The Pines Café, Ironwood, MI, 7/22/22

building – 120 S. Suffolk St., Ironwood, MI, 49938

The Pines Café had been running successfully for about 20 years and underwent a complete renovation in August 2019. Then the wife of the upstairs tenant poured lighter fluid on her husband’s bed and set the place on fire.  Fortunately, no one was hurt and she was sentenced to 11-50 years in prison.  The owners Susan Craumann and Janice Miskovich chose to not shutter the place and instead to rebuild.  A year later, in August 2020 it re-opened.  That’s why you feel the disconnect when the cute front of the place doesn’t match the clean, almost sterile interior.  On the main street of the old town, it is a good-sized place with booths along one wall opposite a long counter and tables in the middle.  They serve breakfast and lunch till 3 every day and have tried to decorate the place with woodsy bric-a-brac.  There are windows to the street and the lighting is turned up.  The only music is what bleeds into the room from the kitchen radio.  Service is friendly and efficient, portions are generous and the food is good.  They take no credit cards, have only a Facebook page, and no website.  It’s worth stopping by. Continue reading

Mikes Restaurant, Ironwood MI, 8/19/19

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building

Mikes is a small restaurant of about 9 tables and some counter stools.  It bills itself as an Italian style place but they do serve breakfast all day.   It has been in business for 30+ years with the current owner having it for 20 of those.  Her name isn’t Mike but the name stuck with the place cause it was so well known in town.  The large menu offers lots of choices and portions are generous.  Service was super friendly and efficient.  It was a casual place and felt like it had a lot of regular customers.  The food was mixed but it was satisfying. Continue reading