The Old Goat

I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was so unique and delicious! The service was amazing also! Definitely recommend it to anyone visiting or living in Grand Rapids!

This place is awesome. Everything we eat was like a party in our mouths. The portions are over the top. You will not go away hungry. We loved everything about this place. Great service.

First bite of the appetizer stopped me mid-​bite; it was so good. The rest of the Board appetizer was a great variety of very specific flavors and textures that complemented one another while retaining the inidivuality of each piece. Our entrées were the pork pot roast and beef pot roast. Although served in the same type of cast iron pot, they were completely different flavors and presentations. The Beef Pot Roast was almost like a stew with heirloom carrots, perfect little potatoes, and a generous portion of beef. It was country comfort food with a gourmet gastropub upgrade. The pork BBQ pot roast was more bright and flavorful with a base of veggies and rice that was very filling. I’m not a little guy, and I didn’t finish the beef dish, nor my wife the pork. We’We’ll be back.

Expect a lengthy wait…
Called earlier in the day to ask if we could make a reservation to be told that they do not allow reservations and seating is based on a first come, first serve basis. I would say this would be fine if you are only wanting a table of two… We showed up with a group of nine people at prime time on Saturday night to be told there is a wait of 45 minutes to an hour; we expected this due to the larger size of our group. However, two hours later we were only just being seated. Something that the waiter didn’t seem to relish and can only imagine how the chef felt when our order came through when he thought he would be closing soon. This wait ruined my experience in a way as it puts you past your meal and thinking why did we even bother?!
There wasn’t even an apology from any staff or management which was disappointing even though our wait time had been doubled. Having worked in numerous restaurants, I get circumstances occur and certain obstacles cannot be avoided. However, I had a similar experience on my first visit when I had been told for a table of four a wait of thirty minutes which turned into one hour and half.
A member of my group suggested why wouldn’t they offer reservations for groups over six or eight? I think it’s slightly unacceptable to keep people waiting for two hours and unfair on your staff who get hit with larger tables just as they think they could be winding down.

Great handcrafted cocktails are a nice way to start dinner here. Came on a Monday night and server was prompt and knowledgable. Chicken and biscuit was very tasty, but be careful, the biscuit is huge. We’ll definitely be back!

I’ll admit, I was let down by The Old Goat. I’d heard such good things from people I know & trust, so I did go in with high hopes.
The ambiance is great. I parked in front & you can’t use the front door, so had to walk all the way around back, which was confusing at first, until I saw the parking lot in back. The host easily accommodated our larger party (10– cannot do reservations unless 20+ apparently).
The waitress was efficient, but had no personality. She was short with us, didn’t know the answers to much and didn’t engage. But our glasses were always filled and we got our food in good time.
One of our party ordered a beer that was described as mocha & was surprised that is was spicy. The waitress said she didn’t know she would have to describe it as spicy and only later mentioned it had habanero in it!
I got the chicken and biscuits. Described as a chicken stew with root vegetables and their housemade biscuit on top. The portion size was amazing– huge! But it was $ 18, so it was good for the money. The biscuit on top was delicious. Warm and flaky, soft on the inside. But the stew was super disappointing. Most of the vegetables were whole. I had 4 whole carrots in there, with the tops on! It certainly hadn’t cooked long, so it was difficult to cut into manageable pieces and then still pretty crunchy. I had 2 fingerling potatoes that were cooked well, though. The sauce was only ok and a lot of the chicken was either gristly or under seasoned. I mostly at the potatoes & biscuit & just gave up on the rest. Very disappointed for $ 18.
Another woman in my party got the same dish with the same results and the same disappointment. That being said, others at our table enjoyed their dishes. Sometimes these «everything fresh and housemade» places try too hard and don’t always get the home run.
Overall, I had a dud of a night. However, I would try The Old Goat again. I’d try something different and hope for a more personable server. Hoping to get the experience I’ve heard so much about!

I love so many places in Grand Rapids, but this has been my favorite food experience so far. We had the board of education, the pork in a pot and the wings. So, so good. The only thing holding back the 5 star for me was the cocktails. Extremely good, homemade, but I didn’t have the «wow, I’ve never tasted that before». Doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying and work my way through the menu.

I had a decent meal here recently. I ordered the Reuben sandwich. The sandwich was pretty good. Nothing mind blowing. But good flavors. It came with a «chef’s-choice» side. Ummm, just give me some fries. No need for a small mason jar of mac salad.
Prices seemed a little on the higher end for what you got, but I guess that’s what the hipster’s charge these days. And even though they brought the check in an American Express holder, they didn’t actually take American Express.

