Review of Box Bar and Grill Restaurant in Plymouth
About.com Rating
777 W. Ann Arbor Trail
Plymouth, MI. 48170
(734) 453-7390
All in all, Box Bar and Grill Restaurant in Plymouth is a great choice on a Friday night.
Atmosphere:
Once upon a time, Box Bar was a hole-in-the-wall bar that catered to Plymouth locals. While Box Bar always had a good location – across from Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth -- a renovation and expansion in the 1990s added an enormous new dining room with lofty ceilings and lots of windows for light. It also added a small parking lot immediately next door. The brick façade is now the length of about three store fronts and a double tier of windows along the two-story tall building let in the outside light that was missing from the original building.
The large main dining room is dominated by the old sign post from the original bar/restaurant, as well as flags of countries from around the world. The biggest attention getter, however, is probably the large TV projections on either side of the large room. The dining area in the room is mainly made up of long wooden booths and trestle tables, strategically arranged to afford every seat in the house a view of whatever game is being shown.
The booths have high backs for privacy; but don’t worry, the TV projection is high enough that the booth backs aren't an impediment to viewing. The original long, narrow building is now the non-smoking section of the restaurant. While decorated similarly to the larger dining room, the room has a closer feel because of a much lower ceiling.
Beer:
The selection of beers at Box Bar is truly outstanding. In fact, the restaurant has a daily beer “flight” that includes four beers from around the world. This is a nice way to try something new and is a testament to the sheer number of beer varieties (600+ categorized by region) on hand.
Food:
Box Bar has a several-pages-long menu that is bound like a book. It is full of burgers, sandwiches, entrees and a daily-specials list of soups. Some of the restaurant’s more unique offerings include Bubble and Squeak, Turkey Chili in a Bread Bowl, and Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches (on the kids menu). While the food is solidly good, and the large portions make the prices ($9 to $15) reasonable, there are no really memorable favorites.
The barbeque meatballs on the appetizer menu come in a small crock and probably represent a pound or more of meat. In fact, a better name for the dish might be “Crock-o-Meat.” The problem with meatballs in some establishments is that they come with an odd piece of grizzle or are too big to be fully cooked, but the meatballs at Box Bar are well ground, lean and a nice size for mouth popping.
Arguably the best part of Box Bar is the mini pitchers used for drinks. Each person drinks through a straw directly from their own pitcher, which is approximately double the size of a regular glass. This makes for much less frequent refills.
The Tuesday night special at Box Bar is a Chocolate-Fountain Dessert Table. The chocolate-fountain centerpiece sits amid various food items for dipping, including pineapple, graham crackers and rice crispy treats – a personal favorite. The dessert is a dollar a person.
Service:
I’ve never experienced a long wait for a table at Box Bar, and there is always a hostess to greet and seat you immediately upon entry. The wait staff is usually friendly and casual, but there are reports of slow service at lunch time.
777 W. Ann Arbor Trail
Plymouth, MI. 48170
(734) 453-7390
- Enormous beer menu
- Large food menu with big portions
- Great place to watch a game
- Good with kids
All in all, Box Bar and Grill Restaurant in Plymouth is a great choice on a Friday night.
Atmosphere:
Once upon a time, Box Bar was a hole-in-the-wall bar that catered to Plymouth locals. While Box Bar always had a good location – across from Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth -- a renovation and expansion in the 1990s added an enormous new dining room with lofty ceilings and lots of windows for light. It also added a small parking lot immediately next door. The brick façade is now the length of about three store fronts and a double tier of windows along the two-story tall building let in the outside light that was missing from the original building.
The large main dining room is dominated by the old sign post from the original bar/restaurant, as well as flags of countries from around the world. The biggest attention getter, however, is probably the large TV projections on either side of the large room. The dining area in the room is mainly made up of long wooden booths and trestle tables, strategically arranged to afford every seat in the house a view of whatever game is being shown.
The booths have high backs for privacy; but don’t worry, the TV projection is high enough that the booth backs aren't an impediment to viewing. The original long, narrow building is now the non-smoking section of the restaurant. While decorated similarly to the larger dining room, the room has a closer feel because of a much lower ceiling.
Beer:
The selection of beers at Box Bar is truly outstanding. In fact, the restaurant has a daily beer “flight” that includes four beers from around the world. This is a nice way to try something new and is a testament to the sheer number of beer varieties (600+ categorized by region) on hand.
Food:
Box Bar has a several-pages-long menu that is bound like a book. It is full of burgers, sandwiches, entrees and a daily-specials list of soups. Some of the restaurant’s more unique offerings include Bubble and Squeak, Turkey Chili in a Bread Bowl, and Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches (on the kids menu). While the food is solidly good, and the large portions make the prices ($9 to $15) reasonable, there are no really memorable favorites.
The barbeque meatballs on the appetizer menu come in a small crock and probably represent a pound or more of meat. In fact, a better name for the dish might be “Crock-o-Meat.” The problem with meatballs in some establishments is that they come with an odd piece of grizzle or are too big to be fully cooked, but the meatballs at Box Bar are well ground, lean and a nice size for mouth popping.
Arguably the best part of Box Bar is the mini pitchers used for drinks. Each person drinks through a straw directly from their own pitcher, which is approximately double the size of a regular glass. This makes for much less frequent refills.
The Tuesday night special at Box Bar is a Chocolate-Fountain Dessert Table. The chocolate-fountain centerpiece sits amid various food items for dipping, including pineapple, graham crackers and rice crispy treats – a personal favorite. The dessert is a dollar a person.
Service:
I’ve never experienced a long wait for a table at Box Bar, and there is always a hostess to greet and seat you immediately upon entry. The wait staff is usually friendly and casual, but there are reports of slow service at lunch time.