If the previous reviewer didn't like this place, why did he give it 4 stars? He never mentioned what was on the menu that earned these 4 stars, just ranted about yuppies. Sadly, I probably belong to that category in his eyes, but so be it. I found the owner and his wife unfriendly, the plates very large but the portions only medium-sized. Very pretentious little menu, but the results are not up to par. Went with two other people, both of whom felt the same. The appetizers were good, and so was dessert, the rest was forgettable. I ate a Minestrone soup that was having schizophrenia issues. The chef mixed a tomato-and-meat ravioli with a pesto sauce and it ended up tasting like nothing. The coffee was swill. My one dining companion had an Italian coffee and didn't enjoy it, either. I'm sure she'll weigh in soon enough, so won't comment further. Every became friendly as we were leaving, but it was too little, too late. There's nothing obviously wrong with Montebianco, but I prefer the Villa in Petoskey. The meal was not worth the money, and I'm grateful I was not paying that night.

The third time in 3 yrs, my rental car broke down in a small town and I had to wait for hours for help. Had lunch at this place. As previous reviewer stated (however poor her English language skills and spelling), the Nuggest is a nice, nothing special. My hamburger was made fresh and the fries were hot. I even allowed myself a beer. The locals, so scorned by the first reviewer, were very friendly and made conversation while I waited for AAA assistance. The prices were quite decent, and the service was good. I even ate at the bar and watched the news. If one is going to have an auto breakdown, one could do worse.

Thumbs down to this dive, I'm afraid. Meals arrived lukewarm, and one veal cutlet had obviously been microwaved! Ugh! No Pellegrino in sight but only Perrier. Staff was not very helpful, either. An incredible waste of time and money. Never again. I will leave the previous reviewer all alone to eat here, as I don't plan on it. I suppose the Olive Garden is better, but it's no great deal, either. For those who want truly authentic cucina italiana, the "Villa" up in Petoskey is worth the trip!

My hosts persuaded me to come with them to Frankenmuth, which is German for "Courage of the Franconians." The Franconians would have to be fairly courageous to eat at this place. The whole town is Kitsch Central, absolutely NOTHING like the real Germany! I'm only first generation American, so I know Germany and German cuisine. This was the American fantasy of German cuisine, namely heavy entrees and huge portions. My mother never cooked that way, and hey, guess what? - she's from "Franconia" (Franken)! I'm sure diners who have eaten in Europe can tell the difference, but it's too bad this place gets raves when it's so mediocre. The Zehnders, bless 'em, don't even pronounce their name the way it's spoken back in Germany. The saving grace here was the Outlet Mall at Birch Run. I'm so sorry to be negative here, but I did not have a good time!

I would love to know what is Bavarian about this place other than its name. If I ever give up the law, I may just open a German bistro or something just to show Americans what real German fare is all about. Not one person here spoke German, it was crowded and the service was slow. Good thing no one spoke German here, though, since I was able to converse with my dining partners auf Deutsch and make nasty comments about the food ... and no one knew. As I said to my host, "Ohne mich, " which is the German expression for "Count Me Out." Never again.

Finally, a place that states it is European and actually is! And in the Middle of Nowhere, Michigan! Had I come to Hermann's first, I would never have gone to silly Frankenmuth. There is a real Hermann and he is not German, but Austrian, and he still speaks the language, which made for several happy minutes of small talk. Hermann has had to modify the specialties a little bit for the American palate, but I had some veal that was as good as my grandmother made back in Germany. There is a good wine selection, too, and good, strong coffee that makes dessert worthwhile. I don't recall if there is a baker/pastry chef on staff or if the owner makes everything himself, but it's all first-rate baked goods. When I visit Michigan again, I will come here first!

I lived in this town in 1969/70 and, when I left, I swore I'd never come back. Never say never, I guess, 'cause I recently found myself in a rental car, cruising the streets of my past, checking things out. So many things had changed in the 30-odd years I'd been gone, I was pleasantly surprised to see that The Newport Creamery is still around. In my last year of high school, I used to come here to eat basic American fare (BLT, chef salad, club sandwiches, et al) and have some ice cream dishes (sundaes, malts, floats, you name it). The Newport Creamery has one thing others do not: The Awful-Awful. I don't recall how it got it's name, but it's a big fat milkshake that one eats with a straw and a spoon. It comes in a tall fat container made of plastic. The deal is, if the customer can drink 3, the 4th is free. I've never met anyone who could manage that, but I'm sure someone's out there, still in shock from all that ice cream. I tried my old standard from 1969, the BLT on white toast and a chocolate Awful-Awful. Tasted exactly the same as 'way back when. I don't have fond memories of this crummy little town, but I did like the Newport Creamery and I still do all these years later. What a blast from the past!

