Schuberg's: Lobster Bisque, The Weather Channel and Don Quixote

Shurberg's Bar and Grill is located at 109 N. Michigan St.
in Big Rapids, Michigan 

In the latest chapter of my Don Quixote-like travels that make up the career of a 20-something journalists (in middle school we took a career aptitude test—I got forest park ranger—let that sink in for a while) my latest venture took me north to Big Rapids.

Driving around and trying to acclimate to the town (read: I was looking for a place to drink), I came across Schuberg’s Bar and Grill, located here.

Going into a new place, in a new town, I really didn’t know what to expect.

Walking in, I see the bar is decked out with Christmas lights, lunch specials on a chalkboard, a bunch of older ‘townies’ enjoying lunch and a guy named Hank (or at least he looks like a Hank) sitting at the corner of the bar downing a PRB while watching the Weather Channel.

I was in heaven.

I wiped the stupid smile off my face and walked up to the bar. I ordered a Great Lakes Brewing Company Christmas Ale and asked for a food menu.

To set the scene, the bar is made of oak and sits about 15 people. The sitting area has about eight tables, six were occupied—it was lunch time and the place was full of people who appear to be regulars. 

Along the back wall were some booths that had a few people that looked like Ferris State students (they’re easy to spot, they’re wearing hoodies and the one young women decided to not wear pants and just go for leggings). Bold decision, let’s see if it works out for her.

Heckler: When did this turn into a fashion column. You barley know how to dress yourself (Ho, Ho, Ho).

I ordered the bar’s soup of the day: Lobster Bisque and a grilled cheese sandwich. As I looked around the place, it seemed to be a pretty chill bar.

I was most intrigued by Hank (who I later found out was Norm—NORM!!! (I did it I found Norm. It didn’t hit me until by drive back to Grand Rapids, but still achievement unlocked **Final Fantasy Fanfare**)

God, I’m such a nerd…how is it that I have friends?

The Weather Channel seems just odd to me. Yeah, I get the point. I tells you what the weather, but a 24-hour network dedicated to the weather.

Weather on TV started out as a five-minute clip on your local news, with occasional updates throughout the day. And that is all you need. Done. Move on.

But for reasons unknown, The Weather Channel decided to ‘reinvent’ weather reporting. Fun fact: Anytime somebody pitches be something using the word ‘reinvent’ I hate them. You can only invent something once. If you improve on an already existing invention, it’s a new invention. No need for the ‘re’.

 But Norm was glued. Starting out with local on the 8s (turns out it’s going to snow in Big Rapids this weekend—note to self, buy more snow stuff) and the digesting a story on flooding in Mississippi or wherever, hell I was half-ass paying attention, it’s whatever state I want it to be for the purpose of the story.

My lobster bisque was very good and it was a solid grilled cheese. After glancing at the menu, I was really impressed with the food selection for what appeared to be a ‘mom and pop’ bar. However, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised that the menu was solid. It was lunchtime, and the locals were gathered there, just go with what they know.

I was wearing a suit and reading the Big Rapids Pioneer at the bar—wearing a suit during midday at the bar: achievement unlocked, NEW LEVEL **fanfare**. Just breaking all sorts of berries today.

The bartender noticed my look and asked me for the occasion (more on that later). To be fair, just about everybody—save the FSU students and leggings girl—were in standard dress shirts and slacks.

The mood of the people seemed to be that they were all professional types, enjoying themselves in a very relaxed atmosphere. Very similar to Logan’s Alley in Grand Rapids of Conor O’Neil’s in Ann Arbor.

There were not a lot of people sitting at the bar, really just Norm and some other kid in his 20s ordering the soup—which I highly recommend if you make it up to BR.

I then started thinking that I look pretentious as hell ‘who wears a suit and reads the newspaper at the bar? You’re no Barney Stinson. But then I got over myself and convinced myself that I looked awesome.

If dressing in a tie and drinking midday is considered wrong and off-putting, then I’ll be perfectly happy drinking by myself, learning about the weather in Boston with Norm—I feel guilty for not trying to start a conversation with Norm, but I that would just ruin it.

Don Quixote didn’t care about what people thought about what he wore, so neither should I---that’s terrible advice. The only people who truly don’t care what others think or call psychopaths, they are the true defenders of the ‘I don’t care’ motifs.

I finished off my porter and my sandwich, I still had to work that night in Grand Rapids, so my trip to Schuberg’s had to be abbreviated.

As a history nerd, I did appreciate the Big Rapids and Ferris State memorabilia. It turns out Ferris State is named after its founder Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, who went on to be the Governor of Michigan and a United States Senator (the more you know).

The staff is really friendly and it has a comfortable atmosphere—really welcoming for first-timers. 

The beer selection is pretty solid, both on tab (about 10, eight when we discount Bud and Miller) and about 20 craft beer in bottle, even though the first beer I ordered they had out—so results may vary on the whole 20 different beers part.

I paid my tab and made my way to the door. The bartender waived (I’m guessing it was because of the suit, or hell, Big Rapids is just friendly for all I care).

There isn’t really a parking lot, since the bar is on one of Big Rapids’ main streets, but the street parking seems more than ample.

Overall my trip to Schuberg’s was nice. It is a very solid town bar—nothing too special, but it’s not going for it.

Big Rapids itself seems to be decent town, and Schuberg’s reflects that with a solid town bar—note to all the mayors in the world. If you want happy citizens, make sure you have good bars, it makes things easier.

I started walked by to my car, loosening my tie a little and looking at my faithful horse (read Buick Century), heading back out to see wherever my travels will take me next. Continuing on my mission to civilize.

Or at least tell you all where to get a drink, that works too.