The Old Goat is owned by the same people as Electric Cheetah so I went into it thinking it would be similar. After having Sunday brunch here, I’d give it a three star rating. Here’s the break down:
1) The ambiance is good. It has a rustic feel to it with plenty of space for large groups.
2) Their brunch menu is extensive and there are many options from sweet to savory.
3) The service was on point. Our waiter was very attentive and would check in on us in the right frequency.
The food was decent. Not the most amazing in GR, but I enjoyed my pastrami hash. My wife ordered the salmon benedict and it was just okay.
They offer a range of drinks and have two ciders. I ordered Vanher Hill’s ginger peach cider and it wasn’t the best cider I’ve had.

I took a chance and brought a group of friends here who were visiting from out of town on my very first visit. Normally I wouldn’t suggest a restaurant that I hadn’t tried yet, but since this restaurant is under the same ownership as Electric Cheetah, I trusted it wouldn’t disappoint. It was pretty great, just as I expected! The first thing we noticed was how beautifully decorated the restaurant is. The décor is modern and just fascinating to take in, from the goat on the roof outside to the oil drum lights (our server informed us these were actually a DIY project, made by the owner) to the little fireplace area off of the stairs that was sweetly decorated for Christmas. :) Our party of five was seated at a long wooden table and the wall next to our table had a gallery of goat pictures on it. The atmosphere is casual and really fun.
The menu is UNIQUE. I say a lot of menus are creative if they’re modern and trendy, but the menu at The Old Goat is actually unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else in Grand Rapids. So that’s a good thing. Even though I l-​o-​v-​e Electric Cheetah, I like that this isn’t just the same concept in a different location (and with a different animal spirit, ha). However, I was surprised in a not-​entirely-​good way by the strong Polish/​German influence on the food. For example, the kielbasa, pimiento cheese, pickled mustard seeds, and braised red cabbage on the Board of Education appetizer tray we shared were all a little too adventurous for me, but I did enjoy the pickles, deviled eggs and goat cheese.
We ran into one issue while ordering. The menu states, «All sandwiches except the burger are served with a side dish. Add Cajun Fries for $ 3.» However, it turns out that it actually costs an additional $ 3 to add any side to any sandwich. Our server did explain that, though, when he came to take our orders, agreeing that the menu is «confusing.» Since the difference in price for sandwich + $ 3 side turned out to be the same price as the Big Plate entrée I had my eye on, I ended up changing my order at the last minute.
There are lots of vegetarian/​vegan options, yay! I had one called the Pumpkin Pierogi Pot. Everyone at the table tried it and agreed that it was delicious — the chili spiced pepitas were the highlight since they added a nice savory kick to the sweetness of the pumpkin. My friend enjoyed Kiss My Grits Doris (my friend who ordered it raved about the shrimp), the Something Heinen Bell (which was served in a little cast iron pot & included a German pasta called spaetzle, which my friend said was amazing), the Grillie Vanilli (which came on a cute little cutting board with seasoned fries), and the Catfish Po’ Boy. The only meal that didn’t get an A+ was the Catfish Po’ Boy, because the pretzel hoagie it was served on was so hard that it was impossible to bite into and even difficult to cut with a knife. It was so hard that we actually passed it around the table to marvel at. :) But I have a feeling this isn’t typical (we were the last table on this particular Saturday night) and I’m sure our very attentive server (I think his name was Parker) would have corrected this right away had he been informed. As it turned out, there was so much food being passed around our table & we were enjoying ourselves so much that the hoagie was deemed unnecessary & quickly forgotten.
All in all, while Polish & German foods may not be my personal faves, our meals were top-​notch from start to finish (as was the service and the space) and all my friends liked The Old Goat A LOT. I’ll be back. :)

Yes, it’s goooood… can’t avoid the vibrant flavors when you use fresh ingredients, on a side note the customer service was extremely attentive and the little biscuit that came pre dinner with the creamed honey butter is worth a return visit.

