Olive’s Restaurant & Bar Cheeseburger Review

This was the best picture I could get while dealing with Bucky melting down about not getting a Starbucks cake pop.

Welcome to our blog. This is a review blog mainly featuring James and Jerome, a father-son duo with a passion for the world’s greatest meal: a cheeseburger and fries. In the coming months, we will review all of the cheeseburgers in Michigan. Occasionally, Bucky the Preschooler and Erin the Matriarch will join in. We might even have some special “dads only” nights. Anyway, here is our review of Olive’s Restaurant & Bar in East Grand Rapids.

Jerome, Bucky, and I were in Grand Rapids visiting my mom. She suggested that we go to Olive’s Restaurant & Bar for lunch. I’d never been there, and it was in the decidedly “bougie” Gaslight Village area of East Grand Rapids so I was a little apprehensive. But, once my mom said she’d pay, I was on board.

My mom had been to Olive’s quite a few times before because she’s friends with the daughter of the owners: “She lives right up the street.” I’m pretty sure I’ve met her. But, that doesn’t matter. We weren’t there to play the Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Olive's has been around since 2004, and it’s mainly known for its martinis and other fancy cocktails. For our trip, we didn’t drink anything harder than water.

Jerome’s Review

Jerome having a charring experience.

It is generally hard for me to write a less than favorable review of a restaurant, but I’m afraid that Olive’s had less than favorable food. While the restaurant itself is quite nice, the food I found left much to be desired. I had to wave down a server to get another burger because mine was overdone to the point of being charred. My Dad agreed with my criticism of the food and said that his olive burger was far lower quality than he expected, which is honestly surprising considering the place’s name is Olive’s. Though it pains me, I would not recommend going to Olive’s for the food but rather the drinks.

(Editor’s Note: NOBODY let Jerome drink alcohol at Olive’s!)

Bucky’s Review

Bucky stuffing his face.

“Yummy.”

James’s Review

Cheeseburger 16/25

Olive’s serves four burgers: sliders (called “whimpy burgers”), an olive burger, a tempeh and mushroom burger, and a turkey burger. I didn’t think twice about what I’d get: the olive burger. When the server asked me how done I wanted the burger, I had high hopes. I ordered medium in the hopes that it might come out with a little pink in the middle. I was disappointed.

The menu says the olive burger has “olive mayo, lettuce, tomato, red onion, swiss, kaiser.” I had no complaints about the tomato, onion, cheese, or bun. They were good, and I’m glad they were included with the burger without an additional cost. My critique will focus on the olives, “lettuce,” and burger.

Ironically, Olive's didn't get the olive burger's olives right.

Aside from the green olive that was impaled atop the bun by a little sandwich toothpick, the rest of the olives in the burger were black. I’m suspecting Kalamatas. But, every other olive burger I’ve had in my life used green (most likely Manzanilla or Spanish) olives. The Kalamata flavor is too subtle to serve as a good olive burger olive. Also, if one is going to depart from the norm, shouldn’t the menu warn customers?

The greens were not lettuce. If I had to guess, I’d say it was arugula. Usually, I wouldn’t mind having non-lettuce leafy vegetables on my burger, but there were long hard parts in the leaves. My mom had the same problem with her veggie burger. She thought maybe they weren’t trimmed correctly or something.

Lastly, the burger patty itself was overcooked. There was a fair amount of char on it that dominated the burger’s flavor. The patty was not seasoned at all. What I did like about the patty was that it was nice and thick.

After reading these last few paragraphs, you might think the burger was terrible. But, it was not. It just was not good. Fair? I’d say it was fair. I might even say fine. It was fine dining. Anyway, I had a bite of my mom’s veggie burger, and it was excellent. So, maybe order that instead?

Fries 21/25

There wasn’t really anything special about the fries. They were salted well, and they were your standard cut that you’ve come to expect. Bucky kept chowing down on them. And, once I got some mayo, I stuffed my face as well. We didn’t have any left at the end of the meal.

Value 19/25

Thank you for lunch, Mommy/Bubbe.

Here’s what our receipt looked like:

• Veggie Burger $11
• Hamburger $11
• Olive Burger $12
• Total with tax: $36.04
• Tip: $7.96

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mommy for picking up the tab. If anyone reading this is willing to pick up the tab, I will gladly eat at your preferred burger joint. Free is my favorite food.