Mr. Mike's is right across the street from a gas station where my rental broke down right during rush hour traffic. While waiting for the rental people to come, I came in here for a Coke and stayed for a whole pizza. We may do some fine pizza where I live in N.England, but Mr. Mike's is pretty fine, too. Caught part of a tennis match on the big TV while I ate. The rental people came right after I had finished eating, and they gave me an upgrade from the model I'd been driving. The guy even stayed for a slice and a Coke! Not bad for a hot summer afternoon.

Up North on vacation, and someone talked me into coming here after golf. Hard to believe this restaurant won awards! It's as far from Italian food as Pizza Hut! Waitstaff is kinda flaky, the big dining room is nice but too near the bar (read: noise) and it basically ain't worth the bother. Food is pretty run-of-the mill, definitely not award winning!

Why is this called the "New World" when it's so much like the "Old World" - Europe. Very convenient locale for us boaters to pull up, eat, or get things to go, then hit the high seas (that would be Lake Michigan in this case). I've visited here twice and saw it very slow, then extremely busy, which reminds me of Europe. When things are slow, staff can talk and joke with each other or the guests, but when a bunch of diners show up, the personnel switch into overdrive! The deck is very comfortable and seats about 35-40, I was told. Some 12 or so people can squeeze in up front as well. We bought an entire cherry pie at a reasonable price and some coffee beans as well, and everything got consumed within about 30 minutes. Cookies are tremendous, too! When I visited in early July, there was a huge salad available with lots of mixed greens and vegetables and a spicy dressing. A filling meal on a hot day. Spoke German with the self-styled "cashier/bouncer" (her words) and that was fun, too. Recommended!

Very nice ristorante, and very expensive, but quite authentic. A smaller set-up than we had expected judging by the outside of the building and the parking lot. Popular with resort guests (like us) in summer, reservations are a good idea. Great wine selection - wow! The owner apparently visits Italy yearly to shop for wine and then learn a little more cooking. After that horror "Giuseppe's" in Charlevoix, this was a treat. Dinner for two (with alcoholic beverages) ran us about $100. A splurge, but an enjoyable one.

I like this cafe because it is convenient to my workplace. At lunchtime it's often crowded to max capacity with people buying books, eating and/or socializing. The coffee is bistro-quality and I'm sure the pastry is good, too, altho' I've tried it. For the single guy, this is probably a good place to meet potential dates, tho' I doubt my wife will appreciate that comment.

If you've ever eaten in Europe --- and I have --- you're used to the kind of snooty wait staff. I speak a little Italian, so I've had good luck with the personnel here. Very authentic-type European menu, good drinks list, and a seriously upscale crowd at times. My firm has an account here for the business dinners, so I guess that's why I'm treated well. Reservations are a good idea if you're not known to the folks here.

I'm a sucker for a good European-type cafe, traced back to my exchange student days in Switzerland. The coffee here is just like in Rome, I swear, and I come here with or without spouse just to practice my Italian. The food is acceptable, but I like the ambiance of it all and my wife likes the desserts made like in Bella Italia. As one of my colleagues says about this joint, "You could do a LOT worse." I believe him.

When in Boston on business, we always try to stop by here for lunch. Very professional staff, excellent menu, and a multi-lingual staff. After an aperitif or two I tend to show off with my limited Italian and French, but no one bats an eye, since the guests are mostly multi-cultural and polyglot. The Blue Cheese Burger is still my favorite, although the Caesar salad is pretty good, too. A very good place to dine, whether on expense account or not.

Stopped here this year after my car decided to break down and I had to wait for it to be fixed. Nothing fancy here, but the coffee was hot and tasted OK and the homemade pie was good enough so that I took a couple of pieces with me. Good thing these guys are open 24/7 or I would have been very bored waiting for the car to be repaired.