Let me recommend: Bill’s Hot Dog Stand in Ypsilanti.
It’s a drive-in. Open your window and eat in the parking lot. Get their dogs with everything on it + a mug of root beer. If you don’t eat dogs, at least get the root beer!!! I don’t even like root beer that much, but I now dream about the root beer from Bill’s.
Absolute reasonable prices, too: got 4 dogs & 2 mugs of root beer for around 10$ total!
What’s your recommendation for unexpectedly good food in Michigan?
Ok, I’ve got a few that I’d recommend for unexpectedly good:
Maryland Fried Chicken - Imlay City Country Smokehouse - Imlay City Jayell’s BBQ - Romeo Las Tortugas - Sterling Heights Rosita’s Treats (Columbian food) - Shelby Township
La Probadita in Hart, MI
Charlie’s S & S in Waterford is a tiny hole in the wall but the food is amazing. I got catfish, yams and okra. Wife got smothered pork chops. Everything was great. Need to go back more often.
On the wrong side of Muskegon, at W. Sherman and Sanford Street there is a really good “Chicken Coop”. I’m told that other Chicken Coops may not be as good, but the Muskegon one never let me down. It is take-out only. Very cramped. Get the gizzards. You might also want any of the fish meals, and look for seasonal specials like deep fried asparagus in the spring (pretty much everything is deep fried). It is not haute cuisine, but surprisingly good comfort food for a fair price – not super cheap, but still a good value for what you get.
Yeah, it is hard to find gizzards on most menus. If french fries are going to be too starchy, gizzards have the same sort of bite-size quality for snacking enjoyment. If you like hot sauce, it works well on gizzards, but imho they are perfect as-is straight out of the fryer and don’t need any sauce at all.
The Root Beer Stand in Kalamazoo is similar, great prices and I love their chili dogs and root beer.
Water Street Coffee had the best single origin espresso I’ve ever had. Downtown Water street location.