I really liked that the fries and toppings were included in the price of the burger. It made me feel a little less like a fat lard…until I asked for mayonnaise.

Ambiance 13/15

The atmosphere was nice and relaxed. The décor was beautiful. There were wine bottles all over the place. It was bougie, but you know what? I’m a classy mofo. And, it was another place where everyone was white. Coming from Oregon, a very white state, it bugs me to see how segregated the races are here in Michigan. We treat each other differently, and it sucks. Anyway, I don’t think a restaurant review is an appropriate place to get into America’s race problems, especially since it’s completely irrelevant to Olive’s.

Service 8/10

We got there at about 11:35, and the restaurant was fairly empty. There were a few servers. We were done with our meal and paid within the hour. Our server was attentive and apologetic when Jerome’s burger came out inedible. I did have to flag her down to get my fatty McFatman mayo sauce, but for the most part, they did a great job.

Olive’s Restaurant & Bar’s Overall Score: 77/100

I will go back to Olive’s again if someone else is paying. I will order their veggie burger. But, left to my own devices, I’ll likely see what else Metro GR has to offer. It’s been over 15 years since I’ve lived in the city, and a lot has changed. I’ll have to experience it all one bite at a time.

Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill Cheeseburger Review

What a neighborhood bar may look like

Since 1930, the daily comic strip Blondie has barely entertained audiences. In 1947, Derwood Root knew no one would eat at a place called “Derwood’s” and hoped to cash in on the mildly popular comic strip so he named his new restaurant “Dagwood’s” after the bumbling husband in Blondie.

Situated at the corner of Kalamazoo and Howard in a building erected in 1901, Dagwood’s was ideally located near the Lansing-East Lansing border. Why was this ideal? Up until 1968, East Lansing was a dry city. Dagwood’s was the closest bar for thirsty college students. Cha-ching!

Today, Marji and Mark Cheadle own the neighborhood bar that regularly appears on lists of the best burgers in Lansing (see Capital Gains and WITL.) So, I woke Jerome up at the crack of noon on a Thursday and went to see if we should believe the hype.

Jerome’s Review

Dagwood’s is a mixed bag. The majority of which is good. Their space is quite large with a very nice outdoor dining area. The inside has many flat-screen TVs and great lighting. The customer service was great as we were served almost immediately. Though it is a pub and because East Lansing was a dry city for so many years - due to its location on the edge of the city - the liquor was the main draw. Because of this, I didn’t expect much from the food.

Jerome wondering where's the beef.

The burgers weren’t the worst and, considering the dirt cheap price, were actually ok. The bun was a little stale, and the patty was pretty thin but otherwise alright. The fries were probably the best part of the meal, if a little low on salt, but they had salt shakers so it wasn’t a big deal. Overall, Dagwood’s is a better bar than it is a restaurant, but if you're going there for a drink, you might as well have dinner there too while you're at it.

James’s Review

Cheeseburger 16/25

Dagwood’s has five burger options on the menu: Cheeseburger, Olive Burger, Bacon Burger, Veggie (Garden) Burger, and the Dag Burger, which is basically just a plain hamburger. I ordered the Olive Burger with cheddar cheese because olive burgers are the second best type of burger known to humans (Reuben burgers are the best.)

Lookit all dem olives.

Pretty much the only flavor that hits you when you bite into Dagwood’s Olive Burger is green olive. It overwhelms the razor-thin burger patty, cheese, and mayo. The patty was juicy but flavorless. If I were to order this burger again, I’d ask for three patties to hopefully balance out the olives. The burger also lost points because the bun was stale and flaking.

Fries 17/25

I like my fries to be cooked to golden goodness, lightly covered with salt or other yummy seasonings, and presented with minimal throw-away bits that no one eats. Dagwood’s fries missed on all levels. The fries were overcooked. No salt could be found anywhere on the fries. Fortunately, we ate in the restaurant so there was salt at the table. And, about 20 percent of my fries were the scraps you don’t eat. This might be okay if I was given a ton of fries, but I wasn’t. And, I made a fool of myself as I cried.

The veneer of normal-sized fries.