We went to the Old Goat for dinner before a concert we were attending at CAlvin College. Arriving at around 6pm the place was packed but after about 10 minutes the hostess informed us that 2 seats were available at the counter.
First off I absolutely loved the décor. Rustic elegance. Really beautiful and fun. I enjoy sitting at the counter, where I can see the action. Those on the line were moving and shaking getting the orders out. Everything looked delicious, which made choosing what to order difficult. I ended up choosing the burger & fries with the optional add on beer for $ 3, my husband went with the catfish Po boy. To start we got an order of their famous deviled eggs and a cup of tomato bisque. Then we waited.
It stands to reason that if you are going to have your cooking staff essentially in a goldfish bowl they are going to be watched
Everyone wore gloves, but I saw nose rubbing, head scratching, back scratching, feeding of self all done while gloved and of the 6 staff only 1 consistently changed his. It was a little eww.
Our server, was smarmy. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to take our order or sell me a used Passat. He was nice enough but was way overselling. For instance I ordered the burger, and since I am sitting at the counter I can clearly see the drawer filled with burgers every time the chef would take one out but when I ordered my server told me «well if I come back in a minute you may need a second choice because we only have 6 burgers left»
really?
FALSE.
soo false because I can SEE the drawer of full of beef because it’s RIGHT in front of me
Plus I already ordered, so does telling me that my burger is on the endangered list make it more desirable to me, nope it just kind of made it a running joke. Especially when the chef had to bring in another entire rack of buns for the burgers of which supposedly there were only 6 of. It was a loaves & fishes miracle only with burgers.
We had both ordered drinks, but our server never asked nor offered us a second, which we would have ordered but hey we saved an extra $ 15.
When our food came out it looked awesome, even better it tasted awesome. Really really good. I’d ordered my burger medium, it was actually closer to medium rare which was ok but it had sat for a while and the pink juices had rendered my bottom bun to mush. I asked for a replacement which came out un buttered and not toasted, (tear face)
The burger was delicious and full of flavor the melty cheese and fresh toppings. The pork belly is almost too much but hey if you are already indulging on the burger why not throw more extravagance on it. My husbands Po Boy was delicious as well. a nice huge piece of catfish, still flaky not dried out. The buns were soft and fresh. I had the cajun fries which we delicious sweet and spicy. The bill took a while to get and we were running late so when I noticed that I had not received my beer & burger discount there wasn’t time to adjust.
Over all we really enjoyed the food and the ambiance but the service left us feeling cold. We’ll be back, eventually.

I loved this place! Goats are my favorite animal so it was no arm twist to get me here. Came with a business crowd, I was part of a party of nine.
Drinks served in mason jars. Cocktail menu was on trend but I stuck with Diet Coke with lemon.
Everyone around me enjoyed their meals, many at my table ordered a soup and sandwich (turkey and cheese with chicken soup, grilled cheese with tomato and tomato soup) and some found the portions healthy enough to take half home with them. Good bread options, tasty and interesting combinations.
I personally ordered The Surfboard, an appetizer that I ordered as my entrée. I should have appreciated the «board» part of the title as it came out on a huge long plank! It consisted of toasts, three deviled eggs, steamed red cabbage, smoked herb salmon, pierogis and smears of sour cream and applesauce. It was all quite lovely and a good amount of salmon.
The restaurant was packed and the waitress was very friendly and good at her job. Ambience was great. I really have no complaints!

Their menu changes seasonally so my advice is just to look through the menu and pick whatever looks most appealing to you. For the most part, everything is pretty well made, especially their sandwiches.
When I came in the summer, I ordered some sort of barbecue or pulled pork sandwich and it was heavenly. Also tried the pork shank and enjoyed that as well. However, one disappointment was the jambalaya. It was spicier than normal and I thought the spice from the jalapenos overpowered the rest of the flavors in the dish.
Also want to comment on the ambiance since I think it definitely enhanced the dining experience. The restaurant has a very open floor plan and possesses a sort of rustic, but sophisticated charm.

Great food!
Very nice restaurant!!! Great prices.
Most important GREAT staffs.
I wish we had something like this in Boston & Sarasota

I debated on 3 vs 4 stars, so I’m saying 3.5 (rounds to 4 on Unilocal…)
My first visit was with my wife. We stopped for lunch and both enjoyed the experience for the most part. The service was pretty good; friendly without being overbearing and reasonably attentive. The décor was inviting and the area spacious. The food was good, but not spectacular. We started off with «The Farmer’s Tan», which was tasty but a bit oil-​intensive. Still, a great app. I got the Catfish Po’ Boy and my wife the Smoked Turkey sandwich. We were happy with our choices, but I think I enjoyed the catfish more. Since it was lunch, I got some fresh-​squeezed lemonade, which was very good.
Probably the best restaurant in Alger Heights and still evolving. We agreed we would like to come back for dinner or later with friends to sample some of the drinks.

You can tell that The Old Goat are the same owners as The Electric Cheetah right when you walk into the restaurant. I really like that The Old Goat offers more seating than The Electric Cheetah. They also have some outdoor seating right in front of the restaurant.
I’ve been here several times and enjoyed the dishes I’ve ordered. Their menu has a lot of comfort food and knows how to incorporate tasty but not so good for you meat like pork belly. I ordered the burger the first time I was here. It had ground brisket and pork belly in it which was delicious! The fries were similar to what you would find at the Electric Cheetah minus the sauces. I also liked that it came with a side of pickled veggies.
Second time around, I ordered the BLTT which had pork belly, slice of fresh tomato, and a slice of fried green tomato. This was pretty amazing as well.
During my third time, I ordered the Smoked Beef Long Rib. The beef was good but there was too much spaetzle and I felt like the sauce was really rich. The dish overall was decent but I’m personally not a fan of such strong flavors.
Lastly, the free Johnny Cakes with Jalapeño Butter is a great touch to start with before your meal. You can actually taste the Jalapeño! I was always tempted to order more after I ate one.

