Beloved Michigan Restaurant Reopens After Long Closure
It’s always sad when a local restaurant closes. There are so many chain restaurants out there, so having local restaurants that thrive is just a special thing in any city….

(Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
It's always sad when a local restaurant closes. There are so many chain restaurants out there, so having local restaurants that thrive is just a special thing in any city. Most of my favorite spots to eat are locally-owned- the food is just so fresh and always made with love.
This is a feel-good story, as I'm happy to report that a popular Michigan restaurant is back in action after closing for more than a year during the pandemic. The pandemic, obviously, forced many local eating spots to close down, and some are reopening now, which is great news.
In February 2021, Big E's Sports Grill closed its West Michigan locations due to the pandemic and issues that ensued from that. The West Michigan locations included Big E's in Holland, downtown Grand Rapids, and East Beltline in Grand Rapids.
Now, the good news is that Big E's in Holland just reopened its doors this week. The restaurant shared the news in a Facebook post, stating, "Today is the day, Big E's Sports Grill is BACK!!!! Come see us today for the Michigan vs Villanova at 7:29. Our team has been working and training hard to prepare for this day. We can't wait to see you!" They added that their new hours of operation will be Thursday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Just in time for the NCAA Tournament and watching all that basketball action. No word yet on when the other locations will reopen, but this is certainly a good start. The restaurant also has a beautiful patio, so the reopening is just in time for the warm spring and summer months, too. Do you have a favorite local restaurant that is reopening following being closed due to the pandemic? If so, let me know on social media, and I might do a story on them!
"Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," hosted by Guy Fieri on the Food Network, is one of the most popular shows for food lovers. There's just something super entertaining about Fieri, and the show is so fun to watch. What's extra cool is that Fieri has come to Michigan multiple times and picked local restaurants to highlight on the show.
TVFoodmaps.com has compiled a full directory of all the restaurants that have appeared on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." Think of this as a list of spots every Michigan food lover should visit. Some of these restaurants are familiar to me, like Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, while others I are not. My parents actually live just a few miles from Zaytoon Mediterranean in Lansing, Michigan, and I had no idea they were featured on the show until now. They do have some great Miditerranean food. Which are your favorite Michigan spots that you think should be featured on the show? Reach out to me on social media and give me some recommendations!
In total, Fieri has highlights 16 different Michigan restaurants on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." What can I say- we have some great eating spots here! View the full list of Michigan restaurants featured on the show below, and make sure to visit them at some point. View the full list here.
Traffic Jam & Snug - trafficjamdetroit.com
Address: 511 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201
Why it's cool:
Union Woodshop - unionwoodshop.com
Address: 18 S Main St, Village of Clarkston, MI 48346
Why it's cool:
Supino Pizza - toasttab.com
Address: 2457 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207
Why it's cool:
The Fly Trap - theflytrapferndale.com
Address: 22950 Woodward Ave, Ferndale, MI 48220
Why it's cool:
Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen - clarkstonunion.com
Address: 54 S Main St, Village of Clarkston, MI 48346
Why it's cool:
Polish Village Cafe - polishvillagecafe.us
Address: 2990 Yemans St, Hamtramck, MI 48212
Why it's cool:
Joe's Gizzard City - gizzardcity.com
Address: 120 W Main St, Potterville, MI 48876
Why it's cool:
Meat BBQ - meatbbq.com
Address: 1224 Turner Rd, Lansing, MI 48906
Why it's cool:
Zaytoon Mediterranean - zaytoongrill.com
Address: 940 Elmwood Rd, Lansing, MI 48917
Why it's cool:
Eastside Fish Fry & Grill - eastsidefishfry.com
Address: 2417 E Kalamazoo St, Lansing, MI 48912
Why it's cool:
Capital City BBQ - facebook.com/capitalcitybbq/
Address: 1026 W Saginaw St, Lansing, MI 48915
Why it's cool:
Check out their website too!
The Cosmos - thecosmoslansing.com
Address: 1200 N Larch St, Lansing, MI 48906
Why it's cool:
Red Haven Farm to Table Restaurant - eatredhaven.com
Address: 4480 Hagadorn Rd #103, Okemos, MI 48864
Why it's cool:
Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger - blimpyburger.com
Address: 304 S Ashley St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Why it's cool: