There are so many good places to eat in the Grand Haven area, we broke it into 3 separate Blogs. Best Restaurants, Best Pizza Places, and Best Takeout Restaurants. This one is all about the Top 10 Best Takeout Restaurants in Grand Haven, MI. We don’t mean Fast Food, we mean a place you can grab something delicious to go, whether it be back to the B&B or Hotel or to the Beach to enjoy the sun and waves.
1.) The first one made our Best Restaurant list as well and they are just as well suited for takeout and a Quick Eat. We are talking about the Toasted Pickle. If you are a big fan of the Food shows on TV, you have also may have heard about it since its been on Seaside Snacks & Shacks as well as recently on Road Trip Masters. This is your small town sandwich shop where everything is good and most things are great. They have a small inside eating area but are great for carryout or deliver to Odd Side Ales brewery if you are looking to have an adult beverage with your sandwich. If not, we definitely recommend their flavored lemonades to go with the sandwich. As for sandwiches, they are all good but they are very well known for the Green Goddess, Nashville Hottie, and their Cuban. I am also a fan of the Italian Bomber and definitely recommend it. The pickle poppers (pickle fried in thin dough with pimento cheese) and the Truffle Fries are definitely the sides to add to your order. If you are looking for a quick eat, food at Odd Side, or something to bring to the beach or park, this is the stop you need to make in Grand Haven! For guests staying with us, this is a great way to eat while enjoying the sunset from our deck!
2.) The next on our is list is probably the most popular and the one you have probably heard about if you know anyone who has visited Grand Haven. Its not so a much a restaurant as it is a stand. A corn dog stand! Pronto Pup. What do they sell? Corn Dogs (Pronto Pups more specifically) and pop! That’s about it. And there is no reason for anything else. They are warm, crispy and delicious! Not like your State Fair Corn Dogs, these are a thin crispy shell reminiscent of a Tempura batter. If you are anywhere near the waterfront, you will definitely see people walking around with 1, 2, or 5 Pronto Pups splayed out in their hands like they are holding a bouquet of flowers. The price of entry for a Pronto Pup is $1.75, the line is long though moves quickly and I suggest you get a few Pronto Pups. This is what many people consider “that place you have to go” while in Grand Haven. Keep in mind they are cash only so make sure you bring cash to avoid the disappointment of waiting in line with no way to pay. They are seasonal with the exception of 1 weekend in the winter when people come from miles around, stand in the snow and cold just to tide them over until they open again in the Summer.
#3.) Next up on our Top 10 Best Takeout Restaurants in Grand Haven, MI has been around since 1960 and will make you feel nostalgic. Ray’s Drive In is all about the way things used to be. Small drive in style burgers, crinkle cut fries salted just right, lots of flavors of shakes and more. The place you go when you are feeling nostalgic or just want a good ol’ fashioned burger, fries, and a shake. For me, its the Triple with Cheese Deluxe, Fries, and a small Peanut Butter Shake. Total bill? Around $8. Hard to argue with that. Eat it in your car, take it to go, or take it to a park or beach. This is how it should be and how it used to be. Any other items that can be fried are also probably on the menu and it will also be delicious! Perch basket, Fish Sandwich with fries, Fried Shrimp, Onion Petals, and Deep Fried Pickles. Yep, they have those and more. Stop in to enjoy a throwback delicious meal!
4.) Have a hankering for Mexican Food while in the Grand Haven area? Arturo’s Tacos is a great stop to make to fill that need with either takeout or the small seating area they have. They are a small place with lots of options. Tacos, Burritos, Tostadas, Enchiladas, Tortas, Taco Salads and more. The tacos can come in either Mexican or American style depending on how you like it. The burritos can be either large or huge using a 14″ tortilla jammed full of your favorite items. Options of meat include Steak/Carne Asada, Chicken/Pollo, Ground Beef/Picadillo, Marinated Pork/Al Pastor, and Mexican Sausage/Chorizo. Fresh ingredients, homemade salsa and fresh flavors make this a great place to locals and tourists alike. They have a small dine in area but also make a great option to take and go. They do deliver as well and have a minimum spend for that. A good way to spend a meal and fill that craving for Mexican food. Don’t be surprised if you love it!
5.) No list about takeout can be complete without PIZZA! This one is too tough to pick just one place as there are so many good options in Grand Haven. So many in fact, that we wrote a whole Blog on the Top 9 Best Pizza Places in Grand Haven. The first we will mention is Fricanos Pizza Tavern and one of the most popular with the longest tradition. In fact, according to the website, “In 1949 the late Cosimo (Gus) Fricano, founded what is believed to be the first pizzeria in Michigan, Fricano’s Pizza Tavern, in Grand Haven with the original thin crust pizza pie.” Its thin, its crispy yet doughy, and its delicious. We have lots of guests that come to Grand Haven knowing a trip to Fricano’s is on their list!
