A downtown Beacon TABLE
Beacon Corner Bar attempts tough concept; increases seafood options in GR BY PAT EVANS
// PHOTOS BY HANNAH RUSHTON
Leo’s is a longtime staple downtown and for years Charley’s Crab kept diners happy on the banks of the Grand River before its demise during COVID-19. For a vibrant downtown dining scene, that’s probably not enough. Now, however, seafood options are starting to pop up from seasoned restaurant groups in the area. Soon, the owners of The Chop House will open Real Seafood Co. on Monroe Avenue. But first, on New Year’s Eve, the owners of San Chez-A Tapas Bistro opened Beacon Corner Bar, 38 W. Fulton St. The same group also owns Roam by San Chez Bistro, 250 Monroe Ave. NW. Beacon’s location also once was San Chez Café, a casual offshoot of the keystone downtown restaurant that offered some fun breakfast options for downtown workers. With the lack of seafood options in Grand Rapids, the Beacon Corner Bar concept is brilliant. The casual spot across the hall from San Chez, which was named among GR Mag’s best restaurants earlier this year, offers a menu that can turn heads. A place to grab a seafood boil is not commonplace in the lake-enclosed Mitten State. And that’s because it’s hard to pull off. 88
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3/28/22 3:11 PM