This review was also placed on the business’ Facebook page:
The food is pretty good with the exception of a few flaws. IE the pork belly on my turkey sandwich was dried out and wasn’t even worth putting on the sandwich, the pasta salad that accompanied the sandwich lacked big time on flavor. It literally tasted like noodles with oil and pieces of tomato and shredded cheese thrown in. It needs herbs or seasoning because it’s just blah. The Cajun fries I received had great flavor but we’re soggy with grease from sitting in a bowl under a heat lamp on the top of the line. That bowl sat there the whole time I was there today and based on the texture had probably been there sometime before I arrived. Flaccid fries are just not appealing.
Now given all this my meal was still pretty good minus the various sanitation issues I watched occur while eating. A young man with shaggy hair was working behind the counter continuously eating without washing his hands then working with food and again not washing his hands. He finally put some gloves on before flipping some sandwiches on the flat but again… failed to wash his hands beforehand. I then watched him at least twice take off his hat and tossle his hair over his work station. Then go back to preparing food… without washing his hands.
The worst though was another young man with a black secchia institute chef coat who was slicing onions with a mandolin. Again no gloves… he then cuts himself on the mandolin which was noticeable to me for numerous reasons not including the fact that he came back 5 minutes later with a bandaged hand and now gloved on his right hand… and proceeds to put the onions he was slicing prior in a cambro and act like nothing happened. He didn’t sanitize his cutting board didn’t sanitize his work are didn’t toss the product he was using after obviously cutting himself but instead picked through the onions briefly and then put them all in storage for later use. If he intended to throw them away he could have as there was a trash can immediately to his left but he decided instead to make the decision to use a product that should have immediately been thrown away.
Look, I get the no gloves thing that seems to be going on in the kitchen and I love it because I hate gloves too but if that’s the way your staff is going to roll proper hand washing procedures need to be implemented. Such as after eating after touching ones hair after touching raw meat before touching produce (which I also saw) and most importantly proper procedure for taking care of a food prep area that an injury has occurred in.
I like the menu and as I said the food was pretty great with the few exceptions I noted but the sanitation stuff I couldn’t look over. It upset me… Not only as a chef but as a consumer. Especially with an open kitchen one must be even more mindful of what they are doing.

The Old Goat is my new favorite place in Alger Heights!
I attended their soft opening and was impressed food quality and originality of the bite-​size samples, which is what made me excited to visit when they officially opened.
Although I didn’t get a full meal for my first visit, three of us split the «Board of Education» which is technically an appetizer but filled us all up as a light meal. It was literally the size of our table, featuring a huge portion of goat cheese, tender juicy, grilled kielbasa, pimiento cheese, three deviled eggs, herbed whipped goat cheese, pickled vegetables and cabbage, and baguettes for dipping. I liked the variety this board had and I think I may get this again but as a meal for myself.
We were only provided a cocktail menu when we were sat so I actually don’t know if they have beer here. I assume they do, being we are in Beer City and all, but I really can’t say. My friend inquired with the server about their wines and he listed off the house varieties they have. She said she wasn’t wowed with the house red variety she ordered and said that she wished she would’ve gotten a cocktail, like the Hey Sssailor drink I had. I’m partial to Sailor Jerry Rum so this fruity, zesty creation was perfect for me.
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable during our visit. I would’ve liked a little direction upon entering the front door. Apparently the host stand is in the back of the restaurant which a helpful staff member pointed out to us. Otherwise, seating for dinner on Friday night at 6:30 was easy with zero wait.
Fun fact: their website is just
. ha! Clever! Two points for creative use of your site name.

Heard all the hype and went to try it out.
They are still in their soft opening phase, so they’re still trying to work out the kinks.
Seating was quick and the place filled in fast during the lunch rush. They seemed to have a lot of servers, so not sure why the service was a little on the slow side. They ran out of the daily special by a little after noon?
Started with the daily deviled egg app. Server described it with bbq pork and it came out with bacon. They were quite tasty in spite of the pork swap.
Tried the jambalaya. Reminded me of a vegetarian dish as there were a lot beans. Because of the amount of fiber, the sauce was very bland. The crab claw was pre cracked and made for a nice presentation, but too messy to eat at lunch. Maybe the baguette was supposed to be a little on the tough side to absorb the sauce, but was too hard for my liking.
We also tried the brisket burger. Ordered medium with a little pink — came out well done. Server commented that the kitchen was over cooking. Funny he knew that and didn’t do anything about it. The fries were great and complemented nicely with their house made ketchup. Aside from the eggs, the fries were the best part of the meal.
I came in with high expectations based on their other restaurant, but was underwhelmed. Will try it again after their grand opening.