Other contenders for pizza include Mr. Scribs (who delivers to Looking Glass), Clover Bar, Two Tonys, Paisley Pig, K2 at Kirby, and Rustic Roots. You really can’t go wrong with any of these and that is why Pizza is on the list. Click here to see the whole blog.
6.) Next up on our list of Top 10 Best takeout restaurants in Grand Haven is for those that love Chicago style eats. Stacks Chicago Style Eats is home the favorites from the Windy City. The signature Chicago style Hot Dog with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, dill pickle, sport pepper and celery salt. They use only 100% Vienna Beef as there is no other way to do a Chicago Dog. Also important to the Chicago style eats is Turano bread and poppy-seed buns. Don’t want a salad on your hot dog? How about a Jackson Street Polish or an Italian Beef? They have those along with other dog options as well as Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, and Italian Sausages or Italian Meatballs. You can pair any of these with some good old Onion Rings or Fries. Stacks has a small eating area but the items make a great option for takeout to explore the parks or beach. We get a lot of guests from Illinois and I have heard from plenty that its the real deal. They get a lot of their ingredients straight from Chicago to make sure that’s the case.
7.) In the neighboring town of Spring Lake, there is an excellent little sandwich shop called Small Town Sandwich Shop and that is the next place on our list. They are known for their sandwiches but don’t count out their other items such as their soups or salads. They also make some great fried options too such if you are more into that. Great examples are the Perch and Shrimp. The Wings are also quite good here. The sandwich menu is pretty varied and cover the basics such as Prime Rib Dip and the Classic Club Melt. They don’t get too crazy with sandwiches but put nice little spins or touches on what you are used to. They use quality ingredients and that is probably what makes the things that seem so normal that much better than expected. The sweet potato fries that have a great addition to whichever sandwich you choose and are some of the better sweet potato fries I have had.
8.) Next up on our list of Top 10 Best takeout Restaurants in Grand Haven has been around since 1960 so you know it must be good. Ray’s Drive In is all about the way things used to be. Small drive in style burgers, crinkle fries, lots of flavors of shakes and more. The place you go when you are feeling nostalgic or just want a good ol’ fashioned burger, fries, and a shake. For me, its the Triple with Cheese Deluxe, Fries, and a Peanut Butter Shake. Total bill? Around $8. Hard to argue with that with either your taste buds or your wallet. Any other items that can be fried are also on the list and also delicious! Perch, Cod, Fish Sandwich, Shrimp, Onion Petals, and Deep Fried Pickles. I’m a fan of the Cod and fries and it is exactly what’s expected for a typical West Michigan Fish n Chips. Eat it in your car, take it to go, or take it to a park or beach. This is how it should be. Stop in to enjoy a throwback delicious meal!
9.) Butch’s Beach Burritos is a go-to stop for hitting the beach or on the way back from the beach from many travelers to Grand Haven and the Grand Haven Beach… so its not just a clever name. Butch’s has the closest building to the beach that offers food so that certainly doesn’t hurt anything. With a nice seating area outside for customers and the proximity to the beach, they were made for this list. The original Burrito is the Beef & Bean but the menu has a lot more variation for those looking for something else. The Chicken Supreme is the one I usually go for and it has chicken, beans, mild peppers, olives and Sour cream. They also have tacos if you prefer that and the Specialty hot Dogs are definitely worth trying. Try the Beachin’ Dog which is the one I usually go with. They also have Salads for those looking for something a bit healthier and different options for nachos too. All it all, at or after a day at the beach, you will be another Butch’s fan!
10.) Last but not least is another great sandwich shop. Electric Hero has 2 locations in Grand Haven if you count the food truck that is parked at the beach pavilion all summer. They are known for their sandwiches but don’t count out their salads or melts. They are good option for those looking for Vegan or Vegetarian as well and have specific items for that. As for the sandwiches, they have cold sandwiches or hot sandwiches and both are good. For the cold sandwiches, they have quite the selection including 15+ items with the Doctors Club being one of my favorites. The Tijuana Hangover is another popular one with hot shredded chicken, cheddar, black bean and corn salsa, red onion, tomato, poblano avocado ranch and greens in a spinach wrap. Delicious! For Hot sandwiches, I recommend the Old Inglorious which is a pulled pork sandwich with pineapple and a chipotle citrus BBQ sauce that make the hold thing work.
