Grand Rapids Restaurants Remembered: A Nostalgic Culinary Tale

A couple of years ago I wrote about some restaurants in Grand Rapids that I missed and I wanted to revisit it. For those of us who have lived here for awhile there were so many great "watering holes," restaurants, that are gone now.

Back then I was searching the Facebook site, If you Grew Up in Grand Rapids, and I stumbled on a post from Diane Mooney, and what memories it brought back.

👇 BELOW: MOST RECENTLY CLOSED GRAND RAPIDS RESTAURANTS! 👇

The Great Lakes Shipping Company, Duba's and the Schnitzelbank were great restaurants in their day.

The Great Lakes Shipping Company restaurant was the longest-running tenant for Breton Village, built in 1971 and opening as The Starboard Tack, by West Michigan restaurateur Richard DenUyl.

GREAT LAKES SHIPPING COMPANY

The Shipping Company closed several year ago, and has been torn down because of a dispute with their landlord. With it's cozy, multiple fireplaces and bar, it was a must visit local watering hole and restaurant.

Tom DeVette/Facebook — Tom DeVette via Facebook

Duba's, which was on Stocking on the West Side forever. Their grand opening was on July 13, 1950, under the name Rocket Bar and Cafeteria at their familiar 420 Stocking N.W. location. They later changed the name to Rocket Bar and Restaurant, and later yet to Rocked Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge. In September of 1968, it became Duba's Rocket Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge, and in December of 1969 the "Rocket" name was dropped and it became Duba's Restaurant and Lounge.

DUBA'S RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

Tom Carter/ Don Geske Sr./Facebook — Tom Carter/ Don Geske Sr. via Facebook

In December of 1990, they opened their new ultra-fancy restaurant on the 420 East Belt Line by the I-196 freeway, which, interestingly, was the exact same street number they had on Stocking. Gravity and the Baymont Hotel sit there now.

Sadly, in 2005, a hotel corporation came along that wanted the property no matter what, and Duba's sold and closed.

And, of course, the Schnitzelbank!

SCHNITZELBANK

Horst Wollmann/Facebook — Horst Wollmann via Facebook

The restaurant was the oldest German restaurant in Grand Rapids. Affectionately known as “The Schnitz” by all who loved to eat there, this German restaurant opened in 1934 on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids and moved to its Jefferson Street location in 1938. The restaurant was family-owned and run for three generations. Surrounded by Mary Free Bed Hospital, after many overtures, the owners of the Schnitzelbank decided that the time had come and the offer was right to sell the restaurant to the hospital.

What other great, Grand Rapids restaurants do you miss?

Restaurants in Grand Rapids That Have Closed Recently (2025)

It's been a tough couple of months for many staple restaurants around Grand Rapids. These community favorites have announced that their doors will be closing.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill

Source: Memories of These Grand Rapids Restaurants Revisited!