Have you ever seen the movie “Lady and the Tramp”? Remember the dinner scene where the dogs unknowingly slurp the same spaghetti noodle and abruptly find their mouths meeting in a kiss? Well, I am giving you a perfect place to reenact the scene, right in Grand Rapids.
 
In a big building across from the Van Andel Arena one will find a restaurant where “Chilly Dilly’s” are famous. To what am I referring? Ritz Koney Bar and Grille. They are famous for their “chilly” dill pickles.
 
Why did I compare this restaurant to the “Lady and the Tramp” when they do not even serve spaghetti? Well, you can sit at a table by the window, like the Disney movie, with a red checkered table cloth, dark lighting, overlooking the city of Grand Rapids. However, alternative rock will be playing as your background music instead of a sappy instrumental love song.
 
When you walk in through the double doors of this classy bar and grille you will see table seating for anyone’s preference. They have table booths, regular rectangle tables and high tables. This old building has wood floors, red ceiling tile, red seats, free Wi-Fi and plugs for your computer power cords. The bar is on your right and you have to walk all the way in to a counter that looks similar to Noodles and Company. Menu displays hang from the ceiling and order your food and pay for it right away. You can sit down or hang by the counter and wait for your food. Ritz Koney has food specials every day. On Wednesdays they have 50-cent boneless wings, similar to Buffalo Wild Wings.
 
The walls at Ritz Koney hold many authentic drawings and pictures of Ada Drive and the Ada covered bridge, which can be purchased from local artists. You can also play darts with the electronic dart boards that automatically keeps score. You will also find over six televisions showing: sports, news and “Everybody Loves Raymond.” At the bar they have banners and a big “S” for Michigan State fans, like myself! Bethany Busch and I also found numerous pictures of happy customers with the Chilly Dilly mascot. They also have “Touch Tunes”, an electronic juke box and a lotto machine for those who feel “lucky.”
 
Bethany ordered fries and the “soup of the day,” which was vegetable beef. I ordered an olive burger which came with fries and a “chilly dilly” pickle, however they ran out of pickles, so I was not able to try one. I heard that they do something to the pickle that makes them taste even better than Vlasic pickles. My burger came with a huge piece of lettuce and a huge beef patty…triple the size of McDonalds! Both of our dinners came in red baskets and we filled our cups from a fountain pop machine. Surprisingly the fries were only $1.70 and nothing on the menu was over $10.
 
This affordable, contemporary restaurant is perfect for studying or hanging out with friends and watching the big game. I personally plan on going there again. Ritz Koney is only nine minutes from Cornerstone and gets my highest rating 5 out of 5!!!!! So GetOut! and bring a friend.
 
Quick Facts
LOCATION:  Grand Rapids - 64 Ionia S.W.
HOURS: Monday-Wednesday 11am-Midnight
Thursday-Friday-Saturday 11am-3am
Closed Sundays - Open for some Van Andel Events
COST: Nothing over ten dollars!
WEB: www.ritzkoneyisland.com
PHONE: (616) 451-3701
GET OUT! FACTOR (OUT OF 5): !!!!!

Oberlin’s Top 3
3. The contemporary atmosphere
2. The affordable prices
1. The good food