that she was wearing a whole filled sweat shirt over top her uniform shirt....Isn't there a dress code for this place?

SO that's three stirkes in one visit....I'd say that place is most definitely off our menu.....

Arby's new dollar menu

OK.......I know,it's just another fast food place,but one I hadn't been into in a while.

Lured in by the "NEW DOLLAR MENU" sign....heck,why not check it out?

Yeah,um,how do I put this nicely? Are food critics even supposed to play nice?

Don't waste your money! How's that?

What you get is a full sized bun,with about 1/2 the roast beef or ham you would normally get....everything is smaller,even the curly fries and jamocha shake......Shrinking a Jamocha shake,now that's just plain evil.

It might be ok if you're just looking for a quick snack,but don't look for it to fill you up or keep the kids happy until dinner.It's just plain not enough food for your money.

You're better off in the long run ordering from the regular menu,or waiting until there are Arby's coupons out that you can use to save a little.
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With today's economic pressures,it's getting harder and harder to freely spend money on things like dining out,or taking the kids to the movies,that kind of thing.So we need to find the most value for our money whenever possible.

If you haven't noticed by my posts here,I am a coupon nut,I don't go anywhere without them,and absolutley WILL NOT go into a grocery store without them.SO,if you know of any coupon deals for your favorite places to eat,please pass the info along and I'll go check them out.OR,if you have a favorite place whose servings and prices you feel give you good value for your hard earned dollars,let me know that too.

Lucas Coney Island

Lucas is located on Grand River in Brighton just past Rickett Road,where the old Kroger building is.

It doesn't look like much from the road,and if you aren't looking for it you might just miss seeing it there,as it is now the only business remaining in that little plaza.

I ordered the Chef Bowl salad.Ok first,if you order the large,be prepared to share it with two or three friends.The lettuce was crispy fresh,and the toppings icy cold,just the way a good salad should be.

My only real complaint is that when they wash the lettuce,they don't drain it enough and you end up with water standing in the bottom of the salad.If they would take an extra second to run it through a salad spinner,that would solve the issue.

As of right now this is NOT a smoke free place,but as we all should know by now,that is going to change in this state in May.But for now,the food is good,so just order it to go if you don't want to be around the smoke.

The prices are reasonable and the service is fast,I have yet to get anything from there that I was truely unhappy with.I normally will order it to go however since I am not a smoker and would prefer not to sit in a dining room full of smoke.

Mr.B's Rustic Tavern

Mr. B's is located on the main four corners of downtown Howell( Grand River and Michigan ave)

You might think from first glance that Mr B's is just another bar,well think again.This little known place is actually a full service resteraunt,not just a bar.

Go ahead,step inside,the food is good,the pizza is awsome and the waitstaff is friendly and laid back.They are open for lunch and dinner,with a casual atmosphere that makes you want to slow down a bit and actually enjoy your meal.

The prices are right in line with other resteraunts in the area.I have not seen any coupon deals or specials from them yet,but maybe if enough people ask they will start putting some out there.



Too bad they don't deliver the pizza....that would be even better.

Mary's Chicken

OK,first let me send out an apology for not posting in so long.We've been battling illness in the household and I am just now finally feelling normal again.

Mary's Chicken is in Howell,on Grand River near Golf Club road.It's a little tiny place that's not really set up for sit in dining,more of a carry out place,with only 2 or 3 parking spots,I usually park at the Whistle Stop plaza and walk over,it's easier to get in and out of if you need to make a left turn back onto Grand River.

If you grew up craving fried chicken like your grandma made,this is the place for you.The chicken is all made to order,so it's not like walking in to KFC and the chicken is sitting under heat lamps.The breading is a simple old fashioned flour coating.Yummy!

If you like smelt,and can't find a place that has it year round,again this is the place to go.I like the smelt dinner,they give you more than a generous portion,so you don't feel like you're getting short changed on food.

I know,I know,deep fried is bad for you,but once in a while,in moderation can't be all that bad can it?

The prices are pretty much in line with other fast food places,and lunch or dinner will cost you just under $10.00.I haven't seen any coupons or discount deals from Mary's Chicken,so if you find one,please post a comment here so I can share the deal with readers.

Thank You!!

I just wanted to post a quick thank you to my friend Courtney for gifting me some great new business cards to promote my blog.

THANKS COURTNEY!!

Courtney's blog is listed at the bottom of mine,so follow the link and check it out!

Sushi Zhen

What can I say about this tiny little place? I really do mean tiny!

I'm not all that adventurous sometimes,but tonight decided to try the YakiSoba,with chicken...its's good,yep,and the dinner size serving is more than enough to share.I wasn't sure what to expect,but going by a reccomendation from my bank teller,I figured I'd give it a try.

YakiSoba is basically buckwheat noodles and an assortment of veggies stir fried with a cubed chicken breast tosssed in,but it's a very satisfying meal.It's not spicy,so if you like spice you may have to add some at the table,or ask the cook to add spice.

I normally go for the tempura rolls,which totally rock by the way.

I did not have a coupon for them tonight,so suffered through paying full price,the total I belive came to around $14.00,which is kind of pricey,but for the amount you get,and the fact that it's more than enough to share,it might not be that bad of a price.

Check them out if you're in downtown Brighton,they are located in the plaza with CVS,at the corner of Main and Grand River.

Stucchi's Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt

MMMmm...who doesn't like ice cream?

Today was my second visit to Stucchi's,for those who've never heard of it,it's a little ice cream place in Dexter,located next to Bush's on Ann Arbor Rd.

If you're still missing Stone Cold Creamery in Howell,this place is a good substitute.The ice cream is not as creamy smooth,but it's still pretty darn good.I highly recommend it.My favorite is the White Russian Fudge.Hubby's fav. is the Coffee and Cookies.

This isn't a soft serve stand,this is all hand dipped ice cream and frozen yogurt.

Tuesday's are buy one get one free day,so stop in and check them out.

Why not make a little trip of it and check out Huron Camera for all your photographic needs too.There are several little shops and stores worth browsing in.I've become rather fond of Dexter myself.

Crossroads Grill

This is a fairly new place,located at 138 W Higland Rd,Howell.It's in the plaza with the Howell Kroger store.

I have never been here before,so thought what the heck,let's try it!

The waitstaff was very polite,although when we got there,we wanted a booth,and even though many were empty,the staff had not cleaned them yet,so we were left with the only booth available.The set up is a bit noisy and echos from the high ceilings,there are no TV's blaring,or even over head music.

I ordered the bacon burger with cheese,and some chili cheese fries,my husband ordered the gyro and a side of fries.

When we ordered,I told the waitress we had a coupon,the waitress insisted we had not spent enough,hence the reason my husband ordered fries...when the bill came,we had indeed spent more than enough,because the lady forgot to add in the beverages while we were ordering....

The burger was very good,and I like the fact that they sent it to the table open faced,so that the lettuce and toppings were still nice and crispy.The bacon was normal bacon,and not that precooked paper thin stuff you would normally see.

The gyro was a true greek gyro with lamb rather the beef or chicken,and tasted great,according to my husband,I'm not much of a fan of gyros,so I'll take his word on that.

The fries were WAY overdone,and definitely had been in the fryer too long,I like them crispy,but that was a bit rediculous.

Overall the visit was ok,and the prices are fairly low.I was somewhat disappointed in the lack of menu choices other than sandwhiches.But for the most part,I would say,if you have a coupon,or are in the area,it's an ok place to stop in for lunch,just don't ofer the fries.

The coupon I used was from a fundraiser book that you see people standing outside stores selling to support our troops,if you see one,go ahead and pick it up,there's some good deals in there.

Howell Taco Bell

Well,I'm always up for trying to menu items,so yesterday was the new Fully Loaded Nachos at the Howell Taco Bell.

Not sure how I feel about them,the nachos were ok,but for being "fully loaded" seemed to lack toppings.There may have been a bit of everything on them,but the amounts were so skimpy that you can't tell.I would have liked to see added extra beef and extra of just about everything but the refried beans.If you're going to call something "fully loaded" at least load it up!

They come served in a taco salad bowl,which they could have skipped and just served like the normal nachos.

Personally,next time I would just go ahead and order the regular Nachos Bell Grande and leave it at that.

I was not impressed at all with this new menu item.

New Century Buffet

For those who have not yet found it,this little place is in Howell,in the plaza at Grand River and Latson road,on the South side.

We have been here several times,and today's visit was not at all a disappointment.The food was fresh and hot,and the waitresses were promt at clearing away all plates.

It's an interesting mix of Chinese and American fare,and for the size of the restaurant the variety is pretty good.

If you haven't had the cocanut shrimp,I highly reccomend trying it.

I can't resist the string beans,I don't know what it is about them,but I always have to go back for seconds.

For sushi fans,the sushi bar is fully included in the price of the buffet,a rarity in a buffet place.Be sure to tip the sushi chef,he deserves it.

The tables thus far have always been clean,and the staff seems eager to make patrons happy.The dinner price is only $10.00 per person,and it's all you can eat,so there really is no way to not get your money's worth here.Skip the beverage and opt for water,and you can save a couple of bucks.

I didn't even use a coupon! BUT,if you know of one,send the info my way!

The only real dislike I have for New Century Buffet is the roast beef,which isn't really roasted,it's steamed,and it's rather tough and bland,and you have to slice it yourself.So I just steer clear of it and enjoy the other options.

Not quite local

OK,we went to the Bavarian Inn for dinner yesterday while we were in Frankenmuth.

Upon being seated in our booth,the first thing I noticed was the overhead lighting at the table,no not the style,or lack there of,but the DUST.The lamp shade was very dusty,looking around the place,all the lighting appeared to be rather dusty,and in need of a good cleaning,for the lights being so close to your head at the tables,you'd think they would at least dust them once in a while.

OK,so the "Ultimate Family Meal" seems a bit pricey for what you get.You get a sampling of five meats,ok,BUT,for $22.99 a person,plus the cost of seperate beverage,it really doesn't seem like it's worth it.

You don't get a choice of the sides,they just bring you a tray full of sourkrout,buttered noodles,stuffing and squash...a bit of cole slaw,and a bean salad that left a bit to be desired.The squash was good,but I generally like squash anyway,the rest of the sides left me looking for better food.The veal patty,at least that's what I think it was,was overcooked and dried out,the chicken was ok,but it's really hard to mess up fried chicken.The bratwurst tasted like Bologna stuffed in a sausage casing with a little spice thrown in.

The waitperson was more than polite,but when the bill came,it was like sticker shock.
A coupon saved us $6.00,but dinner for two,and the bill was still over $50.00! The meal was mediokre at best,and definately would not be my top choice for dinner again in the future,even if they lower the per person price,they would have to do a lot to improve the food to make it a good value.

If you dare to go for a visit,be sure to pick up the new 2010 Entertainment book,the coupon from the book gives you a free upgrade from the Chicken Dinner to the Ultimate Family Dinner.

Brighton McDonalds

Ok,this is the location on Grand River,just west of the downtown area.

First,I want to say that the staff is friendly and polite,while not falsely covering up each individual's personality.I love that in any place I go.

Second,I must say that the management should really enforce some type of rule for staff members that have wounds on thier hands.

STAFF;you should really be wearing food service gloves if you have a cut of any kind on your hand,regardless if you are cooking the food or just bagging it!

The food was fresh and hot,but I could not get past the image of the young man with the cuts on his hand handing me my food.

Sorry,McD's you get a failing grade in my book on this visit!