This place was rebuilt in 2011 after a 2010 fire. However it has an inscription on the fireplace about it being a fur trading post in 1809. After the fire that nearly took the owner's life (she was rescued by neighbors who brought a ladder to her window, which she crawled out of with her hair on fire)the rebuild still has an old feel to it. The ceiling is covered in old doors inside, and shutters on the nice screened porch. We sat on the porch with a nice view of Devil's Lake. This classic lake area bar and grill in Manitou Beach used to be called the Manitou Beach Inn and now is the Manitou Bar and Grill. They are known for burgers and their famous soups the most famous being the cabbage chowder. I had a pulled pork sandwich which was very good. My wife had a southwest salad with grilled chicken with housemade dressing. Our friends had fish dinners perch and salmon. Everything was very good and we will go back. Lots of specials mean a constantly changing menu. The atmosphere is great and provides live entertainment after dinner hours. Nice family run operation. Check out the guide for more details.

This place opened in 2013 in downtown Chelsea. The building for Smokehouse 52 BBQ is really neat with high tin ceilings, hardwood floors and exposed brick. It is the former location of a small grocery store. Inside this historic location is a true original BBQ joint offering real pit smoked BBQ like pulled pork, brisket, ribs, sausage, chicken and even pork chops. They offer a couple of unique soups like smoked chicken corn chowder or their chili made with their brisket. On the table are four different types of BBQ sauce. They offer a unique salad called the "piggy colada" which has pulled pork, pineapple, banana bread croutons and sliced almonds, then covered with house made coconut vinaigrette dressing! Since Chelsea is the home of "Jiffy Mix" the croutons and cornbread are all made from this local iconic company's mixes. Want more? Our grandson had the chicken and waffles. I tasted his fried chicken and would come back to make that my dinner. How about mac and cheese or even cajun mac and cheese? They do offer some fish like cedar plank salmon or bacon wrapped BBQ shrimp. They also have sandwiches and burgers. Kids menu and a bar round out this place for the whole family. Roomy and comfortable. Check out the guide for more details.

I have driven by this place many times and thought someday I need to visit. That day came and I was glad to find a neat place near Clark Lake just south of Jackson. In Good Company is a full service spot with many unique items. They are known for one of the largest selections of Bourbon between Michigan and Kentucky. I had the Bourbon BBQ ribs which were excellent! My wife had the Sticky Pecan Bourbon Chicken which was also very good. Other entrees include Bourbon BBQ Shrimp. They do have non Bourbon items as well like pot roast, Delmonico or flat iron steaks, fish or chicken. I was also impressed with their award winning white chicken chili. The pasta sounded good. They offer grown up mac & cheese, deep blue mac or southwest mac. They also offer other pasta dishes like lasagna. Salads, sandwiches and desserts round out the lunch and dinner portion making this a good place to bring the family. Full bar with lots of Bourbon! They do have breakfast, but I will save that for another visit and another review.

New in 2013. The name and location is new, however the downtown Jackson Grand River Marketplace evolved from Sleeping Bear Winery and Bad Bear Brewing Co. which was at the Concord exit. The new place is large and able to accommodate their new deli, winery, brewery and restaurant all under one roof. They also have room for a nice stage for live entertainment. This place has very good food made with top quality ingredients that you can see or buy many of from the deli. They are probably best known for their pizza, which is very good. The brewpub also offers some very nice deli sandwiches and burgers. The winery has a tasting area and a large selection. I am a big fan of porters and this brewery offers a constant rotation of several porters which have all been good so far. They brewer is very creative and has several other unique beers for you to try. This is the indoor area next to the Jackson Farmers Market. Check out more details in the guide.

One of a kind pizza

This place is new since 2010. It has won the "best new restaurant" award in Jackson this year. Laughlin's Slice of Spice in Spring Arbor is the only wood fired brick oven pizza place in Jackson county. Fresh ingredients on a hand tossed thin crust cooked in the wood fired oven makes this place special. They use local fresh produce and italian ingredients to insure a tasty pie. Nice atmosphere for the whole family with original photos on the walls and comfortable seating. Nice salads and appetizers along with some other non pizza offerings. Full bar with padded seats, offering mixed drinks as well as a nice selection of wines including local ones. The beer selection includes seasonal and locally brewed options. I had Arcadia Jaw Jacker on my visit. Others in our group had Angry Orchard Hard Cider. Nice place, give them a try! More details in the Guide.

Nice fish place on US 12

New in 2011. This older place(formerly Lakeside)has been completely redone with a nautical theme and gives tiny Jerome a flagship dining spot. Get it? The Deck Down Under has roots from the Gulf and brings us some nice seafood offerings. Raw oysters, peel and eat shrimp, crab cakes, conch fritters, boom boom shrimp and fried calamari just to start. I had the fish tacos made with grouper which you can order pan seared, blackened or deep fried. The fish and chips can be ordered in similar fashion using either grouper or catfish. They have good sides as well, we tried the onion rings and the hand cut fries. Both were excellent as was the New England clam chowder! The hush puppies looked good also. Desserts are made in house and include key lime pie and creme brulee. I had the creme brulee and was very happy with it. They have other stuff like pizza and burgers along with a kids menu, so bring the whole family. They have live music on Friday-Saturday evenings. It is so loud you will not be able to converse. Good music, just too loud for conversation. It becomes more of a night spot then. Good food, nice atmosphere and good service. My recommendation is to call first and eat before the music starts.

New BBQ place added

Would you like to watch the game on some nice big flat screen TV's while having a beer? How about adding some pulled pork or beef brisket to this setting. Well the people at the Saucy Dog's Barbeque in Jonesville have done just that. This is a very good BBQ joint with hardwood floors and wood furniture, but also a nice sports bar type atmosphere. Voted best lunch in Hillsdale county. I had the beef brisket sandwich with their slightly sweet sauce and was very impressed. They also have pulled chicken, ribs and wings to round out the BBQ portion. Add things like BBQ nachos or their signature "saucy dog" which is a deep-fried hot dog topped with coleslaw and BBQ sauce in a hot dog bun along with salads, soups, sandwiches(including burgers), sides and desserts and you can bring the whole family. Check out all the details and more review in the guide.

Terry's Guide featured in Southwest Michigan's Second Wave media article

Growth News - THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010

Portage Resident Offers Favorite Dining Picks at Updated Online Site

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Terry St. Louis of Portage sells insurance, and he spends a lot of time traveling Southwest Michigan, dining out at least five days a week.

So many people asked St. Louis for advice on where to eat he decided to start Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking to chronicle his picks for the best places to dine in Southwest Michigan.

After a little over a year, the site has reviews and pictures of 350 places where St. Louis has found good food. Wineries, bakeries and breweries are all part of the mix.

The site recently relaunched with a new look and features that are more friendly to mobile phone users and is constantly updated as St. Louis finds new places to eat. There are no negative reviews, only places where St. Louis can recommend good food.

"When I go into a restaurant I ask what they are known for, what are their top sellers and build my review from that," St. Louis says.

The restaurant guide covers all kind of eateries from dives to fine dining spots such Webster's in downtown Kalamazoo. The site also can be searched by city, cuisine and specialties. Hidden-away spots only the locals know about are also part of the package.

"One of my spots is two miles down a dirt road," St. Louis says. "I have reviews of places that are out in the middle of nowhere."

The site recently has seen a lot more traffic -- 4,000 visitors last month -- and St. Louis attributes that to its redesign by Team Hypernet. He said the company not only provides attractive graphics but services to help drive traffic to the site.

If the site continues to grow he hopes to eventually branch out and offer reviews from Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Grand Haven.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Terry St. Louis, Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking