Janelle's Family Restaurant

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  11.2012 This restaurant burned down.

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  Posted on 01.11.13 Leilani L.

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  I did not find it to be quiet.  Just putting it out there.  Every surface was hard...
  
  The food was tasty.  We came for the buffet after being told the golfcourse kitchen was closed.  The tater tots were chilly but the rest was tasty.  Breads, meats, fruit, and a full service omlette station.  For $5.99 I think.  Alrighty!!!
  
  The service was a little lax, but they were changing shifts so I didn't take a star off.

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  Posted on 05.31.12 Rebecca B.

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  Byron is a tiny hamlet between Fenton and Howell. We were there on a visit to a nearby farm; we decided to stop in town and have lunch. Janelle's is one of two eating spots (the other looked like a small pizzeria/take-out joint) on the main street. Visually Janelle's is a typical small-town family restaurant; all wood paneling, antiques and vintage photos of the area. We were surprised by the ambition of the menu, which was supplemented by a number of weekly and daily specials; then again, it's pretty much the only game in town for a "real" sit-down meal, and has to be all things to all people in this rather isolated place.
  
  We ordered, off the main menu, Carolina Pig sandwiches, pulled-pork-and-slaw on a bun; I had chicken-vegetable soup, one of the daily specials, on the side, while my partner chose sweet potato fries. We were both pleased with our lunches. The sandwiches were huge, flavorful and neatly wrapped in waxed paper (not so neatly eaten!); the fries were nicely seasoned; the soup, while obviously made from an assortment of frozen vegetables,, was colorful and hti the spot -- like something you or I miight throw together in a crock pot for a quick lunch on a blustery day.
  
  The interior of the restaurant is very clean and cheerful, and the service was friendly. (I believe we were served by the owner.) The prices were surprisingly low, we thought, for the quantity and quality.
  
  We didn't have room for dessert, but we did see an appealing teaser for shakes, malteds, sundaes and pies on the wall.
  
  If you're looking for some groovy, poppin' Guy-Fieri-ate-here restaurant, keep driving. This place is what it is.  But we thought it was one of the better main-street restaurants we've eaten at in small-town Michigan, and we've been to a lot.

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  Posted on 04.26.12 Ellen P.

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  Definitely will go back!
  
  My husband and son and I went here for dinner last Saturday night. We had seen the ads on cable and decided to give it a try to patronize a local business. We liked it very much. The decor is rustic but very nice. There was a musician playing in the next room - he was very good and played a good selection of dinner music. I ordered the 10 oz strip steak - medium rare - with a vegetable instead of potatoes. My husband ordered the queen-size prime rib - medium rare - with a baked potato. My son ordered the Canadian Chicken pasta - with chili instead of a salad. He said the bread basket (complementary) was delicious. He wasn't crazy about the chili, but that was the only criticism. The salads were fresh and crisp. My son enjoyed the Canadian chicken and had enough leftovers for probably 2 more meals. My steak was cooked perfectly, and the abundant fresh vegetable mix of carrots, parsnips, and sugar pea pods were crisp and delicious. Someone knows how to cook vegetables!  My husband's order of the smaller prime rib was still more than he could finish. He said it was perfectly medium rare and the baked potato was good too. We were very pleased and I thought the $45 bill was very reasonable for all the food that you got. The service was great.  The waitress was very attentive and the owner stopped by a couple of times to see if we were happy. You should put this one on your list of places to try!

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  Posted on 04.07.12 Anne S.

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  We recently made a visit in a party of 6.  Had one of the seafood specials - a Mess of Smelts, the Traverse City Salad  and the 2 orders of the Baja (BarBQ Chicken) Pizza on a week night.  This is our 4th or 5th visit.  For a rural small town America owner operated restaurant, Janelle's does a really good job.  They do cook from scratch here.  Everything was fresh and all were pleased.  Portion sizes are very generous and prices are affordable.  I'd highly recommend visiting here before stopping into one of the chain places in the local mall.   They also have a really nice Sunday Brunch available on the weekends.

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  Posted on 09.09.11 Marianna Z.

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  My husband and I decided to go for a Sunday ride and stop for dinner. I had seen the website for this restaurant and thought it looked good.   We were very sadly disappointed. The food was horrible and the service mediocre at best. We both got Sunday specials and they were awful.  I am not critical about most places, so this is new for me, but I hope no other unsuspecting visitors get stuck going there for a "good" Sunday dinner. The area was looking rather run down and economically distressed as did the outside of the building.  There were 3 or 4 TVs going and a radio blasting horrible music, too many kids working that didn't care.  I don't know is there is a new owner or what, but we will never darken their door again.

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  Posted on 08.07.11 Sandra D.

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