But, unlike Crunchy's and a lot of other places near campus, Bonnie's Place caters to a clientele that consists largely of the permanent and long time residents of the Lansing area, which is evident in its Sunday crowd. Many of them make their living at GM, others downtown near the state capitol, and some are are bootleggers for light recreational drugs.

Where expectations were met on the atmosphere and the quality of the drinks, there were different views on the burgers.

The server double checked every order as she wrote it down and made sure we knew that half pound burgers with toasted buns are the norm at Bonnie's.

The toasted buns are especially important, because they are very similar to the buns that Crunchy's uses, but they held the burger together better. Bonnie's also claims that they serve "steak burgers". I dislike the use of ironic quotations, but my guess is that "steak burger" isn't a term backed up by any FDA standard or criterion.

"It was at least seasoned well, and there was a generous portion of fries," said Nate, who ordered the Southwestern Burger.

He added, "The patty itself tasted artificial and processed, the texture wasn't natural, so only a '2' overall".

Erik was more satisfied with his Bacon and Bleu Cheese burger. "It had a great flavor. It was cooked right (medium) but it wasn't too greasy," he said.

He added, "Toasting the bun is key. The large portion of fries helps to improve the value of the order".

Molly also had good things to say about her Aloha Burger, which consists of green pepper, tomato, and mozzarella. She added bacon at an additional charge.

"It was an interesting enough flavor combination," she said. "The bacon was an expensive addition, about $2.00"

"They give you lots of fries, I like that," added Molly.

Amber didn't think her Baby Bonnie's Burger was exceptional. It is a quarter pound version of the half-pound Bonnie Burger, which includes American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and a quarter pound of shaved ham.

"It seemed to be a pre-formed patty, probably from GFS, the toppings made this unremarkable burger better," she said.

Adding, "I think I'd rather have a sandwich with just this ham".

I had a lot of mixed feelings about Bonnie's. Our server, whose name I failed to write down, was excellent. She helped us with our order, showed an enthusiasm for the food, and she made sure that we got everything we needed. She offered me refills on my Mountain Dew faster than I could drink them. I hate when I have to flag down a server for basic things, and this one did a great job. Bonnie's does well above average on service based on E.L.B.C.'s experience.

They could have given me half as many fries, but I ate them all. They were pretty damn good.

I ordered the Jamaican Jerk burger. When the server brought it to my table, Erik said, "A jerk for a jerk," which was kind of a dick thing to say.

I presumed that because I was eating jerk and that I am a jerk that he must eat dick, because he is a dick. But that wasn't on the menu. Not at Bonnie's.


Everyone liked the fries and the solid portions that are served; although the onion ring on my burger was tasty. It made me want to order a basket. I wanted to try more.

Bonnie's also serves stuffed olives and other goodies. This establishment would be wise to publish a menu online, perhaps on CampusFood.com.

I don't have an orthodox aversion to pre-formed patties, they can do the trick. But, Bonnie's Place claims to have the best burger in Lansing, and you just can't do that with a meat disc from Gordon's Food Service or Sysco. It makes me wonder if they serve the dreaded House Recipe Ketchup. When you're given evidence that the restaurant is skimping on something this crucial, you wonder where else they skimp and ultimately you wonder what you're paying for.

Bonnie's has a lot going for it, but they should consider a re-evaluation of its choice of meat.
That's probably good advice for us all.

On the plus side, Bonnie's serves dessert. We had a choice between Coconut Cream Pie and a Brownie Sundae. Amber, Molly, and Nate each ordered the latter. Everyone tried it and had several bites. But, most of us agreed that it was like the burger meat, pre-formed and unimpressive. This is the down side.

Nate said it tasted like it was a GFS Sundae. I felt like it tasted of the Little Debbie Fudge Brownies that I used to get for 25¢ at the gas station. Anyone with brownie mix, and a moderately priced carton of ice cream could have done better.
Bonnie's should consider baking some of its own desserts.

Bonnie's meets and exceeds expectations in so many ways. This good place to eat could be a great place to eat if they improved some of the food. Not until then will Bonnie's have the best burger in Lansing.

The best is out there, but our search continues.

Update: I tried contacting Bonnie's for more information about their burger patties, but they never got back to me. I will assume the worst. - Erik