Courses At Muskegon

We loved our food! Everything was delicious. We plan to return often!

I've been to Courses several times now, and each time it has been consistently excellent! The restaurant is a part of the Culinary Institute of Michigan and is actually run by students. Students are the hostesses, bartenders, servers, and chefs (of course with supervision. The restaurant is open at various times during the year, so it is important to check online for dates they are open. Courses is open for lunch and dinner times. The drinks are delicious. I had a blueberry lemonade that was delicious, and completely made from scratch. We ordered an appetizer that was a pierogi. Oh, my gosh, it was SO delicious. So many flavors wrapped into them. I also ordered the small cream of mushroom soup, and it too, was fabulous. I shouldn't have ordered so much because I was starting to get full! The food is so rich and yummy that it is filling. I also had a salad and the club sandwich with fried. I ended up taking 3/4 of the sandwich home! A little about the staff ... they are really terrific. It is easy to tell that some of the kids are nervous, but they do such a good job. There is real attention to detail and flavors. One of the best meals I've had at a restaurant in Muskegon.

The students and staff from the culinary Institute are excellent! The Rotary Club meal was superb ? . Unique and extremely high quality . Great work!

When you go with the understanding that this is a culinary school, you 'll forgive small stuff--these are students. The consistency in the meal prep varies by who is in the kitchen. Spousal unit and I went for an anniversary dinner--I had hoped to try the rabbit and he, the sea scallops...instead, we were presented with a prix fixe and decided to go with that. Bread: soft, warm--a queso dill roll and queso herb roll. Tasty. Course #1: Lamb chops, jimaca slaw. The chops were well prepared, tender. The slaw was ok. Didn 't really do much for flavor...more jimaca than apple. Course #2: pan-fried trout over quinoa salad--this, by far, was my favorite course. It was flavorful (fresh mint added a great layer) and the fish was prepared just right. Course #3: 5 oz. filet over yukon mash and a demi-glace. Filet was well prepared, yukon mash was ok. Demi-glace was WAY too salty. I scraped that off and everything was golden. Dessert: spousal unit got the Earl Grey creme brulee--they really brought the flavor of the Earl Grey out in the custard. the sugar crust was crispy. I got the mango Charlotte. It was flavorful, but there was some odd grainy bit around the edges of my serving...I rated merely 'ok ' Two non-alcoholic highballs--first made WAY too sweet, adjusted with club soda and they were ok. Meal for 2--around $50. 3 courses, plus dessert...decent food. We will be back.

I love the learning concept behind Courses, and their pricing makes it easy to make allowances for the occasional shortcomings. The dining room is upscale without being stuffy and offers gorgeous views of Hackley Park. It 's a quiet place for business conversation or a night out. Service tends to vary quite a bit and is sometimes awkward since they are in training. Still, everyone has been friendly and accommodating. As a plus, the fact that the servers aren 't as polished (read snooty as some high-end establishments actually makes the dining experience more relaxed and enjoyable. In my experience, the food has always been excellent. Appetizers, soups, salads, main courses, and desserts are all high quality. Be adventurous. You 'll be well rewarded. I have two suggestions for improvement. First, for some reason, the bread is usually tough and served cold. They create some interesting varieties, but they really need better quality control in the bakery. Second, the silverware has round handles and is uncomfortable to hold; it 's a small thing, but distracts from the experience. It may be worth noting that the menu changes quarterly, and things seem to improve as the quarter progresses. If you 're particular, don 't go during the first two weeks of their academic quarter. Also, check their website for hours; they close a few days during school breaks and between quarters. Overall, Courses gets an A- from me. Lunch or dinner, it 's a great spot.