Reserve Restaurant and Wine Bar – Grand Rapids, MI: Located smack dab in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, not far from the convention center, Reserve is considered the finest wine bar in Grand Rapids by many. Not surprising as the international wine list was developed by certified sommeliers. Combined with gorgeous and hip décor, and a vibe that is palpably high-end, we were excited to see if the Reserve Grand Rapids is all that’s its hyped up to be.

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We arrived for dinner, and as soon as we came in, we were immediately awed by the classy décor – formal yet hip, definitely not too stiff. A very knowledgeable waiter attended to us, and the manager even dropped by to help us choose wines. We were extremely pleased by the service and we loved the option of getting wine sips to get a taste of a good variety of wines.

The Reserve Grand Rapids’ wine menu was phenomenal. A huge variety of wines from various parts of the globe were available. The food? Top notch. Not a meal that would be considered mediocre.

So what did we have?

For starters, we had the Bibb Lettuce Salad, which consisted of buttermilk vinaigrette, brown butter bread crumbs, hard boiled egg, scallion and parmesan. It was heavenly. Leaves were fresh, egg was perfectly cooked, and the play of flavors was mind blowing.

Next, we had the Cotechino Sausage. The dish included Sea Island red peas, winter vegetables, pork jus and salsa verde. Not much can be said here except it was fantastic.

Finally, we had the Veal Chop. With rosemary roasted mushrooms, preserved lemon and caramelized onion puree, the dish got a two thumbs up from us. Meat was tender and juicy, side dishes were delightful to say the least. It know it sounds like a lot, but Reserve dishes are made for sharing, so it gave us the opportunity to try a number of different dishes.

For wine, we had the sampling of various wines and I must say, everything the manager suggested was great. You won’t go wrong here, and I am now a firm believer that Reserve Wine Bar is indeed the best wine bar Grand Rapids has to offer.

The only gripes I had (if you can call it that), was that we had to wait a bit for the food, and that the prices are a bit on the high side. However, given the service and the quality of the dishes, it all worked out.

In all, we give Reserve Grand Rapids a deserved ranking of Bombastic. From the classy ambience, high-end vibe, good service, great food, and spectacular wine list and quality, you can’t go wrong here. Sure, food took a while and prices are not pocket friendly, but with all this wine bar and restaurant has to offer? It’s a slight that’s easily forgiven.

What I liked: The ambience, the food, the wine (selection and quality)

What I didn’t like: The prices

Rating: Bombastic!

Address and Telephone Number:
Reserve Grand Rapids
201 Monroe Ave. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Tel: 616-855-WINE

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