Scholar

Name: Scholar
Address: 11 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States, 49503
Telephone: (616) 980-9073
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.6

4.6 (412)

$31 to $50

American

11 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 10 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Charming
Great for creative cocktails

History, specifically America’s culinary history, is the central focus of our food and cocktail programs here at Scholar. Situated downtown on Grand Rapids’ iconic red brick road at 11 Ionia SW, Scholar honors previous residents of the same address while striving to achieve our goal; to earn the title of the city’s best restaurant.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Breakfast, Cocktail Bar
Hours of operation
Mon, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm
Phone number
(616) 980-9073
Website
http://www.scholargr.com/
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Taylor Boeschenstein

Location
11 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Neighborhood
Grand Rapids
Cross street
Our cross streets are Fulton and Weston.
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Weekend Brunch, Wine

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What 412 people are saying

Scholar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Grand Rapids
Best Ambiance
Grand Rapids
Romantic
Grand Rapids
American
Grand Rapids
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Scholar offers a captivating dining experience with "great atmosphere" and "delicious food." The restaurant is praised for its "unique character" and "friendly, knowledgeable staff." Highlights include "crafted cocktails" and "fantastic appetizers." While some service and food inconsistencies exist, many guests "highly recommend" Scholar for its "elevated experience" and special occasions.

412 Reviews

A
Anthony
Grand Rapids / Western Michigan1 review
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We sat on the main floor. Loved our waitress. She has long dark hair, very pretty. Someone else should tell her she is doing a good job. She somehow knew we were on a time crunch and got our orders and food in very fast. Drinks were on point.
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B
Bill
Grand Rapids / Western Michigan1 review
1.0
Dined on June 15, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Terrible service, 30 minutes for a coffee and apple juice. The server was just Terrible not only did she take our order and disappear for 30 minutes, we were one of 5 tables in a restaurant that has 40 tables in it. But she was taken back and rude when we asked for a manager. The manager explained they were very busy. Again 5 tables in the whole restaurant. Our food did eventually arrive and was good, not great. We definitely will not return. We miss Rockwell's for father's day brunch.
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B
Barbara VIP
Greater Boston26 reviews
3.0
Dined on June 15, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
I had high hopes for this place, but it was a disappointment. Service was ridiculously slow. One server for the entire second level (about 8 tables). I ordered the lox benedict, and when I open the egg, a ton of water came out and flooded the plate! They list a "sweet treat" on their brunch menu, and then didn't have one. Very cool atmosphere, but food and service killed what I hoped to be a nice Father's Day brunch for my husband. Will not go back there again when we visit Grand Rapids.
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T
Timothy VIP
Atlanta19 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server Audrey made the experience even better than the great food, and location. See you guys next trip!!!
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A
Amy
Detroit / Eastern Michigan4 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Enjoyed every minute of our time at Scholar. From the phenomenal crab cake appetizer that came highly recommended to the main course, everything was perfect, including the drinks. Service was outstanding, the atmosphere was lovely and plenty of space between tables we felt like we had our own space and wasn't noisy at all. Excellent experience before going to see Chris Stapleton at Van Andel.
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R
Robert VIP
Chicago / Illinois15 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service and food every time and in a very fun setting.
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H
Hannah
Grand Rapids / Western Michigan2 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 29, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
I had made a reservation specifically for the lower level of the restaurant for an important meeting. Unfortunately, I was only informed upon arrival that the lower level was closed. I chose Scholar for its lower level ambiance and would have appreciated being notified in advance that the reserved area was unavailable. That said, the food, service, and drinks were delightful!
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E
Eric VIP
Detroit / Eastern Michigan1 review
1.0
Dined on May 26, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We recently visited The Scholar in Grand Rapids on a late Sunday evening and were initially grateful they could accommodate our reservation. Unfortunately, the experience quickly turned disappointing. We were seated in oversized sitting chairs at a dining table in the main dining room. While they might look stylish, they were incredibly impractical and uncomfortable for dining. When we politely asked if we could switch to a different table or simply have regular chairs—especially since there were several empty tables and chairs available—we were told absolutely not, with no effort to be accommodating. The French press coffee we ordered was also a letdown—bitter and unpleasant. When our entrées arrived, the food runner slammed the dishes down without a word and served the wrong meals. I had ordered the salmon with asparagus and was instead given Salisbury steak. The runner left so quickly I didn’t even have a chance to correct the mistake. It took another 15 minutes for the correct entrée to arrive, by which time my guest had already finished eating. At a place with this price point—$150 for dinner for two—we expected far better service and coordination. Overall, while the atmosphere may look promising, the lack of comfort, service, and attention to detail made this a disappointing experience. I would not recommend The Scholar based on our visit.
1 person found this helpful
P
Patrick
Chicago / Illinois4 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great vibe and appetizers were excellent. Attentive service and priced appropriately.
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D
Dustin
Detroit / Eastern Michigan1 review
5.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent experience. Great atmosphere. Great staff
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FAQs

Scholar is rated 4.6 stars by 412 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 10 times today

11 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Our cross streets are Fulton and Weston.
Neighborhood
Grand Rapids
Hours of operation
Mon, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Breakfast, Cocktail Bar
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Executive chef
Taylor Boeschenstein
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Website
http://www.scholargr.com/
Phone number
(616) 980-9073

Scholar

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

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What 412 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

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Is Scholar currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information