Irene's Craft Kitchen + Biergarten — Restaurant in Grand Blanc

I've been to Irene's three times already and I've had mostly a good experience here. The positives is that it's a really lovely restaurant. Whoever designed it did a great job-it's warm, inviting, kinda sexy but still accessible for families. It's huge and has a broad range of uses-bar area, private rooms, little cozy lounge, long tables, the outdoor patio (which is not open yet), and those two golf rooms. The food is mostly good with some exceptions- Pretzel-awesome, would likely get it every time. Chicken shnitzel-it's OK (not super flavorful) and spatzel was also just OK. I'll never get it again. Apple and walnut salad is nice and fresh but TINY for a main entree salad. It was served on their side salad plate and even the server went back to check to see if it was plated correctly because he was like, "Oh wow, that IS small." Bruger was tasty and everything on it seemed fresh and top-quality. I didn't know it was a smash burger though, maybe I just missed that description on the menu but I was surprised when I got my order. Fries were limp and underseasoned. Pass. My friend got the paprika chicken salad and she said it was fabulous but I didn't get a chance to taste it. Looked great, though. Swedish meatballs were good if you like Swedish meatballs-they are not as fluffy as regular meatballs but I've had Swedish meatballs other place and they were very similar. The potato buds were really good-crispy, flavorful, with a nice dip. Dessert-Black Forest Cake is the WAY TO GO here. We had the Paris Brest and the pastry was soggy and not crispy. It had too much whipped cream and the strawberries weren't very flavorful (not their fault, it's winter...but still-maybe don't serve strawberries when they aren't in season). The apple strudel is straight up GROSS-under cooked, not crispy....I mean, it truly didn't look fully baked. The flavor was better than what it looked like but we won't get it again.

Service was a little spotty-some servers were more attentive than others as can be expected sometimes. What was weird was when I was with my friend who is celiac and we asked a bunch of questions about gluten free options but the server didn't know the answers and didn't really engage with us. We had another server come because our original one was a bit behind and we asked her some more questions to which she said, "Why don't I bring you the allergen description menu." Well, that made it easier to navigate the menu and my friend was able to order her meal correctly. I don't know why the original server didn't think to do that and we didn't ask because we didn't think that was an option.

All in all, I still think it's probably one of the better restaurants in the area and we will be back for sure. In fact, I'm bringing my neighborhood friends for a girl's night this coming Friday. I wish them luck in the area and I hope they continue to improve.

Oh, one more thing-the floor in the bathroom is DISGUSTING. The tile is supposed to look old and weathered (it's a choice but that's fine), however the floor had hair and dirt on it. I mentioned it to my husband because I was shocked it was so dirty since it's a relatively new place and he said that the men's bathroom floor was ALSO dirty. My husband literally does not notice dirt so it must have been really dirty for him...

READ THIS REVIEW This was our first visit to Irene's. We weren't sure what to expect after reading most of the reviews, but we were excited to try Grand Blancs newly anticipated Restaurant, after all we've waited years for a worthy Restaurant to come to Grand Blanc! I made a reservation for Valentines day for Hubby and I. When we walked in I was immediately taken by the aesthetics of this establishment. I found it inviting and welcoming yet classy. The Hostess was friendly and sweet, she initially seated us at a small table for 2 I felt was too small for my comfort so I asked if we could be seated at a larger table by the window and she checked to make sure it wasn't already reserved and we were seated there. It was the only table in kind of a nook and it was very comfortable. Once seated we were greeted by our Server, "Joey" he was very nice, personable and attentive and provided great service throughout our visit. We were given both a special Valentines menu and the option of their regular menu. We chose the Valentines menu. We ordered the "Smoked Salmon and Dill Crostini appetizer,, and while the description stated, "fresh dill" we did not have any dill on ours but instead "capers" however it was still excellent! We both choose the "Shopska" Salad and again excellent! For our Entrées we both choose "Seared Scallops" the description states "butternut squash puree & brown butter sage sauce with crispy prosciutto" let me TELL you, this dish was OUTSTANDING! Hubby and I could not stop yumming from the first bite to the last! The flavor profile melded each component in this dish PERFECTLY! Finally we finished with the desert "Black Forest Trifle" that we shared. It was dark and rich in flavor but the cake component of this desert was a bit dry but still tasty and a nice finish to the previous 3 courses. I learned that the items offered on the Valentines menu are not offered on their regular menu which was a major disappointment, because Hubby and I agreed we would come back again and again for that Scallops Entrée! The Owner, Eric came by our table and I was happy to suggest he consider the Scallops Entrée as a regular feature on his menu, what a great seafood offering this dish would be! It was a pleasure speaking with Eric, he was genuinely interested in his customers feedback and I was impressed by his presence, pride in his appearance, a well dressed man with appropriate looking attire for the owner of a very nice Restaurant. Equally, our Server Joey was nicely dressed and took pride in his appearance as well. Very refreshing to see as pride in one's appearance is a long fading virtue" Joey provided us with great service, perfectly timing each course. The only real critique I had was for being Valentines day, the restaurant lacked any Valentines decor" it would have been a perfect touch to add some tasteful decor for the occasion and perhaps a rose for the Ladies as they entered the restaurant" I also mentioned this to Eric the owner and he graciously agreed" I am thankful to Eric and his family for bringing this beautiful Restaurant to...

I've been to Irene's more times than I can count now and each time has been a consistent wonderful experience. The food is all made from scratch and authentic European cuisine. No freezer, no microwave! The schnitzel is probably the best I've had at the level of Hofbrauhaus in Kentucky and Maders in Milwaukee, I only wish they offered Jägerschnitzel which is a traditional preparation with a mushroom gravy. However a little secret is to order a side of pan gravy that can achieve an equally delicious result. The menu contains excellent diversity in European dishes, though you may need your phone to understand what some of the dishes are. Perhaps a more descriptive menu could be an improvement. The desserts are also all made from scratch, and my absolute favorite is the Black Forest Cake. You can taste the scratch quality in everything!

Service has also been great every time that I have been there. I always give the benefit of the doubt when a restaurant is so new, but Irene's staff is already performing excellently. The owner makes their presence known and is constantly checking on their diners experience, which is also refreshing.

Grand Blanc in my opinion has been lacking a unique dining experience for a long time. It seems lately there's been a focus on sandwich shops or chicken shops. Italian and Pizza also get old after a while. Irene's is a breath of fresh air that the Grand Blanc community has been needing for a long time.

Irene's unique scratch European cuisine offers something delicious for everyone, it's atmosphere finally provides a comfortable and elegant eatery that's been missing in the community, and I'm excited to see what they can do with the outdoor biergarten in the summer.

UPDATE: I've been a mug club member at Irene's most of this year. The service and food has been exemplary and the bar staff does an absolutely incredible job! Lissa is the bar manager and does a phenomenal job not only with cocktails and creme brulee (my favorite), but her level of service and welcoming demeanor are a shining example of the quality of service and warm atmosphere you'll receive at Irene's from all staff members. All of the bartenders and wait staff here are my favorite and there's a reason why I'm at Irene's multiple days a week. Try it! Trust me, you'll...