Hareloom Cafe — Restaurant in Lincoln Charter Township

A very disappointing experience overall. We stopped in for Sunday brunch around 11:30 a.m. and waited about 15 minutes for a table, which was perfectly reasonable given the breakfast rush. However, from there, things went steadily downhill. We were given the option to sit at the front bar or in the back dining room. Wanting a quieter, more comfortable meal, we chose the back—big mistake. The room had hard walls and ceilings with no sound absorption at all, so the noise from conversations, laughter, and clattering dishes bounced around the room and created a deafening echo. It became so loud that my wife eventually put in her noise-canceling AirPods just to dull the sound. To make matters worse, someone had brought a whining puppy—not a service animal—into the dining area, and the staff did nothing about it, which only added to the chaos.

Our waitress seemed overwhelmed and impatient from the moment she arrived. When I asked whether my sandwich came with a side, she snapped, “Cubed potatoes,” as if the question were obvious. When my wife asked about the “Swiss Toast” mentioned on the menu, thinking it was a special type of bread, the waitress rolled her eyes and said, “That’s the brand,” in a tone that felt unnecessarily condescending. We tried to brush it off as stress from the rush, but it set an unpleasant tone.

Then came the long wait—45 minutes before our food finally arrived. During that entire time, no one stopped by to check in, refill drinks, or even acknowledge the delay. When our meals did arrive, the disappointment continued. My sandwich was not bad, but the potatoes had an unexpected spicy seasoning that I would have declined if I’d known. My wife’s skillet was the real issue—it was swimming in a watery, peppery aioli that completely overpowered the dish, and the steak left a pool of grease at the bottom of the skillet. She managed only a few bites before giving up. When she politely mentioned that the sauce didn’t work for her, the waitress casually said, “Yeah, I don’t like that sauce either—I usually get it on the side.” That comment left us both speechless. If even the staff knows it’s not good, why not mention it when taking the order and maybe suggest getting it on the side so she can try it first before drenching the entire dish in it?

Despite clearly seeing that most of my wife’s meal was untouched, the waitress offered no apology, no replacement, and no adjustment to the bill. She simply handed over the full check without a word. Even the couple at the next table who saw and heard the whole interaction commented afterward that they couldn’t believe how poorly it was handled and they were shocked she didn't offer to take it off the bill. We ended up leaving, and having to find something else for my wife to eat for lunch (at that point).

Between the excessive noise, the dismissive service, the long wait, and the disappointing food, this visit was a letdown from start to finish. If you enjoy loud rooms, slow service, and being made to feel like you’re a bother for asking simple questions, this might be the place for you. For everyone else, I’d recommend finding another spot for breakfast. We certainly won’t...

On our way to Grand Rapids MI, my husband found the perfect spot for breakfast in a charming little Michigan town. Hareloom Cafe serves elevated comfort food and features locally roasted coffee from Infusco Coffee. It’s housed in the oldest building in the town. I ordered the Café Miel, which was espresso + steamed milk + honey + cinnamon. So good!! Hubby had the bottomless cup of coffee. Our server Corinne suggested the Tin Roof to my hubby. It was scrambled eggs, espresso-rubbed ribeye, bacon, potatoes, avocado, cheddar, scallions and spicy aioli in a grilled tortilla. I had a couple bites and it was amazing! I opted for The Almanac, which was avocado, maldon sea salt, goat cheese, honey and microgreens on a slice of sourdough. I added a poached egg. Yummerz! What a fabulous place to have a...

Great food. I had the avocado toast. Good portions. Don’t know who could eat the offered 2 slices as the one I ordered was stacked high with delicious ingredients. Great prices. $7.50 for the toast, $1 for a side scrambled egg. So why only 4 stars? They have a bit of a service problem. Got on the on-line waitlist. 20 mins later it was indicated that I was next in line. After another 10 mins I went inside and asked when I could be seated. Instead of an answer I got an explanation (with an attitude) that they are doing everything at once (I guess she meant hosting, serving, bussing, cooking) and were pressed for time. Took a while for food to come out of the kitchen, but it arrived hot. I will be back because of the fantastic food and...