Foodie Finds: Best Cajun Restaurant in Grand Rapids, MI

PLEASE NOTE: SAZERAC is NOW CLOSED.

We're always looking for new restaurants to try! We recently found Restaurant.com and saw many new restaurants close to home.  We decided to try a Cajun restaurant since I love spicy food. A diamond in the rough, Sazerac Lounge is located on Plainfield near Leonard.  Only four years old, the restaurant clearly serves as a local hangout for darts, euchre, table tennis, pool, and lots of local bands. While we were there, a euchre tournament had just ended, and a band was beginning to set up.

The beautiful brick walls, lovely wood bar (with microbrews), and extremely attentive waitstaff provided ambiance and unbeatable service. There did not appear to be a non-smoking section.

We ordered several appetizers - shredded pork spring rolls with an incredible apricot sauce, excellent chicken wings that come with a sauce that you can dip the wings into (so that they remain crispy), and spicy onion petals (think thick chips of onion ring). Too bad we were almost full then, because the entrees were delicious!

Our daughter ordered the creole chicken fettucini alfredo. The sauce was a cajun-spiced alfredo, with crispy blackened chicken on top, and some crunchy french bread. She LOVED it! She asked if we could go back and get more tomorrow.

I ordered the pork ribs, which were tender, melt-in-your-mouth ribs, with a tangy sauce. It came with fries, moist cornbread, and a delicious coleslaw. My wife ordered the shrimp po boy, which was loaded with shrimp, cucumber, red onion, lettuce, and sauce on crusty french bread. She was very happy!

The menu was extensive - there was also pizza, a plethora of southern foods (mac & cheese, jambalaya, red rice and beans, catfish, etc.), angus burgers, enticing salads, and a full gourmet sandwich menu.

The service was exceptional and the food, outstanding.

Sazerac Lounge
1418 Plainfield
Grand Rapids, MI
616-451-0010