Review: The Avenue offers food, fun

Four out of Five Stars

By Mallory Stiles
Associate Editor

The Avenue, located at 2021 East Michigan Ave., is a hidden jewel of Lansing offering a great atmosphere, strong drinks and good food.

The bar is known for its abundance of arcade games, pinball machines and pool tables. It is a bar to keep you busy having fun until you are hungry enough to give their spicy ramen a shot. It’s on my to-do list, but I eat what sounds good and on my recent visit, it was fried chicken.

 I had the fried chicken rice bowl and it was an experience. The sauce was a little too sweet and the chicken was a little too fried, but I think that is more personal preference than a general fact. The rice helped absorb some of the sauce taste and left me feeling full.  

I also got the shrimp tempura because it is how I will forever judge a restaurant; I gave an extra star because it wasn’t awful. My order totaled out at $21 and I felt OK with that.

I also got to chat with The Avenue’s friendly bartender of eight years, Loren Pudvay. He took the time to check on my order several times while tending bar and simultaneously filling me on the quick history of the business.

Apparently, the building used to be a lot of things, but specifically at one point a sporting goods store, which made me chuckle.

I walked around with a drink while waiting, looking at all the glowing lights, wishing desperately I had more time and a few quarters. Most of the games looked old-school complicated, but fun nonetheless.

I will go back, more prepared obviously, for the cheap drinks and to keep exploring the menu. It was good, just not MY favorite, but I will still go back to find my flavor. I advise you to do the same.