Big E's Sports Grill - Midland, MI

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My wife and I don't eat out a lot, but on Friday's after work and after we finish grocery shopping, we usually stop somewhere to grab something to eat.

The list of places that we keep coming back to is pretty short. Not for want of places to visit around where we live, but we just know what we like.

Big E's in Midland, MI is one of the places that we occasionally come back to.

The atmosphere is your typical American bar and grill. As you can see there is a bar at the center of the restaurant with TV's all around. The establishment is connected to the Holiday Inn, so if you sit at the far side you are gifted views of the indoor swimming pool. I will leave it to you to decide if that is something you want to be looking at while you are eating :)

The front of the establishment is fitted with rolling garage doors that open to an outdoor patio area. In the summer they open those doors to give visitors a seamless transition from the indoor area to the patio.

I can tell you that in the summer when we drive by this place is packed. Quite honestly I think the majority of the crowd on those nights is locals and not visitors staying at the hotel.

It can get loud inside the restaurant though, so if you are coming here for a quiet intimate dinner, you are not going to find it. Likewise, if you are visiting with another couple to enjoy some conversation, you may find it difficult if like me you get distracted easily.

What really keeps us coming back here is the food. Although it can be a little pricey, it is consistently good with an occasional snag (I will explain that later). They also have a extensive beer collection with many available as draft on a rotation basis.

Above is the current list of beers that they have on tap. Fall is my favorite time of year and I am a sucker for a good Octoberfest, so that is what I went for the Wolverine State Oktoberfest.

The brewery is based out of Ann Arbor, MI and it had all of the characteristics I love about an Octoberfest beer. If we hadn't been in a hurry to get home I would have had a couple.

Because we were there a little early on a Friday, they weren't particularly busy. Despite that it still took a little longer than normal to get our food.

When we did though the food was just as good as we hoped it would be. I typically get the patty melt when we come here or the chicken wings. My wife and I have also shared the pizza here and it is quite good. We noticed several pizza boxes being walked here and there through the place, so it is obviously a popular choice.

This time I decided to get the Cubano sandwich and my wife got the California Club. It's probably best if I just let the pictures speak for themselves before I say too much...

Usually the sandwiches come with their homemade chips, but you can upgrade and get fries, tater tots, or onion rings if you want.

My wife was very happy with her selection she said it was a lot of turkey, but I think it was more of a statement than a complaint.

My Cubano was very good as well. If I could change anything about it, the pork was a little dry. The other flavors were amazing though and I would definitely get it again.

We happened to be there during happy hour so my beer, my wife's two Captain and Diet's, and our meal came to right around $37.00 USD. That really isn't too bad for three drinks and two meals especially when it is only about once a week we eat out.

If you find yourself in Midland, MI and especially if you end up staying at the Holiday Inn, you should definitely check out Big E's. Even if it is just for a late night pizza!