MDRD — Restaurant in Grand Rapids

This was a bucket list restaurant of mine and they did not disappoint.

When arriving at the Amway the valet service is excellent. I use a wheelchair and they were quick to help take it out and put it back into our truck. They were speedy in retrieving our vehicle and very polite as well.

The Amway is a beautiful hotel to visit anytime. The classic interior gives a sophisticated feel from the moment you step inside. The elevator has a very pretty interior as well. The view up during the ride to the 27th floor is quite nice this time of year.

Once up to MDRD, you will be welcomed in immediately by their amazing staff. While they took a moment to do the finishing touches to setting our table we took a moment to take in the beautiful view of the Grand River. The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous on its own. It has a clean and modern style throughout. Rich colors like royal blue and yellow color the interior fabrics. Gold metalwork and hardware throughout the restaurant give it a warm rich feeling as well. The atmosphere was light and not too loud. We sat at a corner table and enjoyed a gorgeous view of downtown and the Grand River. Our server was great, I wish I could remember his name. He was everything I like in a server; knowledgeable, quick, polite, and fun. He was a younger gentleman and was always on top of anything we wanted and he gave excellent recommendations. We enjoyed watching the sunset as we ate our meal. The view was spectacular, but the part we are all waiting for, the food was also amazing. We started with the salmón con trufa, and it was so excellent. A must-have if you want a light delicious starter. We also had the Jamón Y Quesos, a great sharing plate as well. We enjoyed the little bit of leftovers from this later. The chorizo types they use are so good and paired so well with everything on this dish. For my entre, I had the Pato. I devoured every bite of this dish. The duck was cooked perfectly. The outer sear gave it the crunch you want while the meat remained tender and delicious. The foie gras jerk rice served with it was so rich and creamy. When the rice was mixed with the duck ju gravy it was served with as well it really brought the dish together and it was honestly quite a hearty meal. I was perfectly full and very satisfied with the meal overall. My partner had the Iberíco Chultero and that was also cooked to perfection. I had a bit of my partner's dish and would have been happy eating that as well. I was absolutely blown away by the sear and cook of the pork chop. It was still so juicy and tender inside even with such a crispy sear they had on the outside. The bed of romesco sauce it comes served on has a subtle sweetness but the flavor of the smoked peppers really pushes through and together it works very well with the pork. Our server recommended his favorite dessert. I was perfectly content at the moment but took it to go. I don't remember the exact name but it was a white chocolate lemon on top of a meringue. The inside has cream and lemons. When I had it later it definitely did not disappoint. It was sweet but tart together, a great assembly of flavors presented in a very asceticly pleasing manner. My partner also enjoyed a beer and a few cocktails. I remember he finished with a martini and he is very particular about them, usually just being disappointed. He said this was the best martini he didn't have to prepare himself. Overall this is hands down one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. My partner agrees as well. We both highly recommend you make a reservation and have a meal or some tapas here. They also have rooms for events and larger groups. I'd definitely have a birthday meal or dinner with a friend group here. Not really a child...

Wait staff were excellent; knowledgeable, kind, and discernibly attentive. Cocktails were top notch and top dollar: $12-20 each. Our appetizer was dressed for both presentation and functional levels of flavor. Parking in Amway garage was validated for the first 3 hours, and while we stayed past closing, we never felt rushed.

Book reservations in advance (or be watchful on OpenTable for last minute cancellations!) and take the glass elevator up 😉. Attire is smart casual.

2025 Updates:

Amway parking garage will be 50% off if you validate your parking ticket.

Still one of my favorites, but service has been inconsistent over the last year or so. The most recent example was a week ago...

I celebrated my engagement with my roommate on a Thursday night as well as a few days later with my fiancé on a Saturday night. Reservations were made both nights. My roommate didn't include any notes in her reservation, but we were asked in person if we had been before and if we were celebrating anything. As a result, we received complimentary bubbly glasses and a special message written in chocolate on our dessert plate. We were also seated on the staircase (some of their prime seating) and received their standard complimentary olives (before dinner) and mini-sweets (with check). Our waitress was attentive, patient, and intuitive with serving us, even though the place got busy fast and we were trying to figure out how much to do at our first stop of the night. We had a lovely time and didn't feel rushed at all.

I had wanted to celebrate at my favorite spot with my fiancé and didn't mind going twice in one week, so I reserved for Saturday night following dinner with my future in-laws, noting in the reservation that we were celebrating (I've done this before when taking others out and thought I'd know what to expect as a result). We were seated across the bar and never asked either if we'd been before or if/what we were celebrating. Our waitress was pleasant enough, but seemed slightly annoyed with our questions about whether the bartender could make something similar but different to a drink on the menu. We didn't want to be difficult and said the menu drink was fine if it was too much trouble. Seasoned bartenders in GR are usually game for whipping up something they'll think you'll like, but it wasn't the vibe. The place was less busy past 9pm on a Saturday then it was during the early dinner rush I had experienced Thursday (4:30-7pm) but our waitress was less intuitive. It's not as fun to be the person to bring up that you're celebrating you, and I had put so on the reservation to avoid feeling awkward while still receiving celebratory treatment. It was my fiancé's first time at MDRD, and he was surprised no one asked him if he'd been before. We never received any acknowledgement or inquiry of our celebration, even though it was noted on my reservation. We did get standard complimentary sweets with the check, but no bubbly and no message on our dessert (ordered the same one because I enjoyed it so much a few nights prior). No olives either, but that's likely because we only did drinks and dessert.

Felt like a normal date night with average service instead of something special. Pretty disappointed and will adjust my expectations for service roulette the next time I consider taking someone out to celebrate.

Also, this is the second time I've had to call about getting my deposit refunded. Check your credit card statements for AHC HOSPITALITY...

Absolutely remarkable addition to Grand Rapids!

Took my son here last night for his 17th birthday. He's entering a culinary program next year and is quite the adventurous foodie, especially given his age.

The little touches for his birthday were thoughtful and much appreciated. He felt very seen for his birthday and I could tell he enjoyed it when the hostess wished him a Happy Birthday, as well as the server, and the little handwritten placard placed at his seat.

We ordered: Kiddie cocktail, Perrin Black, the Octopus, Cold-Smoked Salmon, Trout, Skate Wing, and both the lemon and strawberry desserts.

The kiddie cocktail he ordered is typically just sprite, grenadine, and a cherry. He was served a delectable infusion that tasted like a delicious fresh lemonade with fresh mint. It was amazing!

The octopus was a shockingly large portion for only $20, and was tender, full of flavor, and unlike any octopus we had prior. It was not at all chewy, the added sauces were perfect compliments to the octopus itself, and even the potatoes underneath were delicious! Even if you aren't a lover of seafood, this is undoubtedly worth a try!

The cold-smoked salmon with black truffle were melt-in-your-mouth amazing, and served on a bed of warm stones. The medley of flavors is very unique, and you'll be sad there are only four in an order.

Never in a million years intended to try the skate wing, but my son insisted and I'm SO happy I did. Wow. Wow. Wow. The texture, the tenderness, the perfectly light and citrusy lemon caper sauce, and the serving size were all unbelievable! I'd characterize as a mix between a tilapia (because tilapia is not very fishy tasting) and crab. I'm not a foodie, so don't judge, haha. Those are just the two I thought of while eating it.

The trout. Not enough can be said about this. It's completely deboned for you, so don't worry about the work of doing that. The Serrano ham, olive tapenade, and trout pair seamlessly together and even though I thought I'd never finish it, I ate every single bite! Delectable!

The desserts really speak for themselves, but while MDRD is known for the strawberry dessert, do NOT sleep on the lemon one! It would have been a tragedy to close out the seafood centered meal without the lemon dessert. It's light, so don't worry about adding a heavy dessert into an already full belly. It's worth every single bite!

Shout out to our server Luke, too! What a gem of a human and MDRD is fortunate to have him. He made the dinner an entire EXPERIENCE, and there simply are not enough kind words we could say about him. Such a joy!

We also loved that they allow piercings and tattoos on the staff here. As a heavily pierced and tattooed Mother, I did not feel out of place like I used to when MDRD was Cygnus, so I was extremely happy for the overall vibe that MDRD has created. Kudos to you all! A perfect concept and true spectacular addition to our big...