The East Lansing bar and restaurant scene added a few new members to its many options along Grand River Avenue earlier this month, with Lou and Harry’s as one of the new options hitting the town.
Lou and Harry’s, a restaurant rich with Greek and sports bar flavors, is making its return to the area after closing up shop in 2011 to try out a larger sports bar venture on Chandler Road.
“It ended up being too big and just didn’t work out location-wise,” Scott Rolen, 50 percent owner of the new East Lansing location, said. Rolen co-owns the bar with Harry Saites.
With three locations now in the Lansing area, Lou and Harry’s staff know the area well, but this time around they’re changing up plans with renovations, changes to the menu and an alcohol license — something the other locations don’t have.
“People are really liking the new look to it,” Rolen said. “We completely renovated the whole interior of the building.”
The renovations so far have included placing the bar along the left wall and opening up the right side of the establishment for seating. The now-open right half also leads to a back room complete with a pool table and multiple TVs.
On top of building changes, a couple additions to the menu include Greek fries, saganaki and wings. Other than that, much has remained the same as it was in the old location, including free tacos on Fridays if drinking at the bar.
In terms of business, so far it’s been good.
“We opened right during spring break, so it started off a little bit slow but we’ve been building every week,” Rolen said. “Everything’s been going well for now.”
The reaction from the patrons seems to be up as well.
“People really like the feel in here,” Rolen said. “They say it’s comfortable. Everyone that’s been coming in here, they stay for a couple hours and hang out so people have really been enjoying it.”
Lou and Harry’s is not just aiming for college students.
“We’re really going for all demographics here,” Rolen said. “It’s not only college kids, it’s not only the older crowd, we’re really trying to mix the crowds.”
Lou and Harry’s is open Sunday and Monday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Beginning at 10 p.m. every day only ages 21 and older are permitted in the restaurant.
