A Meal in Owosso Michigan – Greg and Lou’s: A Great Find!

Before we left Owosso and Shiawassee County Michigan to return to Fenton and my cousin Nathan’s home, we stopped for a late lunch/early dinner.  As is my practice, I’d done a bit of research and had picked a likely restaurant for our late afternoon meal.

I chose Greg and Lou’s Restaurant for 3 reasons.  First of all, it was rated well by the different rating services…either #4, #2 or #1.  The service where this restaurant was rated #1 included an extremely high number of reviews…over 1,600!  Secondly, the menu provides a lot of choices for diners, reminiscent of the corner neighborhood Greek owned restaurants scattered around the Chicago area.  And finally, the pricing is very reasonable given our current bout with inflation.

The interior of Greg and Lou’s Restaurant is down home cozy…like an upscale diner.  Seating was comfortable, not too crowded.  Laurie and Janice were about to find a place to sit at our table at the center right of the photo.  The décor is a bit dated but everything was clean and actually, the décor lends itself to the image of a local traditional family restaurant.

Note the pie rack at the center of the photo…as well as the baked goods on the check-out desk.

Laurie decided to start out with something she never has at home, (I don’t like onions) and she rarely encounters it on the menu when we eat out…a nice crock of cheesy French Onion Soup. (Cup $3.49/Bowl $4.29) It was very good and I had a happy wife!

For an appetizer to be shared by the table, I ordered the Fried Clam Strips. ($6.29) They came with tartar and cocktail sauce…the latter being my preference.  Nathan and I had eaten a few clam strips before I remembered to take the photo.  This was the first batch of quality fried clam strips that I’ve had since we took our trip to New England in 2018. 

Janice ordered the Walleye Fish Dinner. ($14.99) This large fried walleye filet came with a side salad, a roll and her choice of potatoes or rice pilaf.  She chose the French fries.  She was very happy indeed with her choice of entrees.

I can assure you that you will not find Walleye on any menu near where we live in East Tennessee!  It is one of our favorite fish.  There are a total of 18 different seafood and fish related items on Greg and Lou’s menu.

Note: The seafood/fish entrees can be ordered deep fried, pan fried, baked or charbroiled.

Laurie also decided to go for fish as her entrée.  She chose the Lake Perch Dinner. ($14.99) As with Janice’s meal, Laurie’s entrée included a side salad, roll and her choice of potatoes or rice pilaf.  It had been several years since Laurie had perch, or for that matter, even had seen it on a menu.  The last time would have been during a trip to Wisconsin.

Other seafood/water related items on Greg and Lou’s menu include Bluegill ($16.99), Deep Fried Smelt ($11.99) and, Frog Legs ($13.99).

FYI…Greg and Lou’s menu includes 17 appetizers, 4 chicken wraps, 6 hamburger options, 3 chicken baskets, 6 chicken dinners and 20 sandwiches of all varieties.

Nathan and I chose the same thing for our dinners…the Four Piece Fried Chicken Dinner. ($12.99) We could have gone with the Two Piece Dinner ($11.59) but what the heck!  Our dinners came with a side salad, a vegetable and a choice or potatoes or rice pilaf.  The only difference between our meals was our choice of potatoes…hash browns for me and French fries for Nathan.  It was a lot of food for the money and the quality was there as well.  I love fried chicken!

I had struggled with my dinner choice for a moment or two after I noticed that Greg and Lou’s serves Breakfast all day.  It is my favorite meal.  How about a 14 oz. Prime Rib with 2 eggs, hash browns and toast for $16.59!

The menu goes on and on.  In addition to everything else I’ve mentioned, Greg and Lou’s offers 11 different dinner salads, pasta, pork chops, steaks, prime rib, beef liver, a hot roast beef sandwich and more…

Whoops!  I almost forgot dessert! (This is a 'borrowed' photo) We were far too full to follow these meals with dessert but we did succumb to temptation and we took 4 slices of Banana Cream Pie back to Nathan and Janice’s home for later that evening.  Like everything else, the homemade pie was very good.  Greg and Lou’s offers a fair number of dessert items and baked treats with 3 different cakes, 7 different pies, a turtle brownie sundae, giant pecan and cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies.

This restaurant was opened in 1983.  The current owners bought the restaurant in 2014.  He had worked there as the chef beginning in 1987 and his wife worked there beginning in 1994.  Whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right.

Greg and Lou’s Family Restaurant is located at 1460 North Michigan Highway 52 in Owosso Michigan.  They are open daily from 6:30 AM until 8 PM, except on Fridays and Saturdays when they’re open until 9 PM.  Phone: 989-725-9601.  Website: https://www.gregandlous.com/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave