ALLEGAN, Mich. — A family-run restaurant in Allegan has been serving up delicious steaks and spooky stories for nearly 30 years.
Nestled along M-40, just a couple miles south of Allegan, you’ll find the Grill House. The steakhouse in a country setting has been serving guests since 1999.
The Grill House takes a hands-on approach, where you become the grill master. Guests can grill their own steak inside a building that predates Michigan’s statehood.
“It’s something unique with the grill-your-own concept. Not everyone is up for it, but if we can get them in there and just say you got to try it, it’s very social,” Tracy Garvin, executive manager of the Grill House, said. “The Grill Masters are in there. They’ll guide you through it. Once when they’re in there, and start talking to other people, and just doing it themselves, it really is a fun experience.”
Haunted history
Garvin’s mother and stepfather purchased the Allegan County property in the late 90s. Her mother’s family had previously operated a similar concept restaurant in Iowa.
Garvin was tasked with helping run the restaurant alongside her cousin, Brian Corbett, both of whom are still involved today.
“So next thing I knew, we were moving here,” Garvin said. “And it wasn’t until I moved here that she told Brian and myself, ‘There’s one more thing, The place is haunted.'”
Built in 1836, the building originally served as a stagecoach stop: an inn and pitstop for horses and the lumberjacks common in the area at the time.
Through the decades, the building would eventually become a family home and several restaurants.
Garvin said the building’s nearly 200-year-old history came with its own spooky flair, including a resident ghost. And, to no surprise, his favorite hangout just so happens to be the basement bar.
“He was killed in 1847 upstairs in the front dining room. He was in a bar room fight. He was knifed and died. And supposedly he’s still buried here somewhere on the property,” Garvin said. “But ever since then he has been haunting the place and there’s tons of stories.”
The man’s name was never discovered, and the exact location where he was allegedly buried has never been found. Garvin believes Jack, as he’s been nicknamed, has stuck around all these years to protect the property.
A few photos displayed in the restaurant even appear to show ghostly silhouettes. Perhaps the most striking features what looks like the outline of a person to the right of the restaurant’s entrance, taken sometime in the early 2000s.
According to Garvin, guests and staff have reported unexplained sights and sounds, like glasses falling off the racks, water faucets turning on by themselves, or candles that seem to light on their own.
“We had a shot of whiskey left on the bar one time when it wasn’t on the bar when we closed up,” she said. “So yeah, so that was kind of a nightly thing. We used to then leave him a shot of whiskey, like maybe you’re trying to tell us something.”
Maybe it’s the bourbon that has Jack hanging around all these years.
A social-centered dining experience
There’s plenty of space to enjoy a bite or cocktail. The main dining floor features a lounge and bar, along with an outdoor courtyard. The Rock, in the building’s basement, offers another bar and lounge.
And as they say, it takes a village to keep things running smoothly. In this case, a family. Tracy’s cousin and sons help run the restaurant.
“We’re definitely known for our ribeyes. We cut those in-house,” Sullivan Garvin, who is one of the steakhouse’s grill masters, said. “My personal favorite, though, is the zabuton. It is so tender and juicy. If you like medium rare, it just melts in your mouth.”
The restaurant offers a pub menu for lunch and dinner in addition to its grill room offerings. And if you don’t want to cook your own steak, the grill masters are happy to do it for you.
Grill room offerings also include ribeye, bacon wrapped filets, New York strip, top sirloin, steak kebabs, ahi tuna, shrimp and seasoned chicken breast.
Mushrooms and other veggies can be added a la carte, with sides like house salad, Texas toast, homemade baked beans and baked potatoes included.
“The draw to it is it’s a big social thing. You go in there, you pick out whatever cut you want. We have grill masters in there. They’re there to give you instructions, you’re not going to mess up your steak,” McClain Garvin, assistant manager at the Grill House, said. “And the best part is you can bring your cocktail while you grill. Those two go hand in hand.”
Hours and location
The Grill House is located at 1071 32nd St. (M-40 South) in Allegan. The property also features the Silo, an event and banquette facility with maximum capacity of up to 300 guests.
Grill House Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.Monday: Closed
Grill room hours:
Tuesday-Saturday: 4 p.m. to closeSunday: 11 a.m. to closeMonday: Closed
The Rock Bar – Open Fridays and Saturdays. More information about the restaurant and its history can be found on the Grill House website.
