Toonies has been owned and operated in downtown Bellaire by the same local family for the past 21 years, and it’s location adjacent to the local cinema makes it a convenient partner in the time-tested “dinner and a movie” excursion. It’s a casual family restaurant known primarily for fish and steak, as its name would indicate, but any good Burgermeister would take that as merely a suggestion, and mine the menu for its burger offerings.
Burger Ordered: Toonies Burger
The Taste: When trying out a new place, I generally opt for the burger named after the establishment, which led me in the direction of the Toonies Burger. This is a ½ pound certified Black Angus burger, with option LTO+P, and you can “kick it up Toonies style” by adding a variety of standard burger offerings. I topped mine with lettuce, bacon, and American cheese. I like to keep my toppings simple and let the burger speak for itself, because the meat is the star. And in this case, the Black Angus patty was cooked a perfect medium rare, and it set the tone for the rest of the items. The bun was nicely toasted, and it did a great job holding everything together until the end.
The Verdict: Toonies is a friendly place in a good location, and they make a very good burger. Their menu also features a monstrosity known as “The Angry Mountain,” which is a ½ pound burger in between two grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as the “Smothered Bull,” an open faced burger with garlic mashed redskin potatoes smothered in gravy. So that makes it a destination worth going back to for the more adventurous Burgermeisters (like myself).
Toonies Fish and Steakhouse is located at 216 N. Bridge St. in Bellaire, Michigan.
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