GRAND RAPIDS, MI — As a neighborhood spot for locals, Westside Social in Grand Rapids specializes in rustic dining with an emphasis on comfort food and dazzling cocktails.
the website promotes the restaurant, located at 2802 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, as an “American tavern with a dash of genius”, urging people to “think American tavern, reinvented”.
Westside Social has been a community favorite since opening in late January 2018, serving up specialties like its famous Chicken & Waffles ($16) which features house-spiced fried chicken tenders served on brown sugar waffles, topped with lemon syrup. Ancho Maple and Alabama White Sauce.
The stroganoff gnocchi ($18) are also the perfect meal for a cold winter night. The popular item comes with cream of wild mushrooms, truffle oil, beef sirloin tips, potato gnocchi and Manchego cheese.
The restaurant offers a range of signature cocktails as well as seasonal cocktails that are happy hour favorites. There is also a variety of beers.
“Tequila is super popular right now, so we have a winter tequila cocktail we’re curating that ends up being the best seller,” said Christopher Minarik, bar manager at Westside Social since March 2019. is called the Winter La Granada, which translates to “winter pomegranate”.
The Winter La Granada ($11) is made with Espolon tequila, Pama pomegranate liqueur, pineapple juice, barley, lime juice, garnished with fresh rosemary.
One of Minarik’s favorite menu items is The Parkside ($14), which is a Sobie Meats Parkside Kielbasa beer sandwich, Michigan sauerkraut, bacon lardons, Swiss cheese and savory garlic aioli on a bun. ciabatta.
Besides the popular cocktails and savory sandwiches, the tavern offers a wide selection of menu items like the Moroccan Steak Bites appetizer ($12), unique burgers like the Mac Daddy Burger ($13) and the Mac n’ Skillet. Cheese like the Lobster Mac ($16). ) with a homemade five-cheese sauce.
“We really wanted the menu to have entrees that would appeal to someone who wanted to go out for a birthday,” Stone said. “But we also wanted to have good burgers there that would appeal to someone having lunch or just getting off from work.”
The tavern, originally called the Shawmut Inn for 39 years, was part-owned by Ed Stone before being acquired by Peppino’s Hospitality Group in August 2017.
“I worked with my uncle when it was the Shawmut Inn for about six months, knowing he was going to sell it; kind of help him with some management stuff so he could focus on what he needed,” said Katie Stone, now Westside Social’s chief executive. “And then the new owners sat me down, interviewed me, and hired me as assistant general manager, so I’ve been here since day one.”
The Shawmut Inn serves bar food with a focus on Mexican cuisine. However, once the restaurant became Westside Social, Stone wanted to incorporate American fare while keeping the atmosphere like Shawmut’s casual dining.
“We really wanted the menu to have entrees that would appeal to someone who wanted to go out for a birthday,” Stone said. “But we also wanted to have good burgers there that would appeal to someone having lunch or just getting off from work.”
Incorporating upscale tavern fare with a fresh twist, Westside Social’s goal has always been to partner with local businesses for fresh ingredients like Sobie Meats and Michigan Crafts.
“We try to do as much local stuff as possible,” Stone said. “Here, everything is prepared daily, so if we miss something, we really miss it; it’s kind of our signature here, that everything is fresh, local and produced daily.
The tavern is open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Happy hour is Tuesday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Orders can be placed on site, online or by calling 616-453-5877.
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