The Grill House & Rock Bottom Bar:
Become A Grillmaster at this SWM Destination Restaurant and Banquet Facility
By Matthew Downey
Located on M-40 two miles south of Allegan, The Grill House and Rock Bottom Bar is in a class all of its own. It’s difficult not to gush about this truly unique restaurant. With so much to offer its patrons, the establishment is a standout as one of the region’s premiere destination restaurants.
Six years ago, proprietors Dan and Marcia Wagner had the vision of importing an innovative dining concept to Southwest Michigan – a grill-your-own steakhouse. With the help of their daughter, Tracy Garvin, they opened to rave reviews. Since then, the business has earned a terrific reputation and pulls customers from as far as Chicago, Indiana and Grand Rapids.
The restaurant’s popularity as a perfect location for parties and groups has spread throughout the region. As a response to this increasing demand, the Wagner’s recently opened a full-service, top-notch banquet and catering facility, The Silo. “We started receiving requests for parties that were too large for The Grill House so we built The Silo banquet hall,” Ms. Garvin explains.
Historical Location
Tucked in among rolling hills and farmland, customers are delighted by this picture-perfect, historic location. The 7,000 square foot farmhouse, now home to The Grill House and Rock Bottom Bar, was originally built in 1836.
As the legend goes, in 1847, when the building was used as a watering hole for sawmill workers, a lumberjack was killed in a barroom knife fight. His body was buried somewhere on the property in an unmarked grave. Now, nearly 160 years later, his presence (or spirit, if you will) is still felt throughout the establishment. The restaurant’s staff experience nearly daily sightings, feelings or quirky, unexplainable events that they all attribute to the spirit they now refer to as “Jack”.
“Jack is a friendly spirit; nothing scary goes on here,” Ms Garvin explains.
Become the Grillmaster!
The main attraction here, however, is the grill-your-own dining experience. The Wagner’s imported this unique spin on the traditional steakhouse from their hometown in Iowa. A rather new and original concept to Michigan diners, grill-your-own is apparently a common dining style in Iowa, a few large cities and other locations in the western United States.
Here is how “grill-your-own” works: after ordering and receiving drinks, customers first enjoy their appetizers or begin with the house salad, served family style. Once finished, they are invited back to the grill room where customers select their dinner from a meat case. With the help of the Grillmaster, they are assigned a spot on the 8’ x 10’ grill. The Grillmaster offers assistance and supervision on how and when to flip the meat, according to each customer’s desired taste.
Tracy Garvin adds, “The grill-your-own style is perfect for any group dining event. Customers are invited to bring their drinks back to the grill room and socialize while they cook their meals.”
The Menu
The Grill House offers a hearty menu that is sure to please anyone who visits. Popular choices are: Top Sirloin, 16 oz. choice cut ($22.95); Filet Mignon, 10 oz. beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon ($27.00); and the 10 oz. sashimi grade Tuna Steak, “The filet mignon of fish” ($18.95). Extras that can be added while customers are grilling include skillet portabella mushrooms ($4.00) and skillet onions ($2.00). Two delicious homemade steak sauces can be added as well: green peppercorn sauce and blue cheese sauce ($1.50 each). All entrees include a house salad, potato, homemade baked beans, chef’s vegetable and Texas toast.
Open for both lunch and dinner, Rock Bottom Bar faire offers south of the border treats, sandwich platters and gourmet pizzas. “Our pizzas have become popular since we added them to the menu,” Ms. Garvin points out. “Some local residents call in and order pizza for take-out, as if we were a pizzeria.”
Popular on the Rock Bottom menu is the Grilled Prime Rib Sandwich, served open face on Texas toast with Au Jus and Bistro sauce ($8.99); the Giant Wet Burrito ($7.99); and the Chicken Alfredo Pizza, creamy Alfredo sauce with red onion, tomatoes and chicken then topped with mozzarella and asiago cheeses (9” for $8.75 or 14” for $13.50).
Death-by-chocolate ($6.25) is the standout on the desert menu. “This is made from scratch using my grandma’s recipe; it is amazing,” Tracy states.
The Silo – banquets and catering
The Silo Banquet and Catering Facility is located directly behind The Grill
House and handles events for up to 300 guests. This elegant, state-of-the-art facility, built to resemble a country barn, features a large ballroom with movable dividers and a smaller, more intimate meeting space on the lower level that seats 100. Family-style dinners are served in the Silo every Sunday afternoon.
There are multiple, exquisite locations throughout the grounds for photos and memorable moments, including a pond with fountain, spacious balconies, and brick walkways.
Perfect for any unforgettable event, it is advised to book the facility as early as possible. Tracy explains that many Saturdays in 2007 are already taken, and they are now accepting bookings for 2008 dates.
The Grill House, Rock Bottom Bar, and The Silo
1071 32nd St (M-40) • Allegan, MI 49010
269-686-9192 • www.grillhouse.net
Monday – Saturday open @ 11 AM
The Grill House Menu is served Monday through Saturday beginning at 4:30 PM.
Rock Bottom menu is served Monday through Saturday beginning at 11:00 am.
Sundays, 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM, family style dinner in The Silo