Value 22/25

Here is what our receipt looked like:

• A&W Root Beer $2
• Olive Cheese Burger $4.50
• 2 half orders of fries $3.50
• Cheeseburger $3.25
• BBQ Pig Wings (to-go for Erin) $8
• Total with tax: $22.53
• Tip: $5

I should point out that Erin ordered the most expensive thing on the menu. She’s someone who enjoys the finer things in life. Without that extravagance, the price of the meal would rival that of a fast food joint. Not bad. And, after I finished my meal, I felt sufficiently satiated. 

Dagwood’s is another local restaurant where you have to pay extra for luxuries like lettuce and tomato (50 cents). I guess I just gotta get used to this Midwest way of doing running things.

Ambiance 11/15

When we walked in, the place was packed, and there was only one woman there: the server. Everyone else was a white dude. When the song “West End Girls” came on, I thought we might be in a gay bar. But, I’ve been to my fair share of gay bars and cannot recall ever seeing so many flat screen TVs displaying sports in them. Most of the clientele appeared to be blue collar, and there wasn't a lot of drinking going on. They were just dropping in for a quick lunch. The place was not too cramped, and I was able to talk to Jerome without yelling. Again, not bad.

Service 9/10

I almost went 10/10 with this. We arrived at 12:30 and paid the bill by 1:05. Blazing fast. This is particularly impressive considering that there was one server taking care of the packed bar. She even grabbed my mayo for me when my fat butt needed it to deal with the fries.

Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill’s Overall Score: 75/100

I don’t know if I’ll ever be back to Dagwood’s. It’s a neighborhood bar. And, the thing with neighborhood bars is that they are only as good as their proximity to your house. Dagwood’s isn’t incredibly close to me, and there are several better alternatives nearby. But, if you live within a few blocks of the place, I’d recommend it for when you don't want to go too far for a decent burger.

Good Truckin’ Diner Cheeseburger Review

What the front of the Good Truckin' Diner may look like.

The Good Truckin’ Diner is the poster child of Lansing’s REO Town neighborhood’s resurgence in the past half-decade. After starting as a food truck, Good Truckin’ Diner moved into a tiny 800-square-foot storefront near South Washington and Elm in November of 2014. Since then, business has boomed. Having to wait for a seat is the norm. And, owner Nick Sinicropi recently opened Art’s Pub where Art’s Bar & Grill used to be at 809 East Kalamazoo. So now, there are two places where you can enjoy their unique comfort foods.

We visited the Diner for lunch on a Tuesday and were joined by Ryan Wert, the Executive Director of REO Town and my good friend for 20+ years. Ryan told us all about the Diner’s history (he’s been a regular there since the early days.) He let us know that they have a rotation of burgers on their menu, which explains why their website has an olive burger that wasn’t listed on the in-restaurant menu. Here’s what we thought of the place.

Jerome’s Review

The flavors so overwhelm the senses that you have to close your eyes.

When we first arrived at GTD, there was a line going out the door. My first immediate thought was that it would take much more time than it was worth to be seated. To my surprise, we were seated outside in around 10 minutes and got our drinks a few minutes later. The patio is lacking shade but is otherwise very nice compared to other restaurants. As customers cleared out, we were offered a table inside.

When entering the building, a few things caught my eye. The decor was quite cool with several license plates from Michigan lining the walls, further adding upon the trucking aspect, along with the top halves of parking meters on each table. Though the inside was a small space, it was packed to the brim with hungry people, and after tasting the food, I understand why.

The burger had great quality meat, and it was cooked to meet my standards exactly. The produce was also very fresh: the lettuce being crisp and delicious. The fries lacked some salt, but they were still very tasty. In the end, whenever you go there, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you’re in the right place for an amazing meal.

James’s Review

Cheeseburger 19/25

If your mouth isn't watering looking at this, you have no soul.

Good Truckin’ Diner currently has 11 burgers on their menu, including a Gotham City burger with smoked pork, bacon, house coleslaw, BBQ, and cheddar on a brioche bun. For me, it was between this and the Mac Attack burger. I got the Mac Attack burger, which features macaroni (actually, cavatappi) and cheese, bacon, American cheese, and BBQ sauce on a Kaiser bun. The mac and cheese tasted excellent. The bacon was cooked to crispy perfection. The BBQ sauce was great.

The actual patty was where the burger lost points. I didn’t have the opportunity to choose the doneness, and it turned out to be overcooked and dry. Plus, it was not seasoned at all. To call it a hockey puck would be unfair, but the allusion comes to mind. I would also have liked more of the delicious sweet & tangy BBQ sauce to make up for the dryness of the burger. I can’t stand American cheese. I should have asked for cheddar instead. Is it too late to change my order?

Fries 23/25

Pretty fly for a fry guy.

I decided to splurge and get Garlic Parm Fries instead of the chips that come with the burgers. These waffle fries get their name from being tossed with a garlic parmesan sauce and topped with shredded parmesan cheese. In my hierarchy of fries, waffle fries are at the top - just barely beating out curly fries. The fries that were not covered with the sauce were still well seasoned. With the sauce, it was extra good. The garlic could have been more pronounced, but I’m not complaining.

Bucky refused to even try the Garlic Parm Fries, but he did eat plenty of Jerome’s traditional fries. Yet, he did reach a point of satiation before the fries expired.

Value 21/25

Ryan Wert and his Italian Grilled Cheese and chips

Ryan Wert told me that he usually gets a discount at Good Truckin’ Diner, but I think he’s a liar. There was no discount. For three sandwiches (two with fries), three tacos (for Erin to go), and drinks all around, the bill came to $48.72 with tax. Plus, we left a $10 tip. This was kind of hefty for five people eating lunch, but it wasn’t absurd. We also kind of got some premium menu items. Oh yeah, and there was more than enough food. Jerome had to take most of his home in a box.

Ambiance 11/15

For the record, I visited my mother the very next day.

The Good Truckin’ Diner doesn’t appear to really cater to kids. So, it was a little rough going there with a kid. The place is fairly claustrophobic. For instance, one has to be careful how far back they sit in their seat, or they’ll hit the person at the table behind them. The small size put me on edge a bit. As a fat man, I like to have room to stretch out and maybe manspread a bit. This might suggest that it would be better to get to-go orders here, but they don’t always offer a to-go option.

Service 9/10

Jerome and Bucky squeezing in some screen time while waiting to be seated.

We arrived at 12:35, waited 10 minutes for a seat, and were out of there by 1:35. The server was accommodating in letting us move inside as the mid-day sun became a little too much for my vampiric skin. And, there was never a point where we were wondering where our truckin’ side of mayo (or any other item) was.

Good Truckin’ Diner’s Overall Score: 83/100

You wanna know how I know I was in REO Town?

I plan on working my way through the Good Truckin’ Diner’s burger menu. I’m hoping an olive burger reappears. And, might I suggest a Reuben burger? Either way, the Gotham City burger will soon be in my belly. Since I don’t like waiting or being crowded, I’ll probably visit at an awkward time next time. Maybe 2 pm or something. I’ll also leave Bucky at home.

The Peanut Barrel Cheeseburger Review

All of these people are drinking on The Peanut Barrel's patio during their lunch break.

Welcome to our new blog. This is a review blog mainly featuring James and Jerome, a father-son duo with a passion for the world’s greatest meal: cheeseburgers and fries. Previously, we had a blog called Cheeseburgers in Eugene, but since we recently moved to Lansing, Michigan, it is time for us to change our geographic focus. In the coming months, we will review all of the cheeseburgers in Michigan. Occasionally, Bucky the Preschooler and Erin the Matriarch will join in. We might even have some special “dads only” nights. Anyway, here is our review of The Peanut Barrel.

We’re definitely not the first people to review Peanut Barrel. Located across the street from Michigan State University’s Broad Art Museum, this East Lansing landmark has served as a backdrop to many students’ awkward life experiences since 1973, when it first opened and was briefly known as the “Jacks or Better Restaurant.”

Here, I have fond memories of some blackout-drunk stranger picking a fight with me out of the blue. Fortunately, I’m always surrounded by strong women who chase these wayward fellas away. Another morning, after going fishing at 5 am and catching nothing but a sunburn, we opened up the Barrel and enjoyed shots of whiskey dropped into pints of Guinness at one of the coveted patio tables.

On this visit, I was with my sons, and it was just after the lunch rush on a Thursday: I was not interested in alcohol. Cheeseburgers were on our minds.

