Harrison Roadhouse — Restaurant in East Lansing

Mixed feelings. Ok, the food was good. I had a burger, and I enjoyed it. By the time it finally arrived ... but let me back up. I was joining 3 people for dinner on a busy Friday night. Arrived around 6:00 with no reservation so they were busy. Was heading to MSU women’s volleyball game. This was about 3 weeks ago - no reservations taken on game days. My friend was driving and she needed to drop her daughter somewhere nearby, so I had her drop me off to wait in line to get a table. Stood by the hostess stand. When hostess arrived she turned to the people behind me (physically and in terms of arrival) and began to take there information while I stood waving my arms. They directed her back to me. I put in for a table for 4 and she asked for my phone number. I told her I had accidentally left my phone at home. She said she needed a phone number because the wait would be long, adding “all of these people made reservations.” Slap! (Metaphorically). I said I would wait. She asked again for a phone number. I said again I did not have my phone with me but could give her my number if she really wanted me to. However I would not be answering the phone if she called.

Hostess: I need a phone number so that I can text you when a table becomes ready. Me: well, my friends have phones but I don’t know their numbers as the numbers are in my phone. Which is at home so I won’t hear it ring as I live miles away from here. Hostess: I have to have a number. Me: My friends will be here in a few minutes, and then I will give you their number. Hostess: then I will take your name when they get here. Me: Seriously??? So I can’t even be in line without a phone? Hostess: How can I let you know that a table is ready if you don’t have a phone? Me: you can tell me; I’ll be standing right over there. It’s pretty close to where you are. Hostess: we are not allowed to do that! Me: so are you saying that people without cell phones are not allowed to eat? Hostess: I need a cell number to text you.

Sigh! She reluctantly took my name and my cell number (there was a friendly greeting and message on my phone when we were eventually reunited), and my friend arrived a few minutes later and provided her number. After getting a huge laugh from my story. Naturally.

Her husband suggested we wait at the bar and have a few drinks while waiting. Bartender was cheerful and funny, and was a bottle twirler which was fun. Drinks were good and wait for a table was not that long.

Wait much longer than that for the food. Like almost an hour. Barely finished eating before 8:00. When we spoke to the waitress about the ETA on food she said they were very busy with many customers so the wait was unusually long. I resisted the temptation to tell her that not enough cooks or a kitchen too small for the number of seats in house was more to blame than the crowd, and as I said the food eventually came. About 3 drinks in.

The food: I’ve been there twice recently. My two friends each had salads, one had some kind of sandwich I think, and I had the special cheeseburger. Everybody liked their food despite the rush to eat ... reviewing the menu online just now I see many typos but another listing has the actual menu which is much more polished. On another day the chicken chili was very thick and good (like navy bean soup), but not a very large portion so you may want to get something else to go with it. The sweet potato fries were very good at first, but had some kind of sweet syrup on them that was not so good once you hit the end of the cone in which they are served (too sweet). Cobb salad was good, but I did bite into a rotted tomato and found a long hair that I am hoping was my own. Overall, food is a 4, service was a 3 at best (much better on other occasions), TV game was so loud that it was hard to hear your dinner companions (but MSU was playing that day so ...) and tables kind of smushed in but felt roomy enough for me ... hostess a definite -1 which made my overall rating a 2! Better previously. Parking very tight. Location ideal for going...

I was hungry but broke really... It was close by and I'm not familiar with the area... I had a kids meal because i was unsure of everything else & I'm naturally extremely picky about everything... The direct interaction with the people was kinda good but the food wasn't. I just had a double shot of Jack Daniels: my glass had a pet hair & some type of fuzz all over it so, I asked the waitress, Milan/Milana (?), to redo my shot & she asked why so i told her, she took it & brought it back with the pet danger reminded and the fuzz smeared more around the to of the glass, but still dirty when she returned. My fries were mixed with old & New fries which i asked for fresh & well done... Didn't get what i asked for at all. Wasn't worth the twenty dollars ($19.60 to be exact) i spent to get it & i should've just walked out, but didn't. I was hungry & hadn't eaten all day after being up all night after driving here from Detroit this morning, plus I'm fighting sleep during first-time parent orientation at #MSU (Go Green,Go White!) & it's really wet outside, too! ... No! I won't be returning not recommending this place again! I will go out of my way to find #ANYTHING else first & otherwise... The #ONLIEST way I'll ever eat here again is if my Spartan's life is at stake & it's Thee #ONLY way I...

Went there on a early Sunday evening with the family. The waiter was friendly yet didn't know the daily specials, he eventually remembered but it wasn't very convincing. Ordered a Bloody Mary bar but the entire time I was up at the bar building my Bloody the waitstaff was standing near their computers/station and stared me down. It was very uncomfortable and frustrating . I understand they might glimpse over to ensure safe food handling practices are maintained however, they shouldn't be staring the customer down. As for the food, it was mediocre at best. I ordered the Rueben and the bread was soggy and the meat was tough. The pasta salad was old, the pasta dried out, and the tomatoes rotted on one side. As for the rest of the family's food it was about the same with differing opinions as to why it would be so objectionable. Most likely wouldn't recommend this place for food, yet based on the beer selection maybe I would come get just a...