Jerome’s Review

Being the first Cheeseburgers in Michigan review, I felt that the first burgers had to be truly special. Judging by looks alone, The Peanut Barrel appeared to be just a simple bar and restaurant, but only after being seated and ordering, did I notice the atmosphere. The waitress was extremely kind, and simply listening around I could hear friendly conversations with the bartender or between strangers. This welcoming attitude shared throughout the place really made me feel comfortable and almost at home.

Jerome taking an actual real bite out of his Papa Joe's Cheeseburger.

But anyway, onto the actual food. While it was nowhere near out-of-the-ordinary, it did do one thing exceptionally well. Although the food wasn't extremely unique, it was darn good. The burgers did everything that a burger should but to a tee. The patty was cooked to near perfection, not overly done so it wasn't too dry, and not undercooked so as not to be too raw. The lettuce seemed to be fresh with a great crunch, and the fries (though a little low on salt) were great.

In the end, The Peanut Barrel’s burgers weren't an exploration of what it means to be a burger but more of a celebration of what burgers are. Maybe that’s giving them too much credit, but I really liked their burgers.

Bucky’s Review

“I would like all of the fries.”

James’s Review

Cheeseburger 21/25

The Peanut Barrel offers eight different types of burgers, including a garden burger and sub-quarter-pound baby burger. The olive burger caught my fancy, and I added cheddar cheese to it to fit the parameters of this blog. The Peanut Barrel olive burger is considered one of the best in the Lansing Area. I was given the option of a white, rye, or wheat bun. Like a moron, I chose rye. As soon as I took my first bite, I regretted it. Since this was my mistake, I’m not docking the Peanut Barrel for the rye. There were other reasons this burger wasn’t perfect.

The Peanut Barrel olive burger served on a bed of fries.

First of all, I wasn’t given the option of how done I wanted the burger. What I got was at least medium well. It wasn’t that juicy. I did appreciate that they seasoned the patty well. The olive sauce was heavy on olives and light on mayonnaise. Within one bite, the whole thing was falling apart, which I attribute to somewhat stale buns – perhaps people don’t order rye very often.

These are the critiques. Overall, the flavor was very good. 21 is not a low rating, and the bar is high for 25.

Fries 21/25

I reserve the highest fry ratings for those that are battered and well-seasoned. The Peanut Barrel did a good job of seasoning these fries, but there were no frills. As we got to the final fries, we started to fight over them. Fortunately, we ordered a Reuben to go for Erin so we pillaged her fries. Please don’t tell her.

The burger was served in a basket on top of the fries. So, as it exploded into several pieces after the first bite, it fell onto the fries giving me “olive burger fries.” Not bad. I really liked that they had mayonnaise on the table in little packets so I didn’t have to feel like a fat slob asking for some to dip my fries in.

Little containers of onions on the table. That's not weird.

Value 19/25

The Peanut Barrel is not as expensive as your average sit-down restaurant, but it’ll cost you more than some of the local fast food joints. For my olive burger, Jerome’s Papa Joe’s cheeseburger, and Erin’s Reuben (all with fries), the total came to $28.67 with tax. Plus, we added a $6 tip.

What I did not like was that I had to pay extra (85 cents) for lettuce and tomato on my burger and for fries ($1.60.) Though, I suppose giving patrons the option to opt-in to these luxury condiments and sides is better than spreading the cost out across everyone and potentially have food go to waste. But, I don’t like paying extra for things. Dammit!

Ambiance 9/15

I was expecting a younger crowd, but school is out. And, I, a 37-year-old, was among the youngest people in the joint. I assumed everyone else there was also trying to relive some lukewarm college days. The interior of the place is drab and screams “dive bar.” It’s not really the place to take kids as the guy on his cell phone at the table next to us yelled expletives. I’m okay with cuss words, but yelling on cell phones doesn’t make for great ambiance.

I can get behind this.

Service 8/10

We arrived at 1:15 pm just as the staff was finishing up with a big rush. It took a little while (more than five minutes) before anyone acknowledged us, but the server was incredibly apologetic. From the time we entered to the time we paid the bill, it was about 45 minutes, which is good in my book.

The Peanut Barrel’s Overall Score: 78/100

I will definitely be back to the Peanut Barrel. I will likely only go when MSU is on break or while very intoxicated. Either way, I am unlikely to bring the boys again. I’d take Jerome, but Bucky was kind of a pain. Why don’t more bars have kids play areas?!?